[00:00:01]
WELCOME TO THE MARCH 26TH FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE MEETING.UH, I AM HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, FRIEND, FELLOW COMMISSIONER, VICE MAYOR, TANYA BT.
UM, I WILL HAND IT OVER TO THE CFO AND THE CITY ATTORNEY.
HAVE A LOT ON THE AGENDA, SO WE'RE GONNA TRY AND BE, UH, BRIEF AND EFFICIENT ON THE ITEMS WHERE, UH, IT IS WARRANTED.
I, MYSELF, I HAVE TO LEAVE AT, UH, 1215.
UH, HOPEFULLY IF WE CONTINUE TO HAVE QUORUM, YOU CAN CONTINUE THE MEETING, UH, UH, THEREAFTER, BUT LET'S, UH, KNOCK OUT SOME ITEMS. GOOD MORNING.
TODAY'S MEETING OF THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE HAS BEEN SCHEDULED IN A HYBRID FORMAT WITH A QUORUM OF THE COMMITTEE PHYSICALLY PRESENT AND REMAINING MEMBERS, STAFF, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC APPEARING EITHER IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM.
IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN TODAY'S MEETING, VIRTUALLY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY DIAL 1-888-475-FOUR 4 9 9, AND ENTER THE WEBINAR ID, WHICH IS 8 6 3 6 0 5 9 5 4 6 2 POUND, OR LOG INTO THE ZOOM APP AND ENTER THE WEBINAR ID, WHICH AGAIN IS 8 6 3 6 0 5 9 5 4 6 2.
ANY INDIVIDUAL WISHING TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM, MUST CLICK THE RAISE HAND ICON IF THEY'RE USING THE ZOOM APP, OR DIAL STAR NINE IF YOU'RE PARTICIPATING BY PHONE.
AND WE HAVE A FEW, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, OB THREE WILL BE TIME CERTAIN AT 10 30, 10 35.
AND ITEMS MB 7, 10 11 WILL BE LINKED IF HEARD.
THAT'S ALL THE ANNOUNCEMENTS CHAIR.
[OB 3. DISCUSSION ON COMMERCIAL RETAIL VACANCIES AND POTENTIAL LEASING INCENTIVES FOR OWNERS OF VACANT PROPERTIES]
TO OUR FIRST, UH, TIME, CERTAIN OB THREE, UH, OB THREE, DISCUSSION OF COMMERCIAL RETAIL VACANCIES AND POTENTIAL LEASING INCENTIVES, INCENTIVES FOR OWNERS OF VACANT PROPERTIES, OB THREE.GOOD MORNING CHAIR COMMISSIONERS, VICE MAYOR.
I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE'RE HEARING THIS ITEM.
UM, IT IS ABOUT POTENTIALLY DOING A VACANT STOREFRONT REGISTRY AS YOU, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE SOME VACANT, UH, STOREFRONTS IN THE CITY, AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MITIGATE THAT AND TO, UM, FILL OUR, OUR STOREFRONTS.
SO ONE OF THE, UM, ELEMENTS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS TO DO A VACANT STOREFRONT.
WE STARTED THIS IN SEPTEMBER, UM, AT A FERC MEETING, AND THEN WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT IT IN OCTOBER AND THEN DECEMBER, AND THEN LAST MONTH AND FEBRUARY 21ST, UM, WHERE WE WERE, I PRESENTED TO YOU SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FROM EIGHT OTHER CITIES THAT WE DID SOME BEST PRACTICE RESEARCH ON.
AND I BELIEVE TODAY IS A DAY TO GET SOME OF THE FEEDBACK FROM SOME OF OUR BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS THEIR FEEDBACK ON THE VACANT STOREFRONT REGISTRY.
AND WHAT IS THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION ON THIS OTHER, UH, WELL, THE ADMINISTRATION'S, UM, IS LOOKING FOR DIRECTION FROM YOU, UM, AS TO WHETHER YOU WANNA GO FORWARD, BUT IT, BUT ON THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE, IT'S, THIS IS A, AN, UH, A PROCESS THAT WILL TAKE A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE TIME AND EFFORT TO DO SO.
UM, AND THAT IT WILL, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SOME FEE ASSOCIATED WITH IT TO, UM, SUPPORT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE REGISTRATION, WHICH IS GOING OUT AND GETTING A WHOLE LISTING OF THE, THE PROPERTIES AND STAYING ON TOP OF, UH, ON TOP OF THEM.
AND THIS IS COMING FROM, AS I MENTIONED, WE SPOKE WITH EIGHT OTHER CITIES WHO WERE ACTUALLY DOING, TRIED TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR, AND SOME OF THE, THE POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY SAW THERE, YEAH.
HOLISTICALLY, UH, THEY ESSENTIALLY WERE NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS AND HAD A RATHER NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE.
THAT'S WHERE I, UH, START FROM, UM, THIS, I GET IT.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
UH, THE CONCEPT, UH, SOUNDS GOOD, BUT I'VE DONE A LOT OF, UH, VERY SPECIFIC CASE STUDY WORK ON THIS, AND IT JUST HAS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, A DRAIN ON RESOURCES, UM, FEES ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
PIGGYBACKING ON THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
I JUST WANT TO KIND OF PUT THAT OUT THERE TO, UH, MANAGE AND MITIGATE AND MAKE OUR TIME MORE EFFICIENT IF, YOU KNOW, UH, LET'S HEAR FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS, BUT I DON'T WANT TO PROLONG SOMETHING THAT UNDERSTOOD.
IF I COULD ADD HERE, THIS ITEM IS A DISCUSSION ITEM, SO IF THERE'S NOT, IT DOESN'T, I DON'T THINK, HAVE TO GO BACK TO COMMISSION WITH A RECOMMENDATION.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT DOES, BUT I DO SEE
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RICK OKAY.NO, YOU CAN, YOU CAN, UH, CLOSE THE ITEM OUT HERE IF YOU'D WISH.
DO WE, DO WE HAVE, UH, FEEDBACK FROM THE LINCOLN ROAD BID? YOU WANT TO LET US KNOW? I THINK WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY THE WASHINGTON AVENUE BID AS WELL AS THE 41ST STREET BID.
ANNABELLE YPI, LINCOLN ROAD BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DIRECTOR.
UM, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND, AND REALLY OUR LANDLORDS AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS, WE DON'T FEEL THIS IS A POSITIVE STEP IN A RELATIONSHIP AND A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMERCIAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I THINK THERE'S OTHER EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE THAT ARE REALLY IN A POSITIVE WAY, LIKE OUR NINE MONTH POP-UP PERMIT, LIKE LOOKING AT CAFE, UM, ABATEMENTS FOR NEW RESTAURANTS.
THOSE ARE THINGS, INITIATIVES THAT REALLY IMPACT A POSITIVE WAY, THE TENANT AND THE LANDLORD.
IS THE TENANT SUCCESSFUL? THE LANDLORD'S GONNA BE SUCCESSFUL.
I DON'T THINK THIS REALLY DRIVES ANYTHING.
HAVING A REGISTRY FOR WHAT IS REALLY THE OUTCOME, WHAT IS THE POINT OF HAVING A REGISTRY WHEN YEAH, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DEAL WITH IT? YEAH.
UH, LET'S HEAR FROM THE OTHER BIDS.
UH, GOOD MORNING, AMY MAYHEW WITH THE 41ST STREET BID.
UH, REITERATING WHAT ANNABEL JUST SAID, FOR ALL OUR BUSINESSES.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BETTER WAYS WE CAN USE OUR STAFF'S TIME.
HOWEVER, IF WE CAN LOOK INTO JUST REALLY EXPEDITING THE PERMITTING PROCESS, I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE A HUGE CHANGE.
YOU HAVE, UH, SEVEN OF US THAT ARE UNITED IN THAT AND, UM, UH, REMAIN STEADFAST ON DOING SO.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT, UH, WISHES TO OFFER A COUNTER VIEW THAT, THAT THEN THE ONE WHICH WE JUST HEARD FROM THE BIDS AND, UH, CITY STAFF COLLEAGUES? YEAH, I, I, YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE WHERE THIS CAME FROM, UM, AND HAVING DONE THE RESEARCH, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A PROGRAM THAT JUST DOESN'T WORK.
AND SO I'D MOVE TO CLOSE THE DISCUSSION WITH AN UNFAVORABLE, UH, CHAIR.
WE'LL JUST HEAR THE, UH, SHARE THE ITEM, UH, HEARD AND CLOSED, AND WE CAN MOVE ON.
[NB 9. DISCUSS THE ANNUAL EVALUATION OF THE PARKING IMPACT FEE.]
MB NINE AT 10 35, TIME CERTAIN MB NINE, DISCUSS ANNUAL EVALUATION OF THE PARKING IMPACT FEE MB NINE.UM, AS I NOTED IN THE, UH, MEMO FOR THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE, UM, UNDER THE LDRS, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED TO PERIODICALLY UPDATE THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF THE PARKING IMPACT FEE.
AND JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY, IF A DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT MEET THE MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN THAT DISTRICT, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY A FEE IN LIEU OF PARKING.
CURRENTLY, THAT FEE IS $40,000 PER PARKING SPACE.
THERE'S ALSO AN ANNUAL FEE IN LIEU, WHICH IS 2% OF THAT WHICH PEOPLE CAN AVAIL THEMSELVES OF IF THEY'RE DOING A CHANGE OF USE.
AND THE FEE IS BASED UPON ROUGHLY THE PROPORTIONAL COST OF CONSTRUCTING ONE PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING GARAGE.
THE FEE WAS LAST UPDATED APPROXIMATELY 13 YEARS AGO.
UM, AND IT WAS BASED UPON THE CONSTRUCTION COST AT THAT TIME.
UH, OUR MOST RECENT, UM, PARKING GARAGE THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED WHEN ADJUSTED FOR CPI CAME OUT TO CLOSE TO $55,000 PER SPACE.
UM, THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOT RECOMMENDING THAT THE ONE-TIME FEE BE RAISED TO $55,000 A SPACE FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE, WE HAVE NOT SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE PAYING THE ONE-TIME FEE, EVEN AT $40,000 A SPACE.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT WOULD RESULT IN A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE ANNUAL FEE IN LIE PAYMENT.
UH, CURRENTLY THAT'S $800 A SPACE PER YEAR, AND THAT WOULD GO UP TO ROUGHLY $1,100 PER YEAR PER SPACE.
AND THAT PRIMARILY AFFECTS SMALL, SMALLER BUSINESSES.
TOM, CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION? MM-HMM
WHEN IS THE LAST TIME THAT WE DID A HOLISTIC, UH, REEVALUATION OF OUR PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS? AND WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS IS WHEN, WHEN I WAS, UH, LOOKING AT THE RFP, IT ALWAYS BEEN IN MY MIND, BUT WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE RFP, I WALKED THE PARKING GARAGES ALL ALONG THE 17TH STREET CORRIDOR AND THE NEW BUILDING AT 1212, COMPLETELY EMPTY COMPLETELY.
I I MEAN, WE HAVE FLOORS AND FLOORS OF PARKING THAT ARE UNDERUTILIZED, AND THAT STORY PLAYED ITSELF OUT AT FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT STRUCTURES.
UH, SO WHERE I'M GOING, WE'RE LIVING IN A WORLD WHERE, UH, ONE WE WANT TO IN SANITIZE LESS CARS ON THE ROAD, RIGHT? WE ARE NOT GOING TO CURE OUR TRAFFIC PROBLEM UNLESS WE GET PEOPLE OUT OF THE CARS.
ALL THE OTHER STUFF IS CUTE, RIGHT? COPS, UH, TRAFFIC FLOW, TIMING.
UNLESS WE GET PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS, WE WILL NEVER SOLVE OUR TRAFFIC ISSUES.
UH, AND TO ME, IT SEEMS LIKE SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENTS
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WE'RE KIND OF SHOVING PARKING DOWN PEOPLE'S THROATS THAT WE ARE ESSENTIALLY OVER PARKED, RIGHT? AND WE HEAR IT UP HERE.PEOPLE DON'T WANNA PARKING, PARKING GARAGES.
THEN WHY DO WE KEEP BUILDING MORE AND MORE? UM, I COULD TELL THAT SAME STORY.
YOU SAW THE VIDEOS THAT I PLAYED.
UH, SO IF WE'D DONE A COMPREHENSIVE REEVALUATION, I LOOK AT THE NEW HOTEL THAT'S BUILT TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM HERE.
UH, I THINK IT'S THE THOMPSON HOTEL ON 17TH OF WASHINGTON.
BUT THEN THEY HAVE A, A TWO STORY PARKING PODIUM.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT DOESN'T LOOK AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.
AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE AREAS THAT SHOULD BE ONE OF THE MOST WALKABLE AREAS OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IT'S BEHAVIORAL INCENTIVES.
IF YOU HAVE PARKING AND WE'RE MANDATING PARKING, THEN THE TOURIST, UH, COMING HERE FROM OHIO FLYING IN, WELL, THEY'RE GONNA RENT THEIR FORD MUSTANG AND PARK IT THERE.
BUT IF THEY DON'T HAVE PARKING, WELL, THEY'RE NOT GONNA RENT A CAR, AND THEY JUST WALK EVERYWHERE.
SO I THINK WE'RE KIND OF PROVIDING PERVERSE INCENTIVES IN A LOT OF WAYS.
UH, SO, UH, WHEN IS THE LAST TIME THAT WE KIND OF REEVALUATED HOLISTICALLY THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT? WE HAVE NOT DONE A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF OUR OVERALL OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS SINCE 1989.
UH, CAN WE MAKE A MOTION HERE? I'D MAKE THAT MOTION RIGHT HERE.
NOW, IF, IF I, IF I MIGHT TO ASSIST FOR THIS ITEM.
IT SEEMS LIKE AN ITEM HEARD ENCLOSED, BUT WHAT IT PROBABLY LOOKS LIKE IS, IS, IS FOR A COMMISSIONER TO PERHAPS HAVE A NEW REFERRAL.
'CAUSE I BELIEVE THIS WOULD SOMETHING THAT SHOULD LIVE IN THE LAND USE COMMITTEE.
UH, NOT IN FINANCE, BUT IF THAT'S THE, THE WILL I, I WOULD SEE SOMEONE, UH, HERE MAYBE PICKING UP A REFERRAL FOR THE APRIL COMMISSION MEETING TO REFER.
CAN YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT PERSON? NUMBS,
BUT I, IF IT'S OKAY, I THINK WE CAN JUST SHOW THIS ITEM HEARD AND CLOSED.
AND, UM, PLANNING WILL BE PROBABLY KEEPING THAT REFERRAL IN ITS MIND.
WE DO NEED TO TAKE THIS TO THE COMMISSION.
SO WOULD IT BE CLOSED WITH A RECOMMENDATION BASED UPON THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION NOT TO RAISE THE CURRENT, IF IT HAS TO GO BACK TO THE COMMISSION, WE CAN SHOW, AND I THINK IT'LL BE UNANIMOUS SHOW, UH, THE, THE RECOMMENDATION TO KEEP THE FOUR 50 EXISTING AND BEFORE WE CLOSE THIS OUT COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE ARE ALL THESE PARKING LOTS THAT HAVE TONS OF VACANCIES.
AND SO WE NEED TO, AS A CITY, I BELIEVE, UM, GO BACK TO THOSE BUSINESSES AND SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER OWNS THE PARKING LOT, YOU HAVE X NUMBER OF SPOTS.
YOU NEED X MINUS WHATEVER FOR YOUR BUSINESS, BUT THE REST SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS AT RESIDENT PARKING RATES.
AND THAT WAY, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL, THEY'LL GET PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT.
RESIDENTS WILL HAVE A PLACE TO PARK WHERE THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PAYING YOU SERIOUS FEES AT $15 AN HOUR.
AND IT, AND, AND WE GET CARS OFF THE STREET THAT ARE ALREADY HERE.
SO IT'S A WIN-WIN, YOU KNOW, UM, EVERYONE'S LIKE, WELL, I WANNA BE ABLE TO PARK RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY PLACE AND GO AND DO MY ERRAND.
WELL, THAT'S LOVELY WHEN YOU LIVE IN MAYBERRY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LIVED IN BOSTON, I HAD A PARKING SPOT IN, IN, YOU KNOW, ATTACHED TO MY, MY TOWNHOUSE.
AND THEN FOR THE SECOND CAR, WE PARKED IN A MUNICIPAL GARAGE FIVE BLOCKS AWAY, AND IT WAS $250 A MONTH.
AND IT SUCKED WHEN YOU GOT HOME LATE.
'CAUSE YOUR SPOUSE WOULD GET THE GOOD PARKING SPOT AND YOU'D HAVE TO WALK HOME THE SNOW.
I MEAN, WE LIVE IN A CITY, WE DON'T LIVE IN LA LA LAND.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH A LOT OF THINGS, GETTING CARS OFF THE ROADS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DRIVERS OF OUR SUCCESS.
THAT ONE ACTUALLY JUST CAME OUT.
UM, UM, SO I WOULD VERY HAR HIGHLY ENCOURAGE, I DUNNO IF IT'S A REFERRAL OR I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, A REFERRAL TO THIS COMMITTEE IT WOULD BE.
I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND IT'LL BE A, THAT THE COMMISSIONER PICK UP THIS ITEM AS A REFERRAL TO THE LAND USE.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A REFERRAL FOR, FOR THIS ITEM AS WELL, TO LAND USE, TO GO OUT AND PROACTIVELY TALK TO OUR, OUR, UM, BUSINESS FRIENDS AROUND THE CITY.
AND IT'S GOOD FOR THEM TO HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUTTA THEIR GARAGE TOO, BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY'LL GET HUNGRY AND WANNA POP IN AND, YOU KNOW, UM, STOP AT THE RESTAURANT.
I THINK WE HAVE OUR CITY ATTORNEY HERE MAKE A NOTE OF THAT.
BUT, UH, PARIS ACTUALLY JUST THIS WEEK, OR AT THE END OF LAST WEEK, UM, HAD A VOTER REFERENDUM FOR TURNING OVER 500 OF THEIR STREETS AND ROADS INTO PEDESTRIANIZED, PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY, GREEN SPACES, AMEN.
AND IT ACTUALLY PASSED WITH A 66%, UH, APPROVAL RATING.
SO, UH, THEY HAVE DONE THE PROPER URBAN PLANNING AND A PLACE LIKE MIAMI BEACH, THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, THE DIRECTION THAT WE LOOK TO GO IN LUCY.
SO WE'LL SHOW THIS, UM, THIS ITEM IS TO RETURN THE COMMISSION OF A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO ACCEPT THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION OF THE PARKING IMPACT FEE.
AND THE MOTION WAS MADE BY ME, COMMISSIONER BOT, UH, SECONDED BY COMM YEAH.
AND WE'LL SHOW, UH, UNANIMOUS SUPPORT ON THAT.
AND I THINK THAT THE REFERRAL IS NO, WE'LL WORK ON TWO REFERRALS.
ONE FOR COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND ONE FOR COMMISSIONER LEFT.
[00:15:01]
UH, STAYING ON THE, UH, COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, LET'S DO OB THREE DISCUSS LEASING INCENTIVES FOR OWNERS OF VACANT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.WE DID, WE DID OB THREE, THAT WAS FIRST.
UM, SORRY, THAT WAS THE TIME, SIR.
UH, LET ME MB FOUR DISCUSS POTENTIAL, UH, I'M SORRY, THE, AND I'M SORRY.
[NB 21. DISCUSS A PROPOSED LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH (“CITY” oR “LANDLORD”) AND THE MIAMI BEACH POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE, INC. (“TENANT”), FOR APPROXIMATELY 13,367 SQUARE FEET, LOCATED AT 999 11TH STREET, MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA (PREMISES), FOR A TERM OF Nine (9) YEARS AND THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FOUR (364) DAYS.]
UH, MB 21, THE POWELL LEASE.UH, MB 21, DISCUSS THE PROPOSED LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, UH, CITY AND OR, OR LANDLORD.
AND THE MIAMI BEACH POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE INCORPORATED TENANT FOR APPROXIMATELY 13,367 SQUARE FEET.
LOCATED 9 9 9 11TH STREET, MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA PREMISES FOR A TERM OF NINE YEARS AND 364 DAYS MB 21.
VICE CHAIR, MADAM CHAIR, MR. CHAIR? YES.
OZZIE DOMINGUEZ, DIVISION DIRECTOR OF ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
THE POWELL EAST IS UP FOR, UH, WHAT'S CURRENTLY GOING TO EXPIRE NOW IN JUNE 30TH OF 25.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO, UH, A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR A NEW LEASE WITH POWELL FOR NINE YEARS, 364 DAYS, UH, WITH THE SAME TERMS THAT THE CURRENT AGREEMENT CURRENTLY CARRIES.
AND, AND WHAT IS THE STATUS FOR THE GEO BOND PROJECT THERE? UH, I DON'T RUN THE GEO BOND PROJECT, BUT THIS LEASE WILL HAVE A, A STIPULATION STATING THAT IF THE GEO BOND PROJECT PROCEEDS AND A NEW BUILDING IS CREATED, A NEW LEASE WOULD THEN BE, UM, EXECUTED FOR THAT BUILDING.
AND THIS ONE WOULD BE COTERMINOUS WITH THAT.
UH, I, I WILL SECOND MY COLLEAGUE AND, UM, IF THERE'S ANY WAY IN THE NEW LEASE THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO HONOR, UH, THE LATE OFFICER, UH, MARTINO.
I KNOW THE PAL WAS, UH, INCREDIBLY NEAR AND DEAR TO HIS HEART.
I THINK WE, WE HAD AN ITEM TO NAME IT, UM, AFTER THE NEW FACILITY, AFTER HIM IN THE INTERIM MAYBE.
YEAH, THE, THE NEW, I'M SORRY, THE NEW LEASE FOR THE CURRENT LOCATION OR THE NEW LEASE FOR THE GEO BOND BUILDING.
I THINK THERE SEPARATE ITEM, ITEM IN THE INTERIM, I'LL DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUE.
I THINK WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING THAT COVERS BOTH.
WELL, WE, WE HAVE AN ITEM THAT WAS INTENDED TO COVER BOTH, BUT THE EXISTING PALLET IS ALREADY NAMED AFTER SOMEONE.
SO THE ITEM THAT YOU BROUGHT WILL BE LIMITED TO THE NEW BUILDING BECAUSE WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T RENAME UNLESS WE, IT'S A COMPLICATED PROCESS.
IT IN SOME WAY, IF, UH, WE COULD DO SOMETHING TO HONOR, UH, TO PUT A PLAQUE UP.
LEAD OFFICER MARTINO'S COMMITMENT.
WE WORK WITH, UH, OUR DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES AND FLEET FOR A PLAQUE.
YEAH, WE, WE JUST DID A GORGEOUS ONE IN, UM, IN PRIDE PARK FOR JOE TOMMY LEY THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WORKED ON.
AND MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A CUE FROM THAT AND WORK WITH DEB MARANO AND, AND, UM, REALLY DO SOMETHING GORGEOUS.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
I, IT'S 11TH STREET, UM, THAT'S THERE, MAYBE 11TH STREET FROM MERIDIAN TO ALTON MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE IF THE FACILITY IS ALREADY NAMED FOR, UH, FOR SOMEONE.
UM, ISN'T 11TH STREET, UM, NANCY.
OH, I, I BELIEVE THINK DOMESTIC MAY ALREADY OH, OKAY.
IT'LL BE THE, THE ART AND NANCY SHOW.
SO CHAIR WILL SHOW THIS ITEM, RETURN TO COMMISSIONER, THE FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PRO PROPOSED LEASE WITH POWELL.
UH, COMMISSIONER BOUGHT AND, UH, UH, CHAIR MAGAZINE A SECOND.
[NB 18. DISCUSS THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDING FOR THE INSTALLATION OF TEMPORARY LIGHTING AT THE POLO PARK BASKETBALL COURTS.]
18 IS YOU, THE P PARK TEMPORARY LAING, IS THAT CORRECT OR NO? NO, THAT PART.BUT, UH, LET, LET'S HEAR THAT.
UM, I'LL LET YOU TEE IT UP, JASON.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, UH, A PILOT PROGRAM AT NO COST.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL GET THE FEEDBACK FROM THAT PILOT PROGRAM IF WE MOVE FORWARD AND IT'LL HAVE A FINANCIAL IMPACT.
DISCUSS THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDING FOR THE INSTALLATION OF TEMPORARY LIGHTING AT POLO PARK BASKETBALL COURTS.
TOM, YOU WANT TO, SHOULD I JUST SUM THAT UP? UH, NO COST HERE FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM.
WE'LL HAVE A PARK RANGER ON ROVING FOR IT, AND AFTER SIX MONTHS WE'LL REEVALUATE IT.
ONCE THE TIME CHANGE, WE'RE GONNA PUT IT IN.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA, THIS IS INCREDIBLE, ALEX.
UH, COMMISSIONER? NO, ALEX IS JUST FINE.
UM, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA LIKE THIS IS BECAUSE THERE WERE CONCERNS THAT AT, YOU KNOW, TIME CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
IF WE HAVE PERMANENT LIGHTING, IT BECOMES AN ISSUE OF THE LIGHTS BEING ON TO LATE OR NOT.
THE TEMPORARY LIGHTING HELPS US ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF THE NEIGHBORS DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR, WHILE MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE LIGHTING DURING THE OTHER TIMES OF THE YEAR
[00:20:01]
WHEN THEY REALLY DO NEED IT, 'CAUSE OF THE TIME CHANGES.SO WE'LL DO A SIX MONTH PILOT IN NOVEMBER WHEN THE TIME CHANGES, AND THEN WE'LL REEVALUATE AFTER SIX MONTHS.
CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? YEAH.
THIS SEEMS REALLY DUMB, BUT I HAD, UM, AT MY MANY TIMES, AFO MENTIONED LITTLE TOWNHOUSE ON PARKVIEW ISLAND.
I USED TO HAVE SOLAR LIGHTS IN THE FRONT YARD, AND WHEN IT GOT DARK, THEY WENT ON AND WHEN IT GOT LIGHT, THEY WENT OFF.
WHY COULDN'T WE DO THAT? SOLAR POWERED? WE, WE DO HAVE, UH, WE DO HAVE ON THIS THE BUILDING FACING THE, THE LIGHTS, FOUR SOLAR POWERED LIGHTS, AND IT'S JUST NOT LIGHT ENOUGH BECAUSE IT ONLY HAS A CERTAIN AREA.
SO WE'RE USING EXISTING LIGHTS THAT WE HAVE AND JUST PROGRAMMING THEM DIFFERENTLY.
WELL, WE HAVE SOLAR LIGHTING NOW ON THE, ON THE NO, NO, I KNOW.
BUT SO THE, TO, TO ACCOMPLISH THE ADDITIONAL LIGHTING, WE'RE TAKING ADDITIONAL LIGHTING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AND WE'RE PROGRAMMING IT TO TURN ON AND OFF DIFFERENTLY.
WE'RE HAVING A, ONE OF OUR TOWERS THAT I DID, WE, I WENT THERE AND WE TRIED IT WITH PEOPLE PLAYING AND IT DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH THEM PLAYING.
IT'S A TOWER LIGHT THAT WILL TURN ON AND WE'LL TURN IT OFF.
SO IT, IT'S EXISTING RESOURCES.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A PARK RANGER ON ROVING THERE.
SO WE CAN SHOW THIS, WE CAN SHOW THIS ITEM TO RETURN.
AND COMMISSIONER OF THE FAVOR.
RECOMMENDATION TO INSTALL TEMPORARY LIGHTING AT POLO PARK.
UH, BASKETBALL FIELDS, UH, COURTS.
UH, MAKING THE MOTION JUST LOOKS LIKE, I THINK COMMISSIONER BOT DID, AND I'LL SECOND.
DO WE HAVE, UH, PERHAPS LIZETTE HERE FOR
[NB 15. DISCUSS THE REQUEST FOR CITY SPONSORSHIP AND WAIVER OF CITY SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT FEES, PURSUANT TO SECTION 12-7 OF THE CITY CODE, FOR THE MODEL VOLLEYBALL EVENT, SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE ON THE LUMMUS PARK BEACHFRONT FROM MARCH 29 -30, 2025]
NB 15? UM, THIS IS TIME SENSITIVE AS, UH, THIS, UH, I BELIEVE IS AN EVENT THAT'S COMING UP THIS WEEKEND AND IS ESSENTIALLY HISTORICALLY BEEN DONE FOR THE PAST 10 OR 15 YEARS.UM, AS WE'RE LOOKING TO PROGRAM OUT OF SPRING BREAK, THIS HAS ALWAYS ATTRACTED SUCH A NICE AND, UH, HEALTH LIKE THIS ONE AND WELLNESS FOCUS CROWD.
SO WE HAVE A DISCUSSED REQUEST FOR CITY SPONSORSHIP AND WAIVER OF CITY SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT FEES PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 DASH SEVEN OF THE CITY CODE FOR THE MODEL VOLLEYBALL EVENT SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN LO PARK BEACH FRONT FROM MARCH 29TH THROUGH MARCH 30TH, 2025 MB 15.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT PAYING OR GIVING ANY REVENUE.
WE'RE JUST WAIVING, UH, SPECIAL EVENT FEES, CORRECT? YES.
VICE CITIZEN DIRECTED TOURISM AND CULTURE.
UH, IT WOULD BE A WAIVER OF FEES.
THE ONLY THING IS THAT IT WOULD BE RETROACTIVE.
THIS WOULD GO TO COMMISSION AND THEN THE MONEY WOULD BE GIVEN BACK BECAUSE THE EVENT IS THIS WEEKEND.
SO THEY HAVE TO PAY THE FEES FOR THIS WEEKEND.
AND HOW MANY YEARS HAVE THEY BEEN IN OUR CITY? OH, OVER 14.
ANYBODY WANNA MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MOVE.
SO WE'LL SHOW THIS ITEM, THE RETURN TO COMMISSION WITH A FAVORABLE, UH, RECOMMENDATION FOR, UM, THE WAIVER OF THE SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT FEES AS, AS RE REQUESTED RETROACTIVE RETROACTIVELY.
[NB 3. DISCUSS THE CREATION OF A FOUNDATION FOCUSED ON SOLICITING DONATIONS OF WORKS OF ART FOR THE CITY’S PERMANENT ART IN PUBLIC PLACES COLLECTION AND/OR TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS.]
UH, WE HEAR MB THREE, UH, DISCUSS CREATION OF A FOUNDATION.UH, I DON'T WANNA STEER YOUR JOB, MR. STIFF.
O UH, MB THREE DISCUSSED THE CREATION OF A FOUNDATION FOCUSED ON SOLICITING DONATIONS OF WORKS OF ART FOR THE CITY'S PERMANENT ART AND PUBLIC PLACES COLLECTION AND OR TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS MB THREE.
UH, AGAIN, UH, FRANCIS VAIO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF TOURISM AND CULTURE.
SO THIS ITEM, UM, IS REQUESTING THE ITEM SPONSORS REQUESTING THAT FERC DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS, UH, STRUCTURE AND FEASIBILITY OF CREATING A FOUNDATION WITH SPECIFIC FOCUS ON SOLICITING AND ACCEPTING DONATIONS AND WORKS OF ARTS FROM INDIVIDUALS, CORPORATIONS, AND BENEFACTORS.
