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[CALL TO ORDER - 9:00 A.M.]
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.THIS IS A SPECIAL DAY FOR MIAMI BEACH.
IT'S CERTAINLY A SPECIAL DAY FOR ALL OF US UP HERE, OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, BUT LITERALLY EVERY RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH, EVERY BUSINESS, EVERY VISITOR.
WE'RE FINISHED WITH THE CAMPAIGN, THANKFULLY, AND WE CAN GET DOWN TO THE PEOPLE'S WORK.
BUT WE ARE GONNA HAVE A BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION TODAY, INAUGURATION.
THANK YOU FOR ALL MY COLLEAGUES.
BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF US WHO ARE ELECTED AND REELECTED.
CONGRATULATIONS, MONICA MATEO SALINAS FOR THANK YOU.
IT'S A SPECIAL FEELING TO GET ELECTED ANYTIME, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY A VERY SPECIAL THE FIRST TIME.
SO, UH, WE'RE REALLY PROUD TO HAVE YOU HERE.
AND COMMISSIONER ALEX FERNANDEZ.
DID YOU PACK THE CHAMBERS HERE TODAY?
WHO'S ABOUT YOU GUYS TODAY IS YOU COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
YOU KNOW WHAT? GIVE YOURSELF SOME ROUNDS OF APPLAUSE.
'CAUSE SO WE'RE GONNA START, I'M GONNA TRY NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL TODAY, BUT IT IS AN EMOTIONAL DAY.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE HONOR GUARD.
HONOR MARK LEFT, LEFT, LEFT, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, LEFT, LEFT RIGHT.
MARK, I'M GOING TO ASK OUR CITY MANAGER OUR CARPENTER, OUR POLICE CHIEF WAYNE JONES, AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF D BELLA, TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
OKAY? PLEASE PLACE YOUR HAND OVER YOUR HEART PLEDGE LEGIONS TO IN THE UNITED STATES OF STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO RE WHICH STANDS STANDS? ONE NATION, NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE JUSTICE.
WE'RE VERY, UH, VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE, UH, AN INCREDIBLE STAFF, CITY MANAGEMENT.
AND, UH, I OFTEN HIGHLIGHT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND OBVIOUSLY OUR CITY MANAGER.
BUT THAT IS NOT IN ANY WAY TO, UH, DEFLECT THE AMAZING WORK DONE BY ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.
NOW I'M GONNA ASK YOU HUDA MILLER TO LEAD US WITH GOD BLESS AMERICA.
GOD BLESS AMERICA, LAND THAT I LOVE.
STAND BESIDE HER AND GUIDE HER THROUGH THE NIGHT WITH THE LIGHT FROM
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ABOVE, FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE PRAIRIE, TO THES WITH MY GOD.OUR HOME SWEET HOME HONOR GUARD.
HONOR GUARD RIGHT FACE FORWARD.
MARK LEFT, LEFT, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, LEFT, LEFT RIGHT.
THANK YOU YEHUDA FOR THAT RENDITION OF GOD BLESS AMERICA.
I COULD LITERALLY LISTEN TO YOU SING ALL DAY LONG,
WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH, UH, TWO SPECIAL INVOCATIONS INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGES THAT HELP GUIDE US AS WE GOVERN.
I'M GONNA ASK RABBI KAMAN BAUMAN, A MIAMI BEACH RESIDENT PRINCIPAL OF YESHIVA SEMES KLERMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND, UH, A MENTOR AS WELL.
GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS AND FELLOW CITIZENS OF MIAMI BEACH.
IT'S A SPECIAL PRIVILEGE TO PARTAKE IN THIS AUSPICIOUS OCCASION AS OUR CITY LOOKS FORWARD TO THE UPCOMING TERMS OF SERVICE FOR OUR NEWLY ELECTED AND REELECTED REPRESENTATIVES.
THE PROMISES AND OPTIMISTIC FORECASTS HAVE CREATED A FEELING OF HOPE AND CONFIDENCE THAT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS WILL CONTINUE AND BE STRENGTHENED IN THE MONTHS AND YEARS TO COME.
ENDURING CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT DOES NOT COME THROUGH GIMMICKS AND QUICK FIXES BY OPPORTUNISTS.
TRUE CHANGE COMES ABOUT THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF SEASONED AND MATURE INDIVIDUALS WHO POSSESS THE KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES TO BRING THEIR WISDOM TO BEAR ON THE VEXING CHALLENGES OF THE DAY.
AT THE CORE OF SUCH INDIVIDUALS LIES A BEDROCK OF VALUES THAT SERVE AS THE LOAD STAR FOR HIS OR HER LIFE.
ACTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH ONE'S PRINCIPLES IS THE GREATEST GUARANTOR OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP.
OUR MAYOR, THE HONORABLE STEPHEN J MINOR IS SUCH AN INDIVIDUAL.
HE'S A MAN OF CONVICTION AND FORTITUDE, AND DOES NOT SHRINK FROM STANDING UP FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES IN.
HIS WAYS ARE PLEASANT AND HIS APPROACH IS GENTLE.
BUT UNDERLYING THE SURFACE IS A CORE OF A VALUES DRIVEN INDIVIDUAL WHO WILL NOT COMPROMISE HIS PRINCIPLES OR DILUTE HIS BELIEFS MERELY TO GARNER SOME POPULARITY.
TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF HANUKKAH, A HOLIDAY THAT CELEBRATES THE VICTORY OF A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED AND FOUGHT FOR THEIR VALUES AGAINST OVERWHELMING ODDS.
THEY COULD HAVE COMPROMISED AND NEGOTIATED AWAY WHAT WAS DEAR AND PRECIOUS TO THEM.
FOR THE EXPEDIENCY OF AVOIDING CONFLICT, THEY COULD HAVE ALLOWED THE PREVAILING ATTITUDES AND MORES OF THE DECADENT DEGENERATE SOCIETY AROUND THEM TO INFILTRATE THEIR LIVES.
THEY COULD HAVE BEEN WEAK AND THEN INEVITABLY DISAPPEARED FROM THE STAGE OF HISTORY.
IT WAS THEIR INNER STRENGTH AND MORAL CONVICTION THAT CARRIED THE DAY IT WAS HOLDING ONTO THEIR DEEPLY HELD VALUES THAT PROPELLED THEM TO VICTORY.
THIS MORAL CLARITY AND UNFLINCHING COURAGE SERVES AS A MODEL FOR ALL PEOPLE OF GOODWILL AND COMPASSION.
WHEN YOU HOLD FAST TO WHAT IS NEAR AND DEAR VICTORY ULTIMATELY COMES YOUR WAY.
IN THE WAKE OF YESTERDAY'S UNSPEAKABLE HORRORS IN AUSTRALIA, THE NEED FOR MORAL CLARITY AND UNFLINCHING LEADERSHIP IN COMBATING THE VOICES OF HATE BECOMES EVER GREATER.
WHERE HATE IS ALLOWED TO BE EXPRESSED WITHOUT OBJECTION OR WITH WEAK AND TEPID RESPONSES, VIOLENCE EMERGES THAT CAN DESTROY A COMMUNITY AND DEGRADE THE MORAL UNDERPINNINGS OF SOCIETY.
AS MAYOR MINOR AND HIS FELLOW COMMISSIONERS BEGIN A NEW TERM OR SERVICE, WE BLESS THEM WITH WISDOM AND INSIGHT TO UNDERSTAND OUR CITY'S TRUE NEEDS, THE COURAGE AND CONVICTION TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT
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FOR ITS CITIZENS, RESIDENTS, AND VISITORS, AND THE PERSEVERANCE TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO OUR MOST VEXING CHALLENGES.WE PRAY THAT THE ALMIGHTY CONTINUE TO BLESS THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND ITS CITIZENS WITH BOUNTY, A HEALTHY AND PLEASANT ENVIRONMENT, LESS TRAFFIC, SUFFICIENTLY
I ALSO, I HOPE I'M NOT MISSING IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE RABBI JANOWSKI, WHO'S HERE AS WELL, AND RABBI DIXON FROM, UH, SORRY IF I'M MISSING ANYBODY.
NOW IS MY HONOR TO ASK FATHER ALBERTO CUDI EPISCOPAL CHURCH TO GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I AM HERE WITH FATHER TIM O'LEARY, THE, THE LATEST, UH, THE YOUNGEST PRIEST ON MIAMI BEACH
HE IS THE RECTOR OF ALL SOULS ON MIAMI BEACH, RIGHT NEXT TO THE WALGREENS
I WANNA BEGIN BY SAYING, UH, NOT JUST TO THE RABBIS, BUT TO, TO THE ENTIRE JEWISH COMMUNITY, THAT, THAT AS PEOPLE OF FAITH, AS CHILDREN OF GOD, WE DENOUNCE EVERY FORM OF ANTISEMITISM IN THE WORLD.
AND WE MUST UNITE, WE MUST UNITE IN DENOUNCING ANTISEMITISM AND PARTICULARLY MR. MAYOR COMMISSIONERS AND EVERYONE HERE.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING SO UNINFORMED THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT THE PAST, ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST, ABOUT THE HORRORS OF THE UNSPEAKABLE CRIMES THAT THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO SUFFER.
SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE OUR SOLIDARITY 100%, AND WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THIS FIGHT TOGETHER SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DARKEST CHAPTERS IN OUR HUMANITY.
I'VE BEEN TO ISRAEL 10 TIMES, AND, UM, AND I PRAY THAT I CAN GO BACK SOON ABOUT, GOSH, 20, 30 YEARS AGO AND 30 POUNDS AGO,
BUT ALBERTO GETS A VISIT FROM THIS YOUNG 15-YEAR-OLD MAN WITH HIS FATHER WHO'S HERE.
HE SAYS HE WANTS TO COME TO ST.
SO MY BEACH IN THE MORNING TO THE MORNING MASS, AND THEN HE WANTS TO TAKE ME TO BREAKFAST, AND WHO'S GONNA, WHO'S GONNA PASS UP A FREE BREAKFAST
AND SURE ENOUGH, WE END UP ON DAVID'S CAFE.
AND I HAVE THIS YOUNG MAN TELLING ME, FATHER, I WANT TO HELP THIS COMMUNITY AND I WANT YOU TO BE THE CHAIR OF MY HOLIDAY CHARITY AT CAMILLA'S HOUSE.
AND I'M LIKE, WHAT? 15-YEAR-OLD IS HANGING OUT WITH PRIESTS TO GET, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING DONE FOR THE HOMELESS.
AND EVER SINCE THEN, EVER SINCE THEN, THIS YOUNG MAN HAS BEEN SERVING THIS COMMUNITY NONSTOP.
AND COMMISSIONER REBECCA SOA, WHO'S SITTING RIGHT THERE, KNOWS IT.
HE SERVED AS HER CHIEF OF STAFF AND IN SEVERAL OTHER POSITIONS, HE ROSE FROM THE BOTTOM UP.
AND I SEE ALEX REALLY JUST SHINING BRIGHT HERE IN ONE OF MY FAVORITE CITIES.
NOW, MR. MAYOR, I'VE BEEN A PRIEST 30 YEARS, 30 PLUS YEARS.
15 OF THEM AS A ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST, AND THEN 15 OF THEM AS AN ANGLICAN PRIEST.
THE FAMOUS PICTURES OF MY WIFE AND I WERE TAKEN IN THIS CITY,
AND, UM, AND I WANNA SAY SOMETHING ELSE, 10 YEARS OF MY PRIESTHOOD WERE DEDICATED TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY.
SO MY HEART IS ALWAYS VERY CLOSE TO MIAMI BEACH.
AND I THANK GOD BECAUSE GOD GAVE ME MINISTRY HERE.
HE GAVE ME MY WIFE HERE, AND I HAD THREE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN NOW.
AND I'M BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO STAND HERE AND SAY, I LOVE MIAMI BEACH.
OH GOD OF LOVE GOD OF JEWS, OF CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS, GOD OF LOVE.
OUR HEARTS WERE DEVASTATED BY WHAT HAPPENED ON THE FIRST DAY OF HANUKKAH IN AUSTRALIA.
MAY EVERY FORM OF ANTISEMITISM IN THIS WORLD DISAPPEAR.
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FAITHFUL TO YOUR PEOPLE.WE KNOW THAT THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES ARE FILLED WITH THE BEAUTY OF THE PROPHETS.
THE PSALMS, THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES HAVE GIVEN US OUR HERITAGE AS PEOPLE OF FAITH, OF EVERY FAITH TRADITION, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF JACOB AND ISAAC.
BE WITH US ON THIS DAY, LORD, BE WITH THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE OF MIAMI BEACH AND WITH THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE HERE TO VOW THEIR PROMISE TO KEEP SERVING.
