[CALL TO ORDER]
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GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO OUR COMMISSION MEETING OF DECEMBER 17TH, 2025, OUR NEWLY FORMED AND ELECTED BODY OF COMMISSION.SO CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE AGAIN AND, UH, DOWN TO BUSINESS.
I'LL TURN TO RAPHAEL GRANADA, OR CITY CLERK FOR ANY INSTRUCTIONS.
THE CITY COMMISSION IS PHYSICALLY PRESIDENT AND THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS AT MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL, 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED TO ATTEND EITHER IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY.
IF YOU HAVE A, IF YOU'RE JOINING US VIRTUALLY, HERE'S HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE.
YOU CAN LOG IN USING THE ZOOM APP OR VISIT THE ZOOM US ON YOUR BROWSER.
YOU CAN ALSO PHONE IN AT (305) 224-1968 OR TOLL FREE 8 8 8 4 7 5 4 4 9 9.
THE WEBINAR ID IS 8 1 3 9 2 8 5 7 6 71 POUND.
AGAIN, THE WEBINAR ID IS 8 1 3 9 2 8 5 7 6 71 POUND.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM DURING THE MEETING, PLEASE CLICK THE RAISE HAND ICON IN THE ZOOM APP OR PRESS STAR NINE ON YOUR PHONE.
THE ZOOM LINK WEBINAR ID AND PHONE NUMBER STAY THE SAME FOR EVERY COMMISSION MEETING.
ALL LOBBYISTS MUST REGISTER WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK LOCATED AT THE FIRST FLOOR OF CITY HALL.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO REGISTER IF YOU'RE AN EXPERT WITNESS, GIVING ONLY TECHNICAL OR SPECIALIZED TESTIMONY, A REPRESENTATIVE OF A HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION OR NOT-FOR-PROFIT SPEAKING WITHOUT PAY OR A PRIVATE CITIZEN SPEAKING ON YOUR OWN BEHALF WITHOUT COMPENSATION.
HOWEVER, IF YOU'RE AN EXPERT WITNESS OR A NONPROFIT OR NEIGHBORHOOD REP, YOU DO NEED TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN DISCLOSURE FORM TO THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK BEFORE SPEAKING.
UH, TO THE COMMISSIONER OF CITY STAFF.
FORMS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.
IF A LOBBYIST GIVES OR AGREES TO GIVE A THOUSAND DOLLARS OR MORE TO A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OR ITS REPRESENTATIVE REGARDING A CITY MATTER, THAT MUST BE DISCLOSED IN WRITING TO THE CLERK.
NOTE THAT CONTINGENCY FEES ARE NOT PERMITTED TO BE COMP, UH, TO, TO COMPENSATE LOBBYISTS.
IF YOU PLAN TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WE ASK YOU TO PLEASE SIGN IN.
YOU CAN USE THE SIGN IN SHEETS ON THE PODIUMS, OR YOU CAN SCAN THE QR CODES ALSO LOCATED ON THE PODIUM.
AND SINCE WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS, WE WANNA MAKE A NOTATION THAT THE BOARD AND COMMITTEE AT LARGE APPOINTMENTS HAVE BEEN DEFERRED TO THE FIRST COMMISSION MEETING IN 2026 AS APPROVED BY THE MAYOR TO ALLOW NEWLY ELECTED COMMISSIONER MONICA MATEO SALINAS, TIME TO REVIEW CANDIDATES.
AND DUE TO TODAY, TODAY'S FULL AGENDA, I HAVE SOME NOTATIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ON ITEM C FOUR A Q, WHICH IS THE LOG CABIN ITEM THAT WAS MOVED TO C SEVEN BV.
SO C FOUR A Q IS WAS MOVED FROM C SEVEN BV, ITEM R SEVEN AE, WHICH IS THE FIRE STATION ITEM, WAS MOVED FROM R 9:00 AM AND FINALLY, A CORRECTION ITEM C SEVEN CF EXTENT BOAT SHOW LICENSE AGREEMENT.
UH, THE RESOLUTION SHOULD BE CORRECTED TO READ SEVEN ADDITIONAL DAYS COMMENCING JANUARY 26TH, 2026, INSTEAD OF 17 DAYS COMMENCING ON JANUARY 16TH, 2026.
ALL THE ADDENDUM ITEMS WILL BE HEARD AFTER FIVE AT THE MAYOR'S DISCRETION.
IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO, UH, START OFF WITH AN INVOCATION AND I'M HAPPY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, FATHER.
JOSEPH CATHOLIC PARISH WILL, UH, GIVE US SOME INSPIRATION AND WORDS OF WISDOM.
ETERNAL, ETERNAL AND LOVING GOD.
WE COME BEFORE YOU THIS DAY WITH, UH, GRATEFUL HEART.
A WORD THAT EVERY BREATH, EVERY GIFT, AND EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE COMES FROM YOUR GENEROUS HAND.
IN THE PROPHET MICAH REMINDS US, WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU? BUT TO DO JUSTICE, TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD.
LORD, WE ASK YOU TO HELP US LIVE.
THOSE WORDS IN ALL WE DO TODAY.
GRANT US THE GRACE TO ACT JUSTLY, TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE FAIR, HONEST, AND, UH, ALWAYS MINDFUL OF THE DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON.
TEACH US TO LOVE MERCY, TO TREAT ONE ANOTHER WITH COMPASSION, PA PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING, ESPECIALLY WHEN, UH, OPINIONS DIFFER OR CHALLENGES ARISE.
AND HELP US TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOU NEVER FORGETTING THAT ALL WISDOM AND SUCCESS COME FROM YOUR HAND ALONE.
SEND YOUR SPIRIT TO GUIDE OUR THOUGHTS AND WORDS DURING THIS IN THIS MEETING.
LET YOUR TRUTH BE OUR LIGHT AND YOUR PEACE.
BLESS THE WORK WE UNDER UNDERTAKE
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FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY.AND HELP US TO SEE YOUR PRESENCE IN ONE ANOTHER.
MAKE US FAITHFUL STEWARDS OF THE MISSION YOU HAVE ENTRUSTED TO US.
MAY OUR EFFORTS TODAY BIRTH ROOTED THAT ENDURES WORKS OF JUSTICE, ACTS OF KINDNESS AND DECISIONS ROOTED IN LOVE.
WE ENTRUST THIS GATHERING TO YOU OR GOD AND PRAY THAT EVERYTHING WE SAY AND DO WILL BRING GLORY TO YOUR HOLY NAME AND BLESSING TO YOUR PEOPLE.
WE ASK THIS WITH GRATITUDE AND TRUST NOW AND FOREVER.
TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR, UH, POWERFUL WORDS, IF WE CAN JUST TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO REMEMBER THE LOSS OF LIVES IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA THIS WEEK IN THE FIRST NIGHT OF HANUKAH.
AND WE PRAY FOR PEACE AND NO MORE TRAGEDY AND TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST INNOCENT CIVILIANS.
I THINK THAT'S, UH, NOW APPROPRIATE TO START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IT'S MY HONOR TO ASK DAVID ADAMS, WHO'S BEEN SO INSTRUMENTAL IN SO MANY FACETS OF HELPING US FIGHT CRIME AND WORKING WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOUR CRIME AND AWARENESS GROUP, BUT ALSO I KNOW PRIVATELY WE'VE HAD SO MANY CONVERSATIONS AND, UH, APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE SAFETY OF MIAMI BEACH.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[R9 D DR. STANLEY SUTNICK CITIZEN'S FORUM. (8:35 A.M./1:00 P.M.)]
START WITH OUR SUT NICK CITIZENS FORUM.THERE ARE OPEN FORUM TO ALLOW ANYONE TO COME AND GIVE US, UH, THEIR OPINIONS, SUGGESTIONS.
SO IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK AT SUT, I ASK YOU TO APPROACH THE PODIUM, STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES AT THIS MOMENT.
GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS JOSEBA 400 WEST 41ST STREET.
I AM AN ATTORNEY AND POLICY SPECIALIST WITH NA ACTION.
TODAY WE HAVE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT SPEAKS TO CITY CONTRACTING AND GRANT MAKING.
A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, ALONGSIDE OUR BASEL, THERE WAS AN UNFORTUNATE EVENT THAT DECIDED TO CANCEL, UH, ISRAELI AND, UH, JEWISH AMERICAN ARTISTS FROM PARTICIPATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE CITY, UM, HAD PREVIOUSLY SPONSORED THAT EVENT AND FOUND ITSELF CAUGHT IN, UH, AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION.
THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU'LL BE HEARING TODAY IS BASED UPON A BILL THAT WAS PASSED IN TALLAHASSEE.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVE, UH, WASABI HERE TODAY.
UM, HE CAN TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT IT.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY IS NOT IN ANY WAY OBLIGATED TO FUND THE SPEECH OF PRIVATE CITIZENS.
IN NO WAY IS SPEECH IMPLICATED BY THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU WILL, UH, HOPEFULLY BE PASSING TODAY.
TO THE EXTENT THAT SOMEBODY MAKES THAT SUGGESTION, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY, UM, IS NOT CON CONSTITUTIONALLY OBLIGATED TO FUND ANYBODY'S SPEECH, INCLUDING, UH, HATE SPEECH.
WHAT THIS ORDINANCE WOULD DO IS MAKE SURE THAT, UM, PRIOR TO ENTERING INTO CONTRACTS OR ISSUING GRANTS OR SPONSORSHIP, THE CITY DOES RECEIVE A CERTIFICATION FROM THE FOLKS WHO WOULD BE, UH, UH, PARTICIPATING IN THOSE GRANT MAKING PROGRAMS OR CONTRACTING WITH THE CITY THAT THEY WILL NOT ENGAGE IN NATIONAL ORIGIN BASED, UH, BOYCOTTS, UH, AGAINST ISRAEL OR PEOPLE WHO, UH, ARE CONNECTED TO ISRAEL SOMEHOW.
UM, SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HERE FOR THE NEXT FEW MINUTES.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THIS ORDINANCE WOULD DO ALONG WITH WHAT THIS ORDINANCE WOULD NOT DO.
JUST WANNA THANK YOU GUYS ONCE AGAIN, MAYOR MINOR, THANK YOU FOR THAT VERY CLASSY OPENING AND JUST REMINDING EVERYBODY THAT THERE ARE DIFFICULT THINGS HAPPENING AT A SEASON THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DEFINED BY LIGHT.
OUR NEXT, OUR FIRST VIRTUAL CALLER IS ROBERT GOLDING.
DRINK STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
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PJ, LET'S GO TO JOHAN MOORE.GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF.
JOHANN MOORE, 7 1 7 JEFFERSON AVENUE, A RESIDENT OF FLAMINGO PARK NEIGHBORHOOD, A MEMBER OF FLAMINGO PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND A MEMBER OF MERIDIAN COURT COMMUNITY.
BUT NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ANYONE OTHER THAN MYSELF, UH, I WOULD URGE STATE REPRESENTATIVE BAABA IN LINE, UH, WITH HIS DESIRE FOR AN AUDIT TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT CITY OF MIAMI BEACH'S CORRECTLY, UH, SPENDING ITS MONEY AND NOT MISSPENDING ANY OF IT.
I WOULD THINK THAT HE WOULD, UH, ENDORSE, UH, A RECENT PROPOSAL THAT WE PUT FORWARD, EXCUSE ME, THAT WAS PUT FORWARD, UH, CALLING FOR BOND POLICY REFORM.
UH, I WOULD JOIN IN THE MAYOR'S SENTIMENT HOPING FOR AN END TO MASS MURDER.
UH, BUT I WOULD ADVISE THAT THAT HAS TO BE A UNIVERSAL REQUIREMENT, UH, AND THAT OUR SORROW OVER DEATHS SHOULD INCLUDE ALL DEATHS OF INNOCENCE.
I WOULD ALSO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR COMMISSIONER BOT'S ITEM TO INCENTIVIZE CONVERSION OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS, UH, TO RESIDENTIAL AND ISSUE OF MUCH IMPORTANCE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WOULD ALSO URGE THAT AS YOU CONSIDER, UH, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TO DISCUSS THE LOCATION OF THE FIRE STATION, THAT YOU NOT CONCLUDE THAT YOU NEED TO DEMOLISH OUR HISTORIC AND MUCH LOVED SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER IN ORDER TO BUILD A FIRE STATION.
WHOSE PRIMARY PURPOSE AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS TO SERVE THE HIGH RISE BUILDINGS NOT LOCATED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WHICH WE IN FACT, HOPE WILL NOT IN FUTURE BE LOCATED IN OR IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE RENEWAL OF THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER LEASE.
UH, SO AS TO, UH, THWART ANY FUTURE EFFORTS, UH, AT DEMOLITION, WE APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, I SHOULD SAY.
I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, UH, ITEM R NINE AK, UH, TO DISCUSS THE LOSS OF PARKING IN FLAMINGO PARK, BUT WOULD CAUTION THAT WHILE THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, PARKING CANNOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PUBLIC COMMONS, UH, AND THE DESIRE TO RECLAIM ROADS FOR PEDESTRIANS AND MICRO MOBILITY FROM V VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
MY NAME IS JUDI BACH 500 NORTH SHORE DRIVE.
TODAY I AM GONNA BE DELIVERING A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FOR REPRESENTATIVE FABIAN WASABI.
THE REPRESENTATIVE IS FOCUSED ON REBUILDING AND STRENGTHENING WORKING RELATIONSHIPS IN TALLAHASSEE WITH LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, AND STATE AGENCIES.
THE WORK HAS EXPANDED ACCESS TO STATE RESOURCES FOR DISTRICT 1 0 6, INCLUDING MIAMI BEACH.
AS A RESULT, THE DISTRICT HAS SECURED RECORD LEVELS OF FUNDING, SUPPORTING STORM WATER AND COASTAL RESILIENCE, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, BEACH NOURISHMENT, BISCAYNE BAY PROTECTION, PUBLIC SAFETY IN EFFORTS TO HELP RESIDENTS REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES AMID RISING COSTS.
THE REPRESENTATIVE HAS ALSO DELIVERED LEGISLATIVE RESULTS, INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR DIABETES PREVENTION AND CARE, EXPANDED ACCESS TO OVERDOSE REVERSAL MEDICATION FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, AND CONSISTENT ADVOCACY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITIES.
AN EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVE WASABI HAS SUPPORTED PARENTAL CHOICE, PAIRED WITH ACCOUNTABILITY, EMPHASIZING TRANSPARENCY AND MEASURABLE OUTCOMES, SO TAXPAYERS UNDERSTAND HOW EDUCATION DOLLARS ARE SPENT.
AS COMMITTEE WEEKS RESUME IN MID-JANUARY, THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE BEGIN ADVANCING PROPOSALS ON EDUCATION, INSURANCE, AFFORDABILITY, HOUSING PRESSURES, INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE.
REPRESENTATIVE WASABI WILL REMAIN ACTIVELY ENGAGED TO ENSURE DISTRICT PRIORITIES ARE ADDRESSED EARLY IN THIS PROCESS.
AND BEFORE I CLOSE, NOW I WANNA ADD A BRIEF PERSONAL NOTE.
MANY OF YOU KNOW ME, AND OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, I SPENT A SIGNIFICANT TIME HERE IN MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL LEARNING HOW STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INTERSECT AS AN 18-YEAR-OLD AND A FIRST TIME VOTER.
I'VE BEEN ESPECIALLY IMPRESSED BY REPRESENTATIVE WASABI'S COLLABORATIVE RESULT ORIENTED APPROACH, AND I'VE SEEN THAT TRANSLATE INTO TANGIBLE OUTCOMES FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS UPDATE TODAY.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS SHARON.
SHARON STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
HI, THIS IS SHARON WEISS, 2 3 3 80 FIRST STREET.
AND, UH, I AM CALLING TODAY, UH, REGARDING ITEM C SEVEN BW.
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THE COMMISSION TO EMBRACE REPRESENTATIVE BAA'S, UH, UH, UH, GETTING, UH, AN AUDIT, UH, OF, OF OUR OPERATIONS.UH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS SOMETHING PUNITIVE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GREAT.
THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AT THE STATE, UH, WAS UNANIMOUS IN AGREEING THAT, UH, AN AUDIT WAS REQUIRED.
WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE, UH, DONOR OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO THE STATE.
AND, UM, WE SHOULD WELCOME THEIR AUDIT.
THIS IS, UH, THIS, SHOULD WE, OUR COMMISSION NEEDS TO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE STATE.
UH, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE VIEWED AS SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, ADVERSARIAL OR PUNITIVE.
UM, IN FACT, UH, UH, PERHAPS THE STATE WILL COME UP WITH IDEAS TO MAKE OUR GOVERNMENT RUN MORE EFFICIENTLY.
UH, WHILE THE PLURAL OF, UM, ANECDOTE IS NOT DATA, UH, FROM MY CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THERE SEEMS TO BE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR THIS.
SO, UH, I WOULD URGE YOU TO HOLD OFF ON, UH, CING REPRESENTATIVE BAA.
UH, UNLESS AND UNTIL THE AUDIT COMES UP THAT WE ARE PERFECTLY PERFECT, THEN I THINK THE COMMISSION COULD SAY, HEY, THIS IS PUNITIVE AND AND WRONG.
BUT UNTIL THAT POINT, WE SHOULD BE WELCOMING, UM, REPRESENTATIVE BAA'S EFFORTS TO ASSIST US.
NEXT, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS SO YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
MA'AM, ARE YOU OKAY? GOOD MORNING.
FABIAN BAAA, NINE ISLAND AVENUE.
I'M YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, AND I REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY, NOT THIS DEUS, NOT POLITICAL CAREERS, NOT INSIDER INTERESTS.
BEFORE I ADDRESS THE UPCOMING AUDIT, ONE BRIEF POINT ON PUBLIC SAFETY, BECAUSE POLICY HAS REAL CONSEQUENCES.
A JEWISH TEACHER WAS ATTACKED NEAR LEHMAN COMM, UH, LEHRMAN COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL BY A REPEAT HOMELESS OFFENDER.
ALSO, REMEMBER, A TRANS WOMAN WAS MURDERED BY A REPEAT HOMELESS OFFENDER LIVING ON THE STREETS IN MIAMI BEACH.
DIFFERENT VICTIMS, SAME FAILURE.
THESE OUTCOMES WERE FORESEEABLE.
THE LOCAL HOMELESS ORDINANCE WEAKENED ENFORCEMENT AND FAILED THE PUBLIC.
THIS ORDINANCE SHOULD BE REPEALED.
STATE LAW SHOULD BE ENFORCED, AND IF YOU DISAGREE, THEN PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION RIGHT HERE.
LET'S DEBATE THE TWO APPROACHES.
YOURS PROTECTS PRIVATE CONTRACTS AND THE STATUS QUO.
MINE FOCUSES ON SOLVING HOMELESSNESS BY GETTING THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THE HELP, THE HELP THEY NEED OFF THE STREETS WITHOUT RECYCLING THEM THROUGH ARREST RELEASE.
ARREST RELEASE NOW TO THE AUDIT.
THIS BODY IS ATTEMPTING TO PUSH A CHALLENGE TO ME THROUGH CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE PUBLIC WATCHING.
THAT MEANS NO DISCUSSION AND NO VOTE.
IT'S DESIGNED TO PASS QUIETLY WITHOUT DEBATE.
THAT IS NOT TRANSPARENCY, THAT IS EVASION.
SEVERAL OF YOU IN FRONT OF ME TODAY HAVE PRIVATELY TOLD ME THAT THIS AUDIT WAS NEEDED, INCLUDING THE MAYOR'S MOST TRUSTED ADVISOR WITH WHOM I HAD A LONG CONVERSATION.
I'M NOW TOLD THAT THAT COMMUNICATION IS NO LONGER PERMITTED.
LET'S KEEP IN MIND THAT THE CITY STAFF ARE NOT PERSONAL EMPLOYEES.
THEY'RE PAID BY THE TAXPAYERS.
THEY WORK FOR THE RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH.
THEY SHOULD ANSWER, WHEN I CALL MIAMI BEACH, ALREADY PRODUCES A CA A FR, WHICH IS A COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT, WHICH IS AN ACCOUNTING DOCUMENT.
IT SHOWS REVENUES AND EXPENSES.
IT DOES NOT EXAMINE HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE, HOW CONTRACTS ARE AWARDED, HOW LAWSUITS ARE HANDLED, OR WHETHER TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE SPENT WISELY.
THE AUDITOR GENERAL DOES THAT.
THIS AUDIT COSTS TAXPAYERS NOTHING.
THE OFFICE IS FUNDED YEAR ROUND.
NO NEW APPROPRIATION, NO ADDED EXPENSE.
OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS MARY SCHAFER.
IF I CAN COMMENT AND I INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO COMMENT.
SO FIRST OF ALL, UH, REPRESENTATIVE BABI, I WELCOME THE AUDIT.
I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THE AUDIT.
ACTUALLY, THIS, THE, THE STATE RESPOND.
YOU, YOU SPOKE, I SPEAK, I WELCOME THE AUDIT.
I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THE AUDIT.
AND IF THE A AUDIT DOES FIND SOMETHING THAT IS, I WELCOME IT.
AND IF, BUT YOU HAVE MADE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST OUR CITY, AND IT'S NOT EVEN RELATING TO THE AUDIT.
THE REASON WHY THIS ITEM IS ON THE AGENDA IS BECAUSE YOU MOVE FROM ISSUE TO ISSUE, SAYING THINGS THAT ARE COMPLETELY FABRICATED, UNTRUE, AND HAVE NO BASIS IN ANY EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER, THAT IS INTOLERABLE.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE HOMELESS STATUTE.
I'LL TALK TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
FIRST OF ALL, OUR HOMELESS NUMBERS ARE AT HISTORIC LOWS.
WE DO NOT DO THAT AUDIT OF, OF A HOMELESS CENSUS.
THAT IS DONE BY THE HOMELESS TRUST OUT OF THE COUNTY, NOT US.
YOU TALK ABOUT ISSUES OF PROSECUTION AND, UH, IT, IT IS AN ISSUE THAT OUR CITY COMMISSION, AND I TELL YOU, THERE'S NOT A CITY IN
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MIAMI-DADE.THERE'S NOT A CITY THAT YOU REPRESENT THAT HAS DONE MORE FOR LAW AND ORDER AND TO HELP REDUCE CRIME CLEAN UP SPRING BREAK THAN OUR CITY.
WHAT I SEE IS SOMEONE WHO, YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY WITHIN YOUR OWN PARTY IN TALLAHASSEE GETTING ITEMS PASSED.
SO YOU'RE A FAILED LEGISLATOR, AND YOU HAVE USED THE FORM OF MIAMI BEACH, WHICH IS AN INTERNATIONAL CITY TO GET HEADLINES FOR YOUR OWN POLITICAL GAIN.
I'M SORRY, I HAVE TO SAY WHAT I FEEL.
I'VE HELD IT BACK FOR TOO LONG AND THAT'S WHY I PUT THIS ITEM ON.
I GO ON AND QUOTE AND QUOTE NUMEROUS, NUMEROUS THINGS THAT YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU HAVE NEVER BACKED UP WITH ANY BASIS OF FACT.
YOU TALK ABOUT OUR HOMELESS STATUTE BEING, BEING, UH, I MEAN, YOU'VE USED TERMS OF FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT, INFLATED CONTRACTS, DIVERSION OF FUNDS, POOR FISCAL OVERSIGHT, CRONYISM.
WHAT EVIDENCE DO YOU HAVE WHATSOEVER WANT SOME, NO.
A CONTRACT THAT YOU GAVE AS COMMISSIONER, JUST SOMEONE WHO WASN'T IN GOOD STANDING.
YOU ARE OUT OF WHERE, AND I IT'S IN YOUR EMAILS, AND I'M GONNA TURN TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO ADDRESS THAT.
BECAUSE YOU'RE, WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS ACTUALLY, IF THIS IS GONNA BE A DEBATE, YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT A DEBATE.
THERE'S NOT A DEBATE BECAUSE I, I, I REFUSE EVERYTHING YOU SAY.
SO WHAT YOU, I AM GONNA TURN TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND TO REFUTE THE LITERALLY WRITING YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR BOX, MR. MAYOR.
WE HAVE RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR CONDUCT IN THIS DAYS, AND NO MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, NO ELECTED OFFICIAL, IS ALLOWED TO BEHAVE IN A WAY THAT NO OTHER RESIDENT, NO ONE IS AFFORDED SPECIAL TREATMENT IN OUR DAYS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A SERGEANT OF ARMS TO, AND THAT BEHAVIOR IS REFLECTIVE OF THE UNBECOMING BEHAVIOR.
LITERALLY UNBECOMING BEHAVIOR CITY THAT CHALLENGES ME.
WHEN YOU'RE READY, WE SHOULD HAVE A PUBLIC DEBATE, A PUBLIC DISCUSSION.
NAME THE PLACE, NAME THE TIME I'LL BE THERE.
I SPENT TWO HOURS WITH A REPRESENTATIVE TRYING TO FIND PEACE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE EXTENDING ANOTHER, YET ANOTHER OLIVE BRANCH, AND IT ALL CENTERS BACK ON HIM.
IT IS ALL ABOUT HIM AND ELEVATING HIMSELF AND DEMANDING PEOPLE TO ISSUE WRITTEN STATEMENTS, USING, EXCUSE ME, I'M SPEAKING.
DEMANDING ME, ASKING ME TO ISSUE A WRITTEN STATEMENT ON CITY LETTERHEAD, ENDORSING HIM, SUPPORTING HIM.
YEAH, YOU SENT ME ONE FROM NORTH BAY VILLAGE.
YOU, YOU SENT ME ONE FROM VAR.
I AM ASKING YOU TO CONTROL THIS MEETING.
WE CANNOT HAVE THE CONSTANT INTERRUPTION.
