* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. [R10 A NOTICE OF CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 447.605, FLORIDA STATUTES, A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE HELD AT 3:30 PM ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2024, IN THE CITY MANAGER'S LARGE CONFERENCE ROOM, FOURTH FLOOR, CITY HALL, FOR A DISCUSSION RELATIVE TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.] A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE HELD AT 3:30 PM ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH. IN THE CITY MANAGER'S LARGE CONFERENCE ROOM, FOURTH FLOOR CITY HALL FOR A DISCUSSION RELATIVE TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. THE CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO FLORIDA STATUTE SECTION 4 4 7 0.605. WE WILL NOW RECESS THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING UNTIL 5:00 PM WHEN THE PRESENTATIONS AND AWARDS, UH, PORTION OF THE MEETING WILL COMMENCE. SO WE ARE RECESS UNTIL 5:00 PM THANK YOU. WELCOME [Presentations and Awards - PA] TO THE PRESENTATION AND AWARDS CEREMONY. WE GOT A PACKED HOUSE TODAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED. GOT A LOT OF, UH, I ALWAYS WANTED TO USE THIS . THANK YOU FOR, FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE IT TODAY. SO WE GONNA GET STARTED IF WE CALL, UH, QUIET DOWN, PLEASE TO GIVE EVERYONE THE RESPECT. UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS. THANK YOU FOR MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL COMING. IT'S, UH, IT'S VERY MEANINGFUL. I ACTUALLY HAD SOMEBODY RECENTLY TELL ME THAT ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS WAS WHEN, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, HE HAD GOTTEN A PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY. SO IT, IT, IT HITS HOME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO, UH, TO INDIVIDUALS. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US IN THE CITY TO RECOGNIZE THE GOOD, HARD WORK THAT EVERYONE DOES. I'M GONNA CALL TWO. I'M GONNA GO GENERALLY IN ORDER, BUT I'M GONNA CALL START OFF WITH TWO ITEMS OUT OF ORDER RELATING TO HOMELESS. UM, THE EFFORTS, THE COMPASSIONATE EFFORTS THAT WE DO TO HELP THE HOMELESS, AS WELL AS ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS. I'M GONNA CALL THOSE FIRST. 'CAUSE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO GET TO WORK AND, UH, GET BACK ON THE, UH, ON THE STREET TO DO THEIR, TO DO THEIR JOBS. SO I'M GONNA CALL PA TEN FIRST, [PA 10 CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO CITY STAFF FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OPERATION SUMMER RELIEF.] BUT, UH, RALPH, IF YOU CAN ALSO PROVIDE ANY INSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. UH, DURING THIS HYBRID COMMISSION MEETING, THE CITY COMMISSION IS PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBER AT MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL, 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE THIRD FLOOR. THE PUBLIC MAY ATTEND THE MEETING. VIRTUALLY, HOWEVER, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ATTEND THE MEETING IN PERSON MAY APPEAR AT THE COMMISSION CHAMBER TO VIEW THE MEETING. VIRTUALLY THE PUBLIC MAY JOIN THE MEETING BY VISITING THE ZOOM APP ON THEIR SMART DEVICE, OR ON THE WEB AT ZOOM US OR BY TELEPHONE AT (305) 224-1968. AGAIN, 3 0 5 2 2 4 19 68. THE WEBINAR ID IS 8 1 3 9 2 8 5 7 6 71 POUND, 8 1 3 9 2 8 5 7 6 71 POUND. AND THE FIRST ITEM UP IS PA 10, CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION OPERATION, SUMMER RELIEF REQUESTED BY MAYOR MINOR. YEAH, SO THANK YOU. AND THIS IS A, THIS IS AN ONGOING OPERATION. WE, WE ACTUALLY DID AN OPERATION, UH, SUMMER RELIEF, AN ITEM THAT I, THAT I BROUGHT TO REALLY FOCUS. AND THE GOAL WAS, AND IT'S NEVER FULLY FULFILLED, IS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS LIVING ON OUR STREETS. THAT'S A CONSTANT GOAL THAT WE HAVE. AND AGAIN, WE PROVIDE A PLETHORA OF SERVICES, BUT ALSO THERE'S, UM, THERE'S ENFORCEMENT AS WELL. BUT WE, UM, WE TRY TO HAVE ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ENGAGED, HOUSING, COMMUNITY SERVICES, POLICE, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, TO MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT. AND WITH THE WELLBEING OF THE HOMELESS IN MIND, IT'S REALLY HOT IN AUGUST. UM, WE GET REPORTS LITERALLY EVERY DAY OF DIFFERENT CRIMES COMMITTED IN OUR CITY. AND A LOT OF THE CRIMES ARE OFTEN COMMITTED BY HOMELESS AGAINST THE HOMELESS. SO, UH, THERE'S A LEVEL OF PROTECTION THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE ANYBODY IN OUR CITY WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR. AND SOMETIMES IT'S PROTECTING AND IT DOESN'T MAKE HEADLINES. THOSE CASES DO NOT MAKE HEADLINES, BUT WE SEE IT AND WE KNOW IT HAPPENS. SO WE HAVE A DUTY AND OPERATION STORM RELIEF IS A BIG PART OF THAT. UM, I ALWAYS HATE TO SINGLE OUT INDIVIDUALS 'CAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT, THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS. BUT I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT IRENE LINAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TECHNICIAN, UH, WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. SHE COORDINATED VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE MEDI, UH, MEMBERS OF THE CITY CERT, UH, THE COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM WHO DO GREAT WORK, UH, AS WELL, UH, TO ASSIST WITH OUR OUTREACH, UH, OUTREACH EFFORTS. THEY DID SO MUCH. I I WOULD ACTUALLY, LET'S, LET'S BRING THAT, LET'S BRING IRENE UP AND EVERYONE WHO IS INVOLVED AND, AND ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK, I WOULD, I'D, I'D, UH, LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AND LET'S DO THE CERTIFICATE. ANYBODY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [00:05:10] CAN EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED, EVERY DEPARTMENT THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE, UH, OPERATION SUMMER RELIEF COME UP, WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE AND IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING IT WASN'T HAPPENING WITHOUT ALABAMA. THANK PA FIVE. SO THE NEXT ITEM IS [PA 5 PROCLAMATION FOR DR. ALBA TARRE AND THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM.] PA FIVE PROCLAMATION, DR. ALBA TERRE AND THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM REQUESTED BY VICE MAYOR FERNANDEZ. VICE MAYOR EZ. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. UM, WELL, THIS IS VERY SIMILAR, BUT VERY DIFFERENT THAN PA 10. THIS IS PA FIVE , BUT, RIGHT. UM, THIS IS, UM, THIS IS A RECOGNITION OF DR. TARA AND THE ENTIRE TEAM AND, UH, THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM. I THINK AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, WE, WE, WE OWE IT TO RECOGNIZE THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO TAKE ON THE TASK OF DEALING WITH WHAT IS PERHAPS THE MOST DIFFICULT POPULATION IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THAT IS DEALING DIRECTLY WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION, HOMELESS IN INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE UNIQUE CHALLENGES, AND THAT DEPEND ON SPECIALIZED SERVICES. AND THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT, WITH THE FULL GOOD GOODNESS OF THEIR HEART EXTEND THE HELPING HAND. A COMPASSIONATE HELPING HAND TO HELP HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AT THE LOWEST POINT OF THEIR LIVES, GET BACK UP ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET AND BECOME CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF, OF SOCIETY. AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO DO THIS NOW, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WHEN MIAMI BEACH IS FRANK, IS FRANKLY BEING, BEING PORTRAYED IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT. UM, AND WHILE, WHILE IT HURTS ALL OF US, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF WHAT IS BEING SAID OUT, OUT THERE MIGHT NOT BE TRUE AND MOST HURTS, THOSE DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO THEY IN AND DAY OUT, ARE IN THE STREETS OF OUR COMMUNITY, REACHING OUT TO HOMELESS IN INDIVIDUALS, TO, TO THOSE WHO WE OWE OUR GRATITUDE, UH, THE ENTIRE TEAM AT THE OFFICE OF OUTREACH AND, AND COMMUNITY SERVICES. AND SO TODAY, I WANNA, ON BEHALF OF OUR MAYOR, ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY COMMISSION, BUT MOST ESPECIALLY ON BEHALF OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, I WANNA RECOGNIZE ALBA, I WANNA RECOGNIZE ALBA FOR HER EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP, FOR HER DEDICATION, FOR BEING SOMEONE WITH ALL OF HER HEART DEDICATES HERSELF TO THIS CITY WHO AT MIDNIGHT MOBILIZES HERSELF TO OUR CITY TO DEAL WITH HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS BEING BUSED INTO OUR CITY, WHO IN THE WEEKEND IS PUTTING ON RESOURCE FAIRS TO MAKE SURE THAT HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS HAVE ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE, UH, CASE MANAGEMENT, THAT HAVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, THAT HAS A, THAT HAVE ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES, THAT HAVE ACCESS TO VOUCHERS, TO ALBA, WHO MAKES SURE THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE CAPABLE OF GETTING FROM THE STREETS TO HOUSING. I THINK EVEN THIS, THIS WEEK, WE HAVE A HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL WHO I MET PERSONALLY THAT WAS GETTING OFF THE STREETS AND WAS ACTUALLY MAKING IT INTO HOUSING, HOUSING IN MIAMI BEACH BECAUSE OF THE EXCEPTIONAL WORK THAT ALBA IS DOING. SO TODAY, ON BEHALF OF THOSE VERY GRATEFUL RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, DO WE DECLARE TODAY, NOVEMBER 13TH AS DOC DR. ALBA DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MAYOR. IF I COULD JUST [00:10:01] REAL BRIEFLY. SURE. UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IT HAS BEEN MY DISTINCT HONOR AND PLEASURE TO WORK WITH ALBA. UM, SHE IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT EMBRACES ALL OF THE CHALLENGES THAT SHE FACES ON A DAILY BASIS WITH THIS SPIRIT AND THIS LIGHT THAT IS WONDERFUL TO BEHOLD. AND I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL THAT SHE'S A PART OF THIS TEAM IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, AND WE ARE A BETTER CITY BECAUSE OF HER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM TRULY HONORED. BUT I, I DO HAVE TO SAY, I AM SO VERY THANKFUL FOR ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL WORDS, BUT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED HAS TRULY BEEN THE MOTIVATION AND HAS BEEN OUTLINED BY THE AMAZING TEAM THAT WE HAVE AT OUR OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES. NONE OF THOSE THINGS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEM. AND I AM MORE THAN HONORED AND GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO LEAD SUCH AMAZING PEOPLE WHO ARE SO COMPASSIONATE IN ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO. AND FOR THEM, THESE ARE NOT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HOMELESS OR EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY LOOK TO AS FRIENDS AND FAMILIES, AND ARE TRULY THERE TO COMPASSIONATELY SUPPORT THEM IN GETTING THE HELP THAT THEY NEED TO BE A PART OF THEIR JOURNEY IS WHAT WE'RE MOST GRATEFUL FOR. SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH. PA ONE. PA [PA 1 PROCLAMATION FOR CORALIA FONSECA.] ONE IS PROCLAMATION FIKA REQUESTED BY VICE MAYOR FERNANDEZ. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TODAY. I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TODAY TO RECOGNIZE SOME . I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TODAY TO RECOGNIZE ALIA FCA, MR. MAYOR CENTER, MONICA, WE, MONICA AND I, WE WERE RECENTLY AT THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER, AND, AND ELIA WAS SHOWING UP AND, UH, AND WE ASKED ELIA AND HER ANSWER WAS, WELL, I'M HERE BECAUSE THERE'S A LADY THAT NEEDED HELP WITH SOMETHING, AND I CAME OVER BECAUSE THEY'RE CLOSING BY FOUR O'CLOCK AND I NEEDED TO DELIVER SOMETHING. AND THAT'S, AND THIS GOES TO SHOW THE GENUINE COMPASSION OF OUR RESIDENTS, SENIOR CITIZENS, LIVING ON FIXED INCOMES THAT GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO LEND A HELPING HAND TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO IN NEED. AND ELIA IS A TRUIST DEMONSTRATION OF THE BEST THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I SAID IN SPANISH, SHE IS A SOCIAL WORKER BY VOCATION. IT COMES TO HER NATURALLY TO GO OUT OF HER WAY TO HELP PEOPLE THAT NEED GROCERIES. SHE HELPS 'EM GET THE GROCERIES. IF SOMEONE HAS AN ISSUE WITH SOCIAL SERVICES WITH THE CITY, SHE GOES OUT OF HER WAY TO, TO HELP THEM WITH THOSE SOCIAL SERVICES. AND SHE DOESN'T GET PAID FOR THAT. BUT SHE CARES. AND SHE HAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DEMONSTRATION OF THE BEAUTIFUL COMPASSION THAT THE CITIZENS OF THE [00:15:01] CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HAS TOWARDS THOSE WHO ARE MOST IN NEED. IT GURE, MOCHA, CIA. LET'S TAKE A PICTURE. I KNOW PA TWO, PA TWO IS PROCLAMATION CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH REQUESTED BY VICE MAYOR FERNANDEZ. WE ACTUALLY, THEY'RE NOT HERE YET. SO WE COULD ACTUALLY MOVE [PA 3 PROCLAMATION FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.] PA THREE. PA THREE IS PROCLAMATION OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH REQUESTED BY VICE MAYOR FERNANDEZ. WELL, THIS ONE IS RETROACTIVELY, UH, DECLARING HISPANIC, UH, HERITAGE MONTH. UH, BECAUSE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WAS SEPTEMBER 15TH TO OCTOBER 15TH. AND, UH, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T HAVE, UM, WE DIDN'T HAVE AN PROCLAMATIONS MEETING AT THAT TIME. IF I WOULD'VE LISTENED TO COMMISSIONER WILSON GONZALEZ WHEN WE MADE THESE REC THESE REGULATIONS, WE WOULD'VE HAD, UH, PROCLAMATION MEETING AT THAT TIME, BUT WE DIDN'T. SO TODAY, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE RICH TAPESTRY OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT RICH TAPESTRY OF OUR COMMUNITY IS WOVEN TOGETHER BY THE DIVERSE CULTURES THAT MAKE MIAMI BEACH SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HOME. AND CERTAINLY, THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY HAS PLAYED AN INTEGRAL PART IN SHAPING THE VIBRANT AND INCLUSIVE IDENTITY OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, ENRICHING OUR LIVES WITH TRADITIONS, WITH CUSTOMS, AND MOST ESPECIALLY WITH CONTRIBUTIONS. AND DURING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, WE HAD MULTIPLE CELEBRATIONS RECOGNIZING THE PROFOUND IMPACT THAT HISPANIC AMERICANS HAVE, NOT ONLY IN MIAMI BEACH, BUT IN OUR SOCIETY, WHETHER IT BE IN THE ARTS, WHETHER IT BE IN SCIENCE AND BUSINESS AND BEYOND. UH, SO TODAY, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THIS GREAT MELTING POT OF CULTURES THAT WE CHERISH THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCES THAT OUR CULTURAL DIVERSITY BRINGS TO OUR CITY AND HONOR, HONOR OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITY. NOW, I, I WANNA PRE, I WANT TO PRESENT THIS TO THE HISPANIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE THAT'S JOINING US, BUT IN PRESENTING THIS ALSO TO THE HISPANIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE THAT HELP US DO GREAT THINGS. THE HISPANIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IS GREAT BECAUSE IT HAS GREAT STAFF TO WORK WITH, STAFF THAT DOESN'T GET PAID A SINGLE EXTRA PENNY, THAT VOLUNTEER OF THEIR TIME, OF THEIR TALENT, OF THEIR PROFESSION, TO HELP ELEVATE THE MISSION OF THE HISPANIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. SO TODAY, AS WE ALSO RECOGNIZE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE LEONOR HERNANDEZ WITH A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR, FOR HER TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITY. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. YEAH, OF COURSE. SO, THROUGH THE MAYOR, UM, LEONARD, I'M SO, SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE BEING RECOGNIZED TODAY BECAUSE YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND TO GET THINGS DONE. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW ROLE IN HELPING US STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AS OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER. AND [00:20:01] THAT IS A TRIBUTE TO THE WAY THAT YOU CUT ACROSS DEPARTMENTS AND DO ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM TO A BETTER PLACE. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT THE VICE MAYOR IS RECOGNIZING YOU TODAY. FOUR. OUR [PA 4 PROCLAMATION DECLARING OCTOBER 2024 LGBTQIA+ HISTORY MONTH IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.] NEXT ITEM IS PA FOUR PROCLAMATION LGBTQIA A PLUS HISTORY MONTH REQUESTED BY VICE MAYOR FERNANDEZ, PA FOUR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ANOTHER RETROACTIVE RECOGNITION. UM, BUT OCTOBER, OCTOBER, UM, WAS L-G-B-T-Q HISTORY MONTH, AND IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1994, UH, AS AN ANNUAL MONTH LONG OBSERVANCE OF THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY OF OUR HISTORY FOR GAY RIGHTS AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE THIS HISTORY BECAUSE SO MUCH OF IT HAS BEEN THREATENED OVER TIME, AND IT MUST BE PROTECTED. AND IT'S BEEN THE WORK OF INCREDIBLE LEADERS WHO HAVE HELPED ACHIEVE THE RIGHTS THAT WEREN'T ALWAYS SECURED. BUT THE, THROUGH THE ADVOCACY, THROUGH THE ADVOCACY, THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP, THROUGH THE DEDICATION OF LEADERS, WE NOW HAVE THIS HISTORY, UH, TO CELEBRATE. MIAMI BEACH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BEACON OF L-G-B-T-Q RIGHTS. WE HAVE BEEN IN THE LEADING FOREFRONT IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND IN THE NATION. AND I AM PROUD OF THIS CITY. I AM PROUD OF THE DIVERSITY THAT THAT IS IDENTIFIED WITH, WITH MIAMI BEACH. AND HOPEFULLY WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY. I THINK WE'VE LIVED THROUGH CHALLENGING MOMENTS TOGETHER, AND MIAMI BEACH HAS ALWAYS STAYED. UNITED MIAMI BEACH HAS ALWAYS SUPPORTED ITS L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY. AND I THINK WITH THIS LEADERSHIP ON THE CITY COMMISSION, WE WILL CONTINUE TO STAND WITH THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY. WE'LL CELEBRATE OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. WE'LL CONTINUE FIGHTING TO PRESERVE THE RIGHTS THAT WE HAVE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY THAT HAS BROUGHT US HERE, THE DEDICATION, THE BLOODSHED, THE TEARS, THE SWEAT OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO FOUGHT BEFORE US, BUT WHO MADE THE SACRIFICES FOR THE RIGHTS THAT WE ENJOY TODAY. AND I ESPECIALLY WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR L-G-B-T-Q ADVISORY COMMITTEE HERE IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH. THEY DEDICATED THEIR TIME, THEY DEDICATED THEIR LEADERSHIP TO HELP OUR CITY CONTINUE IN THIS MISSION. AND THANKS TO THEM, WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE LEADERS IN THIS STATE TO SECURE OUR RIGHTS, AND WE'LL, WE'LL HELP ADVOCATE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE A VOICE. NOT ALL COMMUNITIES HAVE A COMMITTEE LIKE OURS, BUT MIAMI BEACH DOES. AND WE'LL BE THE VOICE FOR THOSE THAT DON'T. SO, THANK YOU TO OUR COMMITTEE THAT'S HERE, PRESIDENT. I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE CHAIR IF, IF THE CHAIR WOULD LIKE TO COME AND, UH, AND SAY A FEW WORDS OF THE ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE. UH, WELL, THANK YOU EVERYBODY. UH, STEVE ATKINS. IT'S AN HONOR TO, UH, SERVE THE CITY, AND I'VE DONE IT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND ESPECIALLY IN THIS CAPACITY AS A GAY MAN. UM, YOU KNOW, OUR CHALLENGES ARE MANY. UH, I THINK WE HAVE QUITE, UM, AN INTERESTING FEW YEARS AHEAD OF US. BUT, UH, THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BEACON WHEN IT COMES TO L-G-B-T-Q RIGHTS, AND WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR EFFORTS TO CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THIS COMMUNITY AS VIABLE AND ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND, UH, BEFORE I STEP ASIDE FOR THE PICTURES, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HONOR A DEAR FRIEND WHO PASSED SOME YEARS AGO, BUT WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY [00:25:01] EMPLOYEE FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, AND THAT WAS MICHAEL LER. OH. SO WE HONOR HIM TONIGHT WITH HIS RECOGNITION. AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR. APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SUPPORT. AND I'D LIKE TO ASK THE COMMITTEE TO JOIN US HERE ON THE FRONT. AND FIRST, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT RECENTLY I GOT A TEXT MESSAGE FROM A FRIEND OF MINE THAT SAW AN ADVERTISING FROM THE BUREAU FOR, FOR MIAMI BEACH IN A DIFFERENT CITY. AND THE ADVERTISING ACTUALLY FEATURED, FEATURED OUR L-G-B-T-Q LIFEGUARD, OUR PRIDE LIFEGUARD STANCE. AND I'M SO PROUD BECAUSE IT WAS AN IDEA THAT CAME FROM THIS COMMITTEE. I SEE EDDIE THAT'S HERE, THAT EDDIE WAS THE CHAIR OF, OF THE COMMITTEE AT THE TIME, AND HOW PASSIONATE THIS COMMITTEE WAS TO GET THIS DONE. AND WE DID IT, AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL. BUT IT'S TRANSCENDED BEYOND BEING SOMETHING SPECIAL. IT IS SPECIAL, BUT IT'S ALSO NOW A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE, AND THEY, THEY GO AND THEY TAKE A PICTURE AND THEY SEND AROUND THE WORLD. THE MIAMI BEACH IS A WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE PLACE, BUT IT ALSO SENDS A MESSAGE TO SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID, WE SUPPORT THE ECONOMY. WE ARE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY IN MANY MORE WAYS THAN JUST CULTURALLY AND VIBRANT, BUT WE'RE ALSO PART OF THE ECONOMY OF THIS, OF THIS REGION. AND NOTHING SAYS THAT MORE THAN WHEN IT IS FEATURED IN ADVERTISEMENT IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO I REALLY DO THANK YOU GUYS FOR REPRESENTING US SO WELL. SO LET'S TAKE A PICTURE. WAIT, MONICA, YOU GOTTA READ THIS PICTURE. I FORGOT TO MENTION MONICA. MONICA, THE LIAISON. PA SIX, [PA 6 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT CAPTAIN MARLEN RIVERO.] PA SIX IS A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION. MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, CAPTAIN MARLIN RIVERO, REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ. THANK YOU, CAPTAIN MARLIN RIVERO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. AND I'LL READ A LITTLE BIT HERE ABOUT YOU IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR EXEMPLARY SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH. SINCE BEGINNING YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER IN 2000 AND JOIN JOINING THE MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 2004, YOU HAVE SERVED IN A VARIETY OF CAPA CAPACITIES AND POSITIONS OF RANK, INCLUDING LIEUTENANT AND SHIFT COMMANDER IN THE OPERATIONS DIVISION, SERGEANT IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS, DETECTIVE IN THE HOMICIDE UNIT, AND MULTIPLE ASSIGNMENTS IN THE PATROL DIVISION. YOUR COMMITMENT AND TRAINING IN EACH OF YOUR ASSIGNMENTS HAS GREATLY BENEFITED THE DEPARTMENT AS A CAPTAIN FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS. YOU'VE COMMANDED BOTH SOUTH BEACH AND NORTH BEACH AND ARE CURRENTLY ASSIGNED TO THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION. YOUR NUMEROUS HONORS AND AWARDS, INCLUDING THE MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT'S EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AWARD, REFLECT YOUR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS. ADDITIONALLY, YOUR 21 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD'S 13TH ARMY BAND AND THE ARMY MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL UPON RETIREMENT ARE COMMENDABLE. YOUR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDED BACHELOR'S IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FROM FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, AND POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND HOMELAND SECURITY. THEY DEMONSTRATE YOUR DEDICATION TO CONTINUING TO LEARN YOUR GRADUATION FROM THE PRESTIGIOUS PROGRAM SUCH AS THE SOUTHERN POLICE INSTITUTE'S COMMAND OFFICERS DEVELOPMENT CORPS, THE POLICE EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORUMS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE FOR POLICE, AND THE FBI NATIONAL ACADEMY. FURTHER HIGHLIGHT YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE, AND WE WANNA RECOGNIZE YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE. CONGRATULATIONS. [00:30:32] UH, MS. MAYOR, DO YOU MIND IF I SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT, UH, CAPTAIN RA, PLEASE? THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO AS COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ WAS, WAS READING HER BIO AND TALKING ABOUT HER, I'M OVER HERE JUST BEAMING WITH, WITH PRIDE. YOU KNOW, WE, WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS IN THE MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT LOOK LIKE WHEN WE, WE TALK WITH SUCCESSION PLANNING. WELL, THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, RIGHT? IN ADDITION TO ALL OF HER FRANKLIN. SO IN ADDITIONS TO ALL OF HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND, AND ALL OF HER EXPERIENCES, SHE'S, SHE'S A LEADING EXECUTIVE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT SHE'S ALSO A MOM RAISING TEENAGE BOYS. AND, AND SOMEHOW SHE MAKES IT WORK, RIGHT? I I, I MEAN IT, IT'S, IT'S AMAZING TO ME. AND I AM SO PROUD OF HER. I'M SO EXCITED BY THE FUTURE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU, MARLON. SO I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA DO A LITTLE SKIPPING. UH, UM, WE GO [PA 11 CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO PARTICIPATING MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ADL EDUCATION FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE ADL NO PLACE FOR HATE PROGRAM.] TO PA 11. WE, WELL, YES, SIR. PA 11 IS CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION, A DL NO PLACE FOR HATE IN REQUESTED BY THE MAYOR. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SCHOOL PRINCIPALS WHO ARE HERE. IF YOU WANNA ACTUALLY COME UP NOW, UH, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME. AND I'M GONNA, IN A MOMENT RECOGNIZE EACH OF YOU. FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HAS PARTNERED WITH THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON THE A DL NO PLACE FOR HATE PROGRAM, THERE'S A BANNER PRESENTATION THAT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS YEAR WE HAD TO, UH, SUSPEND THAT BECAUSE OF A TORNADO WARNING. BUT IT'S A GREAT COMMISSION, UH, UH, INITIATIVE TO COMBAT BULLYING IN SCHOOL. I THINK WE ALL KNOW THE TRAVESTIES AND SOME OF THE DANGERS AND REAL HARM THAT CAN BE CAUSED TO STUDENTS WHEN THEY ARE, WHEN THEY'RE BULLIED. I WANTED TO GIVE SOME STATISTICS THIS YEAR ALONE FROM THE A DL NO PLACE FOR HATE PROGRAM IN 2023 IN FLORIDA, THERE WERE 46 SCHOOL-BASED ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENCES. BUT FROM OCTOBER, 2023 TO FEBRUARY, 2024, WHICH OBVIOUSLY COINCIDED SUBSEQUENT TO THE OCTOBER 7TH HAMAS ATTACKS AGAINST ISRAEL, THE ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENCES IN SCHOOLS MORE THAN DOUBLED ON A NATIONAL AUDIT. ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENCES INCREASED YEAR OVER YEAR. K 12 SCHOOLS INCIDENT SURGED BY 135%. INCIDENTS OF JEWISH INSTITUTIONS, INSTITUTIONS INCREASED BY 237%. COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY INCIDENTS SPIKED BY 321%. ANYBODY WHO FOLLOWS THE NEWS SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED BY THAT NUMBER. BUT EVERY SCHOOL REPRESENTED HERE TONIGHT HAS EARNED THE A DL NO PLACE FOR HATE DESIGNATION. AND THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH PROUDLY ACHIEVED THE A DL COMMUNITY FOR RESPECT DESIGNATION. SO WE REALLY COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU. AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE EACH ONE OF YOU REPRESENTING OUR SCHOOLS TONIGHT, OUR PRINCIPAL IC BISCAYNE BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. HEY, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY SAY HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE AFTER EVERYONE. ACTUALLY, THIS ONE, WE SHOULD APPLAUD EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY. PRINCIPAL MURPHY, MIAMI BEACH, FEINBERG FISHER, K EIGHT CENTER, PRINCIPAL BRITO, MIAMI BEACH, NAUTILUS MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL MAZZONE, MIAMI BEACH, SOUTH POINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, PRINCIPAL TARASCIO, MIAMI BEACH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, PRINCIPAL FISHMAN, NORTH BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, PRINCIPAL DERAMUS RUTH K BROUGHT K UH, BAY HARBOR K EIGHT. AND UNFORTUNATELY, PRINCIPAL SAPERSTEIN COULDN'T MAKE IT, BUT WE'LL STILL MENTION HIM. TREASURE ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I ALSO BELIEVE IN ATTENDANCE NIGHTS IS AMANDA DAWES, THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR FLORIDA FOR THE ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE. DR. GILBERTO BON, THE NORTH [00:35:01] REGION ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR FROM MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU FOR THIS IMPORTANT, VERY IMPORTANT WORK. DOES ANYBODY WANNA SPEAK? REPRESENT? SO, I WANTED TO THANK YOU MAYOR MINOR, FOR YOUR REMARKS AND FOR THE INVITATION TO JOIN YOU ALL TODAY. I WANNA THANK THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER, DR. LESLIE ROSENFELD FOR YOUR LONG CONTINUED SUPPORT. YES. AND YOUR DEDICATION TO BRINGING NO PLACE FOR HATE, ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAMMING TO MIAMI BEACH SCHOOLS. AND THANK YOU COR AND ELA FOR ALL OF THE TIME, AND HELP YOU, YOU GIVE TO US COORDINATING THE LA THE LOGISTICS OF ALL THIS PROGRAMMING. UH, ADL'S, WORLD'S ANTI LEADING ANTI HATE ORGANIZATION. WE'RE OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD AND OUR TIMELESS MISSION IS TO STOP THE DEFAMATION OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND SECURE JUSTICE AND FAIR TREATMENT FOR ALL. OUR WORK REQUIRES US TO RESPOND TO INCREASED INCIDENTS OF ANTISEMITISM, RACISM, HOMOPHOBIA, XENOPHOBIA, AND SO MUCH MORE. WE SEEK TO MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN CAN THRIVE IN AN ATMOSPHERE FREE FROM BULLYING AND FILLED WITH ACCEPTANCE FOR EVERYONE. WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR OUR LONG LASTING PARTNERSHIP WITH MIAMI BEACH TO PROVIDE ANTI-BULLYING EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN ALL MIAMI BEACH SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. LET'S DO PA SIX SEVEN. MAYOR SEVEN, SORRY. UH, NO. SO LET'S GO TO, UM, LET'S GO TO 12. [PA 12 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MILES GOLDEN FOR HIS EFFORTS AND COMPLETION OF A SIX WEEK INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WITH COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ AND THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH OFFICE OF MAYOR AND COMMISSION.] PA 12 IS PROCLAMATION MILES GOLDEN COMPLETING INTERNSHIP PROGRAM REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ, PA 12 MILES. CAN YOU PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM, OR SHOULD I SAY SMILE GOLDEN ? UM, WORKING IN CITY HALL EACH SUMMER, I TAKE ON A SUMMER INTERN, AND I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA. IT'S ALWAYS A RESIDENT. GO OVER THERE BY THE PODIUM SO EVERYONE CAN SEE YOU ON THE CAMERA MILES. UM, BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT OUR CHILDREN AND STUDENTS COME TO CITY HALL, WATCH CIVIC GOVERNMENT IN ACTION AND, AND LEARN FROM IT. AND THIS YEAR, UM, MY STUDENT WAS MILES GOLDEN. HE WAS PROACTIVE. HE REACHED OUT TO ME. HE CAME TO WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY, EVEN THOUGH YOU DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO COME TO WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY DURING THIS INTERNSHIP, HE'S IN RANSOM EVERGLADES CLASS OF 25. SO YOU'LL BE GRADUATING, UH, SOON. AND, UM, BORN AND RAISED IN MIAMI BEACH. YOU ACTUALLY LIVE ON ALTON ROAD. MY NEIGHBOR, UM, PLAYS FOOTBALL, LOVES TO READ. UM, ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS THIS YEAR, WE SENT OUT AN EMAIL, UH, AND I SAID, MILES, UM, I NEED YOU TO GIVE ME A QUOTE. AND HE SAID, WHAT DO YOU MEAN I NEED A QUOTATION FROM YOU? I SAID, YEAH, I'M GONNA FEATURE YOU IN MY EMAIL AND I NEED YOU TO GIVE ME A QUOTE. AND HIS QUOTE WAS, WHAT WAS, WHAT WERE HIS MILES? I'M HONORED TO GET TO MEET A NEW PERSON EVERY DAY. SO WE LOVE THAT MILES. AND TODAY WE ARE GOING TO RECOGNIZE YOU. WE ACTUALLY DID A SPECIAL PROCLAMATION FOR YOU. YOUR PROCLAMATION HAS A PICTURE. AND IT WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST PROCLAMATION THAT WE'VE EVER DONE, OR RECOGNITION WITH A PICTURE. SO TODAY WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MILES GOLDEN FOR HIS OUTSTANDING EFFORTS, VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS, AND THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A SIX WEEK SUMMER INTERNSHIP IN MY OFFICE WITH COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ AND THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, OFFICE OF MAYOR [00:40:01] AND COMMISSION. SO, CONGRATULATIONS, MILES, AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT. AND GOOD LUCK, EVERYTHING. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY AT LEAST SOMETHING THAT YOU LEARNED? WHAT DID YOU MOST LEARN BY SPENDING THE SUMMER IN CITY HALL WITH US? MILES? I MEAN, I WOULD JUST SAY IN GENERAL, IT WAS A GREAT AND VERY FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE. AND IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO, WHAT I WOULD LEARN IS KIND OF JUST THE IMPORTANCE OF JUST BEING HERE AND BEING ABLE TO INTERACT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY ON A LARGER SCALE. AND JUST, IF I HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ANYONE HERE, IT'S WHETHER YOU'RE YOUNG OR YOUNG AT HEART, TO GET INVOLVED IN THE CITY IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE. IS THAT ON YOUR RESUME FOR WHEN YOU GRADUATE NEXT YEAR? LET'S TAKE A PICTURE. JACK. JACK, YOU WANNA COME GET ONE LAST THING? HE DOES NOT KNOW WHERE HE'S GOING TO COLLEGE. WHEN HE GRADUATED, WHERE YOU, WHERE DID YOU APPLY? I APPLIED ALL OVER. I THEY, SO NORTHWESTERN IS WHERE FELL. SO THAT'S ALRIGHT. GOOD LUCK. [PA 13 PROCLAMATION FOR DR. ENID CURTIS PINKNEY, REQUESTED BY THE BLACK AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.] PA 13. PA 13 IS PROCLAMATION DR. ENIT, KURT CURTIS NEY, PICNIC DAY. BEST OF MY COMMISSIONER. B. SO THAT'S ME. I'M JUST HAVING TECHNICAL YOU OKAY. DIFFICULTIES WITH MY CHAIR. I CAN'T GET CLOSE NOW. OKAY. UM, SO THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WAS, UM, SUGGESTED BY THE BLACK AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND IS SOMETHING THAT I'M SUPER HAPPY TO BE A PART OF. UM, AS IT HAPPENS, EDWIN SHEPHERD AND I HAD MET FROM THE HISTORIC HAMPTON HOUSE TWO YEARS AGO, MAYBE THREE. AND SO IT WAS LIKE FULL CIRCLE HAPPENING, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN I FIRST HAD HEARD ABOUT DR. ENID PINKNEY. UM, SHE WAS A REMARKABLE HUMAN BEING, A TRAILBLAZER. UM, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IN, UM, PRESERVING NOT JUST STRUCTURES, BUT HISTORY FOR OUR SOUTH FLORIDA COMMUNITY AND SPECIFICALLY OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND, AND BLACK SOUTH FLORIDA COMMUNITY. AND I WANTED TO JUST, UM, HAVE SOME FORBEARANCE FROM EVERYBODY TO READ THE PROCLAMATION, BECAUSE THIS IS A HECK OF A LIFE THAT WE WORK VERY HARD TO GET ONTO ONE PARTIAL PAGE. AND I THINK IF YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW WHO SHE IS, YOU'RE GONNA WANNA READ MORE ABOUT HER. UM, AFTER THIS, UM, DR. EDEN, KURT CURTIS PINCKNEY FROM BORN IN 1931 AND PASSED AWAY THIS JULY, WAS A REVERED PRESERVATIONIST HISTORIAN AND COMMUNITY LEADER WHOSE PASSION FOR, FOR PRESERVING BLACK HISTORY IN MIAMI, IN RICH COMMUNITIES ACROSS MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. BORN AND RAISED IN OVERTOWN TO BAHAMIAN PARENTS. IN OCTOBER 15TH, 1931, DR. PINKY'S PARENTS WORKED AS HOUSEKEEPERS FOR A WEALTHY FAMILY IN MIAMI BEACH. IN THE SUMMERS, THEY LIVED ON THE PROPERTY, HOWEVER, SHE COULD NOT LIVE WITH THEM DUE TO RESTRICTIVE JIM CROW LAWS. AFTER GRADUATING FROM BOOKER T WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, SHE WENT OUT TO RECEIVE A BA DEGREE FROM TALLADEGA COLLEGE, AN MS DEGREE FROM BAR UNIVERSITY, AND AN HONORARY DOCTORATE DEGREE FROM ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY. HER CAREER WAS DEDICATED TO SERVICE FIRST AS A SOCIAL WORKER, AND THEN IN THE MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, FROM WHICH SHE RETIRED AS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT SOUTH MIAMI MIDDLE SCHOOL IN 1991. IN THE 1980S, DR. PINKNEY JOINED, JOINED THE DADE HERITAGE TRUST MIAMI-DADE COUNTY'S PRESERVATION ORGANIZATION, WHERE SHE PUSHED TO PRESERVE BLACK AND NATIVE AMERICAN LANDMARKS. IN 1998, SHE BECAME THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT OF THE TRUST. UNDER HER LEADERSHIP, SHE HELPED PRESERVE MANY LANDMARKS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE HISTORIC HAMPTON HOUSE. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT THE HISTORIC HAMPTON HOUSE IS, GOOGLE IT AND GET YOUR HIGH KNEES OVER THERE. OFTEN. IT'S AN AMAZING COMMUNITY RESOURCE WITH LIVE MUSIC AND ART AND HISTORY, AND IT'S SUPER COOL. AND YOU CAN ASK EDWIN ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS BEFORE HE LEAVES. UM, THE HAMPTON HOUSE IN PARTICULAR, HOLDS SIGNIFICANT VALUE IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL HISTORY. AS IT WAS THE ONLY BLACK HOTEL NEAR MIAMI BEACH, IT SERVED AS A SANCTUARY FOR IMPORTANT BLACK LEADERS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, [00:45:01] MALCOLM X MUHAMMAD ALI, BACK WHEN HE WAS CASSIUS CLAY, OF COURSE, AND MANY MORE NOTABLE FIGURES, INCLUDING PERFORMERS AND ATHLETES. DESPITE THEIR FAME, NONE OF THESE DISTINGUISHED INDIVIDUALS WERE ALLOWED TO STAY IN MIAMI BEACH DI DUE TO JIM CROW SEGREGATION. OTHER SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE THE PRESERVATION OF FORGOTTEN SITES LIKE THE LEMON CITY CEMETERY, THE MI MIAMI CITY CIRCLE, AND THE MIAMI CITY CEMETERY. ALL OF WHICH LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF BLACK AMERICANS WHO LIVED AND CONTRIBUTED TO OUR COMMUNITIES. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR OWN MIAMI DESIGN PRESERVATION LEAGUE, DR. PINKNEY REFLECTED ON THE PROFOUND TRANSFORMATION OF MIAMI BEACH OVER THE YEARS. FOR INSTANCE, HER BROTHER WAS BORN IN MIAMI BEACH, BUT HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO SHOW THAT ON HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE. SHE RECALLS HER JOURNEY FROM BEING UNABLE TO ENJOY MIAMI BEACH FREELY TO BEING INVITED TO SPEAK AT THE PRESTIGIOUS BATH CLUB. THAT'S A LIFE THAT IS A LIFE. SO WE, WE DID SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TODAY. UM, THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH RECOGNIZES DR. PINCKNEY'S PASSION FOR ACKNOWLEDGING AND PRESERVING THE HISTORY OF OUR, OF MIAMI'S BLACK PIONEERS. HER DEDICATED EFFORTS ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S VALUE TO PROTECT, PRESERVE, AND HONOR OUR DIVERSE CULTURE AND HISTORY. AND SO INSTEAD OF PROCLAIMING TODAY, DR. ENID CURTIS PINKNEY DAY, WE'RE PROCLAIMING OCTOBER 5TH, 2024, ENID CURTIS PINKNEY DAY. SO I, I AM GOING TO COME DOWN IN A MOMENT TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU, BUT I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU FIRST TO SAY A FEW WORDS IF YOU WOULD, AND TELL EVERYBODY WHO YOU ARE. WELL, MY NAME IS GARY ALLEN. I AM THE NEPHEW AND ADOPTED SON OF MY AUNT, DR. INCY PINCKNEY. AND I HAD PREPARED NOTES LIKE MY AUNT WOULD WANT ME TO DO, BUT I THINK YOU'VE SAID IT ALL. YOU KNOW, YOU'VE REALLY SAID IT ALL. SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL. I KNOW SHE WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY HAPPY TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD. SHE WAS FULL OF LIFE AND ALWAYS READY TO GO SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME AT 92 YEARS OLD. SO SHE WAS REALLY, REALLY ACTIVE. BUT I KNOW ONE THING THAT SHE WOULD DO, SHE WOULD ASK HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO, TO STAND UP WHO WERE IN THE AUDIENCE. MM-HMM. . SHE WOULD ALWAYS MAKE ME STAND UP. MA WAS A GREAT WOMAN, YOU KNOW, AND SHE WAS MY AUNT. SHE WAS AN ICON TO EVERYONE ELSE, BUT SHE WAS JUST MY AUNT ENID. SO, AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER PEOPLE ARE HERE AND I'M GONNA GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WILL BE BRIEF. UH, MY NAME IS IMANI WARREN. UH, DR. EDITA PICKNEY IS A STAPLE IN MY LIFE. SHE WAS ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LEGACY AND THAT BLACK HISTORY DOESN'T BELONG TO JUST BLACK PEOPLE. IT BELONGS TO ALL OF US. SO I JUST WANT MAKE SURE THAT WE REMEMBER THAT. AND THANK YOU. I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. EVERYTHING WAS ALREADY SAID. , UH, WITH EVERYONE. UH, MY NAME IS EDWIN SHEPHERD. I AM, UH, THE LEAD DOCENT AND ALSO BRAND MANAGER AT THE HISTORIC CAMPING HOUSE. WE ARE OPEN WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, JUST TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW. , UH, FOR TOURS, UH, I'M NOT OUTTA 10 SINCE I'LL BE THE ONE GIVING YOU TOURS, UH, BUT SHE IS, UH, SUCH AN HONOR, UH, TO, UH, KIND OF SHADOW UNDER DR. NEY AND LEARN, UH, HISTORY. UH, IT'S HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS A HISTORICAL LANDMARK NATIONALLY AS OF, UH, FEBRUARY 7TH, 2022. UM, AND THAT'S, UH, BECAUSE OF, UM, HER PERSEVERANCE. AND, UH, JACKIE COLLIER, IF YOU COULD JUST STAND JACKIE, JUST STAND JACKIE REAL QUICK. , UH, JACKIE COLLIER, FORMER, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HISTORIC CAPTAIN HOUSE IS PRETTY MUCH, UH, THE PERSON THAT BROUGHT ME IN AND INTRODUCED ME TO. SO I WANTED TO HONOR HER WHILE SHE'S HERE. AND, UM, SHE'S, SHE STILL LIVES ON AND THE HISTORY STILL LIVES ON. UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE BY SAYING, UM, THE HISTORIC HAMPTON HOUSE, THERE WAS 15 GREEN BOOK LOCATIONS IN MIAMI. THERE'S ONLY ONE LEFT STANDING, AND THAT'S THE HAMPTON HOUSE. IT WOULD'VE BEEN TORN DOWN IF IT WASN'T FOR HER EFFORTS ON KEEPING THAT UP. SO PLEASE COME BY AND, UH, GIVE HER LEGACY, KEEP HER LEGACY GOING BY STOPPING BY AND PAYING US A VISIT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD EVENING. UH, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID CREATE THIS HONOR. I THINK SOME PEOPLE WONDER WHY DR. PINNEY, WHAT HAS HER CONNECTION TO MY BEACH BIN. AND YOU MENTIONED THAT SHE USED TO LIVE LITERALLY ON PINE TREE DRIVE WHERE I LIVE. SO WHEN I, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND YOU MENTIONED HOW HER BROTHER WAS BORN ON MIAMI BEACH AND THEY WOULD NOT PUT IT ON HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE. [00:50:02] SO I HAVE A KWANZA EVENT THAT I HAVE EVERY YEAR, WHICH YOU'VE ATTENDED. AND I MENTIONED TO HER THAT SHE NEEDED TO COME BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT YEAH. TO CELEBRATE KWANZA BLACK CULTURAL HERITAGE ON PINE TREE DRIVE, WHERE SHE USED TO LIVE, WHERE HER BROTHER WAS DENIED HAVING THAT AT HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE. SO SHE FOUND THAT VERY PLEASANT. SHE HAD A GOOD LAUGH ABOUT THAT AND WE HAD A GREAT TIME. SO THIS IS VERY APPROPRIATE. WE'RE JUST GLAD THAT SHE GETS TO HONOR. AND, UH, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY ABOUT BAHAMIAN ROOTS IN BAHAMIANS BUILT MIAMI BEACH, CITY OF MIAMI. SO IT'S ANOTHER PROUD BAHAMIAN AND, UH, WHO HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF LOVE AND CULTURE AND HERITAGE TO SOUTH FLORIDA. I THINK ONE THING BEFORE WE TAKE THE PICTURE, ONE THING SHE WOULD REALLY BE PROUD OF IS THAT THE NEW, UH, POLICE CHIEF, RIGHT? UH, HE'S BAHAMIAN. YEAH. BAHAMIAN ROOTS. MY HOMEBOY. ALRIGHT. YES, YES. OKAY. OKAY. THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY. DR. PINK, SHARE THIS MOMENT FOR US. RAISE THAT. YEAH, LET'S DO, OKAY. MARKER. THANK PA [PA 7 PROCLAMATION DECLARING OCTOBER 9, 2024, TWANISHA ''TEETEE'' TERRY DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.] SEVEN. PA SEVEN IS PROCLAMATION DECLARE. OCTOBER 9TH AS TT TERRY DAY, THE CITY OF BAMBI BEACH, REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ. THANK YOU. HI. CONGRATULATIONS. FIRST OF ALL, UH, WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU AND SO HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE IN OUR COMMISSION CHAMBERS. AND I AM GOING TO READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU SO THAT THE AUDIENCE CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT TITI. JUANITA TITI TERRY, A NATIVE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, HAS ACHIEVED INTERNATIONAL FAME AS A WORLD CLASS SPRINTER WINNING GOLD IN THE FOUR BY 100 METER RELAY FOR TEAM USA AT THE SUMMER OLYMPICS. PARIS, HER HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT HAS NOT, NOT ONLY BROUGHT TREMENDOUS PRIDE TO OUR NATION, BUT HAS ALSO MADE HER A SOURCE OF MEN'S INSPIRATION TO THE PEOPLE OF MIAMI BEACH, WHERE HER JOURNEY FIRST BEGAN TO ANISHA'S OUTSTANDING ATHLETIC CAREER, MARKED BY PERSEVERANCE AND DEDICATION HAS EARNED HER RECOGNITION AS ONE OF THE FASTEST WOMEN IN THE WORLD. WOO. HER OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL IS A TESTAMENT TO HER UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO HER CRAFT AND HER ROLE AS A TRUE AMBASSADOR OF EXCELLENCE. FROM MIAMI BEACH, AS THE DAUGHTER OF ANTOINE TERRY, A PROUD PUBLIC SERVANT OF MIAMI BEACH, TITI, TERRY'S DEEP CONNECTION TO OUR CITY HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF HER PATH TO SUCCESS. THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH PROUDLY STANDS BEHIND TERRY, CELEBRATING BOTH HER PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH HER EXPIRING. INSPIRING EXAMPLE, THE CITY OF BEACH RECOGNIZES TISHA TITI TERRY AS AN OLYMPIAN AND A ROLE MODEL FOR YOUNG ATHLETES IN MIAMI BEACH. HER GOLD MEDAL VICTORY REFLECTS THE VALUES OF PERSEVERANCE, HARD WORK, AND RESILIENCE THAT OUR COMMUNITY HOLDS DEAR. AND HER SUCCESS IS A BEACON OF HOPE FOR INSPIRING ATHLETES. SO NOW, THEREFORE DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 13TH, 2024. TISHA TITI, TERRY DAY. [00:55:51] EXCELLENT SHIRT. UM, UH, SO I GUESS, UM, I'M VERY THANKFUL, OH, HERE, SORRY, . UM, I'M VERY THANKFUL OF THIS PROCLAMATION, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO REPRESENT MIAMI, BORN AND RAISED, UM, IN MIAMI, AND OBVIOUSLY COMPETING INTERNATIONAL. THEN I WENT OFF TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, UM, WHERE I EARNED MY BA IN COMMUNICATIONS, MY MASTER'S IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION AND MINOR INFORMATION CRIMINOLOGY, ALL WITHIN MY FOUR YEARS. SO I DID THAT ALL WITHIN MY FOUR YEARS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE I KNEW THE GOALS THAT I SET TO GO IN WITH AND BEING A PART OF MIAMI BEACH, ATTENDING NOT THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND ALSO BEING A PART OF MIAMI BEACH POLICE EXPLORERS THAT ALSO HELPED PAVE THE WAY AND ALLOW ME TO BE THE WOMAN THAT I AM TODAY. AND TO CONTINUE BEING AN INSPIRATION FOR THOSE ALL OVER MIAMI, FLORIDA, AND SPECIFICALLY HERE IN MIAMI BEACH. SO I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS. AND I PRESENTED YOU ALL WITH SOME TT TERRY. OH, WELL, T BABY BRACELETS IS WHAT I REFER TO MY SUPPORTERS. UM, AND I THANK YOU CARD, JUST MY SMALL TOKEN OF APPRECIATION, UM, FOR THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT AND THE SUPPORT OF EVERYBODY THAT GOT ME THROUGH THE 2024 OLYMPICS. UM, ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE A GOLD MEDAL, I DEALT WITH INJURIES IN THE OLYMPIC YEAR BEFORE GOING IN, I WAS ABLE TO STAY RESILIENT AND COME OUT WITH A GOLD MEDAL TO REPRESENT FOR MIAMI. THANK TT TT DON'T TT TT DON'T LEAVE YET. . I I I NEVER SPEAK ABOUT ITEMS THAT ARE NOT MINE, BUT I'M GONNA SAY SOMETHING. WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, THE OLYMPICS WERE SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY SPECIAL TO ME. I WAS ALWAYS, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S A LEVEL OF PATRIOTISM THAT YOU FIND WHEN YOU'RE WATCHING THE OLYMPICS, BUT ALSO SEEING THESE ATHLETES, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, THE PERSEVERANCE. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT YOUR INJURY, BUT, UM, THE PERSEVERANCE, THE HARD WORK, THE DEDICATION. I COULD TELL YOU AS A KID WATCHING THESE OLYMPIANS, I WAS INSPIRED BY IT. I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HOW MANY COUNTLESS KIDS YOU'VE INSPIRED BY YOUR EFFORTS. AND, UH, IT'S AMAZING WHERE I, I FEEL REALLY HONORED THAT WE HAVE YOU IN OUR, OUR CHAMBERS HERE TODAY. , YOU'RE SUCH, WE WERE WATCHING, WE WERE WATCHING YOU JUST HAPPENED. UM, THIS GOING INTO 2025. WE HAVE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN TOKYO, SO I'LL BE TRAINING FOR THAT. I ACTUALLY START TRAINING NEXT WEEK. SO YOU ALL CAN BE ON A LOOKOUT FOR ME TO REPRESENT TEAM USA IN MIAMI, IN TOKYO IN 2025. PA EIGHT. [PA 8 CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO AD HOC CHARTER REVIEW AND REVISION BOARD.] PA EIGHT IS A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD REQUESTED BY THE MAYOR. WELL, THIS BOARD DID GREAT WORK, BUT THAT IS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW RIGHT NOW. HOW FAST CAN YOU RUN NOT EVEN GONNA TRY, BUT, UH, I'M, I'M ACTUALLY HA I'M REALLY HAPPY TO DO THIS AND, AND GLAD YOU'RE HERE. TALK ABOUT PERSEVERANCE, THE WORK THAT, UH, THIS BOARD PUT IN THE AD HOC CHARTER REVIEW AND, AND REVISION BOARD FOR THE DEDICATION TO HARD WORK. 18 MONTHS OF MONTHLY MEETINGS THAT YOU WENT THROUGH. AND FOR EVERYONE WHO'S LISTENING WHO MAY NOT REALIZE THE CHARTER IS A GOVERNING DOCUMENT FOR OUR CITY, UM, FOR OUR COMMISSION. THE CONSTITUTION. THE CONSTITUTION. YOU HEARD TO HEAR FROM COMMISSIONER BOT. AND, UH, EVERY 10 YEARS WE, WE REVIEW IT AND GO THROUGH AND PROPOSE CHANGES. THERE WERE MANY, MANY DIFFERENT, UH, IDEAS THAT YOU HAD, SOME THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD AND YOU REJECTED SOME THAT YOU BROUGHT TO US THAT WE DIDN'T [01:00:01] TAKE. BUT I THINK WE TOOK MOST OF THEM. AND EVEN THE ONES THAT WE TWEAKED, WE TWEAKED AT THE EDGES. UM, YOU DID TREMENDOUS WORK AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK. AND THERE WERE SEVEN BALLOT MEASURES ALL PASSED, UH, MOSTLY BY A WIDE MARGIN MARGIN. SO, UH, KUDOS TO YOU AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT, THAT YOU DID. I DO WANT TO MENTION EACH OF YOU BY NAME AND THANK YOU FOR, WE'RE MISSING ONE, MISSING 1, 2, 4. WE ENDED UP WITH SIX. OH, YOU ENDED UP WITH SIX. I'M SORRY. UM, GEORGE GONZALEZ, THE CHAIR ROCK, RONALD STARKMAN, VICE CHAIR MICHAEL BAND. IT SAYS ON MY SHEET ESQUIRE, SO I'LL READ THAT. JULIE BASSER, ELIZABETH LATON AND SAMUEL RABIN, ESQUIRE. , SOMEBODY WANNA SAY SOMETHING AFTER YOU? YOU THE CHAIR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. UM, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. AND ON BEHALF OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, WE THANK YOU AS WELL AND WE THANK THE VOTERS FOR ENDORSING, UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE BROUGHT FORWARD. AS YOU MENTIONED, UM, SOME THINGS CAME OUR WAY THAT WE DIDN'T AGREE WITH AND DIDN'T RECOMMEND. SOME THINGS WE RECOMMENDED TO YOU THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT ONTO THE BALLOT. BUT ALL IN ALL, I THINK THAT THE CHARTER IS BETTER TODAY THAN IT WAS JUST A MONTH AGO BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT WE DID. AND SO I WANNA THANK THE, MY COLLEAGUES FOR LETTING ME BE THE CHAIR AND ALEX FOR APPOINTING ME IN THE, IN THE COMMISSION FOR ENDORSING US. ALSO WANNA SUPPORT AND THANK THE, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY CLERK AND HIS STAFF BECAUSE THEY WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US WORK THROUGH THIS OVER THE YEAR AND A HALF THAT WE DID THIS, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT A LOT OF THE CHANGES PREDOMINANTLY WERE TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY, UH, PUBLIC AND RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CITY. SO THESE ARE, THESE WERE CRITICAL CHANGES THAT WERE MADE, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU SAW THE PUBLIC, UH, OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED THEM. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [PA 14 PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.] LET'S GO TO PA 14. PA 14 IS PROCLAMATION NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONER BOT. OKAY. SO FROM A PROFOUND LEGACY OF FABULOUSNESS, WE ARE GOING TO A DEEP LEGACY OF THINGS THAT ARE NOT QUITE SO FABULOUS, BUT ARE VERY IMPORTANT. AND THIS, UM, PROCLAMATION HONORS THE WORK THAT THIS GROUP IS DOING. UM, THE DOMESTIC, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS AN ISSUE THAT IS WIDESPREAD AND CAN IMPACT ANYONE. THE NATIONAL NETWORK TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REPORTS THAT ONE IN THREE WOMEN THINK ABOUT, JUST LOOK TO YOUR LEFT AND LOOK TO YOUR RIGHT. ONE IN THREE WOMEN AND ONE IN FOUR MEN. AND NEARLY HALF OF ALL LGBTQ PLUS PEOPLE WILL EXPERIENCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THEIR LIFETIME. THAT IS A STAGGERING AND SOBERING THOUGHT. HIGH RATES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE NOT PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL PROBLEMS. THEY HAVE PROFOUND EFFECTS ON COMMUNITIES. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEADS TO HIGHER CRIME RATES, FAMILY DISRUPTION AND LONG-TERM MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, ALL OF WHICH PLACE. ECONOMIC STRAIN ON LOCAL ECONOMIES AND SOCIAL RESOURCES. OBVIOUSLY NOT TO MENTION WHAT IT DOES FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THEMSELVES. MIAMI BEACH, THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH IS AND HAS [01:05:01] BEEN AND REMAINS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND WE RECOGNIZE THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OVERSIGHT BOARD FOR THEIR COMMITMENT IN PROVIDING SUPPORT, RAISING AWARENESS, AND ADVOCATING FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS. AND IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ADVOCATES, SERVICE PROVIDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH IS PROUD TO RECOGNIZE OCTOBER. 'CAUSE THAT'S WHEN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN PRESENTED , UM, AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT LATE, BUT NONETHELESS HEARTFELT. SO NOW THEREFORE, DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. AND IF YOU WOULD, I WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU WOULD EACH TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND SHARE WITH THE, WITH THE AUDIENCE WHO YOU ARE. AND I WILL CALL OUT CECILE, WHO IS ONE OF MIAMI BEACH PDS OWN, UM, IS A SPECIAL, UM, A SPECIAL GUEST HERE. BUT PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER FOR THIS RECOGNITION. OUR HOPE IS THAT ONE DAY WE WON'T HAVE TO BRING AWARENESS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THERE'S NO LONGER INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE. UH, ON BEHALF OF THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OVERSIGHT BOARD, I'M THE CHAIR. VICE CHAIR IS CORZO. UM, AND WE INVITE YOU ALL TO, TO CONTACT US TO LEARN FROM US ABOUT OUR EFFORTS, WHAT WE ARE DOING TO PREVENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTY. WE ARE VERY LUCKY THAT WE HAVE LIZ RO, SHE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND IS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION. SO PLEASE REACH OUT. WE'RE, WE'RE HERE FOR YOU. WE'RE HERE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BOT. MAYOR COMMISSIONERS. I'M LIZ RO. I HAVE THE HONOR TO FOLLOW THE LEAD OF MY FANTASTIC BOARD, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF 15 INDIVIDUALS. WE WANNA BE A SERVICE TO YOU. WE ARE AN ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR, THE COUNTY COMMISSION, BUT ALSO TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. AND EVERY CITY THAT WE HAVE VISITED DURING THIS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, WE ASK TO HEAR FROM YOU. WE WANNA KNOW AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS ON HOW WE CAN RAISE AWARENESS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. SO USE US. WE ARE YOUR BOARD, NOT JUST THE COUNTY BOARD COUNTYWIDE. AND, UH, JUST TO PUT THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR PUTTING THE HUMANISTIC IMPACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. BUT, UM, WE COMMISSIONED A STUDY BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA THAT REALIZE THAT WE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COSTS THE MI MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, TAKING IN ALL THE, THE EFFORTS AND THE RESPONSE INVOLVED IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOR THE YEAR 2020, THAT ADDED TO OVER $75 MILLION THAT YEAR. SO IT'S NOT ONLY A DEADLY EPIDEMIC PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE, IT'S A VERY COSTLY ONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS HONOR AND WE HOPE TO WORK MORE WITH YOU. THANK YOU. I'LL JUST SAY, COMMISSIONER, ABOUT THANK YOU FOR, UH, PUTTING THE ITEMS. THANK YOU FOR SUMMARIZING THE WORK. NOT GONNA TALK MUCH 'CAUSE THIS ONE WON'T LET ME. UM, THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING THE WORK SUMMARIZING SO WELL. AND TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE AS WELL, THE NATIONAL STATISTICS. IF YOU LOOK AT THIS COMMISSION, WE GET THREE FEMALE COMMISSION, FOUR MALE COMMISSIONERS. THAT MEANS ONE OF YOU FEMALE COMMISSIONERS AND ONE OF YOU MALE COMMISSIONERS WOULD BE AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. SO THAT'S A PRETTY BIG NUMBER IF YOU LOOK AT THIS ROOM. ONE IN EVERY THREE WOMEN, ONE EVERY FOUR MEN. THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WHO WOULD END A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HERE JUST IN THIS ROOM. UH, HELLO, MY NAME IS CHRISTELLE MARINA. I'M THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ADVOCACY. WE HAVE 12 BOARDS IN OUR OFFICE AND THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS ONE OF THEM. UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY IS WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING, UH, AWARENESS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON THE MONTH OF OCTOBER BY ILLUMINATING OUR COUNTY AND ALL OF OUR COUNTY FACILITIES IN HONOR OF ALL OF OUR COUNTY BUILDINGS. UM, PURPLE. I KNOW THAT MANY, UH, MUNICIPALITIES HAVE IT ALSO IN PINK, SO US AS WELL. SO WE'RE DOING PINK AND PURPLE. SO WE ASK THE MIAMI BEACH COMMISSION IF THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHERE THE THROUGH RESOLUTION, IF ALL OF THE, UH, CITY FACILITIES COULD BE ILLUMINATED NOT ONLY IN PINK, BUT ALSO IN PINK AND PURPLE FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HAVE GIFTS. [PA 9 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO FLEET MANAGEMENT DIVISION FOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN FLEET EXCELLENCE IN 2024.] [01:11:19] PA NINE. PA NINE IS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DIVISION REQUESTED BY THE MAYOR, PA NINE. I THINK I DID MORE, UH, CERTIFICATES AND PROCLAMATIONS TODAY THAN I DID IN FOUR YEARS AS COMMISSIONER, BUT, UH, THEY'RE VERY WORTHY AND, AND I'M, I'M GLAD I'M DOING THEM. THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DIVISION, I ACTUALLY TOURED, I'VE BEEN GOING AROUND TOURING OUR DIFFERENT, UH, DEPARTMENTS AND DIVISIONS. AND YESTERDAY I HAD THE, UH, THE DISTINCTION OF GOING TO THE FLEET, UH, FACILITY. IT IS, UH, IT IS A QUITE IMPRESSIVE OPERATION THEY HAVE GOING ON AND QUITE, QUITE IMMACULATE AS WELL, WHICH IS IMPRESSIVE, UH, FOR THE TYPE OF WORK THAT THEY DO. SO WE'RE CELEBRATING YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. UH, FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, OUR, UH, FLEET MANAGEMENT DIVISION EARNED A DISTINCTION OF BEING AMONG NAFA S 100 BEST FLEETS IN AMERICA AND, AND IN THE AMERICAS. AND TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, THERE ARE 38,000 PUBLIC FLEETS AND WE ARE IN THE TOP A HUNDRED AND WE KEEP MOVING UP, UH, IN, IN THE RANKINGS, WHICH IS AMAZING. UH, WE ALSO EARNED THE GREEN FLEET AWARD RANKING 22ND AMONG NORTH AMERICA'S TOP GREEN FLEETS AND A SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD FOR THE MOST IMPROVED FLEET. THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE TO THANK, BUT I AM GONNA HIGHLIGHT TWO, BUT ALSO KEEP IN PERSPECTIVE, THERE'S A TEAM OF 20 EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING 11 MECHANICS THAT MANAGE A FLEET OF OVER 1000 VEHICLES THAT YOU SEE DAILY ROLLING AROUND OUR STREETS. UM, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE THAT THE, UH, YOU WOULD THINK, I ACTUALLY SAID THIS YESTERDAY TO, TO CARLOS THAT I THINK YOU'D THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE EMPLOYEES MAKING SURE THAT OPERATION RUNS SMOOTHLY. SO THERE'S TWO PEOPLE I WANNA HIGHLIGHT AND I ALWAYS, I'M ALWAYS HESITANT TO HIGHLIGHT SPECIAL INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT MAKE IT HAPPEN. BUT E ELIZABETH MYRO, I'M GONNA START WITH YOU. YOU WERE THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, UH, FOR A LONG TIME. IT ALMOST DIDN'T SEEM LIKE AN INTERIM FOR A WHILE, BUT YOU DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB. REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS, VERY RESPONSIVE, AND WE, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS THAT YOU, YOU DID. AND I ONLY GOT TO MEET CARLOS BEEZ YESTERDAY, BUT I'VE HEARD YOUR NAME BEFORE AND ALL THE GREAT WORK YOU DO, AND I GOT TO SEE IT FIRSTHAND YESTERDAY. UH, CARLOS IS THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DIVISION DIRECTOR, AND WHY DON'T YOU BOTH COME UP? EVERYBODY COME UP AND IF, IF YOU WANNA SPEAK, ELIZABETH CARLOS, YOU EARNED THE CERTIFICATE. THANK YOU. UM, WE REALLY, I AM SO BLESSED. WE HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM. UH, NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS WITH ONE, TWO PEOPLE. IT REALLY IS THE COLLABORATION OF EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY HAS BUY-IN AND I AM JUST SO BLESSED AND I AM SO HAPPY THAT WE HAVE THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE. UM, AND I THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT FROM OUR CITY MANAGER, THE COMMISSION. UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE JUST GONNA KEEP GETTING BETTER AND BETTER AND, UM, JUST BLESSED, UH, THANK YOU. TAKE A PICTURE. MR. MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST SAY ONE QUICK WORD. I JUST WANT TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO ELIZABETH. SHE HAS REALLY STEPPED UP AND AFTER BEING PUT IN A VERY CHALLENGING POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, SHE HAS ALWAYS LED WITH GRACE [01:15:01] AND DIGNITY. AND SHE HAS KEPT THE ORGANIZATION MOVING FORWARD EVEN AMONGST SOME, SOME SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES. SO, THANK YOU ELIZABETH. GREAT JOB. ONE MORE. YEAH. IT IS CALLED PA [PA 17 PROCLAMATION FOR DETECTIVE CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL.] 17. PA 17 IS PROCLAMATION TO DETECTIVE CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL, REQUESTED BY YOU HAVE A FAN CLUB. WOW. CONGRATULATIONS. UH, OFFICER MITCHELL, I'M SO HAPPY TO PRESENT YOU WITH A PROCLAMATION AND, UM, I EVEN HAVE A PICTURE OF YOU AND MARK IN A LIFEGUARD STAND, UH, PLAYING DJ . OH YEAH. IN ONE OF THE YEARS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO CONTROL SPRING BREAK AND THE, THE TWO OF YOU LOOKED GOOD UP THERE, . THANK YOU. THOSE WERE THE GREAT SPRING BREAK DAYS. YEAH, YEAH, THEY WERE. SO, DETECTIVE CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL HAS DEDICATED 25 YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE TO THE MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, BEGINNING HIS CAREER AS A PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIALIST, AND SUBSEQUENTLY SERVING AS A PATROL OFFICER, A KEY INVESTIGATOR IN THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION, AND A POLICE INSTRUCTOR IN THE POLICE TRAINING UNIT. DETECTIVE MIC MITCHELL HAS BEEN DEPUTIZED BY THE US MARSHALS, COLLABORATED WITH THE US SECRET SERVICE AND ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN THE MIAMI BEACH POLICE HONOR GUARD, PEER SUPPORT TEAM, SWORN CHAPLAINCY PROGRAM, KINDERGARTEN COP, AND THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE. DETECTIVE MITCHELL HAS COORDINATED AND MANAGED THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH'S GOODWILL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM. YES. AND MY COMMISSION AID IS A GOODWILL AMBASSADOR, UH, AND SERVED AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S COMMUNITY LIAISON OFFICER, ADDRESSING COMMUNITY CONCERNS, RESOLVING CONFLICTS, AND LEADING PRESENTATIONS ON THE DEPARTMENT STRATEGIES DURING MAJOR EVENTS. AND DETECTIVE MITCHELL FOUNDED AN ORGANIZATION IN RESPONSE TO THE TRAGIC LOSS OF HIS SON IN MARCH, 2016 TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE HEART, ABOUT HEART DISEASE AND FACILITATE HEART SCREENINGS. AND OFFICER MITCHELL, OR DETECTIVE MITCHELL PARTNERS WITH THE GIFT OF LIFE ORGANIZATION TO COORDINATE BONE MARROW DRIVES, DETECT YEAH, DETECTIVE, DETECTIVE MITCHELL HAS BEEN A PROUD MENTOR TO SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS, AND WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE NFL FOR HIS OUTSTANDING MENTORSHIP. NOW, THEREFORE DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 13TH, 2024. CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL DAY. WOO. WOOHOO. BEAUTIFUL. [01:20:26] ALL RIGHT. PA TWO OH, WHAT IS PI WOULD LOVE TO PA TWO IS PROCLAMATION CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH REQUESTED BY VICE MAYOR FERNANDEZ. ALRIGHT, I JUST WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT DETECTIVE, UH, CHRIS MITCHELL, UH, UH, PERSONALLY, UH, MR. MAYOR AND COMMISSION. I, UM, UH, I, I'M HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME TODAY. UM, CHRIS IS GONNA RETIRE IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS, UM, LESS THAN 30 DAYS AFTER, UH, SPENDING A QUARTER CENTURY OF HIS, HIS LIFE IN THIS ORGANIZATION MAKING IT BETTER. YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE MISSED OUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HIM IS THE FACT THAT HE'S A DEDICATED HUSBAND, FATHER, GRANDFATHER, FRIEND, BROTHER, SON. HE'S SO MANY THINGS ROLLS UP INTO ONE. AND I THINK THE ONE THING IN ADMIRE MOST ABOUT CHRIS IS HIS HEART. HE'S GOT THE BIGGEST HEART. AND, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT HE'S GOING THROUGH PERSONALLY IN HIS OWN LIFE, WHENEVER SOMEONE'S IN NEED, HE'S THE FIRST PERSON TO REACH OUT. AND HE ALWAYS SAYS, HOW CAN I HELP? AND HE'S TOUCHED SO MANY LIVES IN THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND BEYOND, AND QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO ABOUT HIM. CHRIS, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE. SO THE NEXT ITEM WAS [PA 2 PROCLAMATION FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.] PA TWO, WHICH IS PROCLAMATION CHILDHOOD OF CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. I AM PRESENTING THIS ON BEHALF OF, UH, OUR FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER ALEX FERNANDEZ. UH, AND WHILE THIS IS HIS ITEM, UH, OF COURSE THIS IS MEANINGFUL FOR ALL OF US. IT'S A LITTLE DATED, UM, BUT, UH, NONETHELESS, IT STILL APPLIES TODAY. UH, SEPTEMBER HAS BEEN DESIGNATED NATIONAL CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH TO HONOR THOSE CHILDREN WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST AND THOSE IRREVOCABLY IMPACTED BY THE TERRIBLE ILLNESS. AND TO STRENGTHEN THE NA NATION'S RESOLVE TO SEARCH FOR A CURE. CANCER'S THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH BY DISEASE AMONG US CHILDREN BETWEEN INFANCY AND 15 YEARS OF AGE. GUYS, THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR OTHERS AS WELL, PLEASE. SO, UH, THIS MONTH, WHILE IT'S NOVEMBER NOW, WE RECOGNIZE THIS IN SEPTEMBER THIS MONTH, UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE BURDENS ARE SHARED BY COUNTLESS DEDICATED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, ORGANIZATIONS, CHARITIES, AND PARENT ADV ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT SUPPORT PATIENTS AND FAMILIES BY OFFERING ADVICE, ENCOURAGEMENT, HOPE, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AND WORK TIRELESSLY TO LIFT THE SPEARS OF CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM CANCER. SO NOW, THEREFORE DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 2024 IS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. SO I'D LOVE TO BRING TO THE STAGE, UH, OPEN UP THE MIC TO, UH, THE LOVELY TEAM IN PLACE, INTRODUCE OURSELVES AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAUSE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, MY NAME IS SYLVIA DOMINGUEZ VANNY, KATHY DURANTE AND CANDACE GROSSMAN. WE ARE FROM THE MYSTIC FORCE FOUNDATION FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER, AND WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO YOU FOR PROCLAIMING SEPTEMBER AS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. AND ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT SEPTEMBER ANYMORE FOR CHILDREN BATTLING CANCER, EVERY DAY IS A DAY TO, UH, TO RAISE AWARENESS. OUR CHILDREN, UH, FIGHT CANCER EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES, AND A LOT OF THEM DON'T ACTUALLY SURVIVE. MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT ALL CHILDHOOD CANCERS ARE SURVIVABLE, BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE. UM, WE ARE THANKFUL THAT BECAUSE OF ALL THE AWARENESS THAT HAS BEEN RAISED AND ALL THE RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN DONE, THERE IS AN OVER 85% CURE RATE FOR THE MOST COMMON CHILDHOOD CANCER, WHICH IS, UM, A LL LEUKEMIA. BUT FOR SOME OF OUR CHILDHOOD CANCERS SUCH AS DIPG, WHICH IS AN INOPERABLE BRAIN TUMOR, IT IS STILL TERMINAL UPON DIAGNOSIS. THAT'S THE SAME CANCER THAT NEIL ARMSTRONG'S DAUGHTER DIED FROM IN 1962. AND WE HAVE YET TO FIND ANY VIABLE TREATMENTS FOR THOSE CHILDREN AND FIND A WAY TO BREAK THE BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER. WE [01:25:01] WERE ABLE TO SEND HIM TO THE MOON, BUT WE CAN'T FIND A TREATMENT FOR THESE CHILDREN. SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE MUST RAISE AWARENESS. WE MUST DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO HELP, UH, FUND CHILDHOOD CANCER RESEARCH. AND THE ONLY WAY WE'LL EVER FIND CURES FOR OUR CHILDREN IS TO RAISE AWARENESS. UH, THIS IS MY BABY, AND HE ACTUALLY DIED FROM CANCER, AND HE BATTLED CANCER FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS. AND IN THOSE THREE AND A HALF YEARS, HE UNDERWENT 55 CYCLES OF CHEMOTHERAPY, 50 ROUNDS OF RADIATION, 12 MAJOR SURGERIES. HE HAD OVER 200 BLOOD AND PLATELET TRANSFUSIONS. HE WAS TREATED IN SEVEN DIFFERENT HOSPITALS, ACROSS FIVE DIFFERENT STRAIGHT STATES. WHEREVER THERE WAS A TREATMENT OPTION AVAILABLE FOR HIM, THAT'S WHERE WE WENT. UM, TRAGICALLY THAT IS THE NORM FOR OUR CHILDREN WITH THESE VERY AGGRESSIVE CANCERS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THERE'S NOBODY IN THE COUNTRY OR EVEN THE WORLD WHO DOESN'T KNOW MIAMI BEACH. SO FOR MIAMI BEACH TO BE PROCLAIMING CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY THANKFUL FROM OUR HEARTS FOR DOING THAT. THANK YOU. WOW. IF YOU DON'T MIND, I JUST WANNA SAY ONE MORE THING, PLEASE. I AM SO THANKFUL TO OUR MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL. I AM SURE THAT YOU ALL HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE BEAUTIFUL MIAMI BEACH, UH, CHILDHOOD CANCER POLICE CAR. IT WAS TRULY SPECTACULAR. AND THEY'RE ALWAYS ONE OF THE FIRST TO STEP UP AND SAY, YES, WE WILL BE THERE WHEN, ANYTIME WE HAVE AN EVENT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I HOPE YOU NOTICED THAT IT WAS A LITTLE LOUD WHEN YOU FIRST START, WHEN JOE START, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE STARTED SPEAKING, BUT YOU COULD HEAR A PIN DROP AFTER YOU SPOKE. THAT WAS, UH, VERY POWERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CALLED [PA 25 CHECK PRESENTATION FOR MAURICE GIBB PARK SEAWALL SHORELINE AND OVERLOOK PROJECT.] PA 25. PA 25 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION AT EL MONTERO, REQUESTED BY THE MAYOR ARIEL. SO ARIEL MONTERO IS A CONTRACTED EMPLOYEE OF THE BOTANICAL GARDENS, UH, PRIMARILY WORKING AT EVENTS. ACTUALLY, WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY, I ACTUALLY WITNESSED FIRSTHAND. UH, ARIEL IS A GENTLEMAN, GOOD WORK ETHIC, BEING ATTENTIVE, RESPECTFUL, AND KIND. AND LAST MONTH I ATTENDED HISPANIC HERITAGE CELEBRATION, UH, WHERE ARIEL WAS WORKING AND HAPPENS TO BE. I WAS WALKING AROUND IN THE BACK BY THE BOTANICAL GARDEN BY THE PATHWAY. AND AN INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN ONE OF THE ATTENDEES AT THE HISPANIC CELEBRATION, UM, HAD AN INCIDENT AND FELL, UM, NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION, AND ARIEL IMMEDIATELY ATTENDED TO HIM, UM, WITH DIGNITY TREATED THE INDIVIDUAL WITH TREMENDOUS DIGNITY, UM, REALLY REFLECTED SUCH TREMENDOUS CARE AND SERVICE. UM, AND YOUR ABILITY TO HANDLE THOSE DELICATE SITUATIONS WITH PROFESSIONALISM REALLY IS, UH, SOMETHING WE'RE SO PROUD OF. IN MIAMI BEACH, YOU ENHANCE THE REPUTATION OF OUR CITY AND ALL TO ALL OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, AND IT'S REALLY, YOU EXEMPLIFIED WHAT PUBLIC SERVICE IS. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. IT'S A GREAT HONOR. PLEASE, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? I SAY THANK YOU. IT'S A GREAT HONOR. I MEAN, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE AROUND, BUT THANK YOU. I THOUGHT NOBODY SOLD ME YET, BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NO, THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO THANK MY THINGS HERE AND MY FAMILY AND MY BEST FRIEND, HE'S, UH, HE HAD CANCER, SO HE'S GETTING TREATMENT FOR CANCER TOO, AND HE'S HERE WOW. TO SUPPORT ME. SO THAT'S A GREAT THING. AND MY SON HEY ANDRE, SAYING, UH, MY CEO EMMY FROM THE GARDEN. SHE'S HERE TOO. AND OH, EXCELLENT, DEBORAH. SEEING, SEE YOU BACK THERE. . YES. AND MY WIFE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN. THIS IS HONOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [01:30:01] THANK YOU. YOU WANT TO, DO YOU WANT TO BRING YOUR FAMILY UP? YES. THAT WOULD BE NICE. YES. I JUST WANNA SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS RIGHT HERE. I JUST WANNA SAY, WE ARE SO FORTUNATE AT THE GARDEN TO HAVE ARIEL EVERY DAY. HE IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW INCREDIBLE A HUMAN BEING CAN BE. THIS IS NOT A ONE-OFF. THIS IS ARIEL EVERY SINGLE DAY, SO THANK YOU. [PA 18 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO THE SETAI HOTEL.] PA 18. PA 18 IS CERTIFICATE, CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO THE SAI HOTEL REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ MENEZ. THANK YOU. I'M VERY, UM, HAPPY TO GIVE THIS AWARD, THIS SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO THE SETAI HOTEL. UM, I OFTEN HAVE MET WITH, UM, THE OWNERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT MANAGE IT, AND THEY REALLY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO OFFER COMMUNITY SERVICE. AND I'M GOING TO READ TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE SIT TIDE DOES TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE. UH, THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE SETAI FOR BELIEVING IN THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF GIVING BACK. THEIR DEEP ROOTED COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY IS REFLECTIVE, NOT ONLY IN LUXURIOUS HOSPITALITY, BUT ALSO IN THE HEART OF THEIR OPERATIONS, ENSURING THAT THEIR SUCCESS DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE WELLBEING OF THEIR NEIGHBORS. THIS AAI PARTNERS WITH IMPACTFUL LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS FEEDING SOUTH FLORIDA AND LOTUS HOUSE TO ADDRESS CRITICAL ISSUES LIKE HUNGER, HOMELESSNESS, AND ECONOMIC DISPARITY. THESE COLLABORATIONS ALLOW THEM TO ENGAGE DEEPLY WITH CAUSES THAT ALIGN WITH THEIR CORE VALUES, PROVIDING NOT JUST FINANCIAL SUPPORT, BUT ALSO HANDS-ON INVOLVEMENT AND RESOURCES FROM THEIR DEDICATED TEAM. THE SETTAS COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY SERVICE GOES HAND IN HAND WITH A PASSION FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. IN 2023, THE DE SETAI WAS HONORED WITH A PRESTIGIOUS DIVERSITY AWARD BY THE GREATER MIAMI AND THE BEACHES HOTEL ASSOCIATION, RECOGNIZING THEIR EFFORTS TO CREATE AN EX INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT. WITH OVER 450 EMPLOYEES FROM MORE THAN 30 COUNTRIES, THEIR TEAM EMBODIES A SPIRIT OF UNITY THAT TRANSCENDS BORDERS AND CULTURES FOSTERING A WORKPLACE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS SEEN, RESPECTED, AND VALUED AT THE SETAI. PHILANTHROPY IS NOT JUST A GESTURE, IT'S AN INTEGRAL PART OF WHO THEY ARE. BY NURTURING A CULTURE OF COMPASSION, EMPATHY, AND COLLABORATION, THEY ENSURE THAT EVERY CONTRIBUTION ENRICHES NOT ONLY THEIR GUEST EXPERIENCES, BUT ALSO THE BROADER MIAMI BEACH COMMUNITY. AS THE SETAI PREPARES TO CELEBRATE ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY, THEIR MISSION REMAINS CLEAR TO BUILD A THRIVING, INTERCONNECTED CITY WHERE LUXURY MEETS RESPONSIBILITY AND WHERE THEIR SUCCESS MEANS SOMETHING GREATER FOR EVERYONE. CONGRATULATIONS. AND THANK YOU TO THE SATI FOR ALL YOU DO FOR MIAMI BEACH. LOOK AT THIS CAMERA. ONE, TWO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CYNTHIA. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AT TIDE. I AM THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR DRIVING THE COMMUNITY SERVICE. I'M NOT FROM MIAMI. MIAMI ADOPTED ME FOUR YEARS AGO, AND MY STORY IS LIKE, I AM THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF A WAR REFUGEE, SO I HAVE EXPERIENCE WHAT [01:35:01] COMMUNITY CAN DO FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR FAMILY ON THE FIRST HAND. SO WHEN I MOVED TO MIAMI, I MAKE THE GOAL THAT WHEREVER I WORK, I WAS GONNA DRIVE WHERE I WAS DRIVING BACK IN SAN FRANCISCO. SO WORKING WITH OUR OWNERS THAT ARE LIKE SO GENEROUS TO THE CITY IS SUCH AN OWNER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. PA 15. [PA 15 PROCLAMATION FOR OMAR VIVAR.] PA 15 IS A PROCLAMATION TO A MODERATE VIVA REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONER BOT. SO, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, I JUST FINISHED MY FIRST YEAR AS A NEWLY ELECTED COMMISSIONER, AND I REALLY, REALLY LOVE MY JOB, LIKE A LOT. UM, EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT. I FEEL LIKE I'M MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT I NEVER EXPECTED THAT I WOULD GO ON A COMMUNITY BIKE RIDE AND END UP ON A REAL LIFE COPS SHOW. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, THANKS TO THIS YOUNG MAN HERE, OMAR VIVI. UM, SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TRANSPORTATION, A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE ON, UM, MICRO MOBILITY ISSUES. AND SO ON MAY 4TH, WE WENT OUT TO, UM, DO A BIKE RECONNAISSANCE TOUR, IF YOU WILL, OF THE BEACH WALK, UM, TO LOOK AT, UH, SORT OF, UH, LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE BEACH WALK AND BIKES AND MICRO MOBILITY ISSUES, AND WHO'S USING WHAT AND HOW IT'S GETTING, HOW EVERYONE'S GETTING ALONG. AT THE SAME TIME, COINCIDENTALLY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD A WEEK LONG, UM, PROACTIVE INITIATIVE ALONG THE BEACH WALK, UM, DEALING WITH ENFORCEMENT AND, UM, AND VIOLATORS OF, OF THE E-BIKE, UM, ORDINANCE AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING. SO WE'RE ON THE BIKES AND WE STOPPED TO TALK TO THESE FOLKS WHO ARE CONDUCTING, I THINK THERE'S SOMEBODY THERE WITH A DRONE AND THERE WAS SOMEBODY ELSE, UM, HANDING OUT VIOLATIONS AND EDUCATING PEOPLE WHO ARE USING E-BIKES ON THE BOARDWALK, ON THE BEACH WALK WHEN THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO. AND, UM, UH, I WAS WITH OFFICER JULIO BLANCO, WHO'S STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO OMAR AND, UH, SERGEANT ALEX TORRES AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER FOLKS. AND WE ALL SORT OF GOT DISTRACTED FROM THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE SAW THAT THERE WAS A THEFT OCCURRING AT A BEACH, AT THE BEACH, A MAN WALKING IN SHORTS AND NO SHIRT HOLDING A LOVELY BLACK HANDBAG UNDER HIS ARM WAS, UM, FLEEING FROM A BOUCHER BROTHERS EMPLOYEE, MR. VIVAR HERE. UM, OMAR TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND BASICALLY, UM, CHALLENGED THE GUY AND SWIFTLY, VERY SWIFTLY ACTED TO INTERVENE, UH, AND CONFRONT HIM. THE GUY TOOK OFF RUNNING DOWN THE, THE, UM, THE BEACH WALK, UM, WHICH THEN OF COURSE GOT THE ATTENTION OF THE OFFICERS. AND I MEAN, THERE WERE PROBABLY A DOZEN FOLKS THERE. UM, BUT IMMEDIATELY, UM, THEY WERE, THIS GUY WAS, UH, WAS TACKLED. SO WE WERE A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE BEACH WALK. OMAR'S GOT THE GUY IN HIS SIGHTS, HE'S RUNNING, HE TACKLES THEM BY THE TIME HE'S ON THE GROUND, UH, OFFICER BLANCO AND, AND, AND TORRES WERE THERE. AND, UM, AND THEY GOT HIM INTO CUFFS. AND IT WAS A WHOLE DRAMA. I MEAN, IT WAS SO FABULOUS TO SEE OUR POLICE WORK, UH, POLICE, UH, COLLEAGUES AT WORK AND WORKING WITH A REALLY UPSTANDING, UM, UH, INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY-MINDED INDIVIDUAL WHO DIDN'T LOOK AWAY AND SAY, THIS IS NOT MY PROBLEM. HE DIDN'T THINK, OH, THEY'RE POLICE AROUND. SOMEBODY WILL CATCH HIM. BUT SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING, INTERACTED WITH THE GUY, TRIED TO STOP IT, AND DIDN'T STOP THERE, LITERALLY RUNNING IN THE SAND THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH TOWELS AND STUFF, TRYING TO GET THIS GUY. AND WE GOT THE GUY, MUCH TO HIS CHAGRIN, AND MUCH TO OUR DELIGHT. SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE, UM, EXAMPLE OF TRUE HEROISM AND INTEGRITY ON YOUR PART, MR. VIVAR, YOUR QUICK THINKING AND BRAVERY NOT ONLY INTERRUPTED A CRIME, BUT ALSO TURNED WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR THESE PEOPLE INTO A GREAT DAY ON THE BEACH. AND I THINK THAT MAYBE THE WEIRDEST THING THAT WAS RECOVERED OUT OF ALL OF THIS WAS THE LADY'S ROLL OF TOILET PAPER, , WHO KNOWS? BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO BLOW YOUR NOSE ON THE BEACH. SO, UM, ANYHOW, I I SAY IT LIGHTLY, BUT, BUT IT WAS SO INCREDIBLE. IT WAS SO, UM, HEARTENING TO SEE SOMEBODY CARE SO MUCH ABOUT COMPLETE STRANGERS AND TO STEP UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING. AND NOT INCONSIDERABLE RISK YOURSELF. YOU DIDN'T KNOW IF HE HAD A KNIFE ON HIM OR A GUN, OR IF HE WAS GONNA TURN AROUND AND PUNCH YOU IN THE NOSE, LIKE YOU JUST DIDN'T KNOW YOU WENT AND DID THE RIGHT THING. AND THAT IS, UM, AN INCREDIBLY HEROIC TRAIT AND INCREDIBLY RARE. AND SO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH RECOGNIZES AND COMMENDS YOUR EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS AND YOUR VI VIGILANCE AND COURAGE UPHOLD THE VALUES OF OUR COMMUNITY AND SAFETY THAT MAKE OUR CITY OF MIAMI BEACH SUCH A WELCOMING DESTINATION FOR ALL. SO THANK YOU. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS OR OFFICER BLANCO, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, [01:40:01] UM, BUT I TURN IT OVER TO YOU BOTH. GREAT EVENING, EVERYBODY. UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT RECOGNITION. SO I WORKED IN ONE YEAR FOR THE WHEELCHAIR BROTHERS, SO I LOVE MY JOB, WHAT I LOVE, WHAT I'M DOING. SO I LOVE THE BEACH. I LOVE TAKE CARE EVERY, EVERY DAY. SO THE GUESTS THAT THEY'RE COMING TO THE BEACH. SO MY EYES IS EVERYWHERE INSIDE, OUTSIDE HOTEL. SO WE TRY TO CLING ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS, BAD INDIVIDUALS WE HAVE IN THE BEACH. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU. SO THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF COMMUNITY POLICING, WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY TO SOLVE CRIMES IN THIS CASE, HE SOLVED THE CRIME. HE, ANITA, UM, CONGRATULATIONS, INCREDIBLE BRAVERY, AND MOST OF ALL, WE'RE HIRING IF YOU WANT TO COME ON . THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. SO THE ONE THING I FORGOT TO SAY IS THAT, UH, NOW THEREFORE DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PER PROCLAIM TODAY, NOVEMBER 13TH, 2024, OMAR VIVAR DAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, OMAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BY THE WAY, OFFICER BLANCO, THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME, THEY SAID, OH, I SAW A POLICE OFFICER DO THIS. HE, HE GOT THIS, HE ARRESTED THIS PERSON, HE STOPPED THIS PERSON. AND I'M LIKE, WHICH OFFICER? THEY'RE LIKE, OFFICER BLANCO. I'M LIKE, OF COURSE IT IS. OF COURSE IT IS. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PA 23 [PA 23 CHECK PRESENTATION FOR THE FLAGLER MONUMENT SPOIL ISLAND PROJECT.] [PA 24 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR ARIEL MONTERO.] AND 25, WE'LL CALL THEM TOGETHER. PA 23 IS CHECK PRESENTATION FLAGLER MONUMENT, SPOIL ISLAND PROJECT, AND PA 24 IS CHECK PRESENTATION, MAURICE GIBB PARK SEA WALL, SHORELINE AND OVERLOOK PROJECT REQUESTED BY THE MAYOR. AND I'M GONNA INTRODUCE YOU FIRST. I WAS GONNA DO IT LAST, BUT THEN I'M GONNA SAY SOMETHING AND THEN I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU. I WANT TO INVITE THE FLORIDA INLAND NAVIGATION DISTRICT COMMISSIONER SPENCER CROWLEY, UM, UP TO THE, UH, PODIUM. SO IT'S NOT EVERY DAY THAT WE GET TO DO THIS. WE, AS MIAMI BEACH, WE HAVE ALMOST A BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET, SO WE'RE OFTEN SPENDING MONEY, BUT WE DON'T ALWAYS GET MONEY. AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TODAY TO HAVE, UH, SPENCER CROWLEY, COMMISSIONER CROWLEY HERE TO PRESENT, UH, SOME CHECKS TO US, SOME GRANT FUNDING. THE FLORIDA INLAND NAVIGATION DISTRICT AWARDED A, UH, MIAMI BEACH GRANT FUNDING FOR TWO PROJECTS, FLAGGER FLAGLER MONUMENT, SPOIL ISLAND PROJECT, AND THE MAURICE GIBB PARK SEAWALL SHORELINE AND OVERLOOK PROJECT, THE FLAG OF THE MONUMENT $20,000. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WHICH PAYS FOR, UH, MOST OF THE COST. BUT THE BIGGIE, THE MAURICE PARK, MAURICE GIBB PARK, SEAWALL, SHORELINE, AND OVERLOOK PROJECT OVER $1.2 MILLION IN GRAND FUNDING, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A HUGE, HUGE HELP. SO PLEASE, THANK YOU. UM, MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, UH, MR. MANAGER, NICE TO SEE YOU. UM, MY NAME IS SPENCER CROWLEY. I'M THE, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE FLORIDA INLAND NAVIGATION DISTRICT. I'M ALSO THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONER. UH, EACH COUNTY ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST OF FLORIDA, UH, HAS A COMMISSIONER. THE GOVERNOR APPOINTS ALL OF US, AND WE, UH, MAINTAIN THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY, UH, FROM MIAMI ALL THE WAY UP TO JACKSONVILLE. AND, UM, THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF, UM, MARINE AND BOATING ACTIVITY USES THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY, AND THAT ACTIVITY HAS TREMENDOUS ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES HERE. UH, IT HELPS A LOT OF, UH, WORKERS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND, UH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, GOOD FOR PEOPLE TO RECREATE AND IT'S GREAT FOR PROPERTY VALUES. UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, PRIMARY ROLE, UH, WE ALSO PROVIDE GRANTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS LIKE THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH FOR, UH, WATERFRONT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. SO BASICALLY ANYWHERE, UM, A CITY OR THE COUNTY HAS A PUBLICLY OWNED SHORELINE, WE CAN HELP, UM, MAKE IT, UH, BETTER FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE AND MORE INVITING [01:45:01] FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE. UM, THE TWO GRANTS THAT WE, UH, ARE PRESENTING TODAY, UM, WILL, WILL GREATLY BENEFIT THE CITY. UH, THE $1.2 MILLION GRANT AT GIBB PARK IS, UM, REALLY TRANSFORMING THAT PARK AND, AND CREATING BEAUTIFUL AMENITIES. UH, I THINK THE PUBLIC'S REALLY GONNA ENJOY, UH, BEING THERE AND USING THOSE AMENITIES. UH, IT WILL HELP PEOPLE USE THAT AREA RESPONSIBLY, UH, AND SAFELY. AND, UM, THE, THE MONUMENT PARK GRANT, ALTHOUGH IT'S A LOT SMALLER, MAY IN SOME RESPECTS BE A LITTLE MORE IMPORTANT, BECAUSE YOU ALL MAY REMEMBER EARLIER THIS YEAR, UH, BOTH THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND THE CITY OF MIAMI WERE, UH, FORCED, IN ESSENCE TO CLOSE DOWN THOSE ISLANDS, THIS PUBLIC ACCESS, BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH, UM, TRASH ACCUMULATING AND, AND POTENTIALLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. UM, WE AT, AT, AT FINE DON'T LIKE TO SEE, UH, THE PUBLIC EXCLUDED FROM OUR WATERFRONT. UH, IT'S A PUBLIC RESOURCE THAT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE, UH, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES, UH, THAT COME WITH, UH, MANAGING THOSE ASSETS. SO, UM, THE $20,000 GRANT IS REALLY THE BEST MATCH THAT I'VE EVER SEEN IN A GRANT PROGRAM. THE CITY PAYS $2,000, AND THAT CAN BE MADE UP OF STAFF TIME, AND THEY GET A TENFOLD, UH, BENEFIT OR RETURN ON THAT $2,000. SO THEY GET THE 20 $20,000 GRANT TOTAL OF $22,000, WHICH CAN BE USED TO FUND, UH, TRASH CLEANUPS ON THE ISLAND. UM, WE HAVE THOSE GRANTS AVAILABLE EVERY YEAR, SO PLEASE COME BACK TO US. OUR FISCAL YEAR JUST STARTED, UH, OCTOBER 1ST, SO WE HAVE A NEW GRANT CYCLE. WE CAN, WE CAN PROVIDE ANOTHER GRANT FOR THAT, UH, THIS, THIS CALENDAR YEAR AND, AND ON INTO THE FUTURE. YOU GOT THAT, ERIC. SO, UM, AND THEN LAST THING, JUST AS A REMINDER, I KNOW, UM, ERIC