BLESS THIS PLACE, BLESS THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE, MIAMI BEACH, WITH PEACE, WITH PROSPERITY, WITH LOVE, AND WITH PEACE AND WITH HARMONY AMONG ALL PEOPLE.
FATHER, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR MESSAGE, YOUR INSPIRATIONAL WORDS.
YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION, BUT YOUR MESSAGE, YOUR YOUR MESSAGE IN SUPPORT OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY FOR ISRAEL.
IT'S NOT JUST SUPPORT FOR THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, IT'S SUPPORT FOR AMERICA.
IT'S SUPPORT FOR HUMANITY AND WHAT'S RIGHT.
SOME PEOPLE REALIZE IT, NOT EVERYBODY REALIZES IT YET, BUT THIS IS A GLOBAL HUMAN HUMANITY FIGHT THAT WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS.
AND THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW IS DO THE, UH, OATH OF OFFICE, AN OFFICE, AN OATH OF CIVILITY.
UM, WE HAVE FOUR TODAY AND A LITTLE BUSINESS FIRST.
WHAT'S THAT LITTLE BUSINESS FOR US? RALPH ALWAYS HAS TO INTERCEDE AND, UH, DO A LITTLE BUSINESS.
[R7 A A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE CERTIFICATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE DECEMBER 9, 2025 RUN-OFF ELECTION FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, AND DECLARING CANDIDATES ELECTED.]
R SEVEN A, WHICH IS ADOPT THE CERTIFICATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE DECEMBER 9TH RUNOFF ELECTION.MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ADOPTING R SEVEN A, THE ADOPTION OF THE CERTIFICATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE DECEMBER 9TH, 2025 RUNOFF ELECTION AND DECLARING MONICA MATTEL SALINAS AS A NEWLY ELECTED MIAMI BEACH CITY COMMISSIONER FOR GROUP ONE.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION MAKING MONICA SWEAT HERE.
ANY DEBATE ON ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANYTHING ELSE, RALPH? THAT'S IT, SIR.
SO, UH, WE'LL DO THE OATH OF OFFICE, OATH
[R7 B ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE TO THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS IN GROUPS I, II, AND III.]
OF CIVILITY.THERE'LL BE SOME BRIEF REMARKS FROM EACH, AND WE'RE GONNA GO IN TURN, UH, I WILL START AND THEN WE WILL GO TO, UH, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, AND COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS.
SO I'M GONNA ASK MY MY MOM, DOROTHY WEISS, TO DO THE OATH OF OFFICE AND THE OATH OF CIVILITY.
I STEVEN MINOR CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND BEING AN OFFICER AND BEING AN OFFICER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
AND A RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND A RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
AS SUCH, OFFICER, AS SUCH OFFICER DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY AFFIRM, DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY AFFIRM THAT I WILL SUPPORT, THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
AND THAT I WILL, AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY PERFORM, FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTIES OF MAYOR, THE DUTIES OF MAYOR OF THE CITY, OF MIAMI BEACH, OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FOR WHICH I HAVE BEEN ELECTED, FOR WHICH I HAVE BEEN ELECTED.
OATH OF CIVILITY TO MY COLLEAGUES, TO MY COLLEAGUES, AND TO ALL THOSE, AND TO ALL THOSE I REPRESENT.
AND CIVILITY IN ALL ACTIONS TAKEN IN, ALL ACTIONS TAKEN AND ALL COMMUNICATIONS MADE, AND ALL COMMUNICATIONS MADE BY ME.
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THAT'S IT.HI, BIG SHOUT OUT TO EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US IN THE SPECIAL INAUGURATION CEREMONY.
MY NAME IS DOROTHY WEISS, AND I'M SO PROUD TO SAY I AM MAYOR STEVEN MINER'S MOM STEVEN, I WANNA SAY I, WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU.
YOU ARE A TERRIFIC HUSBAND, FATHER, AND SON.
YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH IN YOUR TWO YEAR JOURNEY AS MAYOR, YOU HAVE MADE MIAMI BEACH THE SAFEST, MOST VIBRANT, THRIVING, AND BEAUTIFUL CITY IN THE USA.
IT IS TRULY A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO WORK, LIVE, PLAY, AND VISIT.
IN LIEU OF THE HORRIFIC ANTI-SEMITIC ATTACK IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, ON THE EVE OF HANUKKAH, WE ESPECIALLY THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND OUR POLICE CHIEF WAYNE JONES, FOR IMPLEMENTING INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE THROUGHOUT MIAMI BEACH FOR EVERYONE'S SAFETY, MANY THANKS.
GO TO YOUR WIFE, OUR TERRIFIC DAUGHTER-IN-LAW WHO
SO MANY THANKS ALSO TO OUR PRECIOUS GRANDCHILDREN, MATTIS AND MIHO, WHO ARE SO SUPPORTIVE OF THEIR DAD.
ALSO, MANY THANKS GO TO STEVEN'S ENTIRE TEAM WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY WITH STEVEN IN SO MANY WAYS TO HELP HIM ACCOMPLISH HIS GOALS AND MAKE THEM A REALITY.
WELL, IF YOU THINK THIS IS THE END OF MY SPEECH,
I WAS FEELING VERY NOSTALGIC THIS WEEKEND BEFORE THE INAUGURATION AND I PULLED OUT STEVEN'S HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK.
STEVEN IS PROBABLY NOW SAYING, UH OH, EXACTLY,
AS I WAS READING THE VARIOUS STATEMENTS WRITTEN BY HIS CLASSMATE, A COMMON THEME STOOD OUT.
THE THEME SURROUNDING THESE STATEMENTS WERE THAT YOU, STEVEN, ARE A GREAT FRIEND AND ALWAYS WILLING TO LEND A HELPING HAND.
I WOULD LIKE TO QUOTE ONE STATEMENT IN PARTICULAR, WHICH READ QUOTE, YOU ARE ONE OF THE BEST GUYS I EVER MET.
YOU ARE A REAL FRIEND, AND THERE ISN'T A PHONY BONE IN YOUR BODY, AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE LOVE YOU.
AND TODAY, PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY FEEL THE SAME WAY BECAUSE YOU, STEVEN, HAVE THE SAME INTEGRITY NOW AS YOU HAD BACK THEN.
AS I CONTINUE TO READ HIS YEARBOOK, I CAME ACROSS AN ARTICLE ABOUT HIS JUNIOR YEAR TRIP TO RUSSIA, STEVEN SCHOOL.
YESHIVA OF FLATBUSH WAS THE FIRST CLASS TO SEND A DELEGATION TO THE SOVIET UNION TO VISIT THE REFUSENIKS.
STEVEN WAS ONE OF NINE STUDENTS CHOSEN AS A DELEGATE.
THE DELEGATION AND SEVERAL FACULTY MEMBERS MET WITH THE REFUSENIK AND THE SOVIET UNION TO CONVEY THAT THERE WERE JEWS IN AMERICA THAT CARED ABOUT THEIR PLIGHT AND SUFFERING BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN AND WANT TO HELP THEM.
STEVEN CAME BACK WITH A RENEWED CENTER OF RESPONSIBILITY TO IMPART HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRIP TO THE SOVIET UNION, TO OTHERS.
HE BEGAN SPEAKING TO AUDIENCES ABOUT HIS TRIP AND THE PLIGHT OF THE RUSSIAN JEWS.
TODAY, STEPHEN IS A LAW AND ORDER MAYOR WHO WANTS TO KEEP US ALL SAFE AND WHO FIGHTS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION FOR EVERYONE.
HE IS LOYAL, SINCERE, AND CARES ABOUT OTHERS.
HE IS ALSO VERY PROUD TO BE A RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH.
MAY GOD BLESS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
MAY GOD BLESS THE STATE OF ISRAEL.
MAY GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
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I SHOULD HAVE GONE FIRST.'CAUSE NOW YOU GOT ME ALL, UH, TEARY-EYED, I TELL YOU.
SO MY THOUGHT WAS TO BE BRIEF AND I'M GONNA TRY, BUT I I WAS ACTUALLY TALKING TO COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ LAST NIGHT AND I SAID, I'M GONNA BE BRIEF, BUT THEN I'M WRITING MY REMARKS.
I'M HOPING TO KEEP IT BRIEF, BUT THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT I NEED TO CONVEY.
AND I, I'M, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT MY MOM WAS GONNA SAY.
SHE DID NOT RUN THE SPEECH BY ME.
SHE SAID IT WOULD BE ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MINUTES.
I'M LIKE, REALLY? THREE AND A HALF MINUTES.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT I WANT TO CONVEY.
'CAUSE THIS IS REALLY KIND OF THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE TO SAY.
AND I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS NOT BECAUSE I'M GONNA SAY IT, IT SORT OF IS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF HOW I'M GONNA GOVERN.
ALTHOUGH I'VE BEEN UP HERE NOW SIX YEARS, AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT, AND ACTUALLY IT WAS SHOCKING TO ME.
I AM THE MOST SENIOR ELECTED OFFICIAL UP HERE RIGHT NOW,
IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S KIND OF SHOCKING.
I I LITERALLY REMEMBER THE MOMENT WHEN I WAS IN YOUR SHOES AND JUST STARTING AND, UH, WITH, WITH A LEVEL OF EXCITEMENT, UM, THAT'S FRESH AND NEW, BUT INTERESTING.
IT'S SIX YEARS LATER AND I MAY BE THE MOST SENIOR PERSON HERE, BUT IT'S STILL EXCITING AND FRESH AND NEW BECAUSE EVERY DAY IS A NEW CHALLENGE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAKE UP EVERY DAY.
I, I LITERALLY, IN MY MIND, HAVE TO EARN YOUR TRUST EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I DO NOT TAKE WINNING ELECTIONS FOR GRANTED.
I DO NOT TAKE ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT FOR GRANTED.
AND THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT, KIND OF MOMENTS THAT STAND OUT, THAT DRIVE YOU.
ALTHOUGH IT'S THE EVERYDAY INTERACTIONS.
I'LL JUST GIVE A COUPLE OF QUICK EXAMPLES.
SOMEONE CAME OVER TO ME, UH, SIX MONTHS AGO OR SO.
HE SAYS, MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU.
HE GOES, I MOVED TO MIAMI BEACH FROM CANADA, AND I ACTUALLY, HE GOES, MY WIFE AND I ACTUALLY CREDIT YOU FOR THE MOVE.
THE NAME DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME.
HE'S LIKE, I OWNED A PROPERTY HERE AT MIAMI BEACH AND I WAS HAVING SOME ISSUES I NEEDED TO FIGURE OUT.
I WAS AT MY WIT'S END AND I SENT YOU AN EMAIL LIKE 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
HE SAYS, I WOKE UP AND AT SIX IN THE MORNING YOU RESPONDED TO MY EMAIL, PUTTING ME IN TOUCH WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE CITY, PROBABLY ERIC CARPENTER.
AND HE SAID, WE GOT YOUR ISSUE RESOLVED.
HE SAYS, AND I JUST GOT ME THINKING ABOUT OUR LIFE AND WHERE WE WANTED TO BE.
AND IT JUST, IT WAS A MOVING MOMENT TO SAY, WOW, THERE'S, THERE'S LEADERS WHO CARE WHO WANNA HELP.
AND THAT'S A PLACE THAT I WANNA LIVE.
SO THESE ARE, 'CAUSE WE'RE LEGISLATORS UP HERE.
WE, WE CREATE POLICY THAT OUR CITY THEN IMPLEMENTS.
BUT IT'S A DAY-TO-DAY INTERACTION THAT IS CONSTANT.
AND IT'S, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HELP WITH THAT NEVER MAKE THE HEADLINES NEVER GET EVEN DISCUSSED ANYWHERE.
BUT IT'S IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN HELP PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE.
AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THE JOB.
YOU'RE LITERALLY HELPING PEOPLE EVERY DAY.
I OFTEN, I OFTEN HAVE PEOPLE SAY TO ME, YOU MUST GET SO MANY COMPLAINTS, MAYOR FROM, FROM RESIDENTS.
I SAID, I'VE NEVER GOTTEN A SINGLE COMPLAINT.
AND THEY LOOK AT ME PERPLEXED.
I'M LIKE, I GET SUGGESTIONS,
IT'S A, IT'S, BUT IT, BUT IT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.
IT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BECAUSE WE'RE STRIVING TO MAKE OUR CITY BETTER.
I PERSONALLY BELIEVE IT'S THE BEST CITY IN AMERICA, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T EVEN GET BE.
