[00:00:01]
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO OUR COMMISSION MEETING.WE'LL GET STARTED AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY CLERK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
MORNING, EVERYONE 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 OR PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON MAY APPEAR AT THE COMMISSION CHAMBER TO PARTICIPATE OR PROVIDE COMMENT VIRTUALLY DURING THE COMMISSION MEETING.
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, THE PHONE NUMBER IS (305) 224-1968.
THE TOLL FREE NUMBER IS 4 8 8 8 4 7 5 4 4 9 9.
THE WEBINAR ID IS 8 1 3 9 2 8 5 6 71 POUND.
AGAIN, THE WEBINAR ID IS 8 1 3 9 2 8 5 7 6 71 POUND.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WANTING TO SPEAK VIRTUALLY ON AN ITEM DURING THE MEETING MUST CLICK THE RAISE HAND ICON IF USING THE ZOOM APP OR PRESS STAR NINE ON THE TELEPHONE TO RAISE THEIR HAND.
THE ZOOM, THE ZOOM LINK AND WEBINAR ID AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS PROVIDED FOR THIS MEETING ARE STATIC AND DO NOT CHANGE FROM MEETING TO MEETING.
WE'LL GET STARTED WITH THE INVOCATION AND I'M PROUD TO, UH, INTRODUCE, UH, RABBI YESHUA SOVA, A FRIEND, PROMINENT LEADER IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, AND A, UH, PROMINENT SPEAKER ON A, ON AN OUTLET CALLED TOUR ANYTIME.
HONORABLE MAYOR, HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS, AS WELL AS CITY CLERK, CITY ATTORNEY, AS WELL AS CITY MANAGER.
GOOD MORNING AND MORNING TO EVERYONE WHO'S HERE AS WELL AS EVERYONE WHO IS ATTENDING AS WELL, VIRTUALLY AS WELL AS ALL CITIZENS OF MIAMI BEACH.
MY FAMILY MOVED HERE IN THE LATE NINETIES AND MY WIFE'S FAMILY IS HERE FROM THE EIGHTIES.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, AS WELL AS ALSO A PUBLIC FIGURE, THANK YOU.
GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU, FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY DAY.
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT, THAT PEOPLE, WHEN THEY'RE OUT HAVING FUN IN THE SUN OUT THERE, YOU'RE DOING A TON IN HERE AND WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE AND, AND MAY GO UN UNNOTICED.
AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE MAY NOT SAY THAT, BUT I LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
REALLY, IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE, AND WE SEE THAT THROUGHOUT THESE PAST YEARS.
I'D JUST LIKE TO, BEFORE I GIVE THE INVOCATION, JUST SHARE WITH YOU JUST A TINY THOUGHT.
KING SOLOMON WAS KNOWN AS ONE OF THE WISEST OF ALL MEN.
AND HIS GREAT, HIS GREAT WISDOM WAS HIGHLIGHTED BY MANY OF THE COMMENTATORS.
THEY SAID THAT HIS WISDOM WAS LIKE THE SAND OF THE OCEAN.
SO THE COMMENTATORS, THE MA LOIS SAYS WISE IT SPECIFICALLY THAT WE COMPARE IT TO THE SAND OF THE OCEAN.
HE SAYS, JUST LIKE THE SAND OF THE OCEAN IS A FORMIDABLE FORCE, IT DOES NOT ALLOW WAVES TO COME AND OVERTAKE, ESPECIALLY MIAMI BEACH.
WE APPRECIATE THAT TYPE OF, UH, THAT TYPE OF ANALOGY.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO THIS IDEA OF SAND, IT COULD BE A FORMIDABLE FORCE, BUT EACH GRAIN ONTO ITS OWN IS ALSO PRECIOUS.
AND THE SAME THING AS WELL, WHEN A PERSON DOES WHATEVER IT MAY BE, THEY HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT COULD BE THE TOTALITY OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT ALSO EVEN ON A MINUTE SCALE, IT ALSO IS SOMETHING AS WELL.
AND THEREFORE, HIS WISDOM WAS RECOMMENDED TO BE SOMETHING OF THAT, OF THAT TYPE THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS THE TOTALITY, BUT ALSO EACH INDIVIDUAL PIECE WAS AS WELL.
SO WHEN WE HAVE LEGISLATION ABOUT TRAFFIC MITIGATION OR LET'S SAY RESTORING LAW AND ORDER, WHERE SHOULD THE HOMELESS BE? WE SHOULD HAVE CERTAIN TYPES OF, UH, FAR DIFFERENT TYPES OF DISTANCES AND HAVING ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE HAVE DEBATE AND WE HAVE VIGOROUS DEBATE.
AND MANY OF YOU, I RECEIVE YOUR EMAILS AND THEY'RE QUITE VIGOROUS AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND, UH, I VOTED FOR MANY OF YOU AND, UH, IT'S GREAT TO KNOW ALL OF YOU.
AND, UH, I'M VERY PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN OF MIAMI BEACH.
SO JUST TO GIVE AN INVOCATION TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.
MAY GOD ALMIGHTY CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS COMMISSION, ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE BEING LED BY OUR HONORABLE MAYOR, SIM SIMLA STEVEN MINOR, AS WELL AS ALL THOSE WHO ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO MAKE MIAMI BEACH AN UNBELIEVABLE PLACE.
DEAR GOD, PLEASE INVEST IN ALL THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO MEAN THE CITIZENS OF OUR, OF THE CITY, OF MIAMI BEACH, TO CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD, TO BE AN UNBELIEVABLE PLACE, NOT JUST A TOURIST DESTINATION, BUT ALSO A PLACE WHERE OUR CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES CAN BE RAISED AND LIVE, AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO GO IN THE PATH OF GOD AND TO CONTINUE TO SERVE HIM.
MAY ALL OF YOU BE BLESSED, AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO SPEAK.
WE'RE GONNA DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I'M ACTUALLY GONNA ASK RICK AND RALPH, OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY CLERK TO LEAD US STAND.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES PREMIER AND REPUBLICAN FOR WHICH SUSTAIN NATION UNDERGONE INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
[00:05:01]
AND WE WILL GET STARTED[R9 C DR. STANLEY SUTNICK CITIZEN'S FORUM. (8:35 A.M./1:00 P.M.)]
WITH THE SUT HOUR.PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, STATE YOUR NAME, UH, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
GOOD MORNING COMMISSION AND MAYOR.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU PERSONALLY, BUT THIS MORNING I'M HERE IN THE CAPACITY AS A-P-T-S-A BOARD MEMBER REPRESENTING NAUTILUS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN REGARDS TO RESOLUTION C SEVEN F.
I'M FORMALLY REQUESTING YOUR SUPPORT AND PROVIDING A GOLF CART TO NAUTILUS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
A GOLF CART ALLOW WILL ALLOW ADMINISTRATORS AND OUR SECURITY PERSONNEL TO QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY MONITOR MANY OF OUR UNFENCED AND OPEN AREAS, INCLUDING OUR LARGE PARKING LOTS, OPEN FIELDS, AND OTHER EXPANSIVE AREAS OF THE CAMPUS, THEREBY ENSURING SWIFT RESPONSES TO POTENTIAL SAFETY CONCERNS AND ALLOWING BETTER VISIBILITY AND SECURITY MONITORING PRESENCE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION IN SUPPORTING, UM, A GOLF CART FOR NAUTILUS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
OUR FIRST VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS JOHAN MOORE.
MR. MOORE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
GOOD MORNING, JOHAN MOORE, 7 1 7 JEFFERSON AVENUE.
UH, HAVING COMMUNICATED IN WRITING MY ONE, UH, UH, THE ONE ITEM I OBJECT TO, UH, I'M GOING TO COMMENT ONLY, UH, ON A FEW THAT I AM SUPPORTIVE OF.
UH, I WANT TO START BY THANKING COMMISSIONER BT FOR ITEM C FOUR ZERO.
UH, MERIDIAN COURT COMMUNITY, UH, CAME TO AN ARTICULATION, UH, AS WE WERE, UH, ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS, UH, SOME ISSUES, UH, WITH THE SPECIAL MASTER A YEAR AGO.
NAMELY THAT CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS SHOULD ACT AS PROSECUTORS, AND I WOULD URGE THAT THAT INSPIRE YOUR, UH, GOING FORWARD WITH THIS ITEM.
UH, I THINK CODE ENFORCEMENT IS NOT, UH, SEEN AS AND MAYBE IS NOT AS CONFIDENT, UH, AS OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT IS JUST AS VALUABLE IN, IN PROTECTING THE PUBLIC AGAINST DISORDER.
UH, I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ FOR ITEM C FOUR.
I THINK S UH, WHICH, UH, INCREASES, UH, THE NUMBER OF PERMITTED YARD SALES PER YEAR TO TWO.
THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A MINOR, UH, UH, ISSUE.
UM, BUT MERIDIAN COURT COMMUNITY BELIEVES THAT DOUBLING THAT, UH, HELPS BUILD COMMUNITY.
IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A MAJOR WAY THAT WE HAVE GAINED NEW MEMBERS.
UH, I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE FOR C SEVEN ONE, UH, THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER SUMMER CAMP, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTIVATION.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ FOR C SEVEN U, UH, THE WASTE HAULER, RFP, LONG SUPPORTED BY SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
AND FINALLY, UH, R FIVE AF, WHICH, UH, INVOLVES AMENDING THE GO BOARD APPOINTMENT PROCESS.
AND I'M NOT CLEAR ON THE DETAILS OF THAT, BUT I WANT TO SPEAK INFORMALLY ON BEHALF OF SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE TO URGE YOU THAT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE'S REPRESENTATIVE TO THAT COMMITTEE TO GO BOND COMMITTEE, UH, BE A VOTING POSITION.
MATT ROSENBERG PATH, SOUTH BEACH TRACK CLUB, SAFE FLAMINGO PARK.
AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE, TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND THEIR STAFF FOR ALL THE DEDICATED WORK THAT YOU DO.
WE KNOW IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB AND WE KNOW YOU'RE VERY COMMITTED TO TRY TO FIND THE BEST PATH FORWARD, WHATEVER PATH THAT IS, AND WE'RE ALL GRATEFUL.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN FOR WHAT YOU DID ON OCTOBER 30TH WITH THE SEVEN, NOTHING RESOLUTION ON PROTECTING THE TRACK FROM ANYTHING THAT RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION OR POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION FOR THE FIRE STATION THAT MAY OR MAY NOT END UP THERE.
SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT, AND THANK YOU FOR ALSO THE CORRECTION THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN WITH THAT AGREEMENT WITH THE DESIGN COMPANY, WHICH WAS WITH THE LITTLE TYPO THERE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, A COUPLE OF NOTES, UH, SHOULD YOU STILL CONTINUE TO SEEMINGLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDS DOWN IN, IN THE FUTURE, AS HAD BEEN SHOWN THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THAT 12TH STREET LOCATION, WE WOULD LOVE IT IF IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED TO USE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO ULTIMATELY PUT THE FIRE STATION IN ANOTHER IDEAL LOCATION SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND A REMINDER TO THE COMMISSION THAT THE WHOLE FOODS LOCATION WAS LISTED AS A VIABLE SITE ON THE MATRIX AS WELL FOR THE ORIGINAL, UH, PLAN THAT WAS PROVIDED.
UM, WHETHER THAT'S STILL FEASIBLE OR NOT, I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE, BUT AT LEAST IT WAS LISTED AS A OKAY, AS A, AS A VIABLE SITE AT THE TIME.
BUT WE ENCOURAGE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK FOR AN ALTERNATE LOCATION.
AND UH, AS I EMAILED ALL OF YOU EARLIER TODAY, THE 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF MAMIE BEACH ITSELF DID CALL FOR A RATIO OF 10 ACRES PER THOUSAND FOR OPEN AND GREEN SPACE FOR YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR MAMIE BEACH.
AND GIVEN THAT YOU HAVE 78,000 RESIDENTS NOW, GIVE OR TAKE A FEW HUNDRED AND 400 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE, IT COMES TO 5.08 RATIO ACRES PER THOUSAND PEOPLE.
SO WE'D FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
AGAIN, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
[00:10:01]
JULIANA, IF YOU'RE LISTENING, THAT IS FROM JULIANA, TMA AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL WHO IS A RESIDENT AS WELL, UH, FOR THAT INFORMATION.SHE MIGHT BE CALLING IN LATER.
WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS ANNAMARIE DELLO.
PLEASE GO AHEAD, STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
ANNAMARIE, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO THEN TO DARREN, DARREN MIG.
DARREN, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
DARREN, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
SO LET'S BRING IT BACK IN HERE.
UH, MICHAEL GRECO, UH, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF SUNTEC, I BELIEVE MIAMI BEACH'S LARGEST TENANT.
UM, HERE ON, ON ITEMS R FIVE AD JUST IN CASE, UH, I'M NOT HERE IN THE AFTERNOON.
UM, WE ARE HERE TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR FURTHER, UH, LIMITING SOME OF THE COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS AS IS BEING REQUESTED BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
I EXPECT OVER THE NEXT, UH, COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THEN THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS AND BEYOND, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE MARINA.
UM, AND I'M GONNA HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY, PREFERABLY SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
UM, AND, UH, MY PHONE IS ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, OPEN FOR YOU GUYS TO TALK ABOUT THINGS, UM, NOT JUST ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS WITH THE MARINA, BUT UH, ALSO WITH THE FUTURE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SUNTEC AND THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
JULIANA, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES PLEASE.
I'M A, UH, UH, A HOMEOWNER AND A RESIDENT OF THE FLAMINGO PARK, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I'M CALLING IN REGARDS TO THE FIRE STATION AT, UM, UH, THE, UH, FLAMINGO PARK.
I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE, UH, WHAT, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS MATT SAID THAT IN 2019, THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT OF MIAMI BEACH ADOPTED THE 2040 MIAMI BEACH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE PLAN IN PREPARATION FOR ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN IN 2040 WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE WEATHER CHANGING ON PAGE 97, THIS DOCUMENT STATES THAT PER 1000 RESIDENTS CITIES SHOULD PROVIDE 10 ACRES OF OPEN RECREATION AND GREEN SPACE.
CURRENTLY 78,000, UM, RESIDENTS, UM, AND WE ARE ONLY PROVIDING FIVE ACRES PER 1000 RESIDENTS ON OUR 18 SQUARE MILE ISLAND.
THE SOME OF THE ECO ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF GREEN SPACE INCLUDE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, URBAN HEAT, ISLAND MITIGATION, AND BIODIVERSITY.
THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND LISTS, CITIES AND PARKS ACCESSIBLE BY RESIDENTS WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALKING RADIUS.
UM, MIAMI BEACH HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AN INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN RESILIENCE AND CLIMATE ADAPTION, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPEN SPACES.
ALSO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE AND IMPROVE COLLATERAL PUBLIC BENEFITS FROM INVESTMENTS.
PLEASE CHOOSE AN EXISTING SITE WITHIN CONCRETE AND NOT VERY LIMITED GREEN PARK AREA SERVING AN EVER-GROWING MIAMI BEACH POPULATION.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS IN TWO MINUTES, PLEASE.
GOOD MORNING, MITCH NOVIK, 9 0 1 COLLINS AVENUE.
OUR ANNUAL OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE OUR CITY DURING ART WEEK HAS ONCE AGAIN PASSED.
I VENTURED TO THE MAINLAND A RECORD THREE TIMES.
THE WATER TAXI WAS A PRACTICAL ADDITION TO THIS EVENT.
BY WEEKS END, THERE WERE LINES OF HUNDREDS WAITING TO TRAVERSE THE BAY ON EACH SIDE.
WHILE I CERTAINLY WASN'T A FAN OF SPENDING 600,000 ANNUALLY ON A PROBLEM PLAGUED WATER TAXI TO OFFER SUCH A SERVICE UTILIZED BY THE MASSES AMOUNTS TO A WIN ON WE WEDNESDAY, EARLY EVENING.
AFTER MIAMI CONTEXT, MY GROUP VENTURED TO WYNWOOD, WHICH EVOK MEMORIES OF SOUTH BEACH.
IN THE EARLY 1990S, THE AREA WAS BUSTLING WITH PEOPLE EXPLORING UNIQUE STOREFRONTS, A STAR CONTRAST TO MIAMI BEACH'S EMPTY SPACES.
THE TRIP TO BRICKELL CITY CENTER VIA THE METRO MOVER AND A WALK OVER THE BRIDGE TO EAT AT WHOLE FOODS REVEALED A THRIVING DOWNTOWN WITH NOTICEABLE POLICE PRESENCE.
THE METRO MOVER RIDE BACK HOME FEATURED A DIVERSE MIX OF RIDERS.
UTILIZING THE CROWDED TRAIN ON SUNDAY, WE VENTURED TO THE DE DESIGN DISTRICT IN MIDTOWN.
[00:15:01]
ALLURE AND LUSTER LONG AGO TO REVITALIZE OUR CITY, PERHAPS WE SHOULD FOCUS ON TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES TO ALLEVIATE THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN AN EFFORT TO MOVE US WISELY INTO THE FUTURE.AND ON A SIDE NOTE, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER CHALLENGING STATE PREEMPTIONS TO OUR HOME RULE.
OUR FORMER CITY ATTORNEY WHO ISSUED A FLAW OPINION AGAINST THE CHALLENGE IS NOW EMPLOYED BY A PROMINENT PRO-DEVELOPMENT LAW FIRM.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DECIDE OUR DESTINY WITHOUT STATE INTERFERENCE.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS SCREEN NAME RICHARD.
RICHARD STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I'M PRESIDENT OF PALMS ASSOCIATION AT 10 25 ALTAM ROAD, WHICH HAS APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED, UH, VOTING RESIDENTS.
AND, UM, FOLLOWING MATT AND JULIANA.
I HOPE YOU WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THIS 2040 MIAMI, UH, UH, MIAMI BEACH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THERE'S NUMEROUS AREAS IN THIS THAT JUST TOTALLY GOES AGAINST PUTTING THIS FIRE STATION IN FLAMINGO PARK.
THE RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT EMPHASIZING PRESERVING THE OPEN SPACE AND PARKS FOR ESSENTIAL RESOURCES, MAINLY, UH, MAINTAINING PARK RECREATIONAL PURPOSE OR MET RECREATIONAL PURPOSES TO PROMOTE PUBLIC WELLBEING, PROTECTING PUBLIC ACCESS TO GREEN SPACES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO QUALITY OF LIFE AND NATURAL AESTHETICS UNDERNEATH THE CONSERVATION AND COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT.
THIS ALSO IS, UH, GOES AGAINST PUTTING THE PARK IN, UH, PUTTING THE FIRE STATION IN THE PARK, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ELEMENT AND THE LAND USE ELEMENT, UH, WHICH ENSURES THE CAPABILITY WITH ADJACENT USES AVOIDING CREATING NUISANCES OR HAZARDS THAT DISRUPT THE COMMUNITY WELLBEING.
FACING A FIRE STATION IN THAT DENSELY UH, LOCATED AREA IN THE PARK WITH THE TRACK IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THIS NUMEROUS TIMES.
MYSELF, THE RESIDENTS OF OUR ASSOCIATION, WE ARE TOTALLY AGAINST USING A GREEN SPACE FOR, UH, FOR A FIRE STATION.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO, UH, DAMAGE OUR PARKS.
MR. GUTOW, IF YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS MATTHEW ALTOFF AND I RESIDE AT 1 25 JEFFERSON AVENUE.
FIRST, I WANT TO COMMEND THE WORK BY THE TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY DEPARTMENT.
DATA THEY PROVIDED SHOWS OVER 23,000 PEOPLE TRAVELED ON THE WATER TAXI AND THE BUS SHUTTLES.
PLUS OVER 2000 PEOPLE USED THE CITY BIKE STATIONS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER DURING ART WEEK.
A HUGE SUCCESS AND HOPEFULLY THE START OF EVEN MORE COMPREHENSIVE TRANSIT PLANS.
AND, UM, FOR ART WEEK AND OTHER EVENTS IN THE CITY NEXT YEAR, CONSIDER POP-UP DEDICATED BUS LANES THAT WOULD CREATE MORE INCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO DITCH UBERS AND REDUCE TRAFFIC AND IMPROVE MOBILITY FOR ALL.
I'M ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS TODAY RELATED TO MOBILITY.
CITY CODE TODAY ENCOURAGES BUT DOES NOT REQUIRE BICYCLE PARKING.
AS PART OF THE SPECIAL EVENT PROCESS, ANYONE WHO ATTENDED ART BASEL AND RELATED FARES SAW BIKES LOCKED TO ANY FIXED OBJECT AROUND THESE EVENTS.
AND ADDITIONALLY, I URGE THE MAYOR TO CALL R 5G SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER ROSA ROSA GONZALEZ, WHICH WOULD ALLOW SENIORS TO OPERATE E-BIKES AT SPEEDS UP TO EIGHT MILES AN HOUR.
I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE THIS TO BE EXPANDED FURTHER, TO PERHAPS ALSO INCLUDE PARENTS THAT ARE CARRYING CHILDREN.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT MEETING.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS ANNA MARIE, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
STATE YOUR FULL NAME AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I'M ANNA MARIE FELO, RESIDING AT 4 7 7 9 COLLINS AVENUE, AND I'M REPRESENTING THE MID BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND ORGANIZATION THAT, UM, THAT OPERATES WITH THE INTEREST OF HOTELS AND CONDOMINIUMS ALONG COLLINS AVENUE AND INDIAN CREEK DRIVE.
FROM 24TH TO 63RD STREET, WE'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY FOR AN ACTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL ART BASEL WEEK.
WE ALSO ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO CONSIDER MORE COMPREHENSIVE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION MEASURES, MASS TRANSIT TO BE CONSIDERED MORE SERIOUSLY AND ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADDRESS TRAFFIC CONGESTION, PARTICULARLY IN MID BEACH TO MATCH OUR PRIVATE INVESTMENTS, UM, THE CITY'S OWN SURFACE PARKING LOT ON 27TH STREET COULD SERVE AS AN IDEAL SOLUTION FOR INCORPORATING A DESIGNATED LOADING ZONE ON THE GROUND LEVEL AND CREATING DEDICATED VALET AREAS FOR SPILLOVER ALONG COLLINS AVENUE.
AND ALSO TO A, TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE IN THESE, UM, HIGH IMPACT WEEKENDS.
[00:20:01]
ARTS OR, OR ACTIVATIONS, PATRONS COULD THEN BE TRANSPORTED TO THE DESTINATIONS BY GOLF CARTS OR FREEBIE SERVICES, OR SIMILAR LIGHT VEHICLES EASING CONGESTION AND IMPROVING OVERALL TRAFFIC FLOW REGARDING R 5G, WHICH, UM, PROPOSES AMENDING CHAPTER 70 OF THE CITY CODE TO PERMIT SENIORS OR INDIVIDUALS OF ANY AGE TO USE MOTORIZED BICYCLES ON THE BEACH WALK.UH, WE'RE CONCERNED THAT ENFORCEMENT COULD BE CHALLENGING AND IT COULD INADVERTENTLY LEAD TO DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES BY TARGETING PATRONS BASED ON AGE.
WE ALSO THINK THAT IT, IT, UM, IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE, AND WE AT THIS TIME WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR OF HAVING ANY MOTORIZED, UM, BICYCLES ON THE BEACH WALK.
SEEING NO ONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE, I'M GONNA GO AGAIN TO, UH, DARREN MIG.
YOU, YOU'RE UP AND THEN YOU'LL BE NEXT.
DARREN, UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? GO AHEAD.
UH, UH, DEAR COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR, UH, AGAIN, UM, ONE THING THAT I NOTICED IS THAT OUR, UH, YOUR EFFORTS TO MAKE OUR STREETS CLEAN AGAIN, UH, IS DEFINITELY WORKING.
UH, THE FLAMINGO PARK AREA LOOKS MUCH CLEANER.
CREWS ARE COMING, UH, AND, UH, CLEANING BY HAND AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CUSTOMARY MACHINES.
UM, THEN THE OTHER THING, MY COMMENT IS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT OF THE SMOKING BAN AT OUR PUBLIC BEACHES AND PARKS.
UM, I, I DID TALK TO, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL LIFEGUARDS AND THEY SAY, WELL, IT'S, IT'S NOT OUR, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBILITY TO ENFORCE IT.
SO THE QUESTION IS, WHO IS ENFORCING IT? HAVE YOU TAKEN SOME KIND OF, UM, UH, ARE THERE ANY NUMBERS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, IF YOU HAVE ACTUALLY, UM, GIVEN ANY, UM, FINES, UH, TO PEOPLE WHO BREAK THE LAW OR SOMETHING.
SO THAT, THAT'S I WOULD CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO.
UM, THE NEXT TOPIC THAT I WOULD WANT TO DISCUSS IS ABOUT, UM, THE PLUMBING PARK AS MAT AND EVERYONE ELSE SAID, UH, TAKING AWAY GREEN SPACE IS NOT THE RIGHT APPROACH, RIGHT PATH, UH, IN THIS CASE, WE NEED MORE, NOT LESS.
SO THAT MEANS THAT IT'S NOT REALLY UNDERUTILIZED, IT'S NECESSARY, RIGHT? SO THE WORDING THAT WAS USED, UH, DURING THE, UM, THAT SPECIAL, UH, BALLOT MEASURE, UH, WAS ALSO, IN MY OPINION, MISLEADING, RIGHT? UH, FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH, WHO KNOWS HOW, UM, PRECIOUS THAT GREEN SPACE IS, PLUS TAKING THE, UM, UH, ACCORDING TO THE PLANS, TAKING THAT, UM, THERE IS A BUILDING IN BETWEEN, UH, THE GREEN SPACE, TAKING IT OUT OF THAT AND PUTTING IT INTO THE NOR, UH, SOUTHEAST CORNER.
IT'S GONNA REMOVE EVEN MORE GREEN SPACE.
SO THE, WE ARE GONNA BE, UH, LEFT WITH BASICALLY NO GREEN SPACE THERE.
I APOLOGIZE YOU'RE OUT OF TIME.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE? GO AHEAD.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM IF YOU'RE, IF YOU WISHING TO SPEAK.
UH, UH, MAYOR MINOR AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, BLANCA ELLO, PRESIDENT OF THE OWNERS' ASSOCIATION OF GARDEN ON THE BAY, 64 84 IN INDIAN CREEK DRIVE.
UH, SINCE IT'S, UH, THE HOLIDAYS, UH, AND DON'T COME TO BRING PROBLEMS, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT THAT WE ARE GETTING CONCRETE AND DIRECT ACTIONS TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS. IN OUR CASE, AFTER THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, UH, IMMEDIATELY WE GOT SOMEBODY FROM PUBLIC WORKS.
