HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1975-09-03 MinutesCITY OP MIAM1
COMMISSION
MINUTES
OF MEETING HELD ON September 3, 1975
(SPECIAL: MEETING)
PREPARED BY THE OFFICE OF THE DITY CLERK
CITY HALL
CITY OF MIAMI
DOCUMENT
COMMISSION AGENDA AND 'CITY CLERK REPORT
MINUTES OP SPECIAL MEETING
CITY C iM IlSSION OP MtIAMI PLCRI1 A
On the 3rd day of September, 1975 the City Commission of Miami, Florida
met at its regular meeting place at tity Hall in said City in SPECIAL SESSION,
to consider the propbaed appropriation ordinance for the City of Miami for fiscal
year 975-i976.
The meeting was called toorder at 9 1C o'clock A.M. with the following
members of the Commission present:
Commissioner (Rev.) Theodore Gibson
Commissioner Manolo Heboso
Vice4layor J.L. Plummier, Jr.
Absent: Mrs. Gordon and Mayor Ferree
Also presents P.W. Andrews City Manager
A.R. Crouch, Assistant City Manager
John S. Lloyd, City Attorney
Roth Southern, City Clerk
Absent: Ralph G. Ongie, Assistant City Clerk
An invocation was delivered by Rev. Gibson, after which he led in
the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
NOTE: Mayor Ferre and Mrs. Gordon entered the meeting at 9:14 o'clock A.M.
Mayor Ferre: Mr. Fine we are always happy to have you in our midst, and
apologies for making you wait 15 minutes.
Mr. Martin Fine: Thank you, Mr. Mayor and Commission, I am here as Chairman
of the City's Budget Review Committee. Actually the very short brief report, -
you may recall that on July 17th at your request we rendered an interim report
and the Commission asked the Manager to respond to parts of it. He did and sent
me a letter explaining certain items. ONe of the problems we have it seems to me
is the fact that we practically didn't have the time to do the kind of review
job that we would have liked to have done because we only received the budget about
two or three weeks ago, during that time I was on vacation, Col Wolfson is away
for a month, one or two other people are unavailable, and so one of the things
that we talked about before, was the fact that I think this review process is one
that should be going on constantly during the year. Frankly without getting into
details, I don't see how any of you can understand this budget, when it is given
to you in the manner it is, and the time it is. I think you have to rely on the
Manager and his staff, but one of the recommendations we have and we want to
reiterate, and emphasize is that we are willing to continue to work with you during
the course of the year, and to examine and re-examine these items to see if we can
be of some assistance there. We think it is difficult, if not impossible, to review
this as a lay -committee without enough time and some professional help. YOu have
a budget department of 4 or 5 people or more, plus the Manager's office doing this
all year round, and one of the items we discussed with representatives of the
budget department, we personally think that we may ask, or you may want to ask
for a person who would represent the commission. By the way, the congress has just
done this for the first time, and the lady whose name I forget, from the Brookings
Insitution, now reviews the budget for the congress so that they can talk properly
to the office of budget management. I have a feel that you all need that same type
of ombudsman,
Mayor Ferre; Would you say that their budget is a little bit more complicated
than ours?
Mr. Fine; I must say that it is , but in a manner of speaking, this particular
document in my opinion, --I am from Philadelphia and I am a lawyer, and I think
you have to be a Philadelphia lawyer to even begin to figure it out. I think it
is impossible for any citigen who isn't ready to commit a tremendous amount of time
to read it and understand it, and I think you have an almost as difficult a problem
as they have in a way, "D'O C UM E NT INDEX
ITEM NO, 1
Mr. fitter 1 want to reiteratequickly several recommendations we made
that obviously didn't make the budget this trip attd that is a decision that
you all can take into consideration. We recommend very strongly that you initiate
a santatibn fee of $ 0.00 a year. Again you are the only city in the entire county
who doesn't have it. fifty dollars a year would cover about 60% of the entire
budget for that department. t know there are some considerations and implications
involved but I believe that while these are difficult economic times for all of us,
the fact of the matter is, that is not going to play any serious Problems with most
families in Miami and perhaps you can build some sort of hardship into it, frankly
the families within the city you have the toughest time in living in apartment
buildings. and those buildings have commercial haulers, whereas many such as
myself who live in tray Heights and other places, not far from here ought to be
willing to pay that kind of fee and will produce close to 5 million dollars a year.
Mr. Reboso wasn't here when we discussed that but we have a chart which we delivered
to you all, showing you are the only city in the county that doesn't do it,
e think you ought to increase your tillage by .7 of a mill. As you knows
you are at 8.6 now, you have 1.4 to go. 1 can tell you now. we will probably
recotmnend next year that you do it again, so that you reach your maximum, because
it is very obvious that the income is limited by 10 mills by state statute
and your expenses are going to go through the roof regardless what you do. The
power bills and other bills, and other bills and matters over which you have no
control and all the fine people who work for the city who unfortunately are stuck
in a very bad position of having limited incomes and they have to stop on their
expenses and their children's expenses and so you are going to be faced with
higher and higher request for wages and 1 see very few places you can get it from.
I think in most cases without getting into the details, I can't imagine that you
could do any less than what most of the organizations within the city are asking
for in terms of salaries when you consider the risk they are taking, the time they
put in and all the other problems that are involved.
One of the other very strong recommendations that we have is that after this
budget is approved, that you immediately ask the city budget: department, or I
guess the city manager sloes, to prepare a budget for 1976-77, and for 1979-80.
We think that will show, (particularly the latter one) that it is impossible
to finance the city under present conditions and where you see the lack of new
buildings starting, and you are going to be limited with your real estate taxes,
in terms of new property, as a matter of fact, we are probably ripping down, with
exception of some parts on Brickell Avenue more buildings than we are starting.
I think kind of budget will very dramatically, emphatically bring to your attention
where it is at.
We think you ought to include in this year's budget a goals and objective
portion. In other words, what is it that the city wants to accomplish during the
year so that we the tax payers can look and see if you have done that and you in
turn can see if you staff has done it.For example, if you. are committed to building
a new convention center, put it in there, let us share that asperation with you.
If you are committed to building some new parks, or inovating some new programs
in these parks, I think you ought to be willing to put it on the line and be measured
by whether your city can perform or not.
One of the items we feel very strongly about, although we didn't spend as
much time as we would have liked to, I see it appeared in the paper this morning
and that is the one about the marinas. I don't know Mr. Jennings, (I have never met
him, and there is nothing personal at all) we asked to have him come to one meeting
and he had some illness in the family, and his associate came. Now, for that gentleman
to say that his department is working at a break-even or profit is absolutely
scandalous. There is no way in the world that he could justify that because he
is not carrying any of the over -head of the Manager's office, and the administration
and everything else that goes on. And what really happened is, I think about 30 or
40 percent of the people who dock out there are non-residents of the city of Miami,
and here'I am paying taxes for people with 60 ft boats to be out there who don't
live in the city, and get a rate about 50% of value. I really think the big problem
is not so much how much more money you get if you were able to increase the rate,
but rather frankly with all due respect to the people involved, the mentality of
people running multi -million dollars worth of property, saying they haven't raised
the fees in 5 years, The way to bring that kind of mentality up short is not to
raise the salary for 5 years and see what happens. And it is everybody else's
salary out there, Y0u would hear about it and get some raises, and I suspect there
is lots of other property that the city owns as being managed in the same hap -hazard
manner, I would say that basically the committee is ready to continue its work during
the course of the year if you instruct us to do it, I would hope we could do a
much more efficient job, and we have enough time and some staff and we Would be
pleased to work with you during the course of the year,
Mayor Fetre:'Thank you very much. Are there any 4uestions of Mr. Fine.
Mrs. Gordon: yes, Marty I have your list here of breakdowns of the
different municipalities. {i have art extra copy if you want one) , this refers
to every municipality itt bade County who collect a certain mount of fees, not
necessarily 100% of the cost. It is broken down very well., and bade County
is getting 72.5% etc. which is next highest to North Miami teach.
Mr. Pine: Your budget department prepared this?
Mrs. Gordon: yes,i,
Mr. Finer ---and we sort of felt that the $50.00 a year would come about
in the middle, --and frankly it is one of the few places you have that you can
get some additional revenue form that will be substantial. obviously if you were
to do that and do it this year, you might Mr. Manager have a surplus. That wouldn't
be a bad idea. You could do some things in the city that need being done and
is not happening. on the other hand you may run into some problems and need
that money, but we feel strongly that is something the city ought to do.
Mrs. Gordon:I appreciate receiving this because Ihad not ever before
seen a break -down like this.
Mr. Fine:We hadn't either until we asked the budget department,
Mrs, Gordon: Which proves the point of why we need the continuing committee.
Mr. Fine: Thank you very much.
Mr. Plummer: Marty, just for your information, not a question, and not
in defense of Mr. Jennings, he can defend himself, let me say that as the
department director, (we discussed this yesterday and you wern't here, and
it didn't appear in the paper) this commission has been in a revamping of the
prices and schedules for the marina facilities and we have asked the Marine
Council to work with, ----I guess we could be accused of foot -dragging but we
are trying to come up with a fair comparison to other facilities in the general
area, so it has been in the works and something is being done, so it is not just
a matter that has been dropped. I wanted that for information purposes.
Mayor Ferre Any other questions? I would like to give you my views
and perhaps some opinions and answers to some of your points. First of all,
on your first point, which is that of an on -going review committee, as you
know the idea of a budget committee, is one that I originated and I am in complete
accord that it is not a one-time job, it is an on -going job, and what I meant
by saying that congress's budget is more complicated the Nation's budget
is more complicated than ours is, --that if they,the largest budget in the world
are able to have a review committee, certainly we; little Miami, it shouldn't
be that difficult to do the same thing, and I think it is something that ought
to be done. I also concur with your idea that the city of Miami should provide
professional staff, that is independent to help in the process of evaluation.