AND THAT'S THE GOAL EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I SAID THIS IN MY FIRST INAUGURATION, AT THE END, I'M GONNA SAY IT SORT OF AT THE BEGINNING, I OFTEN HEAR WHEN PEOPLE MEET ME, THEY'RE LIKE, OH MAYOR, YOU'RE A VERY IMPORTANT PERSON.
I SAID, I'M ACTUALLY A REGULAR GUY.
I HOLD A VERY IMPORTANT POSITION.
THERE'S A DISTINCTION AND I RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT OF THIS POSITION.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS POSITION CAN DO AND HOW IT CAN HELP, UH, ON, ON MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES, INCLUDING PROMOTING MIAMI BEACH, NOT ONLY ON A LOCAL LEVEL, BUT A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.
I WAS IN, UH, ISRAEL THREE WEEKS AGO.
AMERICAN JEWISH CONGRESS HOSTED A MAYOR'S CONFERENCE IN ISRAEL.
WE MET WITH A LOT OF DIGNITARIES.
WE VISITED A LOT OF THIS LOCATIONS, KIBBUTZIM AND CITIES THAT WERE IMPACTED, UH, AND WERE ATTACKED ON OCTOBER 7TH.
INTERESTINGLY, THE CONFERENCE HAD 35 MAYORS.
THERE WERE 30 MAYORS, NOT JEWISH FROM 13 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, INCLUDING FROM SOUTH AMERICA, AFRICA, EUROPE.
WHAT WAS INTERESTING, WHEN WE MET A LOT OF THE DIGNITARIES, THEY WOULD GO AROUND THE ROOM AND ASK EVERYONE WHERE THEY WERE FROM, WHAT CITY THEY REP WERE, THEY WERE THE MAYOR OF.
I CAN TELL YOU EVERY SINGLE TIME WHEN I SAID MIAMI BEACH, STEVEN MINOR, I HAD A SMILE.
I HAD, OH, I REMEMBER I WAS AT THIS PLACE.
THERE WAS ALWAYS A DIFFERENT REACTION WHEN I MENTIONED MIAMI
[00:30:01]
BEACH.AND WE ALL KNOW IT, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT MIAMI BEACH.
AND IT'S NOT JUST SOUTH FLORIDA, MIAMI-DADE.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, AND RECOGNIZE THE STATURE THAT WE HAVE HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
WE'RE A BEAUTIFUL, DIVERSE CITY.
WE HAVE EVERYONE IS WELCOME IN OUR CITY.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO LIVE HERE AND VISIT HERE AND ENJOY EVERYTHING MIAMI BEACH HAS TO OFFER.
WE'RE ALSO A LAW AND ORDER CITY.
I USE THAT TERM SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND IT'S CAUGHT ON.
I'VE HEARD OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, CHRIS, BE, HAS ACTUALLY SAID HE'S BEEN TO A LOT OF CONFERENCES NATIONALLY.
AND PEOPLE, POLICE CHIEFS AND OFFICERS ARE ACTUALLY NOW REFERRING WHEN THEY SAY MIAMI BEACH, OH, YOU'RE THE LAW AND ORDER CITY.
IT MEANS WE ENFORCE THE LAW HERE.
IT MEANS THAT WE ARE COMPASSIONATE AND WE ARE WELCOMING, BUT THAT WE ALSO DON'T TOLERATE PEOPLE BREAKING OUR LAWS EVEN ON HOMELESS ISSUES.
WE SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR COMPASSIONATELY TO OFFER PEOPLE A LIFELINE.
WE OFFER SERVICES THAT NO OTHER CITY OFFERS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE GONNA ENFORCE OUR LAW.
YOU'RE SEEING THE DIFFERENCE ON THE STREET.
BUT THAT'S WHY OUR NUMBERS ARE HISTORIC LOWS.
THAT'S WHY OUR CRIME IS GOING DOWN DOUBLE DIGITS.
THAT'S WHY WE ENDED SPRING BREAK AND NOW HAVE, UM, CALM INSTEAD OF THE VIOLENCE AND CHAOS THAT WE USED TO SEE.
WE CAN FOCUS ON THE PAST AND THEY'RE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY'RE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE FOR THE FUTURE.
BUT AS I LOOK AT WHAT I WANNA ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT OUR COMMISSION WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WATER TAXIS ROLLING OUT STARTING IN FEBRUARY.
WE SAW THE SUCCESS DURING ART PUZZLE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE 2020.
THIS CAN BE A GAME CHANGER FOR MIAMI BEACH AND TRYING TO MITIGATE TRAFFIC AS WE HEARD RABBI BOWMAN SAY, UH, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO FOCUS ON AND THERE'S A LOT OF INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE TO TRY AND HELP.
AND THEY'RE WORKING AT THE MARGINS, BUT THERE'S MORE TO DO.
BUT THE WATER TAXI IS SOMETHING NOT ONLY TO MIAMI, THAT'S THE START, BUT EVENTUALLY TO LEAD NORTH AND SOUTH THROUGHOUT MIAMI BEACH, IT CAN BE A MAJOR, MAJOR HELP FAR LEGISLATION WAS SOMETHING THAT I HAD PASSED, UH, EARLY ON IN MY IN IN MY FIRST MEETING AS MAYOR, MAKING IT A LITTLE BIT HARDER.
SIXTH, SEVENTH COMMISSION VOTE INSTEAD OF FIVE SEVENTH TO INCREASE THE DENSITY IN THE HEIGHT IN MIAMI BEACH.
WE'VE HEARD OUR RESIDENTS, WE WANT SMART DEVELOPMENT AND OUR RESIDENTS ARE WILLING TO SIGN ON TO SMART DEVELOPMENT, BUT NOT OVERDEVELOPMENT FOR OUR BARRIER ISLAND.
THERE'S SO MANY THINGS WE'VE DONE.
I THINK IT GETS LOST HOW MUCH OUR CITY HAS ACCOMPLISHED TO BE A LEADER IN GOOD GOVERNANCE.
WE HAVE MADE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS AND I WAS, UH, A LEADER IN MANY OF THE INITIATIVES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CONTRACTS ARE PUBLIC RECORD, THAT OUR AUDITS ARE PUBLIC RECORD, THAT I CONSISTENTLY VOTE AGAINST NO BID CONTRACTS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S AN OPEN AND FAIR PROCESS FOR EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO BID AND PROVIDE SERVICES IN MIAMI BEACH.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND LEAD WITH GOOD GOVERNANCE.
I'M FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC GROWTH.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CAPITAL THAT IS COMING INTO MIAMI BEACH AND IS LOOKING TO INVEST IN MIAMI BEACH.
HEDGE FUNDS, PRIVATE EQUITY VENTURE FUNDS, BUSINESSES, PUBLIC COMPANIES MOVING THEIR HEADQUARTERS HERE.
WE HAD SEVERAL BUSINESSES OPEN ON LINCOLN ROAD THIS WEEK ALONE.
AND ONE OF THEM CAME TO ME, ONE OF THEM CAME TO ME.
HE SAID, WE'VE BEEN OPEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WE HAVE FRANCHISES ALL OVER THE WORLD.
I'VE NEVER BEEN THIS BUSY AS I HAVE IN MIAMI BEACH.
HE SAYS, WE CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND.
OUR OPERATIONS HIRE NEW WORKERS AND IT'S ONLY BEEN TWO WEEKS.
PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC LAW AND ORDER'S ALWAYS GONNA BE MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, KEEPING OUR CITY SAFE.
WE'RE WORKING ON IMPROVING OUR PERMITTING PROCESS AND THERE'S MORE WE CAN DO.
I EVEN HAVE LEGISLATION ON WEDNESDAY'S MEETING AS GOOD AS OUR POLICE VISIBILITY HAS GOTTEN.
WE DO HAVE AN INCREDIBLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE AN IN INCRE, WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
WE REALLY DO HAVE AN INCREDIBLE TEAM LED LED BY OUR CITY MANAGER, ERIC CARPENTER.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE NOT GONNA KEEP IT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE NOT GONNA KEEP PUSHING FOR MORE BECAUSE RIGHTFULLY SO.
OUR RESIDENTS HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND WE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
AND, UM, SO THANK THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH US AS WE
[00:35:01]
KEEP, UH, PUTTING, PUTTING THAT, UH, THE PRESSURE ON.I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT.
I KNOW, UH, AL IS REPRESENTED HERE, UM, IN THE BACK OF VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE.
WE'RE WORK, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
WE HAVE MADE HEADWAY ON PROJECTS AND GOT STARTED PROJECTS THAT HAD BEEN STALLED FOR YEARS AND THAT WE ARE NOW EITHER COMPLETED OR IN THE PROCESS OF DOING.
I KNOW IT CAUSES SOME, SOME TRAFFIC ISSUES.
WE HAVE TO CLOSE OFF STREETS AND WE TRY TO MITIGATE THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
BUT THESE ARE INTEGRAL FOR OUR CITY TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICES WE HAVE.
IT'S ALSO IMPERATIVE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND FOR BISCAYNE BAY THAT WE HAVE THOSE CONTROLS IN PLACE.
UH, SOME THINGS PROBABLY SOME DON'T WANNA SAY, BUT I'LL SAY IT.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON OUR RESIDENTS.
THIS ELECTION GOT VERY, THIS IS A NON-PARTISAN, A NON-PARTISAN COMMISSION.
AND THE POLITICAL PARTIES GOT HEAVILY INVOLVED.
PROBABLY NOTHING I'M GONNA SAY UP HERE IS GONNA CHANGE THAT, BUT I'M GONNA JUST SAY IT IS NOT GOOD FOR OUR CITY.
WE'RE ABOUT, WE'RE ABOUT SAFE STREETS, CLEAN STREETS AND DRY STREETS.
AND THE POLITICAL PARTIES ARE NOT GONNA HELP US GET THERE.
IT'S JUST, IT'S A, IT'S A WORD OF CAUTION.
WHEN YOU GET THE FLYERS IN THE MAIL.
THIS SHOULD BE ABOUT THE CAMPAIGNS AND THE CAMPAIGNS SENDING STUFF OUT.
I WILL ALSO SAY CRITICISM IS FAIR.
BUT WHEN YOU SEE CERTAIN GROUPS OR CERTAIN PEOPLE CONSTANTLY CRITICIZE, OFFER NO SUGGESTIONS OR SOLUTIONS, AND THEN JUST MOVE FROM ISSUE TO ISSUE OR PERSON TO PERSON AND JUST KEEP LEVELING ACCUSATIONS, LIES, MISREPRESENTATIONS.
MAYBE THAT PERSON'S JUST REALLY JUST MAKING IT UP.
AND THAT'S NOT TO TAKE AWAY THAT CRITICISM IS FAIR.
I WELCOME THE DEBATE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT ALL TOO OFTEN GETS INTO, IN, INTO, UM, ATTACKS ON ALL OF US.
NOT EVEN ME, DIRECTLY ON ALL OF US AS A BODY AND MIAMI BEACH.
AND IT DOES NOT MAKE OUR CITY BETTER.
IT MAKES US SPEND TIME, UH, TRYING TO CORRECT THE RECORD.
BUT I'M ALL, I'M A BIG BELIEVER.
'CAUSE THE TRUTH IS THE TRUTH.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
I WILL ALWAYS DEFEND MIAMI BEACH.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I WON'T ACCEPT SUGGESTIONS.
IF I, IF I DIDN'T THINK WE COULD DO THINGS BETTER, I WOULDN'T HAVE RUN FOR REELECTION.
BUT I WILL DEFEND OUR CITY AND IT'S EASY TO TAKE SHOTS BECAUSE WE'RE A NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL CITY.
SO IF YOU WANNA MAKE A HEADLINE, I COULD JUST TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, JUST THROW AN ACCUSATION AT MIAMI BEACH.
IT'S EASY TO DO, IT'S NOT EASY TO FIX.
AND THAT'S WHAT ALL OF US ARE UP HERE TO DO.
AND I WILL GIVE A A MENTION, I'M SO PROUD OF OUR COMMISSION OF EVERYONE WHO'S UP HERE.
WE EACH OFFER VERY UNIQUE SKILLS, EXPERTISE, OPINIONS, BACKGROUNDS.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES US SO GREAT.
THAT'S THE BRILLIANCE OF ACTUALLY HAVING THIS GOVERNMENT OF SEVEN OF US.
'CAUSE WE ALL OFFER SOMETHING.
AND I PERSONALLY BELIEVE I REPRESENT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND I WILL FIGHT FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE TAKE SERIOUSLY, SOMETHING WE TAKE PRIDE IN.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE WILL NOT SHY AWAY FROM.