SORRY, DANNY, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO ANSWER TO YOU TO FIX THE BIG HOLE THAT WE, WE HAVE, UH, OUTSIDE OF OUR PROPERTY, AND THAT IS A HAZARD FOR PEOPLE THAT IS IN THE PARK.
WE'RE WORKING ALREADY WITH PUBLIC WORKS, VERY EFFECTIVE AND VERY QUICKLY.
UH, THEN, UM, ALSO I WANT TO REPORT THAT I WALK ALMOST EVERY NIGHT AROUND COLLINS PARK, AND THERE IS DAYS THAT THERE IS NOT, NOT ALMOST ANY HOMELESS.
FEW DAYS, YES, THERE IS ONE OR COUPLE IN THE LITTLE, UH, ALLEY BESIDES THE BALL SCHOOL, BUT NORMALLY IT'S VERY, UH, EMPTY AND, UH, WE CAN FEEL SAFER ABOUT WALKING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEN, UH, REGARDING OUR BUS, AND OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER THING THAT THANK FOR ALL THE EFFORTS REGARDING THE TRAFFIC, AT LEAST WASHINGTON AVENUE, EVEN AC EVEN ACROSS THE CONVENTION CENTER WHERE I LIVE, THE TRAFFIC WAS MUCH LESS THAN OTHER YEARS AND EASIER TO, TO MOVE OUT OF THE PLACE WHERE I LIVE.
AND, UH, AND FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE.
[00:25:01]
I, WE HAD A GREAT, UH, MEETING WITH, UH,THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND HAPPY HOLIDAY STORE.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS DIEGO M DIEGO, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I'M A RESIDENT AT 1688 WEST AVENUE, WEST BAY PLAZA ASSOCIATION, WHERE WE HAVE ABOUT 112 UNITS.
UM, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALL THE WORK YOU ALL DO ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, AND JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT I, AS A RESIDENT AND A FEW OF THE RESIDENTS THERE WOULD OPPOSE, UH, THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THE BOARDWALK AND WANTED TO BRING ATTENTION TO OUR CORNER ACROSS FROM TRADER JOE'S.
IT'S, UH, BEEN BLOCKED FOR BICYCLE USE AGAIN, UM, AFTER A BASEL WAS OPEN.
IT CREATES A LOT OF LIFE SAFETY ISSUES FOR US.
WE WALK OUT OF THERE AND PEOPLE ARE WHIZZING BY ON THESE ELECTRIC SCOOTERS, ON THE SIDEWALKS, AND THERE'S NO ENFORCEMENT OR ANY SORT OF ISSUES THERE.
SO IF ANYBODY COULD, YOU KNOW, SEND SOMEBODY OVER THERE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
TAKE THAT A LOOK AT THE SITUATION.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND I HAVE TWO MINUTES.
MY NAME IS DEBBIE QUAID, 2301 COLLINS AVENUE.
AND, UM, I HAVE, FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, CHAIRED THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF MIAMI BEACH.
I'M HERE AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, THOUGH, UM, EXPRESSING MY SUPPORT FOR ANY KIND OF MOTORIZED VEHICLE FOR THE SENIORS THAT ARE, UM, ON THE BEACH, ON THE BOARDWALK.
IT'S HEARTBREAKING TO SEE SENIORS THAT HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES THAT CANNOT EVEN THE SIT DOWN SCOOTERS TO RIDE ON THE, UM, BOARDWALK WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
IT'S HEARTBREAKING TO SEE THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT ROUTE FOR A RESTAURANT, A LOCAL RESTAURANT, UM, WHEN THE REST OF THE FAMILY IS VERY MOBILE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HOPEFULLY SEE SOMETHING THAT CAN ADDRESS THE SENIORS, WHETHER IT IS, UH, THE SEATED ONES.
THERE ARE SENIORS THAT COME TO VISIT THEIR FAMILY.
THEY CAN RENT ONE OF THOSE, AND I THINK THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE BOARDWALK AND SPENDING TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
I ALSO WANT TO, UM, SUPPORT ADDITIONAL BICYCLE STATIONS.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF TAKING THE WATER TAXI OVER TO ART MIAMI.
THE LINE COMING BACK WAS TWO HOURS.
WE WALKED ACROSS THE VENETIAN BRIDGE.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP A BICYCLE THERE AND JUST KIND OF GET BACK TO SUNSET HARBOR.
SO I SUPPORT ANY INITIATIVE TO ADD BICYCLES AROUND THE CITY.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS ROSALIE THOMPSON.
ROSALIE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
HI, MY NAME IS ROSALIE THOMPSON.
I'M AT 57 57 COLLINS AVENUE, MIAMI BEACH.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE IDEA OF ADDING ADDITIONAL BICYCLES INSTEAD.
UM, I THINK A BETTER IDEA WOULD BE TO UPGRADE THE SCHEDULING OF THE TROLLEY SO THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THE BEACH CAN DEPEND ON USING A TROLLEY.
AND RIGHT NOW, I THINK, UM, IT'S QUESTIONABLE AS TO WHEN YOU WILL GET A TROLLEY IF YOU GO OUT TO THE CORNER.
UM, ALSO, UM, THE WHOLE THING WITH BICYCLES EATS SOME REGULATION.
I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN I SEE SOMEONE RIDING WHIZZING BY ME IN THE, UH, ON A BICYCLE, IN A MASK.
UM, I I, I'M OPPOSED TO MASK WEARING IN ITS ENTIRETY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME RULES IN MIAMI BEACH, UM, AGAINST MATH, WEARING MASKS.
UM, SO I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF MORE BICYCLES.
OUR, I SEE NO ONE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
I'M GONNA GO TO THE NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS C-W-C-W-A LOCAL 31 78.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CW, UH, LOCAL 31 78, AND I'M CALLING FOR THE SUPPORT FROM THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS FOR ITEM, UH, C SEVEN H, UM, FOR OUR UNION TO BE, UH, EXECUTIVELY RECOGNIZED BY THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, UH, CWA.
WE REPRESENT AND COVER OVER, UM, 300 EMPLOYEES THAT WORK FOR THE CITY IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING OCEAN RESCUE, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY, COMMUNICATIONS, CO COMPLIANCE, PARKING, PUBLIC WORK, ET CETERA.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO REPRESENT AND SUPPORT THESE WORKERS.
[00:30:01]
AND WE HOPE THAT THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE MAYOR SUPPORT, UM, RESOLUTION C SEVEN H AND IN GOOD FAITH SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO, UH, BARGAIN FOR PEOPLE AND GIVE PEOPLE, UM, EQUAL EQUITABLE PAY AND CONTINUE OUR GOOD REGULAR RELATIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN, SEEING NO ONE IN THE AUDIENCE, I AM GOING TO ANDY.
ANDY STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I LIVE IN 3 4 5 OCEAN DRIVE MIAMI BEACH.
I SOLD MY BMWZ FOUR TWO YEARS AGO, AND I'VE BEEN RIDING A BIKE EVER SINCE.
IT'S BEEN THE BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE.
IT IS VERY CLEAR THE CITY OF MIAMI AND MIAMI BEACH HAVE SERIOUS, SERIOUS TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS. THE FREEDOM OF RIDING A BIKE ALONG ROWS AND ROWS OF TRAFFIC IS LIBERATING.
UM, SO I ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO EMBRACE BICYCLES, PLACES FOR THE BICYCLES TO BE LOCKED.
AND THE THE LANES ARE BEAUTIFUL, THEY'RE EMPTY, AND THE TROLLEY SYSTEM ISN'T GONNA HELP AT ALL BECAUSE THE STANDSTILL REMAINS.
I ENCOURAGE SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR BIKES, ELECTRIC BIKES, AND STANDARDS FOR THESE BIKES.
UH, UM, I'VE PLACED MY NAME ON THE, ON THE, UM, ROSTER TO BE PART OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
SO I'M WILLING AND ABLE TO HELP AND, UH, HAVE A LOT OF INSIGHTS.
I'VE RIDDEN ALL KINDS OF E-BIKES, BIKES, SO I KNOW HOW THEY WORK.
I KNOW THE PITFALLS, AND THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT THAT CAN BE DONE ON THE SAFETY FACTOR OF THESE BIKES, NOT ONLY FOR THE PEDESTRIANS, BUT FOR THE RIDERS.
WAYNE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
HEY, GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I WASN'T GONNA TALK TODAY, BUT I, I GOT, I GOT THE, UH, THE BUG.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I WAS SO EXCITED TO HEAR THAT, UH, THE SHUTTLE BY, UH, FERRY BETWEEN HERE AND MIAMI WAS, UH, SUCCESSFUL IN THE SENSE OF, OF ART BASEL, UM, THAT THERE WERE LINES, UM, I WISH THERE WEREN'T LINES, UM, BUT IT SHOWS THE QUALITY, THE, THE IMPACT OUR WATERWAY COULD HAVE IN ELIMINATING TRAFFIC.
YOU KNOW, BIKES ARE GREAT, BUT IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE 64 YEARS OLD OR YOU HAVE A DISABILITY, OR, OR IF YOU ARE, UH, YOU'RE AFRAID OF, OF ACCIDENTS, BIKES ARE NOT THE ANSWER.
BUT, BUT CERTAINLY FERRIES ARE, AND FOR LONG DISTANCES, UM, YOU KNOW, A FERRY SERVICE COULD SUPPORT, UH, NOT JUST, UH, UH, EAST WEST, BUT NORTH SOUTH.
IT COULD GO FROM BEN AVENTURA, SUNNY ISLES, ALL THE WAY TO, UH, UH, WHATEVER IS SOUTH OF US THERE IS.
BUT, UM, AS WELL AS EAST WEST, BETWEEN US AND THE MAINLAND.
UM, IT COULD DRIVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LIKE SEATTLE.
SEATTLE HAS A VERY EFFECTIVE, UM, FER SERVICE USING ELECTRIC FER SERVICES THAT HOLD HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AT A TIME, AT SPEEDS OF 40 KNOTS OR GREATER.
UM, SO, UH, I, I URGE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND THE STATE TO, UH, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR PERFECT SITUATION FOR THAT, THAT, UH, THAT, UH, MEANS OF TRAVEL.
THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO CALLED IN AND COMMENTED.
ALSO, WE, UH, I, ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES, GOT A LOT OF EMAILS FROM, FROM FOLKS, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, SO KEEP MAKING YOUR VOICES HEARD.
I DID WANNA COMMENT JUST BRIEFLY ON TWO OF THE COMMENTS WE HEARD.
ONE CALLER CALLED IN AND, UH, THANKED US FOR THE, UH, CLEANER STREETS, CLEANER NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THAT'S AN EFFORT THAT I, ALONG WITH ALL OF US ARE MAKING.
AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU ERIC AND BRAD CAIN, OUR SANITATION DIRECTOR FOR, FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
UH, CLEAN STREETS, SAFE STREETS, DRY STREETS.
[00:35:01]
GLAD IT'S BEING ACKNOWLEDGED AND NOTICED BY OUR RESIDENTS.AND WAYNE, I DO AGREE WITH YOU ON THE WATER TAXIS.
I'VE BEEN PUSHING THAT, AND I THINK COLLECTIVELY OUR COMMISSION IS PUSHING THAT.
UM, IT, IT WORKED INCREDIBLY WELL OVER ART BASEL AND ART WEEK, AND, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO CONTINUE THAT ON A PERMANENT BASIS.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ HAS A SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.
A WHAT? I'M SORRY? SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.
I, I, I APPRECIATE IT'S A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE BECAUSE I JUST WANTED TO, BEFORE WE START OUR MEETING, I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS SEASON OF LIGHT AND CELEBRATION FOR MANY OF US.
ADVENT MARKS A TIME OF REFLECTION AND PREPARATION AS WE APPROACH THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS.
THIS, THIS SPECIFICALLY IS THE SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT, WHICH REPRESENTS PEACE.
IT'S A TIME TO REFLECT ON THE PEACE THAT JESUS CHRIST BRINGS INTO THE WORLD AND INTO OUR HEARTS.
AND SOON ALSO FOR OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY.
UH, THEY, THEY WILL BE GATHERING TO CELEBRATE HANUKKAH, A FESTIVAL THAT REMINDS US OF THE RESILIENCE AND ENDURING POWER OF LIGHT.
UH, THESE TRADITIONS, THOUGH, THEY'RE DIFFERENT, SHARE A COMMON, COMMON MESSAGE OF HOPE AND RENEWAL.
SO I JUST, UH, I JUST WANT, WANT US, UH, TO REFLECT ON THAT MADE THIS, UH, SEASON INSPIRE EVERYONE TO BRING LIGHT AND KINDNESS INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND INTO OUR WORLD, AND USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY DO GOOD, TO INSPIRE OUR HEARTS AND TO TRULY CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH PEACE AND WITH MEANING.
AND THE HOLIDAYS OVERLAP THIS YEAR, WHICH DOES, UH, NOT FREQUENTLY HAPPEN.
[R9 D LEGISLATIVE UPDATE PRESENTATION BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE FABIAN BASABE.]
ASK OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, UH, FABIAN BAA TO, TO COME UP AND GIVE US A LEGISLATIVE REPORT AS IS, UH, TYPICAL AS WELL AS, UH, THE UPCOMING SESSION, AND THANK YOU TO AND ALL YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE STATE BECAUSE, UM, WE DO RELY A LOT ON STATE RESOURCES.SPRING BREAK WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF OUR PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION, UH, THE PREEMPTION STUFF, NOT SO, UH, NOT SO GREAT.
WE'RE NOT AS EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
BUT, UH, BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND GIVING US A REPORT.
BE BEFORE I BEGIN, I'LL JUST COMMENT, UM, ON THE PREEMPTION STUFF, IT'S ABOUT A BALANCE, RIGHT? SOMETIMES THE STATE KNOWS BETTER, SOMETIMES THE CITY KNOWS BETTER, AND THAT'S WHERE WORKING TOGETHER MAKES THAT IMPACT.
BUT I COULDN'T RESIST, I COULDN'T RESIST SAYING IT, SO, BUT WE DID DO GREAT ON SPRING BREAK.
LET'S, UH, LET'S GET SOME NEW PROGRAMMING AND, YOU KNOW, GET THE PEOPLE BACK OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY THE LOCALS.
I'D LIKE TO SEE OCEAN DRIVE JUST AS VIBRANT AS POSSIBLE.
SO, GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE FABIAN BAAA.
I RESIDE AT NINE ISLAND AVENUE HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
AS I COMMENCE MY SECOND TERM, I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST REAFFIRM THAT BEING A MEMBER OF FLORIDA'S MAJORITY PARTY ASSURES OUR STATE TO BE THE BEST PARTNER FOR YOU AND FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF OUR CITY.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW SOME OF WHAT TO EXPECT FROM MY LEADERSHIP OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS IN EDUCATION.
OUR TEACHERS MUST BE THE HIGHEST PAID IN THE NATION.
WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH MONEY TO, TO AFFORD THIS.
AND SIGNING OFF ON OUR WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES IN THE LEGISLATURE, OUR GOVERNOR HAS ALREADY APPROVED A RECORD INCREASE IN TEACHERS PAY STATEWIDE.
BUT I CALL UPON MY CITIES TO CONTRIBUTE FURTHER BY INCLUDING FUNDING THAT FOLLOWS THE STATE'S EXAMPLE IN MATCHING AN INCREASE IN PAY TO THOSE WHO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN.
A PATH HAS BEEN CLEARED TO DO SO.
THIS WON'T BE JUST TO SHOW A MONETARY RESPONSE OF APPRECIATION, BUT TO ASSURE THAT IT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT EVERY UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL IS SEEN, HEARD, AND LOVED, AND THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE EQUIPPED WITH CRUCIAL RESOURCES TO PROPERLY ADDRESS POSSIBLE ISSUES OF OUR DIVERSE STUDENTS.
AS WE CANNOT COUNT ON THE INTEGRITY OF ACTIVISM AND PARTISAN LEADERSHIP WHO MANIPULATE AT THE EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPENSE OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE, OUR JOB IS TO PROTECT AND INFORM OUR COMMUNITY RATHER THAN MISINFORM FOR PERSONAL AGENDA AND IDEOLOGY.
IN REGARD TO TRAFFIC, I'M ASKING THAT ALL THE CITIES I REPRESENT DEMAND THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY FULLY ACCESS AND RECALIBRATE OUR TRAFFIC ASSIMILATION SOFTWARE WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EMPLOYED BY THE COUNTY AND PAID BY OUR TAX DOLLARS.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE FAILING US, AND I BELIEVE WE SHOULD EXPECT BETTER OF THEM.
THEY ARE, THEY ARE OBLIGATED TO SERVE ALL OF OUR CITIZENS IN REGARDS TO THE HIGH COST OF LIVING.
PROPERTY OWNERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES MUST HAVE IMMEDIATE RELIEF.
AND I'M ASKING THAT ALL MY CITIES TO ACT NOW BY ACTIVATING WHATEVER AVAILABLE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, BUDGET AND OPPORTUNITIES AS OUR PRIOR PROPERTY TAX APPRAISER HAS OVERVALUED OUR ASSETS MORE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
THIS WAS NOT SOLELY DUE TO THE CASH MARKET INFLUX OF LUXURY HOUSING, BUT RATHER FEDERAL SUBSIDIES THAT ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE, AVAILABLE TO US, BUT THAT CONTINUE TO DISTORT THE MARKET.
TAX INCENTIVES AND DEREGULATION IS OF IMMINENT IMPORTANCE TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS NEED RELIEF.
AS I WORK WITH OUR NEWLY ELECTED PROPERTY TAX APPRAISER ON LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THE EXTRAORDINARILY
[00:40:01]
HIGH PROPERTY TAX IMPOSED ON MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ALONE, CAUSING RENTS TO SKY, TO SKYROCKET, DISPLACING THE VALUED AND LONGTIME RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, I URGE YOU ALL TO DO WHAT YOU CAN TO REDUCE FEES AND COSTS TO OUR PROPERTY OWNERS.WHILE I ADDRESS THIS IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR NEXT YEAR'S PROPERTY TAXES ARE ALREADY DUE AND MANY ARE UNABLE TO MEET THESE COSTS.
THE FUNDING AND TORT REFORM DELIVERED IN MY FIRST TERM, HELPED BRING NINE INSURANCE COMPANIES BACK TO FLORIDA, DIRECTLY RESULTING IN COMPETITION FOR BETTER RATES.
BUT WE ARE STILL FAR FROM WHERE WE NEED TO BE AND FAR FROM MAKING THE NUMBERS APPROACHABLE FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.
WE MUST ALL SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY AS IT CAN BE.
LOGICALLY ARGUED, THIS DISTRICT IS LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INSURANCE CRISIS, WHICH IS THE DIRECT CONSEQUENCE OF PRIOR DECADES OF POOR CITY MANAGEMENT, LACK OF LAW, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT RESULTING IN DECADES OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
WE MUST REESTABLISH OURSELVES AS A VIABLE INSURANCE MARKET.
THIS IS NOT AN OVERNIGHT SOLUTION, BUT ONE THAT WE WILL ONLY RESOLVED.
WE MUST DELIVER COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING, CREATE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ALONG WITH GREATER FUNDING.
WE MUST ALSO ENSURE THAT THAT MONEY GOES WHERE IT'S INTENDED TO.
I PLEDGE TO WORK WITH YOUR TEAMS AND DELIVER RESULTS IN REGARDS TO OUR UNHOUSED.
STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE, THAT CITIES CREATE A DESIGNATED AREAS.
AND AGAIN, STATE FUNDING HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO HELP THE COUNTY STUNT IN USING OUR HOMELESS POPULATION WAS DESPICABLE AND UNFAIR TO ALL OF US.
WE ARE NOT WEAK, AND WE MUST NOT, AND WE MUST STAND UP TO STRONG, STRONG ARMED COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
WITH THIS RECENT ELECTION, HONEST LEADERSHIP HAS WON OVER DESPICABLE SMEAR CAMPAIGNS AND DEDICATED WORK OVER DISHONORABLE ANTICS.
I HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF KEEPING IT THAT WAY.
AS ELECTED LEADERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, IT IS YOUR ROLE TO LEAD OUR CONSTITUENTS WITH OBJECTIVE SENSE RATHER THAN PERSONAL PREFERENCE.
WE ARE THE ECONOMIC ENGINE OF OUR STATE, AND WITH THIS IN MIND, WE SHOULD BE SETTING THE EXAMPLE.
ANYONE TRYING TO ADVANCE THEMSELVES OR A PARTY RATHER THAN THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE HERE.
THE PEOPLE SEE IT, AND THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN IN A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
AND I AM HERE BECAUSE BEFORE WE ARE PARTISAN, WE ARE HUMANS.
AND I INVITE OUR COMMUNITY PRESIDENT IN THE AUDIENCE AND WATCHING VIRTUALLY TO JOIN IN MY EFFORT TO BRING IN PEOPLE BACK TOGETHER TO RESTORE CIVILITY AMONG US RATHER THAN ENCOURAGE A DIVIDE.
MR. MAYOR, AS SOON AS I RECEIVE MY COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS, I'LL BE EXTENDING AN INVITE TO YOU AND YOUR CITY MANAGER TO JOIN THE OTHER MAYORS AND CITY MANAGERS OF DISTRICT 1 0 6, AS I'VE DONE IN PRIOR YEARS TO DISCUSS OUR VISIONS, YOUR PROJECTS, AND THE NEEDS AND GOALS OF OUR CITIES AND EFFORTS TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE STATE.
THERE'S BEEN A COMPLETE OVERHAUL IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, HOW BUDGETS WILL BE FILED, HOW LEGISLATION WILL BE FILED, UM, AND WE'LL GO OVER THAT.
AS COMMUNITIES ARE ASSIGNED, I REMAIN AVAILABLE TO ALL OF YOU AND OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND MAY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON BRING US ALL PEACE AND TOGETHERNESS AND JOY AND HAPPINESS TO YOU AND ALL OF OUR FAMILIES.
UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE SABBE, APPRECIATE THE REPORT.
AND, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR LOOKING OUT FOR OUR INTEREST HERE IN, IN MIAMI BEACH AND CONTINUOUS, UH, CONTINUING TO FIGHT FOR US.
UM, IT'S A BATTLE, LIKE YOU SAID, ON THE COUNTY STATE LEVEL, BUT I THINK WE DO HAVE GOOD PARTNERS, SO APPRECIATE IT.
RALPH, I BELIEVE WE NEED TO, UH,
[CONSENT AGENDA]
GO, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.UH, FOR THE RECORD, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS HAVE BEEN SEPARATED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ SEPARATED C SEVEN AF.
AGAIN, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, C SEVEN AF.
COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ HAS SEPARATED C FOUR D AS IN DOG.
AGAIN, COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ, C FOUR D COMMISSIONER SUAREZ HAS SEPARATED TWO ITEMS, C SEVEN M AS IN MARY, C SEVEN Z AS IN ZEBRA.
SO AGAIN, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, C SEVEN MC SEVEN Z.
ALSO, THE MAYOR HAS NOT APPROVED THE ADDENDUM ITEMS. THOSE WILL BE HEARD AFTER 5:00 PM UH, SO IF I COULD HAVE A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, EXCLUDING THE, THE, UH, ADDENDUM ITEMS AND EXCLUDING THE CONSENT, THE SEPARATED ITEMS, I'LL MOVE THE AGENDA.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS IS AYE, AS OF SEVEN ZERO.
IN THE SPIRIT OF PROMOTING OUR CITY AS A HEALTHY AND FITNESS CITY, AND WE'RE CONTINUING ON THAT TREND, I'M GONNA CALL ITEM R NINE.
[R9 AC DISCUSS/TAKE ACTION: DEVELOP AND ISSUE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A PADEL FACILITY ON ONE OF THE SURFACE LOTS ABUTTING LINCOLN LANE.]
AC.RFP FOR CO CONSTRUCTION OPERATION OF PODELL FACILITY ON LINCOLN LANE.
IT IS, UH, MAGAZINE AND SUAREZ, RAR NINE AC COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
UH, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S BEEN AN ITEM I'VE BEEN MORE EXCITED ABOUT TO,
[00:45:01]
UH, PRESENT TO MY COLLEAGUES INTO THE COMMUNITY.AND I'M NOT SURE IF, UH, IN THE PAST FEW YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED, WE'VE SEEN MORE OUTREACH TO US FOR AN ITEM IN SUPPORT OF SOMETHING.
UH, MY IDEA HERE, AND PJ, FEEL FREE WHENEVER YOU'RE ABLE TO, UH, PIGGYBACKING ON MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, UH, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ'S POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS, BUT JUST WANT TO RUN THROUGH SOME THINGS.
UM, THE GOAL HERE IS ESSENTIALLY TO ISSUE AN RFP, UH, AN RFP FOR THE LINCOLN LANE LOT, LOT P 27, THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY TRANSFORM A CITY SURFACE PARKING LOT INTO A PREMIER PADDLE FACILITY.
UH, AS A BIT OF BACKGROUND, PADDLE IS NOW THE FASTEST GROWING SPORT IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.
IT HAS JUST TAKEN OFF LAKE FIRE.
UH, IT IS LARGELY POPULAR SOUTH AMERICA IN EUROPE.
IT'S THE SECOND MOST POPULAR SPORT IN SPAIN.
OVER 2 MILLION PEOPLE PLAYED IN ARGENTINA.
AND IT IS TAKING, UH, OUR TOWN BY FIRE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS STAYING IN 2032.
PIEL IS LOOKING TO BE AN OLYMPIC SPORT, WHICH WILL EVEN INCREASE ITS APPEAL.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M LOOKING TO BRING THIS TO LINCOLN ROAD IS, UH, THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND THE CATALYST TO BRING PEOPLE, EVENTS, LIVELIHOOD, VIBRANCY BACK TO OUR CITY.
THE ONLY, THE ONLY DOWNFALL OR CAVEAT THAT I WAS ABLE TO ESSENTIALLY, UH, COME UP WITH IN ANALYZING THIS, TALKING TO OUR STAFF AND TALKING TO OUR COLLEAGUES IS THE PARKING THAT WE WOULD GIVE UP.
HOWEVER, UH, AFTER A VERY, VERY COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ANALYSIS, I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ALREADY AMPLE PARKING IN THE AREA THAT WE'RE GOING TO OUTLINE.