SO, AS YOU SEE IN THE MEMO, THE CITY HAS BEEN LONG TERM COMMITTED TO ENHANCING PUBLIC SPACES THROUGH RN PUBLIC PLACES.
UH, CURRENTLY WE DO HAVE THE RN PUBLIC PLACES ORDINANCE, WHICH HAS, UM, THE MANDATED OF THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES COMMITTEE.
SO CURRENTLY THE COMMITTEE, ALONG WITH THE TOURISM AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS THE POWERS AND DUTIES TO O OF OVERSIGHT REVIEW AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE ARTWORK.
SO IN TODAY'S DISCUSSION, UM, KEY ISSUES TO CONSIDER ARE THE FOUNDATION STRUCTURE, FUNDING AND MANAGEMENT INTEGRATION WITH THE CITY'S A IPP PROGRAM AND COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS.
UM, STAFF HAS COMMUNICATED WITH THE COUNTIES ARE IN PUBLIC PLACES.
UH, THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, THEY CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE ANY SUCH STRUCTURE OF ACCEPTING DONATIONS.
THEY DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER MUNICIPALITY THAT HAS ONE EITHER.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS TO CONSIDER THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION.
IF, IF THE COMMITTEE DECIDES THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, THAT THE COMMITTEE JUST BE STRUCTURED TO ACCEPT DONATIONS, SO THEN WE CAN THEN VET THE ARTWORK.
UH, WE, WE'VE SEEN, UH, SUCH A GENERATIONAL INFLUX OF WEALTH INTO OUR CITY, UH, THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST AFFLUENT INDIVIDUALS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, UH, THAT ALSO OFTENTIMES GO HAND IN HAND WITH A FOCUS AND DEDICATION OF THE ARTS.
IF YOU LOOK IN PLACES LIKE NEW YORK CITY ALONG THE HIGH LINE, UM, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE THE MOST SPECIAL, UH, ARTS
[00:25:01]
AND PUBLIC WORKS IN THE WORLD ARE OFTEN AT, UM, UH, AT THE BENEFIT, UH, WHERE BENEFICIARIES FROM, UH, VERY WEALTHY, AFFLUENT INDIVIDUALS.AND IT SEEMS, UH, SHORTSIGHTED OR SILLY NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE AND SET UP SOME SORT OF PROGRAM WHERE MIAMI BEACH CAN BE A BENEFICIARY OF THE SAME.
SO, UH, I'M CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
YOU KNOW, I, I LOVE THIS IDEA.
COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ON THE MONEY, NO PUN INTENDED, UM, ABOUT SO MUCH WEALTH MOVING INTO THE CITY AND PEOPLE STEPPING UP, UM, TO HELP DO THINGS THAT THEY CARE ABOUT.
AND, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS, IS POSSIBLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE VERY CLEAR GUIDELINES AND THERE NOBODY RUNS A FOUL OF ANY ETHICS ISSUES, THAT THERE'S NO QUID PRO QUO INTIMATED OR EXPECTED, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO AS LONG AS THE CITY ATTORNEY FEELS THAT THAT CAN BE STRUCTURED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT, UM, IT IS COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM ANYBODY IN OFFICE, RUNNING FOR OFFICE, ET CETERA, UM, I WOULD BE VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THIS.
YEAH, WE WOULD DEFINITELY WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THE STRUCTURE OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, JUST FOR MOVING FORWARD, IS THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION ALIGNED WITH THE ADMINISTRATIONS TO JUST SOLICIT FUNDING? IS THAT OKAY? OR IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE WOULD BE MISSING? UM, OTHERWISE, 'CAUSE IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT SOLICITING ACTUAL ARTWORK, BUT THERE ARE, YEAH.
AND OUR, I THINK THE CONCERN OF THE ADMINISTRATION WAS THAT WE HAVE AN ART IN PUBLIC PLACES, UH, COMMITTEE THAT'S ALREADY SET TO SPECIFICALLY DO THAT.
SO I THINK THE RECOMMENDATION IS LISTED IN THE CONCLUSION OF THE ITEM IS THAT IF, UM, THIS FOUNDATION OR COMMITTEE, WHATEVER WE, WHATEVER LEGALLY WE DETERMINED TO CALL IT, UH, BE RECOMMENDED THAT IT WOULD BE FOR THE SOLICITATION OF DONATIONS, SHOULD BE LIMITED TO FUNDING.
SO IF I, I WOULD SUPPORT THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION FOR FUNDING ONLY.
WE CAN SHOW THE, UH, UH, A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BOT TO RETURN A COMMISSION WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CREATION OF A FOUNDATION OR COMMITTEE, UH, TO SOLICIT FUNDING DONATIONS FOR PUBLIC ART.
[NB 12. DISCUSS THE EXPANSION OF MUSCLE BEACH AND LUMMUS PARK SPOIL AREA TO INCLUDE MORE HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES.]
12, UH, EXPANSION OF THE PARKS AND REC HEALTH AND WELLNESS AREA, UH, REFERRED TO AS MUSCLE BEACH.I'LL LET YOU TEE THIS UP, MR. CFO.
BUT, UH, WHERE CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA DOWN IN THE OCEAN DRIVE AREA, I LOOKED AT IT, I SAID, WHAT DO WE GET RIGHT? WHAT DO WE GET WRONG AT? I THINK THAT MUSCLE BEACH ACTIVATION, WHEN YOU GO DOWN THERE ON A WEEKEND, IT'S, THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE, THE BEST THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN A CITY, IN THE CITY.
UM, IT, IT ATTRACTS PEOPLE OF, UH, RESIDENTS, TOURISTS, UH, MEN, WOMEN, UH, YOUNG, OLD, UH, EVERYTHING.
IT'S SYNONYMOUS WITH WHAT MIAMI BEACH IS.
AND I'VE SAID VERY OFTEN THAT, UH, WHEN WE DO THINGS IN MIAMI BEACH, I WANT US TO START DOING THINGS THAT ARE WORLD CLASS, RIGHT? TRULY WORLD CLASS, WHERE WHEN YOU GOOGLE THE BEST OUTDOOR, UH, HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND PARK AREA IN THE WORLD, MIAMI BEACH IS THE TOP OF THE LIST.
AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, WHAT MY STANDARD FOR EXCELLENCE, UH, IS.
SO, MR. CFO, IF YOU WANT TO TEE THAT UP, SURE.
MB 12 DISCUSSED THE EXPANSION OF MUSSEL BEACH AND LOMIS PARK, PARK SPOIL AREA TO INCLUDE MORE HEALTH, WELLNESS AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES, MB 12.
AND AS A NOTE, UH, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ HAS REQUESTED TO BECOME A, UM, A CO-SPONSOR.
I'LL BE A CO-SPONSOR AND, WELL, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY THE FITNESS COMMISSIONER, BUT I'M NOT THE FITNESS COMMISSIONER.
THE RECORD SHOULD BE, I SHOULD ASPIRE TO BE A COMMISSIONER.
I'M, I'M THE BLUE ZONES COMMISSIONER, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE A CO-SPONSOR.
WE, WE WILL SHOW EVERYONE AS A RIGHT NOW CO-SPONSOR.
IT'S A GREAT IDEA, RIGHT? A GREAT IDEA.
I THINK WE ALL EMBRACE, BUT THEN IT COMES DOWN TO FUNDING, RIGHT? WE TALK ABOUT OUR, OUR BUDGET BEING IN A TIGHT YEAR.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A HUGE SURPLUS.
WE ALL JUST GOT A LETTER TO COMMISSION THE OTHER DAY SAYING THAT OUR EXPECTED SURPLUS IS EVEN, UH, PROJECTED TO BE LESS THAN WHAT WE ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED.
SO THEN IT COMES DOWN TO HOW DO WE FUND THIS? I DON'T WANT THIS BEING ONE OF THESE PIE IN THE SKY THINGS THAT WE HOLD OUT THERE FOR YEARS.
UM, WHAT ARE SOME OTHER, AND PERHAPS THIS IS TO OUR CFO AS WELL, UH, OTHER IDEAS FOR FUNDING SPONSORSHIPS, UH, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WE'RE RIGHTFULLY SO FOCUSING ON A LOT OF, UH, EXPENSE, UM, HIGHLIGHTING A LOT OF EXPENSE ISSUES THAT WE FACE, UH, ON OUR BUDGET.
BUT AN INCOME STATEMENT IS TWO SIDES, RIGHT? REVENUE AND EXPENSES.
WE ALSO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO RAISE MORE REVENUE.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, ONE, FIND SPONSORSHIPS FOR THIS.
ARE WE TALKING A COUPLE MILLION OF DOLLARS OF, UH, CAPEX, I ASSUME? AND THEN ALSO, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO IN THAT AREA THAT PROVIDES, UH, REVENUE INTO THE CITY THAT CAN, UH, BE USED TO REALLY KICKSTART
[00:30:01]
THIS PROGRAM.YEAH, WE'RE IN, WE'RE IN FAVOR OF THE SPONSORSHIP ALSO.
AND THEN, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT DONATIONS.
WE MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO EXPAND MUSCLE BEACH A LITTLE, AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO EXPAND MUSCLE BEACH IN THE, THE NORTH END.
ALSO IN THE NORTH END IS A SEPARATE ITEM.
UM, SO MAYBE LET, LET'S MOVE THIS, CERTAINLY WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION, BUT I WOULD TASK STAFF TO WORK ON IDENTIFYING ONE, WHAT SPONSORSHIPS WOULD LOOK LIKE.
IS THAT SOME SORT OF NAMING RIGHTS? IS IT, UH, I DON'T KNOW.
ONE OF OUR BEVERAGE PARTNERS LIKE RED BULL, HAVING A TRASH RECEPTACLE THAT LOOKS LIKE A RED BULL CAN, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS, BUT JUST KICKING OUT SOME IDEAS, BE CREATIVE, COME BACK WITH HOW WE CAN RAISE MONEY TO ESSENTIALLY, UH, JUMPSTART THIS PROGRAM.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANT THIS HANGING OUT THERE FOR YEARS AND YEARS, JUST KIND OF IN THIS, UH, NEVER ENDING BUDGET CYCLE, IF I CAN CHAIR.
IS IS THE, IS THE INTEREST HERE TO SEND THIS TO COMMISSION, TO DIRECT THE ADMINISTRATION TO BEGIN, UH, IDENTIFYING SPONSORS THAT WOULD FULLY FUND THE EXPANSION OF THIS PROJECT? UM, JUST WANTED TO KNOW, KIND OF, WE NEED TO HAVE THIS CLEAR DIRECTION OF THAT.
SO WE COULD SHOW THIS ITEM RETURN TO COMMISSION WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO DIRECT THE ADMINISTRATION TO ENGAGE WITH SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND, UH, THE MUSSEL BEACH AT LOOMIS PARK.
UM, SO WE DON'T YET KNOW WHAT THE, UH, BLUE ZONES, UM, PROPOSAL RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE WHEN THEY COME BACK.
WE ARE GETTING THAT IN THE NEXT, LIKE IN MAY, BASICALLY.
UM, AND I'M SURE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD BE FOLDED INTO THAT.
AND THE REASON I MENTION IT IS NOT TO SLOW ANYTHING DOWN, BUT PART OF WHAT THE BLUE ZONES PROGRAM IS, IS FOR ANY KIND OF CAPEX EXPENDITURES, WE TRY TO FIND OUTSIDE PARTNERS.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE SOURCE THEM FROM OUR BUDGET, BUT WE FIND PARTNERS WHO ARE LIKE, OH, REALLY MORE, UH, EXERCISE EQUIPMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND SO, UM, I WOULD DEFINITELY START WHATEVER YOU'RE GONNA DO, BUT ALSO WE CAN, WE CAN FOLD IT INTO HOLISTICALLY A, A LARGER PROJECT AND MAYBE FIND A BIGGER SPONSOR THAT WAY SO WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION OFFLINE, UM, IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS WHEN I LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE.
FROM THE PHONE CALL I'M HAVING ABOUT THIS VERY TOPIC TOMORROW.
SO WE'LL SHOW WHAT WOULD A SPONSORSHIP LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS LIKE THE BRANDING? WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU ENVISIONING? ANYTHING? UH, LIKE I SAID, IT, IT COULD BE THE, I'M GOING TO USE RED BULL 'CAUSE THEY'RE PART OF THE PEPSI SPONSORSHIP, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, WE HAVE ONE, WE HAVE ONE OF OUR SPONSORSHIPS UP IN ONE OF THE PARKS, AND IT WAS JEFF LEWIS.
IT WAS JUST A LITTLE, LITTLE SIGN ON ONE OF THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.
WE DON'T WANNA MAKE A BIG ADVERTISEMENT.
YEAH, I, WE WANNA MAKE IT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK IT WOULD KIND OF LOSE THE, THE CLASSINESS OF WHAT IT IS.
NOW IF THERE'S LIKE A BIG LOGO OF RED BULL ON LIKE THE CONTAINER WHERE WE KEEP THE MUSCLE EQUIPMENT, I, I, WE, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK AT, TO MAKE IT AS YOU KNOW, IS TO FIT IN WITH THE PLAYGROUNDS AND STUFF, NOT TO MAKE A BIG ADVERTISING THING.
WE'LL JUST LOOK INTO, WE'RE BRINGING IDEAS, SOME, SOME IDEAS BACK.
AND IF I HAD, UH, THIS ITEM GOES BACK TO COMMISSIONER, THE RECOMMENDATION ADMINISTRATION WOULD BEGIN THE, THAT EXPLORATION.
IT WOULD COME BACK TO COMMISSION.
SO WHATEVER THE FINAL OUTCOME WOULD COME BACK TO COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL.
AND, AND I CERTAINLY SECOND THAT, RIGHT? STRIKE A FINE BALANCE BETWEEN, UH, YEAH.
IF SOMEBODY'S GONNA SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPONSORING, THEY'RE GONNA WANT SOMETHING.
BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO BE A CHEESY COMMERCIALIZATION.
THAT'S SUCH A NATURAL, BEAUTIFUL AREA.
UH, WE WANT IT TO REMAIN THAT WAY.
I, IN FACT, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ADDING THE ENHANCED EQUIPMENT AND AREA.
I WANT SOMETHING THAT IS ALSO MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING DOWN THERE.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, A 50 FOOT RED BULL CAN CERTAINLY ISN'T IN LINE WITH THAT.
SO, UM, FIRST I'M, UH, HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
UM, SOMEBODY THE ADMINISTRATION MIGHT REMEMBER, BUT THERE WAS CONVERSATION ABOUT NAMING RIGHTS FOR THINGS LIKE THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE BANDSHELL, AND IT WAS NOT WELL RECEIVED AT ALL.
UM, AND WHILE THOSE THINGS WERE ON A MUCH GRANDER SCALE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT WE'RE SAYING, HEY, YOU, WE CAN LIKE, CALL IT THE RED BULL MUSSEL BEACH IT IMPRINT.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE A SMALL, IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD BE DOING A SOLID, BASICALLY, AND IT WOULD BE A SMALL THING, AND WE COULD REFER TO IT IN OUR NEWSLETTERS IF WE'RE HAVING A, A SPECIAL EVENT THERE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY, UM, IT'S MEETING AT THE RED BULL MUSCLE BEACH, UH, SITE TO DO X, Y, AND Z.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF THE LIMIT.
ANOTHER IDEA WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE EQUIPMENT ITSELF, MAYBE GET A SPONSORSHIP FROM LIKE ROGUE, YOU KNOW, THEY GIVE ALL SORTS OF BARBELLS, DUMBBELLS PLATES, AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
AND WHENEVER THE EQUIPMENT IS FADED OUT, THEY REPLACE IT AT PROOF COST BECAUSE EVERYONE COMES AND THEY SEE THE EQUIPMENT.
IF I MAY, I REMEMBER BACK IN 2012, IN FACT, MAYOR BOWERS IN THE AUDIENCE, AND I THINK SHE WAS, UH, MAYOR AT THE TIME, AND CARNIVAL HAD COME WANTING TO DO NAMING RIGHTS AT SOUTH POINT PARK.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT.
AND IT BECAME VERY CONTROVERSIAL.
[00:35:02]
I LIKE THE IDEA OF EXPANDING, UH, MUSSEL BEACH.I THINK IT IS ONE OF THE MOST POSITIVE ACTIVATIONS THAT WE HAVE, AND IT'S IN THE DIRECTION OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS THAT OUR CITY IS MOVING IN.
AND BY, BY THE WAY, I JUST GOT BACK FROM TALLAHASSEE.
EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT THE DIRECTION OUR CITY IS GOING IN.
AND I THINK THIS ENTIRE COMMISSION SHOULD FEEL VERY PROUD OF THAT.
HAVING SAID THAT, I ALWAYS GET CONCERNED ABOUT PUTTING CORPORATE NAMES ON OUR PUBLIC ASSETS, UM, EVEN IF IT COMES THROUGH A CONTRIBUTION, UH, TO IMPROVE THOSE AREAS.
SO, SO THAT'S SOMETHING I JUST WILL BE HESITANT ABOUT.
WHEN WE HAD IT WITH A CONVENTION CENTER, I THINK IT WAS ONE OF MY FIRST MEETINGS THAT THEY WERE CONSIDERING AN ITEM TO, TO THE CONVENTION CENTER.
I DON'T KNOW, THEY WANTED TO CALL IT, UM, ROYAL CARIBBEAN.
THAT'S WHAT IT WAS, THE ROYAL CARIBBEAN.
IT WAS ONE OF THE CRUISE LINES.
IT WAS ONE OF THE CRUISE LINES.
THEY WANTED TO, TO, TO DO A SPONSORSHIP AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
THE COMMUNITY CAME OUT VERY LOUDLY AGAINST, UH, PUTTING, PUTTING A NAME ON ONE OF OUR, UH, PUBLIC ASSETS.
SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I WOULD BE INCLINED TO SUPPORT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT FOR PURPOSES OF TRANSPARENCY.
BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DO BUSINESS IN THIS CITY THAT DO COMMIT TO, TO DOING PUBLIC BENEFITS WHO MIGHT BE WILLING TO MAKE A PUBLIC BENEFIT CONTRIBUTION TO EXPAND THIS PARK WITHOUT HAVING TO BRAND IT IN THEIR FAVOR OR, OR HAVE SOME SORT OF, YOU KNOW, NAMING RIGHT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD EXPLORE.
WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK INTO THE MOST TASTEFUL THING, AND THEN WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
I'M OPEN-ENDED ON THIS NO PRECONCEIVED NOTION OF WHERE THIS COMES OUT.
I JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'D BE SILLY TO SIT HERE AND JUST SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA FIND A FEW MILLION DOLLARS YEAH.
AT THE END OF THIS YEAR FOR THE BUDGET.
SO I'D LIKE COMMISSIONER SUAREZ'S IDEA ABOUT, UH, THE FITNESS EQUIPMENT BEING DONATED.
IF WE'RE GONNA DO A PADDLE COURT, MAYBE, UH, GET ONE OF THE LOCAL OPERATORS, THEY PUT THEIR NAME ON IT, THEY DON'T OPERATE IT, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RESERVE COURTS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH FOOT TRAFFIC THERE.
WE HAD SOMEBODY ALREADY INTERESTED IN DONATING SOMETHING TO LOOMIS, UM, TO THE MUSCLE BEACH.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO WORK OUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK IT OUT.
LOVE, LOVE THOSE DECISION FINANCE.
SO, UH, SO WE'LL SHOW COMMISSIONER BOTT MADE THE MOTION AND, UH, CHAIR MAGAZINE AS THE SECOND.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE MICROPHONE.
IT'S THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST
IS THIS THIS ON? YES, IT'S ON.
NOT THAT YOU NEED A MICROPHONE.
IS IT DONE BY PARKS AND RECREATION? IT'S JUST A IT'S JUST A DISCUSSION.
IT'S A DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT.
WHAT? IT'S JUST A DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT.
OH, IT'S IT GONNA BE FREE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH.
BECAUSE I HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN YOU CHARGE THE RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH TO USE SOMETHING IN PUBLIC LAND, NO MATTER IT'S A PADDLE BALL OR, AND THE PROBLEM WHEN YOU GO OUT AND GET SOMEBODY TO COME IN A PRIVATE SETTING, THEY WANNA MAKE MONEY AND THEY WANNA MAKE MONEY AT THE EXPENSE OF RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH.
AND I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM FOR THAT.
I KNOW THAT BUSINESS NOW, IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN RESIDENTS, BUT TO ME, THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE ALWAYS VERY IMPORTANT, MUSCLE BEACH WILL ALWAYS BE FREE.
I DON'T EVEN THINK IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD EVER, YEAH, WE WOULD NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS CONTEMPLATE THAT.
I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THIS ANYMORE.
COMMISSIONER, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WHY YOU DON'T COME, COMMISSIONER, THERE'S A PUBLIC COMMENT.
LARRY SCHAFER, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
LARRY, WE'RE GOING IN 5 4, 3 2.
MITCH NOVIK, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
I WANNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY OF, UH, WHAT WAS THE NINTH STREET WORKOUT STATION? UH, UH, WHAT BOTHERS ME OR I, WHAT I BELIEVE THE CITY GOT WRONG WITH.
UH, MUSSEL BEACH IS ITS NAME, UH, IN VENICE.
UH, IT DENOTES, UH, OFTEN A TORY PLACE.
AND, UH, THE NAME NINTH STREET WORKOUT STATION, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, PROVIDES WHERE IT'S LOCATED AND THAT THAT'S WHAT IT HAD BEEN CALLED FOR YEARS.
AND GOING BACK A LITTLE FURTHER IN THE EIGHTIES, ALL THAT CONSISTED OF THAT AREA
[00:40:01]
WAS A PULL UP BAR.HURRICANE ANDREW KNOCKED THAT DOWN.
AND IT WASN'T UNTIL I CONTACTED LYNN BERNSTEIN, WHO WAS WITH MIAMI BEACH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION RUNNING THE OCEAN DRIVE BID AT THAT TIME, THAT THINGS, UH, MORPHED INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY.
SO, UH, IF ANYTHING, I WOULD CONSIDER, UH, URGE YOU TO CONSIDER PUTTING BACK THE NAME, THE NINTH STREET WORKOUT STATION.
ALTHOUGH INFORMAL, IT, IT, IT, IT, IT JUST, UH, IT, IT, IT'S SPECIAL.
OR AT LEAST IN MY MIND, IT WAS SPECIAL.
AND, UH, I WOULDN'T WRITE OFF NAMING RIGHTS.
UH, I THINK OF THE KASEYA CENTER, IF YOU DO IT FOR A YEAR OR TWO, PERHAPS WE COULD GET SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A MINIMAL, UH, SIZE SIGN.
UH, AND, UH, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING, UH, TO GENERATE REVENUE, BECAUSE LORD ONLY KNOWS HOW MUCH, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE PAYING AND HOW MUCH WE'RE LOSING.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK WE'RE ALL ENVISIONING THIS, IT'S, UH, NOT JUST THAT WORKOUT AREA.
I THINK THIS IS, UH, COMPREHENSIVELY ALONG THAT ENTIRE LOOMIS PARK, ALMOST FROM FIFTH STREET ALL THE WAY TO NINTH OR 10TH STREET.
UM, SO PERHAPS WE LOOK AT WHAT WE CALL THAT COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH AND WELLNESS AREA.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO MOVE THIS ALONG.
WE, WE ALREADY VOTED, ALREADY VOTED PERFECT.
[OB 5. DISCUSS THE DESIREABILITY, FEASABILITY, AND COST OF CONSTRUCTING A CHILDREN'S PARK AT THE EUCLID CIRCLE ON LINCOLN ROAD]
UH, MOVE ON TO, UH, MAYBE A, A SIMILAR ITEM, UH, SOMETHING THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE.UH, BUT THEN IT JUST COMES DOWN TO WHERE ARE WE GOING TO FIND THE FUNDING FOR IT? AND MAYBE WE COULD THINK, THINK ABOUT THINGS JUST AS UNIQUE, BUT OB FIVE, UH, THE CHILDREN'S PARK, UH, ON LINCOLN ROAD.
COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, TURN THIS OVER TO YOU.
UH, LET, MAY ASK THE ITEM OB FI, OB FIVE DISCUSSED THE DESIRABILITY, FEASIBILITY AND COST OF CONSTRUCTING A CHILDREN'S PARK AT THE EUCLID CIRCLE ON LINCOLN ROAD, OB FIVE.
DAVID GOMEZ, DIRECTOR OF, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE CITY.
UM, THIS ITEM HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.
IT ACTUALLY WAS LOOKED AT AS PART OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR THE LINCOLN ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IN 22, UM, WHERE THE DESIGNER FOR LINCOLN ROAD LOOKED AT SEVERAL OPTIONS AND MADE A COUPLE OF, UH, PROPOSALS.
UH, IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, UM, THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT CAME TO THE COMMITTEE AND, AND PRESENTED SOME OPTIONS.
UH, AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE WENT BACK TO THE DESIGNER AND ASKED THEM TO REEVALUATE AND LOOK AT POTENTIAL LOCATIONS AS WELL AS OPTIONS.
THEY PREPARED A, AN ANALYSIS AND A, AND A PROPOSAL OR A RECOMMENDATION.
UM, THEIR RECOMMENDED LOCATION CONTINUES TO BE IN THE EUCLID AVENUE RIGHT OF WAY SOUTH OF THE EXISTING OVAL.
UM, WHICH ALSO HAS THE ADDED BENEFIT OF WE CAN, OF BEING ABLE TO INCORPORATE THAT WITHOUT IMPACTING THE LINCOLN ROAD PROJECT.
SO THAT CAN BE DONE SEPARATELY OR AT A LATER TIME, HOWEVER THE, THE COMMITTEE FEELS IS APPROPRIATE.
AND WHERE WOULD IT START? JUST SOUTH OF THE EUCLID CIRCLE.
IT WOULD START ESSENTIALLY AT THE BUILDING LINE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF LINCOLN ROAD, UH, BETWEEN THERE AND THE, AND THE STREET.
DO YOU HAVE A VISUAL? UH, IT WAS ATTACHED TO THE, TO THE MEMO.
I DIDN'T BRING THE DIGITAL ANY WAY WE COULD PUT UP ON THE SCREEN, SO, SO EVERYONE CAN SEE.
IS THERE A
WELL, I, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A WHILE AGO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO SEE A WORLD CLASS PARK, UM, ON LINCOLN ROAD.
IF YOU'RE BRINGING YOUR FAMILY, IT'S AN ATTRACTION.
YOU, YOU FAMILIES COME THERE, THEY SHOP, HAVE THEIR KIDS PLAY.
I THINK IT'D BE A GREAT AMENITY, UM, TO HAVE.
AND, AND I, AND IN PARTICULAR IN THAT AREA, IT, IT IS, THERE IS ISSUES THERE WITH LIKE HOMELESS PEOPLE LIKE SLEEPING.
AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A PARK THERE, A YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CERTAIN DISTANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, SEX OFFENDERS CAN'T BE NEXT TO A KID'S PARK.
UH, IF, IF THAT WAS TO, TO GO INTO THE PLACE, UM, THE, THE, UM, EXCUSE ME THROUGH THE CHAIR, THE ONE DETAIL I DIDN'T PROVIDE IS THAT THE CONSULTANT HAS PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE OF BETWEEN FOUR AND $6 MILLION FOR THE PLAYGROUND.
IT'S WHAT I LOOKED FOR WHEN WE DID THE RFP IS WE HAVE TO FACE REALITY.
PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO TRAVEL TO A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR JUST TO GO TO FOREVER 21 AND THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY ANYMORE, RIGHT? SO YOU NEED TO BRING EXPERIENCES THAT
[00:45:01]
ARE GOING TO BRING THEM THERE.AND THEN THEY ESSENTIALLY FREQUENT OUR RETAIL AFTER THAT.
AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO BRING FAMILIES THAN TO HAVE JUST, UH, AN ABSOLUTELY WORLD-CLASS PLAYGROUND.
UH, OR IF THEY ARE JUST AS TOURISTS AND STROLLING DOWN LINCOLN ROAD, WE NEED MORE EXPERIENCES THERE.
UH, 'CAUSE THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY DINING AND DASHING, RIGHT? UM, THEY, THEY EAT AND THEY LEAVE.
THERE'S NO EXPERIENCES TO LIVE.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DESIGN DISTRICT THERE, THERE'S ALL TYPES OF KIND OF PROGRAMMING THERE.
UH, THERE IS ALSO VERY AESTHETICALLY PLEASING AS WELL.
JUST ENHANCES THE ENTIRE APPEAL OF THE AREA.
SO, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING I'M INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE OF, BUT I DO THINK THAT, UH, WE KIND OF GET BACK INTO THAT SAME BUDGET DISCUSSION.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, CAN WE FIND SOME SORT OF DEDICATED REVENUE SOURCE FOR THIS WHERE THIS ISN'T JUST A PIE IN THE SKY, UH, DREAM, YOU KNOW, THAT GETS KICKED DOWN EVERY BUDGET CYCLE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, UH, THROUGH THE CHAIR.
YOU KNOW, THIS MIGHT BE ANOTHER GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR BLUE ZONE'S SPONSORSHIP, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, PARTNERSHIP WITH SOMEBODY WHO RECOGNIZES VALUE OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S GETTING KIDS OUT AND ABOUT AND THEIR FAMILIES WALKING.
AND THIS MAY BE ANOTHER THING, I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS THE WAY TO GO, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING TO SORT OF PUT IN THE BLUE ZONES BUCKET AS AS A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF FUNDING, UM, THROUGH THE CHAIR.
SO JASON, ANY IDEAS ON POSSIBLE SOURCES OF FUNDING? WELL, THIS WOULD BE, UH, SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE THOUGHT THROUGH THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND OR, OR EFFECTIVELY, UM, PROBABLY THROUGH THE PAYGO, UH, MILLAGE THAT WE HAVE.
SO THE, THE QUESTION I WAS GONNA HAVE WAS, UH, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO TURN TO THE COMMISSION WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO INCLUDE? AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT A TIMING.
WHEN WE ADD, WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION ADDS A NEW CAPITAL PROJECT, WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR CIP SO NEW PROJECTS ARE ADDED IN THE FIFTH YEAR AND THEY, THEY MOVE UP FOR, YOU KNOW, THROUGH CONSIDERATION.
'CAUSE THERE'S PROJECTS THAT HAVE LIVED IN, OR DO WE WANNA MOVE IT TO THE TOP OF THE ORDER AND FOR IT TO BE ADDED AS A CAPITAL PROJECT FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE 26TH BUDGET PROCESS? AND DO WE WANT TO MAKE IT A PRIORITY IN THE 26TH BUDGET PROCESS? WHICH WOULD OBVIOUSLY BUMP IT UP, YOU KNOW, UH, FURTHER UP THE LIST, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMPETITION.
UM, SO YOU, YOU COULD EITHER ADD IT TO THE CIP, WHICH WOULD JUST ADD IT TO THE FIFTH YEAR WHERE CAPITAL APPROVAL PROGRAM, WHICH IS A STANDARD BEST PRACTICE, DO WE ADD IT AS A PROJECT BE CONSIDERED DURING THE 26TH PROJECT, UH, PROGRAM.
SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT YOU, YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS TO SEE WHERE WE COULD ALLOCATE, UM, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATE FUNDING.
AND PERHAPS, UM, LISTEN, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, I HEARD YOUR, UH, WORDS IN TALLAHASSEE THAT WERE MUCH NEEDED AND WE'RE ESSENTIALLY FACING, UM, AN ISSUE HERE WHERE WE NEED TO PUT OUR MONEY, WHERE OUR MOUTH IS, OR ELSE THE STATE'S GONNA DO IT FOR US WITH BEING COMMITTED TO PROVIDING RESIDENTIAL HOUSING.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE LDRS ON LINCOLN ROAD, UH, PERHAPS A PUBLIC BENEFIT OF THAT, UM, COULD BE FUNDING FOR THIS PARK.
I, I MEAN, WE TALK ABOUT THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING IN AS A CITY.
WE CAN HELP REVITALIZE A DYING OR STRUGGLING COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR.
WE CAN ADD OURSELVES THE HOUSING THAT IF WE DON'T DO SO, TALLAHASSEE IS GOING TO SWING THE PENDULUM MUCH FURTHER THE OTHER WAY IN DOING SO.
AND WE CAN DO IT IN A FAMILY FRIENDLY WAY WHERE WE'RE GETTING THINGS LIKE PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS ACTIVATION AND NO MICRO UNITS.
SO IF WE WANNA BE BIG BOYS AND GALS AND MAKE THESE DECISIONS OURSELVES, WE NEED TO SHOW THAT WE HAVE THE FORTITUDE TO DO SO THROUGH THE CHAIR.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE, WELL ASSUMING THAT IT PASSES ON LINCOLN ROAD, A RESIDENTIAL, UM, UP ZONING, UM, CAN WE MAKE IT BASED ANY NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT? AND MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
THEY HAVE TO PAY AN IMPACT FEE FOR, FOR CERTAIN CIP PROJECTS LIKE THIS ON LINCOLN ROAD AND BEFORE THE CITY ATTORNEY.
IF, IF I COULD, I LOVE THE IDEA.
I ACTUALLY WENT BACK AND I WATCHED, I THINK IT WAS IN OCTOBER OF 2016 AND TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT DIRECTION WE'RE TAKING AS A COMMISSION.
THEY ACTUALLY ADDED LDRS TO ADD HOTELS AND NO PARKING FOR OFFICE ON LINCOLN ROAD, RIGHT? WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING RESIDENTIAL HOUSING.
BUT AS PART OF THAT ACTUALLY WAS SOME SORT OF ALMOST ARDENT PUBLIC PLACES, UH, IMPACT FEE THAT WOULD BE, UH, PAID HERE.
WE'D BE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SIMILAR.
I THINK WE COULD WORK ON POTENTIALLY CREATING INCENTIVES FOR THE CREATION OF, OF A PUBLIC PARK, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO CHARGE AN IMPACT FEE, UM, IN CONNECTION WITH, WITH THE LEGISLATION THAT, THAT YOU ALL ARE DISCUSSING.
BUT WE CAN LOOK INTO CREATING INCENTIVES, UM, MAYBE AS PART OF THAT LEGISLATION TO
[00:50:01]
CREATE PUBLIC SPACES, GREEN SPACES, ET CETERA.LET ME ASK A QUESTION IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR.
SO WHEN, AND, AND IT'S A SHAME THAT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT HERE.
WHEN, WHEN APPLICATIONS ARE CONSIDERED, USUALLY THERE'S A REVIEW TO SEE, YOU KNOW, DO THEY, IS THERE ENOUGH GREEN SPACE AVAILABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THIS? IS THERE ENOUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, DO THE SEWERS HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE THIS AND ALL THAT TYPE OF STUFF? UM, CAN, CAN WE HAVE, AS WE CREATE THESE OVERLAYS, UH, FOR, FOR LINCOLN ROAD, EAST LINCOLN ROAD WEST, COULD WE, COULD WE HAVE A, AS PART OF THE OVERLAY PARK REQUIREMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE CAN BUILD UPON THIS AS WE PROVIDE GREEN SPACE.
SO YOU REALLY CAN'T MAXIMIZE ON THE ZONING THAT WE'RE CREATING FOR AS LONG AS YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH GREEN SPACE SO THAT WE'RE CREATING THE, THE INCENTIVE FOR WHOEVER COMES FORWARD TO CREATE THIS OR TO USE THE ZONING THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO BUILD THAT GREEN SPACE INCENTIVE.
AN INCENTIVE, BUT NOT THROUGH AN IMPACT FEE.
BUT SAYING, AND I NEED THE CITY ATTORNEY TO BE LISTENING, AND I'M SORRY BECAUSE I'M ASKING THE CITY ATTORNEY A QUESTION, SORRY.
IF AS PART OF THE ZONING LEGISLATION THAT THE ZONING CAN ONLY BE USED AS THE GREEN SPACE IS AVAILABLE.
I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY TALKING SIMILAR, UM, IDEAS THAT YOU'RE GONNA CREATE INCENTIVES OR PROVIDE THE, THE ZONING WILL APPLY IF YOU COMPLY WITH CERTAIN GREEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS.
I THINK WE'RE TALKING THE SAME THING.
SO HOW DO WE POSITION OURSELVES FOR THIS? WHERE ARE WE ALLOWED TO SAY I I GUESS WHEN, I DON'T WANNA PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.
YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THE BEST WAY TO REALLY MOVE THIS PROJECT, FOUR TO $6 MILLION IS A LOT.
UM, WE, WE WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO JUST COME OUT OF THIN AIR AND, AND FUND IT.
I MEAN, OUR, OUR, THE VALUES ARE SHRINKING.
UH, AS WE, AS THE, THE CHAIR SAID, CAN WE, ASSUMING THAT LINCOLN ROAD EAST AND WEST GETS APPROVED, CAN WE HAVE A A AN OPEN SOLICITATION TO DEVELOPERS TO SAY, LOOK, IF YOU, IF YOU BUILD THIS, UH, IF YOU HELP FUND THIS PARK OR ANY, OR INFRASTRUCTURE, THEN YOU GET AN EXTRA, I DON'T KNOW, 0.25 FAR OR UM, MAYBE AN EXTRA FLOOR IF I, IF I MAY, UH, JUST TO, TO ASSIST.
AND IF I'M OFF, PLEASE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW ON THIS ITEM ABOUT THE PARK, MAYBE WHAT THIS IS, IS THIS RETURNS TO THE COMMISSION FAVOR RECOMMENDATION BE INCLUDED IN OUR CIP MM-HMM.
WHICH WE WOULD PUT IT IN THE FIFTH YEAR.
AND THEN THERE'S, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE ON ANOTHER SEPARATE REFERRAL TO LAND USE, LIKE IS GETTING SOME PROPS TODAY.
SO WE JUST HEAR HERE, UM, UH, JUST THE LINCOLN ROAD ITEM HERE, WHERE YOU TO TALK ABOUT THE LINCOLN ROAD, UH, YOU KNOW, INCENTIVES AND THINGS LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TO HELP SUPPORT PARKS.
UM, AND, AND MAYBE THE CITY ATTORNEY THINKS I'M OFF HERE, BUT I THINK THAT THAT MAY BE THE BEST PRUDENT APPROACH ON THIS ITEM IS TO HAVE THIS GO, WE ADDED IN THE CIP SO IT LIVES AND IT EXISTS.
AND THEN SEPARATELY YOU HAVE A REFERRAL ABOUT HOW TO FUND THAT MAYBE THROUGH SOME OF THESE INCENTIVES THAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT AT LAND USE.
AND, AND I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR FROM MY PERSPECTIVE WHAT I'M JUST THINKING, JUST BECAUSE MAYBE I DIDN'T DESCRIBE IT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THE ZONING IS PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, MAXIMUM HEIGHT, A MAXIMUM FAR, BUT YOU DON'T UNLOCK THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THAT HEIGHT AND FAR THAT WE'RE APPROVING UNTIL THE GREEN SPACE THAT IS NEEDED IS, IS AVAILABLE.
YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME EXTRA HEIGHT AND FAR WITH THE, WITH THE EXISTING GREEN SPACE, BUT YOU DON'T GET, THE FULL AMOUNT OF, THE GREEN SPACE IS NOT UNLOCKED UNTIL THIS, UNTIL THIS, YOU KNOW, GREEN AREA IS, IS IS PUT IN THERE.
UM, I THINK BEFORE THIS CAN BE APPROVED, IT HAS TO HAVE A REFERRAL BACK TO THE COMMISSION TO GO TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD SO THAT THEY CAN OPINE ON THIS DESIGN, WHICH IS REALLY ICONIC.
MORRIS LAPIDUS RIGHT THERE IN THE CENTER OF EUCLID CIRCLE.
I HAVE, YOU KNOW, NO PROBLEM MAKING THAT REFERRAL, BUT THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE PRESERVATION BOARD.
THAT'S REALLY WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO BEFORE WE MAKE ANY KIND OF OPINION ON THIS.
AND UH, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN AS A COMMUNITY, IS PROTECTING OUR ICONIC DESIGNERS LIKE MORRIS LAPIDUS.
SO I WOULD LIKE AN OPINION FROM THE BOARD PRIOR TO US MAKING
[00:55:01]
ANY OTHER DECISIONS.SO, SO IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY THOUGH, THIS ISN'T ACTUALLY ON THE CIRCLE.
I THINK YOU GOT THE FEEDBACK THAT THAT WAS THE HISTORIC PART, PART OF THE BASTARD PLAN.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY KIND OF OVER IN THE ARCHERY SOUTH OF IT, WHICH ACTUALLY BRINGS IN OUR GOOD FRIEND MEL, UH, WHILE YOU'RE CHOMPING.
GIMME ONE SECOND BEFORE WE GET TO YOU, MEL.
BUT I DON'T THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ DID THE, AND THIS, I WISH WE HAD THE DESIGN RENDERINGS THAT THE EUCLID CIRCLE IS ACTUALLY, UH, BEING AFFECTED HERE.
I THINK COMMISSIONER SUAREZ WAS REC, UH, HE RECOGNIZED THAT HISTORIC, UH, IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
SO THIS'LL ACTUALLY BE SHIFTED SOUTH INTO THAT ARTERY, UH, BY THE LINCOLN CENTER.
IF I CAN FIGURE OUT, CAN I JUST APPLYING ONE THING, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR'S DEFINITION OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, IT HAS TO FIT WITHIN THE CONTEXT.
NOW, I HAVE NO PROBLEM APPROVING SOMETHING, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A VERY SPECIAL TYPE OF ART DECO PARK, AND THEY MIGHT DECIDE THAT THAT RUINS THE CONTEXT OF THE CIRCLE.
I'M, I'M, SO, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO GET, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THAT OPINION PRIOR TO, UM, REFERRING THIS.
I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE A VOTE HERE ON THIS COMMITTEE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT AT THE FULL COMMISSION, I WILL ASK FOR IT TO BE REFERRED TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.
YEAH, I'LL, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.
I DON'T THINK IT'S, OR THAT FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, I DON'T THINK IT'S, IT'S ANY WAY DETRACTING FROM WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
I THINK IT'S JUST MAKING SURE IT'S COMPATIBLE WITH THE OVERALL HISTORIC, UM, AREA.
AND WHILE IT'S NOT TECHNICALLY A HISTORIC, UM, UH, MORRIS LAPIDUS STRUCTURE PER SE, IT IS STILL CONTRIBUTING TO THAT, THAT THAT JEWEL OF OUR CITY, THAT IT NEEDS A LITTLE GUSSY UP.
AND SO WHY WOULD WE DO SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T COMPLIMENT, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A RECREATION OF ANYTHING, BUT IT DOES HAVE TO BE DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT COMPLIMENTS WITH AN E, NOT AN I, IT, IT, IT'S ADDITIVE IN ITS DESIGN AND AND EXPRESSION TO THE VIBE THAT'S THERE.
SO IT'S NOT A, A WAY OF DERAILING, IT'S A WAY OF, UH, ENHANCING.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT ANY PROJECT THAT GOES THERE, IT HAS TO GO TO THE HPV ANYWAYS.
BY DEFAULT IT'S IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND I, I THINK WHENEVER WE MAKE AN ENHANCEMENT TO A PARK THAT'S IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, IT HAS TO GO TO THE HPV.
SO I, I THINK IT'S A MOOT POINT IF I CAN ADD ON, BUT THEY MIGHT SAY NO.
AND SO WE MIGHT WANT TO REFER IT TO THE HPV AND THEN, UM, AS AN OPINION BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA VOTE FOR AT THE FULL COMMISSION.
UM, AND I THINK YOU'VE SEEN THAT COMMISSIONER BOT ALSO SUPPORTS THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ OR COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ FEELS, BUT AS A BODY, WE SHOULD VOTE TO REFER IT TO THE HPB, GET THEIR OPINION AND HAVE IT COME BACK TO US BECAUSE THAT'S THE EXPERT OPINION.
IF I MAY, THROUGH THE CHAIR, THE HPB DOES NOT HAVE AN ADVISORY PROCESS, SO THEY ARE LOOKING AT ACTUALLY 30% DEVELOPED DRAWINGS.
WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR THAT POINT.
IT WOULD GO THROUGH HPB AS WE DEVELOP DRAWINGS SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, ONCE WE FIND THE FUNDING.
AND IF I CAN, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TR TRYING TO ADD IN HERE, IS AS THIS MOTION IS TO BE ADDED TO OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH IS IN THE FIFTH YEAR, WE'RE YEARS AWAY FROM THAT PROCESS, UNLESS IT GETS ACCELERATED FUNDED AND WE BEGIN THE DESIGN PROCESS, WHICH THEN PROCESS-WISE, IT WOULD GO TO HPB.
WAIT, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE C ATTORNEY, DOES THE HPB NOT HAVE AN ADVISORY PROCESS? BECAUSE, UH, THROUGHOUT MY POLITICAL CAREER, WE HAVE REFERRED ITEMS TO THE HPB TO GET THEIR OPINION.
SO I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM.
D UH, IF I MAY, THROUGH THE CHAIR, DRB DOES HAVE AN ADVISORY PROCESS, AND THERE THAT'S MOSTLY USED FOR PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS AND RIGHT OF WAY PROJECTS.
UM, THE HPV DOES NOT HAVE AN ADVISORY PROCESS PROCESS, UM, THROUGH THE DRB PROCESS, THEY WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, IT WOULD COME BACK TO COMMISSION.
COMMISSION WOULD ELECT TO EITHER ACCEPT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS OR, OR OVERRULE THEM.
WITH HPB, THAT PROCESS DOESN'T EXIST.
I, HOW CAN WE VOTE ON A LOCATION WITHOUT ACTUALLY ASKING THE HPB IF THEY APPROVE OF THAT LOCATION.
WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, IF I MAY, THROUGH THE CHAIR, I, I HAVE SEEN AT LEAST ONE INSTANCE IN THE RECENT PAST WHERE THE LAND USE COMMITTEE REFERRED A MATTER TO THE HPB FOR AN ADVISORY OPINION.
SO WITH, WITH RESPECT TO, UM, UM, TO MR. GOMEZ, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE HPB CAN PROVIDE AN ADVISOR OPINION IF THAT'S THE, THE WILL OF THE BODY.
MEL, DO, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK? GOOD MORNING.
IT'S ALL, UH, I, I, I'M NOT AT ALL COMFORTABLE SOMETIMES COMING BEFORE THE COMMISSION OPPOSING ANYTHING.
I MUCH PREFER TO, TO, AS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY, TO BE HERE TO SUPPORT, UM, TO SUPPORT INCENTIVES.
AND I DO APPRECIATE THE, THE WORK AND THE INTENTION THAT, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES ON LINCOLN ROAD.
LET ME GO BACK, IF I CAN JUST, UH, A
[01:00:01]
BIT.UH, THERE WAS, DURING THE, UH, I THINK IT WAS THE RAIN OF, OF, UH, MAYOR BAUER, I CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF CREATING A PLAZA ON THE EXTENSION OF EUCLID AVENUE, WHICH WAS, AT THAT TIME A TRUCK STOP IN FRONT OF THE LINCOLN CENTER.
THE BUILDING THAT I, UH, I CREATED THERE.
THAT WAS ORIGINALLY A 66 ROOM HOTEL WHEN MYSELF AND MY PARTNERS PURCHASED THE BUILDING, IT WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN A SLUM.
UH, EVENTUALLY WE COMPLETELY RECONFIGURED THE BUILDING INTO STEEL AND CONCRETE AND MADE IT INTO A, AN OFFICE STRUCTURE.
UH, IT IS NOW QUITE A REMARKABLE BUILDING, AND WE HAVE, UH, A SIGNIFICANT ART GALLERY THERE AND SOME VERY, VERY INTERESTING AND, UH, YOUNG BUSINESSES THERE THAT ARE, ARE, TEND TO DO VERY WELL.
I ORIGINALLY HAD TO DEAL WITH THE CITY WHERE I WOULD BE PUTTING IN THE, MY, MYSELF AND JMAC DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE MANAGING THE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WE DID.
AND WE WERE GONNA DO A 50, BASICALLY A 50 50 DEAL OVER THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT PERIOD.
IT TURNED OUT THAT ACTUALLY WE PUT IN SOMEWHERE NEAR 70 TO 75% OF THE COST OF DEVELOPING THAT PLAZA.
THE AGREEMENT THAT I HAD, AND FRANKLY, I THINK IT WAS AT THE ASSISTANCE, THE INSISTENCE OF, UH, MAYOR BAUER AT THE TIME WAS THAT NOTHING GO ON THAT PLAZA EXCEPT FOR THE LANDSCAPING AND THE DESIGN.
THE ARCHITECTS THAT DESIGNED THE, UH, BLACK AND WHITE AT THAT TIME, CONCRETE, UH, WOULD REMAIN AS JUST A PLAZA.
AND ACCORDINGLY, UH, I AGREED, UH, IN THE AGREEMENT, AND IT'S IN OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY THAT THERE WOULD BE, UH, IN THE CITY, I THINK PASSED THE RESOLUTION.
THERE WOULD BE NO USE OF ANY TYPE OF, UM, COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THERE, AND THERE CERTAINLY WOULD NOT BE ANY TYPE OF A USE FOR OUTDOOR CAFES.
AND WE LIVE WITH THAT AND AGREED TO THAT AT THE TIME, WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THE BUILDING WOULD BE UTILIZED.
OF COURSE, AS WE DID THAT THERE WOULD BE NO, UH, ROOM THERE, AND THERE WOULD BE NO ALLOWANCE OF ANYTHING ON THE PLAZA IN ORDER TO KEEP IT AS A PLAZA, UH, IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THE BUILDING ITSELF.
UH, AS A RESULT, I ALSO, JUST TO SHOW WHERE THINGS GO, I, I PUT IN AN EXTRA A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS INTO THE DEAL TO HAVE COLORED CONCRETE POURED INTO THE LINES THAT WE DID.
THERE WERE VERY EXOTIC STRIPES, AND INSTEAD OF SUBARY STRIPES, THERE WERE MOVEMENTS IN THE, IN THE GROUND THAT THE ARCHITECT DESIGNED.
AND I INSISTED THAT WE USE COLORED CONCRETE, BLACK CONCRETE, AND WHITE CONCRETE, SO IT WOULD NEVER HAVE TO BE PAINTED.
AND, UH, ALL IT WOULD HAVE TO BE WOULD BE SEALED OVER PERIODS OF TIME.
WELL, THAT DIDN'T LAST TOO LONG BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME THAT THE CITY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEAL IT, THEY USED THE SEAL WITH A PIGMENT.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE STREET NOW, IT LOOKS AWFUL.
SO THIS IS THE KIND OF, BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER REALLY PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF.
UH, AND ALTHOUGH I INSISTED NOT TO USE THE PIGMENT, NOT TO USE THE COLOR, THEY DID IT ANYWAY.
AND IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT ANALYSIS, LET'S TALK MORE OFFLINE OF THAT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
I'LL GET TO THE, THE POINT IS THAT, THAT, WELL, LET'S WRAP UP.
I ALSO, ALSO, I AM A MEMBER IN THE MAKING ALSO OF THE BOARD OF THE, OF THE BID AND SPENT MANY YEARS CREATING IT.
THE BID WAS NEVER AN AN PER, THIS IS A PERSONAL MATTER.
THIS IS NOT COMING FROM THE, THE BID ITSELF, BUT I JUST AM A MEMBER OF THE BOARD.
I WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN THIS DESIGN AND LIKED TO HAVE DEALT WITH THIS DESIGN.
AND MY COLLEAGUES AND STAKEHOLDERS ON THE STREET, I THINK SHOULD ALSO BE A PART OF IT.
I MEAN, THIS IS CONCEPTUAL THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
YOUR STAKEHOLDERS BOTH, UH, PROPERTY AND ON THE LINCOLN ROAD BID.
UM, YOU'RE NOT GONNA WAKE UP TOMORROW.
AND WE HAVE THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT OUT THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO INCLUDE THE H THIS IS GONNA STOP AT THE HPB AND GET, UH, STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT.
BUT IF YOU GO UP, UH, TO THE DESIGN DISTRICT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'D BE HARD TO ARGUE THAT, THAT THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT THERE DOES ANYTHING OTHER THAN BE I, COMMISSIONER.
I'M NOT SURE WE CAN IDENTIFY LINCOLN ROAD WITH THE DESIGN DISTRICT.
WE SPENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO HAVE A DESIGNER COME IN.
JAMES CONNER CAME IN AND DESIGNED IT STREET TO ENHANCE LINCOLN ROAD.
THE CIRCLE HAS NOT BEEN ACTIVATED AT ALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JAMES CONNER PROJECT.
IT HASN'T JUST HASN'T BEEN DONE YET.
AND HERE WE ARE WORKING ON OTHER THINGS WHEN WE SHOULD BE CONCENTRATING ON FINISHING WHAT WE ALREADY CREATED.
IF YOU WANT TO SEE LINCOLN ROAD SUCCEED, THERE'S TWO THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO.
FIRST OF ALL, DO THE, THE JAMES CON PROJECT, THE CENTER THAT HE CREATED FOR LINCOLN ROAD CIRCLE SHOULD BE ACTIVATED.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE SECOND THING IS TO, TO, UH, EXPEDITE THEN THE EXPEDITE THE PERMITTING PROCESSES ON LINCOLN ROAD.
I THINK TROY FROM THE WASHINGTON AVENUE A BID JUST MENTIONED IT.
I COMMISSIONER THE PARK IS, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON WITH THIS.
'CAUSE I THINK WE'RE, UH, JUST BEATING A DEAD HORSE HERE.
WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA MOVE THIS ALONG
[01:05:01]
WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION.AND I BELIEVE THAT BEFORE ANYTHING WOULD EVER MOVE FORWARD, WE HAVE TO STOP BEFORE THE HPB.
SO WE'RE KIND OF TALKING IN CIRCLES HERE.
THIS IS, UH, COMMISSIONER BOT REAL QUICK.
SO DAVID, UM, OFFLINE, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE NOW, BUT CAN YOU PROVIDE AN UPDATE, UM, AS TO WHERE WE ARE WITH THE JAMES CORNER, UH, COMER, UH, PROJECT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE? IS IT A GEO BOND? UH, WHERE ARE WE? AND IT, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE HERE NOW, BUT IT, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
THE CONNECTOR STREETS ARE ALREADY UNDER CONTRACT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
MERIDIAN AND, AND DREXEL, THE MAIN SPINE FOR LINCOLN ROAD, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GOING OUT TO BID IN MAY WITH, UH, AWARD IN OCTOBER.
SO, UM, ESAY HAS A FEW THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THIS, THIS PROJECT.
UM, SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE IT, BUT WITH THE STOP AT HPB, WHICH IS ALREADY BAKED IN CORRECT.
AS PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS, BUT YOU WANT THAT INPUT BEFORE YES.
WE PUT IT ON THE, ON THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WITH THAT FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, IT'S A, IT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
SO I, I THINK THE, THE, THE NUANCE HERE IS WOULD IT GO AND IT'S AN APPROPRIATE TIME, WHICH MIGHT BE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW WHEN THE DESIGN'S BEING DONE? OR IS THIS TO INCLUDE A, A CURRENT REFERRAL TO THE HBB FOR AN ADVISORY OPINION? IT, THAT'S FINE.
I, I'LL BE COMPLETELY UPFRONT ABOUT WHERE I STAND.
I SPOKE AT THE NORTH BEACH PTA TWO WEEKS AGO.
I SPOKE, UH, MY DAUGHTER GOES TO SOUTH POINT.
THEY GO, WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING WITH LINCOLN ROAD? WHAT IS HAPPENING? WHY CAN'T WE VISIT THERE ANYMORE? I'M NOT GONNA GO THERE AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE TRIED PUTTING A WORLD CLASS PLAYGROUND THERE, BUT THE HPB SAID, NOPE, SORRY, NOT ON LINCOLN ROAD.
I DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO I KNOW.
I'M JUST SAYING I, AND IT'S A RECOMMENDATION.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING IS I, I'LL, I'LL JUST FORECAST WHAT MY DECISION THERE WILL BE.
AND MAYBE THEY MIGHT COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S AN EVEN BETTER, UM, UH, USE OF SPACE THAT WE HAVEN'T CONTEMPLATED, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S SUGGESTING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO SOMETHING PURELY BASED ON ONE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION.
THEY'RE ADVISORY BOARDS, BUT THEY'RE, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE ADVISORY BOARDS, LET'S USE THEIR EXPERTISE AND GET SOME INPUT, AND THEN WE WILL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE.
THIS IS NOT A, A HIDDEN MANEUVER TO TRY TO WARRANT ANYTHING.
OH, NO, I'M NOT SAYING YOU, I'M, THIS IS, THIS IS A GOAL TO MAKE IT AS GOOD AS IT CAN POSSIBLY BE, AND MAYBE IN WAYS THAT NONE OF US HERE ARE EVEN CONTEMPLATING.
MR. SO LET'S, LET'S MOVE THIS ALONG.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
UM, THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW IS WE HAVE A 30 60 AND WHAT, WHAT'S THE OTHER PERCENT FOR THE NEW PROJECT? YEAH, FOR THE PLAYGROUND.
WE WOULD, WE WOULD DO A 30, 60, 90% REVIEW ONCE WE 30, 60, 90.
ONCE WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
SO, SO, SO ONCE THIS IS 30% DESIGNED, WHICH IS STILL PRETTY CONCEPTUAL MM-HMM
THE SUBMITTAL TO THE FORMAL SUBMITTAL TO HPV WOULD BE AT A 30% LEVEL.
SO, BUT AT THAT POINT, THERE'S STILL OPPORTUNITY TO DO CHANGES.
AND I THINK, I, I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER IS, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY IT'S A CITY COMMISSION THAT DECIDES WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE A PLAYGROUND THERE AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE HPB GIVES YOUR INPUT AS TO, OKAY, THIS DESIGN, IS IT APPROPRIATE WITHIN THIS, THIS AREA AND ALL THAT.
I DON'T WANT THE HPB TO HAVE A CHILLING EFFECT ON OUR DECISION TO PLACE A CHILDREN'S PLAY AREA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ON LINCOLN ROAD.
I THINK THAT'S THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION.
AND THAT'S WHY I LIKE THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, THAT AT THE 30% DESIGN STAGE, IT GOES TO THE HPB AND THE HPB AT THAT POINT REVIEWS IT.
NOT WITHSTANDING THAT MR. ATTORNEY, ASSUMING THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT THE HPB IS CONCERNED ABOUT, WITHOUT THERE HAVING TO BE A REFERRAL TO THE HPB, COULDN'T THE HPB MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE THEIR OWN DISCUSSION IF THEY WANTED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT AND MAKE A MOTION, A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION IF THEY FELT SO INCLINED, MR. ATTORNEY, THE HPP COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT IF THE HPP IS AWARE OF THIS PLAN.
CAN I, SO, SO, SO I THINK, I, I, I THINK THAT GIVES EVERYONE A FAIR OPPORTUNITY.
WE'RE SEEING THE CITY BEYOND THE OPTICS OF JUST HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
WE'RE SEEING THE CITY IN THE OPTICS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE SEEING THE CITY IN PROVIDING SERVICES FOR FAMILIES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE GREEN SPACES AVAILABLE.
WE'RE SEEING IT THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT OPTICS THAT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD IS NOT LOOKING AT IT FROM, BUT THERE IS THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT AT THE RIGHT TIME
[01:10:01]
FOR THEM TO COME IN TO CHIME IN WITH THEIR EXPERTISE.AND THAT, I THINK IS, IS, IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
SO, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND, AND THROUGH THE CHAIR.
I, I, I TOTALLY ECHO THAT CONCERN.
I MEAN, I, I, I THINK, I DON'T WANNA GET INTO THE HABIT OF, OF HAVING THE ELECTEDS WHO WERE ELECTED BY MIAMI BEACH RESIDENTS STIFLED BY A NON-ELECTED BOARD.
I THINK AT THE, I THINK WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE WHERE AT 30%, THEY, THEY ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO CHIME IN.
THEY CAN CHIME IN AT ANY POINT, APPARENTLY.
SO I'M NOT GONNA BE IN FAVOR OF, OF, LOOK, THIS IS GONNA BE A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT.
I DON'T NEED, WE DON'T NEED TO DELAY IT EVEN FURTHER.
SO, UM, IT'S UP TO THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY WOULD.
BUT I'M NOT GONNA BE SUPPORTIVE OF A REFERRAL TO THE HPB IF I CAN, CAN I JUST ADD ONE THING? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY FEAR BEHIND AN ADDITIONAL, UM, PUBLIC HEARING.
I THINK THAT PUBLIC HEARINGS ALLOW PEOPLE TO WEIGH IN.
AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT MILL'S BUILDING HAPPENS TO BE RIGHT THERE, AT LEAST GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO IN FRONT OF THE HPV AND SAY, IF NOT THIS LOCATION, WHERE ELSE? AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT? AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE IT BETTER? I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS ANY ATTEMPT TO THWART ANYTHING.
ALL IT IS, IS ALLOWING FOR AN, THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY FEAR.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT KILLING A PUBLIC PARK.
IT'S SIMPLY ABOUT ALLOWING FOR AN ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH IS, BY THE WAY, WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TRADITIONALLY ALWAYS DONE ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INPUT.
SOME, SOME OF US, BUT IT REALLY SHOULDN'T.
AND BY THE WAY, THERE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE APPOINTED TO THE HPB ARE ONLY LOOKING AT IT THROUGH THAT LENS.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE EVEN SAYING THAT, THAT HPB CAN'T BE AN ADVISORY BOARD IS VERY, VERY FRIGHTENING TO ME.
UM, MR. GOMEZ, THAT YOU EVEN SAID THAT, BECAUSE, UM, THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE.
BUT, BUT WE POINT OF ORDER BECAUSE WE'RE SITTING, OH, NO, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL, ANYWAY, I I'M NOT VOTING RIGHT NOW.
HERE, WE'RE GONNA WRAP THIS UP.
I DON'T THINK A PUBLIC HEARING IS A BAD THING.