I might point out to you that the Manager and the administration has for many
years had the opinion that we really have to re -vamp the budget process and the
format. Will you stop me Mr, Andrews if I say anything that is wrong. The reason
it hasn't been done, is that we have not had the funds to do it, as I recall,
back in Mel Reese's days when I was a commissioner which Mel Reese proposed to
re -vamp the budget procedure. He had a figure of about 300 thousand dollars to
go through that process, and we pulled it out. We didn't have enough money at
one budget and I think you also had the same idea on several occasions,I know
you have explained that to me, I am sure the time will come where we will have
to get away from what basically is an obsolete format, because this format, you
don't have to be a Philadelphia lawyer, but you have to have clear vision and
a good memory or at least 3 or 4 copies of this budget to understand it, and the
reason is you have to open up several or tear it apart, You have to open up several
pages and put them together and then you have to add and subtract to really come
forward with a clear picture of what this budget really means, All of the information
is here, There is absolutely nothing, from what I can see, that is hidden, It is
all open, it is all there, It is a good budget but it is a complicated budget
because it is not cross-referenced, and I think what we have to do is cross-reference
it so it is more easily understood by a lay person, and they can follow it,
With regards to your second point, the sanitation fee, I have always been
in the past for a separate sanitation fee, and I have now changed my mind, I
want to explain to you uhy. The City of Matti iS presently getting SS% of
the total tiOnita that it receive§ for the general fund from ad valorem tourcet,
That amount td about 29 milliot &Mart. If you subtract the full sanitation fee
which it about 11 million dollara. }roth that, you mould be down to 18 million
dollart. At 18 million dollars, the ad valorem cost to the general fund is
around 20%. NOV that mans that the taxpayers of the city of Miami, the 'direct
taxpayers are paying only 20% of what it Cont to run the gerieral fund of this
government. That happens to be one of the lowest that I have ever heard of,
of any major community anywhere in the Dated Statte. ty major community 1 would
say any community over 150 to 206 thottatd people.
Now, if we mere to charge, directly for sanitation fees, like Hialeah,
Coral Oables, and Miami Math attd Metropolitan bade County, what it would mean
is, that it would be an imposition upon the lower eel:4101111c element of the
community which at this poittt can ill afford another expense. Now, you say
that is not just. Nall, t'll tell you, 1 am a wealthy than, and 1 am a property
owner of commercial property. I think it is, because, in a way you can say it
is a subsidy on the part of commercial properties of the residettialBut you
know, if you look at a cross-section of the City of Miami, Miami is not a wealthy
city it the sense that the citizens of Miami, that if you project it on an
economic scale, it would skewed unfortunately to the lover economic levels,
and there are a lot of poor people in Miami, a lot of senior citizens, a
lot of working people. If you impose that fee they would have to assume it.
Now, the commercial aspects of it, it is really not that difficult to absorb,
and it a way, it is just a help that the wealthier part of the cotntnunity is
giving to the less fortunate. You may say that is a socialistic approach. I
at not a socialist, I am a populist. I believe that the wealthy of this country
including the people of Miami have a social obligation which is not being properly
met to those that are less fortunate. That doesn't make me a liberal, I don't think,
and it doesn't make me a socialist. I am and I admit it, a Populist, and I
believe in it, I believe in that concept. And I don't think it is that much
of an imposition. As a sidelight, because your third point increased millage,
I said it yesterday and I want to repeat it, I think you are an important
enough person as an individual and especially now, as the chairman of this
committee, that I wanted to share this thought with you. The reason why those
that want to liquidate the City of Miami, are so anxious to do it, is because
out of the totality of the 90 million we have in our pockets, 63 million dollars
come from other than direct taxpayers sources, and that is a big chunk of money.
The reason why City of Miami exists and will continue to exist no matter what
the opponents want to do, is because the people of Miami in the past, and I am
sure in the present and in the future, have recognized that they are receiving
an exceptionally fine service for an exceptionally low cost. There are several
reasons for that. Unfortunately we had the tragedy of the Metropolitan Fire Dept
in the recent months, and you have seen some of the television programs on channel
4 that spoke to that problem. The City of Miami has 5 to 10 times the amount service
available to the citizens that the Metropolitan fire department has. The police
department is the same. We cover less mileage, we have more prople per square mile,
more policemen and firemen per citizen and as a consequence, we can give service
like that,(snap)----we put out fires, we render a great service which the people
of Miami are getting, mind you, for 25c on the dollar. That is the whole crux
of why Miami is a viable on -going governmental entity, because it is a bargain,
for the people of Mimi because they are getting the best service. We are the
only city in the southeast of the United States that has a class one category
in the fire department. That means the citizens of Miami get a lower insurance
rate, I don't want to berate our good friends Metropolitan Dade County but I want
to tell you that they recently came up with bond issue, which by the way, the
press has completely ignored, I don't know why but two weeks ago, they came out,
they went up to New York and they sold millions of dollars, worth of county funds
In a bond issue, this one with the full pledge of the community of Dade County
and do you know that they are a full one percent more expensive than the city
of Miami's recent sale, and we will ge going to bat again in another month or
two and again we are going to show you the difference. Let me tell you, not
only do the citizens of Miami know Miami is a healthy on -going entity, but Wall.
Street is the one, (in my opinion), -,--these bond analyst, they make a mistake
once in a while and we all know that, New York City is a perfect example, but they
keep an eye, and they know what is going on. When a community like Miami is rated
by, ----Mr. Bailey is it Moody that rated us A, or was it Standard and Poor, I forget,
------A-1, Moody, -----now, Mt, Bailey is there any other community In the State of
Florida that you know of that is rated A-1? What is Dade County rated?
Mr, Bailey; A-1 rating--
Mayor Petret They have an Aml rating and yet when they go to Wall Street
they end up selling their bonds at substantially higher than what we sell ours.
That has to then aofething. The point that 1 am getting to. We get cheaper financing
than Metro. go 1 thinit toe are rated fiscally sound. for those critics that nay
that the city of Miami it broke, and we cost possibly continue,'I tight say that
true, out economy, our budgetary economy is based on only one»third of local funds.
But 1 guarantee you, Mr. Pine, that if the federal government, congress it, its
wiadot withdraws its fiscal largess with the cities, whether it be community`
development funds or whether it be revenue sharing. The problem that New York
has is the tip on an iceberg. There is not one major city in the United States
with the exception of iiouston, that could survive► 1 atnn talking about Boston
and San yrancisco,:and these ate converaations, not hear -say, but that 1 have
had vith Kevin White and Joe and all the mayors in the recent Mayor's
conference and all of them are dependent. It may be true that Metro bade County
is paying 44% of their budget, comes from the local taxpayer directly, vs. our
33%, but I guarantee you if they do not get federal revenue sharing funds they
will not be any more financially and fiscally as sound as we are. It doesn't
make any difference, what t am saying Marty is this, that the City of Miami is
as solid as any other city in this community or any other government in this
community, and the transfer of any portion or all of the city into Metropolitan
Dade County would be of great benefit to Metro because they would receive 63
million dollars of unattached funds which could be spread in a 250 million dollar
budget which would be a great windfall, but here is what it would mean to the
citizens of Miami, if you were to deploy these forces throughout Dade county
and if you were to take this greatly rated service that we have, for example,
the fire department, and put it into Metro and spread that amongst a million
and a half people, do you think the citizens of Miami would get a grade 1
service? Of course not, and then do you think, and yet I am sure the tax
picture would not change, or change substantially because 1/3 of the total
picture is being paid for by the taxpayers, and 2/3 is being paid by somebody
else. So we are getting a bargain.
Mr. Fine: We are not advocating any of those things. These are just
some recommendations we say to the city while you are here except that
sanitation that sanitation fee. I don't understand your logic on that but
I am sure you do .
Mayor Ferre: Marty, the reason I have taken the time to go into to this
is because you here, in a public meeting on the record stated that when we
get into two year budgets, and when we get into the extensions of our financing
that we might find that we are not able to finance the city two years from now,
and respectfully disagree with that and that is why I elaborated to this extent.
In closing let me say that in your last two points, I"do not think that we
should increase our millage until it is absolutely necessary and since at this
point it hasn't been necessary, we still haven't crossed that bridge yet, but
unless we have to I don't think we should, and lastly with regards to your two-year
budget projection,long term financing, goals and objectives, I completely subscribe
to that. After all that is the way the federal government does it, and that is
the way any business does it, we have to look ahead and I would certainly, --
recommend that the Commission do two things, one, that we make a motion to
continue and extend the budget Review Committee.
Mrs. Gordon: Isn't that an automatic committee
Mayor Ferre: Mr. Lloyd we need you, do we have
continue the Budget REview Committee or can we just
Committee without doing anything?
Mr. Lloyd; You may indicate your preference to
committee, It is an on -going committee
that is on -going.
to make a motion to
leave it as an on -going
leave it as an on -going
Mayor Ferre; What do we do about creating a staff availablity for the
committee?
Mr, Fine; What we would like to do, if it is all right with you, is
after the budget is over, meet with the Manager and the budget department
and discuss that and come back to you with a specific request,
Mayor Ferre; Is that all. right Mr. Andrews?
Mr, Andrews; All right,
Mayor Ver e: Lastly with regards to a two-year budget pLojectiot,I think
that would need a Motion.
At, Plummer Legally you tat do it.
Mrs, Gordon; We can exi� eaa a preference can't we?
Mayor Parte: 1 adottrn thit meeting for a noment and t call a apeelal
teeting now for the purposes of raking up the matter of the budgetary process.
1 have that authority.
We are now constituted as a s,)etial cottitnittsion meeting.
Mrs. Gordon: 1 move that the Budget Committee which operates for the City
of Miami, be instructed to work with the Manager and to proceed to come up
with a plan for a contlnuit g budget process at least two years in advances
Mr. p .utnnert t second the tnotion.
Mr. Fide: We are asking the budget department to do that, We are not
the ones to do that.
Mrs. Gordon t ask the Attorney to word it properly, as the intent is
to comply with Mr. Fine's request.
Mayor Ferre: I think what the implication is, stop the if I am wrong,
that is a policy of this Commission to tell the Management, the administration
to proceed with with the concept of preparing a two-year budget, or whatever
the committe and you come up with,if you think a three year budget is better.
The above motion was passed and adopted by a unanimous vote of the
City Commission and designated Motion No. 75-772.
Mayor Ferre: Thank you very much, we adjourn this meeting and proceed
now with the regular budget hearing.
Rev. Gibson: Mr. Mayor sometime ago, Mr. Reese was here at the time,
when we went on the market to New York to sell some bonds and I shall never
forget how efficient and proficient our finance department was in handling
that business. Marty, maybe the reason we get 1 1/2% less than is attributed
to that staff of ours. Mr. Bailey I know you, like we do in the church, you
always have to take the brunt and all the bad talk, so you ought to stand up
and take a bow. There comes a time when you ought to say thank you, and I think
we need to say, because if we are getting 1 and 1/2%, less, and that gets to be
money,so we want to thank you.
Mrs. Gordon: I was on that'same trip, and was another admirer of Mr. Bailey's
talents.
Mayor Ferre: Ladies and gentlemen we will now proceed at this time, we
have Mr. Carlos M. Calvo, editor of the Latin American Directory of Miami who
would like to address the commission during this budget process.
Mr. Calvo?
Mr. Carlos Calvo: I don't speak English, --interpreter?