AND WE'VE ALSO, UH, GOTTEN CONFIRMATION THAT WAS SENT TO ALL OF US BY THE PROPERTY OWNER OF A BUILDING RIGHT NEXT DOOR, UH, THAT WOULD ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS OR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY TO PROVIDE THE RELIEF OF ANY PARKING.
SO MAYBE IF WE COULD JUST GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, BUT I WANTED THIS TO BE INTERACTIVE FOR ANYBODY THAT HASN'T BEEN FOLLOWING ALONG THE LIFESTYLE AND THE BRAND THAT THIS BRINGS TO AREAS, UH, JUST, UM, PJ WE'LL GO NEXT.
UH, THE ACTIVATION IS EXACTLY IN LINE WITH WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH, UH, BLUE CITIES WITH OUR HEALTH AND WELLNESS INITIATIVE.
AND THIS IS A SPORT THAT REALLY, REALLY THREADS THE NEEDLE BEHIND NOT JUST HEALTH AND WELLNESS, BUT THE SOCIAL ASPECT AS WELL.
IN FACT, OVER 40% OF ALL ACTIVE PIEL PLAYERS ARE ACTUALLY FEMALE COMPARED TO ONLY 15% FOR TENNIS.
UH, SO THINK, UH, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT THIS SPORT IS, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, HAVEN'T BEEN FOLLOWING ALONG, IT'S ESSENTIALLY, IT COMBINES THE FINESSE OF TENNIS WITH THE ENCLOSED COURT OF SQUASH.
AND WHY THINK THIS IS SO APPEALING TO LINCOLN ROAD IS BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING.
THIS HAS, THIS TURNS INTO A VERY SOCIAL ASPECT.
IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THESE FACILITIES, UH, THEIR CITY OF MIAMI HAS GIVEN A, UH, GROUND LEASE, UH, OF ONE OF THEIR PREEMINENT PIECES OF PROPERTY OUT BY THE MIAMI SEAPLANE, RIGHT BY THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, UH, TO HAVE ONE OF THESE FACILITIES.
AND IT IS JUST WILDLY POPULAR, THE TYPES OF EVENTS THEY'RE ABLE TO HAVE THERE.
THIS PAST WEEKEND, CELSIUS ENERGY DRINK, UH, SPONSORED, UH, HUGE EVENTS THAT JUST ATTRACTED SUCH A GREAT CROWD.
IT, IT IS FREQUENTED BY THE LIKES OF DEREK JETER, DAVID BECKHAM, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST, UH, EPITOMIZED MIAMI AND THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS FACILITY AS WELL.
UM, IT'S A GAME THAT REALLY, REALLY FACILITATES TEAMWORK.
UH, AND THE LEARNING CURVE IS NOT NEARLY AS STEEP AS A GAME LIKE TENNIS.
IT'S MUCH MORE FORGIVING AFTER, UH, GETTING OUT THERE FOR A HALF HOUR.
UM, I'M JUST STARTING TO PLAY MYSELF.
UH, YOU'RE ABLE TO PICK IT UP.
MY 7-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER'S TAKING LESSONS AND SHE'S GOTTEN INTO IT AND IS FREQUENTED BY OLD PEOPLE AGAIN, OF ALL GENDERS.
SO REALLY IT PROVIDES A VERY, VERY EASY AND APPROACHABLE, UH, FACILITY AND AMENITY FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND TA ALIKE.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS I VIEW THINGS, A SURFACE PARKING LOT IS AMONGST THE LEAST PROGRESSIVE LAND USES, UH, THAT WE CAN HAVE.
UM, HOWEVER, WE'RE NOT ABANDONING THAT ENTIRELY.
WE HAVE AMPLE AMOUNTS OF THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN SURFACE PARKING LOTS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF LINCOLN ROAD.
WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN A SURFACE PARKING LOT ON, UH, BEHIND THE APPLE STORE AS WELL.
THIS IS JUST TAKING ONE OF THOSE FACILITIES AND CONVERTING IT INTO SOMETHING THAT IS A HEALTH AND WELLNESS AMENITY FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
IT'S AN ACTIVATION ON LINCOLN ROAD THAT'S GOING TO, UH, STIMULATE SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, DIVERSIFYING AWAY FROM WHAT HAS JUST REALLY LARGELY BEEN TRADITIONAL RESTAURANT IN RETAIL.
UH, WE CAN ONLY HAVE SO MANY RESTAURANTS.
WE CAN ONLY HAVE SO MUCH RETAIL.
WE NEED ACTIVATIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A DESTINATION FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO LINCOLN ROAD, AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO FREQUENT THINGS.
I GOT A CALL YESTERDAY FROM A GENTLEMAN THAT INITIALLY WAS THE ONLY PERSON WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM THAT WAS HESITANT.
UM, AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THERE.
AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS INTENDED TO DO.
[00:50:01]
A STORE LIKE BOOKS AND BOOKS, RIGHT? WHEN TOURISTS COME HERE, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT BOOKS AND BOOKS ARE WHO FREQUENTED, UH, CAFE LAKE BOOKS AND BOOKS.IT'S THE RESIDENTS, IT'S OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THIS IS EXACTLY THAT TYPE OF SMALL MOM AND POP BUSINESS.
THAT BRINGING PADDLE FACILITY TO LINCOLN ROAD.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP BECAUSE AFTER, UH, GROUPS OF 8, 10, 12 PEOPLE PLAY AN HOUR ON A SUNDAY, THEN THEY WALK A BLOCK AWAY AND GO HAVE CAFES AT OUR SMALL MOM AND POP BUSINESSES.
SO THE INTENT OF THIS, I COULD HAVE CHOSEN ANYWHERE IN THE CITY TO PUT THIS OR TO OFFER A PROPOSAL, BUT LINCOLN ROAD IS THE ECONOMIC BACKBONE OF OUR CITY, AND THIS WILL BE THE MOST TRANSFORMATIVE ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR LINCOLN ROAD THAT I'VE SEEN.
IF WE COULD GO, UH, NEXT, THIS IS JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF THE SIMILAR VENUES NEARBY.
THERE'S ONLY ONE FACILITY BECAUSE OF HOW CONSTRAINED WE ARE, UH, BY LAND IN MIAMI BEACH, UH, THAT'S A NEW FACILITY THAT JUST OPENED IN SUNSET HARBOR, UM, UH, CALLED SUNSET PADDLE.
THAT'S A PRIVATE MEMBERS ONLY FACILITY.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT A MEMBER THERE PAYING SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS PER MONTH OR EVEN TENS OF THOUSANDS FOR FOUNDING MEMBERSHIPS, UH, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THAT AND YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO PLAY THAT.
SO IT'S REALLY A SPORT RIGHT NOW THAT IS NOT ACCESSIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY IN MIAMI BEACH.
AND ALL THE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AND PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT, UH, BASICALLY HAVE MADE THIS GAME A LIFESTYLE EVERY SINGLE DAY, EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND, HAVE TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY.
UH, IF YOU LOOK OVER TO THE RIGHT AND, UH, TO NOTE, UH, SUNSET PADDLE ALSO HAS A 750 PERSON WAIT LIST, 750 PEOPLE WILLING TO PAY $400 A MONTH, UH, JUST FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLACE.
SO THAT REALLY SPEAKS ON THE DEMAND THAT IS THERE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE HERE TO THE RIGHT PICTURE THAT RIGHT OFF OF LINCOLN ROAD, THIS IS AESTHETICALLY BEAUTIFUL.
IT WILL ENHANCE THE APPEAL OF OUR CITY AND CREATE A VIBRANCY AND ENERGY THAT HAS JUST BEEN LACKING FOR WHAT IS THE ECONOMIC DRIVER OF OUR CITY.
THIS WILL RESTORE TO A PLACE WE CAN ALL BE PROUD.
AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, THE PICTURE TO THE RIGHT IS OVER IN THE DESIGN DISTRICT.
CRAIG ROBBINS ACTUALLY JUST GAVE AWAY LAND TO ONE OF THE PREEMINENT OPERATORS OF THIS FACILITY BECAUSE OF WHAT THIS MEANS TO THAT DISTRICT, BECAUSE OF THE CROWD THAT IT GENERATES, THE EVENTS THAT THEY HAVE THERE AND THE BRANDING THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO JUST GET THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
UM, PARKING, UH, WE, WE CAN ANALYZE THIS IF ANYBODY HAS MORE QUESTIONS, BUT WE HAVE SO MUCH PARKING IN THIS IMMEDIATE AREA.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE TRULY APPRECIATE IT WITHIN ONE BLOCK, WITHIN ONE BLOCK OF THE SURFACE PARKING LOT THAT, UH, WE ARE, UH, REFERENCING HERE.
WE HAVE A 1400 SPOT MUNICIPAL GARAGE THAT HAS ABOUT 50% OCCUPANCY, AND THAT'S EVEN DURING PEAK TIMES.
OKAY? RIGHT TO THE EAST OF THAT, THE NEW WORLD SYMPHONY.
WE HAVE A 500 PARKING SPOT GARAGE THAT HAS A 25% OCCUPANCY.
THINK ABOUT HOW MANY HUNDREDS AND EVEN THOUSANDS OF PARKING SPOTS THAT SIT EMPTY AND INACTIVATED.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE AN AMENITY HERE CLOSE BY THAT WILL ACTIVATE A HEALTH AND WELLNESS ACTIVITY FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ALL RECEIVED AN EMAIL YESTERDAY FROM THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF AN OFFICE BUILDING THAT IS 20 FEET ADJACENT AND ABUTS THIS SURFACE PARKING LOT.
HE OWNS THE BUILDING AND HE CONVEYED HIS FULL SUPPORT OF THIS BECAUSE OF WHAT THAT WILL MEAN FOR HIS OFFICE TENNIS PJ I'M GONNA GO ONE MORE SLIDE AFTER THAT.
UH, BECAUSE OF WHAT THAT WILL MEAN FOR THE ECONOMIC, UH, VIBRANCY AND ENERGY FOR THE AREA.
HE HAS 700 PARKING SPOTS IN HIS FACILITY, 700 WITH A UTILIZATION THAT IS CONSISTENTLY UNDER 40%.
SO HE PUT, UH, FORWARD GOOD FAITH EFFORTS THAT HE'S HAPPY TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS OR DISCUSSIONS WITH US ABOUT HOW WE CAN RELIEVE ANY AND ALL LOST PARKING THAT WOULD RESULT FROM THIS PJ.
SO ALSO, WE DID, UM, AN RFP FOR LOTS ON LINCOLN LANE THAT THE VOTERS REJECTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
AND I JUST WANT TO GET RIGHT OUT IN FRONT ABOUT HOW THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THAT.
UM, AND I LOOKED AT WHAT'S SOME OF THE PUSHBACK AGAINST THAT WAS, I'D SAY DEVELOPMENT DEAL.
PEOPLE ARE PROFITING OFF OF THIS.
UH, THIS ISN'T FOR OUR COMMUNITY, THIS ISN'T FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
THIS ABSOLUTELY IS NOT A DEVELOPMENT DEAL.
THERE WILL BE MINIMAL, UH, BUILD OUT THAT GOES ON HERE, STRUCTURES THAT WILL NOT BE LONG LASTING, RIGHT? THIS IS A BUILD OUT JUST LIKE A PARK AND REC, UH, FACILITY.
AND WHILE A PRIVATE OPERATOR WILL BE SELECTED THROUGH A VERY PUBLIC RFP PROCESS, IT, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THIS FACILITY.
THIS IS THE SAME OPERATING MODEL FOR PUBLIC PLACES LIKE NIKKI BEACH, NORTH BEACH, BANDSHELL, BYRON CARLE, OR WHERE THE CITY OWNS RETAIL.
AND WE LEASE IT OUT TO GREAT OPERATORS
[00:55:01]
LIKE YUKON 1 0 5.THIS IS THE EXACT SAME BUSINESS MODEL THAT WE EMPLOY ALL OVER OUR CITY.
THIS ABSOLUTELY IS NOT ANY TYPE OF LAND GIVEAWAY.
THE LEASE TERM FOR THIS DEAL WILL BE UNDER 10 YEARS.
SO THE SELECTED OPERATOR WILL HAVE TO INVEST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BUILDING THE FACILITY OUT WITH THEIR PRIVATE MONEY, OPERATE THE FACILITY, AND IT'S GOING TO BE FOR A TERM OF LESS THAN 10 YEARS.
PREVIOUS PROPOSALS FOR THE RFP THAT WERE REJECTED WERE 99 YEARS BY ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES THAT WAS GIVING THAT LAND AWAY.
THIS IS NOT, THIS IS JUST ESSENTIALLY ENTERING INTO A LEASE WHERE THE CITY WILL RECEIVE RENT PAYMENTS FOR A DURATION OF LESS THAN 10 YEARS.
AND THIS FACILITY WILL NOT FURTHER STRAIN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
LIKE PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED WITH PUTTING PARKING LOTS RIGHT OFF OF ALREADY CONGESTED 17TH STREET.
THIS WILL BE UTILIZED BY RESIDENTS AND VISITORS THAT ARE ALREADY IN OUR CITY, MANY OF WHOM ALREADY CURRENTLY LIVE ON MIAMI BEACH, ARE VISITING MIAMI BEACH, AND RIGHT NOW LEAVE TO ESSENTIALLY GO PLAY IN OTHER CITIES.
UM, I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
UH, I I JUST THINK ABOUT WHEN WE ALL LEAVE ON LUNCH OR LEAVE AFTER THIS, INSTEAD OF WALKING BY MORE CONCRETE, MORE ASPHALT, THINK ABOUT THE PROGRESSIVE NATURE AND THE ENERGY AND VIBRANCY THAT THIS WILL BRING, UH, UH, ALL DAY, ALL WEEKEND ACTIVATION OF PEOPLE OUTLIVING THAT HEALTH AND WELLNESS LIFESTYLE THAT MIAMI BEACH IS LOOKING TO BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH.
AND I THINK THAT WILL REALLY FURTHER THAT AGENDA.
SO, UH, MR. MAYOR, I APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES, UH, TIME AND THOUGHT GOING INTO THIS.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO THE GROUP TO DISCUSS.
I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED WHEN COMMISSIONER SUAREZ SIGNED UP AS A CO-SPONSOR, THERE'D BE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION INVOLVED, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I'M GONNA SIGN UP AS A CO-SPONSOR AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER SUAREZ? YEAH, JUST, I JUST QUICKLY WANNA STATE AS THE FITNESS COMMISSIONER, UH,
I, I THINK, UM, I THINK WHAT A GREAT WAY TO ACTIVATE LINCOLN ROAD.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT IS STRUGGLING AND WHAT A WAY TO BRING PEOPLE FROM, YOU KNOW, ALL OVER THE COUNTY TO, TO THIS SPOT AND TO NEXT TO LINCOLN ROAD, WHICH, WHICH, WHICH COULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM, UM, FROM THIS FACILITY.
UM, SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT PARKING ANALYSIS.
THE FACT THAT WE'RE UNDER 50% ON MOST OF THESE GARAGES JUST SHOWS THAT WE HAVE PLENTY OF PARKING AND, UH, THE, THE SURFACE LOT IS REALLY NOT A GOOD USE OF, OF PUBLIC SPACES.
AND THE MORE WE CAN REALLY ACTIVATE LINCOLN ROAD WITH SUCH A SPACE IS SUCH A GREAT AND UNIQUE IDEA.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS.
THAT'S WHY I BECAME A CO-SPONSOR.
AND SO YOU HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
I THINK THIS IS VERY EXCITING.
IT BRINGS, UH, BRINGS GREAT ENERGY, UH, TO AN AREA OF OUR CITY, UH, THAT I THINK WILL BE VERY ORGANICALLY GENERATED.
UH, AND, UH, AND I, AND I SENSE THE, THE EXCITEMENT IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE MOTION TODAY IS TO ASK THE ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP AN RFP AND THEN HAVE THAT R-F-P-R-F-P UH, LANGUAGE COME BACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
AND, AND THE GOAL IS TO BRING THAT BACK FOR OUR SECOND MEETING IN FEBRUARY.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SUGGEST IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK, UH, THE, UH, PRIVATE PADDLE CLUB, UH, THAT IS, UH, IN SUNSET HARBOR, I THINK THEIR MEMBERSHIPS, UH, I'VE HEARD ARE LIKE $350.
I, I HEARD SOMEONE ELSE MENTION $700.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE TRY TO BE AS INCLUSIVE AS WE CAN TO THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT THE RFP LANGUAGE TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION MAKING SURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE OF ALL MEANS IN OUR COMMUNITY, HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACCESS, UH, THIS, UH, THIS FACILITY.
UM, AND THE, AND THE OTHER THING I WOULD JUST, UM, MENTION, THERE'S ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO GIVE THE MARKET SOME FLEXIBILITY.
UM, I THINK P 27 IS GREAT, UH, BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT THERE IN THE HEART OF LINCOLN ROAD.
IT IS THERE IN THE, IN, IN THE BEATING HEART, IN THE, IN THE CENTER OF IT.
UH, THERE'S ALSO P 26 THAT IS ALSO VERY UNDER UTILIZED.
I THINK THAT THAT HAS A UTILIZATION RATE, UH, BETWEEN 50 TO 69%.
UM, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, GIVE THE MARKET TWO OPTIONS.
ASK THE MARKET, HEY, DO YOU WANT TO DO P 27? OR DO YOU WANT TO DO P 26? UH, SO THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, GRAVITATE TO WHERE THEY FEEL, UH, IT COULD WORK BEST.
[01:00:01]
MS. VICE MAYOR? UH, IF, IF I COULD IN RESPONSE, UH, ONE, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON THE FIRST POINT.SO, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER OPERATORS, THIS WILL BE AN OPEN RFP.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LOOK, UH, WHEN EVALUATING IS THE PUBLIC BENEFIT AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY MM-HMM
THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL OPERATOR IS ABLE TO USE.
I KNOW, UH, THE OPERATOR FOR THE, UH, SPACE OVER ON THE CITY OF MIAMI LAND, UH, THEY DO HAVE A OPEN STYLE OF PLAY, UH, THAT'S AVAILABLE.
THEY DO HAVE, UH, A MEMBERSHIP TYPE WHERE IT GIVES YOU MAYBE FIRST ACCESS TO SOME OF THE PEAK TIMES, BUT YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A MEMBER TO PLAY.
SO I THINK, UH, A BUSINESS MODEL LIKE THAT WOULD BE REALLY CONDUCIVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND OF COURSE, WE WOULD LOOK, UH, I WOULD HOPE TO SEE, UH, RESPONSES FROM OPERATORS SUCH AS KIDS CLINICS, UH, FACILITIES DURING NON-PEAK TIMES FOR, UH, THE OLDER COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE OF LESSER MEANS.
SO, UH, JUST LIKE YOU SAID WITH, UH, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, GIVING SOME FLEXIBILITY, UH, CERTAINLY I, I, AND I THINK ALL OF US WOULD LOOK TO SEE THE PUBLIC BENEFITS, UH, MOST NOTABLY ACCESSIBILITY THAT THE OPERATORS WOULD, UH, ESSENTIALLY SEEK AND RETURN.
AND, UH, FOR YOUR SECOND POINT, I, I TOTALLY AGREE.
I DON'T WANT TO, UH, PAINT, UH, US OR ANY OPERATOR INTO A CORNER.
SO IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO SUBMIT A RFP PROPOSAL TO SEE WHAT P 26 WOULD LOOK LIKE, I, I'D BE HAPPY TO, UH, OPEN IT UP TO THOSE TWO FACILITIES.
AND, AND, AND MY LAST POINT, UH, IS, IS GOING TO BE, UH, WE ALL RECEIVED, AS YOU, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE, THE, THE EMAIL I, I ABOUT, UM, THE 400 UNDERUTILIZED PARKING SPACES IN A PRIVATE GARAGE.
UH, AND I THINK, UH, AS WE, AS THIS MOVES FORWARD, HOPEFULLY IN FEBRUARY, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE A WELL STRUCTURED RFP THAT WE CAN ALL, UH, CONSIDER AND, AND, AND APPROVE.
UM, BUT, BUT AS THAT MOVES FORWARD, YOU KNOW, JUST ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, ENGAGE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
SEE, SEE IF THAT, UM, BUILDING OWNER IS WILLING TO MAKE THOSE PARKING SPACES AVAILABLE, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AT THE SAME RATE THAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR NOW IN THE, IN THE, UH, IN THE SURFACE LOT.
BECAUSE I THINK YOU ARE SPOT ON TO SOMETHING THAT COULD BE GREAT AS AN ECONOMIC GENERATOR, UH, AND AS A GENERATOR OF OUR BRAND, ENHANCING OUR BRAND AS A HEALTHY COMMUNITY AND AS A DESTINATION FOR, FOR, FOR ACTIVE ACTIVITY.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS, THIS IS GREAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OUTCOME OF YOUR CREATIVITY HERE.
I, I ALMOST HEARD, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO CO-SPONSORING THIS, BUT I, I COULD HAVE BEEN MISTAKEN.
I'LL JOIN C COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ CO.
I'M UNDER, UM, I JUST HAD A FEW, UH, FINANCIAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT PARKING LOT.
FIRST I WANTED TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH REVENUE DOES IT GENERATE PER YEAR, BECAUSE I THINK AS PART OF THE RFP, WE HAVE TO RELEASE, RECUPERATE WHAT WE'RE BRINGING IN RIGHT NOW.
SO, AND JOSE, YOU CAN ANSWER, BUT I BELIEVE, UH, UPWARDS OF ABOUT 650 TO $700,000.
SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, ARE THEY WILLING TO, AT LEAST IF THEY'RE NOT PAYING FOR THE LAND, UM, ARE THEY WILLING TO GIVE US A MINIMUM GUARANTEE OF 650 TO $700,000 PER YEAR BECAUSE OF THE FACT, WHAT, FIRST, WHAT IS THE REVENUE ON 27? AND DO YOU HAVE THE REVENUE FOR 26 TOO? FOR, UM, GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR COMMISSIONERS, JOSE GONZALEZ, TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR AND INTERIM PARKING DIRECTOR, UH, FOR P 27, IT'S 718,000 APPROXIMATELY, UH, FOR 2024, 750,000 IN REVENUES.
SO, I MEAN, EVEN, OKAY, LET'S SAY THAT FOR ECONOMIC BENEFITS, WE GAVE UP 50% OF OUR REVENUE, WHICH WELL, GIVING UP 50% OF OUR REVENUE HURT, UM, THE PARKING DEPARTMENT IN ANY WAY, ANY REVENUE LOSS WOULD.
YEAH, I MEAN, I JUST, I WONDER, OKAY, THIS SEVEN 50, I MEAN, IN THIS RFP, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEMAND AT LEAST 50% OF CURRENT REVENUE.
UM, I THINK WE SHOULD DEMAND A HUNDRED PERCENT OF WHAT WE'RE BRINGING IN RIGHT NOW.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROJECTED REVENUE IS ON THAT, BUT WE DON'T WANNA GO INTO A REVENUE DEFICIT, ESPECIALLY SINCE IF THERE'S NO UPFRONT PAYMENT, SO BASED ON THE SEVEN 50, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GUYS FEEL ABOUT THIS, THAT WOULD BE A RENT OF ABOUT $62,000 PER MONTH.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S VIABLE OR NOT, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WORTH.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO DEMAND THAT WE AT LEAST RECUPERATE OUR REVENUE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT.
WAIT, I HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT I
NUMBER TWO, UM, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, I CERTAINLY WANT A, UM, PUBLIC BENEFIT.
AND NUMBER THREE, I KEEP HEARING, UH, ARGUMENTS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARKING IN SOUTH BEACH, ESPECIALLY FROM RESIDENTS, BUT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, EVERYTHING IS SUPPOSEDLY LIKE UNDERUTILIZED.
SO ARE THESE LOTS UNDERUTILIZED? BECAUSE THAT IS A KEY LOT, JOSE, AND I'M JUST TRYING
[01:05:01]
TO UNDERSTAND THAT.I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO, AND YOU'RE GONNA TELL ME FOR THIS, BUT BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME THAT IT COMES UP IN FEBRUARY, I WOULD LIKE TO DO SOME, AT LEAST ONE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, ESPECIALLY FOR THE BUSINESSES LIKE SAM DONALDSON AND THESE OTHER, I MEAN, EVERYONE GETS THEIR HAIR DONE THERE.
IF I SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GUY AT THE, TO THE OWNER OF SUSHI BEACHY WHEN WE TOOK AWAY THE MUNICIPAL PARKING, LIKE, LIKE DESPERATION.
SO IN THE SPIRIT OF, UH, SUPPORTING BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR DECADES, NUMBER ONE, I THINK THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS, BUT YOU HAVE TO LET THE BUSINESSES KNOW, NUMBER TWO, RECUPERATE SOME PORTION OF OUR REVENUE.
AND MAYBE YOU SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND HAVE A CONVERSATION, UM, ABOUT THIS.
AND NUMBER THREE, A SUPER PUBLIC BENEFIT.
AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE A NEGATIVE NELLY.
I'M JUST TRYING TO, UH, PROTECT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, BE A STEWARD OF THE FIDUCIARY.
I UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS ARE NOT ALWAYS IN DOLLARS, RIGHT? UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT THIS FACILITY IS GONNA GENERATE, UM, IT'S GOING TO, DID YOU HAVE PROJECTED REVENUE FOR THE FACILITY? HAVE THEY SHOWED YOU? AND OH, AS PART OF THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE PROJECTED REVENUE IS OF A CURRENT PADEL FACILITY THAT THE COMPANY OWNS.
SIMILARLY, BECAUSE WE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE SOME SORT OF PERCENTAGE OF THE, EITHER, EITHER WE ENTER INTO A PARTNERSHIP 50 50 'CAUSE THEY'RE GETTING THIS LAND, OR WE AT LEAST RECUPERATE OUR REVENUE, ONE OF THE TWO.
SO LET'S DO THIS, BUT LET'S DO IT IN A WAY THAT'S FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE IN, IN, IN MY OPINION.
MR. MR. MAYOR, IF I COULD, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
AND I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UH, THE ONE THING I WILL NOTE IS THERE'S NOT A THEY YET, RIGHT? SO THIS WILL BE A PUBLIC RFP PROCESS.
I'VE JUST HIGHLIGHTED SOME OPERATORS, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD ANY SUBSTANTIAL TALKS WITH ANYBODY SAYING EXACTLY WHAT THAT BUSINESS MODEL WILL LOOK LIKE.
SO, UH, WITHOUT PAINTING OURSELVES INTO A CORNER, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THE OPEN RFP PROCESS IS WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT THE BEST MIX OF PUBLIC BENEFITS, THE REVENUE THAT WE'RE RECEIVING BACK INTO OUR CITY, WHAT THAT ACTIVATION WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, BUT OF COURSE, IS SOMEBODY THAT IS VERY, UH, FISCALLY CONSCIOUS.