UM, THERE'S A MOTION, MR. CHAIR, THE CITY ATTORNEY JUST MENTIONED THAT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD CAN MOST CERTAINLY ISSUE AN ADVISORY OPINION IF THEY SO CHOOSE.
IMAGINE IF WE SET THE PRECEDENT THAT THEIR OPINION ONLY COMES WHEN IT, WHEN IT'S BECAUSE THE CITY COMMISSION IS ASKING FOR IT.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S WITHIN ALL THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION THAT IF SOMETHING IS WITHIN THEIR CONCERN, THEY CAN ISSUE AN ADVISORY OPINION WITHIN THE AREA OF SCOPE OF THEIR COMMITTEE.
WE DON'T NEED TO DO A REFERRAL.
THAT'S LIKE ALMOST SAYING, YOU NEED TO HAVE PERMISSION FROM THE CITY COMMISSION IN ORDER TO GIVE AN ADVISORY OPINION ON AN ISSUE THEY CAN GIVE AN ADVISORY OPINION ON AT ANY POINT.
AND, AND I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS MADE THAT VERY CLEAR.
AND THIS ISN'T GOING TO NOT STOP AT THE HPV, THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
WE'LL REMAIN WITH THE PROCESS.
IF THE HPV WANTS TO, UH, ISSUE SOME SORT OF ADVISORY OPINION, THEY'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO SO.
SO IF I, IF I CAN, CAN WE HAVE NOTHING TO PUT IN FRONT OF THEM? SO IF I CAN WE'LL, WE WILL SHOW, UH, COMMISSIONER SOARS MAKING A MOTION TO RETURN TO COMMISSION WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO INCLUDE THE SOUTH OF EUCLID CIRCLED CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND IN THE CITY'S FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
SHALL WE NOT OPPOSED? PASS THREE.
[NB 23. DISCUSS CONFLICT OF INTEREST /ETHICAL CONCERNS RE: MDPL'S MULTIPLE ROLES]
HEAR NB 23? UH, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE HERE FOR? MADAM MAYOR? I'M SORRY.I GO BACK TO PUT MY HEARING AID.
ARE YOU HERE FOR THE MDPL ITEM? YES.
IF I CAN MB MB 23, I'M THINKING, BECAUSE OTHERWISE I'LL BE TALKING AND THAT'S WHY I DON'T COME.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I'M TAKING IT.
NOW, I, I WANT TO GET YOU ON WITH YOUR DAY, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHERE I'M TAKING THIS NOW.
UH, IT'D BE GREAT IF WE'RE ABLE TO WRAP THIS UP BY, UH, 1155, IF THAT'S, UH, FEASIBLE.
UM, LET, LET'S TRY AND, YOU KNOW, GET ON WITH IT.
OR COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, TURN THIS OVER TO YOU.
I DON'T BELIEVE I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO FINISH THIS IN 10 MINUTES, BUT, UM, I'LL, I WILL DO MY BEST NINE MINUTES.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, IS ANYONE FROM MDPL PRESENT? I AM.
MY NAME IS NINA WEBER WORTH, AND I'M VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF MDPL.
[01:15:01]
IS, IS, UM, UH, DANIEL ALDO IS, IS ILL AND, UH, LOST HIS VOICE,AND, UH, HE IS ALSO, UH, RE HAS RESIGNED AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MDPL.
UM, I UNDERSTAND HE RESIGNS EFFECTIVE, UH, AT THE END OF THE MONTH, 31ST, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO YOU ARE NOT TAKING HIM BACK IF HE LOSES HIS CAMPAIGN? UH, CORRECT.
SO I JUST WANT IT ON THE RECORD.
SO, UM, I WANNA FIRST START OUT, YOU CAN HAVE A SEAT.
WE, WE'LL, YOU WANT ME TO SIT DOWN? YEAH, BECAUSE I HAVE A PRESENTATION.
I, I MEAN, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO STAND IN PODIUM.
NO, I JUST WANTED TO JUST START SURE.
IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF THAT'S OKAY.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL PRESENT AND THEN YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SPEAK.
I MEAN, THE ONLY THING I, IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I HAVE A FLOOR, I'M, I'M SPEAKING AND I HAVE A PRESENTATION.
I'D LIKE THE, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S HERE.
UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE, ARE WATCHING AND THEY'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING, I, I VALUE HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
ALMOST EVERY NIGHT I WALK, UH, FLAMINGO PARK FROM MY HOUSE, UH, IN, IN MERIDIAN, UH, DOWN TO SOUTH OF FIFTH.
AND I, I, I TRULY LOVE THE ARCHITECTURE.
I LIKE THAT WE'RE NOT A COOKIE CUTTER CITY.
THE BUILDINGS THAT I SEE THERE NOW, WE'RE BUILT IN THE FORTIES, AND IT, IT, IT'S A MARVEL.
IT'S LIKE WALKING DOWN A MUSEUM OF A CITY EVERY DAY, EVERY NIGHT.
UM, IT'S SOMETHING TO CHERISH.
AND, AND FRANKLY, THAT'S WHY I DECIDED TO CALL A MIAMI BEACH HOME.
AND, UM, I THINK MDPL IN, IN, IN ITS TRUEST FORM DOES GOOD.
I THINK YOUR MISSION IS VALUABLE AND THAT IT SERVES A GREAT PURPOSE FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK UNDER YOUR PAST EXECUTIVES LEADERSHIP, THERE HAS BEEN MANY ETHICAL CONCERNS AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED.
AND SO, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I DELINEATE BETWEEN THE MD'S MISSION AND CERTAIN PEOPLE IN YOUR, OR WAS RECENTLY UP UNTIL YESTERDAY, UH, LEADERSHIP.
AND, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I I DON'T WANT TO COME OFF COMBATIVE.
AND, AND I THINK THE ISSUES AND THE CONCERNS THAT I'M GOING TO RAISE TO YOU AND LYNETTE, RIGHT? YOU, YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO, BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE, THERE ARE CERTAINLY GLARING ISSUES, UM, WHERE MOVING FORWARD, YOU DON'T FALL INTO THAT TRAP BECAUSE I WANT MDPL TO SUCCEED.
I DON'T WANT YOU, YOUR ORGANIZATION TO BE TAINTED BY THE ACTIONS OF JUST A FEW.
UM, SO, UH, WITH THAT, LET ME, LET ME PULL UP THE SLIDESHOW.
UH, PJ, CAN YOU PUT UP, UM, MY PRESENTATION PLEASE? OKAY.
OKAY? THEY, THEY, THEY'RE A NONPROFIT.
THEY 5 0 1 C3, THEY HAVE THE VISITOR CENTER.
UM, THEY HAVE CERTAIN CITY PRIVILEGES.
THEY ARE GUARANTEED A SEAT ON THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD, WHICH WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
UM, THEY HAVE SPECIAL STANDING WHILE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WOULD NOT, UH, TO ACTUALLY APPEAL HPB DECISIONS.
UM, THEY RECEIVE GRANTS FROM THE CITY, UH, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
THEY ALSO GET IN KIND, UM, DONATIONS.
AND IT TUNES PROBABLY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE CITY FOR BASICALLY FREE RENT.
UH, THAT OPERATES THE VISITOR CENTER.
UM, THE, THE LEADERSHIP, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ENGAGES, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS ON POLICY DECISIONS, BOTH IN PUBLIC AND IN PRIVATE, UM, AND INCLUDING REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UH, IT HAS A UNIQUE STATUS WHERE IT COMBINES, UH, IT'S A NONPROFIT AND IT'S A CONTRACTOR.
AND IT HAS ADVOCACY ROLES, UM, WITH ELEVATED INFLUENCE ON, ON OUR CITY PRESERVATION BOARDS.
UH, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I SAW, UH, THAT I REALIZED WHEN I, WHEN I WAS RESEARCHING
[01:20:01]
HOW MANY TIMES YOUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CAME TO US, UM, AND I WANTED, I WANT YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT GRAPH.IN 2014, UP UNTIL 2019, THERE WAS A SERIES OF REGISTER, UH, ITEMS TO BE REGISTERED FOR LOBBYING.
AND THEN IN 2020 THROUGH 2025, THERE WAS ONLY A TOTAL OF 17 TIMES THAT HE REGISTERED TO LOBBY FOR, UH, BEFORE THE HPB OR BEFORE ANY ITEMS. OKAY? AND THEN WHEN I DID THE RESEARCH, WHEN I LITERALLY LOOKED AT ALL THE VIDEOS OF THE HPB PLANNING BOARD, THERE WAS OVER 180 SEPARATE ITEMS, AND HE FAILED TO REGISTER ON THOSE.
NOW, THERE IS NO REGISTRATION FEE, BUT EVEN A NONPROFIT, YOU HAVE TO REGISTER TO LOBBY ON AN ITEM.
OKAY? AND SO, PJ, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? THESE ARE ALL THE APPEARANCES OF ONLY HPB, AND THAT'S, THIS IS NOT INCLUDING THE COMMISSION OR THE DRB, THIS IS ONLY THE HPB AND THE PLANNING BOARD.
AND WHERE I HAVE THE YE THE YELLOW IS THE ONLY SECTIONS WHERE, OR THE ONLY ITEMS, EXCUSE ME, THAT HE REGISTERED TO LOBBY.
AND THEN YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE WERE MANY INSTANCES WHERE YOUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, YOU BEFORE OUR ZONING BOARDS AND FAIL TO REGISTER AS A LOBBYIST.
AND UNDER CITY CODE TWO DASH 42, ANY PERSON WHO SEEKS TO INFLUENCE THE DECISION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OR ADMINISTRATION MUST REGISTER AS A LOBBYIST.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S STRICTLY IN OUR CODE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ISSUES LATELY WITH THE REGISTERING TO LOBBY.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE STANDARD HOTEL I IS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THAT.
THERE WERE MANY INSTANCES, OR THERE WAS AN INSTANCE WHERE THE ORGANIZATION FAILED TO REGISTER.
THEY WERE LOBBYING AND THEY WERE GETTING PAID, UH, THROUGH A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
UM, SO, AND, AND IT EVEN SAYS EVEN IF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPRESENTS A 5 0 1 C3 ADVOCATING, UM, FOR OR AGAINST SEEING ACTION, ESPECIALLY TIED DEVELOPMENT USE IS LOBBYING.
UM, AND SO FAILING TO REGISTER IS A VIOLATION OF THE LOBBYING ORDINANCE AND UNDERMINES TRANSPARENCY, ESPECIALLY SINCE MDPL RECEIVES PUBLIC GRANTS AND IN KIND DONATIONS.
SO IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I, THAT WAS ACTUALLY BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, UH, THROUGH A, UH, A PUBLIC CI, UH, A CITIZEN, A RESIDENT, OKAY.
UM, THEY DID A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST FOR ALL THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT MDPL RECEIVED SINCE I THINK IT WAS 2020.
AND, UH, WHAT I FOUND VERY, VERY STARTLING WAS A LOT OF THE PAYMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVED, OR, OR QUOTE UNQUOTE CONTRIBUTIONS WERE FROM DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPERS CONTRIBUTING BEFORE PROJECTS WERE, WERE OPINED BY MDPL.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT, BUT I, I HAVE SOME CASE STUDIES HERE THAT, UH, I, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER.
BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHY DO I THINK THAT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WHERE DEVELOPERS AND LOBBYISTS ARE CONTRIBUTING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO YOUR ORGANIZATION BEFORE A PROJECT IS PRESENTED? I THINK THAT'S A HUGE CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
SO, MD P'S DUAL STATUS OF BOTH A CITY VENDOR AND A GRANT RECIPIENT INTENSIFIES THE NEED FOR DISCLOSURE AND, AND RECUSAL MECHANISMS. UM, ADVOCACY FOR CONTRIBUTORS WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY IS UNDISCLOSED LOBBYING, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT.
AND, UH, DANIEL ERALDO HAS EVER DISCLOSED THAT HE'S GOTTEN A CONTRIBUTION FROM THIS, UH, THE PROJECT VENDOR WHO, WHO MAY BE PRESENTING.
AND I'LL GO OVER A COUPLE CASE STUDIES SO YOU CAN SEE.
UM, AND LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, BJ.
SO THE ISSUE, ONE OF THE ISSUES I HAVE IS, IS MDPL RECEIVE CITY FUNDS IN, IN KIND GRANTS IN, IN, AND GRANTS IN, IN TERMS OF HEART DOLLARS, UH, WHILE ENGAGING IN ADVOCACY BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION.
UM, SO WE DON'T KNOW IF THE FUNDS THAT WE GIVE MDPL ARE USED FOR LOBBYING, OKAY? SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT WE'RE GIVING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, UH, MILLIONS ALSO IN KIND AND, AND BASICALLY FREE RENT.
[01:25:01]
THAT MONEY IS BEING FUNNELED TO YOUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHO THEN LOBBIES US ON, ON LEGISLATIVE MATTERS.AND NOT ONLY US, BUT THE ZONING BOARDS.
SO, UM, THERE'S NO DISCLOSURE UNFORTUNATELY, AS OF NOW WHERE IF MDPA OR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECEIVED THESE FUNDS, THAT THE, THE, THEY, THEY, IT, THERE'S NO TRANSPARENCY IN, IN SAYING THAT THERE WAS A PAYMENT MADE.
OKAY, SO A, A PERFECT CASE STUDY IS IKE, AND, UH, THIS IS THE DIGITAL KIOSK THAT I, I KNOW ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WAS VERY MUCH AGAINST WHEN THIS WAS PRESENTED, BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE SIDEWALK CLUTTER, RIGHT? UM, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MDPL HAD A POSITION AGAINST, UM, IKE AND, AND THIS DIGITAL BILLBOARD THAT WAS GONNA BE PRESENTED EVERYWHERE.
UM, BUT IN NOVEMBER 13TH, 2023, IKE DONATED $5,000 TO MDPL AND THEN L JUST UNDER SHY, UNDER A MONTH, MDPL PUBLICLY CHANGED ITS POSITION ON IKE'S DIGITAL KIOSK INFORMATION.
UM, AND THEN I, I MEAN THAT TO ME, WHEN I SEE A $5,000 DONATION MADE, AND THEN MDPL CHANGES THEIR POSITION ONE MONTH AFTER LESS THAN A MONTH, I THINK THAT IS, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A REASON TO, TO CONCERN, AND IT DOESN'T EVEN STOP THERE.
I BELIEVE YOUR GRANTS MANAGER, MATTHEW ALOFF, THEN REGISTERS AS A LOBBYIST FOR IKE
UM, AND THEN IN OCTOBER, THE SAME YEAR IN 2024, YOU GET ANOTHER $5,000.
SO THAT, THAT'S, TO ME, I LOOK, THAT'S WHERE I STARTED TO THINK, OH, WELL MAYBE THERE, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING HERE THAT REALLY NEEDS TO, TO BE DISCUSSED OPENLY AND TRANSPARENT.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, PJ, SO THAT WAS NOVEMBER 13TH, 2023.
AND THIS JUST SHOWS WHERE MDPL HAS, UM, CHANGED THEIR POSITION ON DECEMBER 12TH, YOU KNOW, ONE MONTH AFTER THEY RECEIVED THE $5,000 DONATION.
AND THIS IS WHERE, UH, ONE OF YOUR OTHER EMPLOYEES, MATTHEW GOOV, ACTUALLY REGISTERED AS A LOBBYIST FOR IKE, UM, AND, AND THEN RECEIVES A, UH, A SUBSEQUENT $5,000 DONATION.
UH, YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS VIDEO, PJ, YOU CAN GO NEXT.
SO THE NATIONAL HOTEL, IF I COULD, UM, 'CAUSE I'M PRESS ON TIME.
I ANNOUNCED THAT I HAVE TO LEAVE AT 1215.
UM, WHERE DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS? IS IT GOING THROUGH, I JUST WANNA FINISH.
I GOT, I JUST NEED FIVE MORE MINUTES.
UM, SO THEN THERE'S GONNA BE BACK AND FORTH AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WELL, I'D STILL LIKE TO FINISH MY PRESENTATION, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE CHAIR, IF WE CAN FIVE MINUTES, WE, WE GET WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS, IF WE COULD SPEED THROUGH SOME OF THIS.
SO ANOTHER CASE STUDY WAS A NATIONAL HOTEL IN 2022, NOVEMBER 8TH.
UH, THE NATIONAL HOTEL DONATES $5,000 TO MDPL.
AND THE SAME YEAR, A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, MDPL MEETS WITH THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOOD BETWEEN, THERE'S A DISPUTE BETWEEN THE NATIONAL AND THE RITZ CARLTON, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IS A POSITION, UM, A AGAINST THE RITZ F FROM MDPL.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER $5,000 DONATION IS MADE.
AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE CONCURRENT FOR THE NEXT CASE STUDY.
THIS IS THE VILLE, THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
IN SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2024, TARA GROUP DONATES $5,000 TO MDPL.
JUST A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, MDPL GOES ON RECORD FAVORING THE PROJECT, AND IN QUOTE, AND LITERALLY, AND ON THE MIAMI HERALD SAYS, THIS PROJECT IS GONNA BE EVEN BETTER THAN THE, THAN THE VILLE.
UM, AND YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IS IT URBANISTICALLY? THIS NEW PROJECT WAS MAYBE EVEN BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ONE MINUTE ACCOLADES ON THE PROPOSAL AS WELL.
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PJ? YEAH.
SO AGAIN, UH, A DONATION IS MADE POSITION IS EITHER CHANGED OR, OR MADE IN FAVOR OF IT.
[01:30:01]
SLIDE, PLEASE.AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD, YOU COULD, YOU COULD, UH, PAUSE THE SLIDESHOW FOR, FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, PJ.
SO WHEN I SEE THAT THERE'S A FAILURE TO REGISTER AS A LOBBYIST, OKAY, UH, FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AND THERE'S ONLY 12 INSTANCES, AND THEN, BUT THERE'S OVER AND THERE'S LIKE ALMOST 200 DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT HE'S APPEARED BEFORE, UH, HPB AND PLANNING BOARD AND COMMISSION, I THINK THAT'S A HUGE PROBLEM.
I THINK THAT VIOLATES OUR, OUR, OUR LOBBYING LAWS.
AND THEN WHEN I SEE DEVELOPERS AND LOBBYISTS PAYING, UM, MDPL AND THOSE POSITIONS ARE SOMEHOW AFFECTED, I THINK THAT'S A HUGE PROBLEM.
NOW LISTEN, YOUR, YOUR ORGANIZATION IS MORE THAN WELCOME TO RECEIVE CONTRIBUTIONS, CORRECT? I, I DON'T SEE THE ANY ISSUE OF THAT, BUT THE ISSUE THAT, THAT I CERTAINLY HAVE IS THAT MDPL HAS CERTAIN SPECIAL STATUS WITH MIAMI BEACH THROUGH OUR RESILIENCY CODE.
YOU HAVE SEATS ON OUR BOARD, YOU HAVE APPEAL RIGHTS.
UM, AND TO ME, I THINK IT'S A, IT, IT'S, IT'S FRIGHTENING TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE GETTING CITY FUNDS AND YOU'RE GETTING FUNDS FROM DEVELOPERS WHEN PROJECTS ARE ACTUALLY IN PLAY.
I THINK THAT'S A HUGE CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
AND I, I THINK THAT I, LOOK, I UNDERSTAND, UH, DANIEL ERALDO RESIGNED YESTERDAY.
UM, WHICH I WAS CURIOUS TO KNOW THAT RIGHT BEFORE THIS MEETING.
UM, I, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I, I THINK THIS, I IS, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW ABOUT ANY OF THIS.
UM, I, I THINK THERE, THERE ARE CERTAINLY ISSUES OF, OF TRANSPARENCY AND, AND DISCLOSURE THAT I, I IS NOT BEING APPLIED HERE.
UH, BUT WHEN I SEE DEVELOPERS, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTING JUST MONTHS BEFORE PROJECTS ARE BEING OPINED ON FROM YOUR BOARD AND FROM YOUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I THINK THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.
AND, AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO MT.
PL 'CAUSE I, I DO LOVE YOUR ORGANIZATION, AND I DO, AND I, AND I STAND FOR WHAT YOU GUYS BELIEVE IN.
AND LIKE I SAID, I THINK UNFORTUNATELY WITH YOUR PAST LEADERSHIP, IT HAS GONE AWRY.
RIGHT? UM, AND, AND BY THE WAY, I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT FEELS THAT WAY.
AND I THINK YOU CAN HEAR FROM, YOU KNOW, EVEN OUR, OUR FORMER MAYOR WHO WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER I KNOW OF, OF MDPL, SHE HAS SERIOUS RESERVATIONS ON HOW, UH, MR. ERALDO HAS REALLY RUN YOUR ORGANIZATION.
UM, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT IT TO BE TAINTED THE WAY IT HAS BEEN UP UNTIL THIS POINT.
UM, SO, UH, LOOK, I, I'D LOVE TO HEAR SOME FEEDBACK.
I'D LOVE TO HEAR SOME COMMENTS, UM, AND, AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THIS LANDS BECAUSE I, I DON'T THINK MOVING FORWARD THIS IS A, A TRANSPARENT WAY.
UM, HOW OUR CITY SHOULD BE, UH, DEALING WITH ZONING MATTERS, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS SUCH SPECIAL AND, AND LITERALLY SUPERPOWER ABILITIES TO APPEAL AND, AND INFLUENCE OUR, OUR DECISION MAKING.
AND COMMISSIONER, WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU, UH, KIND OF ENVISIONING FROM TODAY? IS THIS JUST A DISCUSSION TO HAVE FURTHER DIALOGUE BACK AND FORTH? UH, SOME SORT OF MOTION OR, UM, WELL, ESSENTIALLY WITH NEW LEADERSHIP HERE, UH, FORMAL WORKING RELATIONSHIP, YEAH.
THAT, THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE, THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE NEW LEADERSHIP.
WE ARE NOW IN TRANSITION, AND WE CAN ALSO WORK WITH YOU IN SETTING THE GUIDELINES FOR WHO WE CAN TAKE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM AND HOW WE CAN ALWAYS BE PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AS A LOBBYIST WHEN NEEDED.
AND I JUST WANTED TO JUST SAY AS, AS I SHARE YOU AT 30, I LIVED ON OCEAN DRIVE FOR 32 YEARS, AND, UM, I TREASURE IT AS WELL.
AND WE ARE ALL IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW AND TRYING TO REBRAND OCEAN DRIVE AS REALLY A MECCA FOR HISTORIC AND HERITAGE TOURISM.
AND I ENVISION MDPL, YOU KNOW, BEING THE CORNERSTONE FOR THAT AND, AND A HUB OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE WANNA WORK WITH THE COMMISSION TO MAKE IT AS SUCH LINETTE.
I JUST WANNA SAY, AS A PERSON WHO RESPECTS
[01:35:01]
NUMBERS AS I DO, I GET THE IMPLICATIONS.YOU'VE DONE A THOROUGH JOB OF YOUR HOMEWORK.
I DON'T KNOW, AS SOMEONE THAT IF AN POSITION COULD BE INFLUENCED BY A $5,000 DONATION, YOU CERTAINLY COULDN'T BUY MY SUPPORT FOR $5,000 OR ANY ORGANIZATION I CHAIR FOR 5,000, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 500,000, WE COULD START TALKING
THAT DOESN'T MEAN I SANCTION THIS BEHAVIOR.
UM, AND I THINK I'M NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED.
THE THING ABOUT MDPL IS WE'RE A VERY COMPLEX ORGANIZATION BECAUSE WE HAVE THE MUSEUM, WE RUN THE TOURS, WE HAVE THE VISITOR CENTER THAT HOSTS PEOPLE COMING IN, AND WE HAVE ADVOCACY IS WHICH, WHICH THESE CONCERNS ARE ABOUT.
I WORK WITH THE MUSEUM AND EXHIBITS.
UM, BUT I THINK YOU BROUGHT AN IMPORTANT POINT.
WE HAVE TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK BECAUSE THE OPTICS ARE NOT GOOD.
AND, YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK THE NUMBERS ARE SMALL.
I DON'T THINK THOSE INFLUENCED OPINIONS, BUT WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE CONNECTIONS ARE NOTED.
AND I ALSO NOTED THAT WHERE MR. ALDO DID, UM, REGISTER, ALL OF THE ONES YOU HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW WERE YES.
WHEN HE REGISTERED AS A LOBBYIST.
WITH THE ONES YOU SHOWED PAGES WHERE HE LOBBIED, BUT DID NOT REGISTER ALL THE ONES THAT WERE BLUE WAS NO.
SO, SO PERHAPS WHAT WE CAN DO IS WHEN NEW LEADERSHIP IS IN PLACE, I, I'D WELCOME THIS DISCUSSION TO BE FURTHER TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IN PLOTTING OUT A NEW PATH FORWARD TOGETHER.
ONE THING THAT KIND OF GIVES ME PAUSE, AND THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY INDIVIDUAL, AND IT'S JUST MY INITIAL THOUGHT, I'M, I'M NOT STUCK TO IT, IS, YOU KNOW, AN ORGANIZATION RECEIVING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TAXPAYER MONEY, THEN TURNING AROUND AND LOBBYING US.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE ONE OR THE OTHER.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO TALK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, NOT NOW, BUT AS WE KIND OF, UH, BRING THIS BACK TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND PLOT OUT A BETTER PATH FORWARD.
UH, COMMISSIONER BATTA, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO YOU.
AND, UH, MADAM MAYOR, IF YOU WANTED TO, UH, SPEAK AS WELL.
UM, YEAH, SO JUST FOR THOSE LISTENING, UM, WHO MAY NOT KNOW SINCE IT WASN'T ILLUMINATED IN THE PRESENTATION, UM, THE WAY MDPL WORKS IS, AS LYNETTE ALLUDED AND, AND NINA ALLUDED, UM, IT IS A VERY COMPLEX ORGANIZATION.
AND SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES THAT DO DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND THE ADVOCACY GROUP MEETS AS A GROUP.
IT'S 3, 4, 5, 6 PEOPLE DEPENDING ON THE YEAR OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED.
UM, SOME PEOPLE AREN'T EVEN ON THE BOARD OF MDPL, BUT THEY'RE STILL PART OF THE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE.
AND THEY GET PRESENTATIONS ON, ON THE PROJECTS, AND THEY WEIGH THE MERITS OF THE PROJECTS.
AND AS A GROUP, THEY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, THEY FORMULATE AN OPINION AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS FROM THE ADVOCACY GROUP, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHOEVER HE OR SHE MAY BE, IS THEN THE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE MEETING TO SHARE THAT OPINION.
BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, IT COULD BE ANYBODY.
UM, AND, AND, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS PLAINLY UNDERSTOOD.
SECOND OF ALL, UM, THERE IS A CLEAR CONCERN THAT I SHARE.
I HAVE, I, I AM NOT DENIGRATING THE ISSUES RAISED, BUT I WANNA BE TRANSPARENT.
I WANT IT TO BE, I WANT THE ISSUES TO BE TRANSPARENT THAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN UNDER FIRE MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST DECADE AND HAS ALMOST BEEN RUN OUT OF TOWN SUCCESSFULLY IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO.
AND SO I WANT TO BE SURE THAT AS WE GO FORWARD, WE ALLOW PEOPLE, UH, WHO ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A NEW STRUCTURE WITH A NEW MANAGEMENT, UM, AND A AND, UM, UM, A NEW VISION ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD, GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE CORRECT THING.
FOR INSTANCE, UNDER THE PREVIOUS, UM, UM, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD WHO HAS NOT BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR YEARS, UM, THINGS WERE NOT HANDLED VERY WELL FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE.
WHEN HE WAS FORCED OFF THE BOARD, WHICH TRIGGERED A WHOLE BUNCH OF DRAMA THAT ALMOST RAN MDPL OUT OF TOWN.
WHEN MDPL WAS SAFELY RECONSTITUTED, THE FIRST THING THAT WAS DONE WAS TO BRING THE FINANCIALS UP TO SNUFF IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY.
FORENSIC ACCOUNTING, THREE YEARS OF AUDITS, EVERYTHING.
I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER THE DETAILS.
[01:40:02]
YEAH, THERE IS A LOT OF VERY GOOD WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN TERMS OF GETTING THE ORGANIZATION TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.IT HAS ALSO GROWN IN ITS IMPACT AND IMPORT IN THE CITY DRAMATICALLY FROM A NUMBER OF CONCERNED CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS, OPINING TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS A LOT OF MONEY MOVING THROUGH IT FOR ART DECO WEEKEND.
AND, UM, THERE WAS SOMEBODY WHO PASSED AWAY WHO BEQUEATHED AN ENORMOUS GIFT FOR MDPL, WHICH IS A GAME CHANGER.
THERE WAS A, IT WAS ALL LEGIT.
HE WASN'T LOBBYING FOR ANYTHING
UM, THERE, THERE WAS FUNDRAISING, AND I BELIEVE IT CONTINUES, UM, TO HELP FUND THE NEW MUSEUM BECAUSE THE CITY WOULD MATCH FUNDS THAT WERE FUNDRAISED FOR THE NEW MUSEUM.
UM, SO IT'S GONE FROM BEING SORT OF THIS LITTLE BAND OF ACTIVISTS TO A BIG ORGANIZED, UM, 5 0 1 C3 THAT NOW HAS MANY MORE FUNCTIONS THAN IT HAS HAD IN YEARS PAST.
AND SOMETIMES LEADERSHIP ISN'T ALWAYS, AS YOU WELL KNOW, MY, MY FRIENDS IN BUSINESS AND FINANCE, WE'VE ALL BEEN INVOLVED IN STARTUPS.
SOMETIMES THE PERSON WHO STARTS THE ORGANIZATION IS NOT THE PERSON TO LEAD IT INTO THE NEXT CHAPTER.
AND I BELIEVE THAT, UM, WITH ALL THAT DANIEL HAS DONE, THAT IS GOOD FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
AND THE NEW LEADERSHIP WILL ENABLE THIS ORGANIZATION TO GROW INTO ITS ROLE MORE FULLY, MORE PROPERLY DOING THINGS, UM, THE WAY IT NOW DEMANDS BECAUSE OF THE SCRUTINY ON IT, BECAUSE IT IS IN A DIFFERENT ROLE THAN IT USED TO BE.
AND I THINK THAT IS A VERY VALID CONVERSATION.
I JUST WANNA SEPARATE THOUGH THE PERCEPTION THAT ANYTHING M-D-P-L-P-M-D-P-L DOES IS BAD AND CORRUPT, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT TRUE.
AND I WILL NEVER SUPPORT THAT.
AND I WOULD EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING THAT DANIEL DID, AND I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I'M NOT DANIEL, BUT I THINK HE'S ACTING, WAS ACTING IN WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE BEST CAPACITY FOR THE ORGANIZATION, AND IN SOME CASES INCORRECTLY, BUT NOT FOR ANY PERSONAL GAIN OTHER THAN FURTHERING THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION.
SO I WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THIS IS A MORE FULSOME DISCUSSION.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE EVERYONE COME BACK IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS WHEN YOUR NEW, UH, LEADERSHIP IS HIRED.
HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY FROM, WITH MUCH BROADER EXPERIENCE, UM, FROM A BIGGER ORGANIZATION THAT CAN REALLY TAKE MDPL WHERE IT IS NOW, WHICH IS ALREADY SIGNIFICANTLY ELEVATED FROM WHERE IT HAS BEEN, AND BRING IT INTO THE 21ST CENTURY IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY.