Mayor Ferre: While we are waiting, -----
Mr. Plummer; I think in fairness, and I don't want to be detrimental to
anyone but we do have an agenda, with two other people who are both in tie
audience, then we go to the general public, I think it would be fair that
we follow the agenda,
Mayor Ferre; Mona, do you have any objections, this won't take more than
a couple of minutes and Mr. Goodman, do you have any objections?
If you'll forgive me, this will only take a few minutes.
Mr. Carlos Calvo; (translated) Mayor and Commissioners of the City
of Miami.,the comparing this morning,to solicitate from the City of Miami,
to include the guide of Miami. in Spanish, to ask in the budget for S5,000,
contribution of the budget, On this guide that we publish, for the Latin
tourist that come to the city of Miami and different Spanish countries,
----..beautiful coverage of the City of Miami,•
Mrs, Cordon: May I ask a question? i want to say that I think this is
a great service to this community because it compiles within one book a lot
of information, not only for the Latin tourist, but for the Anglos who live
here. I think it is ttiost important that we have a directory of this kind and
if you wernt t publishing it, we should. So if you are going to do it, I at sure
it is costing mote than $5,000. Let the ask the Manager whether,
Mt. keboso: Let's ask Mr. Price.
Mrs. t3ordont Are you publishing anything of this sort?
Mr. keboso: Can you handle this in your budget Lew?
Mayor Perre: (after questioning Mr. Calvo)--50,000 issues, toad you come
up with something like this?
Mr. Lew Price : You have 5 other publications, (names) ---to the I feel
if the commission wishes to do something like this, I think you would have to
put it out on bid. You are going to have the other publishers down here as
well. I am not saying you shouldn't do it, I am saying we are putting out Spanish
brochures and maps. The only thing we are putting out are the brochures to
give to the people to get them here.
Mrs. Gordon: You are inviting them to visit Miami, kind of brochure.
Mr. Price: We have been doing it for many years.
Mrs. Gordon I really want to know Lew, whether there is anything that
we are putting out which is of a nature that this is, which has a lot of different
kinds of information in it, pertaining to this community.
Mr. Price: Yes, we do. First of all you can't put out too much information,
if he is putting it out that is fine, it all helps.
Mayor Ferre: Lew let me ask you this question, I see here it says Miami
Metropolitan, it says City of Miami, is that a paid ad.
Mr. Price: Yes,a paid ad.
Mayor Ferre: In other words the concept is already established, that
you have advertised, ---
Mr. Price: In the past we have advertised in the book, we have tried to
help Mr. Calvo with his efforts in the past.
Mayor Ferre: How much money did this ad cost?
Mr. Price: About $1400.
Mayor Ferre: What we are talking about is money. The principle is already
established. You have already advertised and helped this man by spending $1400.00
so what we are really talking about, I assume this profitable it is not a
non-profit corporation.
Mr, Price; You can buy an ad in the book, there is no problem.
Mayor Ferre; You have done it in the past.
Mr, Price; Absolutely, because that is perfectly legal, but l say
if you are going to subsidize and print such a book, I think you are going
to have to consider bidding,
Mayor Ferre; No, that is not the question, The question is why did you
buy an ad in this book,
Mr. Pries; No, 1 I thought he had a good idea, and we were trying to
assist him, No. 2 he was trying to assist the iatin community, We try to
support any local business that tries to produce business,
Mayor Perre: So the question is you thought it was worth S1400, worth
of ad, Do you think it ig worth $1500.00 or $2,000,00.
Mr. Price: If he is going to print $50,000. and assures me that they
will go to South America, 1 to think so:
Mayor Perre: or $00O. which it what he is asking, we ought to get
a heck of a lot more than one page. 1 think pie ought to get a whole section
of this book and he is going to have to agree to that where ut can have not
one but maybe 10 pages.
Mr. Price 1 am not disputing it, 1 am merely saying that there are to
funds on this particular project. They were put in the budget but they were
deleted in the budget cuts.
Mayor Ferre : Row much did you put into the budget?
Mr. Price: our thousand, -=-
Mayor Ferre: You recommended four thousand on this.
Mr, Price: Yes.
Mayor rerre: So then the question is whether or not we take up your
recommendation or not. We are doing the same thing here that we did with
the police department, as I understand it.
Mr. Price: Mr. Mayor like all directors we were ordered to cut the
budget 15% and you just have ,---
Mayor Ferre: This gentleman before us is asking for help. It is up to
this commission , this is what the budget process is all about, to decide
whether we consider this to be worthy of help or not.
Mr. Lloyd: One moment Mr. Mayor I think your honor is on the right track
but this must be a paid ad.
Mayor Ferre: Of course it has to be a paid up, --what else is it going
to be. We are not here to subsidize any profitable organization. I am establishing
the premise, NO. 1, that it has been before. I see you have two pages for the city
of Miami, but the premise is, 1. that Mr. Price has already accepted that this
is worthy of consideration since in the past it is already advertised for the
city of Miami. #2, that he himself recommended that we spend $4,000. and it has
been deleted. Now, what we are discussing is whether or not it should be deleted.
Mr. Plummer: Let me ask this question, Lew, you say that there are 5 other
journals such as this one. Are we advertising in any of the others,
Mr. Price: We are advertising in the other publications as well, but not
to that extent.
Mayor Ferre: Are the other publications equal in quantity and quality
to this one.
Mr. Price: They are.
Mayor Ferre: Are you satisfied that the other publications are being
properly covered with what you budgeted,
Mr, Price; Very much so. They do an excellent job,
Mayor Ferre: Then why did you recommend $4,000, for this one.
M. Price; This is a Miami business trying to get started, and sat in with
them trying to get them started many years ago, and they had a little financial
Problem, it went into abeyance for a while, now they are coming back again.
Mayor Ferre; What do you recommend, What is your position on this,
Mr, Price; As I say, I think we ought to at least go to a $2,000, ad
in there to help them out,
Mr, Price; And for that amount of money, wt tould probably handle that
without having any further addition to the thing,
Mt, Plummer: Mr, Mayor may 1 tuggett, and I am not taking a decision on
this item at this time, 1 think this tdffitiggibn is fated with very more important
items, we haven't evert settled yet with the etployeet, first and foremost. I
think this it the kind of item that beed8 to be considered ofter we have got
all the priority items out Of the way, then if we ftould find money left over
after that then we can dittuts this kind of project, but I think we have to
address,---.4 hate to lay it on the line, but to me 18 policemen tight tow
ate important and a lot more important than a lot of other things, and t think
this is the kind of item that should be taken up after everything else is finished
---we have our ducks in a row and theft we know where we ttaftd. That is my personal
feeling.
Mayor Perre: Jet. we are talking about an almost 90 million dollar budget,
and 1 think the way 1 see this very simply is this, last year according to Mr,
Lev Price, we had 73 thousand visitors from Colombo, we had 60 thousand visitors
from Venezuela, we had almost 50 thousand visitors from Brazil, now, I. ask you the
very simple question, and I'll make this simple statement, that if it were not
for those visitors, the hotel industry in the Greater Miami area would have been
it very serious economic trouble and we would be like Puerto Rico, closing hotels
rather than opening them.
Mr. Price: If the commission would allow Mr. Andrews and I to handle this
matter, -
Mr. Reboso: Yes, I think the administration should handle it.
Mayor Ferre: I think the administration see the consensus Mr. Andrews
of what the opinions are here, so we will leave this in your hands.
Thank you very much.
Mrs. Mona Light,
Mrs. Mona Lighte: Honorable Mayor and Commissioners, if you will look
at the second page you will see something that might be very important to you
in your deliberations about money for the city of Miami and that is the
Hemisphere Congress for Women is a non profit corporation under the laws of
the State of Florida, and we are in a position to receive money and hold them
and turn them back to general funds and such, and I think this might be important
in terms of some of the things that are coming up later on.
We are here this morning with Bet Carney the director of the concil of
continuing education for women and one of the offices of our corporation to
inform you of where we are to date. Due to the arrangement of the plans of the
arrangement committee, the United States Dept, of State has decided to consentrate
all of their activities within the city of Miami for the 18th Assembly of the
Inter -American Commission of Women which is part of the Organization of American
States, and following this very important meeting of the Eighteenth Assembly
whereby the principal delegates are chosen by the presidents of the South
American, Central countries as well as the Bahamas and Carribean, there will
be this 3 day conference where we anticipate an audience of registrants of about
500 to 1000 women,at this very moment in Washington, at the Pan American Union,
Ambassador M , the United States ambassador to the 0.A.S. is making a formal
request which is a matter of courtesy to the permanent concil for this meeting,
and then mentioning the Hemispheric Congress for Women which follows the Eighteenth
Assembly, I bring out these points because of the value of publicity following the
Mayor's remarks of the number of South American visitors who have come to our city
and as our own walking torch-of-friendshtp-ViceMayor Plummer knows so well in
his own work with the Sister City, how do you like that?
Mr, Plummer; Wait a minute Mona, does that mean that there is always fire
coming out of my heads
Mrs. Lighte; No, there is always friendship emanating from your very
presence,
certain amount of money to be used as you can see
on the second page for reception and hospitality for the printing in Spanish
and English and distribution of brochures concerning the Hemispheric Conference
and additional money for travel, This is imperative in order that every piece
that goes out has a date line of Miami on it, and that we act as you will be
etpeeted to act next July and August as the host and hostess to this important
assembly. This is the first time that a component part of the 1.A.S. has met
outside of Washington and having chosen Miami we feel very proud and we are
sure that the ooni iesion wishes to live up to the eitpeetations which we have.
Thank you, are there any tuestiohs?
Mrs. Gordon: What kind of cooperation Bona are you asking for aad/or
receiving from bade 'County, Miami Beach, because they are also involved.
Mrs. Lighter We have received a grant of MOO. it the City of Miami each
for operational. expenses. This is hardly adequate as we 'say, and 'we have received
$1500. which can only be used for some of our expenses through the State Bicentennial
commission. As you know 3rd Century does not fund its projects. We have received
in -kind services in terms of xeroxing, some secretarial service, and some postage
from them. You many not also be aware that we are part of the City of Miatni i s
official Bicentennial Commission and have been asked to coordinate all woment5
activities for the Bicentennial. This is probably your largest and it is
certainly you most internationally project you have in terms of the Bicentennial.
We have here three publicity themes to stress, not only the Bicentennial and the
City of Miami and women but the entire tourism aspect is one that cannot be under
estimated. This morning for example I showed Mr. Cobo a letter from the archbishop
indicating his support, picking a liasion person to the project attd saying he
would of course help us reach out to the bishops of South and Central America,
when we had the material prepared. It is imperative we have a brochure ready to
be printed in Spanish according to protocol in the proper language, and English,
and we need the operating expenses to get some of these things done. WE had a group
down from the State Department and the bill for their hospality was borne by
volunteers. This cannot continue. This now must become truly a public venture
as it will be when everybody is excited more excited it about as time goes on.