UH, I, I DO WANT TO SEE, UH, SOME SORT OF RETURN ON, UM, LEASING AWAY THIS, UH, PRIME SPACE, UH, WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
I THINK WE LEAVE IT FOR THE MARKET.
AND LISTEN, IF, UH, WE HAVE FOUR OPERATORS THAT COME BACK AND SAY, NO, WE ACTUALLY NEED YOU TO PAY ME.
UH, I'M NOT SO DOGMATIC TO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE NEED TO DO THIS COME HELL OR HIGH WATER.
UH, WE COULD EVALUATE THAT WHEN WE ACTUALLY GET THE TERMS BACK.
UM, BUT I THINK, UH, WE OPEN THIS UP TO SEE ESSENTIALLY, UH, WHAT THAT HEALTHY MIX OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS, REVENUE THAT WE'RE RECEIVING AND THE ECONOMIC, UH, BOON THAT THIS WOULD BE THE LINCOLN ROAD WILL LOOK LIKE.
UM, I, I THINK WHAT I THINK THE, WHAT'S BEING LOST HERE IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE UNDERUTILIZED PARKING LOTS.
COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ, UM, THEY'RE UNDERUTILIZED UNDER 50%.
SO IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA PARK IN THE SURFACE PARKING LOT, THEY'RE GONNA PARK IN THE GARAGES, WHICH HAVE PLENTY OF AVAILABLE PARKING.
AND SO THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT THE SPACE, THE SURFACE LOT, IT'S NOT A GOOD USE OF, OF TAXPAYER, UH, RIGHT OF WAY OR PROPERTY, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT CAN BE ACTIVATED TO BRING SUCH A, A, A UNIQUE, UH, CROWD, UH, TO, TO LINCOLN ROAD.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY, ANY ECONOMIC, ECONOMIC IMPACT.
UM, THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY CAN EITHER PARK IN THE LOT OR THE GARAGE.
IF THE LOT IS GONNA BE A PADDLE COURT, THEY'LL NATURALLY GO INTO THE GARAGE, WHICH HAS PLENTY OF AVAILABLE PARKING.
SO, I, I, I DON'T SEE ANY SORT OF, UM, ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THAT.
AND, AND LOOK, I, I THINK ALSO COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO PAINT OURSELVES IN A PICTURE.
I THINK THAT'S WHY WE HAVE AN RFP PROCESS.
THE RFP PROCESS IS GOING TO, UH, LET US SEE WHAT THE BEST QUALIFIED, UM, PLAN IS FOR, FOR THE CITY.
UH, AND IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WE GET TO DECIDE THAT.
SO I THINK THIS IS, UH, AGAIN, AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
AND I, I DON'T, CERTAINLY DON'T SEE AN ECONOMIC IMPACT CONSIDERING WE HAVE SO MUCH UNDERUTILIZED PARKING GARAGES.
I'M GONNA HAVE COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ SPEAK AND THEN CALL TO VOTE.
UH, SO I REALLY LIKE THIS IDEA.
I THINK IT'S A POSITIVE STEP FOR LINCOLN ROAD.
I TOO WORRY ABOUT, UH, THE LOSS OF PARKING.
[01:10:01]
LOT IN PARTICULAR THAT'S BEING MENTIONED, MAYBE UNDERUTILIZED, UM, IT IS UTILIZED QUITE A BIT.I MEAN, PEOPLE GO TO THE DENTIST, GET THEIR HAIR DONE, GO SHOPPING, GRAB LUNCH, UH, THERE'S AN OFFICE BUILDING ON MICHIGAN.
SO WHILE THERE IS A GARAGE A COUPLE BLOCKS UP, IT'S HOT, IT'S HUMID HERE, IT RAINS.
AND SO IT, IT CHANGES THINGS FOR THE RESIDENTS.
UM, BUT I AM VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE RFP AND TALKING THROUGH THIS FURTHER AND GETTING SOMETHING DONE TO HELP REVITALIZE THAT AREA.
I HAVE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ ON R NINE AC.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
JUST, JUST A QUESTION, JUST A QUESTION ON THAT.
WELL, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT INCLUDES THAT THE RFP INCLUDES, UH, YOU KNOW, THE OPTION OF THE TWO LOTS, THE ISSUE ON, ON AFFORDABILITY, UM, AND I THINK THERE WAS A THIRD THING I HAD MENTIONED.
COMMUNITY BENEFIT ACCESSIBILITY, RIGHT? THE, THE, THE ACCESSIBILITY.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT STAFF HAS, HAS THAT IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE ARC.
YOU MENTION ROSE GONZALEZ, AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHOEVER IS BIDDING FOR THIS IS GOING TO REPLACE THE REVENUE.
LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST GET IT TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER.
IF THE REVENUE'S 750,000, THAT SHOULD BE LIKE A MINIMUM, SHOULD BE THE MINIMUM BID ON THIS, WHICH IS A LITTLE OVER, IT'S A COUPLE THOUSAND, YOU KNOW, A $1,500 A DAY, 1750, I MEAN, LIKE FOR IN ORDER, I MEAN THAT LOT RIGHT THERE.
HOW MANY SPACES IS IN IT? WELL, IF I COULD, COMMISSIONER, WAIT, CAN I, CAN I JUST, I'M ASKING THIS QUESTION.
WE JUST REALIZED THAT EVERY PARKING SPACE IS COST COSTING US $55,000, RIGHT? SO HOW MANY SPACES ARE IN THAT LOT? 150 SPACES.
SO IT'S WORTH, SO JUST THOSE PARKING SPACES ALONE ARE WORTH $8,250,000.
AND THE LAND VALUE ON THE LOT, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT IS? DOES IT MATTER? I WE'RE JUST LEASING THIS.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER AS WE'RE SITTING HERE TODAY.
UM, CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT.
BUT ULTIMATELY, THIS IS REALLY A, IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, AS A SHORT TERM LEASE.
UM, WHILE WE'RE EVALUATING WHAT WE MIGHT WANT TO DO WITH THESE LOTS LONG TERM, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE, WOULD YOU CONSIDER A FIVE YEAR OPTION IN THIS RFP? JUST TO SEE HOW IT GOES.
SO IT'S NOT THAT I WOULD NOT CONSIDER IT, BUT WHERE YOU GET INTO ISSUES THERE IS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE VERY HESITANT TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT.
SO THE PRIVATE OPERATOR IS GOING TO HAVE TO INVEST MILLIONS, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THIS, AND TO TRY AND RECOVER THAT.
ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE NOT MAXIMIZING THEIR REVENUE THROUGH $500 A MONTH MEMBERSHIPS, THEY'RE GONNA BE VERY HESITANT FROM A, A BUSINESS STANDPOINT TO ESSENTIALLY, UM, MAKE THAT INVESTMENT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS, I DIDN'T SEEK OUT THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE HERE, RIGHT, IN TERMS OF MAXIMIZING REVENUE.
IF WE WANTED TO DO THAT, WE COULD SELL THIS FOR AN OFFICE OR FOR, YOU KNOW, HOUSING OR FOR LUXURY HOUSING.
BUT THIS IS A COMMUNITY AMENITY.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE PROVIDING THOSE, IT'S FOR THE ANCILLARY AND SECONDARY BENEFITS, AND IT'S NOT LOOKING TO ACHIEVE THAT HIGHEST AND BEST USE.
SO WHILE, YES, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REPLACE SOME OF THAT REVENUE FOR PARKING ONE, NOT ALL THAT REVENUE WILL BE LOST BECAUSE IT'LL BE SIMPLY SHIFTED INTO OTHER LOTS WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PARK, RIGHT? IT'S NOT AS IF OUR OVERALL PARKING REVENUE IS GOING TO DROP BY THIS AMOUNT.
IT'LL JUST BE SHIFTED TO ANOTHER LOT OR TO ANOTHER FACILITY.
AND SECONDLY, PART OF THIS IS NOT SEEKING THE HIGHEST AND BEST REVENUE USE, IT'S REALLY DOING WHAT'S BEST IN PROVIDING AMENITY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT AS PART OF THE BID, THE MINIMUM GUARANTEE SHOULD BE REPLACEMENT OF REVENUE.
AND THEN THERE SHOULD BE ABOVE AND BEYOND IF PEOPLE WANT SOME SORT OF PERCENTAGE RENT WITH A CAP ON IT.
I UNDERSTAND THE, THE ECONOMICS BEHIND IT, BUT I THINK THEY REALLY NEED LIKE, SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS AS TO, UM, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THAT LAND.
JUST BECAUSE IT'S IT'S BIG PARKING LOT
YEAH, I, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT, I DON'T ALWAYS USE ALL OF OUR SURFACE PARKING LOTS, BUT I KNOW THAT AS A RESIDENT, I DO USE THAT ONE VERY OFTEN.
SO I, I DO KNOW THAT IT'S, THIS IS BA I'M GONNA VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO, WE REALIZE THAT IT REALLY ISN'T ABOUT THE REVENUE, IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE FACILITY OF BEING ABLE TO PULL UP.
UM, COULD I GO FOR SUGGESTION? ESPECIALLY LIKE HARRY'S PIZZA, I WORRY ABOUT MCDONALD'S AND PEOPLE GETTING THEIR HAIR.
JUST YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO SUSHI, BEACHY AND I WE'RE HERE, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS AGAIN.
I JUST WISH THERE'S, IS THERE ANY OTHER LOT ON LINCOLN ROAD? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.
THAT YOU COULD EXPLORE WHY THERE'S ONE, LET'S, WHY WE LET EITHER IN FAVOR OR,
[01:15:01]
OR NOT.AND I WAS JUST GONNA SUGGEST MAYBE ASK THE ADMINISTRATION JUST TO, AS PART OF THE DRAFT, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH A MINIMUM AMOUNT GUARANTEE, BUT FOR THEM TO BE PROFESSIONALLY DRIVEN, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA LOSE ALL OF THE REVENUE.
THE CARS THAT PARK ON THE LOT, THEY WILL GO INTO A GARAGE, SO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A LOSS OF REVENUE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL OF THESE RFPS AND THESE TYPES OF USES, THERE USUALLY IS, ANYWAYS, A MINIMUM AMOUNT GUARANTEE THAT'S, THAT'S RECOMMENDED.
AND PERHAPS AS PART OF WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION COULD, COULD COME BACK WITH, YOU KNOW, AND SOMETHING THAT'S STUDIED AND PROFESSIONALLY RECOMMENDED RATHER THAN US DICTATING IT FROM THE DA.
JUST OFFERED THAT RECOMMENDATION.
ANY OPPOSED? A MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO R NINE AC R
[R7 H A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE DESIGN FOR THE 41ST STREET CORRIDOR REVITALIZATION PROJECT, INCLUDING CERTAIN ADDITIONAL SCOPE ITEMS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMUNITY, DESIGN REVIEW BOARD, AND THE MAYOR‘S 41ST STREET BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE, SUBJECT TO FUNDING BEING APPROPRIATED IN FISCAL YEAR 2026 CAPITAL BUDGET PROCESS.]
SEVEN H.RR SEVEN H IS PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR 41ST STREET QUARTER REVIT REVITALIZATION.
SO I'M GONNA CALL THE, UH, CITY ADMINISTRATION, DAVID GOMEZ.
WE HAVE TWO MAJOR GEO BOND PROJECTS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY CENTER AQUATIC CENTER, UH, FOR NORTH BEACH AT TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS THE 41ST STREET, UH, ITEM.
IF MY COLLEAGUES CAN, UH, CAN, CAN, UH, LISTEN.
SO THERE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF ITEMS HERE AS HOPEFULLY WE'LL APPROVE THIS TODAY.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU RIGHT AT THE OUTSET, BEFORE YOU EVEN GO, DAVID, WHERE I STAND, ONE IS THAT THERE'S, UH, IT, THERE'S A COST TO IT, BUT IT, IMPLEMENTING C-C-T-V-L-P-R READERS, LICENSE PLATE READERS, UH, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
UH, I THINK WHENEVER WE CAN, UH, ADD SAFETY, ESPECIALLY AT THE OUTSET, WHICH WILL SAVE COSTS IN THE LONG RUN, WE SHOULD DO IT.
THE OTHER ONE IS, THERE'S A SUGGESTION TO DO UPLIGHTS, WHICH I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF LOSING THE WRAP TREE LIGHTING.
BEFORE I WAS COMMISSIONER ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, I HEARD LITERALLY FOR 10 YEARS, A DECADE HOW PEOPLE, RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES WANTED THE PALM TREE LIT.
AND WE'VE DONE IT IN OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY.
IT WAS THE FIRST FIRST ITEM I BROUGHT AS COMMISSIONER.
IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED AS CO-SPONSORED BY ALL MY COLLEAGUES AT THE TIME.
UM, IT'S STILL HUGE SUCCESS AND WE'VE ADDED, WE'VE DONE IT IN OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY.
SO I, I AM STRONGLY, UH, SUGGESTING THAT WE CONTINUE TO KEEP THE WRAP TREE LIGHTING AS WELL.
AND WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON YOUR, UH, LATER TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF, UH, CIP.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR COMMISSIONERS.
DAVID GOMEZ, INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY SEEKING DIRECTION ON SOME ADDITIONAL SCOPE ITEMS FOR THE 41ST STREET PROJECT.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL OF THE COMMUNITY GROUPS, INCLUDING THE BID AND THE MAYOR'S BLUE RIBBON PANEL FOR 41ST STREET.
WE DID GO TO THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD FOR THEIR ADVISORY REVIEW, AND THE GROUPS DID MAKE SOME SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE THE PROJECT.
THESE SUGGESTIONS, UH, WHILE WE'RE MEETING MOST OF THEIR SUGGESTIONS, THESE THREE IN PARTICULAR ARE OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE, OF THE ORIGINAL PROJECT, AND WE NEEDED DIRECTION ON THOSE.
WE ARE NOT SEEKING ADDITIONAL BUDGET AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE WE COULD MANAGE THAT THROUGH THE BUDGET REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
UH, BUT IT IS THE THREE ITEMS THAT WERE MENTIONED.
IT IS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE STRING LIGHTING ON THE PALM TREES WITH, UH, LANDSCAPE LIGHTING ON EVERY OTHER TREE.
IT IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR LICENSE PLATE READERS ALONG THE CORRIDOR.
AND IT IS THE REPLACEMENT OF ACORN FIXTURES THAT WERE RECENTLY, WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS REPLACED BY PUBLIC WORKS.
AND WE FELT THAT THAT COULD BE, UH, A MISUSE OR, OR NOT THE BEST USE OF THE FUNDING IF WE WERE TO REPLACE THEM AGAIN NOW.
SO WE COME LOOKING FOR DIRECTION ON THOSE THREE ITEMS. VICE MAYOR BI I'M SORRY, BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, I, I ADORE MY COLLEAGUES AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, ENTHUSIASM ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT IDEAS.
IT IS REALLY HARD TO HEAR AND TO FOCUS ON WHAT OUR STAFF AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE PRESENTING TO US THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE VOTING ON WHEN THERE IS SUCH, UM, ROBUST CONVERSATION AT THE DEUS ON, ON DIFFERENT MATTERS.
AND I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE ANYBODY'S MOM, BUT I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A REALLY ENGAGED CONVERSATION ABOUT WHATEVER ITEM IT IS THAT YOU REMOVE YOURSELF TO A DIFFERENT PART OF THE DAUS OR OUTSIDE, SO THE REST OF US CAN HEAR AND FOCUS ON WHAT'S BEING SAID.
OUR STAFF WORKS WAY TOO HARD, UM, TO NOT GET THE, THE, THE FOCUS AND ATTENTION THAT THEY DESERVE.
AND WE ARE BEING CHALLENGED TO SPEND OUR COLLECTIVE MONEY WISELY.
AND I, I MAKE ENOUGH MISTAKES ON MY OWN.
I DON'T WANNA MAKE A MISTAKE BASED ON THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T HEAR SOMETHING CORRECTLY.
SO FORGIVE ME FOR PLAYING MOM, BUT YOU KNOW, ONCE A MOM, ALWAYS A MOM, WELL, YOU ARE FILLING YOUR ROLE AS VICE MAYOR VERY
[01:20:01]
WELLSO I DIDN'T ATTEND THE RECENT BID MEETING, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, UH, PALM TREE LIGHTING.
YOU KNOW, THE BEAUTY OF THE PALM TREE IS THE CROWN AT THE TOP.
AND IN MOST PLACES WHAT THEY DO IS THEY UPLIGHT IT.
SO THIS WRAPPING IS REALLY NOT HOW YOU LIKE TREAT, I DON'T CARE IF YOU WANNA KEEP IT AND POSSIBLY UPLIGHT IT, BUT I, I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT IT'S THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
AND IF YOU GO ANY PLACE, I HAVE A PICTURE,
BUT WHAT IT SHOULD REALLY LOOK LIKE ARE, UM, IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND THIS MONEY INSTEAD OF WRAPPING THE UNATTRACTIVE PART, I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS HIGHLIGHT THE BEAUTIFUL CROWN.
AND, UM, IF YOU GO TO VER RODEO DRIVE BEVERLY HILLS, PLACES THAT UNDERSTAND THIS TYPE OF DESIGN, UM, I THINK THAT NUMBER ONE, THE LIGHTING NEEDS TO BE UP LIT.
WE RECENTLY, AND BY THE WAY, IT COULD BE LIT WITH LIGHTS THAT YOU CAN CHANGE COLORS.
YOU COULD MAKE THEM BLUE, YOU COULD MAKE THEM PINK, YOU COULD MAKE THEM, I MEAN, SO NUMBER ONE, I THINK YOU NEED UPLIGHTING, LED, AND YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I MEAN, IN MY HOUSE, I DIDN'T WRAP THE BASE OF THE TREE.
ILET THE BEAUTIFUL PART SO THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE IT.
NUMBER TWO, UM, IN THINKING A LOT ABOUT 41ST STREET AND THE FACT THAT REALLY IT'S A HIGHWAY, YOU KNOW, PART OF OUR PLAN HAS BEEN TO BEAUTIFY THE SIDEWALKS ON THE STREET.
IT JUST DOESN'T WORK, YOU KNOW, FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, I'LL TELL YOU, UM, MY FAMILY OWNED A, A RESTAURANT ON HARDING AND SURFSIDE CALLED CAFE AZI.
IT'S FAMOUS, IT'S STILL THERE, RIGHT? AND WE TRIED ON 96TH AND HARDING TO PUT TABLES OUTSIDE ON A HIGHWAY.
AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, NOBODY EVER SAT AT THEM.
SO ANY MONIES THAT WE SPENT SHOULD NOT BE SPENT ON THE HIGHWAY.
I'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT THIS.
AND I ACTUALLY MENTIONED THIS TO THE 41ST STREET COMMITTEE, AND I THINK THAT THEY WERE IN FAVOR OF INSTEAD BEAUTIFYING THE BACK OF, UM, THE STOREFRONTS.
SO YOU HAVE THESE REALLY UNSIGHTLY ALLEYS THAT COULD BE BEAUTIFIED.
SO I WOULD SAY UPLIGHT, THE PALM TREES, UM, FOCUS ON BEAUTIFYING AND CHANGING THE, UM, THE NOT PAVEMENT.
PUT SOME SORT OF BEAUTIFUL MATERIAL, UH, BEHIND SO THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, CAFE AVANTI OR PITA HUT, FOR EXAMPLE, COULD NOW HAVE BEAUTIFUL SIDEWALK CAFES INSTEAD OF BEING ON A HIGHWAY.
SO WE HAVE TO REVERSE THE WAY THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT 41ST STREET.
AND IF YOU REALLY WANNA DO IT RIGHT, I THINK THAT THESE ARE THE OPTIONS THAT WE SHOULD DO.
UM, BECAUSE I'M TELLING YOU THAT BEAUTIFYING THE HIGHWAY IS NOT, IS NOT THE WAY TO GO OR SPEND THIS MONEY.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS? SO A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED BEVERLY HILLS.
I'M ACTUALLY FLYING THERE TONIGHT, TOM SPEAKING AT AN ANTISEMITISM CONFERENCE THERE.
SO I WILL CHECK OUT THE LIGHTS YOU MENTIONED.
'CAUSE I ASKED THE CITY ADMINISTRATION, 'CAUSE I WANTED TO CHECK OUT THESE UPLIGHTS IN PERSON.
I THINK THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE.
UH, THE CLOSEST ONE THOUGH, UH, I'M BEING TOLD THIS IS AROUND THE ORLANDO AREA, SO I WASN'T GONNA MAKE THAT TRIP.
UM, I, I STILL THINK THEY'RE TWO SEPARATE ITEMS. I'M NOT DISAGREEING WITH YOU ON THE, ON THE UPLIGHTING, BUT THE WAY IT WAS PRESENTED TO ME, I IT'S NOT GONNA, AND THE PICTURES THAT I SAW OF THE OTHER AREAS, IT DOES NOT ENCAPSULATE EVERY TREE, UH, PROPERLY.
UH, AND I'M BEING TOLD BY THE CITY ADMINISTRATION, YOU CAN ADDRESS IT.
SECONDLY, UM, HARDING ITSELF IS PRETTY MUCH A HIGHWAY, AND THEIR OUTDOOR SEATING THERE IS EXTREMELY ROBUST.
THE RESTAURANTS THERE ARE BOOMING.
I MEAN, YOU TALK ABOUT BOOMING, YOU GO THERE ALMOST ANY NIGHT OF THE WEEK, AND YOU CANNOT GET A TABLE IN THOSE RESTAURANTS ON HARDING.
UH, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING AND THERE'S A LOT OF OUTDOOR SEATING.
THE, THE, AND I, AND I'LL ADDRESS THIS TO YOU, DAVID.
I'M, I'M THIS, WE HAVE SPENT SEVERAL YEARS IN DESIGN.
IF WE NOW SWITCH TO THE BACK OF THE, I MEAN THIS, THESE TYPES OF COMMENTS AND CHANGES, TELL ME IF I'M WRONG, NEEDED TO BE DONE YEARS AGO, NOT NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE JUST GONNA DELAY THIS.
THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT IS ALONG 41ST STREET, AND IT IS PRIMARILY AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE PEDESTRIAN WALKING AREA AS WELL AS SEATING AREAS.
AND IF WE DO IT IN THE BACK, IT DOESN'T REALLY MEAN YOU MAY HAVE SOME OUTDOOR SEATING.
I, AND I UNDERSTAND THE, THE THINKING, BUT YOU'RE NOT IMPROVING THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE ON 41ST, WHICH IS THE, WHICH HAS BEEN THE STATED GOAL OF THIS PROJECT FOR, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
SO COMMISSIONER ROSA GONZALEZ, NUMBER ONE, I SPENT 15 YEARS RUNNING CAFE AZI.
SO THE RESTAURANTS THAT DID HAVE OUTDOOR SEATING THAT WERE ROBUST HAVE RECESSED AREAS.
THE SEATING THAT IS DIRECTLY ON THE STREET, UM, DID NOT WORK.
AND, UM, IT EVER, SO WE COULD DO WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
SO YOU COULD SPEND THE MONIES THIS WAY, BUT REALLY, IF YOU WANTED TO HELP THE BUSINESSES, WHAT YOU
[01:25:01]
COULD DO INITIALLY IS CHANGE THE SIDEWALKS AND CREATE THE RIGHT KIND OF UPLIGHTING AND THEN MOVE FORWARD.ALL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS BEAUTIFICATION AND LIGHTING IN THE ALLEYWAYS, UM, WHERE WE HAVE SURFACE LOTS, BUT NOT THE ENTIRE SURFACE LOT, JUST 10 FEET OUT FROM THE BUSINESSES.
I GUARANTEE YOU, YOU WOULD SEE ROASTERS AND TOASTERS, PITA HUT, CAFE, AVANTI, THEY WOULD ALL BEGIN TO HAVE SIDEWALK CAFES AND AN AREA THAT'S NOT GONNA BE FULL OF, UH, TRAFFIC AND GRIME.
AND I THINK THAT IF YOU REALLY WANNA HELP 41ST STREET, THIS IS THE WAY TO TO, TO DO IT.
HOW MANY, HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE FOR 41ST STREET? THIS IS A $10 MILLION GEO BOND PROJECT THAT, AS A REMINDER, THIS WAS APPROVED THROUGH THE GEO BOND, THE MASTER PLAN, THE ACOM MASTER PLAN, AND THE VISION PLAN BEFORE THAT WAS APPROVED BY COMMISSION MANY YEARS AGO.
I APPRECIATE YOUR DESCRIPTION, AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT PROJECT, BUT IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT PROJECT THAN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO POTENTIALLY CREATING A SEPARATE PROJECT TO DO THAT.
COULD YOU AT LEAST CHANGE THE LIGHTING SO THAT WE UPLIGHT THE CORRECT WAY? JACKIE, I GAVE YOU A SLIDE OF WHAT A PALM TREE UP LIT SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND THIS ISN'T EVEN A, A GREAT SLIDE OF IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T, I JUST TOOK IT THIS WEEKEND BECAUSE I THOUGHT, SEE NOW, REALLY, I'M SORRY, JUST QUICK CORRECTION.
THIS IS THE BEAUTIFUL AREA OF A TREE.
SO WHEN YOU, WELL, YOU'RE SAYING, EH, EH, BUT, AND THIS IS NOT THE BEST LIGHTING, BUT ANY PLACE PROFESSIONAL WHERE YOU GO, WHAT YOU WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS THE CROWN OF THE TREE, NOT THE STICK.
UM, AND, AND, AND BY THE WAY, WE COULD HAVE BETTER LIGHTS THAT GO LIKE ALL THE WAY UP, BUT THE POINT IS, IS TO CONTINUE TO WRAP, UM, A STICK.
YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU WRAP MERIDIAN TREES LIKE THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE YOU SEE THE BEAUTIFUL BRANCHES.
BUT TO WRAP THE STICK AND LEAVE THE, LIKE, THAT'S I THINK, HOW PEOPLE IN DESIGN WRAP, UM, A LIGHT TREES.
AND BY THE WAY, UM, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY MAINTENANCE BECAUSE ONCE YOU PUT THAT LED UM, LIGHT IN THE GROUND, IT'S MUCH LESS MAINTENANCE THAN CONTINUALLY REPLACING THESE, UH, THESE WRAP LIGHTS.