I SAY OFTEN THAT I, AND I'VE BEEN TESTED ON THIS A FEW TIMES, BUT I WILL DEFEND ANY GROUP, ANY PERSON AGAINST HATE.
UNFORTUNATELY LATELY A LOT OF IT WE'VE SEEN, AND THERE ARE OTHER GROUPS, I DON'T MEAN TO SINGLE OUT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, BUT OBVIOUSLY BEING JEWISH, ORTHODOX JEWISH, IT HITS HOME.
BUT WE'VE SEEN A LEVEL OF VIOLENCE AND ANTISEMITISM IN THIS WORLD THAT I THINK MOST JEWISH PEOPLE, ALMOST EVERY JEWISH PERSON WOULD SAY, WOW, I DIDN'T THINK THIS WAS POSSIBLE.
WE'VE MOVED ON AFTER THE HOLOCAUST.
BUT I DON'T MEAN TO SPEAK FOR THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT I THINK I'M SHARING A LOT OF WHAT IS IN PEOPLE'S MINDS, THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE A HOLOCAUST HAPPENED.
THERE'S MANY REASONS THAT I'M, I'M, UH, I'M AN OPTIMIST THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN.
OBVIOUSLY ISRAEL AND ISRAEL HAS AN ARMY, THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES THAT DEFENDS ITS CITIZENS, BUT ALSO DEFENDS EVERY JEWISH PERSON.
AND THEY'VE PROVEN THEY WILL GO INTO AND TE UGANDA TO SAVE KIDNAPPED, HIJACKED JEWISH PEOPLE THAT WILL HELP ABSORB RUSSIAN JEWS.
THE ISRAELI ARMY WENT INTO ETHIOPIA
[00:40:01]
AND RESCUED AFRICAN JEWS.AND BY THE WAY, THIS IS NOT THEORY, WALKING AROUND IN ISRAEL, AND YOU WILL SEE ETHIOPIAN JEWS EVERYWHERE.
AND THEY WERE ABSORBED, WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS INTO THE COUNTRY.
AND I SAY IT BECAUSE THE, THE AMOUNT OF LIES THAT ARE BEING SAID, IT'S NOT JUST IN THE MEDIA, IT'S ON, YOU READ IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IT'S SAID SO CASUALLY.
WORDS ARE USED ALMOST AS PASSING AS FACT WHEN THEY'RE JUST THE OPPOSITE OF THE TRUTH.
ISRAEL'S COMMITTING A GENOCIDE.
YOU GO INTO ISRAEL, THERE ARE ARABS EVERYWHERE.
THERE ARE ASIANS, THERE ARE BLACKS, THERE ARE MUSLIMS, THERE ARE CHRISTIANS, THERE ARE JEWS.
AND THEN WE SAW THE ATTACK YESTERDAY IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.
I MENTIONED THESE THINGS BECAUSE THEY IMPACT EVERYONE.
THEY IMPACT US HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
WE HAD NUMEROUS FESTIVITIES YESTERDAY CELEBRATING HANUKKAH.
AND I SPENT MUCH OF MY DAY DEALING WITH OUR POLICE CHIEF, WITH OUR COUNTY SHERIFF, WITH OUR STATE TROOPERS IN FLORIDA, DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE GETTING ALL THE APPROPRIATE POLICE PROTECTION THAT WE NEED.
BUT AS I SAID BEFORE, THIS ISN'T REALLY JUST A JEWISH ISSUE.
THIS COULD BE HAPPENING TO ANY GROUP, TO OTHER GROUPS.
AND HONESTLY, IF WE DON'T STOP IT HERE, IT'S GOING TO MOVE TO OTHER GROUPS.
AND I, AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES SHARE THIS, I WILL ALWAYS DEFEND ANYONE AGAINST ANY DISCRIMINATION, AGAINST ANY HATE.
I'VE ACTUALLY GONE TO COURT TO TESTIFY AGAINST ANTI-SEMITIC ATTACKS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.
THE JUDGE EVEN SAID, I'VE NEVER SEEN A MAYOR SHOW UP TO A HEARING.
I WILL, I WHEN A HATE CRIME HAPPENS, I CALL THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND I'M LIKE, IF THE FACTS WARRANT, WHICH APPEARS IT DOES, YOU NEED TO CHARGE THIS AS A HATE CRIME.
THAT'S WHAT LEADERSHIP NEEDS TO DO.
WE NEED TO, AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE SAY THEY FEEL MIAMI BEACH IS THE SAFEST PLACE IN AMERICA FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE HAD DEMONSTRATIONS HERE IN MIAMI BEACH, YOU CAN DEMONSTRATE YOU HAVE YOUR FREE SPEECH, BUT IT DENIGRATED INTO HARASSING PEOPLE, SURROUNDING ELDERLY JEWISH PEOPLE SCREAMING IN THEIR FACE.
IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN THE IMAGES, I WILL SHARE THEM.
THEY ARE HORRIFYING TO SEE A MAN AND A WALKER BEING SURROUNDED BY A GROUP WHO HAS NOTHING BUT HEAT IN THEIR HEART SCREAMING AT THIS ELDERLY COUPLE BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE A CERTAIN POLICY.
AND HONESTLY, THEY JUST DON'T LIKE JUICE.
I WILL NEVER, EVER TOLERATE THAT IN OUR CITY FOR JEWISH PEOPLE OR ANY GROUP.
THAT'S WHY I PUT ON LEGISLATION THAT OUR COMMISSION FULLY SUPPORTED MAKING A DISTANCE SEPARATION WITH BARRICADES, ENFORCING OUR LAWS.
YOU CAN HAVE YOUR FREE SPEECH.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR FREE SPEECH.
I WILL PROTECT THE FREE SPEECH, BUT YOU'RE NOT GONNA COME IN HERE AND TAKE AWAY SOMEONE ELSE'S RIGHT.
AND MAKE THEM FEARFUL TO LIVE THE PEACEFUL LIFE THAT THEY JUST WANNA LIVE HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
I WENT, AND THAT'S THE TOUGH PART ABOUT CAMPAIGNS.
'CAUSE YOU READ IT, YOU GET THINGS IN THE MAIL, AND YOU GET THINGS IN TEXT MESSAGES AND YOU READ 'EM LIKE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT ME.
LIKE, IS THIS, IS THIS POSSIBLE? UM, AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
AND I, I EVEN HAD SOME PEOPLE WHO MET ME AFTERWARDS LIKE, WOW, YOU'RE NOT THE SAME PERSON I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT'VE BEEN AFTER.
UH, BUT AND THAT'S THE, AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM WHEN WE GET SO DEEP DEEPLY DIVIDED 'CAUSE CAMPAIGNS, I DIDN'T.
AND I'M ACTUALLY VERY PROUD OF THAT.
I STAYED POSITIVE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
I IN TO, IN PSALMS KING DAVID WROTE, I'LL SAY IT IN ENGLISH, HE SAID, WHO'S A PERSON WHO DESIRES LIFE? IT'S A PERSON WHO WATCHES THEIR TONGUE AND WATCHES THEIR SPEECH.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF THE NEGATIVITY IS DIVISIVE.
IT'S ACTUALLY MEANT TO DIVIDE US.
[00:45:01]
IT'S WEIRD.I WALK AROUND MIAMI BEACH AND I FEEL WE'RE UNITED.
I FEEL EVERYONE'S LIVING SIDE BY SIDE IN HARMONY, IN PEACE.
PEOPLE ENJOYING EACH OTHER'S COMPANIES.
YOU GO INTO A RESTAURANT OR SOMEWHERE AND WE ARE A BEAUTIFUL, WELCOMING CITY.
I GUESS THAT'S ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING IN MY HEART, I BELIEVE, I AM NOT BELIEVE I AM THE MAYOR FOR ALL OF MIAMI BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD, BLOCK BY BLOCK.
AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO END OFF ON SOME THANK YOUS.
I ALWAYS SAY THE THANK YOUS FOR LAST, BUT THEY'RE SO IMPERATIVE BECAUSE WE DON'T GET HERE.
NONE OF US GET UP HERE DOING IT ALONE.
IT TAKES AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF ENERGY AND SACRIFICE FROM SO MANY PEOPLE.
SO FIRST I'M GONNA START WITH THE FIRST LADY OF MIAMI BEACH,
I COULD TELL YOU SHANNON DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK SHANNON KNEW WHAT SHE WAS GONNA GET TO WHEN I FIRST SAT DOWN WITH HER A LITTLE OVER SIX YEARS AGO AND SAY, HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ME RUNNING FOR OFFICE? UM, BUT SHANNON HAS EMBRACED IT.
I I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT LITERALLY SHANNON'S ENTIRE DAY IS SPENT WORKING FOR MIAMI BEACH.
NOT ON THE PAYROLL, BUT NOT ON THE PAYROLL, BUT WORKING FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
SHANNON RESPONDS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE I EVEN GET TO SEE IT.
PEOPLE REACH OUT TO SHANNON DIRECTLY AND SHE RESPONDS.
WE'RE HERE TO HELP PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
NOW I GET TO EMBARRASS MY DAUGHTER, MICHA AND OUR SON, MATIA
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE AMAZING KIDS.
OUR SON MATIA IS IN, IS IN ISRAEL IN, UH, LEARNING IN YESHIVA FOR THE YEAR.
MIKAL, UH, OBVIOUSLY, UH, HOME WITH US.
BUT I THINK WHAT'S WHAT'S NOT RECOGNIZED IS THE SACRIFICE.
AND I'M GONNA TELL TWO QUICK STORIES, SORRY.
ONE IS THAT WHEN I HAD TO DECIDE WHETHER TO RUN FOR REELECTION, AND I WAS PRETTY SURE I WAS GONNA DO IT, MOST PEOPLE DO IT, BUT IT'S NOT A GIVEN.
SOME PEOPLE DO WALK AWAY FOR WHATEVER REASONS.
AND I CAME HOME AND I SAID, WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHOULD I DO THIS? SHOULD I RUN? AND MIKAL LOOKED AT ME PERPLEXED, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I'M LIKE, WELL, IF I DON'T RUN FOR OFFICE, I'LL HAVE MORE TIME.
YOU NEED TO DO THIS FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT MIKAL SAID, ED.
BUT SHANNON AND MY KIDS, THEY'RE ALSO PAYING ATTENTION.
THEY ACTUALLY OFFERED ME ADVICE.
I WILL ACTUALLY SOMETIMES JUST SAY THINGS AND I DON'T ASK FOR THEIR ADVICE, BUT THEY'LL OFFER IT.
SOMETIMES I EVEN ASK FOR THE ADVICE, WHETHER IT BE A SOCIAL MEDIA POST, WHETHER IT BE SOMETHING I WANNA SAY IN A SPEECH, CERTAIN, UH, A CERTAIN POLICY.
AND I, AND I ASK BECAUSE THEY CARE.
I'M ON THE PHONE, I'M DOING THIS.
SO THEY'RE LITERALLY LIVING AND BREATHING THIS WITH ME.
AND OBVIOUSLY I COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT.
UM, MY MOM AND STEPDAD, UH, I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE EVERYTHING.
BEFORE, BEFORE I HAD A SMALL TEAM, THEY WERE THE TEAM HELPING ME RUN CAMPAIGNS FROM THEIR DINING ROOM TABLE.
IT WAS JUST LITERALLY ME AND THEM AND MAYBE ONE OTHER PERSON THAT I'LL GET TO IN A, IN A MINUTE.
AND SO I WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT YOUR CERTAINLY YOUR INITIAL HELP, BUT RAISING ME.
I MEAN, YOU MENTIONED THE RUSSIA STORY.
LIKE, OBVIOUSLY I'LL TAKE UP THE WHOLE MEETING.
I'M TAKING UP MORE TIME THAN I WANT TO DO TO BEGIN WITH.
AND, AND, UH, THE SUPPORT, THE LOVE, THE EVERYTHING YOU DO IS, IS, IS UNBELIEVABLE.
MY MY MY DAD AND STEPMOM ACTUALLY HAVE A WEDDING.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, UH, NOT, NOT NOT HERE TODAY, BUT, UH, HOPEFULLY, I THINK THEY'RE, THEY'RE WATCHING AS AS WELL.
I HAD, I WANNA THANK MY MOTHER-IN-LAW LINDA AS WELL.
AND I'M GONNA TRY NOT TO CRY, BUT SHANNON'S DAD, WE LOST
[00:50:01]
HIM TOO SOON.I WANNA THANK MY CAMPAIGN TEAM.
PEOPLE PROBABLY THINK RUNNING FOR MAYOR.
YOU HAVE LIKE A MACHINE BEHIND YOU.
AND MAYBE NEXT TIME I WILL, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I HAD A VERY, VERY, VERY SMALL TEAM.