Mrs.
Mrs.
Gordon: Dade county has not given you any cooperation.
Lighte: Dade County has not.
Mrs. Gordon: Have you approached them?
Mrs. Lighte: We have approached them, perhaps not in the same manner
that we have approached the City because we fell the focus should come from
the City. We would be very happy for any assistance in that area.
Mrs. Gordon: Where will the women who are coming to this conference
be housed.
Mrs. Lighte: The same hotel was picked by the United States Department
of State, it was the Sheraton Four Ambassadors as the key hotel for the
Eighteenth Assembly, Following the assembly the conference will go into the
Sheraton Four Ambassarods, the DuPont, Howard Johnson, the McAllister, Columbus
perhaps the Y.W.C.A. so there will be a consentrate within the City of Miami.
And those papers are official and have been exchanged between the State Dept.
and the hotel , and the State Department and the Congress.
I want to point out that usually when business such as this is sought,
an effort is made first from the publicity and convention bureaus to seek this
kind of group. So far everything has been done on a volunteer basis, and in
a sense this is being handed to you and we are sort of doing the cart -before -the
horse thing. We are asking you now for the kinds of monies that we perhaps we
should have asked in the beginning to illicit this kind of meeting,
Mayor Ferrer We11, this brings up a whole series or a whole subject
matter, Mr, Andrews, and it is a question of the philosophy of this commission
now, it is importaxtt to get 18 more policemen. 1 think there is no question and
I support that, but you know Marty Fine was here a little while ago talking about
how we are going to support all of these things. We sill have a point and one-half
millage which is worth about 5 or 6 million dollars in the City of Miami, 1 am
not proposing we increase millage, but I want to say this, the downtown core base
of the City of Miami which is about 400 million dollars, out of 3 billion 2 hundred
million dollars, which is slightly over 10% of net worth of the City, Land and
buildings is assessed by our tax assessor, It is probably one of the lowest tax
bases of the downtown core area of any major city in the United States, 1 have
been a long supporter as you know, that the private sector has tot been
induced by the public sector to spend money, I thit►k where the city of
Miami and Metro and most cities fail, is that we are worried about the
internal operations of the cm munity, but what we don't do, is we don't
go but and induce the private sector to invest money in the eity where
we can go out and tax them and support some of these facilities, We are
not going to do it, with all due respeeta to the legislature. Mete we
go extending the $5,000. homestead exemption to°$10,O th and we are giving
all of these inducements for the so-called lower economic sector of this
country to trove to Miami, because, sure we help our elderly citisens but
we are also advertising and making it easier for the poor elderly for
example from New York City to code to Miami. Now, that is fine, I have no
objections to that. What we are not doing is we ate not getting the economic
base of the community that we can tax without Having to spend services. Por
example a 10 or 40 million dollar hotel or office building in the downtown
area, will not require the amount of services that we will get in taxes. A
50 million dollar property would pay, at 10 mills, would pay how much? Would
pay a half trillion dollars in taxes? 10 trills would 5O0 thousand dollars. Okay.
So what I am saying is, let's say an Omni project which is going to
be worth 75 million dollars, they are going to pay a half or three-quarters
of a million in taxes. It doesn't need that much money to support it from
city services, fire, police, and what have you. What we need to do is we need
to induce people who invest money so we can go out and tax them then we can
render services. No. 1 it takes the burden off the homeowner, and No. 2 it
gives the type of expansion that we need in a core city like the city of Miami.
To do that we have to do those things that are beneficial that will bring people
into the Miami area. I thinkwe have a responsibility in the City of Miami to
help. Perhaps we can't help the Republican convention come here, I don't know,
we are going to have to discuss that. They are going to be here tomorrow asking
for money. I am not saying I am for it, I am saying we have to consider these
type of things. Here is a group of people that are going to have for the first
time a major convention that is going to bring 500 people from all over the
Americas and the United States, that will be helpful. Now, Mona, I'll tell you
right now, there is no way under this budget that we can come up with 35 thousand,
Mrs. Lighte: No, no, there is a typo there, the amount is $16,200.
Mayor Ferrel Yes, 8,000. for printing and 5,000. for traveling, there is
no way this budget has that kind of money. But I feel we should be of assistance
to those on -going viable groups that will be bringing major things to the city
of Miami. We have to be selective, because we don't have the kind of money, but
I am talking about for example, Jackie Gleason as you know wants to make a very
big nationally televised show out of Miami. They want to use Gusman Hall. That is
going to cost the City of Miami some money. Do we want to do it or not? In my
opinion that is one of things that has held up Miami Beach and made it into a
great hotel community. I would hope that some day that Miami would have 5 or
10 major hotels under construction, in the next 5 or 10 years. To do that we
are going to have to prime the pump a little bit. Maybe a little bit to Jackie
Gleason, and little bit to the women's conference, and these are on -going obligations
that I know are tough, for the City under the constraint, the budgetary constraint
but we can't completely ignore that, I am not speaking against the 18 men in
the police department. I am for that. I think we also have to take into consideration
that if we want this to be a great city, then we have to start acting and thinking
in a way that will make it a great city. It is not going to happen alone and the
reason why we are not a great city, is because I think in the past we have been
overly conservative in our approach to this. And that is the end of my speech.
Mr. Plummer; Mona, let me ask you a question. You are speaking of two
different shots, they will be here on two different occasions?
Mrs, Lighte; No, one follows the other. The Eighteenth Assembly, in
Inter -American Commission of Women, which is part of the OAS , opens on July 27,
and continues to August 5th, This is the firsttime they have ever held an assembly
in 47 years outside the capitol city of any country. August 5 to Autust 8, the
conference , the Hemispheric Conference follows, us ng the women who are
part of the 18th Assembly as resource persons, The 18th Assembly is coming
down here,their principal delegates of the OAS countries with perhaps a
compliment of 125 staff people from Washington, from the OAS Secretariat
and their own delegations from Central America, South America and all the
Islands.
Mr. Plummer: Mow many people involved.
Mra. Lighte: Well, we expect because it is in Miami that it will be
Much larger than the l8th Assembly only, ever has beets in Washington.
toe expect about 300 people here in terms of official delegations for the
Astfettbly. We anticipate between 500 and 1000, again as the Mayor point out
priming the pump through the brochures, through the cooperation of the
religious leaders and ail the organi.tatiots that We eat have 1000 women here
from ----and may I point out that we have reached out in Washington to gather
$95,000. to bring those women who might ttot be appointed by the presidents of
their countries to come to this conference, money to be used for Latitt American
women to come into Miami, this is earmarked only for that.
Mrs. Gordott: How many were itt Mexico?
Mrs. Lighte: We have no connection whatsoever with Mexico, ---totally
unstructured, and not at all similar to what we are planning on doing. tut
we will have national press, international press focused on this community
with this kind of meeting, and in order to do that we have to reach out and
let them know that this kind of meeting is taking place.
Mr. Plummer: I am trying to get a dollar's worth for a dollar.
Mrs. Lighte: Let me point out also we are going to charge a registration
fee. We have a vehicle by which we can sell plates, pins, jewelry, things like.
Some of this can be returned if we are permitted to negotiate to negotiate
with the city's lawyer to the general fund or whatever fund there is with the
city. We can operate it very nicely as a vehicle for the city in some of these
respects.
Mayor Ferre: There is nothing wrong with that, the same way that the
Puerto.Rican group was supposed to function when we gave them $6,000. and
they were supposed to return whatever was left.
Mr. Plummer: Lew, let me ask you something. She made a point there. OUr
convention department does go out and spend dollars to entice people to come
here for given period of time. Now, what is your personal feeling as to the
value of this group coming here for the period of time it will be here. We
have to lay it right on the line Mona,as far as I am concerned, the city has
to benefit and Lew tells me that a tourist spends x number of dollars here
a day. What is it worth Lew, that is what I have to know.
Mr. Price: First of all I support the idea of the conference, but secondly
the amount of money involved is a bit high and we frankly don't have it in the
budget, it is going to be up to the commission to find it, if you want to finance
it. But the idea is basically sound.
Mr. Plummer: What would you say would be a fair price. You said it was
high. What would be a fair price?
Mr. Price: I am not running the convention.
Mr. Plummer: From a convention standpoint, what would it be worth to you
have that convention here for those period of days with that many people. She
is asking for $32,500.
Mrs. Lighte: _. _ __ $16,000.
Mr. Plummer; all right, $16,000, would it be worth 8,000,-=-I am not
trying to set her price,
Mr, Price; The convention itself is worth it, but what I am trying to say
the City of Miami does not go out and buy conventions,
Mr. Plummer; I understand, you hustle conventions,
Mr. Price; We don't spend any money on conventions, We send a men on
a plane, we solicit the convention, they come here, we provide them clerical
help, we provide them with other activiities, but we do not fiscally spend any
money, in other words, don't give money to a convention, but she has a budget
here that she has to finance if she is going to bring it down here because
this is a first title,
Mrs, tighte: Vice -Mayor Plummer, perhaps if you think of oath woman
spending money for a hotel room for 14 days, meals for 14 days, gifts to bring
hone, going to the beauty parlor; tips, taxieabs, and multiply that somewhere
its the neighborhood of 700 to 1000 women, this would make a more concrete ecample
or mental picture of what wound be returned to the City of Miami. In order to
let Mrs. petty 'Smith or Senora Lopez know about this, we have simply got to have
some tray of doit►g this, `fie have all our volunteer organizations lined up to be
mailed to, We must do some printing atd we must do some traveling, There must
be some trips between here and Washington. This is M.S. ---an adjunct to the
0,A,S, The 0,A,S, is in 'Washington and the people are there. 'We can bring
somebody down here at their expense occasionally but there has to be some
contact,
Mr, Price: May t answer Commissioner Plutimer's question, a convention
delegate spends $42,00 per person per day,
Mayor Ferret What is the will of this Commission?
Mrs. Gordon: Mona I atn going to ask you to kind of bear with us,
because just as I think Vice Mayor Plummer said very well before, we
are going to take all of these things and do it at one time. 'Otherwise
we really don't know what we are going to be doing, and know the value.
I would personally think Mr.Mayor that we should take this as one of the
items we are going to take under consideration at one time. What do you
th ink?
Mr. Plummer: One thing in the back of my mind, Mona this really doesn't
affect you. I have been screaming at this commission for a long time, that
anything in federal revenue sharing I want to see as a one-shot deal. This is
a one-shot deal, and if this commission is so inclined, I would like to see the
funds derived under the social service program, because it is a one-shot and
it is over with. This is philosophy, Mona, not for you.