DOES THAT MEAN CONTROL THE MEETING CENSOR MY SPEECH? I'M NOT, IT'S NOT FALLING.
SO THIS IS REFLECTIVE OF THE UNBECOMING BEHAVIOR THAT OUR RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE, DON'T FALL UNDER HIS TRAP.
I'M TURNING TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE YOU JUST MENTIONED.
THE COPS COME, I'M ASKING WHAT HE WANTS ME TO DO.
IF HE'S GONNA KEEP TALKING, I'LL LISTEN.
ARE YOU DONE ON IF THEY'RE SAYING MY NAME, I'LL BE HERE TO LISTEN AND TO RESPOND.
ARE YOU DONE? I'M ASKING OUR CITY ATTORNEY, PLEASE.
RICK DEPE, EXPLAIN FOR ME THE CONSTITUTION.
THE, UH, THE FPI, UH, SECURITY SERVICES WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY DISSOLVED ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2021.
THE CITY, OUR CITY ATTORNEY IS SPEAKING.
IF YOU CAN'T BE QUIET, PLEASE LEAVE THE ROOM.
THE, THE, THE CORPORATION, FPI, SECURITY SERVICES, INC.
WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY DISSOLVED ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2021, WHICH WAS FOUR DAYS BEFORE THEY WERE REINSTATED.
AT THE TIME THAT THE CITY ENTERED INTO THE CONTRACT, THEY WERE IN GOOD STANDING.
WHAT YEAR WAS THAT CONTRACT ISSUED? APRIL OF 21.
I WAS ELECTED IN NOVEMBER OF 21.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THEY WERE, THEY WERE, THEY WERE IN GOOD STANDING AT THE TIME OF THE CONTRACT.
GOOD STANDING WITH THE STATE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR TAX.
AND DO WE HAVE THAT CONTRACT WITH THAT SERVICE ANYMORE? BUT IT WELCOMES A CONVERSATION.
AND I WOULD LIKE THE RECORD TO REFLECT, HEY, I'M GONNA ASK.
I I, WE CANNOT CONDUCT EXCUSE, WE CANNOT CONDUCT.
AND IF I'M WRONG, IF I'M WRONG, MR. MAYOR, NO OTHER RESIDENT, NO OTHER PUBLIC OFFICIAL WOULD BE ALLOWED TO ENGAGE IN THIS UNBECOMING CONDUCT THAT IS DISRESPECTFUL TO THE PUBLIC AND TO EVERYONE ELSE.
THE TAXPAYERS WHO WE SERVE, WHO ARE IN LINE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE REAL BUSINESS OF THIS CITY AND NOT POLITICAL THEATER THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING HERE RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS WHY MIAMI BEACH DOES NOT HAVE PROPER REPRESENTATION IN THE FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN TALLAHASSEE.
I AM ACTUALLY SO GRATEFUL THAT OUR NEW COUNTY COMMISSIONER, VICKI LOPEZ, IS HERE.
'CAUSE WE HAD TO KNOCK ON THAT DOOR SO MANY TIMES, REPRESENTATIVE LOOKING FOR REAL, TRUE PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE AND REPRESENTATION FOR OUR CITY, BECAUSE
[00:25:01]
THE ALTERNATIVE WAS EXTREMELY UNBECOMING.SO, MR. MAYOR, AND, AND I, AND, AND I ALSO WANT THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT AFTER I GOT TEXT MESSAGES FROM REPRESENTATIVE BAE ABOUT THAT SECURITY CONTRACT, I CALLED THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO MY OFFICE.
AND I LET THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, IF OUR CITY KNOW ABOUT THE TEXT MESSAGES THAT I RECEIVED.
AND PART OF THE REASON WHY I DID THAT WAS BECAUSE I ACTUALLY FELT THAT I WAS BEING PRESSURED BY SOMEONE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT US.
I DIDN'T FEEL THAT WAS COMING FROM A PLACE OF GOOD GOVERNMENT.
I FELT I, MY INTUITION, MY GUT AT THE TIME WAS LIKE THERE WAS SOMEONE HE WAS PUSHING FOR, WHICH WAS THE REASON WHY HE WAS ADVOCATING FOR WHAT HE WAS ADVOCATING AT THAT AT THAT TIME.
AND THAT CONCERNED ME AS AND I THAT TIME I REACHED OUT TO OUR INSPECTOR GENERAL, I BROUGHT HIM TO MY OFFICE AND I LET HIM KNOW ABOUT IT.
I'M GLAD YOU REMINDED EVERYONE ABOUT OUR INSPECTOR GENERAL.
MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING, WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT INSPECTOR GENERAL.
I BELIEVE WE WERE THE FIRST CITY IN MIAMI-DADE TO HAVE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL VOTED IN OVERWHELMINGLY BY OUR RESIDENTS, ABOUT 80 CENT, 80% CLIP COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
THEY'RE NO LONGER ON, UH, I'M NOT GONNA MENTION NAMES, BUT THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO WEAKEN OUR INSPECTOR GENERAL.
AND I WAS, TOOK A VERY STRONG STANCE THAT WE CANNOT IN ANY WAY WEAKEN THE ABILITY OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO CONDUCT AUDITS AND ANYTHING THAT HE AND HIS TEAM NEED TO DO, UH, TO GET PROPER TRANSPARENCY FROM, FROM OUR CITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO TURN TO RICK TO ADDRESS, SINCE THE HOMELESS STATUTE WAS, WAS REFERENCED, UH, I'D LIKE YOU TO, TO ARTICULATE, UH, WHAT EXACTLY OUR HOMELESS STATUTE DOES, WHICH IS ACTUALLY QUITE STRONG.
WELL, OUR, OUR ORDINANCE IS ACTUALLY STRONGER THAN THE STATE STATUTE.
THE STATE STATUTE, UH, PROHIBITS CAMPING OVERNIGHT.
OUR ORDINANCE PROHIBITS CAMPING AT ANY TIME DURING THE DAY.
AND WOULD YOU GIVE AN ESTIMATE HOW MANY TIMES REPRESENTATIVE FASAB ZABI HAS MENTIONED WHAT HE DID TODAY ABOUT, UH, ERRONEOUSLY, ABOUT OUR STATUTE, AND THAT YOU HAVE CORRECTED HIM IN WRITING? I, I HAVE NOT KEPT TRACK OF THAT.
I'M NOT SURE THAT I'VE ACTUALLY, UH, CORRESPONDED WITH HIM.
I, I'VE SEEN, UH, COMMISSIONER BOTT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I DON'T, UM, BOTHERED RESPONDING TO FABIAN BAA'S COMMENTS, UM, WHEN HE POSTS THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST SO FALLACIOUS.
UM, THEY ARE BASED IN WHO KNOWS WHAT MOTIVATION.
AND IT'S REALLY DISAPPOINTING TO SEE THAT AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE WHO'S SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT ALL OF US, WE'RE ALL RESIDENTS HERE, UM, SPENDS HIS TIME ATTACKING THE CITY.
ITS LEADERSHIP AND ITS RESIDENTS, IT'S POLICE OFFICERS, IT'S FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I FIND THAT REALLY DISHEARTENING AND, AND, UM, SAD.
UM, BUT I DON'T BOTHER WASTING MY TIME TRYING TO CORRECT THE RECORD BECAUSE I KNOW IT FALLS ON DEAF EARS.
HE'S GOT HIS OWN AGENDA AND NOTHING WE SAY OR DO IS GOING TO CHANGE THAT, AS YOU ALL JUST SAW FIRSTHAND.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THE MAYOR AND ECHO EVERYTHING THAT HE SAID.
I TOO, AND I THINK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES WELCOME AN AUDIT.
WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO HIDE.
UM, AND IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT, GREAT, WE WILL EMBRACE THEM.
UM, WHAT IS NOT OKAY IS THE ONE-SIDED VITRIOLIC ATTACK ON OUR POLICIES, THE TRUTH INDIVIDUALS, UM, WITH NO, WITH NO BACKUP.
WE SEE IT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO US.
BUT WE, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY ARE A COLLEGIAL CITY WITH COLLEGIAL REPRESENTATION UP AND DOWN THE RANKS, UM, AT ALL LEVELS.
AND I KNOW THAT AS A COMMISSION, A UNITED BODY SITTING BEFORE YOU, WE ARE DETERMINED TO DO BETTER HERE LOCALLY IN OUR CITY.
WE DON'T AGREE ON EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME, BUT MOST OF THE TIME WE CAN DO IT IN A PROPER, RESPECTFUL WAY.
AND IT IS REALLY SAD THAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIAL IN TALLAHASSEE DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME SKILLSET OR MORE IMPORTANTLY DESIRE.
SO I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS, UM, DIRECTLY.
I'M SURE MY COLLEAGUES NOT TO SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE MY COLLEAGUES WOULD WELCOME QUESTIONS AS WELL.
IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK IS, IS A, A CONCERN.
UM, BUT WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, THAT WE'RE DOING THE THE BEST WE CAN TO DO THE BEST BY YOU WITH THE FACTS AND TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AT HAND.
MAYOR, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, COUPLE THINGS.
I, AS CHAIR OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, I WELCOME AN AUDIT.
UH, IT IS GOOD FOR OUR TAXPAYERS.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING I SHY AWAY FROM.
AND IF THERE ARE, UH, MISSTEPS, THEN LET'S GET THEM OUT IN THE OPEN AND LET'S FIX AND ADDRESS THEM IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
I WILL WORK WITH ANYBODY, IT DOESN'T MATTER, POLITICAL PARTY, GENDER, CREED, COLOR.
YOU KNOW WHY? 'CAUSE THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME.
[00:30:01]
US.THIS IS ABOUT YOU, OUR RESIDENTS.
SO THIS CAN NEVER, EVER, EVER BE PERSONAL BECAUSE THEN WE'RE PUTTING OURSELVES ABOVE THE CITY, RIGHT? AND THAT IS NOT WHY ANYBODY SHOULD BE GETTING INTO PUBLIC OFFICE.
IT IS TO SERVE THE GREATER GOOD.
AND SORRY IF THAT SOUNDS ALTRUISTIC, BUT THAT TRULY IS WHAT I BELIEVE.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE HOMELESS ORDINANCE THAT WAS REFERENCED, I, I, I TOOK SOME OFFENSE THAT MIAMI BEACH AND OUR ORDINANCES WERE SOMEHOW, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR ABSOLUTELY TRAGIC INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED, UH, AS SOMEBODY WHO WAS PERSONALLY A VICTIM OF A HOMELESS REPEAT OFFENDER AND A VIOLENT CRIME WHERE I WOULD WANT PARTNERSHIP, WHERE WE COULD WORK TOGETHER.
'CAUSE LIKE I SAID, THIS IS ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER.
LET'S FIX, AND IT'S NOT AT THE MIAMI BEACH LEVEL.
THIS IS WHERE WE CAN USE OUR PARTNERS AT THE STATE TO REVOLVING DOOR OF CRIMINALITY.
THESE WERE PEOPLE THAT COMMITTED THESE ATROCITIES THAT WERE ARRESTED AND GONE THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND RELEASED NUMEROUS, NUMEROUS TIMES, PEOPLE THAT HAD NO BUSINESS WHATSOEVER BEING ON OUR STREETS.
AND I DON'T MEAN IN A HOMELESS FASHION, I JUST MEAN OUTSIDE OF THE PRISON SYSTEM.
'CAUSE THESE WERE REPEAT, REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS.
SO IF WE WANT TO TRULY MAKE OUR CITY BETTER, IF WE WANNA MAKE OUR REGION BETTER, LET'S WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE STATE AT ALL LEVELS TO TRY AND FIX THAT BROKEN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
UM, I WANTED TO ECHO SOMETHING YOU SAID COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, I'M SORRY WE'RE TAKING SO MUCH TIME ON THIS, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT.
AND COMMISSIONER BOT, IF IT WAS JUST, AND, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, FOR TWO YEARS, OUR, OUR CITY COMMISSION HAS PRETTY MUCH TAKEN, TAKEN THE BEATING AND THE HITS, AND WE HAVEN'T RESPONDED.
THE PROBLEM IS, I CAME TO THE RECKONING AND I THOUGHT PEOPLE WILL SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I KNOW THIS IS JUST POLITICAL THEATER, BUT I CAME TO THE REALIZATION THAT NOT EVERYONE REALIZES THAT WHEN THERE'S NO RESPONSE, WHEN PE, WHEN WE DON'T OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE TO WHAT'S BEING SAID.
'CAUSE I HEARD DURING THE CAMPAIGN SOME VERY, VERY INTELLIGENT, SMART PEOPLE THAT I RESPECT WHO ACTUALLY BELIEVED OR THOUGHT, WHY DON'T YOU GUYS EVER RESPOND TO THIS? AND I REALIZED, YOU KNOW WHAT, WITHOUT A COUNTER, PEOPLE ARE GONNA BELIEVE IT.
AND IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ABOUT ME OR ANY OF US.
'CAUSE I ACTUALLY HAVEN'T BEEN THE TARGET OF, OF, FOR PRETTY MUCH OF THE ATTACKS.
AND IN MY OPINION, IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE THIS IS DAMAGING TO MIAMI BEACH, WHICH MEANS IT'S DAMAGING TO YOU.
IT'S DAMAGING TO OUR RESIDENTS.
IT'S DAMAGING TO OUR BUSINESSES.
WHEN YOU CONSTANTLY HEAR THESE ARGUMENTS, BY THE WAY, I WELCOME THE POLICY DEBATE.
I WELCOME THE CITY AUDIT, THE AUDIT.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE COMMENTS THAT OUR STATUTE IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, WHEN IT'S NOT, IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN UP, NOT OURS.
BUT THE SIMILAR, SAME WORDING HAS BEEN UPHELD BY COURTS WHEN IT'S ACTUALLY STRONGER THAN THE STATE STATUTE, NOT WEAKER.
WHEN YOU HEAR TERMS LIKE MISMANAGEMENT, CRONYISM, UH, CORRUPTION, IT'S DAMAGING TO YOU, OUR RESIDENTS, AGAIN, IF IT'S TRUE, BACK IT UP, PROVIDE SOME EVIDENCE.
THE CITY OF IT IS JUST THE LATEST.
AND IF THERE IS THINGS THAT WE CAN DO BETTER OR SHOULD, SHOULD DO BETTER.
I MEAN, IF I, AGAIN, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S TRUE, BUT IF SOMEONE DID SOMETHING THAT'S FRAUDULENT, THEY SHOULD BE ARRESTED AND GO TO JAIL AGAIN, NO EVIDENCE OF IT.
BUT THE POINT THAT I'M MAKING NOW, AND THE REASON WHY I DID IT NOW, AND WE'RE DOING IT TOGETHER AS A BODY, WE'RE, WE'RE BRINGING THESE ITEMS TO THE FOR FLOOR IS, 'CAUSE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR TWO YEARS.
IT GOES ON FROM ISSUE TO ISSUE, AND THEN THERE'S NEVER ANY EVIDENCE.
AND THEN GOES ON TO THE NEXT ISSUE AND MAKES ANOTHER ACCUSATIONS, NO EVIDENCE.
AND WE AS A BODY HAVE TO PROTECT MIAMI BEACH.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR BUSINESSES.
'CAUSE EVENTUALLY, MISREPRESENTATIONS IS FALSEHOODS, LIES GETS INTO THE CONSCIOUSNESS.
THAT'S WHAT PROPAGANDA IS ABOUT.
I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO PROPAGANDA DURING THE HOLOCAUST, OTHER THINGS, I'M STARTING TO MAKE THE ANALOGY.
BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CONSTANTLY HAVE A BERATING WITHOUT A COUNTER.
AND NOW MIAMI BEACH IS MAKING A DECISION.
WE ARE GONNA COUNTER, YOU WANNA MAKE AN ACCUSATION? BACK IT UP.
MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
OH, BUT BEFORE YOU GO, I'M SORRY.
I DO WANT TO ECHO WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT, UH, COUNTY COMMISSIONER VICKI LOPEZ.
WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM A MOMENT.
OH, I'M, I'M SO, I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU ARE NOW, UH, OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER REPRESENTING US.
THIS IS A BIG, BIG WIN FOR MIAMI BEACH.
ALSO, I DON'T WANT TO BE, UH, REMISS IN NOT MENTIONING COMMISSIONER MICKEY STEINBERG, WHO'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR US AS WELL.
WE, WE HAVE REALLY GOOD REPRESENTATION NOW IN MIAMI BEACH AND THE COUNTY.
AND I'M, AND I'M VERY, I'M VERY, VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
AND, AND I'D BE REMISS NOT TO SAY AT THE STATE SENATE, UM, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S NOT A PARTISAN THING.
OUR REPUBLICAN STATE, SENATOR ILEANA GARCIA, WHO WE MAY DISAGREE ON SOME ISSUES ON, BUT SHE IS A PROFESSIONAL.
WE GO TO TALLAHASSEE, WE KNOCK ON HER DOOR, WE SIT WITH HER, WE TALK WITH HER.
[00:35:01]
WE, WE BRING HER TO THE DISTRICT.SHE WALKS, SHE WALKS THE STREETS OF OUR DISTRICT WITH US.
SHE IS A PUBLIC SERVANT WHO CARES ABOUT THE ISSUES, WHO HAS DIALOGUE WITH US.
AND IT DOESN'T, AND SHE DOESN'T MAKE IT ABOUT HER.
SHE DOESN'T MAKE IT ABOUT MAKING HEADLINES.
SHE MAKES IT ABOUT THE ISSUES OF THE DISTRICT AND THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
JUST AS OUR STATE SENATOR CHEVRON JONES, OUR STATE SENATOR, CHEVRON JONES, ALWAYS AN OPEN DOOR POLICY WITH, WITH US IN, IN TALLAHASSEE.
HE COMES TO THE DISTRICT, HE SITS DOWN WITH US.
IT'S NEVER THESE, THESE BASELESS ALLEGATIONS, UH, THROWN AT US.
AND LASTLY, I'D SAY, AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, RIGHT AFTER MY ELECTION, I DIDN'T NEED ANYTHING FROM REPRESENTATIVE FABIAN BASA OTHER THAN A GOOD COLLEGIAL RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE WE HAVE A COMMON CONSTITUENCY.
PEOPLE THAT ELECTED HIM AND PEOPLE THAT ELECTED US.
AND I SAT DOWN WITH HIM FOR A LONG LUNCH AND, AND, AND HE AIRDROPPED ME A LETTER, UH, FROM AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN ANOTHER CITY, IN OFFICIAL CITY STATIONARY.
WHICH, WHICH QUOTES, AS A COMMISSIONER OF BLANK CITY, I AM PROUD TO ENDORSE REPRESENTATIVE FABIAN BASA AND ASKING ME TO GIVE HIM A LETTER LIKE THAT FROM MY, FROM, FROM ME IN ORDER TO FIND PEACE WITH HIM.
I'M SORRY, I AM NOT GOING TO USE MY OFFICIAL CITY RESOURCES.
MY CITY LETTERHEAD, MY CITY SEAL, THAT REPRESENTS EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT ON THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
NUMBER ONE, FOR CAMPAIGN PURPOSES, NUMBER NUMBER NUMBER TWO, TO GO INTO A PARTISAN MATTER, THAT WHEN I REPRESENT REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, I DO NOT USE MY OFFICE FOR CAMPAIGN PURPOSES.
THE WAY THAT I WAS BEING ASKED TO DO BY THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT ALLEGES TO BE HERE SPEAKING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE A MISUSE, A MISUSE OF MY OFFICE RESOURCES.
AND HE ASKED ME TO DO THAT, AND I DIDN'T DO THAT.
AND THEN, WHAT WAS IT, A WEEK LATER OR TWO WEEKS LATER, WE'RE GETTING AUDITED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
OKAY, I THINK WE CAN, UNLESS ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK WITH CONTINUE, WE'RE GONNA GO NEXT TO OUR LARRY SCHAFER ON ZOOM.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
LARRY SCHAFER, 2 3 3 80 FIRST STREET.
I, I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND IF I TRY TO LOWER THE TEMPERATURE IN THE ROOM BY STARTING BY SAYING CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THAT WERE ELECTED.
AND SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW COMMISSIONER AND VICE MAYOR, MY FRIEND MONICA MATEO SALINAS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO RECENTLY APPOINTED MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONER VICKI LOPEZ, AND I HOPE WE CAN DEVELOP A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY.
I'M CALLING TO COMMENT ON THE SAME ITEM BEING DISCUSSED ABOUT MR. BASA.
UH, ON MONDAY, MAYOR MINOR IN HIS INAUGURATION SPEECH SAID THAT HE DOESN'T GET COMPLAINTS, HE GETS SUGGESTIONS.
AND I THINK IF WE CAN JUST KIND OF MAYBE TONE THINGS DOWN AND SAY, HEY, MR. BEBE HAS MADE SUGGESTIONS HERE AND ACTUALLY FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH AN AUDIT, JUST LOOKING AT IT A DIFFERENT, MORE SOFTER WAY.
UM, MAYOR MINOR AND THE COMMISSIONERS ALSO AGREED TO PLACE THE WORDS IN GOD WE TRUST PROMINENTLY NEAR THE CEILING OF THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS, WELL IN GOD WE TRUST, BUT EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO AN AUDIT, INCLUDING THE CITY.
INSTEAD OF PASSING THIS RESOLUTION, I SUGGEST THE COMMISSION CONSIDER REFERRING THIS TO FERC, WHERE MANY OF THE ITEMS ARE RELATED TO CITY FINANCES, THAT MR. STATE REP CAN BRING EVIDENCE, SUBSTANTIATING THE COMPLAINT COMPLAINTS, AND THE PUBLIC CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS.
OR WE CAN HAVE A TOWN HALL WITH CITIZEN PARTICIPATION.
CITIZEN MAG, UH, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, THE CHAIR OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, HAS ADVANCED ITEMS RELATED TO FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
IN FACT, HE HAS EXCELLENT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA IN FRONT OF YOU ABOUT REQUIRING LINE ITEM BUDGET NEXT YEAR.
WITH OR WITHOUT THIS RESOLUTION, THE STATE AUDIT IS HAPPENING.
PERHAPS THE COMMISSION COULD DEFER THIS ITEMS UNTIL THE RESULTS OF THE AUDIT COME BACK.
IF THERE'S EVIDENCE TO CORRUPTION MISMANAGEMENT, THE RESOLUTION IS NOT NEEDED BECAUSE THERE ARE MULTIPLE OPTIONS HERE.
I THINK THAT MAYBE ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS COULD PULL THIS CONSENT AGENDA ITEM IF IT HASN'T BEEN ALREADY DISCUSSED SO MUCH ALREADY.
UM, AND THEN TO SEE IF IT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED, REFERRED OR DEFERRED.
FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND IN THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON OF LOVE AND LIGHT, CAN WE TRY TO RECONCILE OUR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE STATE REP AND THIS COMMISSION SO THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON THE NEEDS OF THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
INSTEAD OF POLITICAL AND PARTISAN ARGUMENTS.
SAY YOUR NAME, ADDRESS YOU FEW MINUTES.
I'M A RESIDENT OF COLLINS PARK AND A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
I DO WANNA THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR WHAT YOU SAID JUST NOW, AND THANK YOU FOR THE MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[00:40:02]
OKAY.I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH C FOUR TC FOUR AP, C SEVEN BX AND R SEVEN AC.
AND I WANNA EXPRESS MY SUPPORT OF THESE RESOLUTIONS TO BRING BACK THE RAINBOW COLORS IN OUR CITY ON BIKE RACKS, PLAQUES, FOREVER PROUD LIKE POLE BANNERS, AND A REPLICA OF OUR RAINBOW CROSSWALK.
AND REMEMBER, THE L-G-B-T-Q ANNUAL PURCHASING POWER IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY IS $15 BILLION.
OKAY, C SEVEN JI REQUEST A SIX.
I REQUEST THAT YOU APPROVE THE SIX MONTH EXTENSION OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE MIAMI DESIGN PRESERVATION LEAGUE FOR THE OPERATION OF THE OCEANFRONT, UM, AUDITORIUM, 1001 OCEAN DRIVE.
IT'S A POPULAR RESOURCE FOR OUR TOURISTS AND OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE INTERESTED IN OUR ART DECO HISTORY.
THEY HOST WONDERFUL, INFORMATIVE FREE LECTURES.
IN FACT, THERE'S ONE TONIGHT AND THEY RUN A TERRIFIC ART DECO STORE.
I ALSO SUPPORT OUR, LET ME SEE, R NINE H EIGHT TO NEGOTIATE A THREE YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT WITH MDPL FOR THE SAME LOCATION.
NOW R SEVEN Y BYRON CARLISLE, I AM SURPRISED WE ARE AGAIN, DISCUSSING WHAT TO DO WITH THE BYRON CARLISLE.
SINCE THE COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED THE THRIVING CULTURAL COMMUNITY CENTER, INCLUDING THREE MOVIE THEATERS WITH ACTIVATIONS THAT APPEAL TO ALL AGES.
THE PROJECT WHICH HAS BEEN CREATED WITH INPUT FROM RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY ARTS ORGANIZATIONS ENVISIONS A MULTIFACETED COMMUNITY ARTS COMPLEX THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE THREE MOVIE THEATERS, ART STUDIOS, AND GALLERY SPACE RECORDING STUDIO FREE TO STUDENTS CLASSROOM SPACE, REHEARSAL SPACE.
LET'S KEEP THE ORIGINAL PLAN SUPPORTED BY OUR COMMISSION.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF RE PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS SO YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
THAT'S MY JOKE OF THE MORNING.
I'M, UH, I DON'T KNOW, SO GOOD MORNING.
UM, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UH, UH, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ANY, ANY, UH, ELE UH, LEGAL ISSUES FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH RELATIVE TO THEIR CONTRACT, BUT IT IS MISSPENT.