COULD I SAY ONE THING? I THINK YOU, THAT YOU'VE RAISED SOME ISSUES THAT THE BOARD COULD CONSIDER, UM, VOTING ON.
LIKE, SHOULD WE ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM DEVELOPERS? I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE, OBVIOUSLY I HAVE YOU DIDN'T KNOW RIGHT? EXAMINE, YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU GUYS WERE ACCEPTING DONATIONS FROM DEVELOPERS.
UM, AND IT'S, I WORK IN THE MUSEUM AND THE REDOING OF THE MUSEUM CAN SAY SOMETHING.
I'M JUST SAYING THERE ARE ISSUES WE COULD ADDRESS SURE.
ON PROCEDURAL ISSUES THAT THE BOARD CAN MAKE DEFINITIVE DECISIONS ON HOW WE WANNA GO FORWARD.
AND PERSONALLY, I'LL KEEP A CLOSER EYE ON THE DONATIONS WE DO RECEIVE.
I HAVE ACCESS, BUT I DON'T LOOK AT THEM INDIVIDUALLY, WHAT THE MONEY WE GET.
THAT'S, I'M NOT THE TREASURER, NOR AM I IN THE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE, MADAM MAYOR.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
AND I THINK THAT WE USED TO HAVE THAT IN PLACE, AND WHEN DANIELLE CAME IN, IT CHANGED, NOT ONLY DID IT CHANGE, BUT THEY CHANGED THE BYLAWS THAT ONLY THEM CAN SELECT WHO COMES IN AND WHO DOESN'T COME IN.
AND SO I AGREE THAT THE BOARD, AND, UH, I WAS GONNA ASK THAT QUESTION.
DOES THE BOARD VOTES ON THE ON, EVEN IF IT'S AFTER THE FACT ON THE, UH, ON THE, UM, PROJECTS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY MDPL? AND IF THEY DON'T, THEY SHOULD, BECAUSE YOU NEED, THE BOARD IS THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S THE HEART OF THE PRESERVATION.
AND IF THE BOARD IS KEPT DIVIDED AND SHE'S IN THE MUSEUM AND SHE'S IN, I FORGOT ALREADY, WHATEVER IT IS I AM IN SOME PLACE ELSE, THE DIVIDE AND CONQUER COMES IN AND IN, IN THE MEANTIME, WHOEVER IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS THE ONE PULLING THE STRINGS ON EVERYBODY AROUND THEM.
[01:45:02]
THAT I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF MDPL AS AN ORGANIZATION, AND THAT IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO TRY TO DESTROY THAT CORE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS OF THE PEOPLE SAY THEY DID IT, BUT WAS THE ONE THAT STARTED THE REDEVELOPMENT OF MIAMI BEACH, PARTICULARLY SOUTH BEACH, THAT THEN WENT ALL TO MIAMI BEACH.I WILL BE FRONT RUNNING THIS AGAINST, I HAVE NEVER, AND I'M PUTTING IT ON THE RECORD, CLEARLY LIKED DANIEL.
DANIEL BROKE THE ORGANIZATION BECAUSE HE WANTED TO BE PAID $116,000 AT THE VERY BEGINNING, WHICH I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT YEAR THAT WAS, BECAUSE I, THAT'S WHY I KEEP YOUNG.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE YEARS PASSES.
BUT THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY THAT WE KNEW OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE I WAS NOT IN THE ORGANIZATION.
WE KNEW MDPL COULD NEVER SUSTAIN BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE PAID IT WITH ALL THE OTHER MONEY.
NOW YOU HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS COMPLICATED, THAT WAS RUN FOR OVER 25 YEARS, 30 YEARS, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT EITHER.
UH, AND THEY HAD OUR DECK OF WEEKEND.
IT HAD THE STORE, IT HAD THE WALKING TOUR, IT HAD ION SHOW THAT WE COULD GIVE OUT AND THEY CAN WALK.
WE HAD ALL THE SAME THINGS THAT THEY HAVE.
THE ONLY THING THAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT DANIEL LOVES TO DO EVENTS.
AND SO NOW THE ORGANIZATION HAS BECOME AN EVENT PERSON.
HE, HE PUBLISHES ALL THE EVENTS IN MIAMI BEACH AND PUTS IT IN THE MDPO.
I BELIEVE THAT IF HE'S OUT, I ASK THE QUESTION, AS LONG AS IT'S PERMANENTLY.
I THINK THAT THE WAY OF GETTING INTO MDPL SHOULD, WE HAD A PROCESS THAT IF MEMBERS CAME IN AND NOMINATED A PERSON FROM THE STREET, WHOEVER THAT PERSON WAS, IT WOULD GET CONSIDERED.
THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE WERE DOING IT TO GET INTO IT.
AND SO IT BECAME A CLOSE ORGANIZATION, WHOEVER HE COULD CONTROL, AND HE CAN ONLY CONTROL IT BY THE DIVIDE AND CONQUER.
THEY NEED TO KNOW THE FINANCES.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A BOARD COULD BE AN ACTUAL BOARD.
THEY'RE TELLING ME TO LOWER MY VOICE.
SAY, MADAM MAYOR, YOU ARE MUCH MORE LIBERAL ABOUT THE USE OF THE MICROPHONE ON THAT SIDE THAN YOU ARE ON TUESDAY MORNING, BREAKFAST CLUB
AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST STEP.
I AM ONLY VERY SORRY THAT HE'S RUNNING FOR COMMISSION, BECAUSE IF HE GETS ON THE DAAZ, HE WILL DO THE SAME THING HERE.
HE WILL DO THE SAME THING, BECAUSE THAT'S HIS MODUS OPERA.
I HAVE THE ANSWER THAT THE VOTES WERE NOT, THAT THE BOARD WAS NEVER ADVISED.
HOW COULD YOU NOT LOOK AT THE FINANCES? WE GET THE FINANCES.
I'M NOT SAYING, BUT I LOOK AT EVERY DONATION.
LET YEAH, LET COMMISSIONER FROM NOW ON.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD, BUT I AM HERE TO SUPPORT MDBL CORRECT MY STATEMENT REALLY QUICKLY.
THE FINANCES ARE IN EXCELLENT SHAPE.
OUR, OUR, THE, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, JOEL LEVINE, IS FOCUSED ON THIS.
NOT EVERY MEMBER FOCUSES ON EVERY ITEM.
SO LYNETTE MAY BE FOCUSING ON THE WOMEN'S HISTORY.
I UNDERSTAND EXHIBIT AND, AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THERE IS A WHOLE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
I, I INVITE ANYBODY TO GO LOOK FOR THE, YOU KNOW, UH, REQUEST THE FINANCES AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY ARE IMPECCABLE.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST, I'M JUST PLEASE, PLEASE, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS.
I HAVE COMPLAINED TO A VARIETY OF PEOPLE.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T THINK OF THE, UH, INSPECTOR GENERAL BECAUSE I'M NOT THERE THAT MEAN, BUT I LIKE TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR MDPL.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
AND TO NINA AND LYNETTE FOR YOUR VOLUNTEER SERVICE.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY RECOGNIZING THE MIAMI DESIGN PRESERVATION LEAGUE FOR ITS HISTORIC AND UNDENIABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITY.
FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS, MDPL HAS SERVED AS A CULTURAL STEWARD AND AS A VOICE FOR PRESERVATIONISTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHEN PERHAPS THAT DID NOT EXIST, PLAYING
[01:50:01]
A LEADING ROLE IN SAVING AND CELEBRATING THE ICONIC ART DECO HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT HAS HELPED MAKE MIAMI BEACH FAMOUS AROUND THE WORLD.THANKS TO ND P'S EFFORTS DATING BACK TO BARBARA HAMAN AND A GROUP OF DETERMINED VOLUNTEERS LIKE MADDIE THAT WERE CHAINING THEMSELVES UP TO BUILDINGS.
AND I THINK, NINA, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN THERE AS WELL.
BACK IN THE SEVENTIES, OUR CITY DIDN'T BULLDOZE ITS PAST.
INSTEAD, WE HONORED IT, WE PROTECTED IT.
WE BUILT AN ECONOMY AROUND IT.
AND THE LEAGUE'S ADVOCACY HAS HELPED SECURE THE DISTRICT'S PLACEMENT ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN 1979 AND CREATED A FOUNDATION FOR CULTURAL TOURISM THAT CONTINUES TO BENEFIT ALL US ALL TO THIS DAY.
AND I'VE SEEN AS, AS WE WERE, WE'VE MENTIONED IN THE PAST, IT'S IMPORTANT WORK OF EVEN AGAINST THE, UH, RESILIENCY AND UNSAFE STRUCTURES ACT THAT WAS GOING AFTER OUR COLLECTION OF ART DECO BUILDINGS.
THE LEAGUE'S ADVOCACY IN TALLAHASSEE WAS INSTRUMENTAL, UH, IN HELPING US IN OUR FIGHT TO ACCEPT, UH, THAT FROM, FROM FROM PREEMPTION, THEY'VE EDUCATED MILLIONS THROUGH THEIR MUSEUM, THROUGH THE HISTORIC WALKING TOURS, THROUGH THE ART DECO WEEKENDS, THEY'VE TRAINED, UH, LOCAL ARTISTS.
THEY INSTILLED CIVIC PRIDE IN OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
THEIR RECORD OF PRESERVATION IS NEXT TO NONE AND IS COMMENDABLE, AND IT IS INDEED HISTORIC ITSELF.
NONE OF THAT GOOD CAN ACCEPT ANY ORGANIZATION NO MATTER HOW STORIED, NO MATTER HOW BELOVED, FROM QUESTIONS OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND FROM QUESTIONS OF TRANSPARENCY, TODAY, WE'RE NOT QUESTIONING MD P'S CONTRIBUTIONS.
I THINK WE ARE EXAMINING WHETHER IT'S RECENT FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS COMPLY WITH OUR ETHICAL STANDARDS.
AND I DON'T THINK JUST ETHICAL STANDARDS OF THE DAYS, I THINK OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND I THINK WE OWE IT TO OUR RESIDENTS TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS, NOT JUST MDPL ENGAGING IN THE POLITICAL DEBT DISCOURSE, OR EVEN GETTING, HAVING OPERATING AGREEMENTS TO MANAGE FACILITIES THAT THEY, THAT, THAT, THAT THEY DO.
SO TRANSPARENCY WHEN THEY'RE SOLICITING FUNDS, THAT THEY DO IT ETHICALLY WHEN THEY'RE SOLICITING FUNDS, THAT THEY DO IT WITHOUT A PERCEPTION OF IMPROPRIETY.
SO THIS IS NOT A MOMENT ABOUT CANCELING THE PAST.
I THINK WE CELEBRATE EVERYTHING THAT MDPL HAS DONE.
AND I THINK THIS IS A MOMENT THAT IT'S A MOMENT OF UNITY NOT TO, UH, QUOTE, UH, OUR CHAIRMAN JOE MAGAZINE.
BUT I THINK THE UNITY HERE IS THAT THERE'S A DESIRE FROM BOTH SIDES.
THE SPONSOR OF THIS, OF THIS ITEM COMMISSIONER, UH, SWS, WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT DONATIONS DON'T INFLUENCE THE ADVOCACY.
AND I SEE FROM THE BOARD LEADERSHIP THAT'S PRESENT BEFORE US TODAY, A DESIRE TO WORK TOGETHER ON POLICIES TO MAKE SURE THAT MDPL DOESN'T STOP OPERATING, THAT IT CONTINUES OPERATING INTO THE FUTURE, UPHOLDING THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF ETHICS, APPEARANCES THAT MAKE SURE THAT ADVOCATE FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT THE INFLUENCE OF ANY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ENTITIES TO HAVE BUSINESS BEFORE OUR LAND USE BOARD.
I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT, UM, THIS MIGHT SOUND CORNY.
I GOT TEARY EYED, YOU KNOW,
WHY? BECAUSE I TRUST THE INTEGRITY OF THE ORGANIZATION.
I FORMED DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT WERE UNPOPULAR BASED ON THE OPINION THAT WE GET FROM THESE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE WE TRUST THE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS.
WE TRUST THE VOLUNTEERS IN THE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS TO BE TAKING POSITIONS THAT ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN I SEE THAT THERE WAS A CONTRIBUTION, AND THEN RIGHT AFTER THE CONTRIBUTION, THE POSITION CHANGED, AND THAT I BASED MY POSITION AND MY POSITION IN PART, TRUSTING IN THE INTEGRITY
[01:55:02]
OF THE ORGANIZATION, THAT TO ME IT WAS PERSON.IT'S PERSONALLY HEARTBREAKING TO ME BECAUSE I TRUST PEOPLE AND I WANNA ALWAYS THINK THE BEST OF PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE ARE COMING FORWARD, ESPECIALLY TAKING THESE POSITIONS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PUBLIC.
SO NINA, UH, AND LYNETTE, I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOU COMING FORWARD, NOT IN A COMBATIVE SPIRIT, BUT IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A FUTURE FOR NDPL, A FUTURE OF ADVOCACY, A FUTURE OF PRESERVATION, BUT DOING IT IN A WAY THAT ANY CONTRIBUTION IS OF, IS OF THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF TRANSPARENCY AND ETHICS.
AND MAYBE DECIDING DO WE WANNA CONTINUE GETTING TAXPAYER SUPPORT OR, AND IF WE DO, MAYBE THEN WE FORFEIT ANY DEVELOPER SUPPORT WHATSOEVER.
AND I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE THE POLICY.
IF YOU GET TAXPAYERS DOLLARS, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE GETTING DOLLARS THEN FROM ENTITIES THAT DO DEVELOPMENT OR BUSINESS IN THE CITY, BECAUSE THAT'S THE STANDARD.
SO WE GOVERN OURSELVES BY ALSO AS ELECTED OFFICIALS WHEN WE GO OUT TO OUR CAMPAIGNS.
SO JUST IN, I'M TRUST IN, IN INTEREST OF TIME, CAN WE SAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU BACK IN THIS COMMITTEE IN THREE MONTHS WHEN YOU HAVE NEW LEADERSHIP IN PLACE? AND, AND IF, I DON'T KNOW IF THREE MONTHS IS GOING TO BE THE RIGHT TIMING IN TERMS OF HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE US TO, UH, JUST PLAY BY YEAR THEN AND GET NEW LEADERSHIP.
SO, YEAH, I CANT PUT, PUT A TIMEFRAME ON THAT FOOT MARKET FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S THREE MONTHS, FOUR MONTHS, FIVE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS.
I, I WANT TO GIVE YOU YOUR FORM TO COME BACK MORE COLLABORATIVELY WITH THIS COMMISSION.
AND, AND, AND IF IT'S, IF IT'S ALL POSSIBLE, MAYBE THERE'S AN OPEN AND PUBLIC WAY OF HOW YOU DO SELECT A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING THAT MDPL DOES RECEIVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN CITY AND TAXPAYER FUNDS, I THINK THAT THAT PROCESS SHOULD BE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT IN A PUBLIC FASHION.
AND I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HOST IT HERE IN CHAMBERS OF, OF HOW THAT'S, UH, OF HOW THAT'S, UH, VOTED ON.
WELL, LET, LET'S HAVE FOLLOW UP.
I, I TEAM, WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR 50 MINUTES.
I, I'VE HAD TO LEAVE FOR 20 MINUTES.
UM, LET'S SEE YOU BACK IN THREE MONTHS, AND IF THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS IN THE INTERIM, WE CAN HAVE ONE-OFF CONVERSATIONS.
SO, CHAIR, WE SHOW THE ITEM WAS PRESENTED A PRESENTATION BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ WAS ADDED TO THE RECORD.
THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MDPL SPOKE ABOUT ENACTING ORGANIZATIONAL RETURNS AND FOR MDPL TO RETURN, UH, TO DISCUSS WHEN APPROPRIATE OR IN THREE MONTHS.
UM, I, I'M GONNA TRY AND SPEED THROUGH SOME THINGS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
WHAT EVERYTHING DOES, I'D HAVE MUCH MORE NICETIES, BUT IN INTEREST OF EFFICIENCY, HUH? NO.
[NB 19. DISCUSS THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF PUBLIC BEACHFRONT CONCESSION AGREEMENT(S) AS IT PERTAINS TO THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND ADVERTISING / SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES]
ARE JUST GONNA BE REFERRALS, BASICALLY TWO STAFF.UH, AND THEN I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO, UH, MAYOR, I'M SORRY FOR HAVING YOU HERE.
THAT'LL BE A LITTLE MORE, UH, ROBUST OF A CONVERSATION, BUT I JUST WANNA CALL IT 19 AND 20 AND BE 19 AND 20 THAT I THINK YOU'RE JUST GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR FROM STAFF AND WE'RE GONNA PUT THE BALL INTO YOUR CORNER.
UH, 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR DRAWING OUT CONVERSATIONS.
MB 20, DISCUSS THE MANAGEMENT OPERATION OF A PUBLIC BEACH, FRANK CONCESSION AGREEMENTS, UH, AS IT PERTAINS TO THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND ADVERTISING SLASH SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
MB 19, COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ.
I AM HERE TODAY ON THIS ITEM BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN NEEDING TO RAISE PUBLIC FUNDS, WHETHER IT PAY FOR THE EXPANSION OF MUSSEL BEACH, I LIKE THAT.
OR OUR SANITATION FUND, OR EVEN THE, THE DEBT ON, UM, OR EVEN SOME OF THE DEBT ON THIS NEW WATER AND SEWER BONDING THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO, UM, THAT IS WHY I AM CONSIDERING A, LIKE, CONSIDERING AMENDING THIS AGREEMENT OF ALCOHOL TO SELL BEER, WINE, AND CHAMPAGNE, UM, ON THE BEACH AS PARTNERS IN A PARTNERSHIP, WHICH WOULD BE, UH, LUCRATIVE, INCREDIBLY LUCRATIVE AND SIGNIFICANT AND COULD POSSIBLY, UM, HELP US, UM, FISCALLY, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME ISSUES.
SO AS LONG AS WE FIND THE RIGHT REVENUE STREAM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO GO BACK AND NEGOTIATE, UM, THESE SALES SO THAT POTENTIALLY WE CAN WHAT IS THE, WHAT, HOW MUCH ARE WE LACKING IN THE SANITATION FUND RIGHT NOW? WELL, I DON'T THINK THIS WOULD GO THROUGH THE SANITATION, BUT FOR SOME, WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
IT COULD, IT COULD GO ANYWHERE.
THE CAPITAL THAT WE ARE GONNA MAKE.
BUT I THINK THAT WHAT'S WHAT COULD HAPPEN HERE? UM, BEER AND WINE SALES ON THE BEACH COULD GENERATE A LOT OF MONEY.
AND MIAMI BEACH AS PARTNERS WITH THE BOUCHER BROTHERS.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EXPLORE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE NEED REVENUE SOURCES, PLAYGROUNDS FOR
[02:00:01]
BEACH AND SOMETHING THAT'S RECURRING.FOR ME, IT'S NOT EVEN SO MUCH ABOUT THE REVENUE, ALTHOUGH THAT'S A EXTREMELY IMPORTANT POINT FOR ME.
IT'S ACTUALLY REGULATING THE SALE OF THIS.
LIKE, I GO TO THIRD STREET BEACH, MY MOM GOES THERE EVERY DAY.
'CAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE YOUR FAVORITE GUY YOU BUY MARGARITAS FROM, BUT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN CUELLO, MEXICO.
YOU HEAR MARGARITA, MARGARITA, PINA COLADA, AND NOW THEY'RE SELLING EMPANADAS OUT OF BACKPACKS.
SO WHAT WE, EVERYTHING SO REGULATING THIS REMOVES THE BLACK MARKET.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW, WAIT, WE'RE REGULATING SALES.
UM, LET'S JUST KICK IT OVER TO CITY STAFF AND COME BACK AND SAY WHAT THE DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES ARE.
COMMISSIONER SWAR, I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY THE SAME THING, BUT, AND THE SAKE OF TIME, I'LL, I'LL MOVE THE ITEM BEEN FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION.
SO WE'LL SHOW THE ITEM, RETURN TO COMMISSION WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO DIRECT ADMINISTRATION.
NEGOTIATE AN AMENDED AGREEMENT WITH BOUCHIE BROTHERS, MY BEACH, LLC, TO IMPLEMENT THE SALE, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND ADVERTISING SPONSORSHIPS.
WHO MADE THE MOTION? I I HAVE A
AND THEN THE SECOND BEFORE WE, WE CLOSE THE VOTE.
UM, CITY, MR. CITY ATTORNEY, MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT.
UM, I, THIS LIKE FALLS IN THIS SORT OF GRAY ZONE, RIGHT? LIKE THE HOTELS CURRENTLY CAN SELL BOOZE BECAUSE OF WHATEVER CONCESSION AGREEMENTS THEY HAVE.
HOWEVER, IT IS NOT LEGAL TO DRINK ON OUR BEACHES.
AND SO HOW DO WE RECONCILE THAT? AND THEN ALSO, ARE WE OPENING THE DOOR FOR EVERY, UM, UM, A PRIVATE CONDO THAT IS UPLAND OF THE BEACH TO THEN PETITION TO HAVE THEIR, YOU KNOW, LITTLE IN-HOUSE CANTINA ALSO SELL ALCOHOL? SO THIS IS A COMPLICATED QUESTION THAT I CAN'T ANSWER IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THE LIMITED RESEARCH THAT I HAVE DONE PRIOR TO TODAY'S MEETING, UM, AND CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD IN ORDER TO SELL ALCOHOL, YOU NEED TO HAVE A PERMANENT STRUCTURE.
UM, THE OTHER ISSUE IS GOING TO BE WHERE IS THAT STRUCTURE LOCATED? THERE ARE LIMITATIONS IN OUR BEACHFRONT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT NEED TO GET WORKED THROUGH IN ORDER FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO TO WORK.
UM, WILL THIS, UH, RESULT IN OTHER BEACHFRONT, CONCESSIONAIRES, SOME OF THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ALREADY HAVE CONCESSION AGREEMENTS, UH, TO WANT THE SAME? SURE, THAT COULD HAPPEN, BUT I THINK IT'S ALL GOING TO DEPEND ON WHAT THE STATE'S REQUIREMENTS ARE FOR OBTAINING A LIQUOR LICENSE.
UM, AND THAT MIGHT LIMIT, UH, WHAT CAN ACTUALLY BE DONE.
SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BOTH BY THE CITY AS WELL AS BY OUR CONCESSION PARTNERS TO SEE WHAT EXACTLY IS POSSIBLE.
SO BEFORE WE VOTE FAVORABLY ON SOMETHING THAT WE LIKE IN CONCEPT, IT SEEMS LIKE IT COULD BE A GOOD THING, BUT IN ACTUALITY, WE DON'T KNOW YET WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, HOW IT WORKS.
WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR IT? WOULD IT REQUIRE THAT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL NEW STRUCTURES ON THE BEACH? WOULD WOULD WE NOT BE MORE PRUDENT TO BRING THIS BACK NEXT MONTH? WOULDN'T THAT BE PART OF THE PROPOSAL? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.
SO THIS IS JUST FOR STAFF TO GO AND EXPLORE AND SEE WHAT'S FEASIBLE.
SO WE'RE NOT LIKE A GR WE'RE NOT SAYING, OH, GO OUT AND SELL ALCO.
IT'S JUST FOR STAFF TO SIT HERE AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT IS POTENTIALLY POSSIBLE.
AND WHEN DOES THAT COME? THAT'S, BUT THAT'S COMING BACK, BACK TO US TO COMMISSION, RIGHT.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO COME BACK HERE BEFORE IT GOES BACK TO COMMISSION, RIGHT? THAT WORKS.
SO WE SHOW THE ITEM THAT IS REFERRED TO COMMISSION TO NEGOTIATE AND THE RETURN TO FERC FOR FINALIZATION.
WELL, NOT EVEN NEGOTIATE NECESSARILY, BUT LAY OUT THE, THE PROGRAM IN MENU OF OPTIONS.
AND, AND WITH, WITH OBVIOUSLY THE CITY ATTORNEY BECAUSE I, I, WE'LL, WE'LL BAKE IT HERE IN FINANCE AND THEN IF IT APPROVE, WE'LL SEND IT TO THE COMMISSION.
I THINK THAT THE, IF I, IF I MAY, I THINK THAT'S WHAT HAPPEN IS THE COMMISSION WOULD DIRECT ADMINISTRATION, I MEAN, TO STAFF TO NE TO NEGOTIATE AND BEGIN TO PUT THAT TOGETHER AND COME BACK TO FERC SURE.
TO, UH, HASH OUT THOSE DETAILS.
BUT NO, BUT NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING.
I, WHAT I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING GO HASH OUT THE DETAILS WITH A CONCESSIONAIRE.
I'M SAYING COME BACK TO US AT FERC AND EXPLAIN WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE REGARDLESS OF WHO THE CONCESSIONAIRE IS, REGARDLESS OF IF IT'S GONNA APPLY TO PRIVATE CONDOS OR NOT.
LIKE LET US HEAR THIS FULL, THE RAMIFICATIONS OF ALL THIS BEFORE WE GO RECOMMENDING TO GO NEGOTIATE WITH THE CONCESSION.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
THAT'S, I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT JASON IS SAYING.
NO, BUT IF I, IF I MAY THROUGH THE CHAIR, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CONCESSIONAIRE BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT THE CONCESSIONAIRE IS GOING TO NEED TO TELL US AS TO WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO OR
[02:05:01]
WILLING TO DO.UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE EXPEDIENT TO DO IT THAT WAY.
AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE A MODEL, THE COMMISSION CAN DECIDE HOW BROADLY OR IN WHAT LIMITED COMPASSIONATE CAPACITY.
IT'S PUTTING SOMETHING TOGETHER.
BRAIN IS, MY UNDERSTANDING, IS TO SECURE A PROPOSAL AND DISCUSS HOW THIS COULD ACTUALLY WORK IN PRACTICE.
SO, OKAY, SO I KNOW I'M, I'M PARSING THIS, BUT BRAINSTORMING, I'M FINE WITH, UH, NEGOTIATING AND SECURING A PRO PROPOSAL.
I'M NOT FINE WITH, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS ONE STEP TOO FAR.
LET'S SEE, LET'S GET THE BRAINSTORMING RESULTS BACK.
LET'S SEE WHAT THE FRAMEWORK WOULD BE.
AND THEN WE SAY, OKAY, THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANNA PROCEED WITH.
LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WHO'S INTERESTED IN, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE I WANNA GO WITH THIS, RIGHT? LET'S SEE, DO WE ONLY DO IT ON BEACHES IN FRONT OF HOTELS? DO WE ONLY DO IT ON BEACHES, NOT IN FRONT OF HOTELS? DO WE ONLY DO IT, UH, WITH, WITH CON LIKE THIS IS VERY PRELIMINARY WE'LL PUT TOGETHER, RIGHT? SO, SO I I'M NOT ASKING TO SECURE ANY TYPE OF CONTRACTOR PROPOSAL.
COME BACK WITH A MENU OF THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS ON BOTH THE ALCOHOL AND THE ADVERTISING AND SAY, HERE'S BASICALLY THE POSSIBILITIES IN FRONT OF US.
IF I MAY, THEN WHAT I WOULD DO IS I BELIEVE THEN STRIKE THE TERM NEGOTIATE AMENDED AGREEMENT AND MAYBE PUT IN, DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK.
RETURN TO COMMISSIONER OF THE FAILED RECOMMENDATION DIRECT ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK WITH THE BRUCHE BROTHERS BY BEACH, LLC TO IMPLEMENT OR SOMEBODY ELSE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND ADVERTISING AND RETURN TO FERC FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.
MR. CHAIR, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.
RALPH ANDRA REPRESENT, UH, BOUCHER BROTHERS.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS PART OF THE, THE REFERRAL, UM, 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S IT HIGHLY RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION, IS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DISCUSS WITH STAFF POTENTIAL, UM, REVENUE SHARING, UH, WHAT THE FINANCIALS OF THIS FRAMEWORK MAY LOOK LIKE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE STAFF UNDERSTANDS OR NOT IT'S FRONT AND FRONT AND CENTER BECAUSE OKAY.
I HAVE, WE ALL HAVE, UH, A HEALTH AND WELLNESS AREA TO FUND.
SO, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR DEDICATED REVENUE SOURCES TO DO SO.
AND ALSO, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE BOUCHER BROTHERS, I KNOW THAT'S WHO YOU REPRESENT, BUT HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING, THERE COULD BE SOMEBODY WHO DOES JUST THIS, WHO IS MORE SUITED TO THE TASK AT HAND.
I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED WHAT THE FRAMEWORK IS.
SO COULD BE THE BOUCHER BROTHERS.
COULD BE SOMEBODY ELSE, COULD BE DECIDE THAT WE DECIDE, YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S NOT WORTH IT.
I I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING, A BRAINSTORMING THAT WOULD ONLY BE RELEVANT TO THE BOUCHER BROTHERS IF, IF WE COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WE LIKE.
YEAH, IF STEPH SAYS, YOU KNOW, HERE'S OUR OTHER OPTIONS.
THIS IS AS OPEN-ENDED AS POSSIBLE FOR YOU.
I, I WANT YOU TO PUT ON YOUR CREATIVITY.
I HAVEN'T SPENT TOO MUCH TIME THINKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT DETAILS AND DYNAMICS.
THIS IS FOR YOU TO GO OUT AND KIND OF DO YOUR MAGIC AND, AND WORK WITH THE POLICE AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE ENFORCING AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THE DUDES SELLING EVERYTHING OUTTA THEIR BACKPACKS ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
BUT LIKE, IT NEEDS TO BE A HOLISTIC APPROACH.
WELL, AND IF THERE'S ALSO A WOMEN OUT THERE THAT SELL ITSELF, DUDES IN THE NON-GENDERED VERSION SENSE OF IT.
IF I MAY A BIT PRESUMPTIVE, IF I'S DUDES AND EVERYBODY IN BETWEEN, IF I MAY THIS, AND THEN WE WILL STRIKE, UH, BOUCHER BROTHERS, LLC FROM IT.
SO IT'D BE RETURN TO COMMISSION OF FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION, RECOMME ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK TO IMPLEMENT THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND, AND ADVERTISING SPONSORSHIPS, UH, ON THE BEACH AND TO RETURN TO FOR, FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION WHEN APPROPRIATE.
CAN WE BE CLEAR THAT, THAT PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS INCLUDE, OF COURSE, YOU'RE BEACH CONCESSION HERE, SO IT'S FRONT, RIGHT? BECAUSE SOMETIMES I KNOW STAFF TAKES, WE'LL WORK ON THE DIRECTION, LITERALLY.
AND IF IT DOESN'T REFERENCE WSA BROTHERS, THEY WON'T TALK TO THEM.
SO THAT INCLUDES THE WSA BROTHERS, RIGHT? THANK YOU.
INCLUDES, BUT NOT LIMITED TOO.
INCLUDING, BUT NOT, WE LOVE COMPETITION.
I, I BELIEVE IT WAS, IT WAS, UM, MOVED BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
HEARING NONE OPPOSED THE PAST THREE.
