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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1973-09-18 Discussion Items & MotionsMr. Lloyd: I apologize for interruating but Section 97 of the Charter has to do with this type of thing. It doesnt have to do with federal funds but it has to do with the authority of the Commission generally and I think you should be informed of it. Section 97. Section 97 of the Charter says +Appropriations for Public or private charities. The Commission shall make no appropriation of wuh'ic funds for the maintenance or support of any Private or public charities except upon condition that the City shall have representation upon the Board of Directors or Board of Managers or other governing body of such Private or Public charity and that a detailed financial report showing all receipts and disbursements by such charity shall be made to the Director of Public Welfare at least once each year} Mrs. Gordon: We have a person on the 1st item anyway. I dont know if we do on G and I will find out from the people here from the City. . Officer Robert Parkins is on the Board of Directors of the Women in Distress so we do have city representation there. Is that what you are talking about? Am I understanding you properly? I just told you that there is a person from the City sitting on the Board of Directors. Mr. Lloyd: Now let me read the last part - +and that a detailed financial report showing all receipts and disbursements shall be made to the Director of Public Welfare at least once each year. Mrs. Gordon: I would simply say to you that if you want any financial reports, You should receive them. I certainly believe that the Manager should have the reports of any uses of monies that we grant from revenue sharing. Certainly any organization that receives these grants including Metro should advise us of how they are using these monies. Mr. Liloyd: Actually, I dont want to invade the Managers function but is there a Director of Public Welfare? Mr. Andrews: This is a Problem Mr. Mayor and Members of the Comm- ission that I have been trying to point out. The City of Miami doesnt have a department of public welfare. This would be non-existent when we transferred those kind of functions to Metropolitan Dade County. Mrs. Gordon: Could that fall in under your new Human Relations Department that you are creating? Mr. Andrews: No. Mrs. Gordon: How are You going to be able to give Metro anYthing then under the circumstances because its alsosa grant for welfare, human services. Mr. Plummer: We havent got to that yet. Mrs. Gordon: No but we are a Part of Dade County and we have to facr those things. Face them all at once, look at them right in the eYe. Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, there is a motion and a second on the floor. I call for the question. MaYor Kennedy: The motion now I think reads that there is a differ- entiation of going into DaY Care Centers being operated by the City and funds that will be given to private organizations, Private non- profit organizations. I think thats the distinction now in Your motion. This Commission has agreed with revenue sharing funds that we will go into those social type of Programs such as Day -Care Centers if they are administered by the CitY of Miami. Now Your motion on the floor is whether or not we should go into welfare type of Programs that are not administered by the CitY but that this would be in the form of a direct -grant to non -Profit, charitable type of organizations. Mrs. Gordon: Like Legal Services and the gentleman is sitting right here. We might as well recognize all the ramifications because otherwise we are going to be eating our own hat. Mr. Plummer: Mr. Clerk, 'will you read the motion back Please? Mr. Southern, City Clerk: Mrs. Gordon: I move that we go into the welfare type of programs from Revenue Sharing Funds. Mrs. Gordon: I want the word Welfare clarified because I dont consider this welfare. I call this social -services. I dont call it welfare. Now that welfare designation is Mr. Managers not mine so I would like to say Social Services. Mayor Kennedy: Social Services and I think it should also clarify that its dealing with charitable non -Profit organizations. Mrs. Gordon: Worthy of our consideration. Mayor Kennedy: As differentiated from social services as Provided from Revenue Sharing Funds but administered directly by the City of Miami. I dont know how you are going to word it but I think thats the clear - Mrs. Gordon: Well Just say, in addition to, Programs that are being administered by the City of Miami. That would clarify it. Mayor Kennedy: Thats not what I want to vote on. I want to vote on, weve already agreed by action that we will go into social Programs dealing with federal revenue sharing funds that are going to be administered by the City Jf Miami. Your motion only deals with federal revenue sharing funds for those social agencies that are non -Profit charitable organizations not to be administered by the City - Mrs. Gordon: Which