SO, UM, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT AT LEAST IN THE TERMS OF THE LIGHTING PERSPECTIVE, YOU COULD LEAVE THE WRAPS THAT ARE THERE RIGHT NOW AND UPLIGHT THE BEAUTIFUL AREA SO THAT WE KIND OF LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN, AND THEN LITTLE BY LITTLE AS THE, AS THE THE ONES AROUND THE STICKS BURN OUT, UM, WE CAN REMOVE THEM.
AND BY THE WAY, YOU, YOU, IT WOULD BE TRANSFORMATIVE TO DRIVE DOWN THE STREET AND SEE LIKE ALL OF THEM IN BRIGHT PINK OR ALL OF THEM IN BRIGHT BLUE OR IN, YOU KNOW, ON CHRISTMAS IN RED AND GREEN.
I MEAN, YOU COULD HAVE ALL OF THIS, THE TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES FOR THIS.
AND I REALLY THINK THAT IF WE'RE GONNA SPEND THIS MONEY, YOU SHOULD INVEST IN LED UPLIGHTING.
SO, UM, THIS, THIS PROJECT, AS I'M TALKING ABOUT AS A WHOLE IN ITS ENTIRETY, HAS BEEN THROUGH A ROBUST COMMUNITY PROCESS.
THERE WERE NUMEROUS CHARETTES, THERE WERE NUMEROUS MEETINGS, MOST OF WHICH I ATTENDED FROM THE MAYOR'S 41ST STREET COMMITTEE, OBVIOUSLY, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE, OUR COMMISSION, UM, WE, I I, WE DO NOT HAVE THE, IN MY OPINION, THE ABILITY TO LITERALLY CHANGE IT NOW AND WE DON'T HAVE IT.
THIS, THIS HAS BEEN YEARS IN DESIGN AS TO WHAT IS GONNA TRANSPIRE.
IT ALSO TAKES FDO T'S INPUT BECAUSE IT'S 41ST STREET, IT'S A STATE ROAD, WHICH WE HAVE.
SO WE, TO CHANGE IT ON THE FLY HERE, UM, TO ME IS NOT PRUDENT.
AND NOR DO I THINK WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT, NOR DO I WANNA DO IT.
SO I AM, I'M, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROJECT AS IT IS.
UM, AND BASED ON THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN, UM, I AM, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE UPLIGHTING IN, IN GENERAL.
I DON'T AGREE THAT IT SHOULD COME AT THE EXPENSE, BECAUSE THE WAY I AM TOLD, TELL ME IF I'M WRONG, DAVID, THE UPLIGHTING RIGHT NOW AS DESIGNED WOULDN'T BE ON EVERY PALM TREE.
IT WOULD BE STAGGERED, IT WOULD BE EVERY OTHER PALM TREE.
AND IF I COULD CORRECT THE RECORD, I SAID $10 MILLION.
I ACTUALLY, I I, I KNEW THAT WHEN YOU SAID IT, SO THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T, UH, I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.
HERE'S, HERE'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.
WE ARE GOING TO, WE ACTUALLY GOT, WE APPROVED THE FUNDING TO UPLOAD THE STREET ON ESPANOLA WAY EAST.
CORRECT? DIDN'T WE APPROVE THAT AT THE LAST MEETING? I BELIEVE THAT WE DID.
WHAT I WOULD DO IS, UM, WE'RE GONNA UPDATE THAT ONE STREET AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE DO IT.
UM, IF YOU WANNA SPEND THIS 15 MILLION, UM, IN MY OPINION, THE THE WRONG WAY, UM, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE FOR IT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT VISION.
AND I CERTAINLY DON'T THINK THAT ON THAT VERY NARROW SIDEWALK, UM, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A DIFFERENCE.
I'M GONNA VOTE NO FOR 41ST STREET BECAUSE I THINK THAT THIS $15 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY THAT'S BEING MISSPENT WITH WHAT, UM, WAS DECIDED HERE.
[01:30:01]
AND BEAUTIFICATION OF ALLEYS IS THE WAY TO REVITALIZE 41ST STREET MAYOR, UH, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.UH, SO YESTERDAY I ATTENDED THE ANNUAL MEETING FOR THE 41ST STREET BID, AND THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, AND THEY WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE LOOKING AFTER THIS AREA, UM, REALLY WANT THIS TO GO THROUGH.
AND THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THAT MEETING.
IT ACTUALLY GOT BACK TO ME THAT YOU WERE THERE AND, AND, AND IT WAS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
AND SO I WALK, UH, 41ST STREET EVERY DAY.
I WALK SAMMY OVER THERE EVERY, EVERY MORNING.
AND THEN I WALK SAMMY AGAIN EVERY NIGHT TO, UH, 41ST STREET.
AND, UM, AND SO I GOTTA TELL YOU, I, THE ONE QUESTION I ALWAYS GET WHEN I GO TO 41ST STREET IS RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS.
I LIKE ASKING ME, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE 41ST STREET PROJECT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE BEEN ASKED THAT QUESTIONS.
BOTH THE BUSINESSES AND THE RESIDENTS WANT ABOVE ALL ELSE THE WIDER SIDEWALKS, AND THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE TABLES THERE.
AND WHAT DID THEY MENTION? THEY, THEY MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY HARDING AVENUE.
HOW HARBOR GRILL HAS A FEW TABLES OUTSIDE.
THEY MENTION RUSTICO, HOW RUSTICO HAS TABLES OUTSIDE.
EVEN IF YOU GO TO FLANAGAN'S IN, UH, IN, IN SURFSIDE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ABLE TO TO, TO HAVE THE TABLES.
AND SO I THINK THAT THIS IS VERY MUCH OVERDUE.
IT'S WIDELY NEEDED, IT'S VOTER APPROVED, AND IT'S SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNITY BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE, UH, MOVING AWAY FROM STRING LIGHTS.
MAYBE WE NEED TO DO MORE SOPHISTICATED STRING LIGHTS THAT ARE MORE PERMANENT IN NA IN NATURE WITH THE PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE LINES, YOU KNOW, FROM ONE TREE TO THE OTHER, UH, KIND OF LOOKING LIKE CLOTH LINES, UH, FROM ONE TREE TO THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED.
UM, BUT I'M ALL FOR, UH, JUST KEEPING THE, THE, UH, STRING LIGHTS.
I SUPPORT, UH, OF COURSE A REQUEST FROM POLICE FOR THE, UH, LPRS.
UM, I'M FINE WITH THE ACORN LIGHTING.
I THINK THEY'RE RELATIVELY NEW.
I THINK THE, THE, THE RB HAD SUGGESTED DOING SOMETHING MORE MODERN, UH, THAT WAS GONNA COME AT AN EXPENSE OF OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
BUT IF WE CAN KEEP THE EXISTING ACORN LIGHTING THAT WAS JUST INSTALLED IN, UH, IN 2020, I, I THINK IT MAKES IT, IT'S JUST PRUDENT.
UM, I DON'T THINK COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ IS WRONG IN BEING CONCERNED ABOUT THE ALLEYWAYS, BUT I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT IN, IN THE FUTURE.
I THINK ALLEYWAYS ARE ONE OF OUR MOST UNDERUTILIZED PUBLIC ASSETS.
I TH I THINK COMMISSIONER, UH, OR VICE MAYOR TANYA BOT IS, HAS THE CITYWIDE INITIATIVE ON ALLEYWAYS.
AND I THINK WE CERTAINLY SHOULD LOOK AT THESE ALLEYWAYS BECAUSE THEY CERTAINLY DO HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO BE CLEANED, TO BE LIT, TO BE ACTIVATED IN THE PROPER WAYS.
UH, BUT THE COMMUNITY HAS LONG ASKED FOR THIS.
UM, THE ONE THING I WOULD SAY AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT IS TO CONSIDER THE COORDINATION OF THE SCHEDULE WITH, UH, OTHER PROJECTS.
UM, I GET CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE DO WORK ON ALTON ROAD OR THE TURNING LANE FROM INDIAN CREEK, I GET CONCERNED, UH, WITH THE 41ST STREET WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT.
UH, I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE AND THE TIMING OF, OF ALL OF THESE PROJECTS TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T END UP WITH A GIGANTIC TRAFFIC JAM.
UM, AS IT RELATES TO, TO THE 41ST STREET WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT, I THINK THAT'S BEING INCORPORATED AS PART OF THIS PROJECT AT SOME POINT.
IS THAT RIGHT, DAVID? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO WHAT I WOULD ASK, I I, IS THERE ANY TRAFFIC LANE CLOSURE THAT'S GONNA RESULT AS, AS, AS A RESULT OF THAT FDOT HAS NOT OR HAS MADE CLEAR THAT THEY WILL NOT ALLOW A CLOSURE OF 41ST, BUT THERE OBVIOUSLY AS WE'RE INSTALLING WATER MAINS, THERE WILL BE SOME LANE CLOSURES TO IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
OKAY, SO LIKE PARTIAL LANE CLOSURES? YEAH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE ASKED TRANS, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IN THE PAST TO LOOK AT AS IT RELATES TO 41ST STREET, IS GETTING THE CENTER TURNING LANE AND USING THAT CENTER TURNING LANE AS A REVERSIBLE LANE THAT CAN BE USED FOR, FOR HIGH PERIODS OF TRAFFIC TO ALLOW MORE CAPACITY FOR THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC.
I THINK FOR YEARS I'VE BEEN ASKING JOSE TO, TO, TO, TO LOOK INTO IT.
AND WE ALWAYS GET MIXED FEEDBACK, UH, FROM THE OTHER OUTSIDE
[01:35:01]
AGENCIES.IF WE DO HAVE TO CLOSE ANY LANE OF TRAFFIC ON 41ST STREET AS A RESULT OF THIS PROJECT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO LOOK AT THAT TURNING LANE AND SEEING HOW COULD WE MAKE THAT TURNING LANE ONE DIRECTION TO SUPPLEMENT FOR THE CLOSURE OF THE, OF THE TRAVEL LANE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT UP AGAIN.
IN THE PAST WE'VE DISCUSSED HO JOSE MAKING THAT TURNING LANE INTO A, UH, REVERSIBLE LANE TO ACCOMMODATE TRAFFIC.
MAYBE THAT COULD BE HELPFUL NOW, UH, IF WE ENCOUNTER ANY, UH, CLOSURES AS A RESULT OF CONSTRUCTION.
ALRIGHT, SO I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THIS ITEM.
UH, I'M HAPPY TO MOVE IT OR SECOND IT AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
COMMISSIONER ROSELAND GONZALEZ.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CALL THE VOTE.
UM, I THINK COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE WANTED TO SPEAK ALSO.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROVING RIGHT NOW IS JUST $2.5 MILLION FOR THE UPLIGHTING, CORRECT.
FOR ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
THERE'S NO WIDENING OF SIDEWALKS.
NOT EVEN, UH, THE 2.5 WOULD GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS AT THIS POINT.
SO THIS IS JUST LPRS ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACTUAL WIDENING OF SIDEWALKS, OR NO WIDENING SIDEWALKS.
THE PROJECT DOES INCLUDE WIDENING OF SIDEWALKS IN CERTAIN AREAS AND PROVIDING FOR ADDITIONAL SEATING AND, AND ACCOMMODATING SOME OUTDOOR SEATING AREAS.
YOU KNOW, LISTEN, I I I WILL, BASED ON WHAT YOU, BASED ON THE COMMUNITY INPUT, I'LL SUPPORT IT.
BUT DO I THINK THAT IT WAS, I I DO THINK THAT OVERALL WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THE FACT THAT 41ST STREET IS A MASSIVE TRAFFIC CORRIDOR AND, YOU KNOW, DINING ON A HIGHWAY IS NOT IDEAL.
AND SO MAYBE IN THE FUTURE, COMMISSIONER BOT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE WORKING ON ALLEYS, UM, I, I'VE BEEN MEANING TO PUT THIS ON, BUT I THINK THE ALLEYS ALONG 41ST STREET SERIOUSLY NEED, UM, IMPROVEMENT SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO HAVE OUTDOOR CAFES AND I, AND SO I'LL, I'LL VOTE FOR THIS.
BUT YOU ARE GOING TO CONSIDER THE UPLIGHTING, CORRECT? OR THIS IS JUST FOR STRING LIGHTING? WE ARE HERE FOR DIRECTION.
ERIC, IF, IF I COULD JUST HELP MAYBE I, I THINK THIS WILL FACILITATE THE DISCUSSION A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
THERE, THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT WE NEED, BASICALLY AN UP OR DOWN VOTE ON.
B'S RECOMMENDATION THAT WE CHANGE OUT THE ACORN LIGHT FIXTURES ON THE LIGHT POLES FOR A MORE CONTEMPORARY FIXTURE.
WE ARE NOT IN RECOMMENDATION, WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING THAT BECAUSE WE RECENTLY CHANGED OUT THOSE LIGHTING FIXTURES.
THE SECOND ITEM IS THE INTRODUCTION OF CONDUITS AND LPR AND CCTV INFRASTRUCTURE AS PART OF THE PROJECT.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WHILE WE'RE OUT THERE DOING THE WORK ON THE STREET, WE THINK THAT WE SHOULD PUT THAT IN BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA NEED IT.
AND THEN THE THIRD ITEM IS THE UPLIGHTING ON THE PALM TREES, WHICH WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE DRB UP.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING IN FAVOR OF THE UPLIGHTING.
IT IS NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE WITH THE WRAP LIGHTING.
IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE THAT A LATER DECISION, YOU CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
WE JUST NEED DIRECTION TO INCORPORATE THE UP AND DOWN LIGHTING ON THE PALM TREES, YES OR NO.
CAN I, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK WHERE YOU COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE? ACTUALLY, I, I WAS GONNA SPEAK TO ASK FOR SOME CLARIFICATION ON, ON THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN WE WENT THROUGH OUR BRIEFING.
I APPRECIATE STAFFER BEING SO THOROUGH IN THAT.
UH, THE THING THAT REALLY JUMPED OUT AT ME WAS, UM, WHEN WE DO THINGS WITHOUT GETTING A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT AND PEOPLE JUST WAKE UP AND LIFE, YOU KNOW, CHANGES ALL OF A SUDDEN, UH, THAT'S WHEN WE GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I VIEWED AS CHANGING THOSE LIGHTS THAT I FEEL HAVE BECOME KIND OF ICONIC TO 41ST STREET ALONG WITH MERIDIAN AVENUE.
UM, WE CAN HAVE DIFFERENT THEMES FOR DIFFERENT PLACES.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE, UM, YEAH, THE LOOK OF THE UPLIGHTING WASHINGTON LINCOLN ROAD, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.
I WOULD JUST BE VERY HESITANT, UH, TO COMPLETELY ABANDON THE STRING LIGHTING AROUND THE PALM TREES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULDN'T BE IN SUPPORT OF.
CAN I JUST SAY, I, I'M NOT SAYING ABANDON IT, BUT I THINK ONCE YOU SEE, I THINK THE AMOUNT OF MAINTENANCE, UH, REQUIRED, AND I DO THINK THAT ONCE YOU SEE THAT WE, AS WE LIGHT THE CROWN OF THE TREE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, REALLY WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, UM, YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AND DRAMATIC AND I THINK A LITTLE MORE REFINED AND ELEGANT.
UM, I THINK THAT STRING LIGHTING WAS A GREAT FIX.
AND LIKE I SAID ON OAK TREES, I THINK IT'S PERFECT.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD ALSO RECOMMENDED UPLIGHTING BECAUSE THAT WE ARE NOT, UM, DESIGN EXPERTS.
I DO NOT PRETEND TO BE, BUT ONE THING I DO KNOW IS THAT, UM,
[01:40:02]
STRING LIGHTING IS, IS IS FESTIVE.AND I THINK IT WAS GOOD FOR, FOR WHEN IT STARTED, UM, LET'S SEE WHAT THE STRING LIGHTING PLUS THE UPLIGHTING LOOKS LIKE.
BECAUSE TO SEE THE STICKS WITH NO CROWN TO ME DOES, DOESN'T MAKE, UM, A LOT OF SENSE.
UH, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU LIKE IT AND I THINK THAT THE PEOPLE ON 41ST STREET LIKE IT.
BUT AS WE STREAMLINE AND GROW AND BECOME MORE REFINED AND MATURE AND DESIGN, LIKE, I, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD IGNORE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD EITHER.
WE CAN HAVE BOTH, RIGHT? WE'RE PUTTING IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE CAN AND BASED ON YOUR DIRECTION, WE CAN DO BOTH.
WE JUST GONNA, WE'RE GONNA PUT IT IN THE ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT YOU CAN UPLIGHT AND THEN WRAP.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I, AND THEN BY THE WAY, THE WAY, THAT'S WHAT I SUGGEST MR. MAYOR, AS WE DO ESPANOLA AND YOU SEE WHAT LIKE COOL UPLIGHTING LOOKS LIKE, MAYBE LITTLE BY LITTLE WE WILL, UM, REMOVE SOME OF THE STRING LIGHTING.
IT LOOKS, I COULD HAVE DONE IT.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT LIKE THE POINT IS LIKE WE'RE A MUNICIPALITY AND YOU KNOW, AND LOOMIS PARK IS ICONIC AND THAT SHOULD BE UPLIFT IN PASTEL COLORS THAT REFLECT OCEAN DRIVE.
I THINK THE STREAMLINING FOR RIGHT NOW IS FINE.
DO I THINK THAT IT'S THE RIGHT VISION? NO.
MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO NOT CHANGE THE ACORN LIGHTING, TO INCORPORATE THE POLICE REQUEST FOR THE LPR, UH, READER AND CCTV, UM, UH, CONDUITS AND TO KEEP THE STRING LIGHTING WHILE INCORPORATING THE UPLIGHTING FOR THE CROWN.
I'LL SECOND YOU BEAT ME TO IT.
UH, BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE, DAVID BOUTS, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION.
UH, I DID A TOUR WITH FDOT, THE COUNTY AND POLICE CHIEF, OUR CITY MANAGER.
CAN THAT BE PART OF THIS PROJECT? WHILE WE'RE ALREADY EXPANDING SIDEWALKS AND MAKING CHANGES TO REMOVE SOME OF THE BULB OUTS.
WE ARE, WE ARE COORDINATING WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ON THEIR EVALUATION OF THOSE BULB OUTS AND WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM ON THAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE LANDED AT A SPACE THAT WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE RIGHT MIX IS.
UH, BUT YES, IT COULD PROBABLY BE INCORPORATED INTO THIS PROJECT.
IT DEPENDING ON FUNDING AND, AND SCOPE.
AND WHEN IS THE PROJECT SLATED TO START ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION? UH, END OF NEXT YEAR.
20, UH, EXCUSE ME, LET ME, LET ME DOUBLE CHECK THAT.
GIMME A SPECIFIC MONTH AND YEAR, I'M SORRY, CONSTRUCTION START APRIL OF 26.
AND WE'RE ONLY LOSING, WHAT IS IT, NINE PARKING SPACES OR WHAT IS CORRECT? NINE PARKING SPACES.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE TRAFFIC.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S UNBEARABLE AND, UH, UH, IN ALL OVER THE CITY, BUT MID BEACH, UH, CERTAINLY.
AND WE HAD, UH, ANNA MARIE FROM NBNA CALLING BEFORE ABOUT IT.
SO WE CERTAINLY NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TO IT.
AND I HAVE A FEELING THAT'S NOT, THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE DISCUSSION REGARDING THE TIMING OF CONSTRUCTION, HOW IT'S GONNA WORK.
LIKE YOU SAY, WE HAVE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF CLOSE TO IT.
WE NEED TO REALLY STAY ON TOP OF THAT.
'CAUSE THIS COULD BE EXACERBATE A PROBLEM THAT'S ALREADY PRETTY SEVERE AND THE TEAM DOES HAVE A MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC CONSULTANT ON BOARD THAT THEY'LL BE LOOKING AT HOW WE HANDLE TRAFFIC CURRENT CONSTRUCTION.
ON R SEVEN EIGHT, I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ.
ALL IN FAVOR AS AMENDED WITH THE THREE DIRECTIONS, PLEASE SAY AYE.
MOTION PASSES SEVEN ZERO R SEVEN H AS AMENDED.
[R7 J A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING, PURSUANT TO SECTION 2-366(C)(2) OF THE CITY CODE FOR EXEMPT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA STATUTE 287.057, A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH NEW HOPE C.O.R.P.S., INC. TO PROVIDE VARIOUS HOUSING SERVICES, INCLUDING STREET OUTREACH, DETOX, TREATMENT, RECOVERY, TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES FOR THE CITY'S UNSHELTERED POPULATION , IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $568,000 FOR THE INITIAL TERM OF THE AGREEMENT, WITH SAID AGREEMENT COMMENCING ON OCTOBER 1, 2024 AND EXPIRING ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2025, WITH ONE (1) ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR RENEWAL TERM, AT THE CITY MANAGER'S OPTION AND SUBJECT TO FUNDING APPROVAL.]
SEVEN J RENEW PSA WITH NEW HOPE CORP, INC.VARIOUS SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS R SEVEN J.
UH, THIS, THIS ITEM IS ACCEPTING, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION'S, UH, RECOMMENDATION, UM, FOR, FOR THE APPROVAL OF AN OF A PSA WITH NEW HOPE.
AN AMOUNT OF, UH, 568,000, UH, IS FOR AN ADDITIONAL TERM.
AND THEY, AND THEY PROVIDE INVALUABLE, UH, SERVICES, UH, TO, TO, TO OUR HOMELESS, UH, POPULATION.
UM, THIS, THIS IS A VERY SPECIALIZED, UH, SEGMENT OF OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION IN OUR CITY.
AND NEW HOPE HAS THE SPECIALIZED, UM, THE SPECIALIZED SERVICE PROVIDERS TO DEAL WITH THIS SPECIFIC SEGMENT.
AND, UM, UH, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO WITHOUT THIS.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MOVE MY ITEM.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE, COUPLE COMMENTS.
I THINK WE, I THINK WE DISCUSSED THIS LAST TIME, UM, ABOUT THE REALLY LOW PERCENTAGE RATE OF WHICH THEY SHELTER ALMOST INDIVIDUALS.
[01:45:01]
HAVE WE DISCUSSED ANYTHING WITH THEM TO, TO CHANGE THAT? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE, UH, DISCUSSION ON THAT? GOOD MORNING ALRE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES? YES, WE HAVE, UH, MR. STEVEN ALVAREZ, HE IS THE CEO OF NEW HOPE.WE HAVE DISCUSSED BENCHMARKS FOR THIS CONTRACT HERE.
WE HAVE LOOKED INTO AUGMENTING THEIR OUTREACH EFFORTS.
WE HAVE LOOKED AT STRATEGICALLY MAKING SURE THAT STAFF IS HERE WITHIN THE TIMEFRAMES NEED BE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CHECK CHECK-INS AND CHECKOUTS WITH ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS WITH PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND THEIR, UH, COORDINATION.
UM, SO YES, THOSE BENCHMARKS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED AND HAVE BEEN OUTLINED IN THE CONTRACT.
JUST, JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE, I THINK THE LAST YEAR, LAST FISCAL YEAR THERE WAS 4,900, UM, NEW HOPE CONTACTS, RIGHT? AND THEN THERE WAS 476 ENGAGEMENTS.
UM, AND ONLY 94 NEW HOPE SHELTER PLACEMENTS, PRE-TREATMENT, AND THEN 13 NEW HOPE RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PLACEMENTS.
THAT'S REALLY, THAT'S REALLY LOW.
WHAT ARE THE NEW BENCHMARKS FOR? SO WORKING WITH THIS POPULATION THAT'S SUFFERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT TRICKY TO GIVE SPECIFICS ON HOW MUCH YOU'RE GONNA LOOK AT ENGAGEMENT.
SO WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IS LOOKING AT DIFFERENT RAPPORT BUILDING STYLES, DIFFERENT TYPES OF ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR STAFF TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE BUILDING RAPPORT WITH THE CLIENTS.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS SPECIFIC NUMBERS FOR SHELTER PLACEMENTS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GAUGE WITH THIS POPULATION BECAUSE YOU ARE WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO SOMETIMES DO NOT WANT THE SERVICES.
UM, SO, UH, AND THE, AND THE TOTAL IS 568,568,000, BUT THAT IS INCLUSIVE NOT ONLY OF AFTER HOURS, THAT IS ALSO INCLUSIVE OF LIVE ASSISTANCE SUPPORT FOR OUR PHONE LINES.
THAT'S ALSO INCLUSIVE OF THE PRETREATMENT BEDS AS WELL AS RESIDENTIAL LEVEL TWO BEDS FOR THE INVOLUNTARY MARCHMAN PROGRAM THROUGH THE POLICE AND THROUGH OUR OFFICE FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICES FOR THOSE SEEKING, UH, TREATMENT SERVICES AS WELL AS THE RECOVERY RESIDENCE.
SO THAT'S HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR AN AFTER HOURS CALL IN AND, AND THE TREATMENT BEDS.
BUT THE TREATMENT BEDS FROM THE STATS THAT I JUST LISTED WAS 94, UH, PRE-TREATMENT PLACEMENTS FOR LAST YEAR AND ONLY 13 RESIDENTIAL PLACEMENTS.
AND RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CAN LAST ANYWHERE FROM 90 TO 120 DAYS WHEN THE PERSON IS IN RECOVERY.
THIS ISN'T A SHELTER PLACEMENT, THIS IS A INTENSIVE RECOVERY TREATMENT, WHICH I'M SURE, UH, MR. ALVAREZ CAN SPEAK TO.
THEY ARE A CARF ACCREDITED AGENCY.
AS FOR RESIDENTIAL, UH, SERVICES, YEAH, I MEAN, I JUST, WHEN I LOOK AT THESE STATS, WHEN THERE'S 4,900 CONTACTS AND FOR ONLY 476 DECIDED TO ENGAGE WITH NEW HOPE WE HAVE ONE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, I MEAN, WHEN, SO WHEN A NEW HOPE MEMBER GOES UP TO A HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL THAT'S CONT THAT'S CONSIDERED A CONTACT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO LAST YEAR THERE WAS 4,900, ALMOST, LET'S JUST SAY 5,000, UM, AND THEN ONLY 476 DECIDED TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE.
AND THEN OF THAT ONLY 94, WHICH IS ANOTHER 10% OF THAT 10% DECIDED TO DO A PRE-TREATMENT, UH, PLACEMENT.
SO THE WAY THAT THEY WERE GAUGING THEIR ENGAGEMENTS WAS ONLY IF THE PERSON CONSENTED TO BEING PLACED INTO THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM.
UM, SO NOT IF ONLY THE PERSON ENGAGED AND WAS OPEN TO A REPORT, IT WAS ONLY IF THEY CONSENTED TO BEING PLACED TO HAVING THEIR INFORMATION BE PLACED INTO HMIS.