I THINK IT WOULD SHOCK PEOPLE HOW SMALL MY TEAM WAS.
I'M LIKE LITERALLY TALKING A COUPLE OF PEOPLE.
BUT I AM GONNA THANK MY CITY HALL TEAM BECAUSE THEY THANK YOU.
I AM GONNA THANK MY CITY HALT TEAM.
I'M GONNA START WITH MY CHIEF OF STAFF, VERONICA COLEY, MY SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR, DANNY SUMMER, MY DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, BLAKE GOVAN, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, DAPHNE SABA.
AND WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE WITH AN IPHONE, ALWAYS TAKING PICTURES.
WE GOT ONE RIGHT OVER THERE TOO.
I'M GONNA JUST GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT.
DANNY SUMMER WAS WITH ME, LITERALLY WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR COMMISSIONER.
I, NOBODY GAVE ME A CHANCE, BUT THERE WERE PEOPLE BELIEVED IN ME.
THERE WAS A COMMUNITY THAT BELIEVED IN ME, BUT I NEEDED PEOPLE WHO HAD SMARTS AND DEDICATION AND VOLUNTEERED.
AND DANNY WAS WITH ME LITERALLY SIX AND A HALF YEARS AGO AND, UH, FOR FOUR YEARS, DIDN'T GET A PENNY.
JUST HELPING ME BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND THEN WHEN I, WHEN I, WHEN I WAS ELECTED MAYOR, I SAID, WELL, THIS IS A PERSON, UH, THAT THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH NEEDS TO HAVE WORKING FOR THEM FULL-TIME.
AND THEN I MET VERONICA WHEN I STARTED HERE.
AND THEN AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY, BUT ALSO HELPING OUT IN SO MANY, SO MANY WAYS WITH SMARTS AND DEDICATION AND LOYALTY.
IT'S, UH, AND THEN WE'VE BUILT THE TEAM FROM THERE.
AND THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE TO THANK I I JUST DON'T WANNA SPEND EVEN MORE TIME.
I'M GONNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO'VE JUST GIVEN ME A LOT OF GUIDANCE.
ALEX HECKLER AND MIKE LORENE, WHO REALLY POINTED ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHO, UH, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT UNION, WHO WAS I, I MEAN, IT WAS JUST OUTSTANDING.
ALSO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT UNION SUPPORT.
I'VE GONE ON WAY LONGER THAN I WANTED TO.
I'M GONNA FINISH OFF BY SAYING WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH FROM SPRING BREAK.
MEMORIAL DAY IS A BIG SUCCESS.
OUR CITY IS HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT I'M SO PROUD OF ALL OF WHAT WE'VE DONE.
I KNOW OUR BEST DAYS ARE AHEAD OF US.
AND IT'S NOT JUST ME, IT'S MY COLLEAGUES.
OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE TELLING US WHAT'S IMPORTANT, WHAT YOU NEED.
AND WHAT'S AMAZING IS WHEN YOU HAVE RESIDENTS, I HAVEN'T EVEN MENTIONED THEM, THERE WAS LIKE A TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS THAT I HAD.
I SEE SOME OF THEM IN THE BACK THERE.
I'M ONLY NOT GONNA MENTION YOUR NAMES BECAUSE THAT I'M GONNA BE LEAVING OUT A MILLION OTHER PEOPLE.
BUT LITERALLY VOLUNTEERS WHO HELPED IN EVERY WHICH WAY TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE VOTED, TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNEW THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT I AND OUR CITY HAD HAD.
AND IT REALLY TAKES A DEDICATED TEAM WHO BELIEVE IN YOU.
BUT IT'S NOT EVEN EVEN BELIEVING IN ME.
IT'S BELIEVING THE VALUES, THE MORALS THAT WE BRING, THAT WE STAND FOR.
MY WIFE AND I, SHANNON, ARE ALWAYS THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR MIAMI BEACH.
PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO LITTLE THINGS SOMETIMES EVEN JUST ADDING IN GOD WE TRUST UP HERE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE NOTICED THAT WE ADDED IT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO TO SHOW THAT WE LEAD WITH MORAL CLARITY, WE LEAD WITH GUIDANCE, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT THERE
[00:55:01]
IS A HIGHER AUTHORITY THAT WE ANSWER TO EVERY SINGLE DAY.AND THAT WE'RE, WE MUST RECOGNIZE AND ALWAYS HOLD THOSE VALUES.
AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES TAKING THE TOUGH DECISION.
AND I REALLY AM FINISHING OFF
AND I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD TO WORK WITH MICHAEL FARKAS AS, UH, AS AN EXECUTIVE OF FARKAS GROUP.
I SEE YA BARON IN THE BACK THERE REPRESENTING.
AND I MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T OFTEN MENTION IT, BUT I THINK, AND TODAY I'M SORT OF ENCOMPASSING PART OF MY LIFE IN HERE, WHAT WE DO FOR MIAMI BEACH, BUT ALSO ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME AND WHO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO DO AND LEAD.
IT'S THE HONOR AND THE PRIVILEGE OF A LIFETIME TO REPRESENT YOU.
AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO IT WITH DIGNITY, INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND MAYBE MOST IMPORTANT WITH LOVE.
'CAUSE I LITERALLY LOVE EVERY PART OF MY BEACH, EVERY RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH, EVERYTHING WE STAND FOR.
AND I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD TO REPRESENT AS MAYOR OF MIAMI BEACH.
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
I AM NOT GOING TO ASK AFTERWARDS HOW LONG I WAS
LAURA, DO YOU WANT ME TO ANNOUNCE WHO'S DOING IT OR DO YOU WANNA ANNOUNCE MY QUESTION? JORGE DOMINGUEZ, BROTHER OF LAW OF COMMISSIONER LAUREN DOMINGUEZ WILL LEAVE WITH THE LOW OATH OF OFFICE.
UH, FIRST, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
AND UH, JUST TO SHARE, THIS IS A VERY PROUD, UH, FAMILY MOMENT, UH, FOR US.
UH, YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH.
AND, UH, WE ARE THANKFUL FOR EVERYONE THAT SUPPORTED LAURA, UH, THROUGHOUT HER JOURNEY.
UH, MY WIFE LONNIE IS HERE, ALONG WITH MY CHILDREN, JAVIER IN CAROLINA, AND MY BEAUTIFUL MOM, ALINA DOMINGUEZ AS WELL.
AND DAD IS WATCHING FROM HOME.
I LAURA DOMINGUEZ, A CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND OF THE UNITED STATES, A CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND BEING AN OFFICER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND BEING AN OFFICER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND THE RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS AS SUCH, OFFICER AND THE RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS, AS SUCH, OFFICER DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM, DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
THAT I'LL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTIES AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTIES OF CITY COMMISSIONER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, OF CITY COMMISSIONER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FOR WHICH I HAVE BEEN ELECTED FOR WHICH I HAVE BEEN ELECTED.
[01:00:11]
AND JILL POTASH FRIEND TO LEAVE WITH THE OATH OF CIVILITY.CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN AND TO THE FAMILY.
I'M READING THE OATH OF CIVILITY TO MY COLLEAGUES, TO MY COLLEAGUES, AND TO ALL OF THOSE I REPRESENT AND SERVE.
AND TO ALL OF THOSE I REPRESENT AND SERVE.
I PLEDGE FAIRNESS, INTEGRITY, I PLEDGE FAIRNESS AND INTEGRITY AND INTEGRITY AND CIVILITY AND CIVILITY AND ALL ACTIONS TAKEN IN, ALL ACTIONS TAKEN AND ALL COMMUNICATIONS MADE BY ME AND ALL COMMUNICATIONS MADE BY AS A PUBLIC SERVANT.
OH, OH, SHE WROTE COMMISSIONER LAURA DOMINGUEZ.
ALRIGHT, WELL GOOD MORNING, FAMILY, FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES AND RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH.
I'M DEEPLY HONORED AND HUMBLED TO BE REELECTED AS YOUR COMMISSIONER FOR GROUP TWO.
THANK YOU FOR PLACING YOUR TRUST IN ME.
SERVING THIS CITY IS THE GREATEST PRIVILEGE OF MY LIFE.
MANY OF YOU REMEMBER MY LATE PARTNER COMMISSIONER MARK SAMUEL.
MARK BELIEVED IN A SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL IDEA, AND THAT WAS RESIDENCE FIRST.
HIS LEGACY OF CIVILITY AND COMPASSION AND LEADERSHIP CONTINUES TO GUIDE ME EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I WILL CONTINUE STRIVING TO BE A UNIFIER ON THE COMMISSION AND A STRONG VOICE FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT.
CONGRATULATIONS TO MAYOR STEVEN MINER AND TO COMMISSIONER ALEX FERNANDEZ.
I'M EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO BE WORKING WITH YOU, MAYOR.
YOU'VE BEEN CONSISTENT AND EFFECTIVE WITH LAW AND ORDER, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO HELP KEEP OUR CITY SAFE.
YOU MAY BE THE YOUNGEST COMMISSIONER, BUT YOU'RE DEFINITELY THE MOST SEASONED.
I'M SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND EXPERTISE ON THE DEAS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO COMMISSIONER MONICA MATEO SALINAS, YOU WORKED HARD AND I'M THRILLED TO HAVE YOU AS A COLLEAGUE.
I'M ALSO PROUD TO SERVE ALONGSIDE, UH, MY OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND COMMISSIONER VA.
UH, BOTH OF YOU ARE INSPIRING AND, UH, WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH A GREAT COMMISSION.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THIS JOURNEY POSSIBLE.
[01:05:02]
MY FAMILY, MY PARENTS, GEORGE AND ALINA.THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT TO MY BROTHER GEORGE.
AND I AM SO PROUD, UM, THAT YOU'RE MY BROTHER TO MY SISTER-IN-LAW, LANNI, MY NEPHEW, JAVIER, MY NIECE, CAROLINA.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNWAVERING LOVE AND ENCOURAGEMENT.
AND THANK YOU TO MY DEAR FRIENDS WHO STOOD BY ME THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THIS CAMPAIGN, ESPECIALLY JILL, MARISSA, MELANIE, CLAIRE, SMAD, JESSICA, AND CARLA.
I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LOYALTY, KINDNESS, AND BELIEF IN ME TO MY CAMPAIGN TEAM.
MY TEAM WAS DISCIPLINED, FOCUSED, WORKED HARD, AND WINNING THIS REELECTION WITH A DECISIVE VICTORY WAS A SPECIAL MOMENT.
I WANT TO THANK THE CITY ADMINISTRATION FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
I WILL SAY AT EVERY MEETING THAT OR PHONE CALL THAT I HAD, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR, DURING MY CAMPAIGN, I'M ROOTING FOR YOU, WAS A CONSISTENT THEME AND IT MEANT SO MUCH TO FEEL YOUR SUPPORT.
I'M ALSO GRATEFUL TO THE CURRENT AND FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHOSE GUIDANCE, WISDOM, AND ENCOURAGEMENT HELP SHAPE MY PATH TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT TO ME FOR ENCOURAGING ME THROUGHOUT MY CAMPAIGN.
YOUR LOVE MEANT SO MUCH TO ME.
I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO RABBI MANN AND HIS WIFE ZIPPY OF THE HABAD OF THE VENETIAN.
I CELEBRATE WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THE MANY OCCASIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND IT REALLY TOUCHED MY HEART TO, UM, HAVE THEIR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT MY CAMPAIGN AS LONG AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMISSION.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US AND I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING COLLABORATIVELY, RESPECTFULLY, AND WITH A SHARED MISSION THAT THE NEW COMMISSION WILL DELIVER REAL SOLUTIONS AND REAL RESULTS FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
THANK YOU TO THE ORGANIZATION'S UNION'S, FIRST RESPONDERS AND ADVOCATES WHO BELIEVED IN ME, ENDORSED MY CANDIDACY.
YOUR TRUST IS A RESPONSIBILITY THAT I TAKE SERIOUSLY.
THANK YOU TO EVERY DONOR, TO EVERY VOLUNTEER THAT HELPED MAKE MY JOURNEY POSSIBLE.
PUBLIC SAFETY REMAINS ONE OF MY HIGHEST PRIORITIES.
OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE TO FEEL FAITH SAFE IN THEIR HOMES AND ON OUR STREETS AND IN EVERY CORNER OF OUR CITY.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR POLICE AND FIRE UNIONS AND HONORED TO WORK ALONGSIDE THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.
I WILL CONTINUE CHAMPIONING STRONG, EFFECTIVE INITIATIVES THAT PROTECT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS RESILIENCY.