UH, RECENTLY, MOST OF YOU IN A DAYS, UH, RECOMMENDED AND, AND SUPPORTED, UH, A FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTRACT WHERE THE AVERAGE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMS EMPLOYEE MAKES $350,000 A YEAR WITH BENEFITS.
UH, THAT, THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO WHAT OUR CITY MANAGER EARNS.
UH, IT'S FOUR TIMES WHAT, UH, THE AVERAGE RESIDENT EARNS IN THE CITY.
UM, UH, WE'RE BUILDING A FIREHOUSE THAT, THAT LOOKS LIKE A TAJ MAHAL, UH, WHERE, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT'S NEEDED.
I THINK THEY NEED A NEW FIREHOUSE, BUT IT CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T BE TO THE SIZE AND, AND ACCOMMODATIONS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, IT SHOULD BE PLACED WHERE IT EXISTS TODAY, SO YOU DON'T IN INTERFERE WITH THE LIVES OF PEOPLE THAT BOUGHT OR BUILT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, UH, IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE, UH, YOU'RE PLANNING TO PUT IT NOW, WAR CITY PROPERTY, OTHERWISE, UM, THAT'S BEEN THERE A HUNDRED YEARS.
UH, IF THERE'S A SEWER PROBLEM, FIX THE SEWER PROBLEM.
UH, BUT YOU'RE MISMANAGING MONEY BY, BY, AND IT'S POLITICAL.
THESE, THESE FIRE PEOPLE ARE AT OUR POLLS.
THEY'RE CALLING OUR RESIDENTS FOR, FOR YOU GUYS THAT, THAT WERE ELECTED, UH, DURING ELECTIONS, WHICH IS INAPPROPRIATE AND IT SHOULD BE A POLICY WITHIN THE CITY, THEY CANNOT DO SO.
UM, THAT'S THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM.
WELL, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A LEGAL CORRUPTION.
IT'S, IT'S LOBBYING BY, AND, AND, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MAKES UP OVER A QUARTER OF OUR BUDGET.
UH, WE HAVEN'T HAD A DEATH FROM A FIRE SINCE.
SINCE 1977, SIR, STATE YOUR NAME.
I'M SORRY, RALPH MAY, UM, MR. MANAGER, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TODAY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE LISTENING, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT, UM, STATEMENT THAT THE AVERAGE FIREFIGHTER MAKES OVER $300,000 A YEAR IS ACCURATE.
COULD YOU PLEASE ADDRESS THAT? UH, THAT NUMBER CERTAINLY IS NOT ACCURATE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EXACT NUMBER IS, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S LESS THAN HALF THAT.
MY NAME IS STEWART BLUMBERG, 75 32 CUTLASS AVENUE, NORTH BAY VILLAGE, FLORIDA.
AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'M BACK IN HERE IN 16 YEARS.
IT'S CHANGED A LOT, UH, INCLUDING US.
[00:45:01]
TALK IN SUPPORT OF THE NAMING OF THE BASEBALL FIELD AT FLAMINGO PARK FOR SKIP BURMAN.UM, I WANNA THANK COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ FOR THEIR HELP IN MOVING THIS FORWARD.
UM, I'VE BEEN A FRIEND OF SKIP'S FOR OVER 70 YEARS.
UH, HE HAS BROUGHT GREAT HONOR TO THIS COMMUNITY WHERE HE WAS RAISED, WENT TO THE SCHOOL HERE, WENT TO BEACH HIGH, WAS AN ALL CITY CATCHER, WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI WHERE HE WAS AN ALL AMERICAN CATCHER, CAME BACK HERE TO BEACH HIGH, TAUGHT FOR 11 YEARS, COACHED THE BASEBALL TEAM TO A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, AND THEN WENT ON TO LSU WHERE HE IS NOW THE LEGEND BY WINNING FIVE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND IN THE HALL OF FAME, UH, AT THE COLLEGE BASEBALL.
UM, THIS HONOR FOR HIM IS WELL DESERVED.
UH, HE COACHED MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT IN THE ROOM TODAY, BUT ARE, UH, IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, HE IS A CREDIT TO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH AND TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT TO HAVE THE FIELD NAME FOR HIM, UH, IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO STAND HERE BEFORE YOU, UH, AND ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE HAVE ELAPSED THE, THE TIME FOR SUT IF WISH TO PROCEED.
SO NEXT CALLER IS DAVID SIMON.
MR. SIMON STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS THAT YOU HAVE.
MR. SIMON, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
KENNY, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS YOU.
HI, MY NAME IS NOELLE KENNY AND I'M AT ONE 10 WASHINGTON AVENUE AND I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE FIRE STATION BEING BUILT SOUTH OF FIFTH, SPECIFICALLY AT COMMERCE STREET AND ONE OCEAN.
THIS AREA IS ALREADY EXTREMELY CONGESTED AND IT IS A RESIDENTIAL AREA THAT WOULD BE VERY DISRUPTED BY THE ADDITIONAL NOISE AND LIGHTS.
AND SOMETHING ABOUT SOUTH OF FIFTH THAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL IS THE COMMUNITY AROUND HERE.
SO, UM, I'M HOPING THAT YOU GUYS WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE LOCATION ON SIXTH STREET AS IT'S ALREADY LOGISTICALLY AND FINANCIALLY A MUCH BETTER OPTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR, GO AHEAD.
SO I JUST WANT TO OFFICIALLY STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT I DO ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION.
I DO HAVE, AS A MATTER OF RECORD, MY POSITION IS FOR THE AUDIT.
UH, BEYOND THAT, I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO.
I MADE A LOT OF PROMISES ON ABOUT IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON DAY ONE, AND EVEN THOUGH THAT I WAS NOT VICTORIOUS, WE'VE CONTINUED WITH THAT.
WE ARE ALREADY GOING ON THE FIFTH WEEK OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
WE'RE STILL TALKING TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS, SO LET'S CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, SUPPORT EACH OTHER, WORK TOGETHER.
AND STAND BY YOUR WORD, MR. MAYOR.
YEAH, LUIGI, THE MAYOR ALSO WON
IT WAS ABBREVIATED FOR, UH, FOR, UH, WITH RESPECT FOR TIME.
COMMISSIONER FE, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, AND THANK YOU LOUIS GIAN.
AND YOU DID WIN BECAUSE WHENEVER WE RUN FOR OFFICE, WE STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRACY.
YOU HELP OUR COMMUNITY BY RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
YOU PUT OUT SOME GOOD IDEAS OUT THERE AND, AND YOU ARE MORE ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY NOW.
SO EVEN THOUGH YOU DIDN'T WIN ELECTORALLY, YOU DID WIN IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE ALWAYS WIN WHEN WE RUN FOR OUR OFFICE.
WE, WE MEET NEIGHBORS, WE GET MORE INVOLVED, WE OFFER GOOD IDEAS.
AND YOU DID GOOD BY RUNNING AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING HAD THE COURAGE TO STAND UP AND TO DO IT, I THINK.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ'S WAY OF INVITING AN OPPONENT THE NEXT TIME YOU RUN.
OUR NEXT CALLER HAS A EJ, THE, THE PHONE NUMBER, PLEASE CALL THAT PERSON NEXT.
UH, ONE FIVE IS THE LAST NUMBER.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
[00:50:01]
UM, NICE TO MEET YOU.I'M SORRY, I'M NOT THERE IN PERSON.
MY NAME IS LISA GARCIA AND I'M THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MIAMI-DADE LGBTQ PLUS AND ALLIED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION C SEVEN BX, UM, FOR THE FOREVER PROUD BANNER INITIATIVE.
UM, THIS IS A VISIBLE, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY TO AFFIRM INCLUSION AND RECOGNIZE THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITIES ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS.
AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, IT'S IN THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND UM, I'M JUST HERE IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
SO I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND HAPPY, HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
MITCH USED TO BE THE FIRST ONE OF THE DAY SLACKING.
WELL, GOOD TO, GOOD TO SEE YOU THOUGH.
CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD MORNING, MITCH NOVIK.
UH, HIDING IN THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I FOUND 800,000 TO PLAYBOY, 600,000 TO ANOTHER WELLNESS ORGANIZATION, INCREASES IN OUR WATER RATES.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO PUT THIS INTO THE LIGHT.
UH, AS THE BUDGET CONSCIOUS COMMISSION, YOUR OBJECTIVE SHOULD BE, UH, REDUCING OUR BUDGET, WHICH HAS DOUBLED, UH, IN THE LAST DOZEN YEARS, REDUCING OUR STAFFING, WHICH IS INCREASED BY 500 EMPLOYEES.
IN OCTOBER, WE HAD UTILITY BILLING WATER RATE INCREASES, WHICH WERE NOT REFLECTED ON OUR NOVEMBER, UH, AND, AND OCTOBER, UH, UTILITY BILLING STATEMENTS.
APPARENTLY THE CITY MOVED OVER TO A NEW SYSTEM.
UH, DO WE REALLY NEED A GLOSSY MAGAZINE? CAN I HAVE 30 SECONDS? PLEASE GO AHEAD, MITCH.
DO WE REALLY NEED A GLOSSY MAGAZINE? DISTRIBUTED QUARTERLY AT A COST OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, UH, BY THE OFFICE OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION, OUR TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY DEPARTMENT HAS DECIMATED THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF JEFFERSON AVENUE WITHOUT PROPER BOARD REVIEW.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS BARBIE MARTINEZ.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS SO YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
I LIVE AT 400 SOUTH POINT DRIVE.
ALSO WANT TO REJECT PLANS TO FIRE STATION SOUTH OF FIFTH.
AS WAS ALREADY STATED, THIS IS A VERY BUSY AREA.
THERE ARE DAYS WHEN YOU CANNOT EVEN GET FROM SOUTH POINT DRIVE TO FIFTH STREET WITHOUT 30 TO 45 MINUTES OF TRAFFIC.
IT WOULD REQUIRE CROSSING FIFTH STREET FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF CALLS.
SO IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO PUT A FIRE STATION AT THE VERY SOUTHERNMOST POINT OF ITS SERVICE AREA.
ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL BE IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS HAVING CONSTRUCTION AT ONE OCEAN, WHAT HAS BEEN THE PIER PARK, NOW KNOWN AS NIKKI BEACH PROJECT.
AND TO HAVE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC IN THAT AREA, WHICH WHEN IT'S COMPLETED, IS EXPECTED TO HOST UP TO 1000 GUESTS PER DAY WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE.
FINALLY, IT'S ALSO A TRANSPORTATION HUB RIGHT OFF AS A JOE'S.
YOU HAVE THE MIAMI, IT'S THE SOUTH BEACH TROLLEY.
YOU HAVE THE THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, MR. NAVARETTE, GO AHEAD PLEASE.
I'M VALERIE NAVARETTE WITH FAVELA MIAMI FOR THE PAST 34 YEARS.
AS A VOLUNTEER, I DO HOMELESS OUTREACHING, HELPING THEM TO GET OFF THE STREETS FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.
I HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY, A PROGRAM THAT I WAS CREATED BY OUR MAYOR, WHICH THE SOLELY PURPOSE IS TO GET OUR SHELTERED INDIVIDUALS TO FIND JOBS AND REBUILD THEIR LIVES AND EVENTUALLY MOVE FROM SHELTER TO, UM, THEIR OWN HOUSING.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE, MOST OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IS THAT NATIONWIDE, THE PEOPLE THAT DOES THAT DO WHAT I DO HERE, THEY SUCCESS RATE IS BETWEEN 30 AND 70%.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT YOUR TRULY OVER HERE, MY SUCCESS RATE HAS BEEN 78.79%, WHICH IS HUGE.
UM, YES, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM AND I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT YOU GUYS RENEWED THE CONTRACT.
THANK YOU MR. AND RENEW SOME DATA.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS DAVID SIMON, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, SIR.
DAVID, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
LET'S GO THEN TO THE NEXT PERSON ON THE PODIUM.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS PATRICIA AGLO, 25 55 COLLINS
[00:55:01]
AVENUE, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN STRONG SUPPORT OF RESTORING AND PRESERVING THE BYRON CARLISLE THEATER.THE BYRON CARLISLE IS ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING HISTORIC LANDMARKS IN NORTH BEACH, A PLACE FILLED WITH MEMORIES AND MEETINGS FOR GENERATIONS OF MY MIAMI BEACH RESIDENTS.
WE ALREADY HAVE THE FUNDING TO BRING IT BACK, $30 MILLION IN VOTER APPROVED JAIL BOND FUNDS AND SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE DOVELL PUBLIC BENEFIT.
THAT'S MORE THAN ENOUGH TO RENOVATE AND REOPEN IT AS A FIRST RUN MOVIE THEATER AND FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, SOMETHING THAT SERVES FAMILIES, SENIORS, AND VISITORS ALIKE, ALL WHILE STAYING WITHIN BUDGET.
BUT INSTEAD OF MOVING FORWARD WITH RESTORATION, THE CITY IS CONSIDERING A PLAN TO DEMOLISH THE THEATER AND REPLACE IT WITH A SO-CALLED CULTURAL CENTER STACKED UNDER HOUSING.
THAT PLAN WOULD COST ABOUT $20 MILLION MORE, REQUIRE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR TO OPERATE AND IS BASED ON A FUNDING MODEL THAT EVEN THE ADMINISTRATION ADMITS IS UNCERTAIN.
MAY I PLEASE HAVE 30 SECONDS MORE.
WE'VE SEEN THIS STORY BEFORE, PROJECTS THAT PROMISE COMMUNITY BENEFIT, BUT ENDED UP SERVING DEVELOPERS AND INSIDERS.
NORTH BEACH DOES NOT NEED ANOTHER HIGH RISE OR ANOTHER BROKEN PROMISE.
WHAT WE NEED IS TO PRESERVE OUR HISTORY AND BRING BACK A GATHERING PLACE FOR EVERYONE.
RESTORING THE BYRON CARLISLE KEEPS OUR HISTORY ALIVE, STRENGTHENS OUR COMMUNITY, AND USES PUBLIC MONEY RESPONSIBLY.
IT'S A PROJECT THAT MAKES SENSE FINANCIALLY, CULTURALLY, AND MORALLY.
PLEASE VOTE TO SAVE THE BAR IN CARLISLE AND HELP US PROTECT A VITAL PIECE OF MIAMI BEACH SOUL.
I AM THE CHAIR OF THE CULTURAL ARTS COUNCIL AND 30 YEAR PLUS RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
I'M HERE TODAY TO DO SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT I'D HAVE TO DO, AND THAT'S TO DEFEND ARTS FUNDING IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF ART IN THIS PLACE, I'VE TWO WORDS FOR YOU.
ART WEEK, YES, THE CITY SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TO BRING IN ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTS ACTIVATION FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT IT BROUGHT IN OVER HALF A BILLION DOLLARS TO THIS ECONOMY.
AND MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE HALF A BILLION DOLLARS TO ME WAS THAT THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH WAS FOR ONE WEEK THE CENTER OF THE WORLD IN THE MOST POSITIVE WAY.
THIS ANTI-ART FUNDING IS AT THE HEART OF THE ITEM THAT WANTS TO REVERT THE BYRON CARLISLE BACK TO A COMMERCIAL USE MULTIPLEX CINEMA.
THAT IS A PURPOSE THAT HAD FAILED 10 YEARS AGO IN THAT SAME LOCATION THAT HAD JUST FAILED ON LINCOLN ROAD THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY FAILING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IT IS NO LONGER A VIABLE BUSINESS MODEL.
WHY DON'T WE SPEND $30 MILLION TO TURN IT INTO A BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO? THANK YOU.
IT'S NOT, CAN I HAVE 30 MORE SECONDS? IT IS NOT A GOOD USE OF OUR MONEY.
WE NEED TO SUPPORT ARTS AND CULTURE.
THE EXISTING PLAN WOULD HAVE THREE MOVIE THEATERS IN IT, IN ADDITION TO A, A BLACK BOX PERFORMANCE THEATER, AN ART GALLERY, A A FREE TO USE RECORDING STUDIO.
IT WOULD HAVE MULTIPLE USES THAT WOULD BE TRANSFORMATIVE TO NORTH BEACH AND MIAMI BEACH.
I ASK THAT YOU SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ITEM THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR TWO YEARS.
WELCOME TO THE SEASON OF LIGHT.
I'M A RESIDENT 2316 BAY DRIVE AND I'M HERE AGAIN AS AN ARTIST.
AND WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE ARTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM ART BASEL IS A VERY BIG BUSINESS.
AND FOR A PROGRAM TO BE SET UP FOR ARTISTS WITH NO ARTIST INVOLVEMENT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU'RE TRYING TO DO YOUR BEST, BUT IT'S NOT BEST.
WE HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN SETTING UP A PROGRAM.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE BEING DISPLACED THAT HAVE BEEN IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND I THINK THE IDEA WAS TO NOT HAVE SLOPPY TABLES LOOKING LIKE JUNK, YOU KNOW, PLACES.
AND I GET THAT, YOU KNOW, AS AN ARTIST, IT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO ME.
BUT WHAT I'M ASKING IS THAT WE SET UP A REAL PROGRAM.
THE FIRST PROGRAM DIDN'T WORK BECAUSE IT DIDN'T INVOLVE A ARTIST.
AND THIS ONE DOES NOT INVOLVE ARTISTS.
THE WHAT IS ART AND WHAT IS NOT ART IS BEING DICTATED BY A, A LAWYER, WHICH GREAT YOU ARE.
SO HE'S GOING TO NARRATE THANK YOU SO MUCH AND DIRECT THE CONSTITUTION ACCORDING TO HOW HE SEES IT.
BUT I HAVE CASE IN POINT, I HAVE LETTERS FOR EVERYONE.
IT'S NOT FAIR FOR REAL ARTISTS.
IM AN ARTIST AND A BE TRUSTED.
HOW YOU DOING? CONGRATULATIONS ON YOU WIN.
I DID TELL YOU THAT YOU WOULD WIN
MY NAME IS JANET FIGUEROA AND I DID ASK YOU THAT WE WANT EQUALITY FOR
[01:00:01]
ALL THE ARTISTS.I'M ONE OF THE ARTISTS THAT DO NOT LIVE IN MIAMI BEACH AND WAS LEFT OUT NOT TO PARTICIPATE.
I DID AN EVALUATION AND THEY CONSIDERED MY ART NON EXPRESSIVE ENOUGH.
NOW, AS AN ARTIST, I WILL ASK YOU, AND AS THE MAYOR OF MIAMI BEACH, I DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN MIAMI BEACH TO BE PART OF MIAMI BEACH.
BUT I DO COME HERE EVERY DAY FOR ONE HOUR AND A HALF OF DRIVING TO BE HERE IN THIS CITY AND BE PART OF IT.
AND I FEEL AS THE MAYOR THAT YOU ARE AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HERE THAT HAVE BEEN REELECTED, YOU ALMOST FELT WHAT IT IS TO BE UNEMPLOYED BY YAY MUCH.
I FEEL THAT MR. SUAREZ, WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO THIS OFTEN OPTIMIST AND THE NEW WRITING IS BIASED, IT'S DISCRIMINATIVE.
YOU'RE ONLY CHOOSING IT FOR THE RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH.
MIAMI BEACH DOES NOT LIVE ON RESIDENCE ONLY.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME HERE TO WORK IN THIS CITY COME FROM DIFFERENT BOROUGHS AND DIFFERENT AREAS TO MAKE THIS CITY A WHOLE TO BE OPERATION EQUALITY FOR ALL.
MR. MAYOR, THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS MICHAEL GRECO.
THIS IS MICHAEL BRICO, YOUR MOST RECENT FORMER, FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, I WASN'T GONNA CALL IN TODAY, BUT I WAS PRETTY, PRETTY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE EXCHANGE THIS MORNING.
I WAS TEXTING WITH A FEW OF YOU UP IN THE DAYS.
I GOTTA TELL YOU, MR. GUYS THIS ISSUE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY NOW? YES.
THE REASON I'M CALLING IN IS GUYS, YOU'VE BEEN TREATING OUR FIREFIGHTERS IS ESPECIALLY THE ONE THAT SERVE AT A STATION LIKE POLITICAL PONDS FOR 15 YEARS.
IT'S TIME TO LET THE RUBBER MEET THE ROAD.
SIXTH STREET IS THE PLACE TO PUT THIS THING.
THE MONEY'S THERE AS SOMEBODY WHO'S NOW AN EMT AND HAS ACTUALLY DONE SHIFTS OVER IN STATION ONE, NOT AS A TOURIST.
I CAN TELL YOU THESE GUYS NEED TO BE CREATED, LIKE THE SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE.
I KNOW A LOT OF THEM ARE IN THERE TODAY.
I'M GONNA COME INTO THE, INTO THE CHAMBERS IN A LITTLE BIT.
UH, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING AND KEEPING THE BARRING CARLISLE AS A PERMANENT ARTS COMMUNITY ASSET FOR MIAMI BEACH AND FOR NORTH BEACH.
NORTH BEACH HAS INCREDIBLE DIVERSITY, HISTORY AND CREATIVE TALENT, BUT AS LONG, UH, IT HAS BEEN UNDERSERVED WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESSIBLE ART SPACES, THE BYRON CARLISLE IS MORE THAN A BUILDING.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND CREATIVITY AND YOUNG TALENT AS AN ARTS VENUE.
THE BYRON CARLISLE CAN PROVIDE AFFORDABLE PERFORMANCE SPACES FOR LOCAL ARTISTS, CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND, UM, UH, AND IT CAN ACTIVATE NEIGHBORHOODS, YEAR ROUND PROGRAMMING SUPPORT WITH, UH, WE'LL SUPPORT LOCAL ECONOMIES, CREATING CULTURAL ANCHOR, UM, THAT WOULD ADD AN ARTS COMMODITY AND, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT TO THE ARTS, 42 COMES BACK.
GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR, CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL YOUR RECENT ELECTIONS.
UM, VERY QUICK COMMENTS THIS MORNING IN SUPPORT OF R FIVE AG AND C SEVEN BS BROUGHT BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
UM, THESE ARE SOME MEANINGFUL FIRST STEPS IN TREASURING OUR MARINE ASSETS RIGHT OFF OF OUR COAST.
I THINK WE SAW THE POWER OF WHAT RECLINE WAS ABLE TO BRING OUT THIS LAST WEEKEND OR THIS WEEKENDS AGO.
UM, DURING OUR BASEL, THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT OUT THERE, AND WE WERE SEEING PEOPLE EXPLORE THIS NEW SPACE AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE JETTY AND MOVE ON TO OUR NATURAL REEF TRACK AND REALLY START TO SEE THIS AS A TOURIST AND CONSERVATION PROJECT THAT COULD BRING SO MUCH VALUE TO THE CITY.
UM, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN HOOKED BY, BY, UM, FISHING EQUIPMENT OUT THERE, UM, THAT IS ALREADY ACTUALLY AGAINST THE LAW TO FISH IN THAT MANNER WHERE THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
UM, AND THE RESTRICTIONS ON THE LAND-BASED, UM, SHARK FISHING EQUIPMENT.
UM, I BELIEVE SOMEONE'S GOING TO SHOW YOU WHAT THAT HOOK LOOKS LIKE IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
SO THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME OUT.
I'M SORRY I DIDN'T CATCH YOUR NAME.
[R9 E INTRODUCTION AND REMARKS BY THE HONORABLE VICKI L. LOPEZ, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT 5.]
[01:05:01]
TIME OUT FROM THE, UH, FROM THE OPEN FORUM 'CAUSE UH, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, VICKI LOPEZ AND COUNTY COMMISSIONER MICKEY STEINBERG, WHO ARE, ARE, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COUNTY, UH, NEED TO GO TO ANOTHER MEETING, SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE FORM AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE.GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THIS INCREDIBLY ESTEEMED GROUP OF CITY COMMISSIONERS.
IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO FINALLY SAY I REPRESENT MIAMI BEACH OFFICIALLY.
I HAVE WORKED SO CLOSELY WITH SO MANY OF YOU, CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN REELECTED AND ELECTED.
UM, I, I AM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, I SPENT THREE AND A HALF YEARS AS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
AND EVEN THOUGH, UH, I DID NOT REPRESENT MIAMI BEACH IN DISTRICT ONE 13, I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I DID
UM, AND I, IT WAS SUCH A, A PRIVILEGE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO WORK INDIVIDUALLY WITH EACH ONE OF YOU TO NOT ONLY BRING HOME TO YOU ALL AND YOUR RESIDENTS, UH, APPROPRIATIONS THAT YOU REALLY NEEDED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND FOR NONPROFITS, BUT ALSO JUST TO BE THERE TO LISTEN TO WHAT WAS THE, FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
AND SO IT IS WITH AN ESTEEMED HONOR THAT I NOW AM YOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER, AND THAT I CAN OFFICIALLY SAY MIAMI BEACH IS HOME TO VICKI LOPEZ AS WELL AS THE MAINLAND.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
COMMISSIONER BOTS ALREADY REACHED OUT TO ME.
WE'RE GONNA WORK ON MICRO MOBILITY DEVICES, WHICH WAS A, A REALLY BIG, UH, ISSUE THAT I WORKED ON, UH, AS A STATE REP, UH, COMMISSIONER FERNAND.
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING ON HOUSING FOR, IT SEEMS LIKE A DECADE,
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL, COMMISSIONER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, IN WHAT I KNOW IS PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE WE'RE ALL FACING, WHICH IS, UH, AFFORDABILITY FOR HOUSING.
AND I JUST AM EXCITED TO WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND AS A BODY COLLECTIVELY.
UM, I KNOW, UM, THAT THERE IS DIFFERENT NEEDS HERE.
UH, IT IS AS DIVERSE IN MIAMI BEACH AS IT IS ON THE MAINLAND IN MY DISTRICT.
