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COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD
2017 ANNUAL REPORT
(PURSUANT TO CITY CODE SECTION 2-890)
Mission Statement: The Community Relations Board's mission is to foster mutual
understanding, open-mindedness, and respect of persons regardless of economic, social,
religious, ethnicity, or sexual orientation by serving as advocates for both the City of Miami and
its residents.
The City of Miami Community Relations Board (CRB) was established in 1994 by Ordinance (No.
11742) and is committed to finding ways to foster mutual understanding, tolerance, and
respect among all economic, social, religious, and ethnic groups with the City of Miami.
The CRB serves in an advisory capacity to the City Commission and has the responsibility to
recommend and provide educational and social programs, designed to eliminate discrimination
in any form and to improve community relations by enlisting the support of civic leaders and
citizens. The board consists of 13 members who are representative of the social, racial,
religious, linguistic, gender, cultural, and economic characteristics of this city. Administrative
support for the CRB is provided by the City Manager's staff and its liaison. The board meets
monthly to review and discuss issues affecting our community's ability to work, play, learn,
celebrate and engage in governance with good will toward our fellow residents.
Responses to the following questions are as follows:
1. Has the board served the purpose, which it was created?
Yes, the Community Relations Board has complied with its mission statement.
2. Is the board serving the community needs?
Yes, the board is active participants in community needs. Each month the CRB meets
in a different commission district as to address issues relative to each district.
3. Accomplishments for the year 2017:
• Continued to host several local groups to speak at our monthly board meeting to
identify issues in our community.
+ Special guest appearances at our monthly general meetings.
• Kept open communication with the Mayor, City Manager's office, and all five
Commissioners to discuss the CRB and our role in the community, when meeting
in commission districts the sitting commissioner and support staff are invited to
attend in order to give residents the opportunity to be up close and personal
with their Commissioner.
Hosted community meetings along with the City of Miami Fire Department and
Parks Department. We are currently working on restoring the Good Will
Ambassador Program and keeping constant communication with Police
Department, Deputy Chief of Police, and Commanders through our Board
Liaison.
Kept open communication with our NET Administration, with regards to any
issues in the community.
• Continued a dialogue with community leaders to address their issues.
4. Whether there is any other board, either public or private, which would better
serve the functions of the board.
No. The board is composed of a group of citizens from all different districts in our
city. This diverse blend of individuals is committed to assist citizens in addressing
the needs of our community.
5. Whether the ordinance creating the board should be amended to better enable
the board to serve the purpose for which it was created.
We have amended the by-laws to address absences and the result of such. We have
had quorum at all meetings in 2017. We continue to communicate with Commission
and Mayor's offices in order to fill their vacanies.
6. The cost, both direct and indirect, of maintaining the board.
This year the board has an ad hoc committee to address the formation of a budget
help the board to move forward and be able to address issues that will benefit our
community. The committee uncovered that the board has $4,000 in funds. We are
developing a resolution to request funding from the Commission. The CRB has been
operated this year without the knowledge of funds.
Respectfully Submitted
Lovette E. McGill Chairperson
Community Relations Board, Appointee of District Five Commissioner Keon
Hardemon