Mrs. Lighte: J.L. I pray that you will read previous papers which have
been handed to you, in which in the closing night of this conference we intend
to dedicate a hemispheric center in Miami for the on -going documentation resource
center implementation and try to bring this kind of convention in and double its
size every two years.
Mr. Plummer: Fine. My philosophy was just to the fact that one shot things
should be put into federal revenue sharing rather than on -going programs whici I
don't want to see there.
Mrs. Gordon: I am going to take exception to taking one penny out of
social services for anything else. Let's not go into that argument now, but
Mr. Plummer: Let's take them out of federal revenue sharing, when it
comes out of social- services, but it is a one-shot deal.
Mrs. Gordon: There are areas where this important kind of program can
fit in and I don't think we should hap-hazardly decide where, or how, or
how much. I know our Bicentennial Committee is unfunded. We are going to
have to look at the whole picture of Bicentennial and the City's involvement,
and how much it means to the city to be involved, and you are part of our
Bicentennial, ao bear with us,
Mrs. Lighte; Thank you Mr, Mayor and Commissioners,
Mayor Ferre; Now, Mr. Alvin Goodman,
Mr, Alvin Goodman; Mr. Mayor and Commissioners, how are you? Coming
up here this morning I am just going to be asking awns for the poor, after
hearing $16,000, and $5,000,_.--- -we are only requesting $1,000. as we do
every year to go to the Boxing Convention,
Mayor Ferre; We have always done that, haven't we?
Mr. Plummer;Yes, i will make the motion,
Mayor petrel There is a notion and second this be part of the
budget, is there further discussion?
Thereupon the Motion was passed and adopted by a unanitous vote of the
City Gomriission and is numbered Motion NO:75-773fk
Mr. Ooodtnant I would like to add oie thing,other than being an attorney
1 a► a magician, and every one of these conventions I go to, I do hospital shows
last year I did it in Central America, this year t am going to do it in Manila,
and it costs us more Honey to go there, but we do the shows, and we always get
the publicity of this to Miami, we are going to send back the brochures this time.
Mrs. Gordon' I wanted to simply say that anything where ve promote the boxing
aspects, --this community, are positive forces for good, and deterents to the crime
situation so, prevention is worth a pound of cure so this is a lot of prevention.
Mayor t'erre: Are there any Members of the public who wishes to speak at this
time? I saw Nora Swan, is she here?
Ms. Nora Swan: Here I go again, I want to thank the Mayor and commissioners
for all the support for the Bicentennial and we are going ahead as you can see
full speed with that. The only problem We have that I have spoken about, several
months ago, was the fact that we did need some kind of operating expense for us.
We do have to attend some luncheons at tithes or someone comes into the city and
we have to take them,
Mr. Plummer: Have you set a budget?
Ms. Swan:The Bicentennial Committee had thought we should have a $5,000.
budget for theBicentennial.
Mr. Plummer: I'll move it.
Mrs. Gordon: I'll seconded it except that I thought we were going to
take this -as a package and include other items that might come out which are
really Bicentennial rpojects, but what you are really talking about is office
expense money, that is what you are talking about.
Mr. Plummer: It is our program.
Mrs. Gordon: I am not opposing it, I am just wondering whether they have
taken everything into consideration that they are going to be facing and this
is budget hearing time, if you are going to be facing something else later on,
you had better face it now.
Mayor Ferre:Mr. Andrews how much did we give 3rd Century USA last year?
Mr. Plummer:----$6500.00,----
Mr. Andrews:----$8500.00
Mr. Plummer; You are right,
Mayor Ferre: With all due respects to them I think we ought to contribute
a little bit to them, but if we are going to have our own Bicentennial project
I am saying that $5,000. is nothing new, ----
Mrs, Gordon; Is that going to be sufficient to cover the needs of the
Committee?
Ms, Swan; We hope it will be. We are holding everything down as much as
possible. It is all volunteer but sometimes some committee member has to go
somewhere.
Mrs, Gordon; I second the motion,
Thereupon the ;notion was passed and adopted by the
City Commission and designated Motion No, 75-773e-D,
unanimous vote of the
Mayor Ferre; Any further members of the public that wish to address the
Commission? If not, we are back to the employee groups,
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Manager can we handle those two items first in reference
to sanitation and police department, can We handle those first?
Mayor yerret Mr. Andrews, police department and sanitation.
Mr. Andrews There are several matters, l don't knots if you watt to
handle the police department, or sanitatton,-,--there ate three inidivduals
for the totnrunication department, there is the operation of the Baptist Church
attd assistant director for sanitation, there is a pension ordinance for the
widota's benefit, which you have already adopted and is it lat of $160,000.
attd the question of the retirees also.
Here is what we tat accomplish, if we include the 18 officers that
would $220,000.==cif we include 10 standbys, individuals for the sat►i.tation
department above what they now have, that is 97,000.-----adding the 3 technicians
in for the cotptitunications dept. tahich will be 2 technicians and one foremast, would
be $38,000. We est#tnate that we twill require a $50,000. to, --it is really greater
than that, but we will limit ourselves it the first year to the operation of the
Baptist Church, --the assistant director for sanitation Will be $25,000.---the
pension ordinance adjustment is $160,000. and the retirees, it would be sty
recommendation that if the commission wishes to do something for the retirees
this year that they accept a half -percent adjustment rather than one full percent
which would be $200,000.-----a total of that is $790,000.---also you added $5,000.
for travel of a boxing commission just now, ----
Mr. Plummer: ---no, $1,000.
Mr. Andrews: ---excuse me, $1,000.----I am not going to include that because
we can handle that hopefully a different way. The only way we can come up with
funding that is in the following manner. 1. I would recommend to the Commission
(and I am forced into this, so I have no choice at this time), is to have fee
adjustments in the following areas, taxi and for -hire cars, increase that from
it current $75.00 to $115.00, that is a 50% increase,
Mr. Plummer: ----that is 75 to 150,
Mr. Andrews: $115.00 which is a 50% increase, that would produce $19,500.
more dollars, construction and permits would increase by a flat 10%, which would
produce $73,000. more, civilian identification, we are providing those identifications
at $2.00 each, we would increase that to $3.00, auto pound fees, cars at $3.00,
trucks $5.00 and motorcycles $2.00 per day, we would increase those by 25% or
approximately $1.00 each, that would produce $35,000, --the police department
reports which are $3.00 all reports, including accidents, $8.00 for photographs,
$3.00 for gun registration, and $3.00 for good conduct letter stating no record,
we'd increase that by 25% which would produce $27,500. we would increase the
recreational fees 30%, these are the fees for the use of community buildings and
other facilities, but not the swimming pools, and that would produce $25,440.00
---we would increase the Planning Board administrative fees by 10% which would
produce another $12,500. the total of that roughly $200,000.00, that would be used
to get these police officers, sanitation, communication, operation of the Baptist
Church, the pension, retirees, ----there is one more fee adjustment in that
which would produce $100,000. and that is ordinance you will be considering in
September for the marinas, so through that fee structure you would produce
$300,000. more.
Mayor Ferre: What is the total need?
Mr. Andrews: The total need is $790,000. I have more but let me
continue. We would through SETA manpower funds operate in such a fashion that
we could provide $300,000, and this would be, as vacanies become available
we would hold those vacancies and fill them with SETA positions, that would
produce $300,000, in addition to that we would have to absolutely begin controling
vacancies in the coming vacancies in the coming year, and presumably all the
departments other than sanitation, police and fire, in doing so, we are looking
at 60% in those three departments of the general fund budget, so we placed the
burden on the rest of all the operating departments who have already gone through
a precess of being reduced. We would have to produce through that process another
$190,000, and that would provide the $790,000. to fund this. There is no other
source I can go to,
Mr, Plummer; Where did this thing come out of left field about a$
assistant sanitation director?
Mr. Plummer: I haven't heard about that one.
Mr. Andrews: The Oormission wants an affirmative action program attd we
ate trying to..... -
.,-
Mr, Plummer: Okay, there is where it came from. What is going. to
beeliminated?
Mr. Andrews: Where is what going to be eliititiated?
Mr. Plummer: To prat that person in, what is being eliminated.
Mr, Andrews: Nothing is being eliminated. We have just added 10 standby
individuals at $97,000.
Mr. Plummer What t am saying is, and I hate to lay it on the line, but
I have to lay it on the line,.. --'right now, my contention is, that you have
too manjors in the police department, that is my contention. Now, what I am
really saying is this, don't created positions just to create their. If you can
create a position, I am all in favor of it, if that complies with the justice
system, greats ----but if that man is being put in there, obviously he is going
to be doing some kind of job. Now, what is he going to be doing to eliminate
what?
Mr. Andrews: Who are we speaking about.
Mr. Plummer: This assistant sanitation director.
Mr. Andrews: This is to begin the start up of the entire new sanitation
services that we will provide by dividing the department into two major divisions
and this indivudual will be in charge of field operations, and begin to organize
for the combined collections.
now.
Mr. Plummer: What you are saying is we don't have an operational director
Mr. Andrews: No, we charge between Mr. Jones and his one assistant department
head assume all of those responsibilities.
Mr. Jones: I would like to make this reorganization.In January. My waste
superintendent is planning to retire and reorganization would actually eliminate
this position.
Mr. Plummer: Fine. That is what I want to know.
Mrs. Gordon: We can't hear you, will you speak in the mike, Mr. Jones.
W. Jones: I am saying that my plans for reorganization would be to make
another assistant director in charge of the field operations and in January
my present superintendent is planning to retire and I plan to eliminate that
position and have this man working out of my office. I think I would get better
control over the operation with two assistants and also I would hope to get
a qualified minority member in this position.
Mrs, Gordon; That sounds very efficient.
Mr, Reboso: I am very glad to see the City Manager take this step.
Mr, Plummer: Fine, so am I.
Mr. Reboso: Paul, how many departments do we have in the City of
Miami?
Mr, Andrews; Without counting them, I think 15.
Mr, Reboso; Do we have any assistant directors that are Black, or Latin,
or female?
Mr, Andrews; No, I don't believe so.
Mr. Reboso: I think this is the proper time to start moving in that
direction. I suppose it is going to be a minority person appointed.
Mr, Mutter: Let the tell you what t have had in the back of by mind
for some tithe.
Mrs. Gordon: You want a woman assistant manager.
Mr. Plummer: Rose, when it comes to women, and .l.'L. Plummer, I would
prefer you to stay out. I'll tell you what I have in mind and I think it
is something this commission better stand up and taking notice of I think
from the standpoint of two different avenues, that I would like to see this
commission go on a basis of an absolute freeze of employment, and I mould like
to see, when a mats wants another employee, a department head that he cote before
this commission and justify it. I think that will do two things. I think No.1
it will eliminate some of the fat that exists in some of these departthents
and No. 2 it will give this cotnmissiot some latitude to see accomplished in
the minority hiring which we want to do. I tell you, I right at the point now
of being ready to offer such a situation.