UH, SORRY FOR KEEPING YOU WAITING.
UH, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU COME UP AND, UM, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE, UH, PART OF THE WAY THROUGH YOUR CONVERSATION, BUT I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING IN HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN PRE-REGISTER A VOTE.
UH, YOU CAN, I CAN CAN FOR THIS AND ALSO FOR, UH, UH, FOR MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUES ITEM, UM, MB 20.
UH, MB 20 REFERRAL TO DISCUSS ADDING INFERTILITY TREATMENT AS A BENEFIT FOR PLAN PARTICIPANTS INSURED UNDER THE CITY'S SELF-FUND.
[NB 17. DISCUSS POSSIBLE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND NORTH BAY VILLAGE FOR EXTENDING MIAMI BEACH TROLLEY ROUTE.]
17, BUT I'D LIKE TO PRE-REGISTER.WHICH ONE FOR THE MAYOR? BEEN SORRY.
DISCUSS POSSIBLE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND NORTH BAY VILLAGE FOR EXTENDING MIAMI BEACH TROLLEY RAIL.
IT HAS BEEN ACTUALLY A LOT OF FUN AND FASCINATING WATCHING YOUR MEETING THIS MORNING.
I COMMEND EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO PUBLIC
[02:10:01]
SERVICE FOR THE CLEAR-EYED WAY THAT YOU EVALUATE THESE ISSUES AND FOR YOUR ABILITY TO ENGAGE PRODUCTIVELY WITH ONE ANOTHER DESPITE SOME DISAGREEMENTS.WE ARE HERE BECAUSE THE NORTH BEACH BANDSHELL AND THE NORMANDY FOUNTAIN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, OUR RESIDENTS AND NORTH BEACH BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE ENCOURAGED NORTH BAY VILLAGE TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT GETTING MY RESIDENTS TO COME AND SPEND MONEY IN MIAMI BEACH'S BUSINESSES.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN GET ON BOARD WITH BECAUSE IT INVOLVES ENCOURAGING MULTIPLE MOBILITY AND MULTIMODAL OPTIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO COMMUNITIES.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, NORTH BAY VILLAGE IS YOUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBOR TO THE WEST ALONG THE 79TH STREET, JOHN F. KENNEDY CAUSEWAY.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PARTNERING WITH MIAMI BEACH.
THIS WAS ONE TO EXTEND THE NORTH BEACH TROLLEY INTO NORTH BAY VILLAGE.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE MOST PRUDENT PATH FORWARD AT THIS TIME IS TO PILOT THAT TROLLEY EXTENSION DURING THE CULTURE CRAWL EVENTS, WHICH I BELIEVE HAPPEN ONCE A MONTH ON THE THIRD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH.
UM, SO WE'D LIKE TO PILOT THE CULTURE CRAWL TROLLEY.
I THINK THE HOURS SHOULD BE REASONABLE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THEIR NIGHT IN NORTH BEACH, UM, AND NOT HAVE TO RUSH BACK TO CATCH A TROLLEY.
UM, AND THEN I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THE CONVERSATION AND HAVE, UH, MORE DETAILED DISCUSSION ABOUT THE COSTS TO ACTUALLY EXTEND THE TROLLEY FOR REGULAR SERVICE GOING FORWARD.
SO OPTION TWO ON YOUR BRIEFING IS THE, THE PILOT THROUGH CULTURE CRAWL.
I'M PERFECTLY HAPPY AND WOULD BE GRATEFUL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OPTION TWO AT THIS TIME.
UM, BUT THEN I'D LIKE TO HAVE EVIDENCE-BASED ENCOURAGEMENT THAT THE EXTENSION WOULD MAKE SENSE.
AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE EXTENSION.
UM, WE WANNA PROMOTE THIS THROUGHOUT NORTH BAY VILLAGE.
WE HAD A REALLY SUCCESSFUL EVENT AT THE BAND.
THANK YOU VICE MAYOR BHAT, FOR JOINING ME ON THE STAGE AT THE BANDSHELL TO EXPRESS UNITY BETWEEN OUR TWO COMMUNITIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I'VE GOT A YEAR AND A HALF LEFT.
NOT A LOT OF TIME, BUT, UM, I WANNA BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN OUR TWO COMMUNITIES, UM, AND STRENGTHEN THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH THIS TROLLEY PILOT.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, SO I, I I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING, MAYOR.
UM, I, I THINK THERE IS DEFINITELY A NEED TO CONNECT THE TROLLEY BETWEEN MIAMI BEACH AND NORTH BAY VILLAGE.
WHEN YOU DO A RIDE SHARE SERVICE LIKE THAT, IT LESSENS THE IMPACT OF TRAFFIC, FOR EXAMPLE, IN TRAFFIC ON, UH, NORTH, NORTH BEACH IS, IS HORRENDOUS.
UM, AND SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO, TO LIMIT THAT, UM, AS FAR AS EXTENDING, YOU KNOW, FOR OPTION TWO, GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND JUST A CULTURE CRAWL.
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS NORTH BAY VILLAGE WILLING TO BRING FORWARD? IF WE WERE TO EXTEND THE TROLLEY TO, TO NORTH PAY VILLAGE, WE'RE GONNA CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY.
SO WE WOULD NEED, I, MY UNDERSTANDING IS RIGHT NOW THAT THE CITY IS ON A MONTH TO MONTH CONTRACT WITH ITS TROLLEY PROVIDER, THAT YOU'RE GOING OUT TO BID FOR A NEW PROVIDER.
SO THE FIGURES FINANCIALLY ARE IN FLUX.
ONCE YOU GUYS HAVE A CLEARER SENSE OF WHAT THE EXPENSE WOULD BE UNDER A NEW PROVIDER SCENARIO, I WOULD LOVE TO GET THAT DATA.
TELL ME WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST.
UM, AND WE HAVE CITT FUNDS THAT CAN BE USED TO EXTEND THE TROLLEY.
AND I ALSO HAVE PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT WILL BE NEGOTIATED IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
SO WE WILL HAVE, UM, PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR VILLAGES TRANSIT OPTIONS, UN UNDER THE CURRENT PLAN.
WHAT WOULD NORTH BAY VILLAGE BE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE IF, LET'S JUST ASSUME THAT WAS THE CURRENT PLAN.
UH, IF THE CURRENT PLAN WERE TO EXTEND THE TROLLEY MM-HMM
UM, WELL THE FINANCES OF, OF WHAT WE PAY FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD NORTH BAY VILLAGE BE WILLING TO, WHICH OPTION ARE YOU REFERRING TO? BE NUMBER, NUMBER TWO.
THE OPTION NUMBER TWO IS THE PILOT FOR A CULTURE CRAWL, WHICH IS JUST ONCE A MONTH.
THE OPTION ONE IS, IS FOR THE EXTENSION.
UM, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE'D BE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE POOR NEGOTIATION SKILLS ON MY PART.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST COMMISSIONER.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN UNSPENT CITT FUNDS.
SO, I GUESS, UH, AND LET ME, LET ME RECOGNIZE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, BOT, VICE MAYOR BOT.
UM, I WOULD, FOR THE RECORD, I'D LIKE TO BE A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS.
AND THE MAYOR AND I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND THE MOST RECENTLY WITH JOSE AND HIS DEPARTMENT.
UM, THIS MEMO ENCAPSULATES EVERYTHING.
AND I AM VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF, UM, STARTING ASAP, THE OPTION TWO TO PILOT THIS SO WE CAN COLLECT THE DATA TO DETERMINE, AS JOSE IS NEGOTIATING OUR NEW
[02:15:01]
TROLLEY VENDOR CONTRACT, WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE? 'CAUSE WE MIGHT THINK IT'S THE GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD, AND WE FIND OUT THAT ACTUALLY NOBODY USES IT.OR WE MIGHT FIND OUT, UM, THAT WE THINK IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT THING.
AND PEOPLE ARE CLAMORING FOR SOMETHING EVERY DAY, MULTIPLE MORE ROUTES.
AND SO WE NEED TO GET THE DATA COLLECTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE DON'T HAMPER OUR NEGOTIATION FOR WHAT WE NEED HERE IN THE CITY.
UM, BY ADDING THIS LAKE TO THE PROCESS PROCESS, UM, TRAFFIC IS ABYSMAL IN NORTH BEACH AND GOING ACROSS THAT BRIDGE IS A HUGE PART OF IT.
AND AS NORTH BEACH, UM, REALLY STARTS TO BLOSSOM IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY IN ORGANIC WAYS WITH THE BAN SHELL IN THE NORMANDY FOUND ACTIVATIONS AND GREAT RESTAURANTS AND COOL LITTLE SHOPPING, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VISIT THIS, UM, AND, AND USE THIS AS THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TOO.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALK ALL THE TIME ABOUT PARKING AND DRIVING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOW THAT ALL INTERMIXES AND THIS IS THIS, IF IT WORKS AS WELL AS WE THINK IT WOULD, UM, NOT ONLY WILL BE A BIG STEP TOWARDS THAT, BUT COULD ALSO BE, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, PROOF POSITIVE THAT WE COULD CONCEIVABLY EXTEND THIS UP TO THE SURF SIDE AS WELL AND TAKE EVEN MORE CARS OFF THE ROAD.
SO, UM, I WOULD MOVE THIS, UM, WITH, WITH MY COLLEAGUE'S INPUT TO, UM, TO MOVE WITH OPTION TWO IMMEDIATELY.
AND, AND, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, LET US KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO, TO GET GOING.
A BIG, A BIG STEP TOWARD ANNEXATION.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, FERNANDEZ.
I THINK COMMISSIONER BOND, UH, STATE STATED IT WELL.
IT'S, IT MAKES JUST PERFECT SENSE.
UH, IT'S LONG OVERDUE, UH, SO I DON'T NEED TO RESTATE EVERYTHING.
SO, SO PROUD TO SEE THE MAYOR HERE, TO SEE THE COLLABORATION.
AND JOSE, WHERE ARE WE WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS? SO THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE CURRENTLY ONGOING.
WE EXPECT TO BE BEFORE THIS BODY PROBABLY, HOPEFULLY NEXT MONTH.
UH, ONCE WE'VE GOT, UH, A DEAL, UH, AT LEAST ON, ON PENCIL TO BRING, TO BRING BEFORE THE FERC, THAT WAS A DIRECTION TO COME BEFORE FERC BEFORE WE GO TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE AIMING FOR NEXT MONTH'S, UH, MEETING.
WAIT, CAN I JUST SAY SOMETHING? SO IT, SO, UM, IF YOU ARE COMING NEXT MONTH WITH A DEAL, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE DATA COLLECTION BY THEN.
SO, UM, OR WITH A PROPOSED DEAL.
SO, UM, HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT LOCKED INTO SOMETHING, WHICH THEN OUR VENDOR CAN SAY, OH, IT WASN'T PART OF THE CONTRACT, NOT DOING IT.
OR HOLD US OVER A BARREL, SAY, SURE, WE'LL DO IT, BUT IT'LL BE $10 PER HEAD PER RIDE.
HOW DO WE PROTECT OURSELVES? SO, UH, IN OUR NEGOTIATIONS, UH, THE BOTTOM LINE, WHAT WE'RE NEGOTIATING IS A HOURLY RATE PER SERVICE HOUR, A RATE PER SERVICE HOUR.
WE CAN ADD, WE CAN TAKE AWAY AS LONG.
AND THEN WE CAN ALWAYS ADD TO THE ROUTE, WE CAN ALWAYS ADD MORE VEHICLES.
WELL, SO I, WE CAN ADD A HIGHER COST.
SO THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS, YOU HAD SAID THAT THE HOURS WEREN'T AS BIG OF A DEAL AS IT WAS TO FACTOR IN IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL TROLLEYS.
BECAUSE SOMETIMES EXTENDING A ROUTE, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE, THE DISTANCE, BUT THE FACT THAT, UM, IT MAY, IT MAY EXCEED THE THRESHOLDS ESTABLISHED IN THE CONTRACT FOR PASSENGER WAIT TIMES OR HEADWAYS, WHICH IS CRITICAL.
SO COULD, COULD IT, COULD IT BE NEGOTIATED SO THAT UM, POTENTIALLY IN SIX MONTHS WE COME BACK TO THEM AND SAY, AND WE'RE GOING TO EXECUTE AN ADDITIONAL FIVE TROLLEYS AT THE PRE-APPROVED RATE.
SO IT'S NOT, THEY'RE NOT HOLDING US TO, WELL, YOU DIDN'T SAY IT IN THE CONTRACT, SO NOW WE'RE GONNA CHARGE YOU DOUBLE, BUT JUST PUT IN A CLAUSE IN THERE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXTEND OUR, OUR TROLLEY SERVICE AT THE SAME RATE UP TO AN ADDITIONAL FIVE OR 10 TROLLEYS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WHAT WE'RE NEGOTIATING IS A SLIDING SCALE THAT THE MORE HOURS WE OPERATE THE, THE LOWER THE COST, IF YOU WILL.
THERE'S ECONOMIES OF SCALE, BUT THAT DOESN'T, BUT THAT ALLOWS US TO, TO BE FLEXIBLE AND ADD OR REMOVE, UM, PORTIONS OF, OF A ROUTE OR ADD A NEW ROUTE, FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT, BUT I THOUGHT I JUST HEARD YOU UNDER HEARD YOU SAY THAT, UM, IF WE ADD A TROLLEY, 'CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THE ROUTE, IT'S THE ACTUAL VEHICLE THAT WILL COME AT A MORE EXPENSIVE COST THAN THE, LET'S SAY, 50 THAT WE'RE BUYING NOW FOR THE NEW CONTRACT.
THE SERVICE HOURS INCREASES AND THAT WILL INCREASE THE, THE, THE COST.
IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE FACT THAT IT'S AN ADDITIONAL TROLLEY, IT'S JUST MORE HOURS, UH, THAT ARE BEING SERVED.
SO THE COST OF THE TROLLEY ACQUISITIONS BAKED INTO THE HOURS SERVED? CORRECT.
IT, IT COMES DOWN TO HOURS OF SERVICE.
AND WE MULTIPLY THAT BY HOWEVER MANY HOURS, UH, WE OPERATE.
[02:20:01]
TO, TO ADD AND REMOVE, UH, ROUTES AS AS NEEDED.AND IS THERE ANY CAP ON THAT? LIKE DO THEY SAY YES, SURE, BUT YOU CAN'T DO MORE THAN 20? NO.
IT'S A SLIDING SCALE WHERE AN INFINITY INFINITY AND IT, IT CAN GO UP TO HOWEVER HIGH WE WANT IT TO, TO GO TO.
CAN WE PUT IN THE CONTRACT? WE WANT IT INFINITY TROLLEYS JUST TO SAY, I THOUGHT THEY MOST WRONG, JUST TO SEE WHAT THEY DO.
UM, SO I THINK, I THINK WE'RE ALL I'D LIKE TO SPEAK.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOW A VOTING MEMBER ON THE COMMITTEE SO THAT YOU HAVE ALL THREE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE HERE.
I'D JUST LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, MAYOR, I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT WE'RE, UM, ENTERING INTO THESE TYPES OF INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS BECAUSE FOR TOO LONG, I MEAN, WE REALLY DO ALL EXIST
AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE SEEN A MAYOR FROM NORTH BAY VILLAGE AND ALL OF MY YEARS HERE, UM, COME BEFORE US.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M COMPLETELY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT WE'RE NEGOTIATING IN TERMS OF TROLLEYS.
I'M REALLY HOPING WE GET SOMETHING SNAZZIER, LIKE SOME COOL KIND OF VAN TYPE THING.
WHAT BUS OR, UM, SOMETHING THAT IS A LITTLE BIT, UH, MORE USER FRIENDLY THAN THIS TROLLEY THAT IS DIFFICULT FOR MANY SENIORS TO GET ON AND OFF OF WITH THE KNEELING TROLLEY.
SO HOPEFULLY, WHATEVER THIS IS JOSE.
AND HOW, HOW FAR AWAY ARE WE, JOSE, FROM FINALIZING THE ENTIRE TROLLEY? UM, NEXT MONTH.
THE, UH, EXECUTING A NEW CONTRACT OR INITIATING THE NEW SERVICE, INITIATING A NEW SERVICE.
INITIATING A NEW SERVICE WILL DEPEND ON THE VEHICLE THAT'S ULTIMATELY SELECTED.
UM, DIFFERENT VEHICLES HAVE DIFFERENT MANUFACTURING TIMES.
SO IT, IT, IT CAN BE, IT CAN BE ANYWHERE BETWEEN, UM, EIGHT MONTHS TO A YEAR AND A HALF, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON, ON, ON THE VEHICLE.
SO WE'RE STILL IRONING THAT OUT.
UH, BUT THERE'S A HIGH DEMAND FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS WE PUT IN THE ORDER, WE'RE IN A QUEUE, BUT IT MAY, IT, IT, SO YOU ALREADY KNOW WHICH ONE YOU'RE GONNA PICK.
I HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN A YEAR AND A HALF PROCUREMENT PROCESS, SO HOPEFULLY, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT HOPEFULLY IT WILL NOT BE A TROLLEY AT ALL.
AND IT WILL BE SOME SORT OF ELECTRIC SNAZZY STREAMLINE THING THAT'S VERY EASY FOR SENIORS AND PEOPLE.
ANYBODY WITH WHEELS OF ANY KIND CAN GET ON AND OFF.
I THINK YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT.
COME BACK WITH MORE IDEAS OF HOW WE CAN, YOU KNOW, COLLABORATE.
JOSE, WHILE YOU'RE AT THE PODIUM, WHERE ARE WE ON THE SIMILAR DISCUSSION WITH DAMIEN PARDO OVER IN THE CITY OF MIAMI AND, YOU KNOW, EXPLORING THE CONNECTION, THE TROLLEY CONNECTION BETWEEN MIAMI BEACH AND DOWNTOWN MIAMI? I THINK WE HAVE A MEETING PENDING WITH THE CITY OF MIAMI FOLKS TO, TO GO OVER SOME OF, YOU KNOW, JUST TO DISCUSS WITH THEM THE POTENTIAL OF, AND IN TERMS OF WHERE THE STOPS SHOULD BE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S OCCURRING ON A PARALLEL BASIS, BUT WE'RE PENDING A MEETING WITH THE CITY OF MIAMI.
UH, BECAUSE WE HAD A MEETING LAST MONTH.
SO HAS ANYTHING, HAS THERE BEEN ANY PROGRESS IN THE, IN THE INBETWEEN? THERE HAS INTERNALLY, BUT WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T MET YET WITH CITY OF MIAMI BECAUSE THIS IS, I MEAN, AND I THINK THIS IS THE IMPORTANT THING FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE THAT WE ARE WORKING NOT ONLY IN SEEING HOW WE MOVE PEOPLE WITHIN OUR, OUR MUNICIPAL LIMITS, BUT THE GREATEST CHALLENGE THAT WE DEAL IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC IN OUR CITY IS PEOPLE NOT NECESSARILY MOVING WITHIN OUR CITY, BUT THE TRAFFIC OF PEOPLE LEAVING OUR CITY THAT IS CAUSING A LOT OF THAT GRIDLOCK BETWEEN THREE AND 7:00 PM AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH OUR NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITIES AND HELP PEOPLE MOVE BETWEEN THE BOUNDARY LINES OF CITIES.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE KEY THING MOVING WITHIN CITIES.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GREAT, BUT THE KEY THING IS HOW DO WE MOVE WITHIN THE REGION MORE EFFICIENTLY.
UH, SO ONE LAST THING BEFORE WE WRAP UP.
UM, DO YOU, WOULD IT BE OKAY IF WE REC FROM A STAFF'S POINT OF VIEW, RECOMMEND OPTION ONE AND TWO SO THAT WHEN YOU NEGOTIATE WITH THE TROLLEY COMPANY YOU CAN, YOU CAN INCORPORATE MAYBE AN A LA CARTE OPTION THAT NORTH BAY VILLAGE WANTS TO SIGN ON? I DON'T KNOW IF, IF YOU NEED A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION FOR ONE TO PROCEED WITH THAT NEGOTIATION.
I, I THINK WHAT I WAS THINKING IN HEARING THE, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSION, LET'S KEEP IT A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT OPEN.
'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THIS MIGHT BE A, UH, A GROWING, UH, KIND OF, UH, RELATIONSHIP PERHAPS IF, IF I MAY OFFER TO RETURN THE COMMISSION WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION, THE DIRECT ADMINISTRATION TO NEGOTIATE WITH NORTH BAY VILLAGE AND ENTER LOCAL AGREEMENT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A JOINT TROLLEY OPERATION, MAYBE TO KEEP IT THAT OPEN AND THAT LETS THE PARTIES, UH, DEVELOP THAT RELATIONSHIP AND RETURN TO OUR COMMISSION AND OBVIOUSLY YOUR COMMISSION AND TO, UH, IRON, YOU KNOW, TO GET THOSE DETAILS
[02:25:01]
IRONED OUT AND THEN RETURN TO COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL.AND THEY HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN AS FAR DOWN THE PATH WITH SURFSIDE, BUT I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO COMMISSIONERS THERE OVER THE LAST YEAR ABOUT DOING THE SAME THING UP THERE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS OR HURTS OR IF WE DO THIS SORT OF AS A PROOF OF CONCEPT OF HOW IT CAN WORK WITH ANOTHER CITY.
I, I, I DEFER TO YOU GUYS ON HOW, IF, IF I CAN, IF I CAN ADD A LITTLE FLAVOR TO THAT ONE.
IN MY PRIOR JOB AS THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN SURFSIDE, I NEGOTIATED A JOINT USE, UH, MERGING THE TR WITH BATTLE HARBOR NORTH BAY VILLAGE.
AND SURFSIDE ALTOGETHER WAS A VERY COMPLICATED OPERATION AND IT INVOLVED MIAMI D COUNTY WHO THAT GOING TO THE COUNTY BECAUSE YOU WERE GOING OUTSIDE YOU THE AMOUNT OF MILES THAT THE COUNTY CODE ALLOWED BY LAW AT THAT POINT.
AND AT THE TIME, COMMISSIONER HAMAN SPONSORED AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE WEIGHT THAT THE SURTAX FUNDS COULD BE USED.
AND SINCE THEN, THAT'S BEEN AMENDED.
SO THERE HAD BEEN SOME COMPLICATIONS, BUT ONCE FERNANDEZ IS DEFINITELY ON TOP OF THAT AND ENCYCLOPEDIA OVER HERE.
UM, SO IF WE'RE OKAY WITH THE MOTION, UM, YEAH, THAT, THAT I, I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
COMMISSIONER COMM, COMMISSIONER BOT, WE SHOW COMMISSIONER BOT AS THE MOTION MAKER AND ADD ME AS A CO-SPONSOR PLEASE.
WE'LL DO AND I'LL SECOND AND SECOND.
AND WE'RE GONNA, UH, OH, COMMISSIONER, UM, ARE YOU ALL IN FAVOR? YES.
SO LET'S, LET'S TRY TO CLEAR UP SOME MORE OF THESE ITEMS. UM, MR. CHAIR, REAL QUICKLY, OH, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL ONE MORE TIME AND ASK WHO TO FOLLOW UP WITH TO DISCUSS THE HOURS OF THE CULTURAL CRAWL PILOT.
YOU CAN VICE MAYOR? YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO.
LOOK FORWARD TO FOLLOWING UP IN REAL TIME.
HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR DAY.
WE WILL SHOW, UH, COMMISSIONER FE IS ALSO ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
WE'RE WE'RE GONNA CALL IT THE WHEELS ON THE BUS.
SO LET'S TRY TO CLARIFY SOME OF THE MORE OF THESE ITEMS. C FOUR IC FOUR.
UH, IS IT A FERC ITEM NUMBER? I'M SORRY, IT'S NOT C HOW ABOUT NO.
CALL 20, THE WRAPAROUND PALM TREE LIGHTING ON 71ST STREET.
[NB 2. DISCUSS EXTENDING THE WRAP-AROUND PALM TREE LIGHTING ON 71ST STREET FROM EAST OF NORMANDY FOUNTAIN TO COLLINS AVENUE.]
DISCUSS EXTENDING THE WRAPAROUND PALM TREE LIGHTING ON 71ST STREET FROM EAST OF NORMANDY FOUNTAIN TO COLLINS AVENUE.THE ITEM BEFORE YOU, UH, IS THE EXTENSION OF THE WRAPAROUND LIGHTING IN SIMILAR TO AREAS WHICH HAD BEEN, UM, EXTENDED, UH, WASHINGTON AVENUE, OCEAN DRIVE WEST, AND A FEW OF THOSE OTHERS.
THE SAME, UH, GENERAL THEORY APPLIES HERE.
THERE IS A COST, UM, TO DO THIS, UH, $206,000.
UM, THAT DOES INCLUDE AS HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY, NOT ONLY INSTALLATION, BUT ALSO LOOKING FOR A BID WAIVER.
UM, SO THAT THIS COULD, UH, TAKE PLACE RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
UM, IT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO THAT.
THAT'S THE PRICE THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED AND THAT'S WHERE THE SAME VENDOR THAT HAD BEEN DONE USED DOING THE OTHER LIGHTS IN THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I HAVE QUESTIONS, UH, COMMISSIONER BOB.
UM, IS, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY TO FUND ANY OF THIS THROUGH THE NORTH BEACH CRA FUNDS? I KNOW IT'S NOT A PERMANENT INSTALLATION, BUT IS THERE SOME PART OF IT? I DUNNO IF, UM, MARIA, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT IS THERE A PO A
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY TO FUND THIS KIND OF LIGHTING FOR NORTH BEACH THROUGH THE NORTH BEACH CRA? I KNOW THERE ARE, IF I MAY, I, AND MAYBE MARIA OR HEATHER ARE HERE, CAN SPEAK MORE TO IT, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE CERTAIN LIMITATIONS.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS ONE OF THEM, BUT MAYBE MARINA'S.
UM, I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE DETAILS ABOUT WHAT THE LIMITATIONS ARE.
UM, WE, I KNOW YOU DON'T WANNA HEAR THIS
UM, SO I WANNA BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WE COMMIT IN THE CRA.
UM, I MEAN IF, IF IT'S A, AND WITH LIGHTING, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS HAVE THAT ISSUE, UH, BETWEEN PERMANENT VERSUS TEMPORARY.
SO I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU AND GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION.
WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS I BELIEVE TOTAL, BUT RIGHT.
WE ONLY HAVE THAT NOW, BUT 72 PARK IS COMING ONLINE THIS YEAR.
AND SO, SO THAT'S GONNA BE A BIG CASH INFUSION YES.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE THREE OTHER BUILDINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IN CONSTRUCTION.
MAYBE FOUR, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER, WHICH WILL MOST LIKELY FORBID THERE'S A HURRICANE OR SOMETHING COME ONLINE NEXT YEAR.
SO YES, WE'RE ONLY AT A MILLION DOLLARS NOW MM-HMM
BUT WE WILL BE AT SIGNIFICANTLY MORE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR AND BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR AND BY THE END OF THE YEAR AFTER THAT.
[02:30:01]
SO I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT WHAT PART OF THIS COULD BE DEFRAYED BY C RCRA FUNDS.I AGREE WITH BEING STRATEGIC RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WILLY-NILLY, WHICH IS KIND OF HOW WE'VE BEEN APPROACHING IT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY AND SMALL ASKS.
UM, UM, AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS PROPERLY, BUT AS A COMPANION PIECE OR, YOU KNOW, EXTENDING THIS TO GO NOT ONLY FROM COLLINS TO NORMANDY FOUNTAIN, BUT ALSO TO GO FROM 75TH TO 63RD.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN THE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES IN THE VIBE, IF YOU WILL.
THE VIBE CHECK, OF COURSE, EVEN ON SEVEN ON 41ST STREET, WHICH IS A PRETTY UNINTERESTING STREET TO DRIVE DOWN.
AND I SAY THAT WITH ALL LOVE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I LIVED FOR 13 YEARS WITH MY KIDS.
UM, AND IT JUST FEELS MUCH, IT JUST FEELS LIKE A ZIPPIER PLACE TO BE.
AND IT JUST INFUSES IT WITH THE MIAMI BEACH ENERGY AND MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE DOING IT THERE AND WE'RE DOING IT AT WASHINGTON AVENUE AND WE'RE DOING IT ON, ON COLLINS AND WE'RE DOING IT AT LIMITS PARK Y ON EARTH, ARE WE NOT GIVING NORTH BEACH THE SAME LOVE? SO RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN EXPAND THIS PARTICULAR ITEM TO DO THAT, OR IF WE NEED TO BRING A SECOND AND BRING IT ALL THE WAY BACK, OR IF WE CAN DO IT AS AN AMENDMENT, WE COULD ALSO BRING IT TO THE NORTH BEACH CRA, THE GROUP.
IT IS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A COUPLE OF INFORMATION REQUESTS MM-HMM
SO MAYBE THIS ITEM IS PRE, WE SHOULD PRESENT IT AND RETURN TO FERC, UH, WITH INFORMATION ON THE ELIGIBILITY OF NORTH BEACH CRA FUNDING AND THE AN UPDATED COST ESTIMATE ON THE EXPANDED, UH, SPACE.
AND, AND I, I MUST SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A, I THINK THERE WAS AN ITEM FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE AVENUE MM-HMM
WHERE I GOT UPSET ABOUT THE, THE COST OF THE TREE LIGHTING AND MM-HMM
AND I BELIEVE IT WAS COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ'S ITEM
UM, AND WHEN I, WHEN I, WHEN I'M, WHEN I GO BY AND WALK DOWN WASHINGTON, IT IS STUNNING.
I MEAN, WHAT A, IT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE AND, AND MM-HMM.
YOU KNOW, I I CAN SAY IS THAT YOU SAY SAYING ON THE RECORD THAT YOU WERE WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING.
IT'S GONNA BE VERY RARE FOR ME TO SAY THIS, BUT I WAS DEFINITELY WRONG.
I, I THINK THAT THE, THE TREE LIGHTING OR WRAP AROUND WASHINGTON AVENUE HAS MADE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I MEAN, IT IS ICONIC ON LOOMIS PARK NEXT TO FLAMING, NEXT TO FLAMINGO PARK.
UM, AND NEXT TO FLAMINGO PARK AND MERIDIAN, I MEAN, I SEE ALL THE TIME PEOPLE, MY FIRST ITEMS TAKING PICTURES YEAH.
ON, ON, ON MERIDIAN OF JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL THE, THE TREE LIGHTING IS.
IT'S YEAR ROUND, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT A WHAT A GREAT LITTLE FLAVOR TO ADD TO NORTH BEACH.
UM, AND, AND, AND I WOULD, I I'LL BE FULLY SUPPORTIVE.
I MEAN, IT, IT EVEN HELPS WITH, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY YEAH.
AND, AND VISIBILITY FEEL SAFER.
UM, IT, IT, IT IS A GREAT ADDED BENEFIT.
SO, UM, I, I WANNA, I WANNA PUT ON THE RECORD THAT I WAS WRONG ABOUT THE WASHINGTON AVENUE LIGHTING.
TROY WRIGHT, COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ.
UM, SO I'M GONNA BE FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, IF THIS IS GOING, DOES THIS GO FROM HERE IN THEORY TO COMMISSION TO GET VOTED? OR DOES IT GO, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT IT WOULD RETURN.