WE FACE CHALLENGES THAT REQUIRE THOUGHTFUL PLANNING AND TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
I WILL CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS THAT ARE DONE RIGHT EFFICIENTLY AND WITH RESPECT FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND PROPERTY OWNERS.
THAT MEANS SMART, BALANCED DEVELOPMENT, STRONG CODE ENFORCEMENT CODE AND SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS AND CITY SERVICES THAT RESIDENTS CAN RELY ON.
GROWTH MUST BE RESPONSIBLE AND PROGRESS MUST ALWAYS REFLECT THE VALUES OF THE COMMUNITY.
OUR SCHOOLS ARE THE HEART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
I WILL CONTINUE SUPPORTING OUR PTAS STEAM PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE AND HELP THEM THRIVE.
I DEDICATE THIS VICTORY TO MARK SAMUEL, HIS BELIEF IN MIAMI BEACH IN KINDNESS AND PUTTING RESIDENTS FIRST LIVES THROUGH HIS WORK.
I WILL CONTINUE TO CHAMPION THE ITEMS HE HELD MOST DEAR YEAR.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO CONTINUE SERVING THE CITY I LOVE.
[01:10:01]
GRATEFUL, AND I'M READY TO GET BACK TO WORK.COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, ARE YOU READY? I'M READY.
I'M GONNA ASK THE HONORABLE REBECCA SOSA, FORMER MIAMI D MIAMI DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONER TO LEAD THE OATH OF OFFICE AND ALSO RABBI DONALD DIXON FROM THE BETH ISRAEL CONGREGATION TO LEAD IN THE OATH OF CIVILITY.
THERE'S SOME METHOD TO THE MADNESS.
THERE'S A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE JOINING US UP HERE.
THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE OVER HERE.
THEN THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE OVER THERE.
AND CAMERON'S IN CHARGE OF IT ALL.
CAMERON KNOWS WHERE EVERYONE GOES.
THERE'S A REASON
ARE WE READY? AND WHERE'S KAREN? SYDNEY.
YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS ARE COMING UP.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE WHO ALREADY TOOK THE, THE, THE PROMISE TO THE PEOPLE OF MIAMI BEACH, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT.
BUT MY HEART, BEFORE I DO WHAT I HAVE TO DO WITH YOU, MY HEART GOES BACK TO MANY YEARS.
YOU WERE ONLY WHAT IS, WHAT WAS YOUR AGE? I THINK 15.
AND SINCE THE BEGINNING WHEN I SAW HIM, I SAID, THIS GUY HAS A LOT TO OFFER INSIDE HIS HEART.
AND HE'S GONNA BE ONE THAT IS NOT GONNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY POSITION HE TAKES.
HE'S GONNA WORK HARD FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND THEN WHEN I BECAME COMMISSIONER, HE PASSED FROM THE FIRST ONE TO THE SECOND ONE.
THEY CALL HIM, HE ANSWERS, THEY CALL HIM.
HE GOES AND SEE WHAT IS WRONG.
YOUR SYMPATHY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU REPRESENT, YOUR DEDICATION TO THEM AND TO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE ADMIRES.
WHY DO YOU THINK YOU GOT THE PERCENTAGE THAT YOU GOT IN THIS ELECTION AND SEE THAT YOUR MADINA CAME WITH HER HIP BROKEN TOTE TOTE.
YOU HAVE A LOT IN THE FUTURE TO DO FOR THE RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH AND THE RESIDENTS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.
WE NEED TO TEACH THE NEW GENERATIONS
[01:15:01]
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN LIFE BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT IMPORTANT IN LIFE.SO KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, FIGHTING FOR YOUR PEOPLE, FOR THE ONES THAT TRUSTED YOU.
NOW YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE SAVING THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE BEACH AND EVERYTHING.
AND EVERYBODY, MY ADMIRATION WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN EXCELLENT FRIEND.
AND AFTER YOU LEFT HERE, YOU REMEMBER THE DAY THAT YOU CAME AND YOU SAY, THEY WANTED ME TO RUN FOR, FOR, FOR FOR COMMISSIONER OF MIAMI BEACH.
AND I SAID, AND WHY? YOU SAID NO, BECAUSE COMMISSIONER, I'M NOT GONNA LEAVE YOU
AND I SAID, LISTEN, YOU ARE GOING TO RUN AND I AM GOING TO WALK MIAMI BEACH AND GO TO THE SENIOR CENTER AND TO THE BUILDINGS WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE RUNNING I MARIACHI MARIA
SO THOSE ARE THINGS, AND WITH THOSE PARENTS THAT YOU HAVE THAT ARE SO WONDERFUL WITH THAT HUSBAND, ROBERT, THAT I LOVE YOU.
SO YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS SPECIAL FOR THIS CITY, FOR THIS COUNTY, AND FOR THIS STATE.
AND NOW YOU HAVE YOUR MOTHER WITH THE BIBLE NEXT TO YOU.
I ALEX FERNANDEZ, A CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, A CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND BEING AN OFFICER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND BEING AN OFFICER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND A RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS ASSESS AS SUCH OFFICER AND A RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
AS SUCH OFFICER DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION, THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER, AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER OF THE CITY, OF MIAMI BEACH, OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
SO I HAVE BEEN ELECTED, SO I HAVE BEEN ELECTED.
AND IN GOD HANDS AND IN GOD'S HANDS.
OKAY, MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TODAY.
I FEEL LIKE I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF THE DREAM TEAM OF LEADERSHIP,
WE ALL FEEL A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO DO, FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
IT DOESN'T GO WITHOUT A APPRECIATION OF THE PEOPLE WHO YOU LEAD.
IT'S A DIFFICULT JOB EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND WE ARE SO INDEBTED TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR US PERSONALLY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
COMMISSIONER IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CONGREGANTS.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UH, ALEX'S PARENTS KNOW NOT TO CALL HIM SATURDAY MORNING BECAUSE, UH, HE IS IN THE, UH, IN THE SYNAGOGUE.
AND, UH, OFTENTIMES IT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE LISTENING TO ME
SO THEREFORE I PROBABLY ALL THE TIME.
UH, SO I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
BUT MOSTLY WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE AN EXAMPLE OF JUST BEING A GOOD PERSON.
IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHO YOU ARE, WHAT RELIGION YOU ARE, WHAT NATIONALITY YOU ARE.
YOU ARE A PERSON WHO JUST CARES ABOUT PEOPLE.
IN FACT, THE COMMISSIONER ONCE CONFIDED IN ME THAT HE WAS THINKING OF GOING INTO THE CLERGY AS SOMEONE DIDN'T.
IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD THING YOU DIDN'T, I MEAN, JUST, YOU KNOW, MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, YOU'RE
[01:20:01]
BETTER WHERE YOU ARE.BUT THE, UH, BUT GOING ENCOURAGING AND THE REASON WHY HE DID NOT BECOME A PRIEST IS BECAUSE, OR WHAT THE REASON THAT HE CHOSE TO BE A COMMISSIONER, I SHOULD SAY, IS BECAUSE BEING A PRIEST MEANS HELPING PEOPLE.
BEING A RABBI MEANS HELPING PEOPLE.
AND THAT IS THE BEST PART OF THE JOB.
UH, AND, UH, YOU WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO YOU REPRESENT GOD AND YOU REPRESENT STATE, AND YOU REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY IN THE MOST DIGNIFIED WAY OF JUST CARING ABOUT PEOPLE.
AND FOR ANY GOOD LEADER, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE, THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.
SO IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO INTRODUCE, UH, TO, UH, DO THE OATH OF CIVILITY, RIGHT? COMMISSIONER TO MY COLLEAGUES, TO MY COLLEAGUES, AND TO ALL THOSE I REPRESENT AND SERVE.
AND TO ALL THOSE I REPRESENT AND SERVE.
AND CIVILITY IN ALL ACTIONS TAKEN IN ALL ACTIONS TAKEN AND IN ALL COMMUNICATIONS, AND IN ALL COMMUNICATIONS MADE BY ME AS A PUBLIC SERVANT MADE BY ME AS A PUBLIC SERVANT.
CONGRATULATIONS, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
UH, COMMISSIONER LORD DOMINGUEZ.
I LEFT OUT A LITTLE PART IN MY, UM, SPEECH TO MY AIDES, UH, JULIAN AND ALBERTO.
YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR OFFICE IS INVALUABLE.
YOU GO THE EXTRA MILE EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO BOTH OF YOU.
OH, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER ELECT SOON TO COMMISSIONER, I HAVE REMARKS.
I WAS HOPING TO SKIP OVER THAT
[01:25:02]
YOU SEE, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND I HAD THIS DEBATE.HE, I THINK HE'S ACTUALLY GONNA BE LONGER THAN ME.
AND I'LL TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
IT TRULY IS AN HONOR TO BE A PART OF THIS NEW COMMISSION, UNITED BY A SHARED LOVE FOR OUR CITY AND THAT SHARED OBLIGATION TO SERVE IT WELL, MR. MAYOR, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR WELL TO DESERVED REELECTION.
RESIDENTS HAVE REAFFIRMED THEIR SUPPORT FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR YOUR VISION, AND ESPECIALLY YOUR UNPRECEDENTED FOCUS ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THAT FOCUS MATTERS BECAUSE MIAMI BEACH CANNOT BE A SUCCESSFUL CITY.
SAFETY IS THE FOUNDATION UPON WHICH, THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR RESIDENTS, UPON WHICH THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF OUR BUSINESSES, UPON WHICH THE PUBLIC TRUST IS BUILT.
AND MR. MAYOR, YOU HAVE SET US, YOU HAVE SET US ON A STRONG AND RESPONSIBLE PATH FORWARD, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR COLLEGIAL WORK.
I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE MY DEAR COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER LAURA DOMINGUEZ.
ON A VERY IMPRESSIVE LANDSLIDE VICTORY COMMISSIONER, RESIDENTS SPOKE CLEARLY, THEY REAFFIRMED THEIR TRUST IN YOU AS A RESIDENT FIRST COMMISSIONER, YOU WORK HARD, YOU LISTEN, YOU SHOW UP, AND THE PEOPLE OF MIAMI BEACH HAVE SEEN THAT DEDICATION AND REWARDED IT.
THANK YOU FOR KEEPING MARK SAMUEL IAN'S BEAUTIFUL LEGACY ALIVE ON THE MIAMI BEACH DAYS AND TO OUR US COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER MONICA MATTEL SALINAS.
SHE USED TO BE MY BOSS AND NOW SHE'S MY COLLEAGUE BECAUSE SHE WAS LITERALLY, SHE WOULD TELL ME WHAT TO DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WORDS TRULY CANNOT EXPRESS HOW PROUD I AM OF YOU.
RESIDENTS SAW THAT YOU FOLLOW YOUR HEART.
WHETHER WHILE SERVING AS AN AIDE HERE AT CITY HALL OR ADVOCATING AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN FOR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY AND AFFORDABILITY, YOU FOLLOWED YOUR HEART AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERED.
AND YOUR RESIDENTS TRUSTED YOU BECAUSE YOU UPHELD THOSE VALUES.
AND THAT IS WHAT'S GOING TO MAKE YOU AN INCREDIBLE COMMISSIONER FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART BEING REELECTED WITH HISTORIC RECORD BREAKING SUPPORT, IT IS HUMBLING
IT IS HUMBLING, BUT IT MOTIVATES ME TO WORK EVEN HARDER TO DELIVER FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, RUNNING FOR OFFICE IS NEVER EASY.
AND I, AND IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE.
IT TAKES A LOT OF COMMITMENTS.
AND THEN THE AUDIENCE IS LUIGI MARY, MY OPPONENT, MY CHALLENGER.
BUT WE WEREN'T REALLY OPPONENTS.
WE WERE CHALLENGERS IN, IN THE RACE.
AND I WANNA CONGRATULATE LUIGI FOR HAVING HAD THE COURAGE TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE, TO FIGHT FOR OUR CITY, TO RUN FOR THE CITY COMMISSION, AND FOR BEING SUCH A GENTLEMAN THAT YOU ALWAYS ARE WHEN WE'RE TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, LUIGI.
DURING MY FIRST TERM, WE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH IMPORTANT WORK TOGETHER.
AS CHAIR OF THE LAND USE AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, I HELPED RESTART LONG DELAYED INFRASTRUCTURE AND FLOOD PREVENTION PROJECTS THROUGH THE STOP THE PAUSE POLICY I SPONSORED AND WE UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED AS THE CITY COMMISSION.
WE LAUNCHED OPERATION CLEAN WATER TO FOCUS ON THE HEALTH OF OUR CANALS AND WATERWAYS.