AND I'M SURE MR. ALVAR CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO HOW HIS TEAM WAS LOOKING AT THAT.
UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, COUNSEL, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NEW HOPE, UM, 1 92 41 HOLIDAY ROAD.
UM, COLOR BAY IS MY RESIDENCE.
UM, AS FAR AS YOUR QUESTION, UH, IN REFERENCE TO ENGAGEMENTS LAST YEAR, UH, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU COMPARE THIS LAST YEAR TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WE HAD THE SIMILAR AMOUNT OF CONTACT.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 4,000 CONTACTS.
THE REASON WHY THE ENGAGEMENTS WENT LOWER IS BECAUSE, UM, THE PREVIOUS YEAR WE WERE, UH, REQUIRING THAT A PERSON SIGN AN, UH, UH, WE WERE ACCEPTING VERBAL RELEASE OF INFORMATION.
THIS YEAR, WE DECIDED TO, ACROSS THE BOARD, THAT WE ONLY WOULD ENGAGE INDIVIDUALS AND EN ENTER 'EM INTO THE SYSTEM, THE HMIS SYSTEM, IF THEY, IF THEY SIGN AN ROI.
[01:50:01]
AND SO WE'RE GOING BACK TO VERBAL ROI SO THAT OUR ENGAGEMENTS CAN INCREASE.AND SO LAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 800 ENGAGEMENTS, AND THIS, IN THE PREVIOUS TWO MONTHS, UH, WE'VE INCREASED OUR ENGAGEMENTS AND SO WE'RE ON TRACK TO MEETING ABOUT 800, 800 ENGAGEMENTS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I, I THINK THE MISSION FOR NEW HOPE IS TO PLACE A HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL IN, IN IN CARE.
AND SO I DON'T REALLY, THE ENGAGEMENT NUMBERS AREN'T NECESSARILY A-A-A-K-P-I FOR ME, IT'S MORE OF LIKE THE PLACEMENTS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, POINT, LIKE 0.1% OF THE CONTACTS GET A, GET A TREATMENT BED, AND THIS IS COSTING TAXPAYERS HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
I I MEAN, I, I I, I AIRED MY GRIEVANCES AT THE LAST MEETING ON THIS ITEM.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT'S REALLY LOW, I GUESS, VALUE, UM, FOR, FOR OUR CITY.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE THIR, THE 94 AND 13, YOU KNOW, UM, THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE BETTER OFF WHEN BEFORE NEW HOPE GOT TO THEM.
I, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO THEM.
BUT AT WHAT POINT DO WE LIKE, DRAW THE LINE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH IS THAT GOING TO BE? YOU KNOW, IF I DO, UH, JUST A QUICK MATH AND I SAY, UM, $560,000 DIVIDED BY 13, UH, RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PLACEMENTS, THAT'S $43,000 A PERSON I'M GONNA ASK.
RIGHT? SO, AND, AND I GET, LOOK, I ALSO, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S AFTER HOUR, YOU KNOW, CALL CENTER, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
WELL, IT'S A, IT'S IT'S CALL, RIGHT? UM, IT'S, SO LOOK, I, I, I, AGAIN, I, I I, I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN JUSTIFY SPENDING THAT KIND OF MONEY, UM, OR FOR THIS, UM, IT, IT, IT JUST, THE STATS ARE VERY POOR.
AND I KNOW IN, IN THE INDUSTRY IT IS, IT IS CHALLENGING.
I MEAN, GUYS, WHEN YOU SPEND $43,000 PER PERSON, I, I THINK THAT'S JUST, IT'S A LOT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE ON WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE? SO, UM, DR. TERRY, IF YOU COULD PERHAPS, UM, PROVIDE A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO WHAT, UM, INDUSTRY STATS ARE SORT OF GENERALLY SPEAKING, UM, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WRITTEN AND VERBAL ROI SO THAT WE HAVE BENCHMARK ABOUT FROM WHICH TO EVALUATE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT, UH, FOR ENGAGEMENTS AND FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE UP ON SERVICES.
UM, IT IS ABOUT THAT 20% MARK.
UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE COMPARE, WE WERE LOOKING TO COMPARE OUR PROGRAM VERSUS, UH, OUR CITY PROGRAM VERSUS OUR AFTER HOURS.
WE CAN'T EVEN COMPARE THAT 'CAUSE IT'S APPLES TO ORANGES BECAUSE WE'RE ENGAGING DURING THE DAY, WHEREAS THEY'RE ENGAGING AT NIGHT WHERE THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT MAY BE PREVALENT THAT YOU MAY NOT BE SEEING DURING THE DAY.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO COMPARE APPLES TO ORANGES.
YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE SAME POPULATION.
SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A VERY TRANSIENT, UH, SERVICE RESISTANT, UH, POPULATION.
WE TRY TO HAVE AS COMPREHENSIVE OF SERVICES READILY AVAILABLE.
SO WHEN THE PERSON IS WILLING TO TAKE US UPON THE SERVICES, THERE'S NO DELAY TIME AND NO LAG TIME.
AND THAT HAS TRULY PROVEN TO BE A DIFFERENCE.
UM, BECAUSE THE PERSON DOESN'T HAVE TO IT, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY CHANGE THEIR MINDS WAITING FOR, LET'S SAY, A TREATMENT BED TO BECOME AVAILABLE OR, OR A PRE-TREATMENT BED, OR A SHELTER BED, ET CETERA.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE IN A TIME AND PLACE IN, IN OUR WORLD WHERE WE ARE VERY EXIGENT ABOUT HOW WE ADDRESS A HOMELESS POPULATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS AND WISH TO NOT BE HOMELESS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS BY CHOICE AND, UM, THAT IS THEIR RIGHT.
UM, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS AND ARE CRIMINALS, AND THAT'S A DIFFERENT SORT OF PATH.
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS WHO HAVE VERY SER SERIOUS AND SIGNIFICANT, UM, HEALTHCARE ISSUES.
THERE'S MEDICAL, UH, MENTAL OR, OR OTHER KIND OF PHYSICAL ISSUE TO DO WITHOUT A PROGRAM LIKE THIS IS NOT AN OPTION IN OUR CITY BECAUSE, UM, THERE, THERE'S JUST NO, YOU CAN'T CLAIM TO BE COMPASSIONATE IN, IN TREATING HOMELESS POPULATION ISSUES WITHOUT OFFERING A PATH TO THE HELP THAT IS NECESSARY.
THE POPULATION GROUP SELF-SELECTS TO BE INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH.
UM, ANYBODY WHO HAS A RELATIVE WHO HAS HAD
[01:55:01]
SERIOUS CHRONIC ILLNESS OR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES CAN ATTEST TO THAT.UM, I, I HOW EXPENSIVE IS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR A PERSON'S SHOT AT LIFE? I DON'T KNOW.
UM, I, I THINK THAT TRYING TO BRING THIS PROGRAM IN-HOUSE WOULD NOT ONLY HAVE AN OUTRAGEOUS DELAY, BUT THE LEARNING CURVE AND THE COST WOULD BE, UH, THE LEARNING CURVE WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A VERY DIFFICULT SET OF JOBS TO FILL.
WE CAN BARELY FILL JOBS THAT WE HAVE THAT AREN'T SO CHALLENGING.
UM, AND THE COST TO BRINGING THIS AS AN IN-HOUSE PROGRAM WITH, UH, LONG-TERM CARRIED COSTS, PENSIONS, PROMOTIONS IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THE COST HERE.
WOULD WE LIKE TO SEE A BETTER RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT? FOR A MILLION REASONS, YES.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE PEOPLE ACCEPT THE HELP THAT IS BEING OFFERED.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WITH GOING BACK TO VERBAL ROIS AS OPPOSED TO WRITTEN, WHILE I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE DESIRE TO HAVE EVERYTHING BUTTONED UP, UM, WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT METRICS AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THE NUMBER OF CONTACTS WILL GO DOWN BECAUSE THERE ARE JUST FEWER PEOPLE WHO NEED OUR HELP.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO BE IN, IN SUPPORT OF CONTINUING WITH THIS PROGRAM.
UM, MAYBE SOMETHING WILL BETTER WILL COME ALONG DOWN THE ROAD.
THERE ARE WAYS TO REFINE, UM, HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO.
AND I ANTICIPATE THAT, UM, AS WE DO WITH OUR OTHER OUTREACH PROGRAMS, THERE'S COLLABORATION ACROSS MUNICIPALITIES AND STATES TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE COME HERE TO LEARN FROM WHAT WE ARE DOING SUCCESSFULLY, AND I WOULD EXPECT THE SAME IF WE KNOW THAT SOMEBODY'S GOT A SUPER EFFICIENT WAY OF DOING X.
LIKE IT IS INCUMBENT ON ON YOU, SIR, TO INCORPORATE THAT TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY IN A WAY TO MAKE SENSE.
NOT EVERYTHING WORKS FOR EVERY SITUATION, EVERY MUNICIPALITY, BUT I, UM, I OBVIOUSLY WANNA HEAR FROM THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I WILL BE MAKING A MOTION TO SUPPORT THIS.
COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, THANK COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
UH, I TOO, UH, SHARE MY COLLEAGUES, UH, COMMENTS THAT I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS CONTRACT.
AND I ALSO DID SOME COMPARISON AND INVESTIGATION ON, UH, WHAT THE PRICES AND CONTRACTS INCLUDE.
COMPARE, COMPARING MIAMI BEACH RATES, UH, WITH OTHER CONTRACTS.
AND SO OUR RATES INCLUDE STREET OUTREACH.
IT'S BUNDLED WITH SALARIES, FRINGE BENEFITS, TRANSPORTATION CAUSE INSURANCE, AND OTHER ADMIN OPERATING COSTS.
THE MP AFTER HOURS IS 38 58, WHICH IS LOWER THAN SOME OF THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, WHICH COME IN AT OVER 41 AND $40.
ALSO, THE RESIDENTIAL LEVEL TWO TREATMENT FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES RATE COMPARED TO OTHER FUNDERS AND CONTRACTS.
SO THE MIAMI BEACH, UH, BED RATE IS 1 77 AND OTHER, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO THIS, THE BED RATES COME IN AT 2 74, 2 25.
UH, ONE, UH, THAT IS OUT OF NETWORK IS EVEN AT FOUR 50.
AND THE SUCCESSFUL PLACEMENT FOR STREET OUTREACH COMPARED TO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY CONTINUUM OF CARE, UH, MIAMI BEACH PLACEMENT IS 20%, AS WE'VE MENTIONED, WHERE IN THE COUNTY IT'S, UH, LESS THAN THAT.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
AND IY YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO RECOGNIZE THAT NEW HOPE HAS BEEN A VITAL PARTNER WITH US, WITH OUR OUTREACH SERVICES AND SPECIFICALLY THIS, WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US.
AND THE REASON WHY I SPONSORED THIS, I HAVE THIS ON THE, ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR THE CONTINUITY OF SERVICES, FOR THE SEGMENT OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION THAT IS DEALING WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE CHALLENGES.
AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SPECIFICALLY NEW HOPE HAS A SPECIFIC ACCREDITATION THAT, THAT, THAT POSITIONS THEM IDEALLY TO DEAL WITH THIS.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT BRINGING THIS IN-HOUSE.
BRINGING THIS IN-HOUSE DOESN'T GUARANTEE A HIGHER LEVEL OF SUCCESS OR A BETTER RETURN ON THE, ON THE INVESTMENT BECAUSE YOU GOTTA GO OUT AND FIND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CERTIFIED AND ACCREDITED TO DEAL WITH THIS SPECIFIC SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION AND EXPERTISE IN DEALING WITH DISABILITY SERVICES AND REHABILITATION, UH, OF FIELDS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT NOT ONLY, UH, DOES NEW HOPE IN OUR CURRENT AGREEMENT OFFER SPECIALIZED, UH, SERVICES, BUT THEY SPONSOR OFFER SPECIFICALLY AFTER HOURS.
AND IT'S NOT JUST A CALL CENTER BECAUSE THEY ALSO DO OFFER OUTREACH EFFORTS IN OUR CITY ENGAGING DIRECTLY, UH, WITH HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 7:30 PM AND 3:00 AM I, I, I BELIEVE, WHICH IS, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT.
'CAUSE WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, ONE OF THE THINGS I WORKED ON WAS EXPANDING THE HOURS OF OPERATIONS IN WHICH WE OFFER OUTREACH SERVICES.
[02:00:01]
AND I WAS VERY FRUSTRATED WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED THAT WE WERE ONLY IN DOING ENGAGEMENT IN WHAT SEEMED TO BE NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS, LIKE SEVEN TO THREE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WORKED ON IS, WELL, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WHEN INDIVIDUALS ARE IN THEIR MOST VULNERABLE, MOST VULNERABLE AND MOST WILLING TO ACCEPT ASSISTANCE, THAT WE HAVE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THEM.
AND ALBA WORKED, UH, WITH US, AND THE TEAM WORKED IN OFFERING THESE, THESE, THESE SERVICES BEYOND, UH, THOSE HOURS.
AND WHY DO WE DO THIS? 'CAUSE NEARLY 30% OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO FILL OUT OUR RESIDENT SURVEY TELL US THAT THEY PRIORITIZE AND THEY SEE HOMELESSNESS AS AN ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS, AND THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS COMPASSIONATELY AS WELL.
AND SO, AND, AND, AND SO SOMETIMES IN PUBLIC SERVICE, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, BUT IT'S ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT YOU ARE MAKING.
AND I THINK WE WILL DO A GREAT DETRIMENT TO OUR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR RESIDENTS.
IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS CONTRACT TODAY, BECAUSE IT WILL CREATE A BIG LAPSE IN THE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER OUR, OUR, OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION.
COULD THINGS BE BETTER? OF COURSE.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A VERY DIFFICULT POPULATION, WE JUST CAN'T SEE IT AS A TYPICAL BUSINESS RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
YOU JUST CAN'T SEE IT THAT WAY.
AND IN, IN A PERFECT WORLD, YES, BUT YOU'RE DEALING WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE MENTAL ILLNESSES AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND OTHER TYPES OF DISABILITIES THAT WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE NEW HOPE THAT IS SPECIFICALLY ACCREDITED TO, TO, TO DEAL WITH THIS WITHOUT MR. MAYOR, I MOVE MY ITEM, UH, AND I'D ASK YOU TO CALL THE QUESTION I'D SECOND IT.
MR. MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST CHIME IN FOR, UH, WELL, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ WAS NEXT.
I MEAN, I JUST, I'M LOOKING AT THE STATS.
IT'S A 0.2% SUCCESS RATE, AND WE'RE SPENDING $560,000 OF TAXPAYER MONEY.
UM, YOU KNOW, YES, THE RESIDENTS HAVE, HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERN AND WAS ONE OF THE TOP ISSUES, UH, ON, ON OUR SURVEY.
HOWEVER, BASED ON THESE STATS, NOTHING'S CHANGING AS FAR AS QUALITY OF LIFE.
THERE IS NO, THERE'S NO MOVEMENT IN, IN QUALITY OF LIFE WHEN ONLY 13 OVER THE WHOLE YEAR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE TAKING $560,000 AND PUTTING IT TOWARD POLICE OR, OR ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT ACTUALLY, UH, BENEFITS THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF RESIDENTS IN TERMS OF HOMELESS.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I MEAN, I, I, I DON'T, I DON'T, TO ME, A 0.2% SUCCESS RATE IS NOT, UM, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S WORKING.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S THE OPPOSITE OF WORKING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO EXPLAIN THAT.
I MEAN, THE RESULTS ARE THE RESULTS.
I'M A, YOU KNOW, I, I I, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME SORT OF ACCOUNTABILITY ON TAXPAYER FUNDS AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S BEING USED PROPERLY.
AND I DON'T SEE THAT A PROGRAM WHERE THE 0.2% SUCCESS RATE IS, IS, IS SUCCESSFUL.
COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ, UH, COMMISSIONER ESPARZA, I THINK, UH, SOME OF THE POINTS THAT YOU BRING UP, UH, ARE VALID AND HAVE MERIT.
AND I THINK CERTAINLY, UH, WARRANT FURTHER, UH, ANALYZING AND DISCUSSION.
WE ARE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF MOVING PIECES WITH, UH, OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH, OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A ONE YEAR CONTRACT.
YOU KNOW, SO, UH, I THINK I'D BE HESITANT TO KIND OF, UH, CUT SHIP RIGHT NOW WITH SO MANY MOVING PIECES.
UM, BUT IN THE SAME REGARD, I, I CERTAINLY THINK THAT SOME OF THE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK ARGUMENTS, UH, THAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP ARE CERTAINLY WORTH FURTHER DISCUSSING AND ANALYZING OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR, UH, WHEN WE MOVE, YOU KNOW, TOWARDS A, TOWARDS A FURTHER CONTRACT.
AND I THINK THAT IS THE TIME TO REALLY START HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.
I'D BE HESITANT TO JUST KIND OF, UH, CUT FROM THIS RIGHT NOW.
SO I THINK YOU'VE KIND OF HEARD WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WHICH IS GETTING PEOPLE INTO BEDS.
I ALSO THINK WE'VE CHANGED OUR LEGISLATION OVER THE PAST YEAR OR TWO, AND WE HAVE NO RULES IN PLACE, AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE NECESSARILY SET THE EXPECTATIONS FOR WHAT WE WANT, BUT DO YOU THINK THAT IF WE CONTINUE THE CONTRACT FOR THE NINE MONTHS, THAT YOU CAN IMPROVE THE SUCCESS RATE OF GETTING PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS? YES, WE CAN.
WE CAN, WE CAN IMPROVE THE, THE OUTCOMES.
BECAU, BECAUSE I, I, I DO, I DO WANT
[02:05:01]
TO ADD TO, IF I CAN, TO, UH, THROUGH THE MAYOR, UM, COMMENT SOME COMMENTS IN REFERENCE TO, UH, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.UM, THE, THE REASON WHY ENGAGEMENTS ARE SO IMPORTANT, IT'S JUST NOT JUST AN ENGAGEMENT AND THEY ENTER INTO A SYSTEM AND THEN YOU NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN.
THE ENGAGEMENTS ARE ENTERED INTO THE HMIS AND IT CREATES A RECORD WHERE A PERSON, IF THEY MAY NOT BE READY FOR SERVICES AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IT CREATES A RECORD OF CHRONICITY.
AND THAT WAY WHEN A PERSON BECOMES READY, IT, THAT THEY MEET THE OTHER CRITERIA THAT ARE NECESSARY TO TAP INTO OTHER FUNDING SOURCES THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH HUD, SUCH AS HOUSING AND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES THAT ARE IN OTHER PLACES, PARTS OF THE COUNTY.
SO ENGAGEMENTS AREN'T, ARE IN FACT IMPORTANT.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY I DRIVE TO OUR STAFF THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE, UM, ONLY ENTERING ENGAGEMENTS WITH A, A SIGNED RELEASE OF INFORMATION.
BUT IF THE PERSON AGREES TO GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION, ENTER 'EM, BECAUSE IN THE LONG TERM, IT COULD HELP THE INDIVIDUAL WHEN THEY DECIDE THAT THEY WANT SERVICES.
SO WHAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ENGAGEMENT'S GONNA INCREASE BY? WELL, I MEAN, WE'RE AT FOUR 70.
WE COULD GO, WE COULD, WE COULD GO TO 800 WE THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
AND WHAT, AND AS FAR AS, I MEAN, DOES THAT, IS THAT A LINEAR INCREASE WITH THE NUMBER OF TREATMENTS, UH, PLACEMENTS? SO AS FAR AS THE TREATMENT PLACEMENTS, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S ONLY 12, 12 13 TREAT 13 TREATMENTS PLACEMENTS, BUT THERE WERE 666 BED BED DAYS UTILIZED.
SO WHEN YOU KIND OF, YOU KNOW, DO THE MATH, IT'S NOT 13 $560,000 DIVIDED BY 13, YOU HAVE TO DECIDE, DIVIDE THE NUMBER OF THE CONTRACT BY ALL THE SERVICES AND THE BED DAYS THAT WERE, THAT WERE PROVIDED.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN, THAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS BEING STATED.
WHEN WE DO NUMBERS, I MEAN, IT'S TYPICALLY BASED ON UNIQUE VALUES, RIGHT? NOT THAT'S, THAT'S THE NUMBERS.
IT'S 13 INDIVIDUALS WHO'S WHO, WHO BENEFIT, NOT NECESSARILY THE, THE DAYS, UM, BEING USED.
SO I MEAN, IF THAT, IF, IF THAT'S THE CASE, I MEAN, WE WOULD GO BANKRUPT IF EVERYONE DECIDED TO COME TO MIAMI BEACH AND UTILIZE IT.
SO, OKAY, SO MR. WILSON GONZALEZ HAD THE FLOOR.
I'M JUST GONNA, AND I DON'T KNOW, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER THIS, BUT MY SECOND QUESTION IS, DO YOU GUYS HAVE SOME SORT OF DIRECT COMMUNICATION LINE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? YES.
SO I THINK THAT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN HERE IS THAT YOU'RE, THE JOB THAT THEY ARE DOING IS REALLY TO ALERT THE POLICE.
WE'VE MADE CONTACT WITH THE HOMELESS PERSON.
WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S NOT WILLING TO TAKE THE BED AND THEN WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE, I DON'T THINK THAT NEW HOPE'S JOB SHOULD NECESSARILY BE, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT SHOULD BE MAKING CONTACT.
AND IF YOU CAN GET SOMEBODY INTO A BED, FINE.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO OBVIOUSLY BE COUNTING NOW 'CAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS IDEA OF SUCCESS RATE, BUT THEN DIRECT LINE TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, BUSY FINDING THE PEOPLE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND IF THEY DO REFUSE THE SHELTER, YOU GUYS ARE GONNA HAVE TO GO OUT AND CALL.
IS THAT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW? WELL, THE POLICE ACTUALLY USE NEW HOPE.
THERE IS A STRONG PARTNERSHIP, IN FACT, IN ORDER FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THE, IF IT'S, IF IT'S MARCHMAN SERVICES, THEY USE THE TREATMENT AND PRE-TREATMENT BEDS OF NEW HOPE.
AND THAT'S PART OF THIS, OF, OF THIS ITEM.
IT'S $183,000 THAT ARE PART OF THIS, OF THIS ITEM THAT SUPPORTS SPECIFICALLY IN, IN INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFIED THROUGHOUT OUTREACH, WHO ARE VOLUNTARILY ACCEPTING, UH, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO THE POLICE ARE IDENTIFYING THAT NEED MARCHMAN ACT.
NOW, I ALSO WANNA ADDRESS THE WHOLE ISSUE OF THE TWO OF THE 0.2% SUCCESS RATE.
I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL IN, IN WHAT WE PUT OUT THERE IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT, AT, AT THE DATA, WHAT DOES THE DATA TELL US? WELL, IN OCTOBER, OCTOBER OF, OF THIS YEAR, ALRIGHT, WHICH WAS NOT TOO LONG AGO, THEY ENGAGED, HAD MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENTS WITH 49 PEOPLE.
OF THOSE 49 PEOPLE, SEVEN WERE ABLE TO GET OFF THE STREET EITHER INTO RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT OR INTO EMERGENCY SHELTER OR PRE-TREATMENT, UH, FACILITIES.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT OF THE 49 PEOPLE, THAT NEW HOPE MADE MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENTS WITH 14%, WERE ABLE TO GET OFF THE, OFF THE STREETS.
NOW IN ORDER, WHY, WHY ISN'T THAT COMMISSIONER SUAREZ IS GETTING TO THIS 0.2% NUMBER? WELL, IN ORDER TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT, IT TAKES MANY
[02:10:01]
CONTEXTS IN ORDER FOR A HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL TO FEEL COMFORTABLE TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION.SO THOSE 49 MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENTS WERE THE RESULT OF 337 CONTACTS.
THEY HAD TO ENGAGE WITH THESE, WITH HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, 337 TIMES PERSISTENCY IN ORDER TO GET 49 MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENTS.
BUT THOSE 49 MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENTS YIELDED A 14% SUCCESS RATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY OF SEVEN HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE URINATING, DEFECATING, AND SHOWERING IN PUBLIC.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW ARE WE HELPING PEOPLE, NOT HOW DO WE TEAR AN ITEM APART? AND THAT IS KEY HERE.
YEAH, WE COULD ALWAYS MAKE SOMETHING LOOK BAD.
YEAH, WE CAN MAKE IT LOOK LIKE 0.2% SUCCESS RATE.
I'M SEEING A 14% SUCCESS RATE BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO GET IN, IN, WE WERE ABLE TO, TO GET IN THAT ONE MONTH PERIOD, SEVEN PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS.
IS THERE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALWAYS DO BETTER? YES.
BUT PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THIS IS THE MOST OF THE MOST DIFFICULT OF THE POPULATIONS.
INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESSES, INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, AND INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE, IN ADDITION TO DEALING WITH THE CHALLENGES OF HOMELESSNESS.
I CHALLENGE ANY ONE OF US TO TRY TO DO THIS BETTER IN-HOUSE.
IT WON'T WORK IN-HOUSE BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU'RE DEALING FOR CHEAPER, AT LEAST BECAUSE YOU'RE DEALING ALSO WITH OVERNIGHT HOURS.
AND WE'VE ALREADY RUN THE NUMBERS OF WHAT IT WOULD COST US TO, TO, TO, TO DO THIS, UH, UH, IN, IN HOUSE OVER OVERNIGHT.
I MEAN, WE CAN BEAT THIS HORSE TO, TO, TO, TO DEATH, MR. MAYOR.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, WE'RE READY TO CALL THE ITEM MOTION IN A SECOND.
UM, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR ITEM.
I DO WANT TO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
I THINK YOU'VE, UH, BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT, UH, AND HIGHLIGHTING HOW WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART.
EVEN IF SOMETHING PASSES, DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOUR, UM, OBJECTIONS AREN'T FRUITFUL.
AND I, AND I'M TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS AS WELL, I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY, UM, COMFORTED BY THE FACT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES MIAMI BEACH GETS, UH, A TOUGH RAP THAT, 'CAUSE WE ARE ENFORCING ALL LAWS.
WE DO MAKE ARRESTS WHEN APPROPRIATE, THE PUBLIC SPACES IS FOR THE PUBLIC.
AND WE'VE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR.
AND WE CONTINUE TO ASK OUR POLICE TO DO MORE AND MORE AND MORE, AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE ASKING 'EM TO DO EVEN A GREATER JOB, WHICH IS TOUGH TO DO WHEN YOU'RE ALREADY DOING IT.