Mayor Ferre: It is a great idea,= '---
Mrs. Gordon: You had better ask the lawyer about that,-----
Mr. Plummer: We asked the lawyer.
Mayor Ferre: It is a great idea and I subscribe to the philosophy of it,
but here is the problem. When you do that you substitute yourself for the
Manager.
Mr. Andrews: You really don't need a city manager. You appoint some kind
of coordinator.
Mayor Ferre: Not only that, not only do we not need the Manager, we don't
need the department head.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor let me tell you what I am saying. I am saying that
I think and I have thought that we have moreemployees than what we need in some
areas. Okay? I think No. 2.-----you know when this thing comes to a final judgement
they are not going to be looking at the Manager. They are going to be looking
at the elected officials. All I am saying to you is this, that this Commission
is the one that is charged with making sure that we get a dollar's worth, in
conjunction with the Manager, not circumventing the Manager, any way shape or
form. He himself was the one who elected last year to take and put an absolute
freeze on hiring except in the areas of police and fire. But now, when I asked
the question yesterday, what are your intentions after October lst. The only
answer was, not that it was going to continue, that we are going to reevaluate.
I am just thinking that as far as I am concerned, if we are going to start
achieving some goals as you speak, it is going to take some drastic action of
this commission whether we like it or whether the Manager likes it or who likes
it. It is just an idea Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Ferre: I think it is a good idea, but let's talk it out like
we always do here openly and have a discussion on it. Let's see what the
impact of that is. The Manager and the Police Chief are recommending 44 civilian
increase in the police department and we are talking about 18 in addition to
that. Right?
Mr. Plummer: Right.
Mayor Ferre: That is 62, now the Fire Chief wants 3 more people.
Mr. Plummer: 14 more, ----
Mayor Ferre; 14 more people, ---that is 76, POW you are also adding 10
people in the Sanitation Department, that is 86 people. Then, what you are saying
is, we want to give these 3 departments 86 people and you want to put the lid on
everybody else which, 60% of the budget goes to these 3 departments. Now, you
want to put the lid on eveyrbody else,
Now, in effect the Manager is saying, that he has to put the lid to come
up with 790,000,--he is coming up with $190,000, by putting the lid, ----isn't
that what you just said? That is the way you are coming up with $i90,0t0r
Now, the Chatter, that great document that tells us,ffi.,..which is our constitution,
tens us that the way this City Commission controls this city and that Manager
or whoever is titan in that seat, is through the budget procedure. okay, tow,
for us to go beyond that is to circutitvett the intent of our constitution which
is to substitute our judgement for that of the a dtniniisttation. The way to do
that legally is for us to do it budget hearittg time.
Mr. Plummer: That is why 1 brought it up.
Mayor Ferret We can say all right Mr. Manager this is the policy of this
commission, no tore hiring. Now, that we can do, but for us to say we want you
to bring every department head before us to tell why he wants to -add or delete
or somethinglike that, is in my opinion going on thin ice.
Mr. Plummer: This is something that 1 have been thinking about. 1 haven't
tried to formulate this thing. It can be done but what 1 am saying is, not that
the department head would have to come before this mikrophone, but the Manager
would. That would be the appropriate party, that he would come before this mikro-
phone and say to us we have a need here and here is the way l justify the need.
Mayor Ferre: I don't have any objections to that.
Mr. Andrews: I think it should be done at budget time, and after the
budget is completed, I don't the Manager should have to come back and justify
to the commission every time he wanted to employ someone. There are so many
constraints that are put on the Manager now. When you think of the legal constraints,
the fact there are 5 labor organizations we have to deal with, Civil Service, the
wants and requirements of this commission as they see it should be directed, the
public, the individual requirements of each department, there are so many constraints
that the Manager is getting into the position where there is very little movement
to do anything anymore.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Andrews you can talk both ways, and I can speak the other
way, and the other way is, and I hope this isn't misconstrued because Charlie
Compton is sitting in the audience, but I think he is a great asset to your staff
but when you made such a move you came before this commission and justified
his need in your staff and this commission agreed with you. Now, I don't see
any different, in philosophy, to do that with a man on your staff, as opposed
to doing it with a man on Bob Ferencik's staff. And especially in a key area.
We had to create another major position. When I say create we had to appropriate
funds to follow it through. That is the only thing I am saying. This Commission
is the one, when all the chips are down, that gets the flack
Mr. Andrews: But we are getting so far afield in some areas
from the Charter, that once in a while I begin to question
where we're headed. Let me give you an example. I have been
debating whether I should raise the issue, whether the City
Commission, in fact, has the right to make a determination
on the cost of living increase or on pay. The Charter specifically
provides that the Manager shall be responsible for this area.
Mr. Plummer: But you get your latitudes from us.
Mayor Ferre: Now Paul, be careful on that one now,
Mr, Andrews; I am but there,.,
Mayor Ferre; Budgetary process is the only one time during
the year that this Commission can become involved in the pro-
cess of the Administration through the establishment of a
budget and you recommend the budget but we are the ones that
are responsible for it. How we achieve and how we finalize
on that is something that is a,process jointly between us,
which in the final analysis, we're the ones that vote on it
so, You know, I.,.
Mr, Andrews; on the appropriations.
Mayothat'a what'a involverl..01t don't want to
start gplitting hairs now becauge you may be technically right,
but in the end in the impact of it, thin Commission hag the
final gay as to how money ig apent.
Mr. Plummer: 1 think, look, I'm not ng tryito force the
, 6 4 a
Jng amie thig mornibut I think it a t methIng that warrant
further diacuagion by thig tommiggion becauge as 1 tay, when
the final chip t are down, it is thia Commission that ig angwer-
able to the public.
Mayor Ferret 1 think Plumeg right. In philogophy, how do
we apply the philosophies and the realities with what we really
have to discua0 1 aubacribe to what het a gaying, 1 think
he's tight and 1 think that we're getting into narrow straits
and thin ice and 1 think that this Commiggion has to be, whether
it' through a procega of information or involvement ig 'where
ye really have tO determine the thin line.
Mr. Plummer: What I would like for you to do, Paul, is to
schedule it for one of the agendas, maybe the 25th agenda
where we can discuss the issue.
Mrs. Gordon: Will you elaborate on what you mean by the "issue",
J. L., please?
Mr. PlUmmer: Nell the "issue", Rose, is this. The expenditures
of monies is what we retain control over, okay? Now if we
have to retain some kind of control, I don't think that you
can do it on a once -a -year basis and what we decide today is
an absolute for the next 365 days. Now I'm just saying that
if there are to be any changes in personnel or if there are
to be added personnel or even delited personnel...an ongoing
type of thing with this Commission as well as the Manager and
I think this Commission has to be deeply involved into the
ongoing. I accept what the Mayor says. If it's nothing more
than an informational process, I think it's necessary.
Mrs. Gordon: I'm not going to disagree with you in principle
but 1 think we can't cross the border and the thin ice would
be very dangerous. I think Mr. Lloyd, you should give us an
opinion prior to the scheduling, whether or not we should,
in fact, schedule this but I think that the Manager knows how
we feel and we've expressed it time and time again. I know
that your intent is to get more minorities, women, into key
positions because you and 1 and the rest of us take the heat
when the City does not have a person of minority or a female
in a key position, Mr. Manager, I can tell you, you don't get
the heat as much as we get the heat because we don't do the
hiring but we get the heat. Okay? So you got the message.
Now, if it's legal for us to discuss this at a Commission
Meeting and take any kind of an action, we'll get that decision
from Mr. Lloyd.
Mayor Ferre: Alright, J. L., do you want to press this any-
more?
Mr. Plummer: No, I don't. Not at all.
Mayor Ferre: Because tell you, it's almost 11 and we've
got alot of work to do and we haven't gotten into these areas
so if it's alright with you, is it alright with you?
Mr. Plummer: Fine, I would just like to keep it in mind, Mr.
Mayor,
Mayor Ferre: I think you heard what the Vice -Mayor has stated
and we ought to schedule...
Mr, Plummer: Let me just take if I inay, one more minute, Mr.
Mayor and it's something that I've given alot of thought to
and I would just proffer to you for later consideration. Mr,
Mayor, this Commission, being not constituted the way it is,
but the way that we operate' I am going to proffer to you
probably Thursday or no later than the 2 Sth, that this City
Commission start a policy of Meeting ono day a month, more
than we Meet presently. I thick the County used to u6e the
terminology of a Workshop bay j not Cohere we hear from the
public but problems that are pressing and ongoing to this
Community and to this City and I think that there is a need
because you know, so many tunes we get put into a bitd here
where we have to take a subject that's very important to this
Coi niesii n, and we have to brush over it in S or 10 thutes
because we've got ee many people meeting and I'm going to
proffer to you that this Commission instigate a polity of
having this Workday meeting once a Month.
Mayor Ferret I'ii tell you, I would accept that but I would
want certain limitations on that. The limitations art* let
irte tell you ghat they would be. That we not get involved in
any zoning or planning matter, that these be strictly matters
of importance or planning or general items.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, let me tell you how I think greater
control can be than that. That the only agenda be certified
by the Commissioners. In other words, the items that we want
to talk about. If Pose wants to talk in depth about the FEC
situation where we want an hour to talk about that, she's got
it. If I want to talk about the Marinas or something else,
I think it's necessary Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Ferre: That's fine but don't change the format of a
Manager establishing...Let me tell you something. I don't
know one case when I or you or anybody on this Commission
has told Paul Andrews, schedule this on the agenda that he
hasn't done.
Mr. Plummer: No, I'm not talking about an agenda to the public
Mr. Mayor, don't get me wrong. I'm talking about a Workshop
where no decisions will be made.
Mayor Ferre: I read you but I think your coordinator of the
agenda should be Mr. Andrews...
Mr. Plummer: You mean as far as the formulation.
Mayor Ferre: well sure, no, not the formulation. If you want
to talk about the FEC, you tell Mr. Andrews, on the December
meeting we want to talk about the FEC matter.
Mr. Plummer: It's a workshop where we, the Commission, open
to the public and to the press, can sit down and discuss
matters that are important to this City and I think it's
needed because we find ourselves here at a 10 or 12 hour
meeting at the end of the day and an item comes up that needs
an hour discussion and we don't have the tirne'and I think the
time has got to be 4fforded and I think one more day a month
will do it so I'm going to bring it up probably tomorrow, Mr,
Andrews. Do you have any objections to that, Mr. Andrews?