'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S TWO BITS OF INFORMATION THAT, THAT NO, BUT MY POINT IS THAT I KNOW THAT'S YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND I, I AM TAKING IT UNDER ADVISEMENT, BUT MY QUESTION IS, COULD IT NOT JUST COME BACK TO COMMISSION WITH THOSE TWO PIECES OF INFORMATION INCORPORATED INTO IT, AND THEN WE COULD JUST VOTE ON THAT? UM, I BELIEVE YOU CAN, UM, HOWEVER, WITHOUT KNOWING EXACTLY, UM, WHAT IT IS THAT YOU CAN SPEND IT ON, AND ALSO, WOULDN'T YOU WANT THE NORTH BEACH CRA TO WEIGH IN ON THIS? BUT COULDN'T THEY DO THAT BETWEEN NOW AND, AND CALENDAR? I THINK SO.
AND OF COURSE I WANT NORTH BEACH TO FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO GET THEIR INPUT ON THIS.
BUT I WOULD PREFER NOT TO DELAY IT BY AN EXTRA MONTH.
SO IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND BRING IT TO THE CRA BEFORE THE COMMISSION MEETING, THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING, MY, MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE LET'S JUST HANDLE IT THAT WAY.
UM, THIS MENTIONS A BID WAIVER AND I, AND SO I JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S A BID WAIVER, BUT WE'RE NOT WAIVING BIDS BECAUSE IS THIS A COMPANY THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PROCURED BY THE CITY? THAT'S CORRECT.
THEY, AND ATTACHED TO THE ITEM IS THE ACTUAL BREAKDOWN OF COST FROM THE PROPOSAL.
IT'S A LINE ITEM BREAKDOWN WITH THE, SO RATHER THAN TREATING THIS AS A BID WAIVER, CAN'T WE TREAT THIS AS AN EXPANSION OF THE CONTRACT THAT THE COMPANY ALREADY HAS SO THAT IT'S NOT A BID WAIVER? I KNOW, ARE THEY PART OF A POOL IS A COMPANY THAT DOES THIS PART OF A POOL THAT WE CAN TAP INTO? MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I'M NOT THE PROCUREMENT EXPERT HERE, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS BASED ON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, IT FALLS UNDER A DIFFERENT BUCKET OF A BID WAIVER AS OPPOSED TO, UH, BEING
[02:35:01]
ELIGIBLE FOR A CONTRACT AMENDMENT BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT.WELL, THERE'S A BID WAIVER TO BE DONE.
I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS A BID WAIVER TO BE DONE BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY, IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE GOING OUT AND JUST TAPPING A COMPANY THAT'S NEVER DONE WORK FOR THE CITY.
THIS IS A COMPANY THAT HAS ALREADY DONE WORK FOR THE CITY, I WOULD IMAGINE THROUGH YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE, THIS COMPANY NOT ONLY DID WORK, THEY ALSO, UH, WERE WON THIS BID COMPETITIVELY.
AND THIS IS THE EXACT SAME PROCESS THAT WE DID FOR THOSE WASHINGTON AAV LIGHTS.
SO, WHICH INCLUDED NOT ONLY FAVOR RECOMMENDATION, BUT THE BID WAIVER, I WOULD WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, AGAIN, JUST FOR PURPOSES OF OPTICS AND TRANSPARENCY, THAT, THAT THAT'S EXPLAINED PROPERLY.
IN THE MEMO RIGHT NOW, IT JUST MENTIONS A BID WAIVER, BUT IT DOESN'T MENTION THE FACT, THE HISTORY THAT THIS WAS INDEED, IN FACT, IT COMPETITIVELY BID, UH, CONTRACT AND THAT THERE WAS, UH, AN, AN AWARD DONE THROUGH A TRANSPARENT PROCESS.
SO THAT JUST COULD BE EXPLAINED PROPERLY IN THE CONTRACT, IN THE, IN THE MEMORANDUM.
SO I THINK NOW WE WOULD HAVE IT RETURNING TO COMMISSION WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE FY 26 BUDGET PROCESS.
THE INSTALLATION OF WRAPAROUND LIGHTS, UH, WRAP, I'M SORRY, WRAPAROUND PALM TREE LIGHTS, UH, AS AMENDED LOCATIONS WITH, WITH A BID WAIVER AND FOR INFO AND INFORMATION, UH, ON THE, EXPAND ON THE COST OF THE EXPANDED LOCATIONS AND INPUT FROM THE NORTH BEACH CRA, UH, ADVISORY BOARD ON FUNDING AND THAT I'M A CO-SPONSOR.
UH, YOU'RE MAKING THAT MOTION.
CAN WE GET EVERYONE I'LL JOIN US A CO-SPONSOR TOO, KRISTEN, WE CAN DO, SURE.
I THINK, UM, JASON, YOU AND I CAN SPEAK OFFLINE, BUT WE MAY NEED A REFERRAL TO THE CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEE SO THAT THEY CAN RETURN A, A RECOMMENDATION BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
AND ACTUALLY IT WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CRA BOARD.
I I CAN, I CAN MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION.
WELL, AS CHAIR CAN I DO THAT? SO WE'LL, WE'LL CHANGE IT FROM INPUT TO REFERRAL TOO.
WE NEED A REFERRAL TO THE NORTH BCRA COMMITTEE.
AND WE'LL BE SHOWING, UH, COMMISSIONER ROSA GONZALEZ, FERNANDEZ BOT, AND SUAREZ BEING ADDED AS CO-SPONSORS AND FERNANDEZ MM-HMM
AND WE'LL SHOW COMMISSIONER, UH, WHO, WHO, COMMISSIONER BOT.
YOU'RE MAKING THAT MOTION? YEP.
UM, OUR CFO SAYS THIS IS GONNA BE A QUICK ITEM MB
[NB 4. DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL INSTALLATION OF SPEED TABLES ON 47TH STREET IN ORDER TO REDUCE TRAFFIC SPEEDS AND INCREASE ROAD SAFETY.]
FOUR.MB FOUR, DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL INSTALLATION OF SPEED TABLES ON 47TH STREET IN ORDER REDUCE TRAFFIC SPEEDS AND INCREASE SAFETY.
AND B FOUR BEFORE WHAT? I MOVE IT BEFORE.
AND THEN BEFORE, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, JUST BE INFORMED THAT OUR, OUR, UH, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE IS REQUESTED TO BE ADDED AS A SPONSOR.
I'LL SECOND I'LL, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
WE'LL SHOW THE ITEM RETURN TO COMMISSION WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO IMPLEMENT THE ADMINISTRATION'S, UH, RECOMMENDATION.
SO I'LL TURN AS A COSPONSOR THERE.
I LIKE THAT, THAT AREA HAS A LOT OF CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC.
WE'RE GOING BACK TO BEING THE KUMBAYA, KUMBAYA, DON'T THE KUMBAYA COMMITTEE.
SO I GUESS NOW THAT WE'RE ON, UM, BEAUTIFYING, UH, HOW ABOUT WE DO OB ONE DISCUSS BEAUTIFYING WASHINGTON AVENUE FINANCING, LIGHTING AND STREETSCAPING ON WASHINGTON AVENUE.
[OB 1. DISCUSS BEAUTIFYING WASHINGTON AVENUE BY ENHANCING LIGHTING AND STREETSCAPING ON WASHINGTON AVENUE]
OB ONE, DISCUSS BEAUTIFYING WASHINGTON AVENUE BY ENHANCED ENHANCING LIGHTING AND STREETSCAPING ON WASHINGTON AVENUE.OB ONE, UH, COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ, YOUR ITEM.
UM, WAIT, JAY
I THINK THAT BOTH COMMISSIONER BOT AND COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW OUR PRESENTATION ON THE NEW SIDEWALKS, UM, THAT WE HAVE ICONIC SIDEWALKS USING PAVERS.
UM, YES, WE HAVE A WHOLE PRESENTATION.
AND I MEAN, I THINK OVERALL THAT WHEN, AS WE BEGIN TO REPAVE WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL NEW ICONIC DESIGN THAT WE EVENTUALLY CHOOSE, ARE WE BEING ASKED TO CHOOSE A DESIGN TODAY, JAY? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE WAY THIS WAS WRITTEN, WE WERE CONSIDERING SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF SIDEWALK MATERIALS, BUT I THINK THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS TO USE THE LIGHTING THAT THEY DESIGNED, WHICH KIND OF RINGS PALM TREES.
SO THROUGH, UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, THE, I WAS GONNA PIGGYBACK ON EXACTLY WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THE PRESENTATION.
THAT WAS DONE BY, UH, CALVIN GIORDANO AND ASSOCIATES AT THE OCEAN DRIVE.
UM, THEY DID PRESENT BOTH LIGHTING.
THEY PRESENTED A NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVES AS FAR AS THE SIDEWALK GOES.
[02:40:01]
WHICH ONE TODAY? OR WHAT'S KIND OF DIRECTION DO WE NEED TO GIVE? HONESTLY, THAT'S NOT MY, MY ASK WHEN, WHAT'S EXPLAINED IN THE, IN THE MEMORANDUM IS, OKAY, IF YOU DO RED SIDEWALKS, IT'S X.IF WE ADD A LITTLE MORE, IT'S Y WE CAN GO ALL THE WAY UP AND SPEND $9 MILLION IF YOU WANT THE TAJ MAHAL OF SIDEWALKS ALONG WASHINGTON AVENUE.
WHAT, UM, I THINK WAS ALLUDED TO IN THE PRESENTATION FOR WASHINGTON FOR OCEAN DRIVE WAS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS BETWEEN THE BLOCKS THAT LOOKED AT HOW DO WE HIGHLIGHT THOSE ON THE INTERSECTIONS THERE.
I DON'T WANNA SAY PLAIN JANE, BUT IT'S REALLY UTILITARIAN.
AND THE APPROACH THAT WAS TAKEN WAS TO HIGHLIGHT BETWEEN THE INTERSECTIONS IN A CONVERSATION WITH TROY WRIGHT AND HE WAS HERE EARLIER.
UM, THE WASHINGTON BID DOES HAVE THEIR OWN, UM, PRESENTATION AND IT WILL BE COMING THROUGH THE NEXT COMMISSION TO, I BELIEVE, NEIGHBORHOOD'S REFERRAL FOR THEIR AREAS WHERE THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE ENHANCED AND THROUGH SOME DESIGNS THAT THEY'RE CONTEMPLATING WHAT THE ASK REALLY IS.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF TIMES AT THIS COMMITTEE, DIFFERENT, UH, TREATMENTS, DIFFERENT SIDEWALKS, DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
WHAT WE'D REALLY LIKE TO DO IS BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE WASHINGTON BID SO THAT WE CAN WORK WHERE THEY WANT TO ENHANCE, TO ENHANCE CERTAIN SIDEWALK AREAS, UM, AND THEN REALLY BE ABLE TO TRY AND GET ALONG OR MOVE THIS PROJECT ALONG SO THAT IT GETS DONE IN TIME FOR THE, THE GAMES THAT ARE COMING NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND THAT'S THE WASHINGTON BID SCHOOL.
UM, BUT THERE ARE A FEW ITEMS THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO, UM, PROBABLY DESIGN MINIMALLY AS FAR AS A DA COMPLIANCE.
THERE'S SOME DRAINAGE ON SOME OF THE SIDEWALKS BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY LOWER THAN THE STREET LEVEL.
UM, SO I REALLY DON'T WANT, UH, TO CHOOSE SOMETHING TODAY.
SO HOW LONG, HOW LONG DO YOU NEED? OKAY, SO HERE WOULD BE, THIS WOULD BE MY MOTION.
UM, DO YOU NEED MORE THAN A MONTH? DO YOU NEED TWO MONTHS TO NEGOTIATE WITH WATCH TO, TO SIT DOWN WITH THE BID AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY'RE RECOMMENDING AS QUICK AS THE BID CAN GET IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION TO PRESENT THEIR VIEW AND VISIONS AND SORT OF THEIR, UM, ASK AS FAR AS THE COST WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, BECAUSE ALL OF THAT'S COMING OUTTA THAT GL BOND POCKET FOR $10 MILLION.
SO THEN I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU SIT DOWN WITH THE BID, SHOW THEM ALL THE PATTERNS.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE HAD TO GO AND THEN COME BACK TO US WHEN YOU'VE PICKED SOMETHING THAT YOU LIKE WITH THE BUDGET AND UH, WITH THE LIGHTING.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE, AND I THINK HE, YOU WILL, THIS NEW STUDY THAT WE COMMISSIONED, BECAUSE NOW WE KNOW WHICH SIDEWALK MATERIAL IS BEST.
WE FOUND OUT THAT IT'S PAVERS.
WE COULD DESIGN THE PAVERS AND THEN FROM THERE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, BRING IT TO THE HPB SO THAT THEY CAN ALSO OPINE.
BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE TO DEFINING FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE, IT'S GOING TO BE ICONIC, IT IS GOING TO BE UNIQUE.
IT'S GONNA SET THEM APART IN TERMS OF SIDEWALKS.
ONCE YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, THE NEW LIGHTING DOWN THE CENTER, THE LIGHTING, UM, ON THE PALM TREES AND THESE BRAND NEW SIDEWALKS, IT IS GOING TO BRAND WASHINGTON AVENUE AND SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE CARE ABOUT OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS, THAT WE CARE ABOUT PRESERVATION.
AND THIS INVESTMENT IS GOING TO GO A LONG WAY.
PUTTING OUR, YOU KNOW, MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND JUST, YOU KNOW, WALKING THE WALK INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT IT.
AND THIS WILL BE OUR FIRST SERIOUS IN INVESTMENT IN WASHINGTON AVENUE OF THE FIRST OF WHAT I HOPE ARE MANY SERIOUS, SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS ACROSS OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN MIAMI BEACH AFTER MANY YEARS OF WHAT I THINK WAS A MANAGED DECLINE AND NEGLECT.
YEAH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT AN ITEM I BELIEVE COMING UP ON THE APRIL AGENDA, UM, ABOUT DOING, YOU KNOW, CONTEMPLATING DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS FOR NORTH BEACH AS WELL, AND NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME PATTERN THAT GETS SELECTED, BUT, AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S PAYING FOR IT.
BECAUSE THERE'S SOME QUESTION ABOUT IS IT CRA, IS IT POTENTIALLY THE CRA, IS IT FDOT? IS IT THE CITY? WE NEED TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE DOCUMENTS FLOATING AROUND THAT ARE BEING REVIEWED, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AS WE LOOK AT COSTS, UM, THERE IS, YOU KNOW, IT WON'T BE NECESSARILY INSTALLATION 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE AT A DIFFERENT TIMEFRAME.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE THE WALKTHROUGH ON, ON COLLINS AVENUE GOING FROM 63RD UP TO 75TH, AND WE KNOW THAT THE SAME CONDITIONS EXIST OF PROBLEMS. AND SO IF THERE'S AN, AN ECONOMY OF SCALE THAT THEY GET LOOKED AT, EVALUATED AND ADDRESSED AT THE SAME TIME, MAYBE NOT EXECUTED AT THE SAME TIME, BUT THE, THE ENGINEERING WORK HAPPENS AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, AND WHEN PEOPLE FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO BUY TO IMPLEMENT THE, THE PAPERS, LIKE LET'S THINK ABOUT IT AGAIN HOLISTICALLY SO THAT WE'RE NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE VENDOR DOESN'T COME BACK AND SAY, OH, I WISH YOU HAD TOLD ME THIS
[02:45:01]
A YEAR AGO 'CAUSE I WOULD'VE DONE THE WORK AT THE SAME TIME FOR HALF THE COST BECAUSE THAT WOULD MAKE ME VERY SAD.UM, AND IT'S NOT GOOD FOR OUR BUDGET CONCERNS THAT WE KNOW WE'RE FACING.
SO WAIT, WAIT TILL WE HAVE A RESIDENTIAL IN WASHINGTON AVENUE.
UM, SO THIS IS BEFORE US TODAY.
IS THIS, THE TIMELINE FOR THIS WAS, WAS DID THE CITY HAVE A PROGRAM TO MOVE WITH THIS NOW? UH, EXPLAIN THAT TO ME.
THERE, THERE, THERE'S NO NECESSARILY PROGRAM.
THIS IS BEING FUNDED THROUGH THE GEO BOND PROJECT, THE GEO.
SO WE HAVE THE FUNDING FOR IT.
AND LET ME ASK YOU THIS BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA, AS, AS COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, UH, MENTIONED, THERE'S THE WASHINGTON AVENUE RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT.
AND IN THE PAST, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, THE BEACH WALK, THE BEACH WALK DIDN'T ALWAYS LOOK AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT DOES NOW.
UM, SOME WOULD SAY BEFORE IT LOOKED MORE BEAUTIFUL, I THINK IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL NOW, BUT IT WAS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS WITH THE HISTORICAL TELLS WHERE THEY CAME IN AND THEY DID THEIR PORTION OF THE BEACH WALK AS THEY WERE IMPROVING THE HOTELS.
AND THEN THE CITY CAME IN AND DID FILLED THE GAPS BETWEEN THEM.
IN FACT, MAYOR BAUER, UH, WAS A BIG PART OF THAT.
UH, THE HISTORY OVER, OVER TIME, UM, WITH WASHINGTON AVENUE, WITH THE RESIDENTIAL INCENTIVES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE OR THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO TO, TO PUT IN PLACE DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US TO USE ALL OF OUR GLB DOLLARS WHEN WE MIGHT POTENTIALLY BE ABLE TO GET PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT TO HELP COVER SOME OF THIS COST.
NO, YOU'RE COMMISSIONER, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LOOK TO DO, AND I'M SURE THE BID WOULD BE FEEL THE SAME WAY, IS LOOK AT WHERE THOSE PLANNED OR PROGRAMMED DEVELOPMENTS THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN.
AND WE SKIP, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THAT BLOCK SO THAT WHEN THEY DO REDEVELOP IT, IT TAKES CARE OF THE INITIAL INSTALLATION COST RATHER THAN PUTTING IT IN AND THEY EITHER HAVE TO REDO IT OR RIP IT UP IN YEAH.
INCORPORATING IT AS PART OF THE WORK THAT THEY NEED TO DO.
UH, SO THAT, SO THAT WE GET TO SAVE SOME OF THAT, SOME OF THAT MONEY.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE, AND IT'S RELATED TO THIS BECAUSE IT RELATES TO WASHINGTON AVENUE, BUT IT GOES BACK TO THE INVESTMENTS WE MAKE ON WASHINGTON AVENUE USING THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS.
BUT MAKING SURE THAT, THAT AS WE ARE USING THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS, THAT WE'RE SEEING A MEANINGFUL IMPROVEMENT ON WASHINGTON AVENUE.
AND TO ME THAT MEANINGFUL IMPROVEMENT MEANS THAT NUISANCE USES, THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST ON WASHINGTON AVENUE ARE BEING PHASED OUT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE STAFF TO DO IS THAT AS THOSE NUISANCE USES CLOSE UP, WE SHOULD BE NOTIFIED OF IT BECAUSE I, I REALLY DO WANNA SAY WE JUST INVESTED ON THE LIGHTS AND THE LIGHTS ARE GREAT, BUT I HAD AN ISSUE OF USING THE TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS TO INVEST IN A STREET WHERE I DID NOT FEEL THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS WERE COMING FORWARD AND BEING GOOD PROPERTY OWNERS, THAT THEY'VE BEEN BRINGING IN BAD TENANTS THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE AILMENTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIX IN OUR CITY.
SO AS WE MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS, I WANNA KNOW, I WANNA BE GETTING UPDATES AS TO WHAT CHANGES THE CITY IS MAKING CHANGES TO IMPROVE THE STREET, BUT WHAT CHANGES ARE THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS DOING TO IMPROVE THE STREETS? ARE THEY GETTING RID OF THE BAD USES THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE CRIME AND THE ISSUES WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST? 'CAUSE THAT IS GONNA BE SHAPING A LOT OF MY DECISIONS ON THE INVESTMENTS THAT I, UH, COMMIT MY VOTE TO IN THE FUTURE AS IT RELATES TO, TO WASHINGTON AVENUE.
UM, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, WOULD YOU BE MORE, AND I'VE WALKED THE BLOCKS BETWEEN LINCOLN ROAD AND 15TH STREET AND THEY ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF AN UPGRADE.
WHY DON'T WE START THERE AND JUST DO THOSE TWO BLOCKS WITH THIS NEW ICONIC DESIGN.
IT'LL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE EVER DONE IT.
THAT'S NOT GONNA BE SO EXPENSIVE.
THAT WAY WE CAN SEE WHAT THE LIGHTING LOOKS LIKE.
WE CAN SEE WHAT THE PAPERS LOOK LIKE.
IT'S NOT THE ENTIRE STREET BUT AT LEAST WE'RE FIXING SOMETHING THAT IS RIGHT NOW, NOT JUST BLIGHTED, BUT I WOULD SAY DANGEROUS IN MANY PLACES.
BECAUSE AS I WALK DOWN THAT PORTION OF WASHINGTON, THERE IS A LOT OF UNEVEN MATERIAL THAT NEEDS TO GET FIXED.
AND THIS COULD BE, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO BEAUTIFY A BLOCK THAT MOST PEOPLE SAY IS WHERE CRIME IS COMMITTED.
WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S AN INTERSECTION THAT DOES NEED HELP.
SO WHY DON'T WE JUST START THERE AND DO THOSE TWO BLOCKS FROM LINCOLN ROAD TO 15TH? THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE SHOULD START.
DO TWO BLOCKS, TWO BLOCKS, EAST AND WEST, AND THEN COME BACK TO US, SIT DOWN WITH A BID, AND THAT'S REASONABLE.
[02:50:01]
OR THREE DESIGNS AND LET'S START THERE.BUT, BUT JUST DOESN'T, THE LINCOLN ROAD EAST PROPOSAL CONTEMPLATE GETTING RID OF, UH, NOT GETTING RID OF IT, BUT CLOSING OFF WASHINGTON AVENUE THROUGH IT CONTEMPLATES CLOSING OFF LINCOLN ROAD BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND COLLINS.
SO I DON'T WANNA PUT IN PAVERS ON BETWEEN.
WELL, IT WOULDN'T, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD START ON LINCOLN ROAD, CORRECT? I DON'T THINK IT'LL BE AFFECTED, I THINK.
YOU DON'T THINK SO? NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK, I THINK IT JIVES ALL.
SO THEN MY MOTION IS TO DO THE TWO BLOCKS, 17TH TO 15TH, COME BACK NEXT MONTH.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT A BIG THING WITH A COUPLES.
AFTER YOU SPEAK WITH TROY, COME BACK WITH A FEW OPTIONS FOR US TO LOOK AT THAT WE CAN CHOOSE FROM.
UM, AND BRING IT BACK TO, DO YOU WANNA BRING IT BACK TO FINANCE OR DO YOU WANNA REFER THE TWO BLOCKS? JUST MY MOTION WOULD BE TO JUST REFER THEM TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT THE WHOLE STREET, IT'S JUST TWO BLOCKS.
AND LET THE WHOLE COMMISSION DECIDE.
I MEAN, I WOULD SAY, I HONESTLY, I, I WOULD GO, IF WE'RE GONNA GO UP TO 17TH, WHAT I WOULD DO RATHER THAN 17TH, I WOULD DO LINCOLN ROAD SOUTH.
IS THAT, SO DO LINCOLN TO THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING, LINCOLN TOO.
IT GOES LINCOLN 16TH, 15TH, RIGHT? YEAH, I WOULDN'T GO, I WOULDN'T GO NORTH.
THAT'S 15TH TO LINCOLN, RIGHT.
AND I WOULD GIVE, UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO THE APRIL COMMISSION MEETING, GIVING US, UM, A FEW, UH, THE DESIGN THAT WE CAN, UM, PICK.
I, I THINK, UM, I I, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO COME BACK TO FINANCE, UH, CONSIDERING THAT OUR CHAIR IS NOT HERE, EAST WEST, AND SO THAT WAY HE CAN AT LEAST CHIME IN ON IT.
I, I'M, I'M OKAY WITH REFERRING IT BACK TO FINANCE AND, AND DOING IT.
BECAUSE, UH, LET ME EXPLAIN WHY.
UM, BECAUSE FINANCE IS ABOUT LOOKING AT THE AMOUNTS, AND WE WILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND FRANKLY, WE GO IN CIRCLES AND CIRCLES, AND THIS IS ONLY TWO BLOCKS.
I KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA BEAUTIFY.
I KNOW HOW, HOW WORRIED YOU ARE ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY IN THAT AREA.
THIS IS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO BEAUTIFY.
IT'S TWO BLOCKS, THE EAST AND WEST SIDE OF THE AVENUE.
SO MY MOTION WOULD BE TO REFER IT TO BACK TO THE COMMISSION WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT.
IF, IF I, SO IT'S THE RETURN TO THE COMMISSIONER OF THE FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION OF DIRECT ADMIN ADMINISTRATION TO IMPLEMENT SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS ON WASHINGTON AVENUE FROM LINCOLN ROAD THE 15TH.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THE MATERIALS ARE GONNA BE YET.
WE HAD A, UM, PRESENTATION AT AN OCEAN DRIVE MEETING.
UM, MOST OF US WERE PRESENT, BUT NOT HERE.
YOU CAN GET A BRIEFING IN THE INTERIM FROM JAY AND EVERYONE ELSE.
WE SPENT, WE ACTUALLY, IT WAS A GREAT STUDY THAT YOU SHOULD REALLY SEE.
BUT IT WASN'T A SUNSHINE MEETING.
WHAT THE CITY DID WAS VET ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SIDEWALK MATERIALS.
IT WAS, IT WAS A SUNSHINE MEETING.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY, YOU CAN HAVE, YOU CAN READ THE COPY OF THE REPORT, UH, BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.
SO I, I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ WAS AT, WAS THERE.
SO IT WAS COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, UM, AND PARDON? I WAS THERE.
NO, COMMISSIONER BOT WAS THERE.
AND, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE ALREADY DETERMINED VIA THE STUDY, WHICH IS THE MOST RESILIENT TYPE OF SIDEWALKS THAT WE CAN DISPLAY.
AND THE BEAUTY OF THESE SIDEWALKS IS THAT NOT ONLY ARE THEY INTERCHANGEABLE, BUT, UM, THEY'RE SUPER RESILIENT.
AND IT'S KIND OF THE SAME MATERIAL THAT WE'RE USING ON THE BEACH WALK ONLY.
THEY HAVE DIFFERENT ICONIC DESIGNS THAT WE CAN CHOOSE FROM.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE NOT DOING THE, UM, STREET CORNERS, WE'RE JUST DOING SIDEWALKS IN BETWEEN THE STREET CORNERS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE ALL THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AND ALL OF THE OTHER STUFF IS.
SO I DON'T SEE WHY WE REALLY NEED TO, UM, OKAY.
IS THERE SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? I, I'M SORRY.
YOU KNOW, DON'T EVER INVITE ME HERE AGAIN.
UH, UH, I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA.
AND I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT LEONARD HARROW WOODS THAT CAME WITH BARBARA KAMAN DID TWO BLOCKS.
I THINK IT WAS TWO BLOCKS ALSO.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN ONE, BUT I THINK IT WAS TWO, TO SHOW HOW, AND WE USED TO HAVE A PICTURE.
WE DID, UM, GAVE MONEY TO THE PEOPLE THAT RENTED OR OWNED THIS THING TO RENOVATE THE FACADE FACADE RENOVATION.
I REMEMBER ALL THIS FACADE RENOVATION.
AND WHEN THE PEOPLE SAW HOW IT CHANGED THE STREET BY DOING THAT, AND THEY WERE ALL
[02:55:01]
DIFFERENT AND ALL VERY NICELY.PEOPLE GOT VERY IN INTO, AND LYNN, UH, BERNSTEIN WAS THE ONE THAT WAS WORKING WITH US THEN AT, UM, MIAMI BEACH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WENT AND SOLD IT TO EVERYBODY.
SO PEOPLE DO GET IN VERY ENTHUSED AND PEOPLE DO BETTER WHEN THEY ARE DRESSED IN CODE.
AND THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN THE STREET CHANGES AND THEY SEE THEY'RE VERY VISUAL.
UH, WELL, I THINK YOU IN A PILOT STORE, I THINK YOU SOLD ME, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU PICK ONE DESIGN OR NOT.
WELL, I GUESS THAT MOVES ME, SO I I'LL BE IN FAVOR AS WELL.
AND I, I TALKED TO PUBLIC WORKS OF MAYOR BAUER TO GET HERE.
AND WE, WHEN THIS COMES TO COMMISSION THAT SOME OF THAT SPEC SURE.
HASHING UP THE SPECIFICITY WE'LL HAVE.
SO WE'LL SHOW, MEET WITH THE BID AND JUST SEND IT TO THE FULL COMMISSION WITH CHOICES.
I SHOW COMMISSIONER ROSA GONZALEZ MAKING THE MOTION.
SO, UH, LET'S, LET'S CLEAR UP SOME MORE BEAUTIFYING MIAMI BEACH, UM, WITH SOME TREES OF WHICH WE'RE ALL, WE'RE ALL, UM, IN FAVOR OF.
[NB 7. REFERRAL TO THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS/TAKE ACTION TO FUND EXPANDING THE NORTH BEACH TREE PLANTING PILOT PROGRAM TO ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACES LOCATED AT 78TH, 79TH, AND 80TH STREETS OR OTHER POTENTIAL LOCATIONS.]
[NB 10. FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND TAKING ACTION ON THE FAVORABLE PUBLIC SAFETY NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO EXPAND THE TREE CANOPY IN NORTH BEACH THROUGH A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY FIRM FOR TWO (2) MAIN THOROUGHFARES SUCH AS ABBOTT AVE OR DICKENS AVE AND EXPLORE PARK VIEW ISLAND WITH ASSOCIATED FUNDING.]
[NB 11. REFERRAL TO THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS THE APPROPRIATE MECHANISM TO FUND A TRANSFORMATIVE TREE CANOPY PROJECT IN TARGETED AREAS THROUGHOUT MIAMI BEACH.]
MULTIPLE ITEMS UP THAT, THAT'S BEEN UP YOU JUST MENTIONED THEY'RE ALL SORT OF SIMILAR.ITEM ITEM SEVEN, 10, AND 11 WERE NOTED TO BE LINKED AND WOULD BE HEARD, UH, TOGETHER.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE ME A MOMENT AS I READ THEM INTO THE RECORD.
MB SEVEN, REFERRAL TO THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS, TAKE ACTION TO FUND EXPANDING THE NORTH BEACH TREE PLANNING PILOT PROGRAM, UH, TO ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACES LOCATED AT 78TH, 79TH, AND 80TH STREETS OR OTHER POTENTIAL LOCATIONS.
THAT'S MB SEVEN, UH, MB 10, FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE.
UH, DISCUSSION TO TAKE ACTION ON THE FAVORABLE PUBLIC SAFETY NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO EXPAND THE TREE CANOPY NORTH BEACH THROUGH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY FIRM FOR TWO MAIN THOROUGHFARES, SUCH AS ABBOTT AVENUE OR DICKENS AVENUE.
AND EXPLORE PARKVIEW ISLAND WITH ASSOCIATED FUNDING MB 10.