BUT, UM, IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AND THE SUPREME COURT, AND I'M SO PROUD OF THIS COMMISSION AND OUR CITY AND OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE THE SUPREME COURT IN A RECENT DECISION AND OUT OF OREGON SAID, YOU DON'T HAVE TO OFFER ALL THESE SERVICES.
IF THEY'RE IN THE PUBLIC AND THEY'RE SLEEPING AND, AND, AND A PERSON'S SLEEPING IN THE PUBLIC, YOU CAN MAKE THE ARREST.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO OFFER SERVICES.
AND WE CHOOSE NOT TO GO THAT DIRECTION.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ULTIMATELY ARE GONNA ENFORCE OUR LAWS.
SO I THINK IT'S, WE NEED TO EXAMINE EVERY ASPECT, MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING PRUDENT WITH OUR RESOURCES AND OUR TAXPAYER FUNDING.
AND I, AND I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, AND I ENCOURAGE THAT.
I HAVE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BOT.
ANYONE OPPOSED? PASSES THE SEVEN ZERO.
WELL, THEY SAID THEY WERE GONNA BRING BETTER ENGAGEMENT, SO I'M GONNA HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE FOR NEXT YEAR.
[R5 A AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 58 OF THE MIAMI BEACH CITY CODE, ENTITLED "HOUSING," BY AMENDING ARTICLE Ill, ENTITLED "PROPERTY MAINTENANCE STANDARDS," BY AMENDING SECTION 58-298 THEREOF, ENTITLED "RESPONSIBILITIES OF OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS", TO REQUIRE PROPERTY OWNERS OF HOUSES AND BUILDINGS WITHIN THE CITY TO TAKE MEASURES TO PROTECT ANIMALS ON THE PROPERTY; AND, PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
A IS AN ART OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA.AMENDING CHAPTER 58 OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
CODE ENTITLED HOUSING BY AMENDING AR THREE ENTITLED PROPERTY MAINTENANCE STANDARDS BY AMENDING SECTION 58 DASH 2 9 8 THERE OF ENTITLED RESPONSIBILITIES OF OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS TO REQUIRE PROPERTY OWNERS OF HOUSES AND BUILDINGS WITHIN THE CITY TO TAKE MEASURES TO PROTECT ANIMALS ON THE PROPERTY AND INSTALL ONE, INSTALLING ONE WAY ANIMAL DOOR OR CRAWL SPACES AND PROVIDING FOR REPEAT OBSERVABILITY CLARIFICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS A SECOND READING PUBLIC HEARING.
WHO'S PRESENTING THE SAME? IT'S MY AUNT.
UM, SO BASICALLY THE PROPOSAL ENSURES THAT ANIMALS LIVING IN CRAWL SPACES ARE NOT TRAPPED DURING FUMIGATION, WHICH CAN LEAD TO INJURY AND DEATH.
AND WE JUST HAD THE, UH, UM, HOLLY WAYLAND AND LINDA DIAMOND HERE, BUT I THINK THEY MAY HAVE WALKED OUT.
BUT THE ITEM HAS THREE CO-SPONSORS.
SO WITH ME THAT'S, UH, FOUR VOTES.
AND I KNOW, UM, THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF, THERE WERE A LOT OF, UM, THERE IS CONCERNS
[02:15:01]
ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT NOBODY GOT TRAPPED UNDER, NONE OF THE ANIMALS GOT TRAPPED, AND THAT ALL GOT ADDRESSED.SO WANNA MAKE SURE ANYBODY LISTENING TO THIS UNDERSTANDS THAT.
SO, UM, UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY SUPER PRESSING THING TO SAY, JUST IF I COULD BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
OH, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, WOULD YOU ACCEPT COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AS A CO-SPONSOR? YES.
COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ? YEAH, I WOULD.
AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THE VOTE TO THANK COMMISSIONER DEEZ FOR CHANGING IT.
SO THE WAY THAT IT WORKS RIGHT NOW, INITIALLY YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE TO INSTALL THE TRAP DOOR, BUT IF YOU HAVE A CRAWL SPACE UNDER YOUR HOUSE, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS OPEN UP YOUR EXISTING CRAWL SPACE, WHICH I THINK IS, IS MUCH EASIER, UM, TO DO.
MANY OF US HAVE TRAPPED DOORS ON OUR CRAWL SPACES, UM, NOT TRAP DOORS, BUT LIKE NAIL DOORS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GONNA CAUSE LIKE ANY ECONOMIC ISSUES AT ALL.
AND BY THE WAY, YOU KNOW, I HAD A, A SIMILAR ITEM ABOUT TRAPPING THAT I MOVED TO NEIGHBORHOODS NOW BECAUSE, UH, SOMEBODY'S CAT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKEN VIA TRAPPER.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE HAVING THESE ISSUES ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAD A LONG CONVERSATION WITH TWO CATS, LINDA AND HOLLY.
SO WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS THAT TOO DIFFERENTLY.
UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR CHANGING IT SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT TOO DIFFICULT TO TENT OUR HOMES, WHICH NEED TO BE TENTED ROUGHLY LIKE EVERY FIVE YEARS.
I'D LIKE TO JUST TAKE A A MOMENT TO CLARIFY.
UM, THE REVISED VERSION REQUIRES THAT IF YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PUT A PERMANENT SCREEN, THEN FOR A PERIOD OF 14 DAYS PRIOR TO THAT, YOU WOULD HAVE A ONE-WAY DOOR.
UM, IT, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO ENCLOSE YOUR CRAWL SPACE, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, IF I CALL TO GET MY HOUSE TENTED RIGHT NOW, AND LET'S SAY THAT I HAVE THREE OPENINGS TO THE CRAWL SPACE UNDERNEATH MY HOUSE, WHAT I UNDERSTOOD WAS THAT IF I OPENED UP MY CRAWL SPACES, I WOULD NOT HAVE TO INSTALL A DOOR.
YOU ACTUALLY SHOULD NEVER HAVE YOUR, SORRY.
I'M LINDA DIAMOND, UH, SOBI CAT SPAY NTER PRESIDENT, MOVE ON 400, ALTON.
SO THERE ALREADY IS BUILDING CODE THAT EVERY CRAWL SPACE HAS GOT TO BE CLOSED WITH SOME TYPE OF SCREEN OR LATTICE ALL THE WAY AROUND THE PERIMETER.
SO IF YOU'RE IN COMPLIANCE, THERE IS NO ISSUE.
AND THIS DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO APPLY TO YOU BECAUSE ANIMALS CAN'T GET IN OR OUT.
SO IF I'M IN COMPLIANCE, AND SO I DON'T HAVE TO OPEN ANY DOORS AT ALL, SO I JUST LEAVE IT SCREENED AS IS AND THEN I WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.
I SEE NO ONE IN THE AUDIENCE, AND I SEE NO ONE IN ZOOM REQUESTING TO SPEAK.
MOTION CARRIES THE ITEM AS APPROVED.
IT WAS ITEM R FIVE A I CORRECT.
[R5 S AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 58 OF THE MIAMI BEACH CITY CODE, ENTITLED “HOUSING,” BY AMENDING ARTICLE III, ENTITLED “PROPERTY MAINTENANCE STANDARDS,” BY AMENDING SECTION 58-298 THEREOF TO REQUIRE PROPERTY OWNERS OF COMMERCIAL, HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED BUILDINGS IN THE ART DECO CULTURAL DISTRICT TO MAINTAIN THE HISTORIC CHARACTER BY PROMPTLY ADDRESSING EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE, UNAPPROVED SIGNAGE OR AWNINGS, AND OTHER VISUAL BLIGHT VIOLATIONS; AND, PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
AS IN STEVE.R FIVE S IS THE NORTH TO THE MAYOR CITY COMMISSIONER OF CITY OF THE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA.
AMENDING CHAPTER 58 OF MIAMI BEACH CITY CODE ENTITLED HOUSING BY AMENDING ARTICLE THREE ENTITLED PROPERTY MAINTENANCE STANDARDS BY AMENDING SECTION 58 DASH 2 9 8 THEREOF, TO REQUIRE PROPERTY OWNERS OF COMMERCIAL HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED BUILDINGS IN THE A CULTURAL DISTRICT TO MAINTAIN THE HISTORIC CHARACTER BY PROPERTY ADDRESSING A EXTERIOR OF MAINTENANCE AND APPROVED SIGNAGE OR AWNING AND OTHER VISUAL BLIGHT VIOLATIONS AND PROVIDING FOR REPEAL ACCEPTABILITY CLARIFICATION AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS A SECOND READING PUBLIC HEARING.
IT IS ITEM R FIVE S, COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ.
UM, YES, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ITEM.
THIS IS FOR OUR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS IN OUR, OUR DECO CULTURAL DISTRICT.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME QUESTION AS TO WHETHER ALL OF IT WAS ONLY DESIGNATED BUILDINGS, WHICH WOULD'VE, WHICH WOULD'VE REALLY MEANT ONLY CITY HALL.
BUT WHAT I THINK THE SPIRIT AND INTENT OF THIS ITEM WAS, AND WHAT I THINK IT ACTUALLY DOES IS ALL BUILDINGS THAT ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
IS THAT CORRECT, RICK OR MI? YES.
SO THE HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED TERM ACTUALLY INCLUDES ALL BUILDINGS THAT ARE WITHIN A HO HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION AS TO WHETHER THAT WAS INTENDED TO REFER TO A HISTORIC, HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED SITE, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT TERM.
SO WHAT WE DID, AND TO, TO AVOID ANY CONFUSION, WE CLARIFIED HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED MEANS ANY BUILDING THAT IS WITHIN A HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED DISTRICT, UM, PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO POINT 13.9 OF THE RESILIENCY CODE.
WE ALSO CLARIFIED BECAUSE WE NOTICED THAT THERE'S NO DEFINITION FOR ART DECO CULTURAL DISTRICT IN THE CODE.
SO WE WENT AHEAD AND DEFINED THAT TO INCLUDE THE AREA THAT, THAT YOU WANTED TO INCLUDE.
[02:20:01]
LIKE TO THANK THE WOMEN IRENE VIER AND NINA WIRTH OF THE R AND JANE KREPP OF THE ART DECO CULTURAL DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY GOT THIS IDEA WHEN WALKING OCEAN DRIVE WITH THEM A FEW YEARS AGO.AND WE SAW THAT SEVERAL OF THE BUILDINGS HAD RUSTED LIGHTING FIXTURES AND THERE WAS PAINT THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
SO, AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO COMMEND COMMISSIONER BOT ON CARRYING MY INITIATIVE FORWARD WITH A SECOND ITEM TO INCLUDE ALL HISTORIC DISTRICTS ACROSS MIAMI BEACH, UM, COMMERCIAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
SO I THINK, AND I CO-SPONSOR THAT AS WELL.
AND I THINK IT SHOWS THAT MIAMI BEACH REALLY CARES AND APPRECIATES WHAT MAKES US SPECIAL.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS IN MAKING SURE THAT AS WE WALK THROUGH OUR CULTURAL DISTRICTS, WE ARE GOING TO DEMAND THAT, UM, THAT OUR PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, EVEN IF THEIR BUILDINGS ARE VACANT, THOSE BA BA BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PAINTED IN PROPER CONDITION.
OR, UH, WE WILL, UH, NOT JUST ISSUE THIS INITIAL CITATION, BUT WE ARE GOING TO FIND PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, UP TO A THOU A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER DAY.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE, UH, SOME CHANGES VERY QUICKLY WITH THIS NEW LEGISLATION.
SO I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE COMMISSIONER BOT.
COMMISSIONER BOT, ARE YOU CO-SPONSORING MY ITEM TOO? BECAUSE I THINK YOU SHOULD.
YEAH, I THINK, I THINK AT SOME POINT I TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT GOT LOST IN THE SHUFFLE.
SO WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO.
UM, AND I WOULD INVITE EVERYBODY TO CO-SPONSOR IF THEY WANT, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE NEW SIDEWALKS, THE NEW, UH, LIGHTING.
I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ IS WORKING ON SIGNAGE WITH THE ART DECO CULTURAL INSTITUTION.
I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR IS WORKING ON CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM.
AND THESE ARE ALL THINGS TO REALLY SHOW THAT WE CARE, THAT WE APPRECIATE OUR DECO AND THAT WE'RE MAKING A COMMITMENT TO NOT JUST KEEP OUR BUILDINGS, UH, VACANT WHILE WAITING FOR, YOU KNOW, BETTER ZONING.
THAT WE WANT IT TO LOOK BEAUTIFUL NOW.
AND OF PLACES LIKE PALM BEACH AND DELRAY BEACH AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER WATERFRONT MUNICIPALITIES LIKE SARASOTA, THEY REALLY DO HAVE A COMMITMENT TO MAKING THEIR BUILDINGS LOOK BEAUTIFUL.
AND FINALLY, MIAMI BEACH, AFTER SEVERAL DECADES OF NEGLECT, A MANAGED DECLINE OF OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT, I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE A CELEBRATION OF IT.
I THOUGHT I'D MOVE THE ITEM AND I'LL, I'LL SECOND IT, BUT I DO WANNA JUST SAY, UM, UH, I THINK I ECHO EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID, BUT ALSO JUST FROM A, A SIMPLE DOLLARS AND CENTS PERSPECTIVE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IF YOU'RE A LANDLORD OR A PROPERTY OWNER AND YOU'RE TRYING TO RENT OUT A FACILITY, A SPACE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE CRAP, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO RENT IT OUT VERY WELL.
BUT IF YOU HAVE A NICE CLEAN COAT OF PAINT ON IT AND THERE'S NO WATERMARKS AND DRAIN AND RUST COMING DOWN THE DRAIN, UM, IT'S NOT AN EXPENSIVE MAINTENANCE, BUT IT'S, IT WILL SET YOUR PROPERTY OFF BETTER.
AND IF YOU WANNA BE CREATIVE ABOUT THE WAY YOU, YOU PAINT IT TO MAKE IT LOOK EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL, THAT WILL INSPIRE YOUR POSSIBLE TENANTS TO DO, YOU KNOW, TO COME FORWARD AND PAY WHATEVER RENT THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING.
SO, UM, I, UH, I'M THRILLED ABOUT THIS.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE NEXT ONE UP.
UM, THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED NEXT MONTH, I GUESS, IN FEBRUARY.
AND, UM, PERHAPS WE COULD MOVE THE ITEM.
MOTION I SECOND, LET'S CALL THE VOTE.
MR. ALDO, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE.
GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS DANIEL ERALDO WITH MIAMI DESIGN PRESERVATION.
WE, UM, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSION FOR SUPPORTING THIS AND RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING PROPER EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THE VISUAL BLIGHT THAT WE SEE WITHIN THE ART DECO AND OTHER DISTRICTS.
YOU KNOW, MOST OF OCEAN DRIVE IS BEAUTIFUL AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS FOR THE MOST PART DO KEEP THEIR PROPERTIES UP TO CODE.
BUT WHEN THERE ARE A FEW PROBLEM PROPERTIES, IT REALLY CAN SPREAD AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND SO THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT INITIATIVE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE DOING THE BEST AND PUTTING OUR BEST FACE FORWARD AS I THINK MANY OF US SAW DURING ART WEEK, HOW BEAUTIFUL THE CITY LOOKS.
AND, UH, WE WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN KEEP IT EVEN MORE THAT WAY THROUGH CONTINUED VIGILANCE.
I HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL SPEAKER, GEORGE WALNER.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
AND MY QUESTION JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THE, ON THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER IS YOU'VE GOT THE TIDES HOTEL THAT IS A FOR, FOR OCEAN DRIVE, OR RATHER LARGE PROPERTY THAT STRETCHES ALL THE WAY FROM OCEAN DRIVE
[02:25:01]
TO COLLINS AVENUE.AND IT'S BEEN SITTING VACANT SINCE ABOUT 2017.
UM, AND IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO UNDERSTAND OR GETS SOME HELP FROM THE CITY, UH, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY IS THIS BEING ALLOWED? I MEAN, I KNOW YOU HAVE LIMITED POWERS, BUT THIS IS GONNA GO ON EIGHT YEARS OF A MAJOR PIECE OF THE STREET SITTING DARK AND UNUSED AND, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO BRING OCEAN DRIVE UP TO FULL POTENTIAL WITH THIS KIND OF, UH, HOLE ON THE STREET.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ROSA GONZALEZ.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THE SECOND PERSON IN 24 HOURS TO MENTION THE TIDES HOTEL.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT IN THIS ORDINANCE WE ADDRESS VACANCIES IN THE ART DECO CULTURAL DISTRICT.
AND I DO THINK THAT THAT IS ONE OF OUR LARGEST PROBLEMS. MAYBE COMMISSIONER BOUGHT, UM, IN YOUR ITEM BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING, YOU CAN ADD A PIECE ABOUT VACANT PROPERTIES IN THE ART DECO, UH, CULTURAL DISTRICT ABOUT POSSIBLY BEEFING UP WHATEVER, UM, CURTAIN.
I KNOW WE HAVE A VACANCY ORDINANCE THAT WE CREATED THAT IT NEEDS TO BE LANDSCAPED AND IT NEEDS TO BE LIT.
THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE ENFOR, ARE WE ENFORCING THAT RIGHT NOW? ESPECIALLY WITH PROPERTIES LIKE THE TIDES.
UM, SO MAYBE YOU WANT TO ADD TO YOUR ORDINANCE OR I'LL BRING A SEPARATE ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS VACANT PROPERTIES AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BEAUTIFIED BECAUSE MAYBE THAT WOULD MOTIVATE THE TIDES TO, UH, REOPEN.
DOES ANYBODY ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE TIDES HOTEL LITIGATION COMMISSIONER? IT'S IN LITIGATION COMMISSIONER.
CARRIE CARRIES THE ITEM AS APPROVED.
[R5 V AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, ENTITLED “ADMINISTRATION,” ARTICLE VI, “PROCUREMENT,” DIVISION 3, “CONTRACT PROCEDURES,” BY CREATING SECTION 2-379, TO BE ENTITLED “PROHIBITION ON CITY CONTRACTS WITH CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS,” TO PROHIBIT THE CITY FROM CONTRACTING WITH AN INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY WHICH HAS, WITHIN A DEFINED PERIOD OF TIME PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION OR EXECUTION OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE CITY, PERFORMED SERVICES FOR COMPENSATION TO A CANDIDATE FOR CITY ELECTED OFFICE, AND PROVIDE FOR A WAIVER; AND PROVIDING FOR REPEALER, SEVERABILITY, CODIFICATION, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.]
R FIVE V AS IN VICTOR.R FIVE V IS IN ORDER TO THE MAYOR OF CITY COMMISSION, THE CITY MIAMI, BE FLORIDA MANY CHAPTER TWO OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH ENTITLED ADMINISTRATION ARTICLE SIX, PROCUREMENT DIVISION THREE CONTRACT PROCEDURES BY CREATING SECTION TWO DASH 3 7 9 TO BE ENTITLED, PROHIBITION ON CITY CONTRACTS WITH CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS TO PROHIBIT THE CITY FROM CONTRACTING WITH AN INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY, WHICH HAS WITHIN A DEFINED PERIOD TIME PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION OR EXECUTION OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE CITY PERFORMS SERVICES FOR COMPENSATION TO A CANDIDATE FOR THE CITY ELECTED OFFICE AND PROVIDE FOR A WAIVER AND PROVIDING FOR A REPEAL SUSTAINABILITY CODIFICATION AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THIS IS A SECOND READING PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, THIS IS A SECOND READING ITEM, SO I WILL MAKE MY COMMENTS BRIEF.
BUT THE GOAL HERE IS TO, UM, CLEAN UP WHAT I SEE AS ABUSE IN THE SYSTEM WHERE SOMEBODY WHO MAY BE A PAID POLITICAL, UM, OPERATIVE, UH, COULD BECOME A CONSULTANT TO THE CITY.
SO I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT PLACES THAT GET RENTED OUT FOR EVENTS OR BANKS OR LAWYERS OR ACCOUNTANTS, BUT, BUT PEOPLE WHO CAN USE THEIR ACCESS TO THE CITY TO, UM, FURTHER THE GOALS OF ANY POLITICAL, ANY PARTICULAR, UM, POLITICAL CANDIDATE FOR ANY OF THE POSITIONS ON THE COMMISSION, UM, AND VICE VERSA.
AND, UH, I WOULD, MR. MAYOR, YOU MOVING, MOVE IT.
I'LL SECOND COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
I, I BELIEVE WE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS, UM, BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING TO REMOVE I THINK BANKS FROM YEAH, I JUST SAID THAT.
I THINK YOU WERE AWAY FROM THIS.
WHAT WERE THE OTHER CONCERNS? RICK, WOULD YOU MIND? UM, SURE.
DETAIL BECAUSE WE, WE DID SOME WORK TO, YEAH, WE, WE CREATED EXCEPTIONS FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY THAT PROVIDES GOODS TO A CANDIDATE.
SO IF YOU'RE JUST PROVIDING T-SHIRTS, UM, THAT, THAT WOULD NOT PRECLUDE YOU FROM PROVIDING SERVICES OR THE SAME T-SHIRTS TO THE CITY.
UM, ANY INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY THAT PROVIDES SERVICES TO A CANDIDATE, IF THOSE SAME SERVICES ARE REGULAR, PERFORMED FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF BUSINESS FOR CLIENTS OR CUSTOMERS OTHER THAN CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE.
SO THAT WOULD INCLUDE YOUR BANKS, YOUR ACCOUNTANTS, UM, NOT ACTUALLY, WE HAVE A SEPARATE ONE FOR ACCOUNTANTS, UH, BANKS, UH, CABLE COMPANIES, INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS, UH, PRINTING COMPANIES, ET CETERA, UH, RESTAURANTS AS WELL.
AND THEN FINALLY, AN EXCEPTION FOR LICENSED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
AND THAT INCLUDES YOUR LAWYERS, YOUR ACCOUNTANTS, ET CETERA.
MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, THANK YOU.
UM, AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, VICE MAYOR
[02:30:01]
BOT FOR UPDATING THE ITEM, UH, WITH, FOR, FOR THESE EXCEPTIONS WAS A CONCERN I HAD.UM, I, YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE A CONCERN.
LET ME ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY DIRECTLY, FOR EXAMPLE, FAVELA, WOULD THIS AFFECT FAVELA FOR, FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, VALERIE, VALERIE WHO RUNS FAVELA.
VALERIE, UH, WORKED IN MY FIRST CAMPAIGN AND, UH, AND, AND SHE HELPED ME IN MY FIRST CAMPAIGN.
UM, AND SHE RUNS THIS NONPROFIT THAT DEALS WITH THE HOMELESS AND THE CITY, UH, YOU KNOW, PRIOR, I THINK EVEN TO MY ELECTION, HAS BEEN WORKING WITH FAVELA IN, IN TRYING TO GET HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS EMPLOYED, LET'S SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN ANY OF US RUN FOR REELECTION AND SHE HELPS US AS SHE GOES, YOU KNOW WHAT SHE DOES? SHE JUST LIKE GOES AND TAKES PICTURES AT, AT EVENTS AND HELPS, UH, PEOPLE, UH, IN HER OWN FREE TIME.
WILL THIS PROHIBIT HER FROM CONTINUING ON WITH FAVELA SUPPORTING THE CITY WITH ITS HOMELESS OUTREACH EFFORTS? IF SHE DOES THAT AS A VOLUNTEER, THIS WOULD NOT AFFECT HER IF SHE AS A VOLUNTEER.
BUT IF I, IF SHE PAYING FOR PAY, THEN THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THE CITY COULD NOT CONTRACT WITH HER ORGANIZATION, UH, FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS AFTER THE, I I BELIEVE IT'S AFTER THE ELECTION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT HAS, YOU KNOW, UN YOU KNOW, UNINTENDED, YOU KNOW, CONSEQUENCES.
YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE, GOOD PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY LIKE THAT WHO, WHO WHO DO GOOD WORK, COULD WE INCORPORATE HERE AN EXCEPTION FOR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS? UH, BECAUSE A NON-PROFIT IS NOT A FOR-PROFIT VENTURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF SOMEONE IS AN OFFICER OF A NON-FOR-PROFIT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT PROFITING FOR FROM THESE THINGS AND THEY'RE HELPING OUR CITY ADVANCE IN OUR MOST CHALLENGING OFFICIALS.
AND IN THIS SPECIFIC CASE, IT'S SOMEONE THAT IS HELPING HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS GET EMPLOYED AND ENGAGE WITH OTHER HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS TO GET THEM OFF THE STREETS.
AND SO, AND SO I LIKE THE INTENT OF THIS ORDINANCE.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US HAVE AN EXCEPTION FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE NO ONE ENRICHES THEMSELVES, UH, OFF OF A NONPROFIT, UH, EFFORT, UH, LIKE THE WORK THAT FAB BELLA DOES WELL.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THAT AMENDMENT TO, TO, TO THE SPONSOR IF, IF FOR, FOR CONSIDERATION, I DON'T KNOW IF THE SPONSOR WOULD CONSIDER ACCEPTING THE AMENDMENTS.
UH, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ, AND COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
AND THANK YOU VICE MAYOR FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, I'M, UH, IN THE SIMILAR BOAT AS, UH, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ THAT I WORRY ABOUT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES SOMETIMES WHEN, UM, ENTITIES APPEAR ON OUR ON CAMPAIGN REPORTS, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY WERE A PAID OPERATIVE.
YOU COULD HAVE GONE TO CAFE ANTE AND THEY'LL SHOW UP ON YOUR REPORT AS YOU PAYING THEM, BUT YOU WERE REIMBURSING FOR SERVICES.
I REMEMBER IN, UH, ONE OF, UH, MARK SAMUEL'S CAMPAIGN, SOMEBODY SOUTH OF FIFTH SAID THAT THEY WOULD ARRANGE THE PARTY BUT NOT PAY FOR IT.
SO WE PAID HER AS REIMBURSEMENT FOR, UH, AN EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE SOUTH THE FIFTH.
SO I JUST, I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT, BUT I WORRY THAT IT WILL CAUSE MORE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT, THAT WE WE'RE NOT WANTING TO HAVE COMMISSIONER ROSA GONZALEZ, THANK COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, THEN COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEBODY LIKE MOLINA ALMODOVAR, THIS WOULD PUT HER OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE SHE GETS PAID TO SING AT DIFFERENT CAMPAIGN EVENTS, AND THEN YET SHE HAS SALSA FESTIVAL WITH THE CITY, AND SHE PERFORMS WHEN WE HAVE OUR CONVENTION CENTER, UH, PARTIES.