AND I KNOW THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU REPRESENTS EVERY LITTLE POCKET OF, OF RESIDENTS THAT YOU ARE CLOSE TO.
AND I VERY MUCH AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING YOU CONNECT ME TO THOSE WHO YOU ARE VERY CLOSE TO, SO WE CAN COLLECTIVELY BEGIN TO REPRESENT THE BEACH IN A MANNER IN WHICH IT DESERVES.
AND SO YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT TO BE THERE FOR YOU.
I HOPE THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE LISTENING TODAY AND THOSE THAT ARE HERE KNOW, UM, THAT THAT IS MY COMMITMENT TO EVERYONE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK TO THE BEACH.
I'VE BEEN HERE SEVERAL, I'VE BEEN A COUNTY COMMISSIONER FOR 28 DAYS, I BELIEVE I'VE SPENT AT LEAST 10 OF THOSE HERE ON MIAMI BEACH, AND I'M GRATEFUL, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
AND SO, UH, I'M WISHING EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS, A HAPPY HANUKKAH, HAPPY KWANZA, AND LET'S HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, UM, RIGHT AFTER THE NEW YEAR.
AND I'LL CONFIRM THAT I FEEL LIKE, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, LOPEZ, I FEEL LIKE EVERYWHERE I GO I SEE YOU.
SO I THINK IT'S EVEN MORE THAN 10 DAYS
AND NOT TO LOBBY FROM THE DESK, BUT I'LL THROW IN, UH, HELP WITH FUNDING THE WATER TAXI.
I, I'D BE REMISS NOT TO SAY, BECAUSE YOU, YOU MENTIONED YOUR WORK IN TALLAHASSEE ON BEHALF OF MIAMI BEACH AND IN THE HOUSE WHEN WE NEEDED A SPONSOR FOR, FOR OUR LANDMARK PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO REVITALIZE THE EAST END OF LINCOLN ROAD.
YOU WERE THE ONE THAT HELPED US GET THE PUBLIC FUNDS WE NEED TO REVITALIZE, TO BRING NEW LIFE, TO IMPROVE OUR BEAUTIFUL JEWEL OF LINCOLN ROAD.
SO YOU'RE NOW OFFICIALLY REPRESENTING US, BUT AS A PUBLIC SERVANT, YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD MIAMI BEACH IN YOUR HEART AND IS, I'M SO PROUD TO CALL YOU OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
UM, RALPH, UH, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA TURN FOR A MOMENT, UH, UH, TO THE NORTH BEACH CRA.
AND BEFORE WE DO THAT, MAYOR, I'M NOT SURE IF COMMISSIONER LOPEZ CAN SIT FOR THE RDA ALSO.
WE OFFICIALLY OKAY THEN THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE A FULL QUO ON THAT.
SO IF, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA JOIN US UP HERE FOR A MINUTE, PLEASE.
[RDA-1. A RESOLUTION OF THE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE MIAMI BEACH REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (RDA), APPROVING, IN SUBSTANTIAL FORM, AMENDMENT NO. 3 (AMENDMENT) TO THE LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE RDA (LANDLORD), AND CUBICHE 105, LLC (TENANT), FOR USE OF APPROXIMATELY 7,130 SQUARE FEET OF GROUND FLOOR RETAIL SPACE AT THE ANCHOR SHOPS AND GARAGE, LOCATED AT 1555 WASHINGTON AVE, SUITE NOS. 1-3 (PREMISES), AS A FULL SERVICE RESTAURANT, SAID AMENDMENT ADJUSTING TENANT’S RENT SCHEDULE TO TEN PERCENT (10%) OF GROSS SALES IN LIEU OF THE CURRENT TRIPLE NET RENTS FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR (4) YEARS, FROM JANUARY 1, 2026 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2029, WITH ALL OTHER LEASE TERMS TO REMAIN IN EFFECT, TO ADDRESS TENANT’S FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS AND TO FACILITATE PLANNED RENOVATIONS; AND CLARIFYING THAT TENANT’S RENEWAL OF THE LEASE TERM AS OF JANUARY 1, 2026 IS CONTINGENT UPON APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED PERCENTAGE RENT STRUCTURE; AND FURTHER, AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO FINALIZE THE AMENDMENT; AND FURTHER, AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND SECRETARY TO EXECUTE THE AMENDMENT.]
UH, SO WE'RE GOING TO, UH, RECESS AS A CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND WE WILL BE DOING THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ITEM.IT IS AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE TO THE CHE 1 0 5 AT 1555 WASHINGTON AVENUE.
WE'RE DOING THE KISSING
[01:10:02]
GO AHEAD.GOOD MORNING, MAYOR CITY COMMISSIONERS OZZY DOMINGUEZ, UH, DIVISION DIRECTOR OF ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
UH, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT ITEM, UM, THE KCHE ITEM, WHICH IS A PERCENTAGE RENT REQUEST.
THE KCHE HAS BEEN A LONG-TERM TENANT OF ANCHOR SHOPS ON WASHINGTON AVENUE.
UH, THIS AREA OF THE PROPERTY ITSELF HAS STRUGGLED WITH TRAFFIC, UH, AND THEY ARE REQUESTING A RENT REDUCTION, UH, PERCENTAGE RENT OF 10% OF SALES WITH OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
UH, ADMINISTRATIVE IS SUPPORTIVE OF THIS WITH THE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE, THE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE WITH OPENING UP VERY SOON, BRINGING UP A LOT OF TRAFFIC TO THIS AREA.
THEY'RE RIGHT NEXT TO THEM, UH, AND ALSO WITH THE HOPES THAT THE LUNCHTIME TRAFFIC WILL PICK UP FOR THEM.
DO HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA MOVE THE ITEM? YES, I'LL MOVE THE ITEM THAT IS NOT ON.
MR. MAYOR OZZIE, AM I CORRECT THAT IT ACTUALLY TOOK SOME TIME FOR THIS RESTAURANT TO OPEN? UH, YES.
ACTUALLY THE RESTAURANT WAS UNDER A FULL RENOVATION.
THEY SPENT PROBABLY ABOUT $3 MILLION ON THEIR RENOVATION IN 2019 THEY OPENED AND THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER SHUT DOWN DUE TO COVID-19.
SO THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH A SERIES OF STRUGGLES, UH, TO GET UP, BUT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANT.
AND I DO WANT TO SAY I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE SOME PERMITTING ISSUES AS WELL THAT PROLONGED THEIR OPENING.
AND WHILE WE HAVE FOCUSED, WE'VE BEEN STEADFAST IN REFORMING OUR PERMITTING PROCESS.
UH, YOU, YOU TALK ABOUT THE CRUEL IRONY THAT BUSINESS IN OUR OWN CITY OWNED BUILDING HAS PERMITTING ISSUES.
WHAT DOES THAT SAY OUT THERE FOR THE MOM AND POP? SO WHILE THIS COMMISSION HAS BEEN VERY STEADFAST IN MOVING OUR PERMITTING PROCESS FORWARD, UH, THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO THE HELP THAT WE CONTINUE TO NEED FROM STAFF, UH, TO REALLY FINE TUNE THIS.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF ITEM RDA ONE.
NO ONE OPPOSED THE ITEM PASSES.
WE ARE NOW CONVENING AS A NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY.
WE DEVELOP AN AGENCY AND WE WELCOME COMMISSIONER STEINBERG TO THE DAY.
[CRA-1. A RESOLUTION OF THE CHAIRPERSON AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (NORTH BEACH CRA) AMENDING THE COMMERCIAL FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM TO: (I) EXPAND THE CURRENT BOUNDARIES OF THE PROGRAM TO MAKE ALL COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE NORTH BEACH CRA ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE; (II) PERMIT MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS BY A PROPERTY OWNER OR TENANT WITH INTERESTS IN MORE THAN ONE ELIGIBLE PROPERTY; AND (III) AUTHORIZE THE CRA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR HIS/HER DESIGNEE TO MAKE NONSUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES, AS NEEDED.]
THE FIRST ITEM IS NORTH BEACH CCRA ONE.IT IS AMEND NORTH BEACH CRA COMMERCIAL FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
STEVEN ANTHONY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
UM, THIS ITEM IS REALLY JUST TO EXPAND OUR CURRENT, UH, COMMERCIAL FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
UH, WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN IS THE FEEDBACK FROM BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, THROUGHOUT NORTH BEACH THAT SAYS, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM, BUT WE'D LIKE IT.
INITIALLY, THE PILOT WAS REALLY FOCUSED AROUND THE NORMANDY FOUNTAIN AREA.
AND SO WE FIGURE HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY NOW TO EXPAND IT WITHIN ALL OF THE NORTH BEACH CRA, UM, AREA.
AND SO THAT, THAT WAY WE CAN OPEN THE, OPEN THE PROGRAM UP.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE SLIGHTLY AMEND THIS ITEM.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT ITEM, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD ALLOW FOR THE EXPANSION, BUT ACTUALLY HAVE IT SO THAT WE REVISIT IT IN ABOUT 18 MONTHS, 24 MONTHS, ENGAGE ITS SUCCESS.
ARE YOU GUYS OKAY WITH THAT? YEP.
SO ACCEPT THE MOTION COMMISSIONER BOT YES.
COMMISSIONER STOMBERG, YOU SECONDING? IF SO, MAY I CALL THE ROLL? YES.
ALL IN FAVOR OF NORTH BEACH CA ONE AS AMENDED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
HEARING NO ONE OPPOSED THE ITEM IS APPROVED.
[CRA-2. A RESOLUTION OF THE CHAIRPERSON AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (NORTH BEACH CRA) AMENDING THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM TO EXPAND THE CURRENT BOUNDARIES OF THE PROGRAM TO MAKE ALL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE NORTH BEACH CRA ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE, SUBJECT TO OTHER PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.]
A COMPANION ITEM ITEM TWO IS AMEND NORTH BEACH CRA RESIDENTIAL FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.AND THAT WOULD BE THE SAME KIND OF RECOMMENDATION.
IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, MAY I HAVE VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
A ONE OPPOSED? THE ITEM IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
DID YOU BRING CHOCOLATES FOR EVERYBODY LIKE YOU USED TO WHEN YOU WERE A CITY COMMISSIONER? THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY.
LOOK AT THAT MOTION TO RECONVENE AS A MIAMI BEACH CITY COMMISSION.
THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH US.
NEXT STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONER, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF NAME JOSE FRIS, 90 ALTON ROAD.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE MAYOR MINOR
[01:15:01]
ON YOUR SECOND TERM.NOW YOU CAN CONTINUE AND FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED.
MAY MIAMI PEACE, THE BEST CITY OF THE COUNTRY.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CONGRATULATE LAURA DOMINGUEZ, AS WELL AS OUR NEW COMMISSIONER, MONICA MATTEL SALINAS.
IT TRULY MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO HAVE A COMMISSIONER WHO LIVES SOUTH OF FIFTH AND WALK AROUND THE MARINA AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALMOST EVERY DAY.
SECONDLY, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE AND THANKS TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER MARK TAXI, COURT ENFORCEMENT DIRECTOR HERNAN CARLOS AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM.
I'M MIAMI BEACH POLICE CHIEF JOHN WAYNE AND CAPTAIN LOSANO AND LOSANO AND HIS DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE HAVE COMMUNITY POLICE POLICING,
THE IMPROVEMENT WE HAVE SEEN AT THE MARINE REGARDING SAFETY AND QUALITY OF FLIGHT, PARTICULARLY WITH THE PREVIOUSLY AUTO CONTROLLED SHUTTLE VESSELS, IS A CONTROL ADDED SHUTTLE VESSEL.
OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, WE CAN CLEARLY SEE A REAL AND POSITIVE DIFFERENCE.
AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF NO LOWER YOUR GUARDS.
CONTINUE AND CONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT, IT'S ESSENTIAL TO PROCEED THIS GAME.
ALSO, I'D LIKE TO SUPPORT MR. MAYOR R FIVE H TO ROLL BACK THE, OUR OPERATION ON THE CHARTER, UH, VESSEL.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS JOHN PORTER.
I'M THE GENERAL MANAGER FOR ONE OCEAN CONDOMINIUM, UM, LOCATED AT ONE COLLINS AVENUE.
UM, I'M, UH, SPEAKING REGARDING THE, THE FIRE STATION.
UH, ONE OCEAN IS SUPPORTING THE SIXTH STREET LOCATION.
HELLO, MY NAME IS PATRICK RESICK.
I LIVE AT 1754 MERIDIAN AVENUE.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO WAS REELECTED OR REELECTED FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I'M HERE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR R UH, FIVE AG G, THE RESTRICTIONS ON LAND-BASED FISHING GEAR AND RE RESOLUTION C SEVEN BS, WHICH IS THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE ALREADY EXISTING RULES ON SPEARFISH NEXT TO THE JETTY.
I'VE BEEN HOOKED BY FISHING GEAR.
MY MOM, WHO'S 67, HAS BEEN HOOKED BY FISHING GEAR OUT THERE.
SO VOTING YES ON THESE RESOLUTIONS AND CONTINUING THE PROGRESS ON OUR MARINE PARK WILL ONLY MAKE THIS A BETTER PLACE FOR ECOTOURISM FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR VISITORS ALIKE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROGRESS ON THIS AND CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
FIRST I WANNA CONGRATULATE EVERYONE WHO RAN IN THE ELECTION ON THEIR RESOUNDING ELECTION RESULTS.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
UH, AND I, I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, REPRESENTATIVE WASABI FOR CUTTING IN LINE EARLY THIS MORNING AND HIJACKING OUR SUT HOUR AND HARMING OUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE A FEW SECONDS TO SPEAK NOW.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO URGE THE COMMISSION TODAY TO PLEASE VOTE FOR THE MOTION THAT RECONSIDERS, UH, OUR FIVE P, WHICH IS THE ORDINANCE REGULATING, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND CONDOMINIUM BOARDS.
THE, UH, THE COMMISSION SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR MAKING THE CHANGES IT DID AT THE SECOND READING TO SHIFT DISCLOSURE FROM THE RESIDENTS TO THE DEVELOPERS THAT MADE PERFECT SENSE.
HOWEVER, THERE WERE OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT STAYED IN THAT, UH, THAT, UH, SECOND READING THAT ARE HARMFUL TO CIVIC PARTICIPATION.
I'VE WRITTEN YOU ALL BEFORE ABOUT THIS.
PLEASE DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TODAY.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ELECTIONS.
SPENCER ROBERTS FOUR 11 NORTHWEST 43RD.
I'M A MARINE ECOLOGIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI.
HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, ORDINANCE R FIVE AG AND RESOLUTION C SEVEN BS.
LAND-BASED SHARK FISHING INVOLVES THE USE OF DRONES AND COMMERCIAL FISHING GEAR TO BAIT SHARKS NEAR TO SHORE WHERE THEY ARE THEN HOOKED AND THEN DRAGGED ONTO THE BEACH.
SMALLER, UH, HARVESTABLE SPECIES ARE TYPICALLY KILLED FOR A JAW TROPHY OR USED AS BAIT FOR BIGGER SHARKS.
THESE LARGER PROHIBITED SPECIES ARE OFTEN ILLEGALLY HELD FOR SOCIAL MEDIA PHOTO SHOOTS.
TRACKING STUDIES ESTIMATE THAT ROUGHLY A QUARTER OF THESE SHARKS DIE WITHIN A MONTH.
UM, ON, IN APRIL, A CRITICALLY ENDANGERED GREAT HAMMERHEAD WAS FOUND DEAD ON MIAMI BEACH WITH A HOOK JUST LIKE THIS.
UM, THIS LAND-BASED SHARK FISHING RIG WAS FOUND BY MERLA, A SWIMMER OFF, UH, THE REEF LINE.
IT, UH, INCLUDES 300 FEET OF BRAIDED THREAD, 300 MORE OF THICK MONOFILAMENTS, AND THIS TWO INCH WIDE HOOK.
BETA WITH THE HEAD OF A BLACK TIP SHARK INDICATING THE INTENT TO ATTRACT
[01:20:01]
A LARGER PR, UH, PREDATORY SPECIES LIKE A PROTECTED LEMON, A ENDANGERED HAMMERHEAD, OR EVEN A GREAT, GREAT WHITE.YOU SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID OF SHARKS, THOUGH.
UH, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COEXIST WITH SCORES OF SHARKS EVERY DAY OFF THE, UH, OFF OUR COAST OF THE BEACH.
BUT THIS PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE CAN CHANGE INTO A CHAOTIC FRENZY WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF BAIT AND THE KILLING OF SHARKS PREY.
I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT C SEVEN BS AND HAVE A PETITION OF OVER 1200 PEOPLE SUPPORTING THE SHARK YEAR PROHIBITIONS IN R FIVE AG.
YOU COULD ADD ME AS A CO-SPONSOR TO THAT SAME HERE, PLEASE.
AND ME, ME AS WELL, EVERYONE OR? SURE.
I LIVE AT 4 1 1 NORTHWEST 43RD STREET.
UM, MY INTRODUCTION TO THE UNDERWATER WORLD NEAR MY HOME WAS MIAMI BEACH AT SOUTH BEACH.
WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, I WAS AFRAID THAT I WAS GONNA HAVE TO DRIVE TO THE KEYS OR UP TO WEST PALM BEACH TO BE ABLE TO EXPLORE THE OCEAN.
BUT I HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN VERY EXCITED TO FIND THAT I CAN BRING ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND FA FAMILY WHO VISIT HERE TO THE SOUTH POINT JETTY.
I FEEL THAT IT IS A SAFE AND EASY PLACE FOR ME TO BRING SEASONED SWIMMERS OR BRAND NEW DIVERS.
THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE, HOWEVER, IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET ENTANGLED.
I MYSELF HAVE BEEN ENTANGLED AND I ALWAYS CARRY A KNIFE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT MOST TOURISTS DON'T, INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO BRING SMALL CHILDREN.
AND SIMPLY WHEN YOU FLY ON A PLANE, IT'S NOT EASY TO BRING A KNIFE.
THE SHARK FISHING GEAR THAT WAS SHOWN EARLIER IS IN A MAJOR CONCERN AS WELL, BECAUSE EVEN THOSE OF US WHO CARRY KNIVES MAY NOT HAVE A STRONG ENOUGH KNIFE TO QUICKLY CUT THE METAL LEADERS THAT CAN TANGLE UPON US.
I URGE THE COMMISSION TO HELP IN STATE LAWS THAT KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND PROTECT OUR OCEAN TO TRY AND PREVENT BRINGING IN MORE SHARK FISHING AND ALSO TO ENFORCE SPEARFISHING BANS AND IDEALLY TO CONTINUE TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE LOCAL.
GOOD MORNING, SANITA 2,900 NORTHEAST SEVENTH AVENUE.
UM, I ASK WHY DO WE ALLOW FISHING WHERE OUR CHILDREN ARE YOUNGSTERS ARE EITHER JUMPING WAVES OR JUST SUNBATHING.
MY DAUGHTER, WHO IS A TEACHER IN NEW JERSEY, WAS VISITING, WAS JUMPING WAVES AND GOT ENTANGLED IN THIS FISH HOOK.
SHE BENT DOWN TO DE ENTANGLE HERSELF.
HER BIG TOE WAS ENTANGLED IN THIS HOOK, AND THEN HER MIDDLE FINGER GOT ENTANGLED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS FISH HOOK.
SHE WOULD'VE DROWNED THAT DAY.
MY OTHER DAUGHTER AND MY HUSBAND WERE IN THE WATER.
SHE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.
THEY HAD TO SURGICALLY REMOVE THE HOOK FROM HER TOE AND HER MIDDLE FINGER.
MY QUESTION IS, WHY DO WE ALLOW FISHING WHERE PEOPLE ARE JUST HAVING A GOOD TIME? ISN'T THAT WHAT MIAMI IS FAMOUS FOR? WHY CAN'T WE JUST ALLOCATE A SPECIAL PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO FISHING? THANK YOU SO MUCH SO THAT WE ARE NOT STUCK WITH THESE HOOKS.
I URGE YOU TO PLEASE PAY ATTENTION.
HI, KYLE FTE, RESIDENT AT 2,900 NORTHEAST SEVENTH AVENUE.
I WANNA SPEAK UP IN SUPPORT OF THE BAN ON SPEARFISHING AT THE JETTY, AS WELL AS SUPPORT, UH, FOR ELIMINATING SHARK BAITING, UM, ALONG THE SHORELINES OF MIAMI BEACH.
I'M AN AVID OPEN WATER SWIMMER.
I'VE BEEN SWIMMING IN MIAMI BEACH FOR MANY YEARS, AND THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INSTANCES, UH, VERY MUCH RECENTLY AS WELL WHEN SPEAR FISHERS HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY FISHING IN THE WATERS NEAR OPEN WATER SWIMMERS.
ON SUNDAYS, WE HAVE GROUPS OF UP TO 150 SWIMMERS SWIMMING IN THE MORNING, TRIATHLETES, UH, SUN BATHERS FAMILIES ON THE BEACH.
AND IT IS EXTREMELY IRRESPONSIBLE AND DANGEROUS TO HAVE SPEARFISHING GEAR, UH, IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE BEACH AND SWIMMERS.
SO I URGE THE COMMISSION TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE SAFE AND, UM, FAMILY FRIENDLY BEACH ACTIVITIES THAT WE'VE ALL COME TO LOVE IN MIAMI.
I PROBABLY NEED A MINUTE, AN EXTRA 30 SECONDS.
MY NAME'S DAVE DOER AND I LIVE AT 8,000 WEST DRIVE.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT COMMISSIONER SUAREZ'S, ITEM C SEVEN BC AND R SEVEN T.
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON STORMWATER AND POLLUTION IN MIAMI BEACH SINCE 2010.
WHEN I FIRST STUMBLED ACROSS THE MARINE DEBRIS CRISIS WHILE KAYAKING IN BISCAY BAY, WHAT I DISCOVERED WAS SIMPLE AND ALARMING.
TRASH FROM OUR STREETS WAS FLOWING STRAIGHT INTO THE BAY BECAUSE WE WERE FAILING BOTH ON UPGRADES AND MAINTENANCE OF OUR POLLUTION CONTROL SYSTEMS. IN MANY WAYS, EVERY PLASTIC REDUCTION POLICY I'VE HELPED CRAFT OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS EXISTS BECAUSE OUR STORMWATER SYSTEMS WERE NEVER UPGRADED TO KEEP TRASH
[01:25:01]
OUTTA THE BAY IN THE FIRST PLACE.IN 2013 WHEN THE CITY INSTALLED ITS FIRST PUMP STATIONS, WE WERE TOLD THE VORTEX, HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATORS WERE THE SOLUTION TO TRASH AND POLLUTION.
BUT EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN OTHERWISE.
THEY DO REMOVE SOME TRASH AND SEDIMENT, BUT THEY DON'T CAPTURE THE MOST POLLUTED RUNOFF, THE FIRST FLUSH.
UH, THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT ACTUALLY WASHES OFF OUR STREETS DURING THE FIRST RAIN TIRE PARTICLES, OIL, DOG WASTE, FERTILIZERS, BACTERIA, THE POLLUTANTS YOU CAN'T SEE, BUT TO DO THE MOST DAMAGE.
SO DOUG, I NEED YOU TO WRAP IT UP.
UM, THE TRUTH IS THAT THE REAL SOLUTION WAS NOT VORTEX OR INJECTION.
UM, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHILE THE CITY HAS 49 PUMP STATIONS, THERE ARE 367 OUTFALLS BY ANY REASONABLE MEASURE.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR OUT OF OUR SYSTEM IS STILL LEGACY GRAVITY BASED AND STILL NEEDS MODERNIZATIONS.
THEY CAN BARELY CAPTURE TRASH AND WERE NEVER BILLED FOR TODAY'S LOADS.
IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT PROTECTING BISCAYNE BAY, I'M SORRY.
UH, WE WERE, I WAS I PREPARED FOR TWO MINUTES.
THIS IS WHAT I EXPECTED IN THAT DEBACLE THIS MORNING.
IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT PROTECTING BISCAYNE BAY, WE MUST PRIORITIZE FIRST FLUSH CAPTURE AT EVERY OUTFALL USING A LAYERED APPROACH.
IF WE CONTINUE TO DISCHARGE UNTREATED FIRST FLUSH STORMWATER INTO BISCAYNE BAY, THAT IS NOT A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, THAT IS A POLICY CHOICE.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE GENTLEMAN IN THE WHITE SHIRT BEHIND MR. UH MOHAMMED IS THE LAST PERSON SPEAKING.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS MATTHEW HANOFF AND I LIVE AT 1 2 5 JEFFERSON AVENUE.
I WANNA SPEAK THIS MORNING ON C TWO C, WHICH IS THE TROLLEY CONTRACT.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME CONCERNED ABOUT PROPOSED SERVICE REDUCTIONS, AND I URGE THAT THIS BE CONSIDERED TODAY.
AND ALSO, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, UH, THE SLOW STREETS.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ALL.
I WANT TO THANK FOR THE FUNDING THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS ALLOCATED OR THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION HAS ALLOCATED.
THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT MOVES A CITY FORWARD.
IT'S FORWARD THINKING, IT'S VISIONARY, AND MANY PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT COMPLETELY FINISHED, HAVE REACHED OUT AND ARE USING IT AND HAVE SAID HOW WONDERFUL IT IS.
SO I ALSO WANT TO INVITE ANY OF YOU ON THE TO, UH, WALK, BIKE, ROLL, OR DRIVE ALONG THERE.
I'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU A TOUR AND TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE PROJECT.
ONE TO JAMON 83 0 5 CRESPI BOULEVARD.
UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THAT WERE REELECTED AND ELECTED.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK REGARDING THE BYRON CARLISLE PROJECT.
I'M ALL FOR IT, ALTHOUGH I'M AGAINST THE HOUSING KIND OF COMPONENT OF IT.