are not being administered by the City. Well in conclusion then, that would Prohibit if this fails for us to be able to give Metropolitan Dade County anything for any social services we want administered through the Metropolitan Dade County Department because it falls in the same category. MaYor Kennedy: Well then you Just amend it to governmental agencies. You know what we are getting at Rose. Mrs. Gordon: Yes but I Just want to make sure the motion comes out exactly right. MaYor Kennedy: You know exactly what the problem is. We are playing games now. Rev. Gibson: I could forsee that if you are going to start giving money to an agency other than a governmental agency, you run into an awful lot of ramifications. An awful lot of agencies. There is a difference between social services administered by government or against Private. For instance, I could see every conceivable outfit coming in and we would not be able to say no. MaYor Kennedy: How are You going to turn down Dr. Ben Sheppard coming in here if you give Women in Distress $50,000? Mrs. Gordon: How are we going to give Dade County Citizens Safety Council 515,000? Mr. Plummer: Thats exactly the point I have been driving for 2 ' hours Mrs.Gordon. You cant say no. You have got to set a policy. Now I am ready to vote. I called for the question. Lets set the policy. Rev. Gibson: What happens if you have done it for a non -governmental agency and you set this is a policy? Are we going to revoke? Oh yes' we will have to revoke it now. I am for giving Revenue Sharing Money to any program operated by a governmental agency. Mayor Kennedy: The distinction is that the citizens safety council in the traffic are already in the budget. They are not coming out of revenue sharing funds. These are budgetary items that the County and the,City have always sponsored that has relieved government of certain responsibilities in regulatory fields and safety fields and I think we get our money out of it. Rev. Gibson: Are you inferring they could get this through budget? Is that what you are telling me? If thats the case, I think we better hold up and let them go through — budget. Mr. Andrews: What the Mayor is trying to point out is the type of program that are listed in the budget that are grants to other agencies are areas that this City Commission could look to the City Manager or to some agency within the City government to be responsible and to advise them on traffic regulations as an example, better traffic safety because of its association with the police function and rather than do that and form a staff within the City , we have expertise available and the grants remain on the basis that these organizations assist the City in these areas. SELECTED TRANSCRIPT - SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING (Budget Hearings) September 18, 1973 Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, maybe I might suggest something to try to expedite things if it's possible and Mr. Andrews, I hope I am not creating a bad situation because I know its putting people under the gun but maybe if we reverse this procedure but maybe it might be best and we might be able to handle this thing more quickly if we ask if each department has anything that he thinks is very vital to his budget, that we hear it on that basis rather than going through every particular budget. Mr. Andrews: I -would recommend that you do this and give the departments an opportunity to express themselves before the Commission. Mr. Plummer: I personally feel that if any of you have any points that you would like to make to this Commission, now is the time to do it. If you think your budgets are reasonable, fine, you can live with them. Mr. Howard: I would just like to say that our budget is fine, I think it's a workable budget, however, of primary importance is our revenue sharing budget that was submitted originally as our supplement. It would afford us the opportunity to offer a very comprehensive recreation program so the revenue sharing is quite important. Mr. Plummer: I'm glad you brought that up. Mr. Andrews we had a meeting the other day. As you know Commissioner Gordon and I serve on this committee for the boxing. Overall, it was brought out at that meeting that there were some federal funds that were made available and not being utilized. Now, I think this is an area that you should look into because to me, if they are willing to give, I am willing to accept and one of the greatest criticisms I ever heard was one time when a government agency sent back federal funds and said they couldn't use them. Well I think that's admitting something that we really don't want to admit because I don't know of any program that you can't improve, so I think that this federal funding is something that should be looked into so that utilization of it can be and I know the case here was the boxing ring and I think this is something that can be looked into. We passed a resolution about expenditure control the other day which you said would take care of it