Do you think it would be worth while?
Mr. Andrews: Years ago, the Commission used to have meetings
such as that...on the basis in which an agenda was established
and various matters were discussed and it was open to the
public unless,,.
Mayor Ferre: Does anybody disagree with the idea? Alright,
that's something we can discuss in the future.
Mr, Andrews; Mr, Mayor, excuse me, I didn't mean to interrupt
you. Members of the Commission, we have one more member of
the public. I contacted the University so that they would
understand that I only included $15,000, recommended $15,000
contribution this year rather than $25,000 and that's reflected
in this budget. Mr. Elliot is here to speak for the University
in reference, I presume, to this subject and if you would
Near him, he would apprtciatt it.
Mayor Perrtt Alright, Mr. Elliot.
Mr. /Jett Elliott Thank you, memberf the Committion, 1
apprteiatt your allowing me to be hart today. We did hear
that thtrt wet to be a reduction in the appropriation from
25 to $15,006. I'm here of course t6 ask you to rtcontider
this from the standpoint of a very simple fact, 1 think, more
than anything elte, wt are trying to rebuild the University,
you know that we have had probltmt in doing eo and attendance
in other thingt, this money it sorely needed, it it not
helpful to ug in our program, and very frankly and very simply
wt need it and 1 with that you would reconsider this and to
the affect of making it $25,000. I have one other item in
connection with it. Whet trnie MaCoy was the Athletic Director
of the University of Miami, he did make an agreement in the
ute of the orange Bowl with the City of Miami and in that
agreement, it was a three year agreement starting with 73,74
which would of course include this year. In the agreement
also is written the appropriation of $25,000 and of courte
this is up to this Commission and what they choose to do
obviously, but it was written in there and we had assumed
through this agreement which 1 brought a copy of for your
inspection if you'd like to do so, we had assumed this would
carry through, at least through the season or year of 1975,1976,
which would be, of course, the third year of the agreement.
Again, there isn't alot to say, there aren't alot of great
adjectives of the value of the University of Miami, I'm sure
you're all aware of this and what we're trying to do and what
we're trying to do with the Athletic Program and the University
and without alot of flowers and taking alot of your time,
we're trying to do the very best we can to contribute to the
City, to this community and we would appreciate you reconsider-
ation of this particular thing.
Mr. Plummer: Excuse me, mr. Mayor, I'm looking, Paul, on
page 148, I see $20,000 is recommended, has it been changed?
The contribution University of Miami, oh, and the Orange Bowl
Downtown Development, has that been lumped together?
Mayor Ferre: No, it was carried in a different...of the City
Budget...
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, if I'm not mistaking and Pete, you
didn't bring out, i recall, not last year but the year before,
that the University had made a contract based on certain
commitments from this City and I think it was a ten year pro-
gram and 1 remember that the strong sales point before was
that this was monies that were committed for this $25,000.
Is that still true?
Mr. Elliot: Yes, this is true. I am not aware of any ten
year committment. 1 am only aware of what Ernie MaCoy passed
along to me which was an agreement or a contract signed by
the City of Miami and the University of Miami.
Mr. Plummer: I believe that there was to the rental rather
than to the contribution, wasn't it Mr. Andrews?
Mr. Andrews: Yes, and let me, 1 don't know if Mr. Elliot
was part of the group that appeared with Ernie Seiler in the
Orange Bowl Committee, they appeared jointly, University of
Miami and the orange Bowl Committee, at the time that the
agreement was reached between the Commission and those two
groups as to the ordinance adjustment to reduce from 15% to
10% the rental on the orange Bowl. The minutes and the tapes
reflect that as that understanding was concluded, that the
Commission recognized and the groups recognized that if
capital improvements were ever needed, that we may need to go
back and raise that and the figures that were used specifically
were 11 or 12% that we were reducing the fee requirement at
that time to 10% but in the future if capital improvements
were ever needed to really upgrade the Orange Bowl that this
would be a reconsideration.
Rev. Gibson: Ltt me .ask this if you have an agreement there
that said that we would give you $25,000 for a thrtt year
period, how do we, I don't know about the 'university, but
once you tell us it isn't a church, me find it difficult to
understand.
Mr. tlliott This was something, ae I say, Reverend Gibson ,
that trnie l atoy had worked out in the past..
411
Revs Gibson: (Inaudible)
Mr. Andrews: This would be the third year.
Rev. Gibson: Third year. So this year was the last year.
What he is saying ig he programed believing that $25,000 was
coming. Now, how do tee...
Mr. Andrew The thing that should have been brought out at
that time, and Mr. Lloyd will advise you and if I'm wrong he
can correct me, that this Commission can't legally advance
funds in any agreement which pledges future operations of the
City. There is no way that you can do that.
Mayor Ferre: Father Gibson's not talking about the legal
committment, he's talking about the moral committment.
Mr. Andrews: I understand that and Father, I was groping for
every possibility of reducing impacts in this budget wherever
I could and I felt this was one area that I could hopefully
achieve it. It's not that I don't favor the University or
anything else...
Rev. Gibson: I know none of us who have been here any length
of time would dare fail to understand and recognize a contri-
bution and the importance but I` have another problem. I led
these people to believe that for three years, whether I had
the right or not, whether I had the legal right or not, Mr.
Lloyd, Theodore Gibson has difficulty in dealing with some
legal rights over against the moral committments and whenever
there is a debate between the two, I usually end up having to
go with that moral committment and say, you know, man, I know
what the law says either I was foolish, and then I have to
say like they taught me in Greek, beware of Athenians bearing
reason. I should have known, okay?
Mayor Ferre: well, what's the will of the Commission? We
understand the picture and...
Rev. Gibson: Mr. Mayor, I would hope that while we may not
decide it now that as we, go into the business of reassessing
these figures, that we deal with that matter in particularity.
Mayor Ferrer Do you specifically mean that you want this to
be increased to $25,000?
Rev. Gibson: Mr. Mayor, I'm going to do like you said. Let's
deal with the matter in particularity. If we can find the money,
I think we ought to in all consciencious keep our mild com-
mittment. Now, if we can't do what we cannot do, the Manager
then will have to say to us, you know, I just guess there
t'ain't no money in that pack but if it is or if we could -
rob one person or if we could take it from here to do that,
I would hope that we would keep our moral committment to the
University,
Mr, Plummer: Mr. Mayor, I feel very very deep about the
fact that the University has got its problems. Look, let's
admit the truth, here again as I ask Mona Lighte, this Orange
Bowl and the University of Miami get untold amount of publicity,
And down here, that's the name of the game and 1, Mr. Mayor,
feel that we should live up to out comtittment and I'll offer
a motion that we live up to that committment 6 the 25.
Mr. ftebosot t second the motion.
Rev. Oibsont Ain't got no problem with me.
Mayor Ferre Alright. Nov t think you get the sense of this
Commission...and t subscribe to that, that's three of us. You
feel the an 'way, Rost? There's a notion and a second,
Further discussion?
Thereupon the motion Wa8 passed and adopted by a unanimous
vote of the City COMMiAAibri and is numbered Motion Mo. 75-774.
Mayor Perrot ill voting, Mr. Elliot, I would be most grateful
if you would pass the message on to our friends to McItnight
not to think so ill of the City of Miami because he has some
ill feelings toward the City of Miami and t think he perhaps
does not know how co-operative we have been.
Mr, Elliot: Might I just say that regardless of what your
decision may have been, of course I'm most grateful for what
it is but no matter what, we could never have better co-opera-
tion than we do from the City of Miami. We do appreciate it.
Mayor Ferret I'm not worried about you or the University of
Miami, I'm worried about Mr. McKnight.
Mr. Elliot: If I can get to him, I will.
Mr. Plummer: That vas not incorporated in my motion.
Mayor Ferre:
you just pass
Mr. Elliot:
Mr. McKnight knows everything that's going on,
the word on to him, it'll get to him.
Very good, sir. Thank you, sir.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, in this same area, may I bring up
for consideration, and it's merely for consideration unless
somebody feels the way that I do. Mr. Manager, I would like
to see in the same way that I spoke, that one-shot deals be
put into Federal Revenue Sharing. Mr. Mayor, I would like to
speak in behalf, and they have not asked me to do it, of the
Greater Miami Crime Commission. We have allocated in this
budget, monies for the citizens safety, Miami Traffic Associa-
tion, the Bayfront Park Concerts, and these kind of ongoing
activities. I would like to see if it is possible, Mr. Mayor,
that the Dade County or the Greater Miami, excuse me, the
Greater Miami Crime Commission be installed under the community
projects and taken out of general Revenue Sharing where it
came from last year, and to be put into the budget, to the
regular budget so this will be and continue to be an ongoing
project. I don't know what the mechanics are, the amount is
$25,000 which $15,000 is dedicated to the Court Watchers Program
and $10,000 to the Jeuvenille Division and I would like to
see this put in to the regular budget so it will be an ongoing
matter, I don't think, what is that?
Mr. Andrews; Funded from the Federal Revenue Sharing—.
Mr, Plummer: Well no, Paul, I'm trying to avoid that, I'm
trying to avoid the funding from the Federal Revenue Sharing.
Here again with my philosophy that Federal Revenue Sharing
could be coming to a screeching hault, I want to see this
funding ongoing is what I'm really saying.
mayor Ferre; Let me ask you this question, Isn't that some-
thing that we should cross,,.
Mrs, Gordon; started the morning off by saying we're going
to take these things all at one time and now we're taking each
of these individually and 1 feel very bad about it because
Mg. tighte was here and I made the ttatement following One that
you made before me •and if you're going to take a reverse position
now, one by one, 1et't go back and ttatt at the beginning of
today's agenda and go one by one.
Mt. Plummer: Okay, I'll withdraw, AOAe.
Mrs. Gordon:
Mr. Plummet:
Mts. Gordon:
sider each of
one,
Thank you.
but t will bring it back up
Yeah, well we'll do it as a
the thingt and we'll decide
later.
package, we'll con -
how such for each
Mt. Plummet: Pine.
Mrs. Gordon: Okay.
Mayoerre: Okay, what else have we got how? Now let's
get then back to the Manager's $790,000. Do we have to accept
that now or what?
Mr. Andrews: No, you don't have to do that now until you
consider everything at one time.
Mayor ?ere: Veil, what's the next thing? Employee Groups?
Mr. Andrews: Employee groups and what we'll attempt to do,
Mr. Mayor, is between the conclusion of hearing the employee
groups and Friday, we will try to table everything for you
so that when you start that session that morning...
Mrs. Gordon: I thought we weren't taking this up on Friday,
we were taking it up on...