I'M ASKING THE COMMISSION TO PLEASE CONSIDER THIS.
UM, WE HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM THROUGHOUT MIAMI BEACH.
NORTH BEACH IS GETTING, UH, I MEAN THE BUILDING IS JUST OUTTA HAND.
SECONDLY, UM, I'M GONNA SPEAK ABOUT THE TROLLEY.
UM, I THINK THERE WAS A CONSENT, SOMETHING, A CONSENT TO MINIMIZE THE HOURS AND THE FREQUENCY OF THE TROLLEY.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS VERY SMART.
UM, I'M FOR THE, UH, THE FERRY, BUT YOU CANNOT TAKE FROM PAUL.
STEAL FROM PAUL TO GO TO, TO GIVE IT TO, UM, PETER.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER THE TROLLEY, UH, EXTENSIONS AND, UH, THE FERRY.
AND, UM, COMMISSIONER BAT, I KNOW THIS IS YOUR ITEM, SO, AND I KNOW YOU'RE DEAR TO THIS, BUT, UH, I'M ALL FOR IT.
BUT PLEASE CONSIDER THE HOUSING.
GOOD MORNING ALL AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
I MAY NEED AN EXTRA 10 SECONDS, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND.
UM, MY NAME IS FRANK SEK AND I'M A 29-YEAR-OLD MEMBER OF THE CITY'S NEXT GENERATION COUNCIL.
OUR MANDATE IS TO RAISE AND SUPPORT ISSUES THAT AFFECT MIAMI BEACH RESIDENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 40.
AFTER REBUILDING, WE ARE PROUD TO BE AN ACTIVE ORGANIZATION WITH NINE ENGAGED MEMBERS.
OUR VOLUNTEER GROUP HAS BEEN MEETING CONSISTENTLY FOR THE PAST 12 MONTHS WITH THE GOAL OF IMPROVING THE COMMISSION'S RESPONSIVENESS TO OUR YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, THE NEXT GENERATION COUNCIL STRONGLY ENDORSES THE COMMISSION'S INITIATIVE TO INSTITUTE A PERMANENT WATER TAXI SERVICE.
AS AN INITIAL ROUTE, WE RECOMMEND CONNECTING MAURICE GIBB PARK WITH THE OMNI TERMINAL IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI.
FURTHERMORE, WE ENDORSE A WATER TAXI SERVICE THAT IS COMPLIMENTARY FOR OUR MIAMI BEACH RESIDENTS.
WE APPLAUD THE LEADERSHIP OF COMMISSIONERS DOMINGUEZ AND NEW COMMISSIONER
[01:30:01]
MATEO SALINAS, AS WELL AS, UH, MAYOR MINOR IN CHAMPIONING THIS ISSUE.AND WE ARE READY TO COLLABORATE WITH THE COMMISSIONER ON FUTURE INITIATIVES THAT BENEFIT OUR YOUNG POPULATION.
NEXT, THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH ME RECENTLY ON THIS.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE, UH, YOUNG LEADERS, UH, COMING TO THE FOREFRONT IN OUR CITY.
HELLO, MATT ROSENBERG PASS, SAY, FLAMINGO PARKS OUT BEACH TRACK CLUB PEOPLE WHO LOVE FLAMINGO PARK.
IT'S JUST QUICK AND EASY AND SINCERE, WELCOMING AND CONGRATULATING ALL THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE JUST ELECTED, REELECTED FOR ALEX FERNANDEZ.
LAURA DOMINGUEZ, CONGRATULATIONS, MONICA MATTEO SALINAS FOR YOUR FIRST ELECTION, AND OF COURSE, MAYOR MINOR FOR BRINGING IT BACK FOR ANOTHER TIME.
WE JUST WANNA TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED YOU AND THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS THAT USE FLAMINGO PARK.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT FUTURE TOGETHER AND WISH YOU ALL GREAT SUCCESS FOR YOUR NEXT TERM.
LORI BAUM, ON BEHALF OF POWER ACCESS AND THE SOUTH BEACH JAZZ FESTIVAL, FIRST OUR HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS TO COMMISSIONERS FERNANDEZ DOMINGUEZ, MATEO SALINAS AM MAYOR MINOR ON THEIR ELECTIONS.
AND TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ON THE DAIS FOR SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, MIAMI BEACH HAS EXCELLENT REPRESENTATION AND WE ALL KNOW IT AND APPRECIATE IT.
I'M HERE ON COMMISSIONER BOTS, ITEM C SEVEN BJ.
THIS IS WAVING SPECIAL EVENT BEES FOR THE UPCOMING SOUTH BEACH JAZZ FESTIVAL.
THESE ARE FOR OUR FREE SPACES AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
IT'S A TINY AMOUNT, BUT FOR A TINY ORGANIZATION THAT DOES BIG THINGS, IT MEANS A LOT TO US.
WE ALSO WANNA INVITE EVERYONE TO THE UPCOMING 10TH ANNUAL SOUTH BEACH JAZZ FESTIVAL, JANUARY 8TH, NINTH, 10TH, AND 11TH, THROUGHOUT MIAMI BEACH, SOBE JAZZ FESTIVAL.COM.
AND YES TO THE BAR BYRON CARLISLE.
WE DO NEED THAT PROGRAMMING SPACE IN NORTH BEACH.
NEXT ONE, WE'LL BE THERE FOR THE SOUTH BEACH JAZZ FESTIVAL.
AND MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO JOIN US, A CO-SPONSOR WITH COMMISSIONER BOD.
WE LOVE SUPPORTING, UH, THE JAZZ FESTIVAL AND THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO FOR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WITH WITH DISABILITIES.
SO PLEASE LIST ME AS A CO-SPONSOR.
I THINK IT'S C SEVEN BJ, GO AHEAD PLEASE.
THANK YOU ALL AND CONGRATULATIONS.
UM, TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE.
UM, SO I CAME IN TODAY FOCUSING ON, UH, C FOUR P, C FOUR I, AND R NINE K, UM, REALLY TARGETED FOR CONDOMINIUM NEIGHBORHOOD FINANCIAL IMPACT ITEMS. SO, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS NOW AND CONDOS ARE REALLY OVERWHELMED JUST WHEN BASIC QUESTIONS ARISE, WHERE THEY CAN TURN TO FOR HELP, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE AT A A STATE LEVEL.
UM, IT'S NOT A SINGLE CONDO ISSUE.
THE CONDO I LIVE IN BELL ISLE, UH, IS ABOUT TO, UH, EMBARK ON A $70 MILLION.
UH, PROJECT COST, BY THE WAY, WAS $30 MILLION, UH, LESS THAN HALF A YEAR AGO.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CONDO COLLAPSES IN MIAMI BEACH AND HOW MANY BEACHES REFLECTED AND WHO COMES HERE AND WHY THEY LOVE IT, UM, IT, IT NEEDS TO BE STILL A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
THE 70 MILLION DIDN'T GET TO 70 MILLION BASED ON INFLATION ALONE.
THERE'S A LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT THAT'S, UH, NEEDED AND A LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT.
AND THE ASK THAT I HAVE FOR THE, UH, COMMISSION IS TO CONSIDER APPOINTING A CONDO TASK FORCE OR MAYBE AN ADVISORY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMITTEE OF SORTS FOR CONDOMINIUMS AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
I MAY NEED A, A LITTLE MORE THAN A MINUTE IF POSSIBLE.
I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN MIAMI BEACH, 4 7 7 9, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE MID BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WHICH INCLUDES CONDOMINIUMS AND HOTELS FROM 24TH TO 63RD STREET ALONG INDIAN CREEK DRIVE AND COLLINS AVENUE.
MBNA STRONGLY SUPPORTS ITEM R FIVE Q, THE RECONSIDERATION OF THE SECOND READING OF THE ORDINANCE, REGULATING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND CONDOMINIUM BOARDS.
IT'S ESSENTIAL TO REVERSE PROVISIONS THAT DISCOURAGE RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND CONDOMINIUM BOARDS FROM MEANINGFULLY PARTICIPATING IN THESE PUBLIC IN THE PUBLIC PROCESS.
MBNA THANKS, THE COMMISSION FOR PULLING C SEVEN CF AND MODIFYING THE EXTENSION FROM 17 DAYS IN MID BEACH PARK AND 46TH STREET TO SEVEN DAYS, WHICH WILL REDUCE TRAFFIC AND DISRUPTIONS IN MID BEACH.
RELATED TO THE BOAT SHOW, MBNA STRONGLY SUPPORTS ITEM R 70 T AND COMMENCE THE CITY FOR DIRECTING SURPLUS FUNDS TOWARD LONG-TERM PREVENTATIVE INVESTMENTS.
THESE INCLUDE ADDRESSING FIRST FLUSH STORMWATER RUNOFF
[01:35:01]
AS A CITYWIDE ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH NECESSITY, AND ESTABLISHING A TARGETED MECHANISM TO REDUCE COSTS AND STREAMLINE PERMITTING, PARTICULARLY FOR CONDOMINIUMS NOW FACING HEIGHTENED SAFETY OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE NEW LEGISLATION.PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM THE NIST INVESTIGATION INTO THE TRAMPOLINE TOWERS SOUTH COLLAPSE INDICATE THAT THE FAILURE LIKELY INITIATED FROM A POOL DECK AND THANK YOU SO MUCH AND NOT, UM, AND THROUGH THE SEARS PROCESS AND STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES ARE BEING IDENTIFIED IN SPECIAL SPECIMENS, OPPOSED AND TIMELINES ARE COMPRESSED.
THIS DEMAND THAT WE'RE BEING PLACED, IF WE DON'T HAVE A QUICKER PROCESS IN PERMITTING OR PROCESS THAT IS MORE EFFICIENT, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT RESIDENTS ARE HAVING TO PAY ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENTS AND ADDITIONAL FEES AND WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING FROM THE CITY.
ALTHOUGH WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE CITY ADMINISTRATION SAYING THERE'S A 10 DAY TURNAROUND, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR MBNA CONDOMINIUM AND PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND THEY'RE, WE NEEDED SOMETHING TO FOCUS.
IF WE DON'T SUPPORT THIS ITEM, PLEASE PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE FOR CONDOMINIUMS. THANK YOU WITH THE INCREASED LEGISLATION WE NEED.
GOOD MORNING, OUR COM MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, AND OUR DISTINGUISHED PERSON HERE.
UH, MY NAME IS MOHAMMED ISLAM, UH, LIVING IN NORTH BEACH.
I WORK WITH THE CITY BOARD MEMBER.
UH, TODAY I CAME FOR THE ZENDA, UH, R FIVE A, WHICH IS THE TOBACCO ISSUE.
I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS, THEY'RE OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY MAINTAIN A BUSINESS, UH, SMALL BUSINESS.
UH, BUT SMALL BUSINESS CONCEPT IS SELLING TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL.
THIS IS THE MAIN, UH, ITEM OF THE SELLING.
SO, BUT HERE, UH, CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, SOMEHOW THEY RESTRICTED TO SELL TOBACCO SO THAT, THAT'S THE ONE PART OF THE BUSINESS IS TOTALLY OFF.
SO THEY CANNOT SURVIVE BECAUSE MIAMI BEACH IS A EXPENSIVE AREA.
PEOPLE PAY A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, RENT, UH, UH, WHAT IS CALLED, UH, EMPLOYEE COST AND OTHER THINGS.
SO I, I HAVE A HUMBLE REQUEST TO OUR COMMISSION TO APPROVE THIS, TO SELL TOBACCO TO SMALL BUSINESS TO SURVIVE HERE.
UM, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ORDINANCE 20 23, 45, 50 SECTION 82, 72, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER.
THIS ORDINANCE ALLOWS THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOISE, DISORDERLY CONDUCT CONING BEHAVIORS, NOT THE VOTING ITSELF, YET THE SOLUTION BEING PROPOSED IS NOT TARGETED, ENFORCING ITS BLANKET SHUT.
IT, IT'S ONLY BLANKETING SHUT DOWN OF OUR INDUSTRY BY 7:00 PM OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE CITY'S RESTAURANTS, BARS, NIGHTCLUBS, AND VENUES ALSO HAVE DOCUMENTED NOISE VIOLATIONS ON RECORD.
THEY'RE FINED, CITED AND MONITORED, BUT THEY'RE NOT BEING FORCED TO CLOSE BY THE TIME RESTRICTED ONLY THE CHARTER INDUSTRY.
THIS IS AN UNEQUAL ENFORCEMENT.
THE AUDIT ITSELF ALREADY PROVIDES ESCALATING FINES, BUSINESS TAX SUSPENSIONS, A REVOCATION OF AUTHORITIES.
THEY SHOULD BE USED AGAINST VIOLATORS, NOT AGAINST EVERY COMPLAINT OPERATOR.
IN JULY, THE SUNS AROUND 9:00 PM THANK YOU, SIR.
CAN I GET 15 MORE? GO AHEAD, SIR.
AT, UH, IN JULY, THE SUNS AT 9:00 PM OUR GUESTS, THEY COME FROM THE HOTEL THEY WANT TO SEE.
MIAMI'S BEAUTIFUL CITY WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO DO CHARTERS AFTER 7:00 PM THE CITY ISSUES PERMITS, RESTRICTING LANDS, UH, UH, RESTRICTING LANDINGS, CREATING CONGESTIONS, AND NOW PROPOSE RESTRICTIONS ON EVERY AND ON ON VERY OPERATIONALS THAT FOLLOW THE RULES.
LET'S BE CLEAR, GUYS, THE NOISE IS THE PROBLEM.
ENFORCING NOISE EQUAL, UM, EQUALLY, BUT NOT SHUTTING DOWN THE WATERWAY IS WHAT I'M ASKING.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO SET ASIDE THE CONSIDERATION OF THE NEW FIRE STATION BUILDING AT THE FLAMINGO PARK WEST END OF THE TRACK.
I'VE BEEN A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH.
UH, I'M NOT HERE TO DEBATE WHETHER WE NEED TO GIVE, THERE IS NO DEBATE ABOUT GIVING OUR FIREFIGHTERS OR PARAMEDICS OR LAW ENFORCEMENT THE BEST FACILITIES POSSIBLE.
BUT THE WESTERN END OF FLAMINGO PARK TRACK IS NOT THE PLACE TO LOCATE A NEW FIRE STATION.
YOU'RE GONNA TAKE A QUALITY WORLD CLASS FACILITY AND DESTROY IT BY
[01:40:01]
DOING SO.WE HAVE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE ON SIXTH STREET OR MAINTAIN IT WHERE IT IS AND REBUILD THE FIRE STATION.
AND, UH, THIS PROCESS COULD HAVE BEEN LONG, LONG OVER.
I MEAN, WE COULD HAVE BUILT THE FIRE STATION AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS APPROVED BACK IN 2021.
I, I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT FLAMINGO PARK, BUT, AND WE'RE GONNA HEAR THE ITEM RIGHT AFTER, UH, THE
ONE OF THE VERY FIRST THINGS I DID WHEN I WAS APPOINTED TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD WAS TO VOTE TO APPROVE THE FIRE STATION TO BE AT THE SOUTH BEACH REC CENTER ON SIXTH.
IT WAS THE BEST PLAN AND MANY PEOPLE, UH, LIKED IT AT THE TIME.
THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE WENT BACKWARDS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE 21ST STREET REC CENTER.
WE USED TO HAVE ONE AT 21ST STREET.
IF WE DECIDED TO SAVE THAT, WE WOULD NO LONGER HAVE A BALLROOM WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER.
ALL THOSE SERVICES WERE RELOCATED TO ACCEPTABLE LOCATIONS.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED AT SIXTH STREET.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE FIRE STATION SHOULD GO.
YOU'VE SPENT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON A NEW FIRE STATION AND YOU'VE GOT NO PLACE.
I THINK YOU JUST WON SOME FANS.
UH, KEVIN KRUGER, NINE YEAR RESIDENT AND, UH, RECENTLY RETURNED TO BASEBALL PLAYER.
SO I'M PLAYING, UH, BASEBALL SINCE JULY THE FIRST TIME AT AGE 51 NOW, AND WITH THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS HERE EARLIER, I'VE BEEN MEANING TO TALK TO YOU GUYS AND SHARE MY PASSION FOR THE SPORT AND FLAMINGO FIELD IN PARTICULAR.
I EMAILED JOHN REBAR LAST MONTH TO COMPLIMENT HIS TEAM OF THREE WHO ARE OUT THERE DEDICATED EVERY DAY, KEEPING THAT INCREDIBLY PROFESSIONAL.
IT'S NATURAL GRASS IN THE SUMMER.
I HAD PRESENTED TO YOU GUYS BRIEFLY, I DON'T LOVE THE ASTROTURF THAT WE HAVE AT, UM, THE FOOTBALL FIELD.
AND IF WE WANT TO BE THE WORLD CLASS SPORTS FACILITY, I WOULD RECOMMEND GOING BACK TO GRASS.
I KNOW THE SOFTBALL FIELD IS CONVERTING TO AUSCHWITZ TURF.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, AS HE SAID, DEDICATING THE FIELD IN THE NAME OF A, A, A FAMOUS COACH.
LIKEWISE, MIAMI MARLIN'S, UH, CY AWARD WINNER SANDY QUINTARA HAD WON THE 2022 CY YOUNG.
AND HE'S, HIS NAME IS NOT SPECIFICALLY REFERENCED ON THE BEACH AT SIXTH STREET.
UM, IT SHOULD BE LISTED WITH HIS NAME, THE S YOUNG AWARD, THE MARLINS.
IT'S A GREAT CONNECTIVITY FOR SPORTS TOURISM.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? HI, ABBY SNYDER.
I'M A SECOND GENERATION NATIVE FROM MIAMI BEACH.
WE ARE FOUR GENERATIONS STRONG HERE.
UM, I AM HERE TODAY FOR THE SECOND RATING FOR CHANGES IN DISCLOSURES FOR, UH, PRIVATE PARKING LOT AND SIGNAGE.
UM, I AM NOW UP TO 177,000 VIEWS FOR MY TOE HUR HERD AROUND THE WORLD.
UM, SO I'M HOPING TODAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO BECOME A MORE WELCOMING CITY AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PROPER CLEAR, UH, SIGNAGE REQUIREMENTS IN PRIVATE LOTS SO THAT ANY PERSON WHO WAS IN A PRIVATE LOT KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE THEY'RE PARKING AND THAT WHEN THEY COME BACK AND THEY WERE TOWED FOR $400, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHY.
AND THIS REALLY ALSO PROTECTS, UM, OUR HANDICAPPED COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY ARE THE COMMUNITY WHO'S BEEN IMPACTED BY THIS THE MOST.
THEY THINK THAT THEY CAN PARK IN PRIVATE PARKING LOTS AND NOT PAY.
SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND SUPPORT ON THIS MATTER.
I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND ALL THE TOURISTS AND EVERYONE THAT COME VISIT US TO SHOW THAT WE ARE WELCOMING AND THAT WE ARE CLEAR AND THAT WE ARE DISCLOSING.
YOU WERE HERE ON OUR LAST COMMISSION MEETING, UH, SPEAKING AS WELL.
WE'VE GOT OVER 800 COMMENTS AND I MEAN IT, SO THIS WOULD BE A LOT.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND I, I WANT TO THANK ABBY BECAUSE WE, MY, MY OFFICE AND HER TAKE TOGETHER WITH STAFF.
WE MET SEVERAL TIMES TO CRAFT THIS ORDINANCE TO MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE.
YOU HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH TIME TO MEET WITH US TO GET IT RIGHT AND TO ENSURE THAT WE REALLY PROTECT THE CONSUMERS.
YES, THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE PROTECTING THE CONSUMER, OUR RESIDENTS, AND OUR VISITORS.
SO THANK YOU FOR WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH OUR OFFICE ON THIS.
IT REALLY HAS BEEN SUCH A PLEASURE TO, TO ADVANCE THIS THROUGH TEAMWORK.
UM, WE WENT OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE BIT OVER, BUT, UH, EXTREMELY HELPFUL TO HEAR EVERYONE'S FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS.
CERTAINLY WE'RE ALSO AVAILABLE, UH, TO MEET IN PERSON, TEXT, EMAILS.
UH, THIS IS A, A VERY RESPONSIVE COMMISSION, SO PLEASE DO HAVE YOUR VOICES HEARD.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
UH, LET'S VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, ACTUALLY.SO FIRST I'M GONNA ANNOUNCE THE SEPARATED ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT
[01:45:01]
AGENDA.COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ IS SEPARATING C FOUR J AND C TWO C, SO C FOUR JC TWO C COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ IS SEPARATING C TWO C COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS IS SEPARATING C SEVEN A Z, AND C TWO C.
SO MATEO SALINAS C TWO C SEVEN A ZC TWO C COMMISSIONER SU SUAREZ IS SEP SEPARATING C SEVEN AR C SEVEN BX.
AND ON YOUR LIST, YOU DON'T HAVE THESE TWO.
SO IF YOU WANT TO ADD 'EM TO YOUR LIST, C SEVEN AS C SEVEN A Y.
SO COMMISSIONER SUAREZ IS SEPARATING C SEVEN AR, C SEVEN BX C SEVEN A, C SEVEN A Y.
AND FOR THE RECORD, COMMISSIONER SU SUAREZ WISHES TO VOTE NO ON C SEVEN G WHEN THE CONSENT AGENDA IS CALLED.
SO WE WILL MAKE THAT NOTATION INTO THE RECORD.
UH, AND ALSO WE, WHEN WHEN I GET A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THE ADDENDUMS. THESE WILL BE HEARD AFTER 5:00 PM SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR UNDER CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE? I'LL MOVE THE, THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALSO ON C SEVEN GI HAVE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, A SECONDER BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
THE ITEM IS APPROVED AS STATED WITH C SEVEN G AS A NO.
[R7 AE A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO. 2025-33839 AND DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE ALL STEPS NECESSARY TO PROCEED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW FIRE STATION NO. 1 AT THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER SITE, LOCATED AT 833 6TH STREET.]
OUR FIRST ITEM OF THE DAY, WE WILL START WITH OUR ESTEEMED FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE ITEMS. R SEVEN AE AND R NINE AI.WE WILL DO THIS ITEM UNDER R SEVEN AE R SEVEN AE IS BUILT FIRE STATION ONE AT 8 3 3 SIXTH STREET, SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER.
[R9 AI DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION ON THE SELECTION OF THE LOCATION FOR FIRE STATION NO. 1, UPON CONSIDERING POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE SITES AND THE RESULTS OF THE REQUEST FOR LETTERS OF INTEREST (RFLI) INTENDED TO IDENTIFY PROPERTY OWNERS INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH THE CITY TO INCLUDE A FIRE STATION AS PART OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.]
WE ARE DOING THE COMPANION ITEM R NINE AI DISCUSS, TAKE ACTION.SELECTION OF LOCATION OF FIRE STATION NUMBER ONE R SEVEN AE.
I'M A BIG BELIEVER THAT WE CAN NEVER THANK AND RECOGNIZE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT ENOUGH.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
AND, UH, I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS THAT IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE'VE BEEN BANTERING ABOUT THIS ITEM, BUT I'M CONFIDENT THAT THIS COMMISSION WILL FIND A LANDING, UH, ON THIS ITEM.
SOMETHING THAT OUR RESIDENTS NEED AND DESERVE TO ALLOW OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT TO QUICKLY RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES.
BUT, UH, ALSO FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO DESERVE, UH, FIRST CLASS FACILITIES FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
R SEVEN AE COMMISSIONER, UH, SUAREZ.
WELL, WHILE YOU DO THAT, I'LL RECOGNIZE OUR FIRE CHIEF D BELLA.
AND, UH, CIP DIRECTOR, UH, DAVID GOMEZ.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE? MR. MAYOR? MR. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST IS WE WITH TOGETHER WITH NINE R NINE AI, WE HAD PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED AN RLI AND THE PURPOSE OF THE RFLI WAS TO SEE WHAT INTEREST THERE COULD BE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, FOR, FOR PRIVATE PROPERTIES TO ACCOMMODATE A NEW FIRE STATION, UH, FOR, FOR THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD VERY POLITICAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FLAMINGO PARK.
WE'VE HAD VERY POLITICAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, ABOUT THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER.
WE'VE HAD VERY POLITICAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LOTS IN, IN OTHER AREAS.
I DON'T HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, A PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CITY ADMINISTRATION.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LIST OF SITES THAT ARE NOT VIABLE.
WE HAVE A LIST OF SITES THAT ARE VIABLE.
I DON'T HAVE ONE RECOMMENDATION THAT IS THE PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION.
AND I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO HAVE ONE FINAL PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION COME BACK TO US, WHETHER IT'S THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER, WHETHER IT IS FLAMINGO PARK, OR WHETHER IT IS, UH, THE, THE, THE ALTERNATE PRIVATE SITE THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED.
NOW THAT IT'S NOT PARKLAND AND THAT IS NOT A, UH, A HISTORIC BUILDING.
I, WE NEED A PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION OF, OF WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY BEFORE I CAN SAY THAT WE CAN TAKE AN ACTION.
AND I RESPECT MY COLLEAGUES FOR BRINGING FORWARD THEIR OWN ITEMS ON THIS.
THIS IS THE POINT WHERE WE JUST NEED TO PUT POLITICS ASIDE AND, AND TAKE A PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION AND ADVANCE THE MOST PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION OF WHAT IS BEST FOR THE LIFE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS.
ERIC, DO YOU HAVE A PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION TODAY? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, SO IF I COULD JUST BRIEFLY RELATED TO R NINE AI.
[01:50:01]
UM, WE WERE DIRECTED ON JULY 23RD OF THIS YEAR TO GO BACK AND THERE WERE ACTUALLY FIVE REQUIREMENTS.PREPARE A REQUEST FOR LETTERS OF INTEREST TO DETERMINE IF PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH THE CITY AND INCLUDING A FIRE STATION AS PART OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS TO EXCLUDE FLAMINGO PARK AND THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER.
FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION AS POTENTIAL SITES FOR THE FIRE STATION.
THREE, ALLOW 60 DAYS FOR RECEIVING IDEAS FROM THE COMMUNITY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE ADMINISTRATION.
FOLLOWING THAT CITY STAFF WILL HAVE AN, AN ADDITIONAL 60 DAYS TO EXPLORE AND EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF THOSE IDEAS.
FIVE, ALL VIABLE OPTIONS EXCLUDING FLAMINGO PARK AND SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR REVIEW AND A VOTE.
UM, WE'VE REVIEWED 24 SITES IN THE LAST 10 YEARS LOOKING FOR A LOCATION FOR THE FIRE STATION.
UM, WE DID THE RFLI, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I WISH WE HAD DONE IT EARLIER.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE GOT THE, UM, RFLI RESULTS IN EARLY DECEMBER.
UM, THAT INTERESTED PARTY HAS NOT GIVEN US A FULL, UM, SUGGESTION OF WHAT THEIR OFFER WOULD BE.
UM, IT IS IN WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE JOE'S PARKING LOT, OR I'LL CALL IT THE 800 BLOCK OF COMMERCE STREET.
UM, THAT SITE IS LARGE ENOUGH TO HOUSE A FIRE STATION.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE OPERATIONAL CONCERNS.
THERE IS NO FATAL FLAW THAT I'M AWARE OF TODAY FOR THAT SITE.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE NOT PULLED THAT STRING TO ITS FINAL ENDING POINT.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER TWO SITES THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT ARE VIABLE OPTIONS FOR THE FIRE STATION OF THE 24 SITES THAT WE'VE ASSESSED ARE THE FLAMINGO PARK SITE AND THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH ARE THE TWO SITES THAT WE WERE DIRECTED NOT TO CONSIDER.
SO WHAT WE'VE PRESENTED YOU TODAY IS A, A LIST OF THE MOST RECENT GROUP OF, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S 10 SITES THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY, NONE OF THOSE 10 SITES WE CAN SIT HERE TODAY AND RECOMMEND.
SO WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION OF THE TWO SITES? OF THE TWO SITES YOU RECOMMEND? BOTH.
BOTH SITES HAVE PROS AND CONS RELATED TO THEM.
AND WE DON'T HAVE A RECOMMENDATION HERE TODAY BETWEEN THE TWO SITES.
AND MADAM VICE MAYOR, IF I, IF I COULD BE RECOGNIZED.
YES, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED MR. FERNANDEZ.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHAT I NEED.
I NEED A PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION.
AND WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT AT FLAMINGO PARK.
WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT AT THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT IT, UH, AT, AT SOUTH OF FIFTH.
UH, BUT WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT BEFORE WE GO FORWARD AND DO SOMETHING, TOUCH SOMETHING SO SACROSANCT SUCH AS PARK SPACE OR WE GO FORWARD AND WE DEMOLISH, UH, WHAT IS AN IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY IT IS ARCHITECT LEASE ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT, EVEN THOUGH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD SAID OTHERWISE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT BEFORE WE TOUCH THAT, SINCE WE HAVE THIS OTHER OPTION AVAILABLE TO US, NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE TIME TO TELL US, HEY, LISTEN, THIS IS FEASIBLE, OR THIS IS NOT FEASIBLE, THIS IMPROVES RESPONSE TIME, OR THIS DOESN'T IMPROVE RESPONSE TIME.
UH, WE DON'T KNOW IF WE END UP SAVING THE TAXPAYERS MONEY BY GOING AHEAD AND, AND USING, UH, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN LEASING LAND TO THE CITY, SELLING LAND TO THE CITY.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD COME OUT OF THIS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY, UH, SAVE US, UH, MONEY.
UH, SO I WOULD LIKE FOR FOR US TO MAKE A MOTION AT LEAST TO KNOW WHAT WE WOULD BE REJECTING TO KNOW AT LEAST WHAT WOULD WE BE REJECTING BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD TO SAY DEMOLISH AN ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT BUILDING.
UH, SIXTH STREET COMMUNITY CENTER.
THERE ARE ACT ACTIVATIONS THERE.
UH, IS THERE A VIABLE LOCATION IN THE AREA THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THOSE ACTIVATIONS IN THE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER? UH, TODAY? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A VERY CLEAR ALTERNATIVE.
WE HAD ALWAYS BEEN FOCUSING ON THE DAYCARE AND WE HAD COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE LOCATION FOR A TEMPORARY DAYCARE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T LOSE THAT.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE LOCATION IDENTIFIED FOR SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMMING.
[01:55:01]
THE, WELL, THE, THE CURRENT USE OF THE FIRE STATION, WHERE THAT'S GONNA BE? COULD THAT BE A VIABLE OPTION? IT COULD BE.AND, AND I KIND OF THINK I I HAVE THIS SAME CONCERN THAT YOU HAVE MR. MAYOR, LIKE NOT KNOWING WHERE THESE PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO END UP.
YOU KNOW, IT'D BE GREAT FOR, AT THE NEXT MEETING IF YOU CAN BRING YOUR OWN PROFESSIONAL ITEM, YOUR ITEM BROUGHT BY THE ADMINISTRATION WITH OKAY, WHICH IS THE LOCATIONS AND IF, IF IT ENDS UP BEING THE SOUTH SHO COMMUNITY CENTER, WELL, WE'RE THEN, DO WE HOUSE AND RELOCATE THE SERVICES? I THINK WE HAVE 200 PEOPLE, UH, THAT ARE GETTING TWO, 200 ELDERLY THAT, UH, THAT, THAT USUALLY SUFFER FROM FOOD INSECURITY THAT ARE GETTING SERVICES THERE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE CHILDCARE SERVICES, UH, FOR PEOPLE IN, IN LIMITED INCOMES THAT SERVE OUR WORKFORCE, UH, THAT'S HOUSED THERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW TODAY WHERE THOSE SERVICES WOULD GO IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ITEM.
AND THEN, UH, ADONIS GARCIA, UH, THE UNION, UH, CHIEF FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WANTS TO SPEAK AS WELL.
AND, AND 100% RESPECTIVE VIEWPOINT.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, UH, CITY MANAGER, IF I CAN ASK YOU, IT'S BEEN THE LONGSTANDING RECOMMENDATION OVER YEARS THAT SIXTH STREET WAS THE RECOMMENDED SITE CORRECT.
UNTIL WE PUT ANOTHER VIABLE ALTERNATIVE, UH, FLAMINGO PARK, WHICH WASN'T PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED BEFORE THE COUNTYWIDE REFERENDUM.
SO, BUT THAT HAD BEEN THE LONGSTANDING RECOMMENDATION.
UH, SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER WAS THE LOCATION THAT WE WERE FOCUSED ON, I BELIEVE FROM 2019 THROUGH 2023.
AND FLAMINGO PARK WAS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE.
WE TEST YOU AND YOUR TEAM TO GO OUT ONE LAST TIME, RIGHT.
BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE SO OVER YEARS AND FIND OTHER VIABLE SITES.
AND I HEARD A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION PUTTING IN THE LAYMAN'S TERMS, JUST MAKE IT SIMPLE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVE? YES, THERE'S THIS THREAD DANGLING OUT THERE AT THE JOE'S PARKING LOT, WHICH ONE DOESN'T SEEM VIABLE.
BUT ALSO WE HAVE RECEIVED IN THE COURSE OF FIVE DAYS SINCE THE AGENDA'S PUBLISHED A HUNDRED TIMES MORE PUSHBACK ON THAT THAN ANYTHING WE'VE RECEIVED ON THE PREVIOUSLY RECOMMENDED SITE.
SO PUTTING IN LAYMAN'S TERMS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER VIABLE ALTERNATIVES BESIDES SIXTH STREET COMMUNITY CENTER AND FLAMINGO PARK? LIKE I SAID, THERE, THERE IS NO FATAL FLAW THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED ON THAT ONE, BUT WE ALSO HAVEN'T PULLED THAT THREAD TO THE END TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OFFER IS ON THE TABLE.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE LOOKING TO SELL US THE PROPERTY OUTRIGHT OR WHETHER THEY'RE LOOKING TO DO A DEVELOPMENT DEAL WITH US TO INCLUDE.
I THINK THERE WAS RECENTLY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI, A FIRE STATION BUILT IN THE, IN THE FIRST FLOOR OF A, OF A, A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.
BUT POINT BEING, EVEN IF IT IS VIABLE, WE'VE RECEIVED MORE PUSHBACK AGAINST THAT SITE IN THE COURSE OF FIVE DAYS THAN THE CUMULATIVE PUSHBACK AGAINST THE ORIGINAL LOCATION IN THE PAST 10 YEARS.
SO TO ME IT BECOMES, IT'S A SIMPLE DECISION TREE, RIGHT? DO WE NEED A NEW FIRE STATION, YES OR NO? YES.
RIGHT? SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
DO WE NEED IT NOW OR CAN WE CONTINUE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND COMING UP WITH VARIOUS ALTERNATIVES AND PROPOSALS AND DESIGNS AT THE COST OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY AND JEOPARDIZING A STATEWIDE GRANT THAT WE HAVE FOR HOW MUCH? I BELIEVE IT'S 10.9 MILLION, $10 MILLION.
SHOULD WE CONTINUE? DO WE NEED IT RIGHT NOW? YES.
WE CAN'T CONTINUE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
SO THEN YOU GO DOWN TO THE DECISION TREE AND SAY, WHAT ARE THE VIABLE ALTERNATIVES? AND OVER 10 YEARS OF ANALYSIS, WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE TWO.
AND WITH RESPECT, DESPITE WHATEVER YOUR PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION OF BOTH OF THOSE ARE VIABLE ALTERNATIVES, I WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER VOTE TO PUT IT IN FLAMINGO PARK.
I GO OUT THERE AND THAT IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT USE THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND WE CAN'T HAVE, WE CAN'T FIND AN ALTERNATIVE FOR THAT OPEN GREEN SPACE.
WE CAN FIND AN ALTERNATIVE FOR THE PROGRAMMING SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER.
I THINK THE CURRENT FIRE STATION IS A TREMENDOUS ALTERNATIVE.
WE'VE ALSO HAD, UH, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, UH, OPPORTUNITIES THERE THAT DOESN'T NEED TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF LEEWAY AND FLEXIBILITY FOR YOU TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
BUT RIGHT NOW, IF I RUN DOWN THAT DECISION TREE AND I COME DOWN WITH DO WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD FOR A FIRE STATION, THEN THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS.
[02:00:01]
A BINARY CHOICE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER OR FLAMINGO PARK.AND LIKE I SAID, DESPITE WHATEVER YOUR PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS MAY BE, WHETHER IT BE TODAY, NEXT MONTH, OR NEXT YEAR, I WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER VOTE TO PUT IT IN FLAMINGO PARK.
SO THAT LEAVES ME WITH ONE ALTERNATIVE, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH.
I, I CONCUR ABOUT FLAMINGO PARK.
I I WAS ALWAYS NOT A FAN OF IT, WHICH, UH, I'VE STATED IN THE PAST, THE FIRST STREET OPTION ALSO TO ME IS NOT AN OPTION.
'CAUSE WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE PROPERTY.
SO WE'RE STARTING SUCH A LONG ROAD AND I'M DETERMINED THAT WE GOTTA MAKE THIS DECISION HOPEFULLY TODAY.
I MEAN, IF AT THE, I MEAN, LITERALLY A MINUTE.
UM, BUT, BUT IT, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY IN SHORT, THAT'S NOT TO TAKE AWAY FROM WHAT YOU SAID, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
UM, BUT, UH, WE OWE IT TO THEM.
AND WE DON'T TO TALK ABOUT A PROPERTY ON FIRST STREET BESIDES OBVIOUSLY THE, THE, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT.
IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT EVEN VIABLE.
I MEAN, WE COULD, WE COULD END UP IN A YEAR OF NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE PROPERTY.
SO, UH, THAT'S, THAT TO ME IS A NON-STARTER.
AND THEN I KNOW ADONIS GARCIA, UH, WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
SO COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT.
SO IN ESSENCE, YOU RECOMMEND BOTH LOCATIONS, CORRECT? I I BELIEVE THAT BOTH LOCATIONS ARE VIABLE.
SO IT'S UPON, IT'S A POLICY DECISION AT THIS POINT, WHETHER WE NEED TO DECIDE EITHER AT FLAMINGO OR THE SIXTH STREET.
IF WE DO NOT WANNA DELAY ANY FURTHER, IT, IT IS CERTAINLY WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY OF THIS BODY TO GIVE US DIRECTION ON WHERE TO LAND THE FIRE STATION.
WE'RE THE POLITICIANS NOT YOU SPEAK, SPEAK FRANKLY,
JUST, JUST SPEAK DIRECTLY TO US.
SO ELECTED OFFICIALS, OF COURSE WE INVITE ADONIS TO SPEAK, BUT YOU KNOW, I'VE MADE A MOTION.
I I I DON'T WANNA WASTE ANY MORE TIME.
I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE ALL MADE UP OUR MINDS AND LET US, LET US MOVE FORWARD.
FINALLY, LET, WE JUST MAKE A DECISION.
LET'S JUST NOT KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, MR. MAYOR, THE ONE THING, WHAT THE, THE ONE THING THAT I THINK IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT IS TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE THAT TRANSPARENCY IS TO THE PUBLIC.
TRUST TRANSPARENCY IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE PUBLIC TRUST.
WE TOLD OUR RESIDENTS JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT WE WOULD EXCLUDE FLAMINGO PARK AND THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION AS POTENTIAL SITES FOR THE FIRE STATION.
MR. CLERK, WE HAVE A RESOLUTION DIRECTING, PASS DIRECTING OR, OR, OR GIVING AUTHORIZATION TO BUILD A FIRE STATION AT THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER.
WHEN WAS THIS RESOLUTION PUT AS AN ACTION ITEM? UH, WHEN, WHEN WAS R SEVEN AE PUT ONTO THE AGENDA AS AN ITEM FOR ACTION TODAY? THIS WAS R SEVEN AE IT PRINTED WITH THIS AGENDA.
BUT IS, IS THIS, IS THIS AN ADD-ON ITEM, OR IS THIS, OR IT WAS, IT WAS MOVED FROM, IT WAS SUPPLEMENTAL.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY, UH, AS A DISCUSSION ITEM AND IT WAS THEN MOVED.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A SUPPLEMENTAL ITEM.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY REALLY KNOWS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING THE DRASTIC MOVE TODAY TO GO BACK ON WHAT WE SAID ABOUT EITHER FLAMINGO PARK OR SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THIS.
I I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR FOUR YEARS AND AT LEAST TWO YEARS, THE LAST TWO YEARS, THIS BUILDING HAS BEEN OFF THE TABLE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE REALLY KNOWS THAT TODAY WE'RE ABOUT TO VOTE TO GO BACK ON ALL OF THIS.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT SHOULDN'T GO THERE.
I'M SAYING THE COMMUNITY SHOULD KNOW.
THE COMMUNITY SHOULD KNOW, THEY SHOULD BE AWARE OF, OF, OF THE DECISION THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE MAKING.
UH, I KNOW THAT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD DOES NOT AGREE, UH, THAT IT'S A HISTORIC BUILDING.
UM, BUT IT IS A COMMUNITY BUILDING, AND THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE AWARE THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO TAKE THIS, THIS ACTION THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO REVERSE POLICY, THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
AND I JUST DO NOT KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY REALLY KNEW THAT THIS DECISION, MAJOR POLICY DECISION WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN TODAY.
AND THE ONE THING THAT I DO KNOW IS THAT IF THEY DO NOT KNOW THAT WE'RE TAKING THIS ACTION TODAY, WE'RE GONNA END UP FULL CIRCLE AGAIN.
PEOPLE ARE GONNA COME OUT, THEY'RE GONNA SAY, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING.
[02:05:01]
THAT GO THERE.THEY'RE GONNA COME, THEIR FAMILIES ARE GONNA COME AGAIN, BACK TO, TO, TO US.
AND IT'S GONNA BE FULL CIRCLE BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT GIVEN, I BELIEVE, SUFFICIENT NOTICE TO OUR RESIDENTS THAT WERE DOING THIS TODAY.
NO, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, AND I'M CONTEMPLATING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AT THE SAME TIME.
THIS WAS, THIS WAS THE LOCATION FOR FOUR YEARS.
AND, UM, AND I, I'M GONNA ASK, UH, OUR CITY MANAGER TO MAKE A COMMITMENT THAT WE CAN, WE'LL MAKE ALL EFFORTS TO FIND LOCATIONS FOR OUR YOUTH ACTIVITIES, OUR SENIOR MEALS.
UM, UH, I DID WANT TO HEAR ADONIS GARCIA, UH, WANTED TO SPEAK AS WELL.
UM, TO SAY AT THIS POINT THAT THIS HAS NOT HAD, UM, PUBLIC INPUT IS A JOKE AT BEST.
WE'VE BEEN GOING AROUND THIS CIRCLE FOR YEARS, YEARS.
I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN WAITING 15 YEARS FOR A, A STATION.
THE ONLY POLITICAL PAWNS HERE ARE THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO HAVE TO SLEEP IN THOSE CONDITIONS EVERY NIGHT WHILE EVERYONE HERE SLEEPS IN THEIR HOMES VERY NICELY.
THE SAD PART IS THAT WE'RE HERE AGAIN, AGAIN, I ASK, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BRAVERY AND POLITICS, I ASK FOR A LITTLE POLITICAL BRAVERY TODAY.
AND KNOWING YOUR HEARTS, WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS RIGHT IS GIVING US A STATION AT SIXTH STREET AND MAKING THAT DECISION TODAY, AND NOT PUN THE BALL.
AGAIN, WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF OURSELVES THAT WE'RE AT THIS POINT.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO AGREE WITH US, I THANK YOU AND I THANK YOU, AND I THANK YOU.
I THANK YOU FOR THOSE POOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO SLEEP IN THOSE CONDITIONS EVERY DAY.
THAT WE WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE PRISONERS SLEEPING IN PRISONERS WE WOULDN'T HAVE SLEEPING IN.
OKAY? SEWAGE BACKED UP FOUR INCHES IN THAT STATION.
I HAVE STAYED PEACEFUL TILL TODAY.
TODAY I'M INSULTED ALL THESE FIREFIGHTERS INSULTED.
WE DO NOTHING BUT RISK OUR LIVES EVERY DAY.
AND ALL WE ASK IS FOR CONDITIONS TO SLEEP IN.
I ASK YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING TODAY.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE.
THAT STATION WAS BUILT IN 1967.
I WANT YOU TO THINK BACK TO MIAMI BEACH IN 1967.
WHAT WAS HERE? THERE WASN'T A PORTOFINO TOWER, THERE WAS A RACETRACK.
WE NEED A NEW STATION TO FIT OUR EQUIPMENT TO SERVICE THESE PEOPLE.
WHEN I HEAR ABOUT FIRST STREET, THINK COMMON SENSE, OUR ZONE IS FROM FIRST STREET TO 15TH STREET.
SIXTH STREET IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE FOR THE BEST RESPONSE TIMES THAT WE CAN OFFER ALL THESE RESIDENTS.
AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE PAY THEIR TAXES.
YES, AND OF COURSE, MUCH RESPECT ALWAYS TO OUR FIRE UNION AND TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS QUESTIONING WHETHER THIS CONVERSATION HAS NOT BEEN VERY KNOWN AND ALL THAT.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT PEOPLE DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS VOTE WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN TODAY.
PEOPLE DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS VOTE WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN TODAY.
PEOPLE KNEW THAT COMMERCE STREET WAS ON THE TABLE, AND THEY CAME OUT AND THEY, AND THEY GAVE US THEIR OPINION ABOUT IT.
I SPOKE WITH PEOPLE FROM FLAMINGO PARK.
UM, I SPOKE WITH PEOPLE FROM FLAMINGO PARK YESTERDAY.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DO NOT KNOW THAT WE'RE TAKING THIS VOTE TO TODAY.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING I, I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT.
WHY, WHY DO YOU SAY PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF IT? I DON'T BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE ARE REVERSING THE POLICY DECISION THAT WE TOOK, AND THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD TODAY IN APPROVING THAT DEMOLITION OF THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER.
THAT THIS VOTE IS GONNA BE TAKEN TODAY ON THE AGENDA.
BUT, BUT I'M ASKING YOU, WHY DO YOU THINK THAT THEY'RE NOT AWARE OF IT? HAVE WE HEARD FROM ANYONE? WE, WE DON'T EVEN, WE HAVEN'T EVEN, NO, I I UNDERSTAND IT'S ON THE AGENDA.
I MEAN, THERE'S JUST, I'M NOT, I'M NOT QUESTIONING YOU,
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK, IT'S NOT A CROSS-EXAMINATION.
I'M JUST, I DON'T THINK I, I DON'T KNOW.
TO ME, IT SEEMS LIKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE AN ACTION ITEM.
THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A RESOLUTION ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
I THINK PEOPLE KNEW WE WERE GONNA HAVE A DISCUSSION.
UM, I THINK THIS ITEM, WHEN THE AGENDA GOT PRINTED, IT GOT PRINTED AS A R NINE ITEM AS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. CLERK? YES, SIR.
SO, SO, SO THIS ITEM ORIGINALLY WAS A DISCUSSION ITEM, AND THEN IT WAS MOVED FROM THE DISCUSSION ITEMS TO THE REGULAR AGENDA AS A RESOLUTION AFTERWARDS.
I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC NECESSARILY KNEW THAT, THAT, THAT TODAY WE WERE GOING TO BE TAKING THIS VOTE ON A RESOLUTION TO UNDO THE POLICY THAT WE DID BACK IN,
[02:10:01]
BACK IN JULY.MR. MAYOR, AND I'M GONNA CALL CHRISTIAN.
I, I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN WE, WHEN WE TOOK THE FIRE STATION OFF THE TABLE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, WE SPECIFICALLY STATED THAT WE, WE WANTED TO BRING THIS BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
WE'LL HAVE A NEW BODY, A NEW ELECTEDS, AND THAT WE WERE GOING TO FINALLY MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT TO DO.
AND THAT WE HAVE, HONESTLY, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF POLITICAL, UH, PASSING THE BUCK MM-HMM
SO, I, I MEAN, YES, MAYBE I, I, I COULD SEE YOUR POINT, BUT I MEAN, I, I THINK WE REALLY TELEGRAPHED THAT ONCE THIS NEW COMMISSION CAME INTO POWER, POWER, I HATE USING THAT WORD, SORRY.
CAME, WAS ELECTED THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WERE GONNA ACT.
BUT, UH, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, I, I COULD SPEAK TO COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ'S SUM POINTS.
UH, YOU KNOW, I MET WITH SCOTT EDLEMAN, THE, THE CHAIR OF THE FLAMINGO PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.
I TOLD HIM, UM, A COUPLE DAYS AGO THAT THIS IS GONNA BE ON, AND HE'S NOT HERE.
HE'S NOT, HE'S NOT, HE'S NOT DISCUSSING IT.
HE'S NOT CALLING IN AT SUT NICK.
UM, AND THE REASON I TURNED IT FROM A DIS A DISCUSSION, WELL, THE DISCUSSION WAS ACTUALLY TO DECIDE IF IT'S GONNA BE AT THE CURRENT LOCATION OR SIXTH STREET.
AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE PROFESSIONALS, UM, THEY, THEY BOTH INFORMED ME THAT IT'S BETTER AT SIXTH STREET.
UM, SO I JUST NARROWED MY, MY, MY ITEM TO ONE LOCATION.
SO, SO I, SO MADAM VICE MAYOR, IF, IF, IF I CAN, YOU'RE WELCOME, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, MADAM VICE MAYOR
I EXPECT, I EXPECT ITEMS LIKE THIS MOVING FORWARD TO BE COMING FROM THE ADMINISTRATION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE A POLITICAL ITEM.
THIS SHOULD BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM.
AN ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM AS TO WHICH IS THE BEST SITE FOR THE FIRE STATION.
IF THIS IS, IF THIS IS THE SITE THAT YOU GUYS FELT PROFESSIONALLY, THAT WAS THE BEST SITE, WHY DOES ONE COMMISSIONER GET THAT RECOMMENDATION? BECAUSE I WAS REFERRING TO ADONIS.
WELL, BECAUSE I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU, THE, THE PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION I GOT WAS ACTUALLY FLAMINGO PARK.
SO TO ME IT IS, WHICH IS NOT, WHICH, WHICH AGAIN, I DON'T THINK IS, IS RIGHT EITHER FROM WHO? SO, HUH? YOU SAID IT, IT WAS A RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION.
SO TO ME, IT'S, IT'S VERY CONCERNING THAT ON SUCH A SERIOUS ITEM, WE'RE GETTING ONE RECOMMEND, ONE COLLEAGUE IS GETTING ONE RECOMMENDATION, AND ANOTHER COLLEAGUE IS GETTING A DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATION.
THIS IS WHY THIS CANNOT BE A POLITICAL ITEM.
THIS IS WHY WE HIRE A CITY MANAGER TO BRING FORWARD THE PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION, NOT POLITICAL RECOMMENDATIONS, AS TO WHICH ARE THE SITES THAT COVER THE AREAS BEST, WHICH ARE THE SITES THAT OFFER THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TIME AND THE PROPER FACILITIES FOR OUR, FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
SO, I HAVE AN ISSUE THAT YOU GET ONE RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN I GET A DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATION, BECAUSE THEN IT CREATES THIS PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY.
AND I'M SORRY, MR. MR. MANAGER, IT SHOULD BE A UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION.