WE CREATED THE TEXT BEFORE TOW PROGRAM REDUCING NEEDLESS RESIDENT TOS BY MORE THAN 90%
I GUESS SOMEONE GOT A TEXT MESSAGE.
WE MODERNIZED OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
[01:30:01]
CODE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR DECADES, CREATED A HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROPERTY TAX INCENTIVE, AND WORKED ACROSS TWO LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS TO PROTECT OUR ART DECO HISTORIC DISTRICT AND OUR LOCAL ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS.FROM DANGEROUS STATE PREEMPTIONS, WE PASSED THE, OUR SMOKING BAN ON OUR BEACHES.
WE ADVANCED STRONG PUBLIC CAMPING ORDINANCES THAT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED HOMELESSNESS, AS A MAYOR WOULD SAY, TO HISTORIC LOWS.
WE HELPED RESTORE ORDER TO SPRING BREAK.
WE EXPANDED THE POP-UP PERMIT PROGRAM TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES OPEN MORE QUICKLY IN OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS.
WE STRENGTHENED TENANT PROTECTIONS BY PASSING FIRST OF ITS KIND POLICIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
WE ADDRESSED PARTY HOUSE ABUSES IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE ROLLED BACK LATE NIGHT ALCOHOL HOURS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS, PASSED A LANDMARK PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO REVITALIZE LINCOLN ROAD.
CLOSED THE FUNDING GAP TO FINALLY DELIVER BAYSHORE PARK AFTER DECADES OF PROMISES REDUCED THE MILAGE RATE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2018, AND CONTINUED ADVANCING L-G-B-T-Q INCLUSION, MAINTAINING OUR PERFECT SCORE ON THE MUNICIPAL EQUALITY INDEX.
THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS MATTER, BUT THE TRUE PRIVILEGE OF PUBLIC SERVICE IS FOUND IN THE PEOPLE WHO WE HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING.
WHEN A YOUNG DOCTOR FROM NIGERIA WHO CAME LEGALLY TO THE UNITED STATES ON A VALID WORK VISA, HE BUILT HIS LIFE HERE OVER MANY YEARS.
HE MET HIS WIFE HERE, HE MADE THIS COUNTRY HIS HOME, AND THEN SUDDENLY, SUDDENLY HE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE GOVERNMENT INSTRUCTING HIM TO LEAVE THE FEAR OF LOSING HIS FAMILY, THE FEAR OF ABANDONING HIS DREAMS, THE FEAR OF GIVING UP ON THE PROMISE OF THE COUNTRY YOU'VE COME TO LOVE BECOMES VERY REAL.
THAT DOCTOR REACHED OUT TO MY OFFICE AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF COLLEAGUES AT THE COUNTY COMMISSION, MY CHIEF AIDE, KARA PETRE, WORKED TO CONNECT HIM WITH RESOURCES, BUT JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, SHE GAVE HIM HOPE.
SHE REMINDED HIM THAT HE WASN'T ALONE IN THIS JOURNEY, THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE HERE WHO CARED FOR HIM, PEOPLE WHO WOULD STAND WITH HIM.
ONE MONTH AGO, THE DOCTOR CALLED ME WITH INCREDIBLE NEWS.
HIS RESIDENCY HAD BEEN APPROVED AND HE RECEIVED HIS GREEN CARD.
KALISHA, EBAY IS AN HONORABLE AND KIND MAN WHO SAVES LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY.
EBAY, I'M SO HONORED THAT YOU'RE HERE WITH US TODAY.
PLEASE STAND SO THAT WE MAY RECOGNIZE YOU.
EVERY AMERICAN IN THIS ROOM SHOULD BE PROUD THAT DR.
EBAY IS A RESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
LAST YEAR, AMANDA LARA AND HER HUSBAND ALEJANDRO, REACHED OUT TO ME TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
FOR OUR SUPPORT OF LAGA, AN ORGANIZATION THAT STOOD BY AMANDA DURING HER OWN ILLNESS.
AND YET, WHILE FACING HER OWN HEALTH CHALLENGES, AMANDA FOUNDED IN HER HEART TO HELP OTHERS AT A SENIOR SOCCER ACTIVITY THAT SHE HELPS ORGANIZE AND PARTICIPATE IN.
AMANDA SHARED INFORMATION ABOUT ONE OF OUR MOBILE MAMMOGRAM EVENTS, AN EVENT ORGANIZED BY MY LEGISLATIVE AIDE, SIDNEY ALONSO.
AND BECAUSE OF SIDNEY'S COORDINATION OF THIS MAMMOGRAM EVENT, AND BECAUSE OF AMANDA'S GENEROSITY AND OUTGOING SPIRIT, ANOTHER WOMAN WAS ABLE TO DETECT BREAST CANCER EARLY AND BEGIN HER OWN LIFESAVING JOURNEY.
AMANDA, ALEJANDRO AND I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO SAY THAT SUPPORTING THE CAUSE OF THE LEAGUE AGAINST CANCER AND WORKING ON THOSE MA MA MAMMOGRAM TRUCKS IS CONTINUING THE LEGACY OF COMMISSIONER REBECCA SOSA FROM WHO INITIATED THAT WORK AND WHOSE WORK I'M PROUD TO CONTINUE.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE TWO VERY SPECIAL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, OUR YOUTH COMMISSIONERS,
[01:35:01]
PENELOPE HELLER AND MAGLIO SALINAS.DURING THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THEY JOINED ME IN TALLAHASSEE, WHERE WE MET WITH SENATOR CHEVRON JONES TO DISCUSS EDUCATION, TO DISCUSS HISTORIC PRESERVATION, TO DISCUSS THE LIVE LOCAL ACT.
BUT THE MEETING ITSELF WASN'T THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE MOMENT.
IT WAS WHAT THEY EXPERIENCED THE IMPORTANCE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, THE POWER OF FACT BASED DEBATE, THE VERY REAL IMPACT THAT THEIR VOICES CAN HAVE ON PUBLIC POLICY.
PENELOPE AND MAGLIO REMIND US THAT SHAPING THE CITY OF TOMORROW IS NOT JUST DONE THROUGH PROJECTS AND POLICY.
IT HAPPENS WHEN WE HELP OUR YOUNGEST NEIGHBORS DISCOVER THEIR PASSION TO FIND THEIR VOICES AND TO FOLLOW THEIR DREAMS. PENELOPE'S MOTHER, AMY, AND HER GRANDMOTHER, OUR VERY BELOVED BEVERLY, ARE HERE TODAY.
IF YOU STAND WHERE, WHERE ARE YOU, BEVERLY? AH, THERE, THEY'RE I.
I WAS DEEPLY HUMBLED WHEN I LEARNED THAT AFTER THE TRIP TO TALLAHASSEE, PENELOPE DECIDED TO STUDY PUBLIC POLICY.
THAT RIGHT THERE IS HOW DEMOCRACY RENEWS ITSELF.
LET'S GIVE PENELOPE A MAGLIO AND THEIR FAMILIES A WELL DESERVED ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
CLEARLY, THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE.
AND A GENTLEMAN, I'LL SIMPLY CALL DERRICK.
DERRICK, RECENTLY STOPPED ME OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL TO THANK ME.
WHILE SLEEPING OUTSIDE OF MACY'S, DEREK WAS APPROACHED BY ONE OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS WHO WAS ENFORCING OUR PUBLIC CAMPING ORDINANCE.
AND THAT MOMENT WITH THOSE OFFICERS BECAME A TURNING POINT FOR DEREK.
IT WAS THEN WHEN DEREK FINALLY ACCEPTED SERVICES, FOUND EMPLOYMENT, AND WHILE THE PATH WAS NOT ALWAYS STRAIGHT OR PERFECT, TODAY, DEREK IS OFF THE STREETS OF MIAMI BEACH AND HE HAS SINCE BEEN REUNITED WITH HIS FAMILY.
THESE ARE THE TRUE BLESSINGS OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
PUBLIC SERVICE IS ABOUT IMPROVING LIVES, KEEPING HOPE ALIVE, AND HELPING PEOPLE REACH THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL EVERY DAY.
AND THAT IS WHAT FUELS MY SERVICE EVERY DAY WHEN I COME TO CITY HALL AND NONE OF THIS WORK HAPPENS ALONE.
I'M SO INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO MY TEAM, TO KARA AND SYDNEY, WHO I MENTIONED EARLIER.
THEY'RE CARRYING ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
THEY'RE PROFESSIONAL, PUBLIC SERVICE.
MAKE THE WORK THAT MY OFFICE DELIVERS POSSIBLE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR CITY MANAGER, ERIC CARPENTER, OUR CITY ATTORNEY, RICK PICCO AND THE EXTRAORDINARY WORKFORCE, THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH ACROSS EVERY DEPARTMENT.
AND AT EVERY LEVEL, YOU ARE THE QUIET PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE THE TRUE BACKBONE OF OUR CITY AND WHO MAKE US AS COMMISSIONERS SUCCESSFUL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND I'M SO HONORED TO HAVE HAD MY MENTOR COMMISSIONER REBECCA SOLSA, MINISTER, MY OATH OF OFFICE TODAY, SINCE I WAS 15 YEARS OLD, COMMISSIONER SOSA HAS SHAPED MY PATH IN PUBLIC SERVICE, OFTEN REMINDING ME THE TITLES COME AND GO.
RIGHT? YOU OFTEN REMIND ME OF THAT.
BUT THE WORK THAT WE DO AND HOW WE MAKE PEOPLE FEEL IS WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND.
COMMISSIONER SOLSA IS THE LET'S GIVE HER YES.
COMMISSIONER SOLSA IS THE REASON WHY CIVILITY AND RESPECT FOR THE PUBLIC ARE AT THE CORE OF MY WORK AND THAT COM.
AND THAT IS WHY MY COMMITMENT TODAY REMAINS TO BE THE SAME ALEX, THE SAME ALEX I WAS IN MY FIRST TERM WITH AN OPEN DOOR LEADING WITH HUMILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY AND GOVERNING WITH CARE.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO FATHER ALBERTO FOR COMING ALL THE WAY BACK TO MIAMI BEACH FOR ON PLANTATION.
THAT INVOCATION THAT YOU DELIVERED, THAT FATHER ALBERT DELIVERED THAT YOU ALL HEARD TODAY.
[01:40:01]
WHAT'S GUIDED ME AND MY SERVICE WITH COMPASSION AND FAITH SINCE I WAS 14 YEARS OLD WHEN I FIRST MET FATHER ALBERT HERE AT ST.PATRICK'S, AND WE WORKED TOGETHER FOR THE HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, FATHER ALBERT MIAMI BEACH WILL FOREVER BE YOUR HOME.
AND TO RABBI DONALD DIXON, THANK YOU FOR ADMINISTERING MY OATH OF, OF CIVILITY.
I LOVE TEXTING MY PARENTS WHEN I GO TO SHUL IN, IN, IN THE MORNING ON SATURDAYS, TELLING 'EM I'M ON MY WAY TO SHUL.
I'M GONNA BE UNAVAILABLE TILL ABOUT NOON OR SO.
BUT AT BETH ISRAEL, I HAVE FOUND A COMMUNITY THAT FEELS LIKE HOME.
AND I MUST ADMIT RABBI, THIS MOMENT KIND OF FEELS LIKE I'M DELIVERING A BAR MITZVAH SPEECH.
AND TO MY CLOSEST SUPPORTERS, CARLA PROBUS, ROBIN JACOBS, ROBIN MALICK, MAYOR, MADDIE BAUER, VALERIE, THE HERSKOWITZ FAMILY, YALE, MARK, AND BARBARA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP.
AND YOU GUYS REMIND ME WHAT COMMUNITY TRULY FEELS LIKE.
AND TO MY FAMILY, MY PARENTS, MY BROTHER GEORGE, THANK YOU FOR NURTURING MY LOVE OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND INSTILLING IN ME MY FAITH IN GOD.
MY BROTHER WOULD PICK ME UP FROM SCHOOL, FROM GULLIVER, AND HE WOULD TAKE ME TO ALL OF MY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
AND AT TIMES MY DAD HAD WORKED IN THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA AND HE WOULD DRIVE BACK ALL THE WAY FROM THE WEST COAST, OR MY MOM WOULD DRIVE AND RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC FROM DOWNTOWN TO MAKE SURE I COULD GET TO A RADIO STATION IN TIME, OR I COULD GET TO A MEETING ON TIME.
BECAUSE WHAT HIGH SCHOOL KID DOESN'T HAVE TO GO TO A RADIO STATION OR HAVE A BOARD MEETING.
BUT THOSE ARE THE SACRIFICES MY PARENTS MADE, AND THAT GOT ME TO BE HERE TODAY.