so, I do feel it should be looked into, I really do. Mr. Howard: To take some of those monies and use it for the boxing, I think that was the intent. Mr. Plummer: I understand. (Thereupon followed a lengthy discussion in regard to the International Folk Festival, which is reflected in the summary minutes on 9-18-73) TAPE REFLECTS THAT NO DEPARTMENT HEAD OTHER THAN MR. HOWARD CAME FORTH TO DISCUSS ANY DETAILS OF HIS OR HER BUDGET. THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 11:45 A.M. G. a�G1E RA�pta ��ty C\Erk PSS,Sta�t EXCERPTS OF CITY COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 18, 1973 Mr. Andrews: The next thing is Mrs. Eisenberg's proposal that sixty-five thousand dollars for a child care center to be developed in the Edison Center area through the health center. Mrs. Gordon: Annette, here again we are facing a timing problem. When do you think, if this were approved, you could have it in operation? Mrs. Eisenberg: Probably in February. Mrs. Gordon: It's to be finished in February; with the kitchen and all? Mrs. Eisenberg: Inaudible. Mrs. Gordon: In other words, Mr. Andrews, will you estimate specifically what Edison Center needs in that framework. xr. Andrews: Well, once again, we are dealing with a contrac- tor who is under construction, and by the time we get through, or the e rchi.tcct does if we designate him to do this, andI think we should, because it was designed by a private architect for the City -- the gentleman left, I believe --did he indicate how much time it would take to do this? Mrs. Eisenberg: No, but they have been cooperative, and I am sure they would do this as quickly as possible; but there is one other. thing; I think a kitchen is very important, because we could save on the food and on the preparation and the transporta- tion. The other day-care centers, I understand, are not consider- ing kitchens; they are going to use satelite service; so the kitchen would be nice, and if you thought it was feasible it would be great. If not, we could use the satelite service. Mrs. Gordon: Dr. David, is it mandatory to have a kitchen facility in the --- Mrs. Eisenberg: No. Mrs. Gordon: Then it might be even more economical to cater it in. Anurew:.: Iloviev _r, the Mayor, when you i :ide the sucJges- tion, or Mrs. Ei_'.L'iibiLade the: sucjijestion, also added the fol- lowing; that the :i tchen would ue good fro:.i the tandpoint of the seni,,r citizens and others. S) let's clar`._•' tna , Mr. Mayor. Do you want to participate in this as to whether you think we shoulc go ahead without the kitchen now? :•:r. Kennedy: That is such an active area. They have got a bi-racial group that works extremely well together. I would think we would want to give them the most implements they could use. I think a kitchen could be very, very beneficial to them. Mr.;. Gordon: Well, since it won't be the full year, maybe t..re would be enough money in her to add the kitchen. would there? (Reply inaudible) Mr. Andrews: The next item is the increased youth program, seventy-nine thousand dollars. Mrs. Gordon: I wanted to ask you a question on that, because I wonder; is that a part of our parks program responsibility? Annette, wouldn't that fall in under our Parks Department's respon- sibility; the one about the improved citizenship, enriched program for youth, and so on and so forth? Mrs. Eisenberg: Well, if you remember, Little River used to contract with C.A.A. in the past, and some of these programs were conducted then. I don't think the City of Miami's Recreation and Parks Department could handle it. It would be something that would have to be, I assume, counseled by skilled or trained personnel, and that is a separate program. We hoped that it could all originate in the Teen Center. We hope that whatever good programming goes on in Edison Park originates in the Center, both for day-care, the teens and the senior citizens. Mrs. Gordon: Mr. Howard is here. Mr. Howard, do you have the trained personnel that Mrs. Eisenberg refers to to work that kind of a program. Mr. Howard's reply inaudible. Mr. Andrews: Come up to the microphone. Mrs. Eisenberg: We had hoped, of course, that we would -- because there has been comment that the City of Miami cannot ad- ministrate all these programs, that you would allow a non-profit corporation to administer these programs; the day-care, the youth improvement, as well as the health care. Mr. Howard: I don't think we could operate with the presently existing staff, because we wouldn't have a sufficient amount, but the program, as I hear it; yes, we could, if we had the personnel; with skilled and trained staff. Mr. Andrews: And the money. Mr. Howard: And the money; yes. Mrs. Gordon: Have you very strong feelings about this? Mrs. Eisenberg:Well, our intent was for it to be operated by a non-profit corporation, so that it could be operated properly. Mr. Howard: I don't know what you mean by operated properly. I take: it you mean because it's non-profit you could accept fees and charges where it would go back into the organization; when the City would have to go into the general fund. Mr::. Eisenberg: Also trying to get grandstands, and some :assistance; perhaps even some funding from the County, Federal Government, etcetera. 