Mr. Andrews: Well, I'm going to make a recommendation to you
that perhaps you'll want to meet on Friday.
Mayor Ferre: I'd be perfectly willing to do that, Mr. Andrews,
in the hopes that we can conclude it but if we get into the
big argument now over this thing...
Mr. Andrews: Well, let me then make this opening comment
with reference to the employees and with the endulgence of
the employee groups, perhaps they will want to wait to talk
to you, of course you have the privilege of...
Mayor Ferre: I think we got to...Let's take a five minute
break. Mr. Andrews, alright now, ladies and gentlemen, we're
at this point. I think we've talked about everything but the
employee groups request. The decision that we've got to make
now, Paul, is whether or not this Commission takes this matter
up today and Friday or whether or not you're going to need
some additional time to discuss this and I'd like to hear from
the employee groups and whatever you want to do is alright
with me,
Mr. Andrews: well, my recommendation to the Commission and
the employee groups can express themselves to you in the
process is that we continue with our negotiation efforts to
try to resolve a cost of living increase.
Mayor Ferre: If you can do this by Friday, that's fine with
me. Ne'll have a Friday meeting,
Mr. Andrews: I seriously doubt that we can accomplish that
by Friday,
Mayor Ferre;
Mr. Andrews:
this process,
Alright, now what's
Now, Mr, Mayor, and
we will either come
your opinion?
I'd like to add that through
to understanding between the
employees, employees groups and the City Manager, and if we
do not, we'll have narrowed down the issues in which there is
disagreement and identify them quite clearly to that when the
employees C0111d before the Commission at the appropriate time
when there is disagreement, the Commission then will have,
and the Manager and the employees all will have understanding
as to where the enact disagreement lien and 1 think that pro-
cess will take longer than just trying to accomplish...
Mayor PertAlright, Mr. Naples, what's your position?
Mr. Naples: 1 agree wholeheartedly with what the Manager hag
to say. Up until yesterday, we were concerned that we might
be at impass. Apparently, the Manager hag agreed that we
will continue our negotiations and hopefully we can get it
settled sometime between now and the meeting of the 2Sth.
Mayor Perre: Alright, what's the Opinion of the Police group,
Mr. Harrison?
Mr. Harrison: (inaudible)
Mayor Verret You in agreement with that? !ow about S1A7
Aev. Gibson: (tnaudible)
Mayor Perre: This is what you want to do. Is that it? Any-
body else differ from that position? You differ or you agree?
That means that you agree. Okay.
Mr. Andrews: Mr. Mayor, would you then pick a date sometime
in that week of the 22nd through the 26th or so...
Mayor Ferre: Let me tell you what the problem is. The pro-
blem is that Reboso and I are going to Spain to, for the Wine
Festival and the Sherri -Wine Festival in representation of
Governor Askew and the State of Florida.
Mr. Plummer: We've got about 1000 at North Miami Avenue and
5th Street that would love to go with you.
Rev. Gibson: If ya all don't bring us any of that wine back,
you're gonna have trouble.
Mayor Ferre: I'm glad we don't have any tea totalers here.
Now we're leaving on Sunday the 7th of September and we will
be back on the 19th so I'm ready to meet any day from the 20th
on. But that's Saturday and then Monday, Plummer, you can't
meet, is that right?
Mr. Plummer: I would prefer the 23rd.
Rev. Gibson: The 23rd.
Mr. Plummer: Let me ask Paul then what we would really be
doing is that we would be putting off this Friday morning
meeting, is that correct? That's good.
Mr. Andrews: And I would table everything and...
Mr. Plummer: Four days in a row gets to you.
Mr. Andrews: Try to get everything organized that you talked
about.
Mayor Ferre: We have the Justice Department on the 23rd of
September or is that off now? That's changed.
Mr. Plummer: 9:00? I'm just asking,
Rev. Gibson; What time is that?
Mr, PlummOr: 9:00?
Mayor Ferre: 9:00 is alright with me.
Rev. Gibson: 9:.00 when?
Mayor Ferre: On the 23rd.
Mr. Plummer: And that really will be the, hopefully the
adoption of the Appropriation and. Millage ordinance.
Mayor Porte: And I might point out that this is really, if
we dui it on the 23rd we'll be a -weak ahead of when we usually
do this because we usually end up doing this on the 3Oth.
Mr. Andrews: And we've gone as late as October 6th.
Mayor Ferre: oh, t remember twice when I was on the Commission
previously, that we went way in tactober.
Mr. Plummer: tailey had to write his own personal checks.
Mayor Ferre: Alright, is there further discussion? tf not,
we stand adjourned. Do we need a motion?
Mr. Plummer: Alright, I'21 make a motion to cancel the meeting
of Friday and continue it over till the 23rd of September at
9:00.
Rev. Gibson: I'il second it.
Mayor Ferre: There's a motion and a second. Further discussion
on this motion?
Thereupon the motion was passed and adopted by a unanimous
vote of the City Commission and is numbered Motion No. 75-775.
Mayor Ferret Now before we wind up, Commissioner Reboso has
an item he wants to address..
Mrs. Gordon: I would just like to speak to the Manager if I
might...
Mr. Reboso: Mr. Mayor, I would like to strongly recommend
that the City Manager creates a new position of International
Affairs Coordinator working under him in his office. I think
Dade County has recently established this position and is
Mr. Crumpton around here?
Mr. Andrews: No he's not. He's upstairs, I can get him if
you wish.
Mr. Reboso: Well, I gave you a memo and I would like at this
point that the Manager consider the creation of this position.
Mrs. Gordon: I'll go along on that.
Mr. Reboso: I think it's very very important...
Mayor Ferre: Alright, there's a motion and a second that this
position be created on this budget year. Is there further
discussion? I think the memorandum is self-explanatory, I
congradulate Commissioner Reboso for what I think is a very
fine idea and very much needed, I'm in complete agreement
with him...
Mrs, Gordon: It's an excellent idea and particulary, Mr.
Reboso, as you notice, ' says International. He doesn't...
Mayor Ferre; That's right.
Mrs, Gordon: .,,take in just a certain segment but all seg-
ments, International,
Mayor Ferree Alright, there's a mustion and a second, purther
discussion
Thereupon the motion was passd and adopted by a unanimous
vote of the City Commissihh mid is numbered Motion No. 7s-77G.
Mrs. Gordon: t would ask the Manager to furnish us between
now and the 23rd with inf s. ation as to his recommendations
for Social Service budgetitg. t would like to know specifically
that you are recut mending; that money that you have set aside
from your pederal Revenue Sharing runds, what you're recommending
that they be spent on. t know that you are recommending the
Child bay are and the Elderly bay Care and t do appreciate
that. You have Made that recommendation. I would like to
know what else you're recommending.
UNMENTIF'IEb sPEA ER: When are we going to do that, Paul?
Mr. Andrews: Well, normally, when t say normally, it occurred
twice and the Commission can certainly change that any way
they wish. That occurred after you had appropriated the
amount of money that would be available for Social Service
Programs which would have occurred about the middle of October
is when we held the meetings and one year it was near the end
of October.
Mrs. Gordon: Can you furnish us or will you furnish us with
that information?
Mr. Andrews: I sure will.
Rev. Gibson: Mr. Mayor, t hope when we do it this year that
we do it a little differently. I was disturbed that we were
going through like a bargain in the process and I would hope
that...
Mayor Ferre: I wish we could avoid that, Father, but I'll
tell you, I_ don't know how in the world you can avoid people
coming here, community groups wanting to be heard by this
Commission because we're the final voice.
Rev. Gibson: Mr. Mayor, I agree, but you know what? while
we're the final voice, we need to have some sort of a guide.
Mayor Ferre: Supposedly, the trouble is that that guide
didn't work last year and I'm certainly hoping that it's
going to work this year.
Rev. Gibson: well let's make sure it works this year. At
least let's make sure that it does some things other than
what it did last year.
Mr. Andrews: I think when you see what we're producing this
year that you'll have a much better guide.
Mayor Ferre: With all due respects, let me tell you what my
personal opinion of what the problem was. First time around,
way back when this first started, there was a committee that
was set and as I remember, Danny Paul was the Chairman. And
then, i was not involved in that process, and in using Father
Gibson'swords, that nobody really paid any attention to what
that committee did and as a result of it, they got all upset
and resigned in a huff. Now, then to circumvent that, we
said let's get some professional help. And then we set the
policy that we would get a committee up which would be you,
the City, the County Manager and Vito Rogelio, the head of
the United Fund. Now, I think two things happened, one was
that I don't think the United Fund and the County really
functioned as efficiently as they should have. They didn't
really get into studying each request and then what happened
last year was that I don't think the City of Miami had enough
staff work. But we had people coming before us who wanted
monies that we have rejected and we hadn't even visited with
them or studied their proposal other than on paper. We hadn't
gone on site, we hadn't talked to tit individuala involved,
and looked at the program. Now I'm hoping that this time we
will have had enough staff work her nobody can come up to
thin Commission and say well how can you judge me if you
haven ' t even looked at my program other than in the draft
submittal that we made to you. We've got to have sole answers
for these people to that we don't end up aritagani2ing. We're
going to have to aay "i'to" becatee as you recall, Last year we
had requests for $15,000,000 and we only had what, $1,200,000
to deal with. 1 aseu to the figure's going to be abut the same
this year and you know that....
Mr. Plummer: ...are you talking about the request?
Mayor Ferre: Nano.
Mr. Plummer: that are the total requests?
Mr. Andrews: About $5,0O0,000.
Mayor Ferre Total? is that all? tte had $15,tOO,OOO last
year.
Mr. Plummer: No, we had about 5. And we're goint+ to have
about the same amount of requests this year.
Rev. Gibson: dust so we come up like the Mayor...Nell, I've
seen your thing and this is what it is. Guys come in, they
give us an awful chaffing here,
Mayor Ferre: You see, so we don't end up having to make the
decisions as to whether or not we're going to fund for example,
Tom Fergueson or Rolle here in Coconut Grove that wanted
uniform for the Coconut Grove Band and what have you, and we
end up having to make decisions and getting people all upset
because we really haven't gone through the process of studying
it carefully.
Mr. Plummer: Well the unfortunate part, Mr. Mayor, even if
you do, you're still going to have problems.
Mayor Ferre: Oh, there's no question that people are going
to be upset but I want them to be upset after we said we've
studied your program, so and so went out to Coconut Grove,
so and so met with you on such and such a date, we've also
met with Mr. Fergueson, we've also met with Mr. Rolle, we've
also met with this, and this is our conclusion. Then we've
got something to fall back on rather than...
Rev. Gibson: T'ain't no money here.
Mayor Ferre: Which is the way it's got to work. Alright,
thank you very much for your patience and we stand adjourned.