IT SHOULD NOT BE ONE COLLEAGUE HEARS ONE THING AND THEN ANOTHER COLLEAGUE HEARS ANOTHER THING.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT EITHER OF YOU HEARD A RECOMMENDATION FROM MY ADMINISTRATION.
YOU HEARD FROM ONE COLLEAGUE THAT YOU HEARD SOMETHING FROM THE UNION REPRESENTATION.
UM, AND MR. COMMISSIONER, I BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO A CONVERSATION THAT YOU AND I HAD THAT SAID THAT THE LIEN RIGHT NOW MIGHT BE IN THAT DIRECTION.
IT WAS NOT A FIRM RECOMMENDATION.
SO THERE'S NOT A FIRM RECOMMENDATION.
THERE SHOULD BE A FIRM RECOMMENDATION, A FINAL RECOMMENDATION.
THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW WHAT THAT RECOMMENDATION, WHAT THAT PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION IS, AND THEN WE SHOULD TAKE A VOTE ON THAT, VOTED UP, VOTED DOWN, BUT WE SHOULD TAKE A VOTE ON WHAT THE PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION IS ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE TO SAY.
ADONIS GARCIA, UH, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, MR. MAYOR.
UM, PROFESSIONAL OPINIONS ARE A MATTER OF OPINION, RIGHT? SO I'VE ONLY GOT 33 YEARS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ONLY 33 YEARS, AND HOLD THE RANK OF CAPTAIN.
AND COMMON SENSE IS COMMON SENSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, SIXTH STREET IS SMACK IN THE MIDDLE, IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR ZONE.
NUMBER THREE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE THIS ILLUSTRIOUS CITY MANAGER HERE, UH, CAME INTO OFFICE, OUR FORMER CITY MANAGER, IT WAS ALL RECOMMENDED.
I ASK FOR POLITICAL COURAGE TODAY.
LET'S QUIT BOUNCING THIS BALL.
WE'RE GONNA BE ANOTHER TWO YEARS HERE.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ PLAYING THIS SAME GAME.
[02:15:01]
TURNED INTO THIS.IF, IF I COULD RESPOND TO THAT VICE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED, MR. FERNANDEZ, I TO ADONIS.
I WANT, I WANT GET ON MY PHONE.
TWO YEARS AGO, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD IN DEMOLISHING THIS HISTORIC SITE WHEN WE'RE GOING TO TALLAHASSEE AND ASKING TALLAHASSEE NOT TO, NOT TO DEMOLISH HISTORIC SITES.
AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY.
I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE FIRE STATION OFF THE TABLE.
ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES SITTING ON THIS DAIS LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD TO, WITH DEMOLISHING A HISTORIC SITE? COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, IF I MAY, IF I MAY, YOU ALSO, YOU ALSO, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO POLITICS, RIGHT? BUT IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE GONNA SPEAK, FRANKLY, ME AND YOU HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE PARK, AND THEN YOU PULLED OUT ON THAT.
SO LET'S HAVE SOME POLITICAL BRAVERY TODAY, AND LET'S MAKE A VOTE.
IF YOU WANNA VOTE AGAINST ME, VOTE AGAINST ME, OR VOTE AGAINST THE FIREFIGHTERS.
BUT PLEASE DON'T SAY ANYMORE ABOUT HOW WE LOVE THE FIREFIGHTERS, AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE US LIVING IN THOSE CONDITIONS.
IT, IT, AGAIN, MR. MAYOR, IF I COULD, MR. MAYOR AGAIN, IF I COULD, AND, AND ADONIS WITH RESPECT, WE CAN'T MAKE ANY OF THIS PERSONAL COMMISSIONER.
I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO YOUR POINT ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND, AND ARE PEOPLE AWARE.
AND WHAT I'LL SAY TO THAT IS, OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, AND IT PREDATES ALL OF US UP HERE, IT WAS ALMOST THIS BOOGEYMAN ARGUMENT THAT WAS PUT OUT BECAUSE THERE WAS NEVER THIS HUGE OUTPOURING OF OPPOSITION AGAINST SIXTH STREET.
I'M NOT SAYING THERE WAS NONE, BUT IT WASN'T THIS MASS OUTPOURING, LIKE I SAID, THAT WE SAW WITHIN THE COURSE OF FOUR OR FIVE DAYS ON FIRST STREET, RIGHT? IT WAS ALWAYS THESE BOOGEYMAN ARGUMENTS.
WELL, MAYBE PEOPLE ARE WORKING.
OVER THE COURSE OF 10 YEARS, WE'VE PROBABLY HAD 20 PEOPLE THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN IN OPPOSITION.
SO IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT HERE, BECAUSE THAT'S ACTUALLY BEEN THE TRACK RECORD FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.
THAT, BESIDES FOR SOME PEOPLE, AND I DON'T BEGRUDGE THEM BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A BINARY CHOICE.
UH, I THINK WHY WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT HERE IN OPPOSITION TO THAT ISN'T BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW.
IT'S BECAUSE THAT REALLY TRACKS WITH WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS.
UH, WE ALL WENT TO THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER, AND THERE WERE A HANDFUL OF CHILDREN THAT WERE IN THERE IN THE CLASSROOMS. MANY OF 'EM WEREN'T MIAMI BEACH RESIDENTS.
I'M THE FATHER OF AN 8-YEAR-OLD THAT'S ON THE PTA EDUCATION'S NOT, IT'S PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE TO ME.
UM, AND I WAS A SINGLE FATHER THAT NEEDED TO RELY ON THOSE SOCIAL SERVICES, UH, FOR MY CHILDCARE.
WE NEED TO TASK OUR ADMINISTRATION WITH NOT KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD FOR FINDING VIABLE PROGRAMMING ALTERNATIVES FOR WHAT WILL BE LOST AT THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER.
BUT BRINGING THIS FULL CIRCLE, I DON'T THINK, WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF OPPOSITION.
IT REALLY TRACKS WITH WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS WHERE THERE JUST HASN'T BEEN THAT SAME AMOUNT OF OP OPPOSITION THAT WE SEE WHEN WE PROPOSE FLAMINGO PARKER.
WHEN WE PRO PROPOSED FIRST STREET, WHICH KIND OF TELLS ME WHAT WE'RE OVER THE TARGET THERE.
CHIEF ABELA, WHAT'S YOUR PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION? GOOD MORNING, CHIEF ABELA MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UM, WE SPENT 10 YEARS DEBATING WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GONNA SAVE A LAPIDUS BUILDING ON SIXTH STREET, WHERE THE HISTORICAL TRACK IN FLAMINGO PARK.
AND WHILE WE CONTINUE DEBATING EVERYTHING, 1965, I'M ASKING THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT SERVICE ZONE ONE 15TH STREET TO FIRST STREET TO, TO PRIORITIZE AND LOOK PAST THE HISTORY AND FORWARD FOR SERVING OUR RESIDENTS.
AGAIN, WE'RE GETTING INTO THE WEEDS OF SIXTH STREET AND FLAMINGO PARK.
WE'RE TALKING ONE 11,553 CALLS TO DATE TODAY FROM FIRST STREET TO 15TH STREET.
AT THIS POINT, OUR RECOMMENDATION, WE WENT SIXTH STREET SINCE 20 18, 20 18, HISTORICAL BOARD PRESERVATION,
[02:20:01]
EVERYTHING.SHE WAS DIRECTED TO TAKE, UH, THE LEAD IN FINDING A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
SIXTH STREET WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION.
WE AFFIRMED THE PARK WAS THE APPROPRIATE CHOICE.
WE STARTED THAT DESIGN AND NOW WE'RE BACK HERE AGAIN.
SO, RECOMMENDATION, TAKEAWAY PARK, SIXTH STREET, THAT, THAT IS.
WHAT'S THE VIABLE OPTION OUTSIDE OF THAT AS FAR AS RESPONSES? THAT IS THE PRIME LOCATION WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESSING OUR STAR ISLAND, HIBISCUS AND PALM AREA.
THAT IS WHERE MAJORITY OF OUR PRIME CALLS ARE, IS BETWEEN FIFTH STREET, 10TH STREET AREA.
THEY'LL DO ANYTHING WE ASK THEM TO DO, BUT THEY'RE THEIR CONDITIONS, THEIR HEALTH IS PRIORITY AND NOT GETTING TO THE CALLS EVERY TIME WE START GOING BACK AND FORTH, WE'RE JUST DELAYING AND DELAYING AND DELAYING.
WE'RE, WE'RE SHOVEL IN READY
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT MR. MR. MAYOR, I'M, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I'M, I'M READY TO TAKE THAT VOTE TODAY.
AND I'M GONNA SECOND THE MOTION.
WELL, WE HAVEN'T HEARD A COMMISSION BROUGHT YET, COMMISSIONER BOT.
SO I HAVE COMMITTED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT I WOULD NOT KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD TODAY.
UM, I RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND MY COLLEAGUES' CONCERNS ABOUT PROPER NOTIFICATION.
UM, AND THE CONCERN THAT PERHAPS NOT EVERYBODY HAS KNOWN THAT TODAY WAS, YOU KNOW, POOF OR GET OFF THE POT DAY.
BUT IT IS, I JUST WANNA SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT IF THIS IS WHERE WE WERE GONNA END UP TWO YEARS AGO, UM, IT'S REALLY A TRAVESTY THAT MY COLLEAGUES VOTED UNANIMOUSLY AT EVERY SINGLE OPPORTUNITY.
IF YOU GO THROUGH OUR ITEM R NINE AI, AT EVERY TOUCH POINT THAT IS LISTED AS A COMMISSION DECISION, THE VOTE WAS SEVEN ZERO OR SIX ZERO TO SUPPORT EXPLORING ALTERNATE SITES AND GETTING, UM, A, A REFERENDUM ITEM ON THE BALLOT, WHICH PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, INCLUDING IN EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT VOTING PRECINCT IN, IN MIAMI BEACH, INCLUDING FLAMINGO PARK.
COULD HAVE BEEN IN CONSTRUCTION NOW, BUT MY COLLEAGUES SUPPORTED THIS.
THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT GREEN SPACE, AND I SHARE THOSE CONCERNS.
AND SO I CAME BACK, UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO TO HAVE A PLAN THAT NOT ONLY REPLACED THE GREEN SPACE THAT WOULD BE MISSING, BUT WOULD ADD AN INCREMENTAL, AN INCREMENTAL 28,000 SQUARE FEET OF GREEN SPACE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
THERE IS NO PLAN FOR PERMANENT DAYCARE.
WE HAVE, UM, TALLAHASSEE BREATHING DOWN OUR NECK TO DEMOLISH OUR BUILDINGS AND WE'RE DOING THE WORK FOR THEM.
BUT I KNOW THAT DOESN'T MATTER TO ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM, EXCEPT FOR MAYBE A COUPLE.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M PLAYING ON.
BUT WHAT I AM PLAYING ON IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE, PJ, COULD YOU RUN THAT TAPE? WE HAVE PEOPLE CLAIMING THAT THAT FAR WESTERN EDGE OF FLAMINGO PARK IS REALLY USED.
THE TRACK IS A THOUSAND PERCENT.
THIS IS FOOTAGE OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS.
THE WEATHER'S BEEN SPECTACULAR.
EVERYBODY'S IN TOWN FOR ALL THE THINGS AND ALMOST NOBODY'S USING THAT WESTERN EDGE.
SO I, I, I TOLD THE FIREFIGHTERS WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE THAT I WOULD NOT GET IN THE WAY OF GETTING THEM A NEW HOME.
I THINK IT IS HEARTBREAKING, AS MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD SAY, IT'S A SHONDA, IT'S SHAMEFUL THAT WE ARE PUTTING THIS LITTLE EDGE OF FLAMINGO PARK OVER THE WELLBEING OF AN UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITY IN SOUTH BEACH.
THEY ARE WORKING CLASS, THEY ARE BAR BACKS SERVICE PEOPLE, ELDER ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ENGAGED IN THE CIVIC PROCESS.
THEY ARE NOT ORGANIZED IN POWERFUL HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS.
AND YET WE ARE TAKING AWAY AN EXTREMELY WELL BUILT AND STURDY BUILDING, REGARDLESS OF IF YOU THINK IT'S ATTRACTIVE OR HISTORIC OR IMPORTANT.
BUT IT IS AN EXTREMELY WELL-BUILT, UH, UH, BUILDING THAT HOUSE, THIS DAYCARE AND SENIOR LUNCHES CURRENTLY IS GOING TO, IT'S ALREADY STARTED TO, BUT IS GOING TO HAVE THE ENTIRE TOP FLOOR USED FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I KNOW FIREFIGHTERS, YOU'RE LIKE, AH, SCREW THEM.
THAT WAS A LITTLE JOKE FOR LEVITY PUR PURPOSE.
[02:25:01]
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF A LITTLE DARK SPOT IN MIAMI BEACH AND SOUTH BEACH.IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE MORE ACTIVATION THERE WITH POLICE FOR THOSE RESIDENTS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND SAFETY.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THAT FACILITY HAS SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, FOR NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, FOR NIGHTTIME ACTIVATIONS, FOR FREE, THAT THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS CAN HOST THAT OUR PARTS AND REC ORGANIZATIONS CAN HOST.
WE HAD A SUMMER CAMP THERE THAT HAD A WAITING LIST.
SO THE IDEA THAT WE ARE GOING TO DEMOLISH AND PUT INTO A LANDFILL, A REALLY SOLIDLY BUILT BUILDING WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO REACTIVATE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO SPEAK HERE FOR THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ENGAGED BECAUSE OF, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE, THE DRAMA IS ABOUT AN UNDERUTILIZED LITTLE SLIVER OF A LARGE PARK.
I THINK IT'S SHAMEFUL, AND I AM NOT GONNA NOT VOTE.
MY ONLY REGRET IS THAT, IS THIS IS WHERE WE ENDED UP.
NOW, WHY DID WE WASTE TWO YEARS WITH UNANIMOUS APPROVAL, WITH UNANIMOUS APPROVAL? EVERYBODY ON THIS DAY IS, EXCEPT FOR ONE WHO WAS NOT ELECTED AT THE TIME.
UM, THIS IS A VERY TOUGH ITEM.
UH, THE FIREFIGHTERS DESERVE, UH, TO HAVE THEIR NEW LOCATION.
THEY HAVE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH FOR YEARS, AS THE CHIEF SAID.
UM, INITIALLY THIS WAS A GEO BOND PROJECT, AND, UM, I HAD VOTED FOR IT.
AND THEN SINCE THEN, AS COMMISSIONER BOT HAS MENTIONED, IT HAS COME UP TWICE AND WE ALL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO TAKE SIXTH STREET OFF THE TABLE.
UM, THE NEW LOCATION THAT CAME OUT, UH, ON COMMERCE STREET DID GET A LOT OF BACKLASH.
UM, ALSO INTERESTING THAT THE REASON WHY WE DO NEED NEW FIRE TRUCKS AND THE STATION IS TO SERVICE SOUTH OF FIFTH AND THOSE HIGH RISES.
UM, BUT THEN THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO HAVE IT IN THEIR, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THAT, UM, IS ANOTHER SITUATION.
BUT, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD AND FIND PLACES.
I KNOW A WHILE AGO I HAD ASKED, UM, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DAVID MARTINEZ ABOUT THE WALGREENS AND THE TWO ADJACENT PARKING LOTS.
UM, WAS THAT EVER LOOKED AT AS A VIABLE LOCATION? IT'S A HUGE SPOT ON FIFTH AND JEFFERSON.
UM, ANY FEEDBACK THERE? WE ABSOLUTELY LOOKED AT THAT SPOT, AND I QUESTIONED, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE TIMES WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THAT WAS.
AND DAVID, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT WHY WE BELIEVE THAT THAT SITE DOESN'T WORK UNLESS YOU WERE ABLE TO ACQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TO THE NORTH, WHICH THEN ENDS UP BEING A RESIDENTIAL PARCEL.
WE HAD ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THAT SITE PREVIOUSLY, AND WE LOOKED AT IT AGAIN, UH, AS PART OF THIS EXERCISE.
UH, IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE FIRE STATION AT THAT LOCATION, IT WOULD BE A BACKING, UH, CONDITION FROM FIFTH STREET TO HEAVILY TRAFFIC STREET.
SO THE, THE BACKING IN OF THE FIRE EQUIPMENT AT THAT LOCATION IS DIFFICULT.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE LENGTH ON THE PROPERTY TO ACCOMMODATE THE RAMP TO GET UP TO THE RIGHT ELEVATION.
SO THE BUILDING WOULD BE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE NORTH LIMIT.
AND REALLY THE WAY, ONLY WAY TO GET THE RAMP TO WORK IS TO TAKE THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH, WHICH IS A, UH, IT'S, IT'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SENIOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON WE DECIDED THAT THAT ONE WAS TOO BIG A LIFT.
UM, ALSO, UH, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED THAT THE WESTERN PORTION OF FLAMINGO PARK ISN'T USED.
AND I, I'M GOING TO SAY YES IT IS.
THERE'S A HABAD RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
AND ON ANY GIVEN AFTERNOON, THE KIDS THAT GO TO THE HABAD ARE SEEN.
THEY'RE PLAYING VOLLEYBALLS AND OTHER SPORTS ACTIVITIES IN THAT AREA.
SO, UM, I'M, I'D BE VERY SENSITIVE AND I WOULDN'T SUPPORT PUTTING ANYTHING IN THE PARK.
I'VE GONE OUT, UM, TO THE TRACK.
I'VE MET WITH THE PEOPLE THAT USE THE TRACK.
UH, SO I'M VERY SENSITIVE THERE, GOING BACK TO THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THAT WAS THE LOCATION WITH THE GEO BOND AND, UH, UH, THE CITY WAS ALREADY AT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE DESIGN, MAYBE 30 OR 50.
[02:30:01]
WE DID PASS A RESOLUTION JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, TAKING IT OFF THE TABLE AND STARTED TO ACTIVATE IT.I THOUGHT MBPD WAS GONNA HAVE A SUBSTATION ON ONE OF THE FLOORS.
UM, THERE WAS GOING TO BE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS AND, UM, DAYCARE.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, UM, THE SENIOR MEALS THAT WE'VE BEEN NEGOTIATING AND DOING THAT IN THE PROCESS.
UH, SO WHAT I WORRY ABOUT, BECAUSE AS WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, I'M GETTING BOMBARDED WITH EMAILS, SO I'M SURE MY COLLEAGUES ARE AS WELL, OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE WATCHING THAT DID NOT KNOW WE WERE GONNA MAKE THIS DECISION TODAY.
AND FOR ME, THAT'S WHAT'S OF MOST, UH, CONCERN, THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE COMMUNITY THINKING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PULL A FAST ONE.
SO, UM, COUPLE OF THINGS I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS.
FIRST OF ALL, I KNOW YOU DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING, UH, BY THIS 'CAUSE THESE ARE VOTES THAT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUT, UH, I WON'T EVEN MENTION NAMES, BUT A COMMISSIONER MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE SIX ZERO AND SEVEN ZERO VOTES.
I ACTUALLY HAD VOTED NO A COUPLE TIMES.
AND I HAVE THE RECORD HERE TO SHOW, UM, THAT I ALWAYS, UH, THAT I HAD EXPRESSED SKEPTICISM OF FLAMINGO PARK AND ALSO HAD NOT WANTED TO TAKE, UH, SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER OFF THE TABLE.
AND OF COURSE, I GOT, I GOT SOME HEAT FOR THAT.
BUT, UH, I FELT IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION TO DO THAT, AND I DID, AND I TOOK THOSE VOTES.
UM, IT, IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO ME THAT UNFORTUNATELY THIS, NOT TODAY, I DON'T MEAN ANYTHING TODAY, BUT IN THE PAST, THIS HAS BECOME A POLITICAL TOOL, A POLITICAL HOT POTATO.
THANK YOU FOR THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
AND I JUST, I, I FEEL LIKE ONE OF THE STATEMENTS WE CAN MAKE TODAY AS A COMMISSION, AND I UNDER, BELIEVE ME, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS AND, AND, AND PARTLY I, I SEE THE CONCERNS THAT ARE BEING EXPRESSED BY MY COLLEAGUES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT'S A REAL STATEMENT WE CAN MAKE AS A COMMISSION DAY ONE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN KICKED DOWN THE ROAD SO LONG THAT WE ARE GONNA TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS AND SAY, NO, THIS IS, THIS IS ENOUGH.
OUR RESIDENTS NEED THIS, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS THIS.
UH, AND THAT'S WHY, UH, I'M, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS TODAY.
I, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, ITEM, I THINK IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT ITEM.
I AM GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IF WE CAN.
AND MR. MAYOR, JUST SOMETHING I, I MEAN JUST DOING A TALLY HERE ON MY NOTES, I'M THINK THE DIRECTION THAT THIS IS GOING IN, AND, YOU KNOW, I WANNA SAY I DON'T BLAME MY COLLEAGUE FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD.
I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN OUR ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE THIS SHOULD BE A PROFESSIONAL ITEM, NOT A POLITICAL ITEM.
MR. MAYOR, YOU HIT THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD.
THIS HAS BEEN A POLITICAL FOOTBALL.
WHY? BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS THE POLITICALLY ELECTED, ELECTED OFFICIALS BRINGING THE ITEMS AND ALL THAT ARE THE, THE DISCUSSION ITEM SHOULD HAVE HAD A RECOMMENDATION.
AND AS I GO INTO MY SECOND TERM, I'M GONNA MAKE IT VERY CLEAR.
I EXPECT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION.
THIS SHOULDN'T BE A POLITICAL ITEM.
THIS SHOULD BE A PROFESSIONALLY DECIDED ITEM.
IF THE ADMINISTRATION HAS CONCERNS, PUT THE CONCERNS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION BELIEVES IT SHOULD GO ONE WAY OR OR THE OTHER.
BUT I AM GOING TO BE EXPECTING RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CITY ADMINISTRATION.
THIS IS, THIS IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH FOR OUR, FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND I FEEL, AND I SENSE THAT THE MEMO THAT WE GOT WAS AMBIVALENT BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATION IS SCARED OF POLITICS.
I'M BEING VERY BLUNT RIGHT NOW.
THIS NEEDS TO BE A POLITICAL DECISION AND NOT A, THIS NEEDS TO BE A PROFESSIONAL DECISION, NOT A POLITICAL DECISION.
AND I'M GONNA WANT TO SEE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION MOVING FORWARD.
'CAUSE CLEARLY IT'S VERY CLEAR THE DIRECTION WHERE THIS VOTE IS GOING IN.
UM, I AM NOT TRYING TO CAST ANY ASPERSIONS I WENT THROUGH WITH SARAH, MY AIDE, UM, ALL OF THE VOTE POINTS THAT WERE IN THIS MEMO AND CHECKED THE RECORDS WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
AND BASED ON THAT INFORMATION, THAT'S WHERE I SAID BACKED UP BY WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE CORRECT FACTS THAT THESE ITEMS THAT ARE, SO MAYBE THERE WAS A VOTE THAT WASN'T ARTICULATED IN THIS MEMO, BUT BASED ON THE RECORDS AND THE MINUTES FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE, EVERY ONE OF THESE VOTE POINTS IN THIS MEMO WAS EITHER SIX ZERO OR SEVEN ZERO.
SO I'M NOT TRYING TO PICK A FIGHT.
I'M NOT TRYING TO THROW ANYBODY UNDER THE BUS.
I'M JUST SAYING HOW FRUSTRATED I AM THAT WE HAVE WASTED TWO YEARS AND $2 MILLION IF THIS IS WHERE IT'S GOING TO END UP, BECAUSE WE HAD VERY CLEAR DIRECTION.
AND, AND I DIDN'T EVEN MENTION YOUR NAME ABOUT IT.
NO, I KNOW, BUT I I, AND I KNOW, BUT I KNOW I JUST SAID IT, SO I KNOW YOU MEANT THAT IN, IN THE BEST.
[02:35:01]
ALMOST IRRELEVANT.WELL, I JUST, I HAD TO CORRECT JUST 'CAUSE IT WAS MY VOTE.
IT'S JUST, EVEN IF IT'S 7 0 6 1, THE YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN.
UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THE, THE, THE VOTES.
BUT THAT'S KIND OF A SIDE SHOW.
IT DOESN'T, DOESN'T IT DOESN'T MATTER.
I JUST, UH, HAD TO SAY, UM, I AM GONNA OPEN IT UP.
THANK YOU THOUGH, COMMISSIONER BOT.
AND THEN, BY THE WAY, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE LEAD.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, THESE ARE TOUGH DECISIONS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAD GOTTEN A LOT OF, UH, WE DID GET A LOT OF PUBLIC FEEDBACK IN GENERAL.
IT CERTAINLY, UH, WAS VERY ACTIVE OUT THERE ON, UH, IN THE MEDIA AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, AND, AND YOU DID TAKE THE LEAD AS WELL, COMMISSIONER WATSO.
AND ULTIMATELY WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS.
AND, UH, AND UNFORTUNATELY THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN LONG, BUT SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO GET TO A LANDING SPACE BY GOING THROUGH AN ARDUOUS PROCESS, WHICH WE DEFINITELY HAVE DONE.
OKAY, MR. MAYOR, UH, COMMISSIONER, GIMME ONE SECOND.
I'LL, I'LL CALL YOU RIGHT NOW.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, SECONDED BY MAYOR MINOR.
AND MAYOR MINOR WILL BE LISTED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
UH, MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, I'M DAVID MCKINNEY.
I LIVE AT 10 20 MERIDIAN AVENUE.
UH, YOU'VE JUST GONE THROUGH A CAMPAIGN, UH, WELL, AND YOU'VE WON BY THE VOTERS' WILL, UH, AGAINST WELL FUNDED AND, UH, VERY, UH, VOCAL OPPOSITION THERE.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO DO THE VOTER'S WILL, AND LOOK BACK AT THE REFERENDUM, WHICH OVERWHELMINGLY STATED BY THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BY, BY THE CITY, BY THE COUNTY, WHERE THE FIRE STATION SHOULD GO AT 11TH.