AND HIS GRANT STAFF, UH, KNOW ABOUT THIS, BUT WE, UM, WE ALSO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR POLICE BOATS, UH, FOR MARINE PATROL. SO IF YOUR MARINE PATROL NEEDS TO, UM, GET NEW BOATS, OR IF THEY NEED TO ENHANCE THE BOATS THEY ALREADY HAVE WITH ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT THAT HELPS, YOU KNOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND SAFE, UH, WE CAN FUND THAT, UH, AS WELL. SO, SO, UM, PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CONTINUE TO USE OUR PROGRAMS. UH, YOUR CITY STAFF KNOWS US WELL AND HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OVER THE YEARS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND, UH, I'LL, UH, PRESENT THESE TRACKS TO YOU NOW. AMAZING. I'M COMING DOWN. I JUST WANT TO GIVE A QUICK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO OUR, UH, CIP OFFICE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECTS FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DO. AND I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY SAY THAT SPENCER AND FIND HAVE BEEN A TREMENDOUS PARTNER FOR THE CITY, AND THEY HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR OUR WATERFRONT PROJECTS FOR THE ENTIRE 12 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE AND LONG BEFORE THAT. CUT. THANK YOU. YEP. ALL THANK YOU, SIR. SPENCER, THANKS AGAIN. YEP. THANK YOU. PA 19. [PA 19 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR VISITOR AND CONVENTION AUTHORITY (VCA).] PA 19, CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, VISITOR AND CONVENTION AUTHORITY VCA REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ. THANK YOU. UH, SO I SPENT MY CAREER WORKING IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY FOR 25 PLUS YEARS, AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO ME. I'VE ATTENDED, UM, SEVERAL OF THE VCA, UH, VISITOR AND CONVENTION AUTHORITY, UH, MEETINGS, AND THEY LOVE OUR CITY. THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT PROMOTING OUR CITY IN A POSITIVE LIGHT, AND THEY GET AWARDS FOR IT TOO, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE FOR. SO I'LL JUST, UH, QUICKLY READ THROUGH HERE. VISITOR AND CONVENTION AUTHORITY, THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH VISITOR AND CONVENTION AUTHORITY, A SEVEN MEMBER AUTHORITY APPOINTED BY THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH COMMISSION HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO ENCOURAGING, DEVELOPING, AND PROMOTING THE IMAGE OF MIAMI BEACH LOCALLY, NATIONALLY, AND INTERNATIONALLY AS A VIBRANT COMMUNITY AND SUPERB TOURIST DESTINATION. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1967, [01:50:01] THE MIAMI BEACH VCA HAS INTRODUCED AND SUPPORTED WORLD RENOWNED EVENTS SUCH AS ART BASEL, SOUTH BEACH, WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL, MIAMI BEACH PRIDE, AND MIAMI SWIM WEEK. PARAISO CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC VITALITY OF MIAMI BEACH. THE M-B-V-C-A HAS AWARDED MORE THAN $10 MILLION IN GRANTS TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE MARKET DRIVING EXPERIENCES THAT ATTRACT REVENUE STREAMS TO THE DESTINATION. FOSTERING THE GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY OF MIAMI BEACH AS A PREMIER TOURIST DESTINATION IN 2024, THE M-B-V-C-A RECEIVED THE MAGELLAN AWARDS GOLD FOR HOSPITALITY MARKETING MOBILE APP FOR HOSPITALITY FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR, ACKNOWLEDGING THE SUCCESS OF THE EXP MIAMI BEACH TOURS APP, WHICH FEATURES INSIDER ITINERARIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ENHANCED WITH VIDEO AND DYNAMIC CONTENT FOR REAL TIME TRAVELER PLANNING. THE M-B-V-C-A ALSO RECEIVED THE MAGELLAN AWARD, SILVER FOR UNITED STATES OVERALL DESTINATIONS CITY DESTINATION, RECOGNIZING THE SU SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF, UH, CELEBRATED HOTEL BRANDS, RESTAURATEURS AND EVENTS, INCLUDING THE DEBUT OF THE OPEN HOUSE MIAMI ARCHITECTURAL EVENT, WHICH PROVIDED EXPERT PANELS, TOURS, AND CONNECTIONS WITH LEADING ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS. SO I WANNA GIVE YOU A SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE VISITOR AND CONVENTION AUTHORITY. KEEP IT UP. THANK YOU. DOES ANYBODY WANNA SHARE ANYTHING? YES. UH, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, I'M PEGGY WOM GENERAL. I'M THE GENERAL MANAGER AT DREAM SOUTH BEACH. I'M ALSO THE CHAIR. GEORGE NERI IS OUR VICE CHAIR. AND THEN THE REST OF OUR BOARD, UH, FAYE, UM, GOLDEN, GOLDEN. HELP ME WITH NAMES. MOHAN KAKAR AND STEVE, STEVE HAASS, HAAS, I'M BAD WITH NAMES, I'M SORRY. COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ KNOWS THAT AND I, WE'VE BEEN, UM, VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACHES INITIATIVES, ARTS AND CULTURE. ANYTHING THAT COMES UP TO US, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT THE CITY AND, AND THE DESTINATION. REALLY, THE CREDIT ALL GOES TO GT ROPE. MARCOS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHO IS AMAZING AND, UM, HER, HER STAFF, SO SHE DESERVES THE CREDIT. THANK YOU, CONGRAT. THANK YOU. DON'T PUT ME. THANK YOU, GEORGE. THAT ONE OUT, [PA 20 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO MOHAMMED RAFIQUL ISLAM.] PA 20 P 20 IS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION. MOHAMED RAKU ISLAM, REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ. MOHAMED. SO I WANNA TAKE TODAY, UH, TO RECOGNIZE MOHAMED, WHO IS A LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IS ALWAYS SO HELPFUL TO ANYBODY THAT ASKS, HE GIVES OF HIS TIME BY SERVING ON CITY BOARDS. AND I'M GONNA READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MOHAMED AND WHAT MAKES HIM SO GREAT IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER , MOHAMED, RAFAEL ISLAM. THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MOHAMED FOR HIS INCLUSION IN MARQUE WHO'S WHO. AS WITH ALL INDIVIDUALS PROFILED IN MARQUEES, WHO'S WHO, MR. ISLAM WAS SELECTED BASED ON HIS NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, VISIBILITY, AND PROMINENCE IN HIS FIELD. SINCE 2018, MR. ISLAM HAS SERVED AS A CIVIL ENGINEER AND IS A RESIDENT COMMITTEE BOARD MEMBER FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH. HE IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES FROM BANGLADESH IN 1995 AFTER EARNING A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE AND GAINING EXPERIENCE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN SAUDI ARABIA. TODAY, MR. ISLAM LEVERAGES HIS DIVERSE GLOBAL EXPERIENCE TO CONTRIBUTE TO FORECASTING DOMESTIC NEEDS AND IMPLEMENTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME [01:55:01] FAMILIES, HELPING TO CONFIRM BENEFITS, ELIGIBILITY, AND ADVANCED VERIFICATION PROCESSES. MR. ISLAM HAS GAINED DEEP PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THROUGH VARIOUS KEY APPOINTMENTS, INCLUDING HIS WORK AS A US NOTARY PUBLIC, A POSITION HE HAS HELD SINCE 2000. AND AS AN OWNER AND MANAGER OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, HE COLLABORATES WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOARD COMMITTEE AND THE SUSTAINABLE RESILIENCY BOARD COMMITTEE AS A MEMBER, HE HAS ALS ALSO BEEN A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. MR. ISLAM'S VISION FOR THE FUTURE INCLUDES A CLOSE FOCUS ON DEVELOPING AND MANAGING PROPERTIES WITH PLANS TO INSTALL A MULTI-STORY BUILDING IN BANGLADESH IN THE NEAR FUTURE. HE ATTRIBUTES HIS PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS TO HIS SELF-CONFIDENCE, FAITH, AND FOCUS ON FAMILY. SO, CONGRATULATIONS, MOHAMED, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND OUR COMMUNITY, AND LET'S ALL TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOUR FAMILY. YEAH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, AND OUR HONORABLE MAYORS. I'M GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL TO YOU GUYS, HONOR TO ME. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE SAFE. OKAY, THANK YOU. HI, HOW ARE YOU? THE NICE AGAIN. COOL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY. ERICA, THIS IS DION. YEAH, I KNOW HE PLAYED BASKETBALL. SCOTT RACO, PA 21. HOW YOU DOING, MAN? P 21 [PA 21 PROCLAMATION FOR KAREN FRYD.] IS PROCLAMATION TO KAREN FREE REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONER BOT. SO, KAREN, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, PLEASE DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY. HEY, KAREN. SOMEBODY'S GOTTA BE LAST. I'M SORRY THAT, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, COMMISSIONER BOT. WELL, I MEAN, I, I DON'T WANNA SAY SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST, BUT OH MY GOODNESS. HOW, HOW TO BOTTLE UP ALL OF YOUR ENERGY AND DYNAMISM SO YOU CAN SPRAY IT ON ALL OF US AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU ARE A POWERHOUSE. KAREN, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, KAREN FREE IS A DEDICATED AND IMPACTFUL FORCE IN THE MIAMI BEACH COMMUNITY. FOR OVER 25 YEARS, SHE HAS CHAMPIONED A VARIETY OF CAUSES, PRIMARILY FOCUSING ON SUPPORTING YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN NEED. BORN IN BARRANQUILLA COLUMBIA. KAREN IS A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST, PHILANTHROPIST, AND THE FOUNDER OF THE SOUTH FLORIDA YOUTH FOUNDATION. ONE OF HER STANDOUT CONTRIBUTIONS IS HER CO-FOUNDING OF THE SHOP, A UNIQUE INITIATIVE, MODERN MODELED AFTER A MINI RETAIL STORE. THE SHOP FUNCTIONS AS A FREE ACCESS COMMUNITY RESOURCE, PROVIDING MIAMI-DADE STUDENTS WITH ACCESS TO ITEMS SUCH AS FOOD HYGIENE PRODUCTS AND CLOTHING AT NO COST IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SHOP, EXCUSE ME, KAREN ALSO LAUNCHED THE PROM SHOP, A THOUGHTFUL PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES PROM ATTIRE AND ACCESSORIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS. BOTH PROGRAMS DEMONSTRATE KAREN'S, UM, COMMITMENT TO ENRICHING THE LIVES OF FAMILIES AND STUDENTS BY PROVIDING ESSENTIAL RESOURCES AND RELIEVING FINANCIAL STRAINS IN A DIGNIFIED AND EMPOWERING ENVIRONMENT. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. OTHER PROJECTS SHE HAS SPEARHEADED INCLUDES HELPING TEENS PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION, SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, BUILDING A NEW GYM AT BOOKER T WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND PROMOTING ANTI-GANG AND ARTS PROGRAMS. SHE HAS ALSO BEEN A COMMITTED VOLUNTEER WITH A MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT'S TOY DRIVE SINCE 1992, SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN NEED THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. KAREN'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY EXTENDS TO OUR PARTICIPATION AND SERVICE TO MULTIPLE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, INCLUDING THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACHES, UH, POLICE, ATHLETIC LEAGUE BOARD, THE EQUALITY OF EDUCATION BOARD, AND THE FROST SCHOOL OF MUSIC ADVISORY BOARD. SHE'S ALSO CHAIR OF EDUCATION AT THE ADRIAN ARS CENTER, AND A MEMBER OF THE SOCCER FOUR PEACE FOUNDATION. I MEAN, REALLY, DO YOU SLEEP EVER? A LITTLE BIT. YOU LOOK VERY CALM AND RELAXED. I DON'T KNOW. SOMEHOW THIS WHOLE THING IS WORKING FOR YOU. . TRULY, YOU ARE A PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY. YOUR [02:00:01] IMPACT WILL BE FELT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. YOU ARE A PROUD WIFE, MOTHER, AND GRANDMOTHER, AND YOU REMAIN AN IRREPLACEABLE ASSET TO MIAMI BEACH. SO THEREFORE DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 13TH AS KAREN FREE DAY. CONGRATULATIONS. KAREN WANTS PICTURE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? UM, YOU WANNA SAY, OH, THANK YOU FOR WAITING FOR ME, . YOU SHOULD BE PARTYING RIGHT NOW. . UH, IT'S JUST ALL ABOUT TEAMWORK. SO WITHOUT, WITHOUT EACH OTHER, WE'RE NOTHING. THANK YOU. I WANNA ADD, I WANNA ADD, I WANT TO RUN OUT OF HERE BECAUSE WE DO WANNA CELEBRATE CHRIS, BUT WE MUST STAY BEHIND FOR KAREN BECAUSE KAREN HAS BEEN TO ALL OF THE TOY DRIVES THAT I CAN REMEMBER IN MY 21 YEARS YOU WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL, . AND, UM, WE CAN'T DO, THE, POWELL CANNOT DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT VOLUNTEERS SUCH AS HERSELF. SO ON BEHALF OF ARTHUR MARTIN, OUR DIRECTOR OF POWELL ON, AND HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE, DEBRA MARTIN, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE, WE THANK YOU, WE LOVE YOU AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND, AND BE THERE FOR US. WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. ONE MORE, ONE MORE HERE. PERFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELL, WE HAD SOME GREAT HONOREES TODAY AND PRESENTATIONS. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WELL DESERVED. HI ALEC. PRAISE YOU. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. GOD BLESS. MEETING ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.