AND WITHOUT THEM, I WOULDN'T BE YOUR COMMISSIONER HERE IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
AND FINALLY, TO MY PARTNER ROBERT, THERE,
ROBERT ALWAYS STANDS BY ME, AND NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO STRIKE UP A CONVERSATION ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL WITH JUST ABOUT ANYONE THE WAY ROBERT CAN.
I MAY BE THE PUBLIC SERVANT, BUT ROBERT, HE IS THE TRUE POLITICIAN.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO ADVANCE THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE, SCRIPTURE REMINDS US TO ACT JUSTLY, TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD.
BECAUSE PUBLIC SERVICE SHOULD NEVER BE ABOUT POWER.
IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO WE SERVE, PEOPLE WHO LIFT ONE ANOTHER UP, PEOPLE WHO STAND TOGETHER IN HARDSHIP AND IN CELEBRATION LIKE TODAY.
AND ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN SO MUCH FEELS DIVIDED IN OUR COUNTRY, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
THIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT MUST BE WHERE PEOPLE FIND DECENCY, STABILITY, AND HOPE.
AND SO WHETHER YOU ARE REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT OR INDEPENDENT GAY OR STRAIGHT JEWISH, CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM, OR ATHEIST, A CITIZEN OR A NEWCOMER TO OUR COUNTRY, WE ARE ONE MIAMI BEACH.
AND WHEN WE ARE UNITED, OUR POTENTIAL IS TRULY LIMITLESS.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, AND THIS REALLY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, AND AND I, AND I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO EXPRESS TREMENDOUS GRATITUDE TO OUR POLICE AND FIRE UNIONS FOR THEIR SUPPORT, FOR THEIR TRUST IN ME, THE CWA, THE GSA, SAFE EQUALITY, ALL THE INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I'M GONNA BE, I'M GONNA MISS SOME, BUT WHO WERE THERE THROUGHOUT THIS PATH.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY THAT I WANTED TO CLOSE, I WANTED TO CLOSE BY ASKING FOR GOD'S BLESSING TO INSPIRE ME WITH HIS PEACE, WITH HIS JOY, WITH HIS STRENGTH.
AND THAT GOD MAY ALWAYS USE ME AS AN INSTRUMENT OF HIS PEACE AS I GO ABOUT MY PUBLIC SERVICE.
[01:45:01]
ALL OF YOU.MAY GOD BLESS OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME, FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU.
OKAY? I WAS GONNA PLAY A JOKE ON COMMISSIONER ELECT MONICA METAS AND SAY, MEANING ADJOURNED
A LITTLE, A LITTLE, UH, FRIENDLY HAZING TO OUR NEW COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMISSIONER MONICA MATEO SALINAS, THE OATH OF OFFICE BY HEIDI IIG, HER MOM AND MAGLIO AND TIAGO SALINAS, HER SONS COME STAND IN DOING SET.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY SAYING HOW PROUD I AM OF MONICA.
SHE HAS WORKED SO HARD TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, AND THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH FOR PUTTING THEIR TRUST IN HER.
UM, NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT WAS A NO BRAINER FOR ME TO COME FROM A FOOT OF SNOW AND MINUS THREE DEGREES
I'M HOPING I CAN STAY A WEEK OR TWO.
UH, I AM HERE WITH HER SONS MAGLIO AND TIAGO, AND I DO REPRESENT HER FAMILY THAT ARE HERE IN SPIRIT FROM MICHIGAN AND COLD MINNESOTA.
I AM MONICA MATEO SALINAS, A CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, A CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND BEING AN OFFICER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND BEING AN OFFICER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND A RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND A RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
AS SUCH, OFFICER, AS SUCH OFFICER, DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM, DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY PERFORM AND I WILL FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, THE DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FOR WHICH I HAVE BEEN ELECTED FOR WHICH I HAVE BEEN ELECTED.
NOW, THE OATH OF CIVILITY BY COMMISSIONER ALEX JAY FERNANDEZ.
IF YOU WOULD, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND TO MY COLLEAGUES AND ALL THOSE I REPRESENT AND SERVE TO MY COLLEAGUES AND ALL THOSE THAT I REPRESENT AND SERVE.
IN ALL ACTIONS MADE IN ALL ACTIONS MADE AND ALL COMMUNICATIONS TAKEN.
AND ALL COMMUNICATIONS TAKEN BY ME.
CONGRATULATIONS, COMMISSIONER.
[01:50:43]
SO, YEAH.UM, SO I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THANK, SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME.
UM, I'M, I'M SO GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL TO SO MANY FOLKS.
FIRST I WANNA START WITH CONGRATULATIONS TO MAYOR MINOR ON HIS REELECTION AND COMMISSIONERS, LAURA DOMINGUEZ AND ALEX FERNANDEZ ON YOUR REELECTION.
WELL EARNED AND WELL DESERVED.
BEFORE I GET INTO MY THANK YOUS, THOUGH, I WANNA TELL YOU A LITTLE STORY ABOUT AN UNDERDOG.
WHEN I STARTED THIS CAMPAIGN, I HAD NOTHING BUT A HOPE AND A DREAM.
I HAD NO MONEY, NO RESOURCES, NO CAMPAIGN MANAGER, AND WHAT SEEMED LIKE NO CHANCE, BUT I BELIEVED IN MYSELF.
AND THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS TO WINNING AN ELECTION.
I SHOWED UP EVERYWHERE IN EVERY CORNER OF MIAMI BEACH AT EVERY EVENT POSSIBLE.
I WENT TO PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS FROM SUNUP TO SUNDOWN FOR EIGHT MONTHS.
BUT HARD WORK IS ONLY HALF OF THE EQUATION IN MIAMI BEACH.
CAMPAIGNS ARE NOT NECESSARILY WON BY HAVING THE MOST MONEY OR A FANCY CAMPAIGN TEAM.
WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES IN MIAMI BEACH, CAMPAIGNS ARE WON BY CONNECTING WITH NEIGHBORS AND EARNING THEIR TRUST AND THEREFORE THEIR VOTE.
EVERY TIME I WOULD KNOCK ON A DOOR, I WOULD THINK TO MYSELF, HOW CAN I CONNECT WITH THIS PERSON? NOT JUST OVER COMPLAINTS ABOUT OUR TRAFFIC.
AND WE DID SPEAK ABOUT TRAFFIC, BUT HOW CAN WE CONNECT AS NEIGHBORS? ULTIMATELY, WE MIGHT HAVE OUR DIFFERENCES AND WE MIGHT HAVE, UH, OUR ARGUMENTS AND, AND WE'RE DIFFERENT NATIONALITY, RACE, RELIGION, AGE, IDENTITY, OR A DIFFERENT POLITICAL PARTY.
AND EVERY CONVERSATION THAT I WOULD HAVE WITH SOMEONE, I WOULD THINK TO MYSELF, WHAT DO WE HAVE IN COMMON? WHAT ARE OUR COMMON GROUND AND WHAT CAN WE AGREE ON? AND THE ANSWER WAS ALWAYS, WE LOVE MIAMI BEACH.
THE SECOND COMPONENT TO WINNING AN ELECTION IS ABOUT CONNECTION.
IT'S ABOUT FRIENDLY AND POSITIVE INTERACTIONS.
IT WAS ABOUT ME SHOWING MY ABSOLUTE PASSION FOR SERVING OUR CITY AND MY OPTIMISM THAT WE CAN MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S ENTIRELY WHAT I PLAN IN DOING.
AS YOUR COMMISSIONER, A TRUE LEADER REPRESENTS EVERYONE WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
I MIGHT MAKE SOME VOTES YOU DON'T AGREE WITH.
I'M NOT PERFECT AND I DON'T WANNA BE ON A PEDESTAL FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
BUT DEEP DOWN, PLEASE KNOW, I DO BELIEVE IN THE GOOD OF MIAMI BEACH AND I BELIEVE IN THE FUTURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO CREATE TOGETHER.
I'M TRULY HONORED AND HUMBLED, HUMBLED THAT I EARNED YOUR TRUST.
AND FOR THOSE THAT DIDN'T VOTE FOR ME, I'M DETERMINED TO EARN YOUR TRUST IN THE FUTURE.
AFTER ALL, WE'RE NEIGHBORS AND WE ALL LOVE MIAMI BEACH.
SO NOW PLEASE LET ME GET INTO MY THANK YOUS TO MY FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS FROM SOUTH BEACH TO MID BEACH TO NORTH BEACH.
[01:55:01]
TO MY FRIENDS WHO KNOCKED ON DOORS FOR ME, TEXTED AND EMAILED THEIR NEIGHBORS.I HAVE TO THANK ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS WHO ROOTED FOR ME, CHEERED ME ON, AND TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD MY BACK.
THANK YOU TO SOUTH POINT ELEMENTARY PARENTS THAT I'VE KNOWN FOREVER, AS WELL AS MY NAUTILUS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND BEACH HIGH PTA PARENTS, MANY OF WHOM APPEARED ON MY MAILERS.
THANK YOU MI THANK YOU TO MY TEAM AT FLEET.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE GROUPS WHO ENDORSED ME, THE CWA.
SO BE SAFE, THE MIAMI HERALD COMMISSIONER BOT COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, AND COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, FORMER MAYOR DAN GELBER, MAYOR DANIELA LEVI KAVA, THANK YOU TO THE FOP AND TO THE FIRE UNION AND DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU TO SAVE EQUALITY FLORIDA ROOS LIST AFSCME THE A, FFL CIO.
AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS WHO SUPPORTED AND ENDORSED ME AS WELL.
THERE ARE SO MANY TO NAME AND WE WOULD BE HERE FOR HOURS, BUT I APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.
THANK YOU TO THE MIAMI BEACH DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOR CANVASSING, CALLING, TEXTING, AND COORDINATING, GET OUT THE VOTE EFFORTS.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THANK YOU TO THE INDEPENDENTS AND THE REPUBLICANS WHO SUPPORTED ME TOO, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL NEIGHBORS AND I HAVE TO THANK MY CAMPAIGN MANAGER, RANDY HILLIARD, AKA, THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS.
BUT TO ME, HE WAS MY KNIGHT AND SHINING ARMOR.
ONCE WE WERE IN THE RUNOFF, MY TEAM GREW AND I THANK EVERYONE WHO HELPED YOU ARE APPRECIATED.
AND LASTLY, I HAVE TO THANK MY FAMILY AND MY CHILDREN.
MY KIDS LIVED OFF PIZZA AND CEREAL FOR THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS,
THEY KNOCKED ON DOORS WITH ME.
THEY WENT TO EVENTS WITH ME, AND THEY EVEN WORKED THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY.
THERE WERE DAYS I WOULD COME HOME COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED AND I WOULD WALK IN THE DOOR READY TO FALL APART.
AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT ME AND SAY, DON'T WORRY, MOM.
AND NO MATTER HOW TIRED I WAS, NO MATTER HOW DISCOURAGED I FELT, I WOULD LOOK AT THEM AND THINK, I CAN'T LET THEM DOWN.
AND I CAN'T LET MIAMI BEACH DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE NEIGHBORS.
THANK YOU TO ALL MY NEIGHBORS.
IT'S A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO BE ELECTED AS YOUR NEXT MIAMI BEACH COMMISSIONER, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT HERE TOGETHER.
SO HAPPY TO SERVE MORE CITY'S GREAT.
WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO RALPH GRANADO AGAIN.
MR. MAYOR ELECT ELECT COMMISSIONER.
UH, COMMISSIONER MATTEL SALINAS AS VICE MAYOR FOR A TERM BEGINNING ON TODAY AND ENDING ON MARCH 31ST, 2026.
MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION APPROVING R SEVEN C, ELECTING COMMISSIONER MONICA MATTEL SALINAS AS THE NEW VICE MAYOR FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
AS WE FINISH OFF, I JUST WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT AGAIN TO OUR CITY MANAGER, ERIC CARPENTER, OUR CITY ATTORNEY RICK DICO, OUR CITY CLERK, RAFAEL GRANADO, ALSO OUR CHARTERED OFFICER, JOSEPH CENTRINO, INSPECTOR GENERAL.
I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK OUR RESIDENTS, I KNOW OUR RESIDENTS DID WELL BY ELECTING THIS BODY, A VERY RESIDENT FRIENDLY COMMISSION.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA MAKE YOU PROUD.
WE HAVE THE GREATEST AND BEST CITY IN AMERICA, AND WE ARE GONNA MAKE IT EVEN BETTER.
[02:00:01]
ARE SO PROUD TO REPRESENT MYAN BEACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, GOD BLESS YOU ALL.