9-18-73 Mrs. Gordon: Mr. Andrews, why don't you say something on 'this? Mr. Andrews: I think I am getting a little tired. What was the question? Mrs. Gordon: We are all tired. The second request of the Edison -Little River Project is to improve citizenship, enrich and develop mature youth in a program designed to increase youth to cope with environmental, governmental, educational and cultural concerns. This program will include recycling and basic economic development program elements. Estimated cost, seventy -nine --- Mr. Andrews: I would recommend that the City's recreational people not get involved in that kind of program specifically de- signed for that. I certainly would recommend that we conduct our recreational programs with this in mind as a side effect as a re- sult of our recreational program, but not a program specifically designed for that. Mrs. Gordon: Well are you saying, then, that it should be done as Mrs. Eisenberg insists it be done? Mr. Andrews: Yes. Mrs. Gordon: Would a half year be all right on that, Annette, since the building won't be ready until February, so you can imple- ment it, and all that? Mrs. Andrews: So we are talking about, what? Forty thousand dollars? Mrs. Gordon: To start. Mr. Andrews: All right. 9-18-73 CITY COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 18, 1973 CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA Here follows an excerpt from the discussion which oc- curred at the City Commission budget hearing of S eriember 18, 1973, with respect to the subject of day care centers with- in the City of Miami: Mr. Plummer: --- Let me ask you, as one of the proponents of this; under the proposed system as you have it here now, we are talking about a maximum of three hbindred kids. Now, if what you say is true --and I don't dispute it for one minute -- that there are literally thousands of children that would fall into this category, how do I, as a commissioner, tell one yes and the other one no. In other words, I am providing for one, but I am not providing for the other. Now how would that be - fair and equitable? Mrs. Gordon: May I say a couple of words that need to be said ? You are not speaking now of the same program that Mr. Andrews spoke about before; the poverty class, where they don't pay anything because they can't afford to pay anything. You are talking about that class of person in between. The rich can take care of themselves, and the poor, we take care of them. Who takes care of the middle class; We have to help the middle class to be able to provide the care that they need for their children; and this is the class. Now, on the figures you mentioned for . Trug you pay twelve hundred. You receive seven hours of care for five days. We are talk- ing of eleven hours a day for six days. On a per hour basis, maybe we are talking about the same thing. EXCERPT FROM DISCUSSION MIAMI CITY COMMISSION BUDGET HEARING SEPTEMBER 18, 1973 BUDGET DELIBERATIONS: City Commission Budget Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, I think under the Board of Com- missioners everything is in accord. We discussed most of all of that yesterday, and I see nothing there. Mrs. Gordon: Yes, I think we need to consider that a little more fully; that there may need to be some reorganization, by way of a receptionist, perhaps, and someone who will receive all calls and transmit it to the proper one. we now have individual tele- phones. It's going to present a tremendous problem to get the right Commissioner, if it comes in and the right Commissioner is not at the desk. You follow me? You have a separate telephone number from what I do, and all of us have separate lines. We need someone, as they do on the Manager's side, taking all the calls and relaying to the proper extension, or to the proper person. P. W. Andrews, City Manager: I have only this recommendation to make to the Commission; that you, yourselves, organize the per- sonnel that have been selected, but I would not recommend that more people than the one per Commissioner beyond the Mayor be -- and set that as a limit and you among yourselves work out how you will utilize these people that will be available to you. Mr. Plummer: Personally speaking, for one, I think that if we each have our own secretary, I think, Rose, truthfully, that they can work out among themselves --it's my impression now that Mrs. White basically does that job, and I would, speaking for one, prefer to try the system as of now. If there are problems later on we can deal with them, but I don't think to put the additional help on now is needed until we have tried it. Mrs. Gordon: I wasn't specifically referring to additional help, but that, if we are going to give someone more responsibility, whoever it might be, that we adjust their salary, but I didn't know whether it had to be brought up at this point or not. Mr. Plummer: Mrs Andrews; arrange do that. If that problem arises we can deal with it then. . Gordon: If there isn't any you say it's the prerogative it themselves; that you don't problem in arranging it,Mr. of the Commissioners to re - have to, as an administrator, Mr. Andrews: Yes. The only area that I say that I am recom- mending to the Commission is that they limit the number of per- sonnel to what amounts to a secretary per Commissioner, not in- cluding the Mayor's function. That would be four people at a maximum in all, and then you among the Commission make a deter- mination how you want to best utilize that personnel to best serve the four Commissioners. That's a decision that the four of you would have to arrive at. STATEMENT BY MIAMI MAYOR DAVID T. KENNEDY ON HIS PROPOSAL OF TRANSFERRING ALL PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS TO METROPOLITAN DADE COUNTY SEPTEMBER 17, 1973 As you know, for several months I have been inquiring as to the feasibility of transferring all park and recreation facilities and programs to Metropolitan Dade County, and among other things I have established a citizens' committee to study this matter and report to the City Commission. I have had the time to give this matter considerable thought and it is my belief that the best interests of the citizens of Miami would be served if the Committee's recommendation is accepted to transfer these facilities to Dade County. Let me state some of the facts and reasons why this recommendation should be accepted. 1. It benefits all residents to place responsibility for area -wide functions in the hands Metro. Putting it another way, it is unfair for city residents to continue paying for programs which are enjoyed by all Dade County residents. 2. We owe City of Miami residents some additional tax relief and this transfer would provide meaningful relief for our residents. The transfer could reduce the City operating budget by more than $3,000,000 which, if converted into a -2- tax reduction, would reduce our tax rate by almost 1.5 mills. 3. If the outstanding debt service on park and recreation bonds can be assumed by Dade County, another tax reduction of more than one mill could be provided to city residents. If Metro is unable to assume the debt service directly, the County certainly should be able to enter into lease agreements for the various facilities with appropriate lease payments to the City of Miami to c -!r outstanding obligations. 4. In the case of the Orange Bowl, it has been proposed that we incur additional debt of some $16 million to. provide for various improvements, and our Manager recently proposed to extend the city utility franchise with Florida Power and Light in order to finance the improvements. If the franchise is extended, its revenues should be devoted -3- to other needed City of Miami programs. Orange Bowl improvements should be supported by all the people of Dade County, because the Orange Bowl clearly meets the test as a regional facility. 5. It is possible that if the transfer is accomplished, Metro will be more willing to allocate significant portions of its Decade of Progress bond issues for regional park improvements within the City of Miami. This assistance may,well be needed in order to acquire all of the bayfront and other. properties that are scheduled to be purchased under the City of Miami Parks for People Program. Concerns have been raised by members of the Commission and residents of the city in two regards. First, concern has been raised about the "giving away" of property and assets the city residents have acquired at a cost of millions of dollars. In this regard, we have considerable precedent for retaining title for such real property. Examples include the library system, the stockade and -4- the city jail. In the case of each of these transfers, the city retained title to the property and placed it under lease to Dade County. A second concern relates to the level and quality of ser- vice. Again, let us look at the more recent transfers. The library service has remained top quality. Programs at the stock- ade and city jail have in fact improved. A key condition of the proposed transfer would be that service must be maintained at least at their present level. If not, the entire arrangement could be revoked and the programs returned to the City for operation. In summary, it is time we take action to give city residents a tax break as the result of the transfer of functionE to Dade County. We continue to remain at the 10-mill cap in spite of numerous. -.prior transfers. We should see to it that the tax reduction of over 2-mills mentioned above are passed on to our residents and that the cost of regional park programs are borne by all. Dade County residents. Let us proceed to agree with the transfer in principle, to establish the guidelines and conditions under which the transfer • • • • -5- will take place, and present the entire plan to Metro for the earliest possible consideration.