SO WITH THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION, YOU'RE KIND OF, UH, SQUEEZING OUT A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND MAYBE THEY SOMETIMES WORK WITH CAMPAIGNS LIKE IN ENTERTAINMENT AND OTHER STUFF, BUT THEN THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO WORK FOR THE CITY TOO.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S FAIR.
CAN I JUST, I, I, LET ME, LET ME COMMISSIONER SWEAR US.
WELL, THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT.
WE, WE DON'T WANNA HAVE PEOPLE THAT HELP US ON CAMPAIGNS THEN GET A JOB OR WITH THE CITY LIKE THIS IS, I THINK, I THINK THIS, THIS, I THINK THIS ITEM REALLY HITS TO THE HEART OF THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
SO THEY'RE MAKING, THEY, THEY COULD BE MAKING MONEY.
THEY MAY NOT BE MAKING A PROFIT, BUT THEY'LL,
[02:35:01]
THEY'LL, THEY'LL DEFINITELY BE HAVING A, A SALARY.SO THERE IS A MONEY COMPONENT TO IT.
JUST BECAUSE IT SAYS NON-PROFIT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S THAT THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, SELF-INTEREST IN IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, LET'S LOOK AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO, WHO, YOU KNOW, WHO HAVE, UH, CONSULTED CAMPAIGNS IN THE PAST.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE HIGHLY, UM, I WOULDN'T SAY PARTISAN, BUT THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE FAVORED FOR THAT PARTICULAR CANDIDATE.
I, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE REWARDED WITH A, A, UM, A GOVERNMENT TAXPAYER FUNDED, UM, POSITION OR JOB, UH, WITH, WITH THE CITY.
I, I THINK, UH, YEAH, LOOK, WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE WHO, WHO, UM, WHO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT SHOULDN'T BE A RESULT OF, OF AN ELECTION, RIGHT? SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.
MY, I THINK, I THINK MIAMI BEACH IS, IS, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY UP TO THIS POINT WE'VE HAD A, A VERY BLURRING OF THE LINES, UH, OF, OF, OF THESE CONFLICTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO CAMPAIGN SEASON.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE MORE WE REALLY SHORE THAT UP, I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE PUBLIC TRUST, UH, IN, IN, IN THE, IN THE CAMPAIGN PROCESS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WE HAVE IN, IN OUR CITY AND, AND WHO DO BUSINESS WITH US COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
YEAH, I AGREE THAT THE, THE CAMPAIGN JUST SEEMED TO GET VERY, VERY INCESTUOUS ABOUT YEAH.
YOU KNOW, B BLURRING OF LINES, WHO, WHO WAS A CITY EMPLOYEE WHO WAS SUPPORTING, I MEAN, I WAS SHOCKED.
I WAS LIKE, I WENT OUT AND SAW THESE CAMPAIGN OPERATIVES AND THEN I WALKED INTO CITY HALL ONE DAY, I WAS LIKE, OH, YOU'RE LIKE A SECRETARY
I WAS, MY MIND WAS JUST BLOWN.
SO, UM, I WOULD SAY IF YOU REMOVE ANY NAMES FROM IT AND YOU JUST LOOK AT THINGS, SAY IF I'M PAYING SOMEBODY TO WORK ON MY CAMPAIGN, I SHOULDN'T BE IN A POSITION TO THEN IF I GET ELECTED, TURN AROUND AND SAY, YES, YOU GET REWARDED WITH THIS CITY CONTRACT, RIGHT? YEAH.
YOU, YOU CHOOSE ONE PATHWAY OR ANOTHER.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT INDIVIDUALS SAYING, WELL, LET'S CARVE THIS PERSON, YOU KNOW, OKAY.
RESTAURANTS, ACCOUNTANTS, BANKS.
BUT WHEN WE START TRYING TO FINE TUNE IT FOR INDIVIDUALS, I, I THINK WE JUST KEEP IT AS BLACK AND WHITE AS WE CAN.
BECAUSE I THINK WHY, UH, VICE MAYOR BROUGHT THIS IS EXACTLY BECAUSE OF THAT BLURRING OF THE LINES THAT OFTEN OCCURS, AND IT JUST RUN A FOULS OF, YOU KNOW, THE SMELL TEST ABOUT WHAT COULD BE RIGHT AND WHAT COULD BE WRONG.
SO I'D RATHER ARE ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION OF, YEAH, OKAY, I'M SORRY, MAY, MAYBE THERE WILL BE AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE NO GREATER DUTY AT TIMES THAN TO REALLY UPHOLD THE, UH, TRUST AND HONESTY IN, IN, YOU KNOW, CAMPAIGN SEASON.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
YOU KNOW, I, I JUST LOOK AT THINGS KIND OF BLACK AND WHITE WHERE IF I PAY SOMEBODY TO HELP GET ELECTED, I, I SHOULDN'T BE IN A POSITION TO REWARD THEM WITH A CONTRACT.
UH, I GET SYMPATHETIC WHEN WE START TALKING TO INDI, UH, ABOUT INDIVIDUAL NAMES THAT I LIKE AND I CONSIDER MY PERSONAL FRIENDS AND MAY, YOU KNOW, BE CAUGHT UP IN THIS.
BUT, UH, I'LL TRY AND LIKE, KIND OF LOOK ABOVE THAT AND JUST LOOK AT THINGS KIND OF IN A X AND O'S BASIS.
MS. MAYOR, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER B.
AND I CAN APPRECIATE A LOT OF THE COMMENTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE BEING SHARED HERE ON, ON THE DAYS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN I COME TO CITY HALL AND, AND I, AND I WALK THE HALLS OF CITY HALL, YOU KNOW, I SEE PEOPLE THAT ARE EMPLOYED ON OUR OWN FLOORS, IN OUR OWN OFFICES THAT HAVE WORKED IN CAMPAIGNS AND, AND, AND THAT IS THEY'RE BEING PAID SALARIES WITH THE SAME TAXPAYERS DOLLARS THAT WOULD PAY A CONTRACT FOR SOMEONE THAT DOESN'T WORK IN OUR, IN, IN OUR, IN OUR OFFICES.
YOU KNOW, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR PURPOSES OF TRANSPARENCY, MY OWN AID, MONICA, MONICA, WHO DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB, YOU KNOW, YOU CANNOT FIND, IT'S HARD PRESSED TO FIND A MORE DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT THAN MONICA, WHO IS CONSTANTLY RESPONDING TO CONSTITUENT REQUESTS AND GOING OUT OF HER WAY CONSTANTLY TO HELP CONSTITUENTS.
SHE WORKED IN A, IN, IN, IN A CAMPAIGN BEFORE, BEFORE WORKING AT CITY HALL, YOU KNOW, SHE'S BEING PAID WITH THE SAME TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS THAT A CONTRACTOR WOULD'VE, WOULD'VE BEEN PAID.
I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DRAW, WE'RE, EVEN THOUGH THIS DOESN'T APPLY TO EMPLOYEES, WELL, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN EMPLOYEE AND A CONTRACTOR? THEY'RE BOTH RENDERING SERVICES USING TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS TO
[02:40:01]
THE PUBLIC.AND WE'RE GETTING JUST SO CLOSE WITH ALL OF THESE RESTRICTIONS.
FIRST, IT WAS IF YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU WORKED IN A CAMPAIGN, WELL, YOU CAN'T SERVE AN ADVISORY BOARD AND, AND, AND COMMITTEE.
WELL, I, I'LL TELL YOU, I, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT THE LIST OF PEOPLE SERVING ON ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.
I DON'T KNOW WHO IS ENFORCING THAT BECAUSE I LOOK AROUND THE STATES, A NUMBER OF US HAVE PUT PEOPLE ON BOARDS AND COMMITTEES WHO HAVE, UH, WHO ARE ON THE, ON THE EXPENDITURE REPORTS OF CAMPAIGNS.
THEN, THEN, THEN NOW WE'RE PUTTING IT ON CONTRACTORS.
IF YOU, YOU KNOW, HAPPEN TO BE, UH, PARTICIPATING IN A CAMPAIGN, YOU CAN NO LONGER RENDER SERVICES TO, TO, TO, TO THE CITY THE NEXT, I MEAN, I'M TELLING YOU, THE NEXT THING THAT'S GONNA BE EMPLOYEES, IF YOU, IF YOU WORKED IN, IN, IN A CAMPAIGN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE PROHIBITED FROM BEING EMPLOYED BY, BY, BY, BY THE SAY, I JUST THINK IT JUST GOES IN SUCH A BAD DIRECTION WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY SAYING, TELLING THE COMMUNITY, DON'T GET ENGAGED IN CAMPAIGNS.
DON'T GET ENGAGED IN EXERCISING YOUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND, AND, AND SHAME OF YOU IF YOU CAN'T DO IT AS A VOLUNTEER, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES AND YOU'RE GETTING PAID OR YOU APPEAR ON A REIMBURSEMENT, UH, REPORT.
AND THEN I ALSO PUT OUT THERE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE MAY ENGAGE WITH AS A CITY THAT MIGHT ALSO APPEAR ON OUR EXPENDITURE REPORTS.
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, IMPORTANT TO MANY OF US THAT IN OUR EXPENDITURE REPORTS, THEY MIGHT APPEAR IN EVEN IN LARGE SUMS FOR WHATEVER REASONS, THEN THIS COULD POTENTIALLY PROHIBIT THEM FROM DOING WORK WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH THE CITY.
AND SO AND SO, I JUST THINK, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK OF SAVE, LET'S SAY SAVE HAS AN EVENT AND WE DO A SPONSORSHIP WITH SAVE, SAVE HAS A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY TO RUN, UH, OUR, OUR OUR SAVE ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH, UH, FOR, FOR FOR L-G-B-T-Q FAMILIES, MR. ATTORNEY, WOULD THIS PROHIBIT US FROM HAVING, UH, SAFE, UH, ENGAGE IN, IN THAT CONTRACT WITH, WITH THE CITY IF THEY APPEAR ON THE EXPENDITURE REPORTS? ARE THEY APPEARING ON YOUR EXPENDITURE REPORT BECAUSE THEY PROVIDED CAMPAIGN SERVICES OR JUST BECAUSE OF SOME OTHER SERVICE THEY PROVIDED? THIS IS ONLY BASED, BASED ON CAMPAIGN SERVICES, THIS LEGISLATION.
BUT WHAT IF YOU'RE REIMBURSING THEM FOR, FOR STUFF, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS DO DAYS OF ACTIONS AND YOU MIGHT BE RE, RE REIMBURSING THEM FOR, FOR, FOR THINGS RELATED TO, TO YOUR CAMPAIGN.
UH, WE'VE DEFINED, UM, LET'S SEE.
THE CITY WILL NOT ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH AN INDIVIDUAL ENTITY IF THE INDIVIDUAL ENTITY OR PRINCIPAL, THAT OFFICER HAS PERFORMED SERVICES FOR COMPENSATION TO A CANDIDATE FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR OR COMMISSIONER.
SO IF THEY DON'T FALL WITHIN THAT, THEN THAT WOULD NOT PREVENT THE CITY FROM ENTERING INTO A CONTRACT.
AND SO WHAT IF IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PAYING SOMEONE FOR SERVICES AND LET'S SAY REIMBURSING THEM? HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU DIFFERENTIATE? ONE IS REIMBURSEMENT FOR AN OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENDITURE, AND WHAT IS PAYING THEM FOR SERVICES THAT WOULD REQUIRE EITHER AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT AND A 10 99 OR A W2, UH, FOR THEIR WAGES? AND HOW ABOUT, AND HOW DOES THIS ADDRESS THEN, LET'S SAY, UH, THIRD PARTY ENTITIES, THIRD, THIRD PARTY ENTITIES THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE CAMPAIGN DIRECTLY, LET'S SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PACS AND THE ECOS AND ALL THESE OTHER SHADOW GROUPS.
IS THIS ADDRESSING THAT YOU MEAN? WELL, THIS, THIS, THIS ENTAILS INDIVIDUALS OR ENTITIES THAT YOU ARE PAYING, NOT ENTITIES THAT ARE PAYING YOU.
SO I, I JUST SEE A LOT OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES WITH THIS.
AND MORE AND MORE WE ARE IMPEDING IN PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, UH, IN THE ELECTION PROCESS.
UH, AND, AND, AND I, YOU KNOW, I GOT THE SPIRIT OF IT.
CAN I ASK, WE ACTUALLY, I, I HAD PROMISED, UH, COMMISSIONER BOT, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ, I THINK IT LOOKS LIKE, IF I CAN COUNT THE VOTES WITH THREE THREE, AND I HAVEN'T SPOKEN, SO I'LL SPEAK BRIEFLY SO EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE I AM.
UH, I COMMEND YOU ON THIS ITEM, VICE MAYOR, UH, BOT, I, I'M, I, I THINK IT'S AN EXCEPTIONAL
[02:45:01]
ITEM.AND, AND I'LL BRIEFLY TELL YOU WHY.
UM, IN, IN, IN POLITICS, WHICH WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF HERE, UM, THE GOOD OF POLITICS IS WE CAN DO MORE GOOD.
I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING THAT I COULD DO WITH MY LIFE TO HELP PEOPLE AND OUR RESIDENTS.
AND I, THAT'S, I THINK I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US HERE.
OBVIOUSLY HERE WE MEET LEGISLATIVELY, BUT LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE DAY, THE THINGS WE DO, THE EMAILS WE GET TO HELP PEOPLE, IT'S TREMENDOUS.
AND IT'S, IT'S VERY GRATIFYING.
WE ALL KNOW THE POLITICS IS UGLY.
AND ESPECIALLY CAMPAIGNS CAN BE EXTREMELY UGLY AND BRUTAL.
UM, AND TO ME, ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO REMOVE THE POLITICS OF CAMPAIGNS FROM THE POLITICS OF CITY HALL, I'M GONNA BE SUPPORTIVE OF.
UM, AND, AND, UH, I COMMEND YOU FOR BRINGING IT, COMMISSIONER BOT.
UM, SO A COUPLE OF THINGS WERE RAISED, I JUST WANNA ADDRESS ONE IS THAT, UM, I, I THINK IF THERE IS A PERSON WHO'S PROVIDING A SERVICE FOR A CAMPAIGN, UM, OR MORE THAN ONE CAMPAIGN, UM, LIKE THE SINGER, UM, THAT IS NOT A PROBLEM TO LET THAT SINGER ALSO WORK FOR THE CITY.
UM, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE I'M WORDING THAT CORRECTLY.
IT'S NOT A SERVICE FOR A CAMPAIGN, BUT IF SHE IS, IF SHE IS, UM, AT CAMPAIGN EVENTS FOR MULTIPLE DIFFERENT CAMPAIGNS, THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE.
BECAUSE LIKE, LIKE A, LIKE A RESTAURANT OR SOMEBODY WHO'S PROVIDING FOOD, SHE'S, IF, IF I MAY, UM, IF IT'S SOMEBODY WHO IS PROVIDING SERVICES TO VARIOUS CAMPAIGNS, BUT ALSO TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, SUCH AS THE SINGER, THE SINGER IS PROBABLY HIRED FOR BIRTHDAY PARTIES OR, UM, WEDDING RECEPTIONS OR BAR MITZVAHS, THEN THAT PERSON WOULD NOT BE EXCLUDED.
IT'S, IT'S SOMEBODY WHO IS JUST WORKING FOR A CAMPAIGN OR A RIGHT.
I MEAN, IF, IF THE SINGER WHO IS BE DECKED HEAD TO TOE IN ONE CANDIDATE'S OUTFIT AT EVERY EVENT, THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
BUT THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT, I THINK WHAT'S BEING CONTEMPLATED.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UM, IN TERMS OF THE ENDORSEMENTS WITH, UM, SAY FOR INSTANCE AND INEQUALITY OR WHATEVER, WHERE THEY MAY BE IN CONTRACT WITH THE CITY TO PROVIDE SERVICE, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, I DID NOT GET THE SAVE ENDORSEMENT BECAUSE I PAID ANYBODY.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE ANYBODY ELSE DID EITHER.
THEY, THOSE ENDORSEMENTS ARE GIVEN, UM, WHETHER IT'S AS FOP OR FIREFIGHTERS OR SAVE OR THE UNIONS BASED ON THE QUALITY OF YOUR INTERACTIONS AND YOUR IDEAS THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, YOU ARE SUBMITTING A LENGTHY, UM, QUESTIONNAIRE WITH HOPEFULLY WELL THOUGHT OUT ANSWERS IN DETAIL.
AND THEN YOU HAVE AN INTERVIEW PROCESS AND YOU EITHER DO OR DON'T GET AN ENDORSEMENT.
AND THERE ARE IN SOME CASES, DAYS OF ACTION FROM THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, BUT YOU HAVE NOT PAID, UH, TO GET ENDORSED.
AND THOSE DAYS OF ACTIONS ARE VOLUNTEER.
AND THAT BRINGS ME BACK TO THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCERN THAT I SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, WHICH IS I WANT MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH OUR, FROM OUR COMMUNITY IN OUR CAMPAIGNS, NOT FEWER.
I DON'T WANT THE SAME CLICK OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING PAID, PAID FOR CAMPAIGN SERVICES TO BE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN OTHER WAYS AS WELL.
I, I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER TO, TO DONATE TIME AND EFFORT TO CAMPAIGNS.
AND THEN TO SHARE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN OTHER WAYS THAT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN OTHER WAYS.
BUT IF YOU ARE A PAID OPERATIVE FOR A CAMPAIGN, I THINK THAT IS PROBLEMATIC TO THEN HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY.
GOT WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE, THE VOTES, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, I BELIEVE I HAVE A QUESTION.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO, KRISTEN, GO AHEAD AND, SORRY.
UH, COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ, AND THEN I'D LIKE TO CALL THE VOTE.
CAN WE EXEMPT EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS? BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, MONICA AND I WORKED ON A CAMPAIGN, LEWIS WORKED WITH COMMISSIONER, UH, MAGAZINE, EMPLOYEE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS.
I, DANNY ARE NOT, NOT COVERED.
SO WE CAN WORK WITH SOMEBODY AND THEN EVENTUALLY HIRE THEM ON OUR STAFF.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, DO WE, YEAH, WE, WE MADE SURE THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE, UH, A, A STUMBLING BLOCK HERE.
SO, BUT, BUT I THINK, AND, AND, AND IF I MAY, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT DISCREPANCY, THEN IT'S OKAY FOR US TO, I, I MEAN, IT'S A REAL DOUBLE STANDARD THAT WE'RE CREATING HERE.
WE'RE SAYING IT'S OKAY IF WE HIRE THEM FOR OUR OFFICES, THAT'S OKAY, BUT IT'S NOT OKAY IF THEY, IF THEY GET A CONTRACT WHERE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO RENDER SERVICES AND GIVE DELIVERABLES, MEASURABLE DELIVERABLES THAT ARE USUALLY, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH VETTED THROUGH PROCUREMENT PROCESSES BY, BY THE CITY MANAGER.
THOSE ARE COMPETITIVE CONTRACTS THAT ARE AWARDED BY THE CITY WITH REVIEW CRITERIA AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT, THAT, THAT FALLS UNDER THE CITY MANAGERS.
BUT WE'RE CREATING, WHAT WE'RE HERE SAYING IS A DOUBLE STANDARD.
IT'S OKAY IF YOU WORK IN OUR OFFICES,
[02:50:01]
IF YOU'RE DOING SENIOR AFFAIRS IN, IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR WORKING AS OUR AIDES IN MY OFFICE OR ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES' OFFICES, BUT IT'S NOT OKAY.IN THAT CASE, IT'S FINE TO HIRE PEOPLE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, MAY DO STUFF WITH CAMPAIGNS, BUT IT'S NOT OKAY IF YOU ARE ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH A PROCUREMENT PROCESS, BEING COMPETITIVELY VETTED AND HAVING TO ADHERE TO CONTRACTS AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
AND THAT IN THAT CASE, YOU CAN'T GET A CONTRACT WITH A CITY.
I, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I, YOU ARE SUCH A GOOD GOVERNMENT PERSON, AND I KNOW THIS IS COMING FROM A REALLY GOOD PLACE, AND I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THIS, EXCEPT I JUST THINK WE ARE BEING, WE ARE CREATING SOMETHING EVERY DAY, MORE AND MORE RESTRICTIVE THAT I ACTUALLY THINK IT TAKES US FARTHER AWAY FROM INDIVIDUALS ACTUALLY WANTING TO GET ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS.
WE'RE CREATING SYSTEMS THAT ARE SO RESTRICTIVE THAT ACTUALLY DIS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WE'RE BEING EXCLUSIVE RATHER THAN INCLUSIVE IN OUR PROCESSES.
AND I'M ALL ABOUT SEEING A CITY THAT'S MORE INCLUSIVE AND LESS EXCLUSIVE.
VICE MAYOR, OH, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND LET'S CALL A VOTE.
I THINK WE'RE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT SENTIMENT.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, WHAT I WOULD OFFER IS, UH, SOMEWHAT OF A REBUTTAL OR DEVIL'S ADVOCATE HERE IS EACH OF US HAVE A FINITE AMOUNT OF POSITIONS THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR HIRING.
THAT'S JUST WITHIN OUR OWN INTERNAL STAFF.
AND THAT'S A MAXIMUM EXCLUDING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF TWO, RIGHT? AND THOSE POSITIONS ARE GONNA BE FILLED REGARDLESS.
AND THOSE ARE SOMEWHAT OF A POLITICAL POSITION.
UH, I THINK THAT'S, UH, A VERY DIFFERENT LINE THAN, UM, ALL OF US VOTING ON EXTERNAL CONTRACTORS.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, UH, PEOPLE EXERCISING THEIR RIGHTS, WE HAVE DONE NOTHING TO RESTRICT PEOPLE EXERCISING THEIR RIGHTS, GETTING INVOLVED IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS OF EXCLUDING THEM FROM ANY TYPE OF THEN INCLUSION IN OUR CITY, BEING A CONTRACTOR.
UH, BUT WHERE THAT CLEAR LINE IS DRAWN IS VERY SIMPLE IN BLACK AND WHITE.
AND THAT'S JUST, IF YOU DECIDE TO TAKE THAT A STEP FURTHER WELL BEYOND ANYBODY'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT OF GETTING PAID FOR THOSE SERVICES.
AND THAT'S WHERE I DRAW A LINE.
UH, I SEE IT AS BLACK AND WHITE.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT WE'VE LEFT THAT PRETTY CUT AND DRY ABOUT, PLEASE GET INVOLVED IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, EXERCISE YOUR, UH, RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH, EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE TO COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE IN THE CAMPAIGNS.
BUT IF YOU DECIDE TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER AND MAKE IT A CAREER, THEN I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF, UH, A WINDOW THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE KIND OF NOT ON THE INSIDE.
I HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS REQUESTING TO SPEAK, UH, INDIVIDUAL WITH THE NAME, LAST NAME, SUAREZ, NOT ME,
UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, UH, ADDRESS SO YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
CAN WE, CAN WE, CAN WE CUT HIM OFF PJ CUT HIM OFF.
UM, I HOPE I'M NOT AS RUDE AS THAT GENTLEMAN, BUT, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IT'S VERY ELITIST OF YOU TO SAY THAT, UH, I'M NOT GONNA NAME NAMES, BUT THERE'S LOBBYISTS THAT WORK FOR VERY WEALTHY BILLIONAIRES WHO, UH, HAVE A VERY BIG SAY IN THE CITY, BUT YET PEOPLE LIKE, I WON'T NAME HER, THAT LIVES IN NORTH BEACH, THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE LOVES THE CITY, SHE GETS INVOLVED, BUT SHE GETS PAID AND SHE, SHE WAS ON A BOARD.
AND, UH, UH, THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE I CAN NAME, UH, THAT ARE VERY INVOLVED AND I DON'T REALLY SEE A PROBLEM WITH THEM AS THE WAY THAT, UH, SOME OF YOU DO.
I SEE A BIGGER PROBLEM WITH THE LOBBYISTS, UH, THAT ARE WORKING FOR THE BILLIONAIRES.
THEY HAVE MUCH MORE SAY THAN THESE LITTLE PEOPLE IN NORTH BEACH OR, OR SOUTH BEACH.
UH, THEY HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT ON YOUR, YOUR VOTE THAN THESE LITTLE PEOPLE.
I THINK IT'S, IT, IT, YOU MAY HAVE THE RIGHT INTENTION, BUT THE THE REALITY OF IT IS, IT IS SO ELITIST, SO INAPPROPRIATE.
I HAVE NO ONE ELSE IN ZOOM AND NO ONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE MAY I CALL.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST, UH, SAY ONE THING BEFORE WE CALL THE ROLE.
WHICH IS, IF I HAD THE ABILITY TO OVERTURN CITIZENS UNITED, I WOULD BE DOING THAT AS WELL.
BUT THIS IS AS FAR AS I CAN DO.
[02:55:01]
THAT WE NEED TO SEPARATE CHURCH AND STATE.I'M NOT TRYING TO PENALIZE ANYBODY.
I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP A CLEAR DELINEATION BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO GET PAID FOR A CAMPAIGN AND THEN USE THAT, UM, POWER TO DO OTHER THINGS IN A WAY THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE.
SO I, YOU KNOW, EQUATING, UM, EQUATING THIS WITH, WITH PAID LOBBYISTS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, GOING UP TO THE CITIZEN UNITED ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THAT'S JUST APPLES AND ORANGES.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THIS FORWARDING, MADAM VICE MAYOR.
DID YOU ACCEPT THE AMENDMENT ON THE NONPROFITS OR ARE YOU NOT ACCEPTING THE AMENDMENT ON THE NONPROFITS? I'M NOT ACCEPTING THE AMENDMENT ON THE NONPROFITS.
AND, AND WAYNE, YOU BRING UP GOOD POINTS AND, AND OUR COMMISSION OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS TRIED WITHIN THE LEGAL PARAMETERS, UH, TO, TO LIMIT AS MUCH INFLUENCE AS WE CAN.
BUT WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY THERE'RE, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITHIN THE CONFINES OF, UH, EXISTING LAW.
SO I HAVE MOTION BROUGHT BY COMMISSIONER, BY VICE MAYOR BOTT, SECONDED BY THE MAYOR.
IT'S REALLY PUNISHING THE LITTLE GUY.
I'M GONNA VOTE FOR IT SO THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT USED AGAINST ME, BUT IT'S WRONG.
I THINK ETHICALLY, WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? I THINK IT IS PUNISHING THE LITTLE GUY.
YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, THIS IS A MESSY ITEM AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH GUARDRAILS ALREADY AND SO I WILL