AND ALTON, ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO CORRECT THE RECORD.
UH, MR. CARPENTER, ONE OF YOUR STAFF IN SWORN STATEMENT BEFORE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD SAID THAT THE, UH, CURRENT FIRE STATION COULD NOT MEET THE STANDARDS TO BE THE DAYCARE CENTER.
UH, SO THAT SHOULD BE THERE ALSO.
I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE YOU, IF YOU RECOGNIZE ME, I'M THE CRAZY OLD GUY THAT LIVES BEHIND YOU ON FIRST THERE.
BUT I WOULD NOT PUT CHILDREN WHERE YOU DO NOT WANT TO SLEEP.
AND I THINK YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT TOO.
OH, THERE, IF YOU WANT A PLACE, TAKE A RECREATIONAL PLACE.
DON'T TAKE A, A, A SCHOOL FOR AWAY FROM CHILDREN.
YOU'RE NOT THAT TYPE OF PEOPLE.
AND SO, OH, UM, I WOULD ASK YOU FOLLOW THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.
UH, MR. MAGAZINE, YOU ONCE TOLD ME THAT YOU WERE A APPLAUSE METER, AND I WOULD ASK YOU NOT TO BE THAT BECAUSE APPLAUSE ONLY MEASURES THE MOST NOISE.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT, UH, IS IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY.
THE SENIORS PROGRAMS, THE DAYCARE, ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE WHO CAN, WHO UNLIKE ME, DO NOT HAVE A DAY TO SPEND THE HERE.
SO PLEASE JUST FOLLOW THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.
PUT THE, UH, PUT THE, UM, THE THANK YOU, SIR, THE FIRE STATION AT 11TH IN ALTON.
OUR FIRST, UH, VIRTUAL CALLER IS ANDREW MITCHELL.
MR. MITCHELL STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
MY NAME IS, UH, CLARK MITCHELL.
AND, UH, I'M A PHYSICIAN HERE IN THE AREA OF SOUTH OF FIFTH.
AND, UH, AS A PHYSICIAN, I LIKE TO SAY IF I NEED CARDIAC SURGERY, I, I, YOU KNOW, UM, REFER MY PATIENT TO A CARDIAC SURGEON.
AND IN THIS CASE, YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THEY'RE TELLING YOU WHAT IS THE BEST PLACE FOR THEIR FIRE STATION.
AND I THINK THEY'RE THE PROFESSIONALS IN THIS.
AND I, AND I, AND I LOVE OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS.
IT'S ONE OF THE BEST, UM, CIVIC, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, GROUPS THAT I'VE EVER, YOU KNOW, ENCOUNTERED LIVING HERE 30 YEARS.
AND I JUST HOPE AND PRAY THAT YOU WILL LISTEN TO THE FIREFIGHTERS.
I LIVE AT THIRD 3 0 1 OCEAN DRIVE, AND I'M FREQUENTLY ON SIXTH STREET.
AND I AM, UH, BEGGING YOU ALL TODAY TO VOTE WITH EMPATHY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA GET KICKED OUT AND BECOME HOMELESS.
BASICALLY, THE SERVICES THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL, THERE NEVER WAS A REALLY AL GOOD ALTERNATIVE FOR THE DAYCARE.
THAT WAS KIND OF A MISREPRESENTATION FROM THE BEGINNING.
IT'S KIND OF STUPID TO TEAR DOWN A BUILDING AND DUMP IT IN LANDFILL.
UH, WHEN YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED THERE, UH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME EMPATHY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA GET, UH, KICKED OUT.
THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENTS FOR THEM.
[02:40:01]
UM, SIXTH STREET IS REALLY NOT THE RIGHT PLACE TO HAVE RACING FIRE TRUCKS.THERE ARE GRANDMAS CROSSING THE STREET WITH WALKERS.
I GO TO THE MARKET ACROSS FROM THIS, THE SOUTH STREET COMMUNITY, 'CAUSE IT, 'CAUSE IT'S MUCH MORE HUMANE AND LOCAL AND FRIENDLY THAN PUBLIX.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD.
FIRE TRUCKS HAVING TO MAKE A TURN, MAKE ANOTHER TURN, MAKE A THIRD TURN, MAKE A FOURTH TURN.
THE FIREMEN HAVE CHANGED SINCE I'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS.
UH, THEY'VE CHANGED THEIR MIND SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEY WERE OKAY WITH THE FLAMINGO PARK.
IN TWO SECONDS, YOU'RE ON ALTON ROAD GOING FASTER THAN IF YOU HAVE TO MAKE FIVE TURNS TO GET ONTO FIFTH STREET WHERE THERE'S TRAFFIC.
I MEAN, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GONNA AGREE WITH ME, BUT IT'S OBVIOUS EMPIRICALLY, YOU'RE GONNA BE ZOOMING FASTER TO AN EMERGENCY AND SAVING LIVES.
IF YOU CAN JUMP ONTO ALTON IN, UH, FIVE SECONDS.
SO I WOULD URGE YOU TO VOTE WITH EMPATHY.
WE TALK TO THE MOTHERS WHO BRING THE KIDS OVER TO THAT, UH, SOUTH STREET COMMUNITY CENTER.
THESE ARE WOMEN WHO DID NOT VOTE FOR YOU AND THEY DIDN'T DONATE TO YOUR CAMPAIGNS.
THEY DO ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT WE NEED EVERY DAY.
THESE PEOPLE HAD NO IDEA THAT THEY WERE GONNA LOSE THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER.
SO YOU CANNOT COMPARE WITH THE DEMOGRAPHIC DOWN ON COMMERCE SOUTH OF FIFTH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ARE MUCH MORE AFFLUENT AND CONNECTED THAN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA GET THROWN OUT.
SO VOTE WITH EMPATHY AND SAVE SIXTH STREET, THE CHARACTER OF SIXTH STREET.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS KAREN REVO.
MS. REVO STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS.
GOOD MORNING, KAREN REVO, 45 66 PRAIRIE AVENUE.
I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF CHAIRING THE GEO BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SINCE 2019.
AND FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, BUILDING A NEW FIRE STATION HAS BEEN THE GREATEST PRIORITY, HONESTLY, FOLKS, YOU HAVE TO SHOW BACKBONE TODAY AND MOVE THIS FORWARD.
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS RECOMMENDATIONS ON SIXTH STREET.
IT IS NOT A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING.
AND I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT THE SERVICES IN THAT BUILDING CAN BE RELOCATED APPROPRIATELY.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR OUR RESIDENTS IS SAFETY, IS SAFETY.
AND THAT SHOULD BE PRIORITY TODAY.
AND I HOPE YOU HAVE THE BACKBONE TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE THIS FORWARD.
IF WE HAD DONE THIS THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO, THAT BUILDING WOULD BE BUILT AND OUR FIREMEN WOULD BE IN A BETTER BUILDING.
AND SO I'M HOPING YOU ARE GONNA DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TODAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE IN CHAIRING THE GEO BOND COMMITTEE.
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY ONLY ONE OF MANY, MANY, MANY PROJECTS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY THAT OUR VOTERS HAVE APPROVED FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND FUNDING.
AND, AND, AND YOU DO A GREAT JOB CHAIRING THAT COMMITTEE THAT UP.
I STAND HERE, UH, IN WEARING MANY HATS.
ONE BEING A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH BEACH TRACK CLUB.
ONE BEING A ZONE ONE RESIDENT MYSELF, ONE BEING THE FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE WHO HELPED SECURE THAT 10 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANT MONEY THAT IS GONNA BE GOING TO THIS FACILITY.
ALSO WEARING A HAT AS, UH, THE FORMER COMMISSIONER WHO WHEN THIS ISSUE FIRST CAME UP, I WAS ACTUALLY SITTING UP THERE BACK WHEN WE HAD SPENT $0 ON THIS ISSUE.
WE HAVE NOW, AS TAXPAYERS SPENT OVER $5 MILLION IN SOFT COSTS TO NOT BUILD A FIRE STATION.
AND TODAY IS THE DAY, AS I SAID, WHEN I CALLED IN THIS MORNING WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD.
THIS IS THE GUT CHECK FOR THE COMMISSION TO FINALLY MOVE FORWARD AND FOLLOW THE YOU YOU GOT A PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION IT WAS ASKED FOR BY MANY OF YOU.
YOU GOT ONE FROM YOUR OWN FIRE CHIEF TODAY.
AND I APPLAUD HER FOR STANDING UP THERE AND TELLING YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO HEAR.
PUT IT AT THE SIXTH STREET LOCATION.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU THIS ONE MORE THING.
THERE'S ONE MORE HAT THAT I'M WEARING.
I'M POTENTIALLY GONNA BE A FIREFIGHTER MYSELF.
I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH TO RIDE WITH THE STATION ONE TEAM ON RESCUE TRUCKS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THAT FACILITY, I KNEW IT AS A COMMISSIONER, AS A TOURIST, WHEN THEY WOULD PUT YOU ON THE TOUR.
IT'S A DUMP, OKAY? OUR FIREFIGHTERS RISK THEIR LIVES AND STICK THEIR NECKS OUT EVERY DAY.
AND TO HAVE THEM NOT JUST SLEEPING, EATING, BEING HOUSED, HAVING TO BE IN THAT STATION, IT'S A DUMP.
I REMEMBER WHEN THEY HAD THE POOP FLIES BACK IN THE DAY.
I REMEMBER ALL THE ISSUES IF YOU GO UP INTO THEIR SLEEPING FACILITIES, IT IS, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LIKE SLEEPING IN A PRISON.
YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MOVE FORWARD.
PLEASE STOP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
THE VOTERS SPOKE AND SUPPORTED PEOPLE THAT SUPPORTED THE SIXTH STREET LOCATION.
AND WE'RE ASKING YOU NOW TO MOVE FORWARD AND VOTE YES ON COMMISSIONER SCH SUAREZ'S ITEM.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS JOHAN MOORE.
[02:45:01]
MR. MORE, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.AGAIN, UH, IT'S NO SURPRISE, UH, IF WE'RE COUNTING NUMBERS THAT YOU WOULD BE GETTING SO MUCH OBJECTION FROM SOUTH OF FIFTH.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LIVING IN HIGH RISES DOWN THERE.
UH, WE ON THE OTHER HAND, NOT, UH,
ALLEGATION ASIDE, UH, OUR COMMUNITY WAS NOT, IN FACT, IN THE LEAST INFORMED THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING TODAY.
IF THE ALLEGATION IS CORRECT AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION CHAIR KNEW OF THIS, THAT WOULD BE GROUNDS FOR A MOTION TO REMOVE HIM FROM OFFICE.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY.
UH, FLAMINGO PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION'S LAND USE SUBCOMMITTEE, IN FACT MET ON MONDAY TO CONSIDER ANOTHER ISSUE BEFORE US.
AND WE, UH, HAD NO INFORMATION THAT THIS WAS COMING BEFORE YOU TODAY.
UH, I WANT TO THANK THE CHIEF, UH, CHIEF AB ANGELIL, UH, FOR, UH, DECLINING TO GET SUCKED INTO A COMMISSIONER'S, UH, I WILL SAY REVENGE BASED AGENDA, UH, AGAINST OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR VARIOUS REASONS THAT I WILL NOT SPECULATE ON.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR THE ONE RAY OF LIGHT, UH, THAT HE'S OFFERED.
UH, IF IN FACT YOU SHOULD VOTE TO DEMOLISH THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH IS THAT IN FACT, THE CURRENT FIRE STATION COULD HOUSE SOME OF THE FUNCTIONS.
BUT AS I HAVE POINTED OUT TO YOU ALL, AS I WAS BOMBARDING YOU WITH EMAILS THIS MORNING, MOST OF THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY CENTER, LIVE IN PROXIMITY TO IT AND WOULD NOT WANT TO SCHLEP ALL THE WAY UP TO THE PARK WITH THEIR WALKERS FOR THEIR LUNCH.
I WILL END BY THANKING THE COMMISSIONERS WHO AGREE WITH LONGSTANDING COMMUNITY OPPOSITION TO DESTROYING THIS ESSENTIAL INSTITUTION.
BUT I WILL APPEAL DIRECTLY TO THE NEWLY ELECTED COMMISSIONER, PLEASE, COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS, DO NOT HOLD ANY, YOU MIGHT HAVE TOWARD ME, AGAINST MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND VOTE AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL.
ALRIGHT, SIR, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO POSSIBLY CONVINCE YOU THIS TIME AROUND THAT THE, UH, FLAMINGO STATE.
YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD IS NOT THE PLACE.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, YOU'VE REQUESTED THE PROFESSIONAL'S, UH, INPUT.
THEY'VE GIVEN IT TO YOU TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
THE EPICENTER OF THEIR ZONE IS SIXTH STREET.
TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER BOT, THAT THE GREEN SPACE IS UNNECESSARY.
I THINK I'VE DISCUSSED IT WITH YOU A NUMBER OF TIMES, BUT LET ME DISCUSS IT ONE MORE TIME WITH YOU AND LET ME ENLIGHTEN YOU ABOUT A TRACK.
YOU CANNOT PUT A 60 FOOT WALL, TALL WALL, FIVE FEET AWAY FROM THE TRACK.
YOU ARE GOING TO DESTROY THE QUALITY OF THAT TRACK.
THAT TRACK HAS BEEN THERE FOR 60, 70 YEARS.
STORIED RUNNERS HAVE COME TO THIS TRACK AND IT'S A GREAT PUBLIC AMENITY.
THE NEW FIRE STATION DOES NOT BELONG ON THE WESTERN END OF FLAMINGO PARK.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING MR. LAPIDUS, THAT WAS HIS LEAST FAVORITE BUILDING.
THAT LOT IS 45,000 SQUARE FEET.
IF YOU DON'T WANNA LEVEL IT, THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM TO PUT UP A FIRE STATION, WHICH CURRENTLY USES ABOUT 16,000 SQUARE FEET ON A 21,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT.
YOU HAVE A GREAT FACILITY TO UTILIZE FOR A NEW FIRE STATION.
PLEASE, I URGE YOU, YOU'RE GONNA DESTROY THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF MIAMI BEACH RESIDENCE.
DO NOT PLACE THAT FIRE STATION ON THE WESTERN END OF FLAMINGO PARK.
THE RIGHT LOCATION IS ON SIXTH STREET.
GOOD MORNING AGAIN, RAY BRESLIN.
FIRST OFF, UM, WHEN I WAS ON THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD, THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS CAME BEFORE US.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THE PLAN THAT WE APPROVED? HOW MANY OF YOU, OKAY.
YOU KNOW, THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL FEATURES OF THE MORRIS LAPIDUS BUILDING THAT WERE BEING PRESERVED OR REPLICATED.
WE WERE ALSO BRINGING IN, UH, APOLLO THAT WAS IN STORAGE FROM, FROM THE VERSAILLES HOTEL.
IT, IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE PERFECT THING.
AND FOR TWO YEARS YOU ALL WORKED ON RELOCATING ALL OF THESE SERVICES.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE HAMMER CAME TO US.
NO, WE'RE GONNA SAVE THIS BUILDING.
AND NOW YOU'RE ACTING LIKE THERE'S NO PLACE FOR THESE PLACES FOR THESE SERVICES TO GO.
AND THINK ABOUT IT, AFTER IT'S ALL DONE, YOU'VE GOT AN OLD DILAPIDATED FIREHOUSE.
YOU CAN EITHER TEAR DOWN OR RENOVATE AND MOVE ALL OF THOSE SERVICES THERE, RIGHT NEXT TO FLAMINGO PARK.
BUT TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B
[02:50:01]
DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH THE SNAP OF A FINGER.YOU'VE GOTTA PLAN IT, YOU'VE GOTTA FOLLOW THROUGH WITH IT, AND YOU REALLY NEED TO DO IT.
FOUR YEARS, AND WE'RE NO FURTHER AHEAD, BUT WE'RE AT THE RIGHT LOCATION.
PLEASE BUILD IT AT, AT THE SOUTH SHORE REC CENTER ON SIXTH STREET.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS MR. WAYNE ROBERTS.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA, I WANNA STATE THAT MY, MY 350,000 A YEAR IS ACCURATE.
UM, I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH ERIC AND REVIEW THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WORK FOR FIRE AND E-M-E-M-S AND SUBTRACT, UH, OCEAN RESCUE, WHICH IS LIFEGUARDS AND DIVIDE THE, THE, THE WAGES AND, AND BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE EMPLOYEES.
AND YOU'LL COME TO THREE 50 UNDER THIS NEW CONTRACT.
WHAT'S MORE, YOU GAVE THEM A TWO DAY WORK WEEK.
UM, THIRD, UH, IT YOU, I BELIEVE THAT THEY DESERVE GOOD HOUSING AND THEY DON'T HAVE IT TODAY, BUT WHERE IT BELONGS IS NOT IN THE TRACK OR SIXTH STREET.
WITHOUT A COSMA HALL FACILITY.
YOU, THEY, THEY COULD HAVE ADEQUATE, UH, ACCOMMODATIONS FOR, FOR SWEEPING AND FOR, FOR WEIGHTLIFTING AND EVERYTHING ELSE ON THAT EXISTING PROPERTY.
AND THE SEWER HAS TO GET FIXED.
IF YOU PUT A FIREHOUSE THERE OR YOU, YOU TEAR DOWN THE FIREHOUSE, UH, IT, YOU KNOW WHY IT'S NOT FIXED.
BUT, UH, THAT'S WHERE IT BELONGS, AND THAT'S NOT IN THE DISCUSSION.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO UPEND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO, TO HELP A POLITICALLY CONNECTED, UH, FIRE ORGANIZATION WHO I THINK DOES A GREAT JOB, BUT OVERPAID AND, AND HAS TOO MUCH POLITICAL INFLUENCE.
AS A RESIDENT, I WANNA GIVE YOU GUYS SOME INPUT.
I'VE BEEN COMING HERE FOR YEARS AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR 10 YEARS.
WE'RE VERY LUCKY THAT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED REALLY BIG IN SOUTH OF FIFTH WITH YOU HAVE, IT'S BEEN RECOMMENDED.
THE SIXTH STREET COMMUNITY CENTER.
WHY DON'T WE MOVE EVERYBODY FROM THE COMMUNITY CENTER TO THE ALL FIRE STATION RIGHT BY FLAMINGO, BUILT A NEW ONE, MULTIPLE FLOORS, AND CAN ACCOMMODATE ALL THOSE SERVICES THAT ARE ON SIXTH STREET.
WHEN YOU VOTE, SAY THAT YOU ARE GONNA DO SIXTH STREET IN THE, AND GOING TO MOVE ALL THE SERVICES TO WHERE THE FLAMINGO CLOSE TO THE FLAMINGO PARK AND BUILD A NEW BUILDING.
SO THIS WAY IT WILL SOLVE BOTH PROBLEMS AND NOT, NOT, YOU NEED TO VOTE.
YOU NEED A STATE-OF-THE-ART FIRE STATION.
THE TRUCKS THAT ARE, YOU NEED TO GO ON.
THOSE HIGH RISES DO NOT FIT IN SMALL FIRE STATIONS.
AND I, AND I'M NOT A FIRE, I'M NOT A FIRE PERSON, BUT I KNOW BECAUSE OF NEW YORK CITY, I UNDERSTAND IT.
I LIVED IN THE CITY ALL MY LIFE.
SO PLEASE VOTE AND JUST GET IT OVER WITH EVERYBODY.
IT'S LIKE WE KEEP MOVING AND MOVING IT AND NOTHING GETS DONE.
AND IT'S GONNA TAKE THREE YEARS TO BUILD PROBABLY.
JUST DO THAT AND GIVE, GIVE THE SERVICES TO THE OTHER FIRE STATION.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER HAS, THE NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER HAS A SCREEN NAME OF CYNTHIA'S IPHONE.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
HI, IT'S UH, CYNTHIA ESTEVE, SOUTH FIFTH RESIDENT, SONA MEMBER.
UM, I WANTED TO FIRST CONGRATULATE ALL THE NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR HELP.
IT'S A HARD ISSUE, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON THAT I, TWO PEOPLE THAT WERE VERY IMPORTANT THAT I HEARD FROM WERE OUR FIRE TEAMS. AND WHEN THEY SPEAK, I LISTEN.
THEY'RE THERE FOR US 24 HOURS A DAY.
OTHERS HAVE ALREADY RELAYED, UM, WISE COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONER GRIECO TO, UM, KAREN REVO, TO OTHERS THAT ARE VALUED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
PLEASE LISTEN, PLEASE LISTEN ALSO TO THE FIRE TEAM.
UM, WHAT THEY WANT IS WHAT I WANT.
HI, UH, MATT ROSENBERG PASS AGAIN, UH, ST.
I TELL YOU WHAT, I HAVE NEVER SPOKEN TO ADONIS.
THAT KIND OF PASSION GOT ME EXCITED.
WE HAVE NEVER TAKEN THE POSITION OTHER THAN THAT.
YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE USE IT.
WE HAVE NO VESTED INTEREST FINANCIALLY.
LOVE THAT PARK, LOVE THAT SPACE.
AND BY THE WAY, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, THE SAME ORTHODOX HABAD STUDENTS THAT ARE PLAYING VOLLEYBALL CAME UP TO ME A FEW MONTHS AGO HOW DEVO GO, HOW DEVO GO.
THEY ASKED ME THAT 'CAUSE I INFORMED THEM.
AND BY THE WAY, MINDY, WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THAT I KNOW, COMMUNICATED WITH ALL OF YOU WHAT NOT YOU, YOU WEREN'T HERE YET, UH, ABOUT THEIR FEELING.
[02:55:01]
KIND OF PASSION.WE DON'T KNOW WHAT ANYONE WAS RECOMMENDING, BUT I DO KNOW THE PASSION THAT WE FEEL AT THE TRACK.
I DO KNOW THE, THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, THE CHILDREN TALK ABOUT PARENTS AND CHILDREN AND THE LOVE OF A TRACK AND SPACE AND YEAH, YOU NEED SPACE.
NO, YOU DON'T NEED A 60 FOOT BUILDING RIGHT THERE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SLEEP IN THE AREA THAT THEY SLEEP IN.
WE LOVE THIS COMMUNITY PASSIONATELY.
AND WE TRUST YOU TO DO THE PATH THAT YOU TAKE, WHICH WE THINK WILL BE BEST.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS LINDSAY LOVEL.
MS. LOVEL, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UH, MOST OF YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ME ALREADY THIS MORNING, UM, WITH A VERY BRIEF NOTE.
UM, BUT I FELT COMPELLED TO CALL IN SINCE WE REOPENED PUBLIC COMMENT.
PLEASE STOP KICKING THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
MY ENTIRE RESIDENCY IN THIS CITY, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FROM WHAT FORMER REPRESENTATIVE GRIECO TALKED ABOUT, TO WHAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOUR YEARS.
IT WAS PLANNED TO GO AT SIXTH STREET.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS OPPOSITION TO THAT, BUT OVERWHELMINGLY I WILL SAY THAT EVEN THOSE PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT IT IN THE PARK AND THEY DIDN'T WANT IT IN THE PARK BACK THEN UNTIL THEY REALIZED THE ONLY OPTION WAS SIXTH STREET.
AND, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO STOP KICKING THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
I'VE MET WITH THE CURRENT CHIEF, I'VE MET WITH THE FORMER CHIEF.
I'VE NOT MET WITH ADONIS, BUT I'M SURE I'D BE HAPPY TO DO SO.
I'M SURE THEY'RE OUTDATED BY NOW BECAUSE THE ONES THAT I LOOKED AT WERE YEARS AGO.
PLEASE, PLEASE, I AM BEGGING YOU.
DO NOT KICK THIS CAN ON THE ROAD.
I, UH, SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION TO HAVE THE FIRE STATION BUILT ON SIXTH STREET.
UH, I JOINED THE FIRE SERVICE 42 YEARS AGO.
SIXTH STREET IS THE IDEAL LOCATION.
IT SUPPORTS A GOOD RESPONSE TIME TO SOUTH OF FIFTH.
AND, UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE, SLEEPING IN CONDITIONS WITH MOLD AND SEWAGE.
AND WE'VE BEEN, UH, TALKING ABOUT BUILDING THIS FIRE STATION AND WE NEED TO VOTE TODAY AND GET IT DONE.
IT'S FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY.
OUR NEXT VIRTUAL CALLER IS JULIANA.
JULIANA, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE IT.
UM, I'M A RESIDENT OF MIAMI BEACH FLAMINGO PARK AREA AND AN ARCHITECT, AND I'M BEGGING YOU NOT TO BUILD ONTO OUR PRECIOUS FLAMINGO PARK AREA.
WE CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PER RESIDENT RIGHT NOW AS WE ARE INCREASING OUR DENSITY AND BUILDING MORE HIGH RISES.
AND THERE WAS A REPORT DONE STATING THAT WE DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT GREEN SPACE.
UH, WE NEED THE GREEN SPACE TO COMBAT THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.
AND WE NEED THE GREEN SPACE TO ALSO COMBAT STORM WATER DRAINAGE SO THAT THE STREETS AREN'T HAVING TO DO ALL THAT WORK.
WE NEED THE PRECIOUS GREEN SPACE TO ABSORB THE WATER.
I WOULD KINDLY REQUEST YOU GIVE ME AN EXTRA DUE PROCESS MINUTE AS I OWN A HENRY HO HAER DESIGNED APARTMENT BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PROPOSED SITE OF THE, UH, NEW FIRE STATION.
I'VE BEEN LIVING IN THIS COMMUNITY SINCE THE LATE EIGHTIES, INVOLVED IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION SINCE THAT TIME IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, THERE