AND THEN MB 11, REFERRAL TO THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS THE APPROPRIATE MECHANISM OF, TO FUND A TRANS TRANSFORMATIVE TREE CANOPY PROJECT IN TARGETED AREAS, UH, THROUGHOUT MIAMI BEACH MB 11.
OKAY, SO, SO I THINK WE HAVE MULTIPLE SPONSORS ON THIS.
WE HAVE THE TREE CANOPY IN NORTH NORTH BEACH, EXPANDING IT THROUGH MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH.
NB 10, WE HAVE NB SEVEN, UH, EXPANDING THE PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE, UM, THE PLANTERS IN NORTH BEACH.
AND THEN WE HAVE NB 11 THAT'S GENERALLY EVERYWHERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT, SO THESE ITEMS WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH EACH OTHER.
AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, WE HAVE LARGE PORTIONS OF OUR CITY THAT HAVE NO TREES AND SHADING WHATSOEVER.
AND IT'S COSTLY TO DRILL THROUGH THE CONCRETE AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO PLANT TREES SO PEOPLE HAVE SHADE.
NOW, WE DID DO A PILOT PROGRAM IN ON 78TH AND 79TH BEFORE WE EVEN, AND I'M NOT SEEDING MY TIME, I'M JUST ASKING A QUESTION.
HOW ARE THOSE TREES DOING THAT WE PLANTED ON 78TH? I MEAN, ARE THEY THRIVING? ARE THEY SURE WE ACTUALLY HAVE PHOTOS, UM, FOR YOU? AND WE SURE WE CAN SHOW THEM.
SO WE TRIED TO PLANT ON OUR OWN WITH THE CITY.
AND I'M, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEY DIDN'T LOOK GREAT, BUT IT WASN'T REALLY WHAT WE, WHAT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING IN TERMS OF TRANSFORMATIVE PLANTING.
AND WE KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO TRANSFORM IT, WE NEED LIKE $15 MILLION.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT $15 MILLION IS NOT EVEN ENOUGH MONEY.
THERE'S YOUR ITEM COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, WHICH IS A FEASIBILITY STUDY, WHICH IS, I GUESS THE INITIAL STUDY THAT WE WOULD NEED.
AND THEN THERE'S THE ITEM OF ACTUALLY PUTTING SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT AND ASKING OUR RESIDENTS TO VOTE FOR TREES AND SHADE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
DO WE NEED TO, BECAUSE WE NEED, LIKE WE'RE SAYING 15 MILLION FOR TREES.
I WOULD TELL YOU THAT A FEASIBILITY STUDY IS GONNA COME BACK AND SAY THAT WE NEED $30 MILLION TO GREEN THIS AREA.
WHY DO WE WANNA GREEN THE AREA COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ? BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK, I'M QUESTION THAT I'M QUESTION BETWEEN, OH, YOU'RE NOT, NOT QUESTIONING.
IT'S JUST SO EXPENSIVE TO DO ONE PARKING GARAGE.
BUT WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE ON A BALLOT? YEAH, I WOULD, WELL, I MEAN, IF YOU CAN, BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO BOND OUT MONEY FOR THIS.
I THINK THAT WE ACTUALLY NEED TO ISSUE A DEBT UNLESS YOU CAN FIND, YOU KNOW, THE 15 OR $30 MILLION WE HAVE, ALL OF OUR OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE UNDERFUNDED RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE COMPLETELY UNDERFUNDED.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO, TO PRETEND LIKE WE'RE GONNA FIND THE MONEY WHEN EVERY OTHER, WHEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL OF OUR PAY GO.
FUNDS ARE GONNA HAVE TO BE USED TO FUND ALL THESE OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE.
I THINK TREES NEED THEIR OWN, IF YOU WANT TRANSFORMATION, THEN IT NEEDS TO BE
[03:00:01]
ITS OWN SERIOUS FUNDING MECHANISM AND IT'S GONNA BE EXPENSIVE.WHAT, HOW MUCH OF IS THAT? THAT'S NOT FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
THAT'S JUST FOR THAT ONE AREA OF NORTH BEACH.
AND BEFORE, BEFORE YOU ANSWER THAT, AMY, UM, I'D LIKE TO VOTE TO EXTEND THE MEETING FOR ANOTHER 15 MINUTES.
'CAUSE I WAITED SIX MONTHS TO GET THESE TREE ITEMS. HER TREES ARE NOT SEXY.
THERE'S NO BUILDING INVOLVED, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY INVOLVED.
THE ONLY THING INVOLVED WITH TREE, WE'RE VOTING.
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO EXTEND THE MEETING.
AND SO I WOULD PROPOSE THAT, I MEAN, THAT WE PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND, AND WE DID, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR YEARS, 78TH AND 79TH STREET, WHEN WE DON'T SPEND SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO CUT THROUGH THE CONCRETE TO PLANT THE TREES, WHAT WE GOT WAS KIND OF A MISHMASH.
AND IT IS SO EXPENSIVE BECAUSE IT WAS POORLY PLANNED.
AND THESE ARE AREAS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE CANOPY BUS THERE.
FIRST OF ALL, THERE IS ZERO TREE CANOPY.
WE HAVE SENIORS, A LOT OF OUR MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTS IN AFFLUENT AREAS.
THEY HAVE BEAUTIFUL TREE CANOPY AREAS.
BUT IN SOME OF OUR, YOU KNOW, MORE HUMBLE AREAS OF THE CITY, THERE ISN'T A TREE TO BE FOUND ANYWHERE.
AND COMMISSIONER INGS OUTSIDE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE DEDICATED TO.
I, I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE IS AGAINST THE TREES.
I I EVER, I MEAN, I SPONSORED AN ITEM, YOU SPONSORED AN ITEM.
UM, I THINK COMMISSIONER ADVISED SPONSOR.
I JUST DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE SHOCKED WHEN WE SAY, LET'S PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT, BECAUSE I REALLY DO THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
I DON'T, I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK WE SHOULD BE, I, I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO SET A PRECEDENT OF PUTTING PROJECTS ON A BALLOT TO BOND OUT.
I THINK LET'S FIND THE MONEY IN ANY WHICH WAY POSSIBLE.
UM, AND, AND, AND, AND MAKE IT HAPPEN THROUGH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH.
UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, LOOK, IF WE HAVE TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT A LITTLE BIT, LOOK, AND ANOTHER THING, WHEN YOU GO DOWN MERIDIAN AVENUE, THAT THAT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC STREETS IN, IN AMERICA.
I MEAN, IT, IT'S ALWAYS LIKE 15 DEGREES COOLER.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL DURING THE DAY.
IT'S EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL DURING THE NIGHT.
NORTH BEACH SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
UM, AND YOU KNOW, LO AND BEHOLD, THERE'S A HUGE PROJECT PENDING IN NORTH BEACH RIGHT NOW.
UH, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING, UH, LOOKING AT THIS, MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE FUNDED, UH, TO, TO, TO REALLY INVEST IN NORTH BEACH.
IF, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE SET TO, TO PUT A BIG PROJECT IN NORTH BEACH, THIS IS A, A FUNDAMENTAL, UH, GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY OF NORTH BEACH.
UM, JUST AN IDEA, BUT I, I DON'T THINK I'D, I'D BE IN FAVOR OF PUTTING ON A BALLOT.
I THINK THERE, THERE'S DEFINITELY MANY MORE WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM, ATTACK THIS APPROACH.
SO AMY, IF YOU CAN DISCUSS, UM, THERE, THERE'S THE PILOT PLANTERS, CORRECT.
IS WAS THAT AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM? 'CAUSE THE LAST YOU, YOU HAVE SOME PICTURES, RIGHT? SURE, SURE.
MAYBE WE, WE MAY PJ MAY, CAN WE SHOW THE PICTURES OF THE PILOT PLANTERS? SURE.
AND, AND GOOD AFTERNOON FOR A SENSE OF HISTORY TOO.
UM, THESE, UM, WE'RE KIND OF CALLING THEM TREE PITS.
UM, KIND OF, THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT BECAUSE NORMALLY YOU WOULDN'T JUST DIG A PIT IN THE GROUND AND PUT A TREE.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ WAS TRYING TO BE VERY INNOVATIVE AND JUST SEE LIKE, MIGHT THIS WORK BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO GIVE UP PARKING.
AND THAT IS KIND OF ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN NORTH BEACH IS THAT THE STREETS ARE VERY, UM, SMALL, THEY'RE VERY DENSE.
THERE'S A LOT OF BUILDINGS AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF OPEN SPACE.
AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SMALL SIDEWALKS THAT ARE BARELY WIDE ENOUGH FOR A DA REQUIREMENTS.
SO WE DID SOMETHING KIND OF INNOVATIVE.
SO PJ IF YOU WANNA SHOW THAT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE HOW THE TREES ARE DOING.
WE PLANTED SIX SATIN LEAVES IN SORT OF THE TRIANGULAR AREAS.
UM, UM, AT THE DIAGONAL PARKING PUBLIC WORKS DID THAT IN-HOUSE.
IT WAS, UM, A PRETTY BIG EFFORT FOR THEM.
THEY HAD TO TAKE A LOOK AND, AND, AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEY HAD TO, YOU KNOW, DO, CUT INTO THE CONCRETE, UM, CREATE ALL THE DIFFERENT MECHANISMS. SO IF YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE TREES.
THERE'S, UM, SIX IN THE GROUND.
AND IT'S HARD TO SEE THEM IN FRONT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, WITH THE WORDS.
WE WOULDN'T SAY THAT THEY'RE THRIVING.
IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.
AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE LOOKING A LITTLE SAD BECAUSE IT'S THE DRY SEASON.
IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE HOW THEY'RE DOING.
WE NEVER EXPECTED THESE TREES TO THRIVE AND BECOME REALLY NICE CANOPY TREES.
WHAT WE EXPECTED IS THEY WOULD PROVIDE SOME SHORT TERM VEGETATIVE RELIEF.
UM, SO IN, IN HOW THEY WERE PLANTED, WE THINK THEY'RE DOING ABOUT AS EXPECTED.
DO WE EXPECT THEM TO BE 15 YEAR BIG CANOPY TREES? PROBABLY NOT.
SO IF YOU WANT TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE VISIONARY THINKING,
[03:05:01]
I GUESS THE, THE NB 10 WHERE YOU HAVE THE TREE CANOPY IN NORTH BEACH.UM, THAT'S SOMETHING, NO, WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? IS THAT SO? SURE.
SO FOR THIS ONE HERE, ONE THE COMMISSIONER TO ASK, WE LOOK AT ANOTHER OPTION.
SO INSTEAD OF DOING THE TREE PITS, WE WOULD ACTUALLY DO THESE, BUT DOING UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE AND DOING LESS OF THEM.
SO THAT WAS ANOTHER PROPOSAL WE, WE ACTUALLY PUT THROUGH THE ITEM.
AND THAT WOULD BE ABOUT $180,000, UM, TO EXPAND WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE OR ADD MORE UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THAT WOULD BE LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS, BUT WE'D HAVE TO GIVE UP SOME PARKING.
SO THAT'S FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
SO WE GAVE A COUPLE OF OPTIONS AND HOW MANY TREES I HAVE TO LEAVE.
I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH THE TREE PIT IDEA, SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WAS A LITTLE BIT AWKWARD.
AND, UM, I DON'T THINK TRANSFORMATIVE ENOUGH.
I DON'T REALLY CARE IF YOU GUYS WANT TO DO THE TREAT PITS.
I'M ON BOARD FOR ANYTHING THAT WOULD ACTUALLY GREEN THE AREA A LITTLE BIT.
I'M ALSO IN FAVOR OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY.
UM, EVEN AFTER ALL OF THIS, I COULD SEE THAT YOU'RE NOT ON BOARD FOR THE BOND IDEA.
SO I WILL, UM, WE'LL FIND THE MONEY.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE TO PUT IT ON A BALLOT.
I AM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GONNA FIND THE MONEY.
I I, I, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WE PASSED, UM, AN ITEM TO PLANT SOME TREES IN A PARKING LOT THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE YET.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT ITEM IS IN THE PIPELINE.
THAT THE ITEM, UM, HAD BEEN HEARD, BUT IT WAS NOT.
I JUST THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE BORROWING MONEY OVER 20 TO 30 YEARS, UM, TO PLANT TREES, THAT MAY NOT EVEN LAST THAT LONG.
YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THEY DO, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WOULD, WOULD, I MEAN, USUALLY YOU WANT THAT MONEY FOR, FOR, UH, FOR HARD PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, ROADS, BUILDINGS, OUR, OUR, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM.
AND IF I THINK WE HAD, WE SHOULD EXTRA MONEY FOR THIS SHOULD, AND WE CAN LOOK, I MEAN, YOU CAN BRING IT BACK NEXT MONTH AND FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN FUND, I TELL YOU, JUST FOR PURPOSE OF $15 MILLION, TRANSPARENCY FOR PURPOSE.
THAT'S, THAT WOULD MY BE MY MOTION FOR, AND FOR PURPOSES OF TRANSPARENCY, PART OF THE REASON WHY I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS IS THAT I'M SEPARATELY WORKING WITH STAFF, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE ATTORNEYS AND LOOKING AT A HOUSING AFFORDABILITY BOND.
AND FOR ME, THAT'S LIKE SOMETHING THAT, THAT IS MORE IN ALIGNED WITH SOME OF OUR PRESSING NEEDS.
UH, I KNOW THE TREES ARE A PRESSING NEED, BUT I THINK WE HAVE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES THAT WE COULD USE FOR THE, INCLUDING GRANTS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR.
SO COULD MY MOTION ON THIS ITEM BE THAT IT COMES BACK NEXT MONTH AND JASON CAN FIND THE $15 MILLION FOR THE TRANSFORMATIVE TREE CANOPY? LIKE COMMISSIONER SUAREZ AND COMMISSIONER FERNAND? I THINK HE'S GONNA NEED MORE THAN A MONTH, TWO MONTHS.
I THINK HE IS GONNA NEED MORE THAN A MONTH.
MIGHT NEED MONEY SEEDS FOR THAT MONEY TREE VICE PBO.
SO JASON, CAN YOU START, UM, BUYING PRINTING INK FOR THE PRINTER IN THE BASEMENT SO WE CAN PRINT MONEY IF AGAIN, JUST TO, BUT, BUT I ACTUALLY HAVE A SERIOUS THING.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE ALL WANT TREES FOR A LOT OF VERY REAL REASONS LIKE IT, IT, THE COOLING MECHANISM AND WALKABILITY AND, YOU KNOW, NORTH BEACH HAS NO TREES EXCEPT UNTIL YOU GET TO THE PARK, BASICALLY.
UM, LITERALLY PARKVIEW ISLAND IS CALLED PARKVIEW ISLAND AND THERE'S NOTHING, THERE ARE NO TREES THERE EXCEPT FOR THE LITTLE TINY GREEN SPACE THAT WAS CREATED IN 2016 TRANSFORMED INTO THIS LOVELY PARK.
BUT THE, AND I THINK COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
AND, AND WE HAVE BIGGER, MORE PRESSING ISSUES.
WE HAVE PIPES THAT ARE FAILING.
80% OF OUR PIPES CITYWIDE ARE AT OR ABOUT TO BE AT FAIL AT FAILURE, GIVE OR TAKE, 75%, 80%.
UM, TREES ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR MANY, MANY REASONS, BUT I, I'M NOT SURE THAT I'M WILLING AT THIS POINT WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A TOUGH BUDGET YEAR, UM, TO SPEND 15 OR $30 MILLION FROM OUR BUDGET WHERE IT DOESN'T CURRENTLY EXIST TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING WHICH WILL HAVE TO TAKE AWAY PARKING FROM RESIDENTS IN NORTH BEACH, WHICH LEST ANYBODY FORGET, IT'S A DRAMA THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE.
I MEAN, WE'VE TRIED THIS, THIS PILOT PROGRAM THAT SEEMS TO BE WORKING OKAY, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH IT.
UM, WE'RE LOSING A PARKING GARAGE FOR A WHILE.
UM, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UP IN 87TH, UM, 78TH TO 87TH, ALL THE WAY IN THAT CORRIDOR, DON'T EVEN, YOU KNOW, CAN'T REALISTICALLY AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE PARKING GARAGES AT 72ND OR 67TH.
SO STREET PARKING, YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T WALK GREAT DISTANCES IS A HUGE ISSUE.
AND I'M, I'M REALLY CONCERNED THAT UNLESS WE LOOK AT THIS REALLY HOLISTICALLY, LIKE WHAT DOES IT DO TO PARKING? WHAT DOES IT DO TO TRANSIT MOBILITY? WHAT DOES IT DO TO, YOU KNOW, DOES IT HELP SPEED THINGS, UH, SLOW TRAFFIC DOWN? MAYBE IT'S A TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURE SOME WAY OR ANOTHER.
[03:10:01]
THIS POINT TO, TO JUST SAY, OKAY, LET'S GET TREES PLANTED.BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S SO MANY OTHER INTERRELATED ISSUES THAT WE WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING IT AT THIS POINT.
AND THERE ARE THREE ITEMS. AND I WOULD, I WOULD SAY LET'S DEFER IT FOR A MONTH OR TWO AND HAVE THEM KIND OF BE MERGED TOGETHER INTO ONE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE COULD DO.
HERE'S HOW IT'S GONNA AFFECT PARKING.
IT MIGHT HAVE THE BENEFIT OF SLOWING DOWN TRAFFIC WHERE PEOPLE ARE SPEEDING.
YOU KNOW, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO PROPERTY OWNERS AND SAY, WOULD YOU LIKE US TO PLANT A TREE ON YOUR LOT? BECAUSE THAT MIGHT BE AN OPTION.
THEY'RE NOT HUGE LOTS, BUT THEY'RE A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LITTLE YARDS AND A LOT OF THEM ARE PAVED OVER.
SO WHAT IF WE DID A COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM WITH PROPERTY OWNERS SAYING WE WILL, YOU KNOW, YOU PAY THE COST FOR THE TREE AND WE'LL PROVIDE THE LABOR, OR WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE.
AND THAT MIGHT BE AN OPTION, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE THERE YET.
SO HOW ABOUT JASON? UM, IF I CAN, 'CAUSE RIGHT, THERE'S A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT ARE RIGHT, THAT ARE HERE.
UH, IT DOESN'T GET SENSE TO CONSOLIDATE, RIGHT? WELL, YEAH.
THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S ONE ITEM.
IF, IF WANTED TO DO THE TREE PITS OF AROUND $180,000 TO PUT THIS IN, THE ONE IN WHICH I THINK YOU MIGHT BE LANDING ON IS, IS, IS THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS, I THINK IS THE 10TH ONE THAT YEAH.
SO IT WOULDN'T BE A MASTER PLAN, IT WOULD BE A FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS.
AND THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO YOUR, UM, ITEM COMMISSIONER SUAREZ TO BRING A MULTIDISCIPLINARY FIRM AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE WE CAN GET TREES.
IT BECOMES A TRANSPORTATION ISSUE.
IT BECOMES A RIGHT OF WAY ISSUE.
UM, SO IT'S A HOLISTIC APPROACH.
SO WE ESTIMATED ABOUT $250,000, WHICH COULD BE CONSIDERED FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS.
AND WE ARE LOOKING AT CERTAIN CORRIDORS BECAUSE THAT WAS YOUR REQUEST WAS TO LOOK AT THESE, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN AREAS.
AND THAT IS REALLY KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT THERE.
SO, SO, BUT THIS, THIS MIGHT BE A THING THAT WE COULD DEFER UNTIL WE KNOW WHO'S COMING ON BOARD FOR BLUE ZONES.
BECAUSE AGAIN, BLUE ZONES IS ALL ABOUT GREEN WALKING, SAFETY, PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY THAT ARE MORE USER FRIENDLY.
THIS IS DEEP IN THE WHEELHOUSE OF BLUE ZONES.
SO MAYBE THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO WOULD COME ON AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR THE COST OF THE STUDY, AND IF WE DO IT THIS MONTH VERSUS IN SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
YEAH, IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I'M OKAY WITH DEFERRING THIS FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
SO WE'LL SHOW, GET PLENTY OF TIME.
SO, SO WE'LL SHOW ALL THREE ITEMS WE'RE WE'RE HEARD, AND TO BE, UH, RETURNED IN SIX MONTHS.
WE'RE, WE'RE OUT OF TIME? UNLESS THERE'S AN EXTENSION.
UH, I THINK, UH, WE GOT ONE MORE MINUTE.
AND SO HOW ABOUT JUST FIVE MORE MINUTES.
I'D LIKE TO EXTEND THE MEETING.
JASON, WHAT WAS THAT, WHAT WERE THOSE THREE ITEMS THAT WERE CALLED? UH, SEVEN, 10 AND 11.
WHAT, UH, O OB OR NMB MB SEVEN, 10 AND 11 WE'RE GONNA SHOW US HERD AND WE'RE RETURN IN SIX MONTHS TIME.
AND THEN LET'S DO LAST BUT NOT
[NB 20. REFERRAL TO DISCUSS ADDING INFERTILITY TREATMENT AS A BENEFIT FOR PLAN PARTICIPANTS INSURED UNDER THE CITY’S SELF-FUNDED HEALTH PLAN]
LEAST, UH, NB 20.SO LEMME READ THAT IN NB NB 20 REFERRAL TO DISCUSS ADDING INFERTILITY TREATMENT AS A PLAN FOR, UH, BENEFIT FOR PLAN PARTICIPANTS INSURED UNDER THE CITY'S SELF-FUNDED HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
UM, I'M PROUD TO SPONSOR THIS ITEM 'CAUSE I BELIEVE IT TOUCHES ON SOMETHING THAT'S DEEPLY HUMAN AND THAT IS OUR ABILITY AS A CITY AND AS AN EMPLOYER TO SUPPORT THE DIGNITY AND THE DREAMS OF OUR WORKFORCE.
AND SO TODAY WE'RE BEGINNING A CONVERSATION ABOUT MODERNIZING OUR SELF FUNDED HEALTH PLAN TO INCLUDE IN TO, TO INCLUDE FERTILITY BENEFITS.
AND THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A MEDICAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENTS.
I BELIEVE IT'S A REFLECTION OF WHO WE ARE AS AN EMPLOYEE AND HOW WE VALUE THE PERSONAL JOURNEYS OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
RECENTLY, OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, I HEARD FROM MANY, UH, MEMBERS OF OUR WORKFORCE, BUT SPECIFICALLY A CITY EMPLOYEE WHO SUFFERED A MISCARRIAGE.
AND AFTER SHE SOUGHT ANSWERS AND SHE WAS LOOKING FOR TESTING, SHE WAS LOOKING FOR DIAGNOSIS, ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HELP HER UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE FUTURE OF HER REPRODUCTIVE JOURNEY.
BUT BECAUSE OUR PLAN DOESN'T COVER INFERTILITY, INFERTILITY RELATED SERVICES, UH, ONCE A DIAGNOSIS IS SUSPECTED, SHE WAS LEFT WITHOUT SUPPORT THAT SHE NEEDED, UM, DURING, UH, THAT VERY VULNERABLE, UH, JOURNEY.
AND I THINK ANYONE WHO EX WHO IS EXPERIENCING ANYTHING LIKE THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY OUR HEALTH INSURANCE.
UH, IT UNDERSCORES THE LIMITATIONS OF OUR CURRENT POLICY, WHICH UNINTENTIONALLY I BELIEVE, UH, WITHHOLDS CARE WHEN IT'S MOST, UH, NEEDED FOR A LOT OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR WORKFORCE.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT A LOT BECAUSE IT IS KIND OF LIKE A TABOO ISSUE.
UH, PEOPLE WON'T GENERALLY COME AND SPEAK UP ABOUT MISCARRIAGES.
PEOPLE WON'T COME UP AND SPEAK ABOUT WHETHER THEY HAVE LOW SPERM COUNTS OR NOT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS DEEPLY PERSONAL, BUT THE FACT THAT PEOPLE
[03:15:01]
AREN'T SPEAKING ABOUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN TOUCHED BY IT AND THAT THEY DON'T NEED MEDICAL COVERAGE FOR IT.SO BY UPDATING OUR PLAN TO INCLUDE FERTILITY BENEFITS SUCH AS DIAGNOSTIC, UH, TESTING, UM, IVF AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES, WE'RE NOT ONLY RESPONDING TO REAL NEEDS OF OUR WORKFORCE, BUT ALSO POSITIONING THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AS A COMPETITIVE EMPLOYER.
AND THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PUBLIC PURPOSE IN HERE BECAUSE WE DO WANNA CONTINUE STANDING OUT AS A GOOD PLACE TO, TO, TO, TO WORK AT.
UH, CITIES AND PRIVATE EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE RECOGNIZING THAT INCLUSIVE FAMILY BUILDING SUPPORT IS NOT JUST A BENEFIT, BUT IT'S ALSO A STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE IN THE WORKFORCE, UH, MARKET.
SO I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE, UH, OUR HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT DIRECTOR TO TAKE IT FROM HERE.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING SOME TREMENDOUS RESEARCH ON, ON HOW WE CAN SUPPORT, UH, OUR WORKFORCE AND ALSO BE COMPETITIVE BY OFFERING, UH, THIS TYPE OF BENEFIT IN OUR PLANS.
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE MEMBERS, COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE ASSISTANT, UH, DIRECTOR FOR HR.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT AND, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF ALL RPS ARE WHO COULD NOT, UH, BE HERE AT THIS MEETING TODAY.
UM, I'D LIKE THE COMMISSIONER POINTED OUT, I THINK, UH, FERTILITY HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF, UH, DISCUSSION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AT THE STATE LEVEL AND, UH, FOR, UH, MOST EMPLOYERS IN TERMS OF HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT AMERICANS ARE HAVING FEWER CHILDREN, THEY'RE HAVING CHILDREN LATER IN LIFE, AND THAT AGE BEING A FACTOR, UM, THAT IS AGE IS A FACTOR IN FERTILITY.
UM, IT'S AFFECTING, UH, THEIR ABILITY TO, TO PROCREATE, UH, NATURALLY.
AND SO, UM, IF THEY HAVE A GOAL OF TO BUILD THEIR FAMILY, THEY'RE HAVING TO GRAPPLE WITH, UH, THE COST OF RELYING ON ALTERNATIVE, UH, REPRODUCTIVE THERAPIES.
UM, UM, IF YOU, I, I MENTIONED THE FEDERAL AND THE STATE LEVEL.
UM, UH, RECENTLY THE ADMINISTRATION ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, UH, IN FEBRUARY, UH, SEEKING GUIDANCE, UH, TO, UM, EXPLORE HOW FERTILITY COULD BE A COVERED BENEFIT, UM, THROUGH INSURANCE.
UM, AT THE STATE LEVEL, THERE'S A BILL PENDING, UM, SEEKING TO ADD FERTILITY PRESERVATION, UH, TO THE STATE GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN.
UM, AND SO, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY AVANTGARDE AND, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S SEEN TO INVEST, UM, IN, IN EMPLOYEES.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE FISCAL IMPACT? IS THERE ANY? SURE.
SO, UM, OUR, UH, THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR, CIGNA, UM, ESTIMATES THAT ADDING, UH, INFERTILITY TREATMENT COVERAGE WILL INCREASE, UH, ONE TO 2% ABOVE OUR CLAIMS. UM, OUR CLAIM LEVEL, SO WILL, IT WOULD ADD, UM, UH, ONE TO 2% OF CLAIMS AND THEN IT WOULD ALSO AFFECT OUR STOP LOSS, INDIVIDUAL STOP LOSS EXPENDITURE, UM, TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $76,000 A YEAR.
AND WHAT IS A ONE TO 2%, 2% OF CLAIMS ON A YEARLY BASIS WOULD TRANSLATE TO ABOUT $576,000.
OUT OF HOW MANY CLAIMS TOTAL IN GENERAL DO WE HAVE IN, UM, I THINK THIS YEAR WE'RE PROJECTING AS OF, UM, THE DATA AVAILABLE AT THE END OF JANUARY, WE'RE PROJECTING CLAIMS OF, UH, $28.9 MILLION.
AND, AND IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS, IS IT SET IN STONE? IS IS IT MOVING FORWARD? IS THIS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY NO ONE TAKES ADVANTAGE OF IT.
CAN WE PULL IT BACK IN A COUPLE YEARS? OR IS THIS, UM, FOREVER AS SELF-FUNDED PLAN? YOU HAVE TOTAL CONTROL OVER THE BENEFITS THAT YOU ADD TO YOUR PLAN.
UM, I THOUGHT THE PURPOSE OF, UM, THIS REFERRAL WAS TO INITIATE THE DIALOGUE I'D, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THE ENHANCING THE PLAN.
I'LL SECOND IT AND I WILL SAY JUST, YOU KNOW, UM, INSURANCE IN THIS, IN THIS COUNTRY IS SUPER COMPLICATED.
I'M NOT GONNA WEIGH IN ON THAT, BUT I WILL SAY, JUST FOR THE RECORD, UM, I HAD TO GO TO URGENT CARE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
ONE OF THE MANY TIMES I HAD THE FLU OR WHATEVER WAS FLOATING AROUND.
AND, UM, THE DOCTOR WHO IS GREAT SAID THAT HE DOESN'T TAKE OUR INSURANCE BECAUSE HE, HE, HE GETS PAID $15 PER VISIT BECAUSE OF CIGNA.
AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, CIGNA HAS ROOM TO MANEUVER AND I DUNNO IF YOU CAN NEGOTIATE WHAT THE BENEFITS ARE AND HOW MUCH THEY CHARGE US FOR ADDING NEW BENEFITS, BUT THEIR, THEIR PROFIT MARGIN IS QUITE THICK.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT I MOVE IT.
I MEAN, I SECOND IT AND I WOULD SUGGEST YOU ALL THE RIGHT.
UH, AND JUST, AND, AND JUST QUICKLY DIRECT FISCAL IMPACT, IS THERE A DIRECT FISCAL IMPACT TO OUR BUDGET WITH THIS? WELL, IT WOULD CERTAINLY ADD, UH, THE, UH,
[03:20:01]
ESTIMATED AMOUNT TO YOUR, TO YOUR PLAN COSTS.IT'S, IT'S US NOT, NOT OUR BUDGET.
WHAT'S THAT? IT'S US AS EMPLOYEES WHO ARE UNDER THIS.
SO, BUT, BUT JUST JUST FOR THE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, BECAUSE WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION IN MY, IN MY OFFICE DIRECTLY TO THE CITY'S BUDGET, THERE'S NO DIRECT IMPACT.
IT'S TO THE FUND, RIGHT? YOU HAVE RESERVES THAT YOU COULD UTILIZE TO PAY FOR THE ONE TO 2% INCREASE OVER, IT'S CALLED THE VOTE.
SO THIS WOULD, SO IF I MAY, YEAH.
RETURN TO THE COMMISSION WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO ADD INFERTILITY TREATMENT AS A BENEFIT TO PLAN PARTICIPANTS INSURED UNDER THE CITY'S SELF-FUNDED HEALTH PLAN.
UH, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE OF THIS.
THE MOTION WOULD HAVE TO BE BY COMMISSIONER, UH, BOT AND, AND SECONDED BY, UH, THE CHAIR.
ALL IN FAVOR? CAN WE HAVE A, CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE