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WELCOME[CALL TO ORDER]
TO OUR PRESENTATION AND AWARDS COMMISSION MEETING.IT'S NICE TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE FOR OUR AWARDS.
I ALWAYS, UH, LIKE TO ANNOUNCE AT THE BEGINNING THAT, UH, SOMETIMES I DO TAKE ITEMS BECAUSE OF SCHEDULING ISSUES, BUT PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ANY OF OFFENSE IF, UH, YOUR ITEM IS CLOSER TO THE END IN THE BEGINNING.
UH, IT DOES NOT GO BASED ON, UH, ON THE, UH, THE AWARDS.
CERTAINLY EVERYBODY HERE IS, UH, IS WORTHY.
SO APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING HERE.
DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? IT'S REALLY REGIS.
I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN YOU IN THAT SEAT OF THE CITY CLERK
SO, UH, I JUST HAVE A BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT, MS. MAYOR.
UH, THE CITY COMMISSION IS PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBER AT MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE THIRD FLOOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC OR INVITED TO ATTEND EITHER IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY.
IF YOU WISH TO JOIN US VIRTUALLY, YOU CAN LOG IN USING THE ZOOM APP OR VISIT ZOOM US IN YOUR BROWSER.
YOU CAN ALSO CALL 3 0 5 2 2 4 1 9 6 8 OR TOLL FREE AT 8 8 8 4 7 5 4 4 9 9.
THE WEBINAR ID IS 8 1 3 9 2 8 5 7 6 7 1 POUND, THE ZOOM LINK WEBINAR ID.
AND, UH, PHONE NUMBERS REMAIN THE SAME FOR EVERY COMMISSION MEETING.
SO NOW'S THE TIME I GET TO SURPRISE SOMEONE TO DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND I'M GONNA ASK OUR ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF DANIEL MARGAO TO LEAD US.
YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
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.
ASSISTANT CHIEF MARGAO HAS A BEAUTIFUL VOICE, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE MAKING THE, UH, THE COMMENTS.
[PA 2 CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO GRADUATES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.]
WE ARE GOING TO CALL PA TWO, PA TWO CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION, NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY GRADUATES.ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA, UH, RECOGNIZE THE LATEST GRADUATING CLASS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
IN CASE WE'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
IT'S A MULTI-WEEK CI CIVIC INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO GIVE OUR RESIDENTS AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT INNER WORKINGS OF THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE ACADEMY, PARTICIPANTS MEET WITH CITY LEADERS, DEPARTMENT HEADS, UH, STUDYING EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR CITY, CITY BUDGETS, PLANNING TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, BY THE END OF THE PROGRAM, THEY'RE BETTER EQUIPPED TO SERVE AS INFORMED ADVOCATES FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, UH, WE HAVE SOME NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS HERE.
I SEE, UH, TIM CARR FIRST LEADERSHIP.
OVER THE YEARS, MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS WALKED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM HAVE GONE ON TO BECOME DEDICATED CITY STAFF MEMBERS AND EVEN ELECTED OFFICIALS, AS WE JUST HEARD, AND THE MAYORS OF THEIR SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT IS TRULY THE STARTING POINT FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO BECOME, HAVE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MIAMI BEACH.
SO I'M JUST GONNA READ IT TO THE NAMES OF THE GRADUATES.
UM, I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS HERE, BUT STEVEN ATLAS.
IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN COME UP AND SAY, UH, SAY SOMETHING, BUT LEMME JUST FINISH READING THE WORDS.
ADAM KRAVITZ, JOANNE ROSE, KRAVITZ, LUIGI, MARY GABRIELA, SMO NELLY, JOCELYN THOMPSON, AND KEVIN KRUEGER.
AND IF ANY OF YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING AND THEN WE'LL, WE CAN TAKE, UH, A GROUP PICTURE.
I GUESS WE'LL JUST DO THE PICTURE.
[00:05:01]
LOOK AT THIS CAMERA.WE'LL EXPECT TO SEE A LOT OF YOU, MR. MAYOR, WHILE EVERYONE'S GETTING BACK TO THEIR SEAT, COULD I JUST SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY? SO, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, I REALLY THANK YOU BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU BETTER, MORE INFORMED RESIDENTS AND ADVOCATES FOR WHAT WE ALL WANT AS RESIDENTS.
BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE'RE ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE ARE ALSO RESIDENTS THAT CAME FIRST.
AND FOR ANYBODY WHO HAS NOT DONE IT YET, I REALLY HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO TAKE IT.
IT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND, UM, WHY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC ARE STILL PROBLEMATIC, AND HELP YOU UNDERSTAND HOW TO WORK THROUGH THE SYSTEM, UM, TO TRY TO RESOLVE THINGS.
AND IT, AS YOU SEE, IT HAS, UM, YIELDED VERY, UM, ACTIVE RESIDENTS WHO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES LEAD NEIGHBORHOODS AND SOMETIMES, UM, RUN AND WIN, UH, AND BECOME ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO THE MORE PEOPLE WHO TAKE IT, THE BETTER OFF WE ARE.
I WILL SAY THAT THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM, IT'S NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR IF IT'S TRUE OR NOT, BUT THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM THAT IS THAT, UM, THE LAST CLASS OF THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY WAS HELD, UH, WAS THE CLASS THAT I WAS A PART OF, AND THE MAYOR AT THE TIME STOPPED IT BECAUSE TOO MANY ACTIVISTS HAD COME OUT OF THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.
UM, AND IT WAS REINSTATED, UM, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
I THINK THIS IS MAYBE THE THIRD CLASS.
UM, SO CLEARLY WE WANT OUTSPOKEN ACTIVIST RESIDENTS ADVOCATING FOR ALL OF US.
SO CONGRATULATIONS AND PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS.
[PA 11 PROCLAMATION FOR JOHN STUART.]
P PA 11, PA 11 PROCLAMATION.JOHN STEWART, COMMISSIONER BACH.
UM, I'M GOING TO PREFACE THIS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING, UM, PROCLAMATIONS FROM, UM, FROM MY OFFICE.
UNFORTUNATELY, ONE COMMISSIONER HAS NOT YET SIGNED, BUT WE WILL MAKE THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
KEEP THE PROCLAMATION, GET IT SIGNED, AND THEN DELIVER IT TO YOU TO, UM, HANG OVER YOUR, YOUR LITERAL OR FIGURATIVE MANTLE.
UM, SO DOES ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM NOT KNOW JOHN STEWART? BECAUSE HE'S AMAZING.
I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING JOHN STEWART FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS OR SO.
UM, WE WERE FIRST INTRODUCED WHEN HE WAS MODERATING A PANEL THAT I WAS A SPEAKER ON, AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.
UM, HE IS AN INCREDIBLE HUMAN BEING, A STAUNCH ADVOCATE FOR WHAT MAKES MIAMI BEACH SO SPECIAL.
UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE DOING DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS.
OUR INCREDIBLE ARCHITECTURE, NURTURING OUR BUSINESSES, OUR CHARACTER OF PLACE, PROTECTING OUR WATER, BEING A DECENT HUMAN BEING, AND A GREAT NEIGHBOR.
UM, I'M GONNA READ OFF A FEW OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
IT DOESN'T EVEN BEGIN TO COVER.
LIKE, IF YOU WANNA GOOGLE JOHN STEWART, I THINK HIS RESUME IS 30 PAGES LONG.
THE PROCLAMATION IS NOT 30 PAGES LONG.
UM, HE'S JUST, HE'S BRILLIANT.
I'M SO PROUD TO BE HIS FRIEND.
SO HONORED TO BE HIS FRIEND AND HE HAS, UM, DONE SUCH GREAT SERVICE TO THE CITY.
HE IS A, AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS I'LL JUST, THE ENTIRE PROCLAMATION IS AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS.
HE IS A DISTINGUISHED UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR OF ARCHITECTURE AND THE ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND ALLIANCES AT FI'S COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION ARCHITECTURE AND THE ARTS, WHICH IS KNOWN LOCALLY AS CARTA.
HIS CAREER IS DEFINED BY BRIDGING DISCIPLINES, COMMUNITIES, AND TECHNOLOGIES TO ADDRESS COMPLEX CHALLENGES THROUGH INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION.
HE IS A PROUD RESIDENT OF THE NORTH BEACH, NORTH BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND WE ACTUALLY, I MOVED INTO HIS BUILDING THREE YEARS AGO, SO THAT IS EVEN BETTER.
UM, JOHN'S DEEP COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY IS REFLECTED IN DECADES OF SERVICE ON THE MIAMI BEACH HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.
HE SERVED AS A MEMBER FROM 2014 TO 2020, UM, AND THEN HE JUST MOST RECENTLY ENDED HIS TERM OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS AS THE CHAIR.
AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE SERVED ON BOARDS AND ESPECIALLY CONTENTIOUS BOARDS THAT DEAL WITH LAND USE ISSUES, IT IS COMPLICATED AND IT IS, IT'S A, IT'S A TOUGH PATH TO NAVIGATE HOW TO GROW AND PROTECT AND, AND HONOR AND, UM, EVOLVE ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
AND JOHN HAS ALWAYS BEEN MEASURED AND THOUGHTFUL AND, UH, COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVER IN REALLY EVERYTHING HE DOES, AND ESPECIALLY ON THAT BOARD.
UM, HIS LEADERSHIP ALSO INCLUDES SERVICE AS THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF GOVERNMENTS, UH, ON, EXCUSE ME, ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR THE MIAMI BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SINCE
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2014.SO HE'S PUTTING UP WITH ALL Y'ALL FOR A LONG TIME, UM, PARTICIPATION AS A MEMBER OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, BISCAYNE BAY SHORELINE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHICH JUST ROLLS RIGHT OFF THE TONGUE, UM, BUT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT WORK BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE WATER IS ONE OF OUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCES.
UM, AND HE'S BEEN ON THAT SINCE 2019.
HE HAS BEEN EX, UH, APPLYING HIS EXPERTISE IN DESIGN, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, AND COMMUNITY PLANNING TO ADVANCE THE RESILIENCE OF MIAMI BEACH AND GREATER MIAMI IN THESE AND SO MANY OTHER ROLES.
HIS LONGSTANDING LEADERSHIP AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FI'S, SOA, MIAMI BEACH URBAN STUDIO, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AMBU.
IF YOU GET THOSE MAILERS, IT'S REALLY, REALLY COOL STUFF THAT HAPPENS THERE.
IT'S JUST A COUPLE BLOCKS AWAY.
UM, FOR THE PAST 13 YEARS HAS SUPPORTED ARTS INNOVATION, PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGED RESEARCH, WHICH ENHANCED THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE LIFE OF MIAMI BEACH AND FOSTER ACCESSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL EDUCATION AND COLLABORATION.
I MEAN, HE'S JUST, HE'S GOT IT ALL.
I, THERE ARE A COUPLE MORE PARAGRAPHS, BUT I, HE'S ABOUT TO EXPLODE WITH EMBARRASSMENT, SO I'LL STOP.
UM, BUT FOR ALL THOSE REASONS AND SO MANY MORE, IT IS MY PROFOUND HONOR TO, ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES, RECOGNIZE, UH, AS MAYOR AND THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 6TH, 2026 AS JOHN STEWART DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
WELL, I, I, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THIS IS AN AMAZING HONOR AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS DO EVERY DAY.
AND, UM, PARTICULARLY TODAY IS PARTICULARLY HUMBLING, UM, BECAUSE THAT, UH, THAT WAS QUITE AN, QUITE AN INTRODUCTION.
BUT, UM, I REMEMBER WHEN WE MET AND WE SPOKE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR IN THE EL LIKE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE ELEVATOR.
AND, UH, THERE IS SO MANY, UM, THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY TO MEET REMARKABLE PEOPLE.
AND I JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR HOSTING THIS PROGRAM WHERE YOU RECOGNIZE FOLKS AND HELP US TO SEE, I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED WHO THE OTHER FOLKS ARE.
'CAUSE I'D WANNA REALLY HEAR WHAT THEY'RE DOING BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN THE CITY.
OKAY, LOOK AT THIS CAMERA PLEASE.
[PA 4 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING FRANCINELEE HAND FOR HER EXTENSIVE REPERTOIRE AS POET, AUTHOR, TEACHER, AND ALL-AROUND PATRON OF THE ARTS.]
PA FOUR, PA FOUR PROCLAMATION, FRANCINE LEE, UH, FRANCINE LEE, HAND POET, AUTHOR, TEACHER, AND PATRON OF THE ARTS.COMMISSIONER MONICA MATE SALINAS.
HELLO, MS. FRANCINE LEE, PLEASE IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US AT THE, THE PODIUM.
SO I HAVE THE, THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING MS. FRANCINE LEE BECAUSE SHE VOLUNTEERS HER TIME ON THE MIAMI BEACH COMMISSION FOR WOMEN.
AND I MUST SAY, MS. FRANCINE LEE, YOU ARE THE MOST ELEGANT AND REGAL AND AND INTELLECTUAL WOMAN I THINK I'VE EVER MET.
YOU ARE JUST REALLY SO LOVELY AND YOU GIVE SUCH GREAT FEEDBACK AND YOU KNOW, SO MUCH OF THE MIAMI BEACH HISTORY.
AND LET ME JUST EDUCATE EVERYONE ELSE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MS. FRANCINE LEE.
SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MIAMI BEACH, EARNING HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI.
AFTER MOVING TO NEW YORK CITY, SHE EARNED A MAS, MASTER'S DEGREE IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY FROM COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.
SHE MET AND MARRIED HER HUSBAND DAVID BEFORE RETURNING THREE DECADES LATER TO THE NATURAL TROPICAL BEAUTY OF MIAMI BEACH.
SHE NOW DIVIDES HER TIME BETWEEN MIAMI BEACH AND COLORADO WHERE HER DAUGHTER AND GRANDCHILDREN LIVE.
SHE'S BEEN A LIFELONG PATRON OF THE ARTS SUPPORTING THE MIAMI BOOK FAIR AS AN AUTHOR WITH TWO BOOKS, THE TALE OF CLY BAY AND RHYMES FROM THE SUNSHINE RITZ, PUBLISHED AND SOLD AT BOOKS AND BOOKS.
[00:15:01]
SHE'S ALSO CHAMPION THE MIAMI CITY BALLET FOR ITS INCEPTION AS A TRUSTEE FOR 30 YEARS, CONTRIBUTED TO THE NEW WORLD SYMPHONY BY FUNDING NEW INSTRUMENTS AND SUPPORTED THE LOWE'S ART MUSEUM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI AND THE BASS MUSEUM HERE ON THE BEACH.SHE'S DEDICATED HERSELF TO EDUCATION AND CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE BEING THE SOLE TALENT ON A CHILDREN'S TELEVISION SHOW CALLED THE STORY CORNER, WHICH READ CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY CHILDREN'S LITERATURE.
HER POETIC SPIRIT AND DISTINCTIVE PERSONAL STYLE WERE SHAPED BY HER CHILDHOOD TRAVELS TO HAVANA, WHERE FASHION, COLORS AND ARCHITECTURE LEFT A VIVID AND LASTING INFLUENCE THAT CONTINUES TO INFORM HER CREATIVE EXPRESSION.
IN FACT, HER SPANISH IS ALMOST AS GOOD, IF NOT BETTER THAN HER ENGLISH.
SHE SERVED ON THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, UH, BOARDS SUCH AS THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD, THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, AND CURRENTLY THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN OFFERING HER INSIGHT, LEADERSHIP AND DECOM COMMITMENT TO CIVIC LIFE.
AND FRANCINE LEE EMBODIES THE MEMORY AND ELEGANCE OF MIAMI BEACH'S GOLDEN ERA.
WE'RE CALLING ITS TROPICAL CHARM.
AND TODAY RESIDES IN A BEAUTIFUL, LUSH TROPICAL VINTAGE HOME CALLED THE SUN, SUN SUNSHINE RITZ ON UPPER NORTH BAY ROAD THAT REFLECTS HER LIFELONG CONNECTION TO BEAUTY, CULTURE, AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
SO MUCH SO THAT THE MIAMI BEACH GARDEN CLUB DOES TOURS OF HER GARDEN, WHICH LAST YEAR HOSTED 233RD THREE VISITORS AND WAS FEATURED IN THE MIAMI HERALD.
NOW THEREFORE DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 6TH, 2026 AS FRANCINE LEE HAND DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
THIS IS A LOVELY IDEA FOR THE CITY TO HONOR PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT OUR TOWN.
I LOVE THIS LITTLE TOWN, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR PATIENCE, AND MOST OF ALL, AS DAVID ATTENBOROUGH SAID, NOT FOR YOUR INTELLIGENCE, BUT FOR YOUR WISDOM.
OKAY, LOOK AT THIS CAMERA PLEASE.
[PA 16 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR LOREDANA PASSARIELLO, CO-OWNER OF LA LEGGENDA PIZZERIA NAPOLETANA, FOR WINNING THE NEAPOLITAN DIVISION AT THE 2026 INTERNATIONAL PIZZA CHALLENGE COMPETITION IN LAS VEGAS.]
PA 16, CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.LAURA DONNA PALO, WINNING 2026 INTERNATIONAL PIZZA CHALLENGE.
SO IT'S, SO YOU KNOW WHAT, I USUALLY SPEAK FIRST OR WE USUALLY, I ACTUALLY WANT YOU TO SPEAK FIRST.
I WANT PEOPLE TO HEAR IT FROM YOU.
IT'S, IT'S SO, THANK YOU, FABULOUS TO HAVE AMAZING BUSINESSES LIKE YOURS.
I'M DEEPLY HUMBLE AND, UH, OVER JOINED TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I MUST HONOR MY FATHER AND MOTHER.
THANK YOU FOR TELLING ME THE STRENGTH, THE COURAGE TO BELIEVE THAT I COULD REDEFINE MY LIFE, TRANSITIONING FROM THE WORLD OF ACCOUNT TO THE ART OF PIZZA MAKING TO MY HUSBAND A CHAMPION.
THANK YOU FOR LEADING THE WAY.
TOGETHER WE HAVE A RACING CHAMPION, CHILDREN, AND TODAY I'M PROUD TO STAND BESIDE YOU AS A WORLD CHAMPION PIZZA MAKER MYSELF.
THIS WEEK, A SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR MY FAMILY AS WE EMBRACE OUR JOURNEY.
AS I PROUD A PROUD AMERICAN FAMILY, WE HAVE BEEN CAPTIVITY BY THE SPIRIT OF THE
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KENTUCKY DERBY.I WANT TO EXTEND MY HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS TO SHERI BALL FOR HER HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT AS THE FIRST WOMAN TRAINER TO WIN THE RACE.
WHILE, WHILE WE BOTH SHARED THE TRIUMPH OF BEING FEMALE PIONEERS IN OUR FIELD, I FEEL PARTICULARLY BLESSED TO LIVE IN WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE GREATEST SEAT IN THE WORLD.
WE ARE FORTUNATE TO BE GUIDED BY AN EXTRAORDINARY ADMINISTRATION WITH THE ESTEEMED MAYOR MINOR AT THE L.
I'M IMMENSELY PROUD TO RECEIVE THIS TREMENDOUS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THIS TOKEN OF APPRECIATION.
MY GRATITUDE GOES OUT TO MAYOR MINOR AND THIS DEDICATED TEAM AS WELL AS TO MY INCREDIBLY TALENTED FAIL FELLOW COMPETITOR WHO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF THIS CRAFT EVERY DAY FOR MY CHILDREN, OUR LOYAL PATRONAL AGENDA, AND EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTING OUR JOURNEY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, OUR FAITH AB ALL.
I THANK ALMIGHTY GOD FOR THIS BLESSING.
I INVITE YOU ALL FOR VISIT AGENDA SOON.
I WILL BE HONORED TO MAKE PIZZA FOR YOU.
SO PICTURE THIS, YOU LAURA, DONNA, YOU MOVED FROM ITALY.
AND YOU DECIDE RECENTLY, YOU HAVE A, YOU HAVE A, YOUR PIZZA STORE 10 YEARS AGO.
UM, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE A PIZZA STORE IN ESPANOLA WAY, AND YOU DECIDE TO GO TO LAS VEGAS TO COMPETE YES.
FOR WHO CAN MAKE THE BEST PIZZA AND YOU WIN.
IS THAT GIOVANNI? GIOVANNI, MY HUSBAND.
I, AND, AND WE FELT IT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE KNOWN FOR SO MUCH IN MIAMI BEACH.
UH, CERTAINLY OUR HOTELS ARE OUR RESTAURANTS.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY TWO OF THE THREE HIGHEST GROSSING RESTAURANTS.
AND THEN WHEN I SAW THAT YOU HAD THE BEST PIZZA, IS IT IN THE COUNTRY OR THE NATION? THE FIRST IS FOR MAIL.
IS IT IN THE COUNTRY OR THE WORLD? INTERNATIONAL.
AND I, I CAN, I CAN ATTEST THAT IT IS OUTSTANDINGLY DELICIOUS.
WELL, WE COMMEND YOU AND YOUR SKILL AND YOUR PERSEVERANCE AND THE FACT THAT YOU TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO GO OUT TO, TO VEGAS TO COMPETE, UH, IN A, IN A, IN AN INCREDIBLE COMPETITION LIKE THAT, AND THEN WIN IT.
AND YOU REALLY YES, I KNOW, I KNOW.
THE FIRST WOMAN TO WIN THE COMPETITION.
THANK, THANK YOU SO MUCH, SO MUCH, MR. MAYOR.
I, I THINK WE'D BE REMISS NOT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK.
THIS IS A, AN EXAMPLE OF QUITE A SPECIAL SMALL BUSINESS IN MIAMI BEACH.
I VERY HARD, I, I, WE, ROBERT AND I HAVE, UH, HAD A VALENTINE'S DAY THERE A FEW TIMES, AND YOU DO THE PIZZA IN THE SHAPE OF A HEART.
AND I HAVE TO THANK WAIT, WAIT.
AND I HAVE TO THANK MY FRIEND EVES BARUCH.
THANK YOU, ERU, WHO ACTUALLY MADE THE INTRODUCTION TO, TO YOU.
BLESS TO YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND,
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ALRIGHT.[PA 3 CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION TO BE PRESENTED TO PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF THE "NAMES, NOT NUMBERS" DOCUMENTARY FILMS.]
PA THREE CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION DOCUMENTARY, FILMS, NAMES, NOT NUMBERS.THIS IS, THIS IS, UH, THEY'RE ALL GREAT.
BUT THIS ONE, UH, TOUCHES, TOUCHES TO THE HEART.
I ACTUALLY SPOKE AT, UM, HEBREW ACADEMY ABOUT A WEEK AGO.
I'M SPEAKING TOMORROW NIGHT AT FEINBERG FISHER ABOUT THIS.
UM, I'M SORRY, I MISSED, I HAD A CONFLICT.
I MISSED THE ONE AT SENIOR HIGH.
UH, BUT LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT THIS, WHAT THIS IS NAMES NOT NUMBERS.
UH, BASICALLY DOES, UH, THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT 22 YEARS, TAKES DOC DOES DOCUMENTARY FILMS AND WORKS WITH STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS TO, UM, MEET WITH SURVIVORS OF THE HOLOCAUST, TO LEARN THEIR STORIES AND TO CREATE A DOCUMENTARY FILM.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY, IT'S, IT SERVES SO MUCH.
IT EDUCATES, BUT ALSO TEACHES OUR STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT THE, NOT ONLY THE ATROCITIES OF THE HOLOCAUST, BUT THE BUILDUP AND WHAT LEADS TO, AND ALL THE, THE HATRED AND THE, AND THE LIES AND THE DENIGRATION OF A PEOPLE.
THAT, THAT ULTIMATELY LEADS TO THE, WHAT THEY BELIEVE TO BE A JUSTIFICATION FOR, FOR VIOLENCE AND MASS MURDER ON A SCALE THAT WE HAVE NEVER SEEN.
UM, I WANNA INVITE, I KNOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF STUDENTS HERE, AND PARENTS AND ADMINISTRATORS.
WHY DOESN'T EVERYONE COME UP? AND, UM, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
I KNOW WE ALSO HAVE A VIDEO THAT WE CAN, UH, WE CAN TAKE, UH, WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT.
TELL ME A FACT AND I'LL LEARN, TELL ME A TRUTH AND I'LL BELIEVE.
AND IT WILL LIVE IN MY HEART FOREVER.
ORAL HISTORY, FILM, DOCUMENTARY PROJECT IS TELLING THE STORY OF THE HOLOCAUST FOR THE WORLD TO HEAR.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE EVER MET SOMEBODY WHO'S LIKE, BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH TRAGEDY.
I WANT TO LEARN ABOUT HIS STORY.
I WANT TO LEARN HOW HE GOT HIMSELF THROUGH THAT.
I HAVE MIXED FEELINGS, LIKE I'M REALLY NERVOUS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M REALLY EXCITED.
I WAS BORN 1924 IN POLAND,
OUR FAMILIES, UH, HAD BEEN LIVING IN, IN VIENNA FOR OVER 300 YEARS.
AND THEY, UH, REALIZED HOW, HOW BAD THINGS WERE ONLY, UH, PARTICULARLY LATE THE DAY THE GERMANS OCCUPIED AMSTERDAM.
I CAN STILL HEAR THE GOOSESTEPPING IN MY HEAD.
MY CHILDHOOD ENDED WHEN I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD.
WE WERE ON THE ROAD AND THE LIFT OFF THAT GERMAN AIR FORCE, UH, WERE STRAFING US CONSTANTLY TO HIDING IN BONDS, JUST TRYING TO DO OUR BEST.
MY MIND WAS ALL THE TIME I LIKE TO SURVIVE INTO, TO TELL THE STORY.
MY FATHER FOUND OUT THAT HIS WHOLE FAMILY HAD BEEN MURDERED.
MY GRANDPARENTS, FAMILIES, EVERYBODY, FRIENDS, FAMILIES, NOBODY, NOBODY CAME BACK.
WHEN I COME TO THE UNITED STATES TO DESCRIBE IT BY THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, I LAY DOWN AND KISS THE GROUND.
I NEVER GOING TO STOP TALKING ABOUT IT.
FEEL THE EMOTION THAT IS CONVEYED WHEN THEY SPEAK OF THESE THINGS.
AND YOU UNDERSTAND LIKE THE GRAVITY OF THESE CERTAIN EVENTS.
NONE OF YOU SHOULD EVER HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN A WAR.
THERE'S GOTTA BE A BETTER WAY.
HE SAID, IF YOU COULD JUST CHANGE ONE PERSON FOR THE BETTER, OR IF YOU COULD JUST MAKE AN IMPACT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A HUGE IMPACT, BUT YOU'RE, THAT RIGHT THERE IS HELPING.
ALL I KNOW IS THAT IF YOU LEAD WITH LOVE, YOU GET A LOT FURTHER THAN WITH HATE.
[00:30:16]
WHERE'S ALAN HALL? COME ON UP.WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? TELL EVERYONE WHY I ASKED YOU TO SPEAK
IT'S MY HONOR TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF DAVID REESE, THE TEACHER AT BEACH HIGH THAT LEADS THIS PROGRAM.
NOW DAVID IS A SCHOLAR REGARDING THE HOLOCAUST, AND THAT'S A SUBJECT THAT'S VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART BECAUSE I AM A SURVIVOR OF THE HOLOCAUST.
BOTH MY BROTHER AND I, WE GRADUATED BEACH HIGH AND I THINK WE'RE THE ONLY SURVIVORS OF THE HOLOCAUST WHO EVER ATTENDED BEACH HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE EDUCATION I'VE GOTTEN IN BEACH HIGH.
UH, I WOULD SAY THAT BEACH HIGH REALLY STANDS OUT AMONGST HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATIONS.
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HEAVILY INVESTS IN BEACH HIGH EDUCATION AND IN SCHOOL EDUCATION.
AND IT REALLY, IT SHOWS WE STILL, I STILL MEET WEEKLY WITH MY HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATES.
AND WE STILL ARE VERY CLOSE, BUT NOT TO DAVID, WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT.
DAVID IS THE CENTRAL COG IN HOLOCAUST EDUCATION FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, AND IT'S NOT THE ONLY PROGRAM PERTAINING TO HOLOCAUST.
THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM TEACHES KIDS HOW TO INTERVIEW, HOW TO VIDEO, HOW TO RECORD AUDIOS, HOW TO EDIT THE FILM, AND TO PRODUCE A FINISHED PRODUCE, A FINISHED PRODUCT.
WHAT YOU SAW WAS A SCHOOL PRODUCED, FINISHED PRODUCT.
AND DAVID IS THE KEY FACTOR IN ALL OF THAT.
SO IT'S MY HONOR TO SPEAK ON DAVID'S BEHALF.
AND, UH, MIAMI BEACH SENIOR HIGH, FEINBERG FISHER, K EIGHT CENTER, HEBREW ACADEMY, NAUTILUS MIDDLE SCHOOL ARE PARTICIPATING.
MIAMI BEACH IS ONE OF THE MAIN SPONSORS.
AND, UH, OH, YOU WANT TO COME UP AND, UH, I WANTED EVERYBODY TO COME UP.
CAN I JUST SAY ONE THING? BECAUSE I, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING US.
COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS, COMMISSIONER BOT MAYOR, MINOR COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, WHO CAME TO OUR PRESENTATION AND TO EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD.
AND, UH, DIDN'T EXPECT, UH, MR. HALL TO SPEAK IN, IN THAT MANNER.
THE, THE HONOR IS ONLY SHOULD REALLY GO FIRST AND FOREMOST, I THINK, TO THE EYEWITNESSES WHO ARE SPEAKING DAY AFTER DAY AT THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL ACROSS THE STREET, OR TO STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS FOR FILM PRODUCTIONS LIKE THIS.
I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE REALIZE IT, BUT MIAMI BEACH DOES A WONDERFUL JOB, UH, OF MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE LOSE OUR DEMOCRACY.
AND, UH, IT'S ON ACCOUNT OF THIS HISTORY THAT WE SHOULD KNOW BETTER NOW.
AND, UH, I JUST APPRECIATE THIS BOARD FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING THAT.
SO, YES, THE, UM, WE HAVE, I THINK SOME PEOPLE FROM ALSO FEINBERG FISHER, K EIGHT, WHERE THE FILM WAS MADE THIS YEAR AND, AND NAUTILUS, UM, MIDDLE AND ALSO HEBREW ACADEMY.
AND I BELIEVE THE CITY COMMISSION HAD WENT A LONG WAY IN SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT.
WHEN, WHEN I SPOKE AT THE HEBREW ACADEMY, ONE OF THE HEAD ADMINISTRATORS ASKED ME WHY MIAMI BEACH, UH, HELPED SPONSOR THIS.
AND I SAID, CAN YOU THINK OF SOMETHING THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN SPONSORING THIS? UM, COMMISSIONER BOT? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, I HAD THE HONOR OF SEEING THE FILM, UM, AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, OBVIOUSLY IT WAS GONNA BE INTERESTING.
AS I'VE MENTIONED AT THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL, UM, I'VE BEEN A, UM, YOU KNOW, SORT OF MORBIDLY FASCINATED WITH WORLD WAR II AND THE HOLOCAUST SINCE I WAS IN ABOUT SIXTH GRADE.
I JUST COULDN'T FATHOM WHY, WHY PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO BUILD FACTORIES, TO KILL EACH OTHER.
WAR IS ONE THING, BUT THE SYSTEMATIZED MURDER OF PEOPLE JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE, BECAUSE WHY? THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
BUT ANYHOW, THAT'S A RABBIT HOLE.
BUT, SO I KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE
[00:35:01]
INTERESTING.I WAS DAZZLED AND BLOWN AWAY AT THE QUALITY OF THE STORYTELLING.
AND IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE PROGRAM ITSELF, TO MR. REESE, TO THE PEOPLE YOU GET, UM, TO COME AND MENTOR THE STUDENTS, THE JOURNALISTS, THE EDITORS, THE FILM PHOTOGRAPHERS.
UM, BEING AN ORAL HISTORIAN IS A RARE TALENT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO LISTEN AS WELL AS, AS AMPLIFY A STORY.
UM, AND IT'S A, IT'S A RARE ART TO BE ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT INSERTING YOURSELF, BUT TO SHAPE IT.
AND, UM, YOU WERE KIND ENOUGH TO, LET ME SAY A FEW WORDS AFTER THE, THE PRESENTATION.
UM, EVERYTHING THAT THE MAYOR HAS SAID IS TRUE.
EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE BOTH SAID IS A THOUSAND PERCENT TRUE, ALL HONORED DUE TO THE, THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE STILL, YOU KNOW, RELIVING THAT TRAUMA EVERY TIME THEY TELL THE STORIES IN SERVICE OF TRYING TO PREVENT THAT TRAUMA FROM EVER HAPPENING TO ANYBODY ELSE.
AND WHAT I SAID TO THE KIDS, I WANNA HEAR, I WANNA SAY AGAIN HERE.
SO IT'S, IT'S RECORDED IN PUBLIC ON THE RECORD, SO THAT ANY OTHER PERSON WHO GOES THROUGH THE PUB, THE PROGRAM WILL KNOW THAT IN THIS TIME IN OUR WORLD, WHEN WE ARE BALKANIZED AND WE ALL GO DOWN OUR LITTLE RABBIT HOLES OF TIKTOK AND YOUTUBE AND THE GRAM, AND, YOU KNOW, FINDING ALTERNATE NEWS SOURCES, THE ABILITY TO SIT DOWN WITH SOMEBODY WHO YOU DON'T KNOW AND HEAR THEIR STORIES AND HEAR WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AND BE ABLE TO RESONATE WITH AND INTERACT WITH AND GROW FROM, WILL CHANGE YOUR LIVES FOR HAVING PARTICIPATED IN THIS IN WAYS THAT ARE IMMEASURABLE FOR KIDS OF DIFFERENT AGES, 15, 16, 17, 18, WHEREVER THE AGE RANGE IS, UM, TO VOLUNTARILY DO THIS CLASS BECAUSE THEY'RE INTERESTED IN IT.
MAYBE THEY'VE DESIGNED ON BECOMING FILMMAKERS OR JOURNALISTS, AND THAT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD.
BUT WHAT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU IS THAT EVERY STUDENT WHO GOES THROUGH THIS PROGRAM IN THE FIVE, SIX YEARS PAST AND IN, IN PERPETUITY GOING FORWARD, WILL BECOME A BETTER HUMAN BEING AS A RESULT.
AND I CANNOT THINK, AS YOU SAID, MR. MAYOR, OF ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN HELPING OUR KIDS IN THIS REALLY CHALLENGING TIME ON THIS PLANET, IN EVERY COUNTRY, BECOME A BETTER, MORE MINDFUL, MORE COMPASSIONATE, MORE INTELLIGENT, MORE CURIOUS, KINDER HUMAN BEING.
AND SO FOR THAT AND A MILLION MORE REASONS, I CANNOT APPLAUD YOU ENOUGH FOR DOING THE PROGRAM AND FOR THE STUDENTS WHO STEPPED UP TO INQUIRE ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT LIKE, HEY, LEMME TAKE A FUN GYM CLASS.
I APPLAUD YOU AND IT WILL SERVE YOU SO WELL IN YOUR FUTURE.
AND THANK YOU, BECAUSE IT SERVES ALL OF US ON THE PLANET SO WELL FOR THE FUTURE.
I'M GONNA PUT, UH, I'M GONNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
ANY OF THESE STUDENTS WANNA SPEAK? ALL RIGHT.
IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND, YOU STILL GOT ANOTHER MINUTE.
THE ADULTS, ALSO THE TEACHERS OR JUST THE STUDENTS? WHATEVER YOU WANT, IF EVERYBODY CAN SHIFT TOWARDS THE CENTER.
[00:40:45]
OKAY, LOOK AT THIS CAMERA AGAIN.[PA 14 PROCLAMATION FOR ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE DANIEL MORGALO.]
14.PA 14, PROCLAMATION, ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE, DANIEL MARGAO, COMMISSIONER BOT DANNY, ASSISTANT CHIEF.
I WAS GONNA GET A WHOLE BAND HERE AND REALLY PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
SO I THINK YOU HEARD EARLIER IN THIS EVENING'S, UH, UM, PRESENTATION THAT THE ASSISTANT CHIEF MARGAO HAS A BEAUTIFUL SINGING VOICE, AND HE HAS GRACED THE CITY ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, UM, AND LEADING US OFF WITH GREAT DIGNITY AND HONOR, AND ALSO ON, ON KEY.
SO IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE BECAUSE THOSE ARE NOT, THAT'S NOT AN EASY SONG TO SING.
UM, BUT HE ALSO PLAYS IN A, IN A ROCK AND ROLL BAND.
SO, YOU KNOW, HE IS LIKE STRAIGHT LAED COP HERE, AND THEN LETS HIS WHAT USED TO BE HIS HAIR DOWN ON THE WEEKENDS.
SO, YOU KNOW, PRETTY, PRETTY COOL.
NO, I MEAN, LISTEN, HE'S WORKED HERE FOR 30 YEARS.
HE USED TO HAVE A LOT OF HAIR.
UM, SO LISTEN, WITH EVERY, UM, WITH EVERY CHANGE THERE SHIFTS HAPPEN.
AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE WONDERFUL NEWS OF US, UM, KEEPING CHIEF JONES, UM, IN HIS CURRENT ROLE FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS LED TO SOME DECISIONS THAT THAT ASSISTANT CHIEF MARGAO HAD TO MAKE.
AND, AND, UM, OUR LOSS IS DEERFIELD BEACH'S GAIN.
HE IS GOING OVER TO BECOME THEIR CHIEF OF POLICE, UM, TO CREATE THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, WERE YOU READY TO PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE THAT? YES, ACTUALLY, UH, THE, THE, THE CITY ANNOUNCED HEARD THE CITY OF DEERFIELD BEACH ANNOUNCED IT LAST NIGHT.
SO YES, IT'S, IT'S IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
MY, MY DAD AND STEPMOM LIVE THERE, SO, UH, TAKE CARE OF VERY GOOD CARE OF THEM.
OKAY, WELL, GOODNESS GRACIOUS.
UM, OKAY, WELL, ANYHOW, NOW IT'S REALLY OUT.
UM,
SO, UM, BUT THE FACT IS, ASSISTANT CHIEF MARGAO IS, HAS BEEN AN AMAZING PART OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND OUR LOSS IS DEERFIELD BEACHES GAIN, BECAUSE HE GETS TO BRING EVERYTHING HE HAS LEARNED ON THE JOB HERE, UM, AND EVERYTHING THAT, THAT, UM, HE HAS CREATED HERE TO ANOTHER CITY IN, IN FLORIDA, AND THEY WILL BE THE BENEFICIARIES.
AND BEFORE HE LEAVES, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ALL RECOGNIZED HIM.
I MEAN, WE'VE ALL ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LEARNING AND SAYING, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND GOODBYE.
UM, I THINK HE HAS BECOME A, A FRIEND TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
HE'S BEEN A, A FABULOUS AND IS A FABULOUS POLICE OFFICER, UM, AND LEADER IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO I WANTED TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE HIS SERVICE FOR, YOU KNOW, BEYOND THE CONFINES OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO, BOY, DID I JUST DO THAT?
BUT ANYHOW, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION, UM, AND AGAIN, WE'LL GET OUR LAST REMAINING COMMISSIONER TO SIGN IT AND THEN DELIVER IT TO YOU.
UM, CAN I JUST SAY A QUICK YEAH, PLEASE.
BEFORE YOU YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
FIRST OF ALL, UH, YOU'RE A HAVE BEEN A GREAT RESOURCE, UH, TO ME, UH, PERSONALLY, BUT CERTAINLY TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, I, I GIVE, IT'S SORT OF LIKE THE MILITARY WHEN IT'S, IT'S A TEAM GAME.
AND THE FACT THAT ANOTHER CITY HAS CHOSEN YOU SHOWS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT ABOUT OUR POLICE CHIEF WAYNE JONES AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT THEY REALIZE THAT THERE'S, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF THINGS REALLY WELL HERE IN MIAMI BEACH, AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'LL BE THE BENEFICIARIES,
[00:45:01]
UH, OF IT.BUT I THINK IT'S GREAT, UH, FOR OUR CITY, FOR THEIR CITY.
AND, UH, I KNOW, I KNOW WHERE EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE A BIG LOSS, WE HAVE A DEEP BENCH HERE, AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO BE ONE OF THE LEADING POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
BUT THIS IS ABOUT YOU AND WHAT YOU'VE OFFERED AND DONE FOR OUR CITY.
AND IT'S MORE THAN JUST YOUR VOICE.
HA OBVIOUSLY, YOU ROSE THE, THE RANKS YOU WERE RECENTLY HONORED, UM, BY AN ORGANIZATION THAT RABBI DECK, UH, UH, MINDY DECKER'S INVOLVED WITH THE FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE, WHICH AGAIN, SHOWS YOU, UH, OUTSIDE OF YOUR, YOUR JOB, YOU'RE OFFERING SO MUCH BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO YOU'LL BE, YOU'LL BE MISSED.
COMMISSIONER, UH, MONICA MATTO, SALINAS, ASSISTANT CHIEF MARGA, YOU, UH, THERE'S TRULY NO, I CANNOT PUT INTO WORDS HOW SPECIAL YOU ARE.
THANK YOU AS A PERSON AND AS AN OFFICER, AND AS, AS A CHIEF AND YOU, YOU ARE EVERYTHING THAT A POLICE CHIEF SHOULD BE.
I, I MEAN, YOU JUST INCREDIBLY TALENTED, INCREDIBLY RESPONSIVE, INCREDIBLY INFORMATIVE.
EVERY SINGLE TIME I'VE CALLED YOU, YOU'VE PICKED UP AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE.
AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU AND GETTING TO KNOW YOU, AND YOU WILL BE MISSED HERE IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES TO YOU IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND BREAKING NEWS.
UM, ACTUALLY, I DON'T LOVE THE BREAKING NEWS, UM, BUT I LOVED IT FOR YOU.
YOU'RE A COPS COMP, UH, AND YOU, YOU HAVE COMMANDED THE RESPECT OF, OF OUR OFFICERS, AND YOU HAVE DELIVERED, UH, GREAT RESULTS FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT ALL THE VARIOUS RANKS THAT YOU HAVE HELD OVER THE YEARS THAT I'VE WITNESSED YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE IN OUR CITY.
AND ALL THAT I CAN TELL YOU IS EXPRESSED TO YOU, IS THAT IS A DEEP GRATITUDE THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS FOR YOUR, UH, LONG AND LONG AND VERY HONORABLE SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR, AND YOUR NEW, UH, SERVICE.
THEIR OUR LOSS IS, IS THEIR GAIN, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY IS A BRIGHT NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU, UH, AND VERY PROUD AND GRATEFUL FOR YOU ALWAYS.
IF, IF I COULD JUST SAY A FEW BRIEF WORDS, UM, ASSISTANT CHIEF, YOU HAVE BEEN A STELLAR EXAMPLE OF WHAT A POLICE OFFICER AND A COMMANDER IN THIS MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD ASPIRE TO.
AND WE ARE ALL BETTER OFF FOR HAVING WORKED WITH YOU, HAVING KNOWN YOU AND HAVING WATCHED YOU LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A HOME HERE IN MIAMI BEACH, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH.
SO, UH, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO YOU, I'M GONNA MAKE YOU SQUIRM JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I WILL SAY THAT I DID NOT KNOW YOU AT ALL BEFORE.
I, I STARTED MY CAMPAIGN IN 2023, AND YOU WERE ONE OF THE FIRST POLICE OFFICERS I I HAD MET, UM, ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
AND YOU WERE SO KIND AND GRACIOUS AND WELCOMING AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S INTIMIDATING.
EVERYBODY ON THIS DAY KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO RUN FOR OFFICE.
WHERE'S LUIGI? HE'S, HE'S RUN, HE'S RUNNING AGAINST THIS YEAR.
UM, AND IT IS, IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.
IT IS A, IT IS AN INTIMIDATING THING TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE, AND YOU ARE SO KIND I KNOW WITH ME AND I'M SURE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND THAT JUST SPEAKS TO, TO WHO YOU ARE.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS DEERFIELD BEACH.
IT'S NOT EVEN IN JACKSONVILLE, LIKE, IT'S SO CLOSE.
YOU'LL BE DOWN HERE IN MARCH WHEN WE NEED SOME EXTRA SUPPORT.
WE'LL BE LIKE, DANNY, BRING YOUR BOYS DOWN.
BRING YOUR GIRLS DOWN, BRING YOUR TRUCKS DOWN, WE GOT YOU.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE BIT FURTHER APART THAN WE WOULD LIKE, BUT YOU'RE STILL, AND WE'LL ALWAYS BE PART OF THE FAMILY.
SO JUST FOR THOSE FOLKS IN, IN THE CROWD, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S COMPLICATED RUNNING A POLICE DEPARTMENT HERE BECAUSE WE'RE 82,000 FULL-TIME RESIDENTS HERE, UM, RIGHT NOW, AND ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, WE'RE HALF A MILLION PEOPLE AND WE HAVE ABOUT 12 MILLION PEOPLE COMING THROUGH A YEAR.
AND SO IMAGINE LIKE ONE DAY ON TUESDAY, YOU'RE LIKE A NORMAL SMALL TOWN ON A BEACH, AND, YOU KNOW, A WEEK LATER ON A SATURDAY, YOU'VE GOT THE SUPER BOWL HOST PARTY HERE.
AND IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT THAN MOST POLICE OFFICER'S CAREERS.
AND SO IT'S A REAL CHALLENGE, UM, AND A REAL OPPORTUNITY.
AND YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN DEFINED BY OPERATIONAL DISCIPLINE AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMMITMENT TO OFFICER SAFETY AND RESIDENT AND VISITOR SAFETY AND YOUR EXEMPLARY IN GUIDING THE DEPARTMENT THROUGH MODERN MAJOR MODERNIZATION EFFORTS.
[00:50:01]
UM, LIKE SO MANY ACRONYMS, I CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN THEM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE BODY-WORN CAMERAS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S DOING THEIR JOB CORRECTLY.AND IF THERE'S ANY ISSUE, I MEAN, THAT'S LIKE THE MOST ACCESSIBLE THING FOR ALL OF US TO UNDERSTAND.
AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE DRONES THAT WE JUST STARTED USING IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WHICH KEEP OUR POLICE OFFICERS SAFE BECAUSE THEY CAN GO INTO A HOT ZONE KNOWING WHAT THEY'RE FACING.
AND SO IT IS A MUCH BETTER OUTCOME.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING IN BLIND, NOT TO MENTION OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR VISITORS, UM, UH, FEMA CERTIFIED MASTER EXERCISE PRACTITIONER WITH OVER 17 YEARS EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING AND FACILITATING, UM, PREPAREDNESS EXERCISES ACROSS LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, WHICH DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A BIG DEAL UNTIL YOU'RE THE MIDDLE OF AN, AN EMERGENCY, A HURRICANE EVACUATION.
AND IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT SOMEBODY HERE KNOWS HOW TO DO THINGS.
AND THANKFULLY MANY PEOPLE ON OUR STAFF AT CITY HALL AND IN OUR POLICE AND FIRE KNOW HOW TO DO THINGS.
BUT THESE ARE SERIOUS PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS, AND NOT EVERYBODY CHOOSES TO ADVANCE THEIR KNOWLEDGE BASE AND PUT IT INTO PRACTICE.
AND AGAIN, IT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND HOW YOU PROCEED.
AND BEYOND ALL THOSE THINGS, AND I MEAN, AGAIN, THIS LIKE JOHN STEWART, YOU COULD GO ON FOR DAYS ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE DOING HERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE, WHICH TOUCHES ON WHAT I MADE, COMMENTS I MADE ABOUT KIDS LEARNING TO BE MINDFUL AND NAVIGATING THIS COMPLICATED WORLD, ANOTHER THING THAT YOU HAVE DONE IS YOU'VE BEEN AN INCREDIBLE ADVOCATE FOR NEURODIVERSITY AND, UM, INCLUSIVITY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL AS A WORLD ARE TRYING TO NAVIGATE AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT IT.
SO IT'S, IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT.
UM, ADVANCING THE MISSION OF AUTISM SPEAKS CHAMPIONING INCLUSION ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, AND, UH, PARTNERING WITH UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI CENTER FOR AUTISM AND RELATED DISABILITIES TO DELIVER AUTISM IDENTIFICATION AND AWARENESS TRAINER TRAINING FOR FIRST RESPONDERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO THAT IF SOMEBODY IS ACTING A LITTLE SQUIRRELY OR UNUSUAL IN SOME WAY, INSTEAD OF PEOPLE HAVING A NEGATIVE REACTION THINKING, OH, THIS PERSON IS CRAZY OR DANGEROUS, YOU CAN RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SAY, OH, THIS PERSON NEEDS TO BE APPROACHED DIFFERENTLY.
AND THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
SO WE COULD GO ON AGAIN FOR DAYS, BUT I WON'T.
UM, I AM GOING TO GIVE THE PRO MAKE THE PROCLAMATION, THEN I'M GONNA TURN OVER TO YOU TWO FINE GENTLEMEN.
SO, UM, WE PROUDLY RECOGNIZE ALL THE SERVICES YOU HAVE, SERVICE YOU HAVE GIVEN TO THE CITY, YOUR FAMILY AND LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS HAVE GIVEN BY EXTENSION.
SO WITH SLIGHTLY BROKEN HEART.
NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 6TH, 2026 AS ASSISTANT CHIEF DANIEL MORGA DAY.
ALRIGHT, UM, YES, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME SAY A FEW WORDS.
LOOK, I, UM, USUALLY WHEN PEOPLE COME TO THE PODIUM, THEY WANNA SAY SOMETHING.
UM, MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THIS.
UM, I ALWAYS THOUGHT I'D LOSE DANNY.
HE WAS ANXIOUS ABOUT HER FOR A COUPLE YEARS THINKING THAT HE'D BE DISCOVERED BY AMERICAN IDOL.
UM, BUT, UM, THIS IS JUST THE NEXT BEST THING.
I, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, DANNY DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT IMAGINE I SPEAK A LOT ABOUT THE TALENT WE HAVE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
AND, AND, UM, HE KNOWS ALL ABOUT DANNY'S AND, AND HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND HIS, HIS TRAINING.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THE FACT THAT HE'S A MASTER TRAINER, WELL RECOGNIZED ABOUT THE COUNTRY MUCH LESS THE, THE COUNTY IN, IN THE REGION.
UM, MENTIONED THE FACT HE'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, HAS BEEN THE FACE AND FUNDRAISING FOR AUTISM.
UM, WHICH IS SOMETHING HE DOESN'T HAVE TO DO BUT DOES, BECAUSE HE CARES.
UH, HE MENTIONED THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, HERE WE'VE HAD A WONDERFUL, SUCCESSFUL ORGANIZATION.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT THAT SUCCESS REALLY IS BECAUSE OF WORK HE'S DONE.
HE'S BEEN IN CHARGE OF OPERATIONS DIVISION FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.
HALF OF THAT, UM, IS OUR PATROL DIVISION.
EVERYBODY IN UNIFORM REPORTED TO HIM.
AND SO THE FOLKS OUT THERE DOING HEAVY LIFTING EVERY DAY, UM, MAKING THINGS HAPPEN, KEEPING THE CITY SAFE IS BECAUSE OF HIS DIRECT LEADERSHIP.
THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND WHEN HE GOES, UM, TO, UH, TO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
HE'S TAKEN OVER BUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP, WHICH I THINK IS MONUMENTAL.
UM, THIS IS NOT, MY MIND IS GONNA BE A WELL RAN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I THINK HE'S GONNA PRODUCE EXECUTIVES LIKE, UM, LIKE HIMSELF, PEOPLE WHO WILL LEAD OTHER POLICE ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE NATION.
I'M PROUD OF YOU AND GOD BLESS, GOOD LUCK.
SO, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF, I'M GONNA ACTUALLY GIVE YOU, UH, A LAW AND ORDER AWARD.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS OUTING, COMMISSIONER BOT.
AND, UH, WE, AND I HEAR THIS FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT I EVEN HEARD IT FROM, UH, I BELIEVE OUR POLICE CHIEF
[00:55:01]
MENTIONED TO ME RECENTLY THAT HE HEARD IT FROM OTHERS OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY, NOT IN ANOTHER DISTANT, FAR AWAY IN OUR COUNTRY THAT MIAMI BEACH IS KNOWN AS A LAW AND ORDER CITY.SO I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU AS WELL.
UM, MR. MAYOR, I'M TRY, I'M GONNA TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS WITHOUT, UH, GETTING EMOTIONAL, BUT, UM, IT BECOMES DIFFICULT WHEN YOU SPENT LITERALLY HALF YOUR LIFE SERVING A COMMUNITY AND, UH, AND DOING IT, UM, AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL POSSIBLE, WANTING TO BE AS GOOD AS YOU CAN AT YOUR JOB BECAUSE YOU FEEL THAT SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COMMUNITY, TO YOUR PEERS, TO THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, I'M EXTREMELY HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HAS DONE FOR ME.
UM, I WANT TO THANK CHIEF JONES FOR HAVING THE CONFIDENCE IN ME TO PROMOTE ME TO HIS EXECUTIVE TEAM AND, AND HONOR ME WITH ALLOWING ME TO LEAD, UM, AN AMAZING GROUP OF, OF PEOPLE, NOT JUST POLICE OFFICERS, BUT HUMAN BEINGS IN GENERAL, BECAUSE WE HAVE AMAZING PEOPLE WORKING IN THIS CITY.
THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO BE A POLICE OFFICER, AND IT IS A LEARNING LEADERSHIP LABORATORY THAT HELPS EACH AND EVERY MEMBER OF THIS TEAM GET BETTER EVERY DAY.
UM, YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST BECAME A CAPTAIN, ALMOST A DECADE AGO, UH, WE COINED THE TERM, UM, BOUTIQUE POLICING OR CONCIERGE COPS BECAUSE EVERYONE IN MIAMI BEACH IS A VIP AND DESERVES TO GET THE WHITE GLOVE TREATMENT.
AND THAT HAS BECOME WHAT THIS ORGANIZATION TRIES TO DO.
WE TRY TO BE AS RESPONSIVE AS POSSIBLE.
WE TRY TO FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT MATTER MOST TO THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AS A TEAM.
I, I ABSOLUTELY WANT TO THANK MY WIFE WHO'S BACK THERE AND MY KIDS, UM, BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN AROUND AND, AND SIGNED UP AND RODE THIS ROLLERCOASTER FOR THE LAST, UH, 20 PLUS YEARS.
SO THAT IS THE HARDEST JOB IN THE WORLD TO BE THE PERSON THAT LOVES SOMEONE WHO DOES THIS JOB, BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THAT PHONE IS GONNA RING OR WHEN SOMETHING'S GONNA HAPPEN.
SO I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
UM, AND I'M JUST HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT I'VE LEARNED, FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT I'VE HAD HERE, AND EXCITED AT WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS AND WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, WITH THE NEW DEERFIELD BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S ALWAYS GONNA HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART, AND EVERY CORNER IN EVERY BUILDING HAS A MEMORY OF SOMETHING THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST ALMOST 27 YEARS.
[01:00:09]
YES.[PA 1 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING DR. GERSHON FINK FOR COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS AND VOLUNTEER SERVICE.]
ONE, PA ONE PROCLAMATION, DR.GARON FINK, COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS AND VOLUNTEER SERVICE.
SO I'M, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA SPEAK DIRECT 'CAUSE I, I KNOW I, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO CALL DR.
FINK 'CAUSE I USUALLY CALL YOU HUN AND I SEE YOUR LOVELY WIFE IN THE CROWD AND YOUR KIDS AS WELL, WHICH IS AWESOME.
UM, SO LEMME JUST TELL A QUICK STORY ABOUT DR.
LITERALLY, ALMOST EVERY TIME I RUN INTO YOU ON THE STREET IN SYNAGOGUE, YOU, YOU HAVE AN IDEA.
YOU'RE TELLING ME AN IDEA ABOUT HOW TO SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES.
AND OBVIOUSLY I WANT TO HEAR IT FROM YOU, BUT YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE A PART OF OUR EMERGENCY SYSTEM HERE AT MIAMI BEACH THAT YOU VOLUNTEER FOR THE CERT.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE A PHYSICIAN.
YOU THE STOP THE BLEED, WHICH BEFORE I WAS EVER EVEN INVOLVED IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, I WAS ATTENDING YOUR CLASSES.
'CAUSE GOD FORBID IF SOMEONE IS IN A, AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, THAT YOU'RE TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO STOP THE BLEEDING TO BE ABLE TO STALL ENOUGH TIME FOR EMERGENCY HELP TO ARRIVE.
BUT YOU, IT'S ALWAYS, YOU'RE ALWAYS, I, YOU, YOU, I ALWAYS HEAR TALKING ABOUT HURRICANES OR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO, FOR WHAT YOU OFFER.
AND WHAT'S INCREDIBLE IS YOU'VE PROBABLY SAVED LIVES THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT.
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY ONCE YOU TEACH SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CARRIES IT ON.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A, UH, SUCH A, UM, RESPECTED MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT ALL YOU'VE DONE, I DIDN'T EVEN GET INTO DURING COVID THAT YOU WERE FIELDING CALLS ALL DAY LONG.
BUT THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR WHO YOU ARE.
UM, MAYOR STEVE MINOR AND ALL THE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE WHO LEAD THIS CITY THAT WE LOVE SO MUCH.
UM, I REALLY, TRULY THANK GOD FOR PUTTING ME IN A POSITION, UH, TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE BACK SERVICE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, ALL MY CHILDREN WERE BORN HERE.
UM, UH, MY WIFE AND I, UH, BUILD OUR FAMILY HERE.
UM, I HAVE, UH, A COUPLE OF MY KIDS HERE.
UM, UH, TALIA ACTUALLY JUST FINISHED A CERT CLASS, UM, HERE WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
SO, UH, SHE'S ONE OF OUR, UH, NEWER, UH, CERT MEMBERS HERE.
UM, WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY WIFE MIRIAM, UH, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID, BUT ALSO, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
UM, REALLY, UH, SHE'S THE ONE THAT NOT JUST IS OKAY WITH ME JUST DISAPPEARING OR, UH, JUST LEAVING ON SHORT NOTICE, UH, TAKING EMERGENCY VOLUNTEER FLIGHTS TO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, UH, BRINGING PEOPLE HOME TO FLORIDA, UH, WHO ARE STUCK IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
UM, BUT SHE'S NOT JUST OKAY WITH IT.
SHE'S THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY PUSHES ME TO GO.
UM, AND SHE MOTIVATES ME A LOT.
SO, UM, SO SPECIAL THANKS TO MIRIAM.
UM, SPECIAL THANKS TO MY KIDS, ITALIA AND ALL THE KIDS WHO ARE, UH, OUT OF THE STATE RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT, UH, IT'S REALLY, TRULY A PLEASURE, PLEASURE TO BE, UH, SERVICING THE COMMUNITY HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
AND I JUST WANNA MENTION ALSO THAT MY MENTOR, UM, THAT I REALLY ASK, UH, FOR EVERY STEP ALONG THE WAY WHEN I DO THINGS.
UH, ROBIN JACOBS IS HERE, AND I JUST WANNA GIVE HER A BIG THANK YOU ALSO BECAUSE, UH, SHE'S AN INCREDIBLE PERSON, UH, THAT I REALLY LOOK UP TO.
I WAS GONNA MENTION ROBIN AND DR.
THIS IS A LONG PROCLAMATION AND I MENTIONED SOME OF IT, BUT I'M GONNA READ THE LAST TWO PARAGRAPHS.
FINK'S DEDICATION TO LIFESAVING CARE EXTENDS FROM THE SKIES TO OUR LOCAL STREETS, SERVING AS A FLIGHT PHYSICIAN FOR HOT SOLAR AIR.
NOW, IF PEOPLE ON SAH IS A VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE AIRPLANES THAT, OR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CRITICAL MEDICAL NEED, CANNOT, TRANS CANNOT TRAVEL THROUGH ME.
UH, ROUTINE FLIGHTS, SAH AIR OFFERS THAT SERVICE S AIR ON COMPLEX INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS FOR CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PROVIDING VITAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES THROUGH OLA SOUTH FLORIDA AND MIAMI BEACH.
THROUGH HIS EXCEPTIONAL MEDICAL EXPERTISE AND TIRELESS SERVICE, DR.
GER FINK HAS PLAYED AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN MI, MAKING MIAMI BEACH A SAFER AND MORE PREPARED COMMUNITY.
AND THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH RECOGNIZES HIM FOR HIS PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS.
NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE AS THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 6TH, 2026 AS DR. GARRISON
[01:05:01]
FINK DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.[PA 5 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING SID DANIELS FOR HIS STUNNING, UNIQUE, AND EXCELLENT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ARTS AND FASHION.]
PA FIVE, PA FIVE PROCLAMATION, SID DANIELS STUNNING AND ELEGANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO ARTS AND FASHION.THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
AND SID, IF YOU'D COME AND JOIN US AT THE, AT THE PODIUM.
AND, UH, IT'S MY HONOR TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TONIGHT TO, TO, TO SIT ON BEHALF OF, OF OUR COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER LAURA DOMINGUEZ, WHO UNFORTUNATELY, UH, ISN'T ABLE TO, UH, TO, TO JOIN US TODAY.
BUT SID'S WORK IS, UH, IS SO UNIQUELY MIAMI BEACH.
IT'S VIBRANT, IT'S EXPRESSIVE, IT'S GLAMOROUS, IT'S ARCHITECTURAL, IT'S FULL OF PERSONALITY, AND ALL YOU, YOU HAVE TO DO IS FOLLOW HIS INSTAGRAM, UH, PAGE TO, TO, TO REALIZE THAT HIS, THAT HIS ART, UH, CAPTURES THE SPIRIT AND THE ENERGY OF OUR COMMUNITY IN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL AND, AND DISTINCTIVE WAY.
AND, UM, SID HAS BEEN A LONG TIME MEMBER OF OUR, OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THROUGH DECADES OF ARTISTIC, UH, ACHIEVEMENTS, EXHIBITIONS AROUND THE WORLD, AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO MIAMI BEACH'S VERY CREATIVE AND ARTISTIC IDENTITY.
SID HAS HELPED ENRICH THE CULTURAL FABRIC OF MIAMI BEACH AND REMIND US OF HOW IMPORTANT THE ARTS ARE TO THE SOUL OF OUR CITY.
SYD, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, WHO REALLY WANTED TO BE HERE TODAY TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, UH, FOR YOUR ONGOING ART EXHIBIT AT THE, AT THE, AT THE, THE JEWISH MUSEUM, AT THE JEWISH MUSEUM OF SOUTH FLORIDA.
IF YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, ABOUT YOUR, YOUR, ABOUT YOUR EXHIBIT.
WELL, MY EXHIBIT IS A, UM, IT HAS IT'S WORK THAT I CREATED IN MIAMI BEACH.
UM, I TRIED TO REINVENT MYSELF WHEN I CAME HERE, BUT IN 20, UH, 2009 THROUGH THE PRESENT, I CREATED A BODY OF WORK THAT'S VERY CONTEMPORARY.
AND, UM, I REALLY CONCENTRATED ON THAT WHILE DURING THE LAST, UM, 20 YEARS.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S, UH, AN HONOR TO, UH, TO BE HONORED HERE, UM, BY ALL OF YOU AND RECOGNIZING ME.
I'M JUST LIKE SPEECHLESS AND, UM, DUNNO WHAT TO, WHAT TO SAY.
WELL, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, SAY I TELL YOU YOUR, YOUR, THE ART THAT YOU POST ON INSTAGRAM, YOUR PAGE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PAGES TO FOLLOW.
AND I COMMENT CONSTANTLY COMMENTS ON, ON, ON WHAT YOU, ON WHAT YOU PUT THERE, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS REFLECTIVE OF ARCHITECTURAL ART.
BUT ALSO, UH, THE INSPIRATION ON ART DECO IS ARCHITECTURAL AS GEOMETRIC, AND IT REALLY IS BEAUTIFUL.
IT PICKS UP ON, ON SO MUCH OF THOSE SCULPTURAL LINES OF OUR ART DECO COMMUNITY AND, AND THE MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN THAT YOU SO VIVIDLY DISPLAY IN YOUR ART.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR ELEVATING US AND FOR YOUR CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO MIAMI BEACH, AND ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE PRESENT HERE TODAY, ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, WHO, WHO, WHO TRULY WANTED TO BE HERE TODAY, IT'S OUR HONOR TO DECLARE MAY 6TH, 2026 TO FOREVER BE KNOWN AS SID DANIELS DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
[01:10:20]
THANK YOU.THANK, UM, MY EXHIBIT IS RUNNING, UH, FROM NOW THROUGH AUGUST THE 30TH FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO COME.
I HAVE 40 PAINTINGS AND, AND ILLUSTRATIONS REAL FROM FASHION AND, UM, ART DECO INSPIRED, I THINK YOU'LL REALLY ENJOY IT.
THAT'S A 3 0 1 WASHINGTON AVENUE.
[PA 6 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING TIM CARR FOR HIS EXCEPTIONAL CIVIC SERVICE AND ATHLETICISM.]
SIX, PA SIX PROCLAMATION.TIM CARR, EXCEPTIONAL CIVIC SERVICE AND ATHLETIC PROWESS, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
AND IT, AGAIN, IS SUCH AN HONOR TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TONIGHT.
I THINK, NOT ONLY TO A FRIEND, TO, TO ALL OF US, BUT TO A LEADER THAT SO MANY OF US, UH, AT ADMIRE, BECAUSE TIM TRULY REPRESENTS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT OUR, OUR COMMUNITY, UH, COMBINED WITH YOUR PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS, YOUR, YOUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENTS, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ADVOCACY, BUT YOU'RE ALSO YOUR, YOUR, YOUR PERSONAL DISCIPLINE INTO, INTO A LIFE OF, OF SERVICE AND OF POSITIVE IMPACT.
UH, WHETHER IT'S HELPING ADVANCE IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL AND NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES, OR REPRESENTING OUR CITY IN, UH, ATHLETIC COMPETITIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND, AND, AND AROUND THE, THE WORLD.
YOU DO SO WITH ENERGY, YOU DO SO WITH INTEGRITY AND TRULY A VERY COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT.
ALWAYS, UM, PEOPLE LIKE YOU, TIM, HELP STRENGTHEN OUR CITY.
UH, NOT ONLY, UM, BECAUSE YOU, YOU CARE, BUT BECAUSE YOU REALLY, TRULY MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE EVERY DAY WITH HOW GENEROUS YOU ARE WITH YOUR TIME AND WITH YOUR TALENT TO OUR CITY.
SO ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONER LAURA DOMINGUEZ WHO CAN'T JOIN US TODAY, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU SAID, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COMMISSION, ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF WEST AVENUE, WHO YOU SERVE, IS OUR HONOR TO DECLARE TODAY MAY 6TH, 2026, TO FOREVER BE KNOWN AS TIM CARDAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
IT'S A REAL HONOR AND A REAL PLEASURE.
AGAIN, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I'VE ENJOYED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WORKING WITH YOU ALL BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU ALL ARE STRONG ADVOCATES AND REALLY LISTEN TO WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO AS A COMMUNITY.
AND THE SAME TIME, I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE MY HUSBAND, BILL, BECAUSE DURING ALL THIS ADVOCACY AND TIME, A VOLUNTEER EFFORT, IT DOES TAKE AWAY FROM OTHER THINGS.
BUT HE ALSO IS MY NUMBER ONE CHEERLEADER WHEN I GO TO THESE EVENTS BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY TAKEN THE BANDWAGON.
I'M SO PROUD FIRST, UH, COMMISSIONER BOT FOR THE BLUE ZONE INITIATIVE BECAUSE I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT, BUT ALSO ABOUT THE WHOLE HEALTH, WELLNESS AND INITIATIVE AND I INITIATIVE YOU'VE TAKEN THIS LAST MARCH INTO APRIL.
EVERYTHING YOU DID IS WHAT THIS CITY REALLY IS ALL ABOUT BECAUSE IT'S IN OUR OWN BACKYARD.
SO I'M JUST PART OF THAT STORY AND I'M VERY EXCITED AT MY AGE TO STILL BE GOING STRONG AND HELP HOPEFULLY BE A ROLE MODEL FOR OTHERS TO NEVER STOP MOVING.
KEEP GOING, AND REALLY APPRECIATE AGAIN, THIS HONOR TODAY.
AND TIM, YOU, UM, DURING, UH, HIGH ROCKS YES.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
UM, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 2019, WHEN THEY DID THE VERY FIRST EVENT AT THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER.
AFTER I FINISHED THAT EVENT, I TOLD MY TRAINER FRIEND, I SAID, I THINK THIS IS MY SPORT.
AND ACTUALLY THAT PERFORMANCE THEN QUALIFIED ME FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, UH, A YEAR AND A HALF LATER AFTER COVID D.
SO I'VE QUALIFIED FOR THE WORLD SIX TIMES NOW.
UH, ONE YEAR I BACKED OUT FOR A NEPHEW'S, UH, UH, HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, BUT THE OTHER FIVE TIMES, FOUR OUT OF FIVE, I MADE THE PODIUM.
SO HOPEFULLY I PLAN TO DO THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR IN STOCKHOLM IN JUNE.
IF I CAN JUST, UH, TIM, DON'T GO AWAY YET.
OBVIOUSLY, YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR WEST AVENUE NOW LEADING, UH, SOY WEST, UM, SINCE I, SINCE I GOT ELECTED, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, UH, A LEADING VOICE,
[01:15:01]
UH, FOR THE WEST AVENUE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND YOU'VE MADE IT BETTER.YOU'VE MADE THE PROJECTS BETTER.
UM, THE, THE RESILIENCY AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, UH, YOU AND, AND, AND YOUR BOARD AND, AND, AND OTHERS HAVE REALLY SHAPED THAT AND YOUR ATHLETICISM.
I REMEMBER WHEN YOU TOLD ME HOW OLD YOU ARE, AND I'M NOT GONNA REVEAL IT.
IF YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN, BUT PEOPLE WOULD BE SHOCKED.
BUT CLEARLY YOUR, YOUR FITNESS, UH, CERTAINLY HAS, HAS HELPED AND IMPACTED.
AND, AND, AND, AND IT WAS A LOT OF WORK.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING ALL OF US.
AND, AND FOR, FOR THE, UH, OBVIOUSLY YOU MENTIONED COMMISSIONER BACH FOR THE BLUE ZONES AND, AND THE, AND THE LEADERSHIP.
WE ALL TOOK AND BRINGING THOSE EVENTS, BUT IT REALLY IS A BIG PART OF RESIDENTS LIKE YOURSELF WHO HAD SUCH A FOCUS ON FITNESS AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS THAT I THINK SHAPED WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AS A CITY.
LET'S KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING.
MR. MAYOR, COMMISSIONER MONICA, MATHIS, SALINAS.
TIM, REAL QUICK, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I'M JUST SO IMPRESSED BY YOU AND HOW ORGANIZED YOU ARE AND HOW MUCH YOU GIVE TO OUR CITY AND YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND FRANKLY, I'M A LITTLE BIT JEALOUS OF HOW FIT YOU ARE.
SOMEDAY I WILL GET TO YOUR LEVEL,
IT'LL TAKE ME A COUPLE MORE YEARS, BUT I'M, YOU'RE SUCH, I, I LOOK UP TO YOU SO MUCH.
I MEAN, YOU'RE REALLY, TRULY SOMEONE WHO'S JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU REPRESENT MIAMI BEACH AND OUR COMMUNITY AND SO WELL.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, TIM, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH.
YOU ARE WHAT MAKE THIS PLACE SO SPECIAL.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
OH, COMMISSIONER BACH, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED THE ASSISTANT CHIEF MARLOS, THE FIRST POLICE OFFICER I MET WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
AND I THINK YOU AND SOME OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS AT THE TIME WERE THE FIRST ACTIVIST RESIDENTS WHO I HADN'T ALREADY KNOWN THROUGH MY ACTIVISM, UM, WHO I MET WITH TO SORT OF TEST THE WATERS.
AND YOU WERE SO WELL PREPARED ON THE ISSUES AND SO DIRECT AND SO, UH, MAGNANIMOUS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS WHEN YOU RUN FOR OFFICE, YOU DON'T KNOW ALL THE THINGS ABOUT ALL THE THINGS.
YOU JUST, THERE'S NO WAY, EVEN AS A, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, IT'S HARD TO KNOW ALL THE THINGS ABOUT ALL THE THINGS.
AND SO IT WAS PART OF EDUCATION, IT WAS PART, UM, ENCOURAGEMENT, IT WAS PART, YOU KNOW, GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND TRYING TO GAUGE THE, THE, THE CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE IN FRONT OF US.
AND, UM, I THINK WE'VE DEVELOPED A REALLY WONDERFUL FRIENDSHIP AND WORKING RELATIONSHIP AS A RESULT.
AND I ECHO EVERYTHING MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID.
AND I WILL SAY, AS YOU KNOW, IN MARKETING, YOU ARE, YOU ARE TAUGHT, RULE NUMBER ONE IS NEVER OVER PROMISE AND UNDER DELIVER.
SO I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW FOR THE BLUE ZONES, YOU KNOW, RESULTS NOT GUARANTEED.
UM, WE'RE NOT ALL GONNA END UP BEING TIM CARR IN TERMS OF FITNESS, BUT YOU ARE, YOU SHOULD BE OUR MASCOT BECAUSE BLUE ZONES IS SO MUCH MORE THAN FITNESS AND EXERCISE, BUT IT'S ENGAGEMENT AND, AND, AND COMMUNITY AND, UM, BUILDING THINGS AROUND YOU THROUGH PEOPLE AND PASSION AND CARE.
AND THAT EMBODIES WHO YOU ARE.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU AND THANK YOU BILL, FOR PUTTING UP WITH ALL OF US.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, AT THE END OF THE WEST AVENUE PROJECT, WE'LL BE RECOGNIZING TIM WITH AN HONORARY, GENERAL CONTRACTOR AND PROJECTS MANAGER LICENSE,
ALRIGHT, LET'S TAKE A, LET'S GO.
LISTEN, WE ALL JUST PUT UP SITTING TWO, ONE.
[PA 12 CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION FOR MIAMI BEACH SENIOR HIGH STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHER FOR PLACING FIRST IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY FOR ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST AND EARNING SECOND IN THE NATIONAL COMPETITION IN WASHINGTON DC.]
12, PA 12, CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, MIAMI BEACH, SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND TEACHER PARTICIPATION IN ACADEMIC WORLD QUEST COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.I KNOW, BUT TODAY I AM DOING THIS ON BEHALF, ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMISSIONER, UH, LAURA DOMINGUEZ.
AND IT'S TRULY AN HONOR TO PRESENT THESE CERTIFICATES ON, ON HER BEHALF, NOT ONLY, UH, TO MR. RUSS RIDEWELL, WELCOME, UH, BUT ALSO TO TO TO TO THE STUDENTS.
BUT RUSS, WHAT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS, UH, ACHIEVED IS TRULY EXTRAORDINARY.
LEADING MIAMI BEACH SENIOR HIGH TO THE FIRST PLACE, FIRST PLACE, SECOND IN MIAMI DADE, SECOND IN THE NATION, SECOND IN THE NATION.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
[01:20:01]
NOT ONLY, THIS SPEAKS NOT ONLY TO THE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, BUT ALSO TO THE POWER OF MENTORSHIP, TO THE POWER OF DISCIPLINE AND, UH, AND TO THE BELIEF THAT YOU HAVE IN OUR YOUTH AND THE, AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF, OF MIAMI BEACH.AND ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IN A, IN A WORLD THAT OFTEN, UH, FOCUSES ON OUR CHALLENGES, THIS IS A REMINDER OF THE INCREDIBLE TALENT THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE IN MIAMI BEACH.
THANK YOU FOR INVESTING YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR INVESTING YOUR ENERGY, AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR BRINGING SUCH GREAT HONOR AND ELEVATING MIAMI BEACH ON THE NATIONAL STAGE.
SO, RUSS, IF YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG MEETING.
UM, FIRST I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK THE, UH, ACADEMIC WORLD COUNCIL OF WHICH, UH, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ IS A BOARD MEMBER FOR MAKING THIS ALL POSSIBLE.
THE STUDENTS IN THEIR DC TRIP, THEY HAD TO VISIT TWO EMBASSIES, THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BANK, UM, AND THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE.
SO IT WAS QUITE A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
UH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THE KIDS' NAMES SO IT'S OFFICIALLY IN THE RECORD.
'CAUSE I THINK IF THEY DESERVE IT, THIS IS VANDER LEE, CHASE GOLDBERG, JONATHAN TOLEDO, AND LONDON BRUNEY.
UM, I, I WON'T GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THE CONTEST, BUT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, THERE ARE TEAMS THAT HAVE BEEN PRACTICING SINCE NOVEMBER AND STUDYING.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER, BACK IN THE SCHOOL TAKING TESTS, UH, I GAVE THESE GUYS OVER 20 PRACTICE TESTS.
THEY TOOK TESTS IN THE FINANCIAL TIMES, THEY WROTE TESTS FOR EACH OTHER.
THEY DID DETAILED HANDWRITTEN NOTES, AND THEY CAME FROM BEHIND TO FINISH, SECOND IN THE NATION.
SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY DARN GOOD.
NOW, RUSSELL, LET ME ASK YOU, THIS.
LAST YEAR THEY PARTICIPATED AS WELL, LAST YEAR.
BUT WHERE WERE THEY LAST YEAR? LAST YEAR WE WON MIAMI-DADE AND WE FINISHED ABOUT HALFWAY UP THE LADDER AND NATIONAL SAY THAT I ONLY BECAUSE WE HAD NEVER BEEN THERE, THAT, AND, AND FOR THIS YEAR TO BE SECOND IN THE NATION, THAT IS QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT AND SOMETHING TO BE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF.
SUCH BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
THANK YOU COM COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS.
SO I STOOD HERE ABOUT A YEAR AGO AS A SHAGGY HAIRED SOPHOMORE SAYING THAT WE WERE GONNA COME BACK AND WIN THE DISTRICT AGAIN.
SO I'M REALLY HONORED TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD FROM YOU GUYS.
UM, LAURA DOMINGUEZ, MAYOR MINOR, UM, AND THE COMMITTEE IN GENERAL.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA SAY THE SAME THING AS LAST YEAR.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE OUT TO WIN NEXT YEAR AND WE'RE, WE WANT TO COME FOR EVEN MORE, EVEN MORE GLORY IN THE NATION.
AND I REALLY WANT TO, UM, THANK MY TEACHER, MR. RAEL.
I REALLY WANT TO THANK, UM, YOU KNOW, MIGHTY B, SENIOR HIGH, MR. ROSN, AND JUST THE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR GIVING ME SUCH OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW AS A PERSON.
UM, I WASN'T HERE LAST YEAR LIKE THESE GUYS WERE, BUT I WANNA SAY I'VE BEEN HONORED TO TAKE VANDER SPOT AS THE RESIDENT SOPHOMORE ON THE TEAM, AND AS HE'S A JUNIOR NOW, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT NOT ONLY WILL WE BE, WILL WE BE BACK NEXT YEAR, I'LL ALSO BE BACK TWO YEARS FROM NOW.
AND AS, JUST AS THEY FOUND ME WHEN I WAS A SOPHOMORE, I WILL ALSO FIND OTHER PEOPLE TO KEEP THE MIAMI BEACH LEGACY GOING.
HELLO, MY NAME'S LONDON BRUNEY.
ME AND JONATHAN TOLEDO HERE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, SINCE OUR SOPHOMORE YEAR.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE ODE TO A PHILOSOPHICAL DEVICE, THE SHIP OF THESEUS.
OUR IDENTITY AS STUDENTS AT IVY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN ONE OF WONDERS.
WE HAVE CONSTANTLY BUILT UPON EACH OTHER BECOMING A GREATER AND GREATER MACHINE.
AND YET AS US SENIORS ARE LEAVING THE SHIP, APHESIS STILL KEEPS RUNNING US.
A WQ WILL GO TO GET NATIONALS AGAIN AND KEEP IMPROVING AND WIN FROM IB SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
AS YOU CAN TELL, THEY'RE FROM THE SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM
YEAH, I'D LIKE, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.
WE'VE SEEN EACH OTHER A LOT THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT EVENTS, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
YOU'RE A FANTASTIC TEACHER AT BEACH HIGH, AND THANK YOU.
YOU DO SO WELL BY OUR, OUR STUDENTS.
AND GENTLEMEN, YOU, YOU ARE, I'M SO, SO, SO PROUD OF YOU ALL, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE MADE BEACH HIGH.
YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE SCHOOL IS JUST SO INCREDIBLY PROUD.
YOUR TEACHERS, THE PRINCIPAL ADMINISTRATION, YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL AND MIAMI BEACH IS PROUD OF YOU.
PLEASE KNOW THAT WE'RE SO, SO PROUD OF YOU, AND NEXT YEAR COME BACK AND WIN IT ALL.
THANK YOU, COMM COMMISSIONER, BOT.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S THIS NARRATIVE FLOATING AROUND IN SOME QUARTERS THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
[01:25:01]
ISN'T WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE.AND I SAY, HAVE YOU BEEN RECENTLY? HAVE YOU TALKED TO THE STUDENTS? CLEARLY THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, NOT THE STUDENTS.
THE PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT, THAT NONSENSE NARRATIVE.
UM, THE SECOND THING, I, I HAD TO LAUGH BECAUSE AS SOON AS YOU STARTED MAKING REFERENCE TO THE SHIP, LIKE EVERYBODY BEHIND YOU IS JUST LIKE, OH BOY, HERE WE GO.
LIKE CLEARLY, LIKE I'VE NEVER SEEN A BETTER EXAMPLE OF WHAT TEAM IS THAN THAT LITTLE DYNAMIC.
SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT MOMENT WITH US.
AND I, YOU KNOW, THE, WHAT I SAID EARLIER IN THE DAY TO THE OTHER STUDENTS WHO, UM, ARE YOUR PEERS AT, AT, UM, AT, AT MIAMI BEACH HIGH, UM, THIS LEAPING INTO THIS, GOING INTO THIS, UM, UNDERTAKING MAKES YOU BETTER HUMANS IN THE WORLD.
AND, UM, THERE'S NO AMOUNT OF ACCOLADE AND PRAISE TO THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR DOING THAT, BECAUSE WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO, UM, BE EXIGENT, TO ELEVATE THEMSELVES AND OTHERS AROUND THEM TO LEARN HOW TO THINK INDEPENDENTLY AND MAKE COGENT ARGUMENTS FOR THE THINGS THAT MATTER.
I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST ADD, IF I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT YOU, JUST HEARING YOU TALK, YOU COULD SEE IT.
YOU SPEAK SO ELOQUENTLY, SO, UH, I, YOU COULD TELL THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL.
AND MR. REEL, RUSS, WE USED TO TALK A LOT.
I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A WHILE, BUT, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.
YOU'RE, UH, YOU, YOU, IT OBVIOUSLY TAKES SOMEONE AT THE HELM AND LEADERSHIP TO, UH, TO CULTIVATE THE TALENT THAT YOU HAVE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
CAN I SAY JUST ONE MORE SUPER FAST THING? YOU KNOW, WE FORGET, UM, THAT HOW IMPORTANT TEACHERS ARE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.
WE'VE ALL HAD TEACHERS THAT CHANGED OUR WORLD, AND WE'VE HAD TWO OF THEM IN THIS CHAMBER TODAY.
UM, AND NOT EVEN KNOWING HOW MANY PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE, MIGHT BE TEACHERS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN HONORED AS SUCH TODAY, BUT FOR THE TEACHERS WHO WERE PART OF THE CELEBRATIONS TODAY WHO WEREN'T HERE BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF THEIR BEING TEACHERS, YOU CHANGE LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR NOT GIVING UP ON, ON THAT PROMISE.
OKAY, LOOK AT THIS CAMERA PLEASE.
[PA 13 PROCLAMATION FOR JAPANESE RESTAURANT KATANA: COMMEMORATING A NORTH BEACH STAPLE SINCE 1993.]
PA 13, PA 13 PROCLAMATION, JAPANESE RESTAURANT, KATANA COMMEMORATE NORTH BEACH STAPLE SINCE 1993.COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS AND COMMISSIONER BOT JOIN, I'LL JOIN AS A CO-SPONSOR OF THAT.
I, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'RE REALLY, YOU'RE, HOW TO PUT THIS, YOU ARE SUCH A STAPLE IN MIAMI BEACH AND NORTH BEACH IN PARTICULAR.
YOU'RE LIKE THIS HIDDEN GEM UP THERE.
THE BEST KEPT SECRET, BUT ALSO THE WORST KEPT SECRET.
'CAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT YOU AND EVERYBODY LOVES YOUR RESTAURANT.
I MEAN, IT'S THE COOLEST PLACE PEOPLE DRIVE FROM ALL OVER, ALL OVER MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, NORTH SOUTHEAST WEST TO DINA KATANA.
THERE IS QUITE A LONG WAIT LIST THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS A, A WONDERFUL STRATEGY.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVEN'T TURNED INTO THE WHOLE, WELL, I KNOW SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA GET YOU IN.
I MEAN, YOU JUST, YOU TREAT EVERYBODY THE SAME WAY.
YOU PUT YOUR NAME ON THE LIST AND YOU GET IN, IN AN ORDERLY FASHION.
AND YOU, I, YOU KNOW, I, THERE'S NOTHING THAT I WOULD CHANGE ABOUT YOUR RESTAURANT EXCEPT OPENING 15 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IN MIAMI BEACH AND, YOU KNOW, ACCOMMODATING SO MANY MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU'RE SO GREAT.
BUT THEN THAT WOULD TAKE AWAY THE CHARM OF YOUR LOVELY RESTAURANT.
AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND LET ME READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, KATANA IN, IN MIAMI BEACH.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE BEEN ESTABLISHED SINCE 1993.
SO 33 YEARS YOU'VE SERVED BELOVED CULINARY.
YOU'VE BEEN A BELOVED CULINARY LANDMARK IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, OFFERING RESIDENTS AND VISITORS AN UNFORGETTABLE DINING EXPERIENCE.
FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES, KATANA HAS DISTINGUISHED ITSELF THROUGH ITS UNIQUE APPROACH TO SUSHI SERVICE, FEATURING STREAMING BOATS THAT CARRY FRESH SELECTIONS AROUND THE RESTAURANT.
AND INNOVATIVE MIAMI INSPIRED ADAPTATION OF THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE K 10 SUSHI STYLE.
AND WITH APPROXIMATELY 30 SEATS ARRANGED AROUND ITS ICONIC FLOWING BOATS, KATANA FOSTERS AN INTIMATE, INTERACTIVE AND ENTERTAINING ATMOSPHERE THAT BRINGS PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TOGETHER TO ENJOY BOTH EXCEPTIONAL CUISINE AND A WONDER OF A KIND EXPERIENCE.
AND KATANA KATANA HAS CON CONSISTENTLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE CULINARY AND CULTURAL VIBRANCY
[01:30:01]
OF MIAMI BEACH BECOMING A CHERISH STAPLE OF THE COMMUNITY, AND A DESTINATION THAT REFLECTS THE CITY'S CREATIVITY, DIVERSITY, AND SPIRIT.THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH RECOGNIZES KATANA'S LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT TO QUALITY, HOSPITALITY, AND INNOVATION, AND CELEBRATES ITS REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY CONTINUOUSLY SINCE 1993.
NOW THEREFORE, DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 6TH, 2026 AS KATANA DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
PLEASE NEVER CHANGE, MONICA, COMMISSIONER.
SO MONICA AND I ARE, UM, THANK YOU MONICA FOR, FOR LETTING ME CO-SPONSOR WITH YOU.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, MY DAUGHTER JULIA IS, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY YOUR MOST HEAVY USER.
UM, WE MOVED TO NORTH BEACH IN 2016 AND DISCOVERED KATANA.
AND WE'D GO EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONCE A MONTH EVERY SIX WEEKS.
AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN, IT IS AN OLD SCHOOL, NARROW, DARK, UM, DELICIOUS, AFFORDABLE VINTAGE SUSHI JOINT.
THE BOATS GO AROUND ON THE LITTLE RIVER AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE TRANSPORTED INTO THIS AMAZING WORLD.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU'RE GONNA SIT NEXT TO, AND THE WEIGHT IS PART OF THE EXPERIENCE.
AND SO NOW THE JULIA, MY MY YOUNGER DAUGHTER IS AN ADULT AND SHE, YOU KNOW, DECIDES HER OWN MEAL PLANS.
UM, SHE'S PROBABLY THERE THREE TIMES A WEEK, AS YOU WELL KNOW.
UM, AND SO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS CONCEPT, UM, STARTED.
ALL OF MY GROWNUP PEERS THINK THAT IT'S A, A GOOD IDEA AND JULIA'S LIKE, NO, THAT'S NOT HOW IT GOES.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU GO TO KATANA, YOU PUT YOUR NAME DOWN ON THE LIST, AND THEN YOU HAVE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LUCKY, A 45 MINUTE WAIT AND PROBABLY MORE LIKE A TWO HOUR WAIT.
SO YOU GO NEXT DOOR AND YOU HAVE A DRINK AND PLAY A GAME OF RUMMY CUBE AT BOB'S YOUR UNCLE, WHICH IS ANOTHER AMAZING NORTH BEACH LOCAL BUSINESS.
AND SO I'M LIKE, OKAY, SO THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE IS KEBAB.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE LIKE, YOU'RE KABOB AND JULIA'S LIKE, NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
BUT I LOVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND UM, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU GUYS, UM, CONTINUE TO FLOURISH AND WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.
AND WE ARE SO PROUD THAT, AS ALEX SAID, IT'S A SMALL BUSINESS WEEK AND YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN HOLDING IT DOWN FOR 33 YEARS AND WE EXPECTED LEAST ANOTHER 33 YEARS.
SO THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND DOING IT SO EXCELLENTLY AND CONSISTENTLY, WHICH IS A CHALLENGE.
WELL, I'M SO HONORED TO BE STANDING HERE, ESPECIALLY IN A ROOM FILLED WITH LIKE CRAZY AMAZING PEOPLE.
AND I'M ACCEPTING THIS ON BEHALF OF MY PARENTS BECAUSE MY PARENTS CAME HERE 35 YEARS AGO WITH NOTHING.
THEY JUST WATCHED SOME MOVIES ABOUT MIAMI BEACH, FELL IN LOVE WITH MIAMI BEACH AND DECIDED THEY WERE GONNA MOVE HERE.
UM, AND THEY TRIED A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND SUSHI JUST MADE THE MOST SENSE BECAUSE SUSHI WASN'T A THING BACK THEN.
THERE WERE NO OMA CAES, NO ONE ATE RAW FISH OTHER THAN CEVICHE, MAYBE
UM, AND SO IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS REALLY HARD FOR THEM, BUT THEY KEPT GOING BECAUSE THEY KNEW THE QUALITY OF THE FISH.
JAPAN MAYBE WILL BE ONE DAY LOVED.
AND THEY FOUND THEIR COMMUNITY IN MIAMI BEACH.
THE COMMUNITY WAS AMAZING AND NOTHING A LITTLE BEAUTIFUL BEACH CAN FIX, YOU KNOW,
SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING MIAMI BEACH SO AMAZING.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO SAY, UM, I DO HOSTESS AT KATANA SOMETIMES TO TALK TO THE REGULARS.
AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE FOR WAITING SUCH AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TIME,
BUT I DO WANNA SAY I DO WAIT BECAUSE MY MANAGER THERE, WHICH I'M SURE ALL OF YOU KNOW, MIKA, SHE WILL NEVER LET ME SKIP THE LINE
SO I ALWAYS HAVE TO GO PUT MY NAME ON THE WAIT LIST, GO TO BOB'S, ENJOY MY TIME AT BOB'S, BECAUSE BOB'S IS AMAZING.
SO RUMOR DEBUNKED, NO ONE GETS TO SKIP THE LINE.
UH, AND WE ARE ACTUALLY OPENING A SECOND LOCATION BECAUSE OF ALL THE LOVE FROM EVERYONE.
LIKE WAITING THREE HOURS IS JUST NOT NORMAL
SO WE WANNA MAKE A BETTER EXPERIENCE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE LOVE, 33 YEARS AND I DO HOPE THAT WE CAN LAST ANOTHER AT LEAST 33 YEARS AT LEAST.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL SOUND.
[PA 15 PROCLAMATION FOR DOLLY AND OZ PRESENTS.]
[01:35:03]
PA 15, PA 15 PROCLAMATION, DOLLY AND OZ PRESENCE.SO I MET FELICIA YEAR TWO, MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO, YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS AGO BECAUSE MY FRIEND K TEEL SAID, YOU'VE GOTTA SEE THIS INCREDIBLE GALLERY.
IT'S LIKE NEXT TO A PIZZA JOINT AND A FLOWER SHOP ON FIFTH STREET, WHICH AS WE ALL KNOW IS A CHALLENGING URBAN CORRIDOR.
IT DIVIDES, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LINE OF DEMARCATION, UM, IN THE CITY.
AND IT'S INCREDIBLE WHAT, WHAT THIS WOMAN LIKE, SHE CAME FROM NEW YORK AND SHE'S THIS GROWNUP WHO HAD A WHOLE PROFESSION AND CAREER AND SHE CAME HERE AND, AND BET THE FARM ON CREATING SOMETHING NEW.
AND HERE WE ARE THREE YEARS LATER AND YOU'VE CREATED SOMETHING REALLY REMARKABLE.
AND, UM, MY ONLY REGRET IS THAT I'VE NOT BEEN DOWN AGAIN TO SEE YOU AND HANG OUT WITH YOU BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A DELIGHT.
I HEAR FROM CLOTEAL ABOUT ALL THE GREAT ART THAT I'M MISSING AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT I'M MISSING GOOD CONVERSATION WITH COOL PEOPLE.
AND THAT SPEAKS TO EXACTLY WHAT DOLLY AND OZ PRESENTS IS AND NAMED AFTER YOUR PARENTS, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY.
UM, AND SO EVERYBODY, THIS IS FELICIA FRASER.
HAS THIS BEEN SO INSPIRING AND FOR EVERYBODY WHO HAS LEFT AND ARE STILL HERE, I JUST LOVE THIS EVENT.
'CAUSE I'M JUST, I FEEL SO HONORED AND SO LIKE, ENCOURAGED AND INSPIRED.
YEAH, WELL YOU SHOULD GO TO THE GALLERY.
I MEAN, LISTEN, ANYBODY YOU DIDN'T KNOW WAS DOWN THERE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE JUST STUMBLE ACROSS, WALKING AROUND DOING THEIR ERRANDS OR WHATEVER.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, UM, IT IS, IT, IT'S WORTH INVESTIGATING AND CHECKING OUT.
UM, SO I'M GONNA, I'M GOING TO, I GUESS I'M JUST, UM, UH, SPEAKING CONTEMPORANEOUSLY INSTEAD OF READING THE PROCLAMATION 'CAUSE I'M COVERING ALL THE THE PARTS.
BUT, UM, SO YOU CREATED THIS, THIS VENUE AND IT WAS ORIGINALLY AN ARTIST, GALLERY.
UM, YOUR BACKGROUND IS IN PUBLISHING MM-HMM
AND SO WHAT YOU HAVE NOW CREATED IS A, A SPACE, A LITERAL PHYSICAL SPACE AND A PLATFORM, UM, DEDICATED TO BOTH ELEVATING, BOTH EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED ARTISTS, UM, THROUGH CURATED, UM, EXHIBITIONS AND IMMERSIVE CREATIVE, UH, EXPERIENCES, INCLUDING THESE AMAZING WIND DOWN SUNDAYS WHERE PEOPLE JUST WA LITERALLY WANDER IN.
THE ARTISTS MIGHT BE THERE, INTERESTING NEIGHBORS MIGHT BE THERE, FELICIA'S THERE, PEOPLE KIBBITZ, THEY CHAT, THEY LOOK AT THE ART, THEY MEET EACH OTHER FOR THE FIRST TIME.
YOU KNOW, IT'S THIS INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY AND TALKING ABOUT BLUE ZONES, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT A BLUE ZONE KIND OF COMMUNITY SPACE IS.
IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT WORKING OUT, BUT IT'S BUILDING COMMUNITY AND SPACE AND CONNECTIVITY AMONG, AMONG NEIGHBORS AND PEOPLE OF DISPARATE BACKGROUNDS.
UM, THE GALLERY, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S GAMBLE AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS GONNA WORK.
'CAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE IN IT AND YOU'VE BEEN THRIVING AND YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S INCREDIBLE.
UM, THE WIND DOWN SUNDAYS, THE CURATED, THE EXHIBITIONS, UM, SUCH AS THE COLLECTOR'S INSTINCT.
UM, AND THEN YOU'VE ALSO CREATED AND GOING BACK TO YOUR PROFESSIONAL ROOTS OF, UM, EXPANDING YOUR PLATFORM TO INCLUDE A LITERARY AGENCY WHICH REPRESENTS AND DEVELOPS WRITTEN WORKS.
AND UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S THIS REALLY NIFTY HUB THAT YOU'VE CREATED THROUGH SHEER F FORCE OF WILL PERSONALITY, UM, ARTISTIC VISION AND CONNECTIVITY AND, AND YOU KNOW, UM, I LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE ARE DOING THINGS NOT BECAUSE I'M NOT DOING IT FOR THE GRAM, YOU KNOW, I'M DOING IT BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT SPEAKS TO ME AND PEOPLE RESONATE WITH THAT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL, ALL HAIL FELICIA, ALL HAIL.
UM, SO ANYBODY WHO HASN'T BEEN, PLEASE GO.
IT'S DOLLY AND OZ PRESENTS AS IN FELICIA'S MOM AND DAD PRESENTING, I PRESENT TO YOU.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY FABULOUS.
AND SO, UM, FELICIA, NOW THEREFORE DO, WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 6TH, 2026 AS DOLLY AND OZ PRESENTS DAY.
AND I DON'T KNOW, I OBVIOUSLY I WANNA HEAR FROM YOU, BUT DID BARBARA WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS? BARBARA HOI.
CLAL, DO YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? UH, OF COURSE.
YEAH, I KNOW
WELL, I, I'M IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UM, I'M JUST STUMBLING ALONG FIFTH STREET SOMEDAY.
AND THEN THERE'S SOMETHING THAT JUST PULLS ME IN.
THERE'S SOMETHING NEW BEHIND THE, THE GLASS FACADE.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, FELICIA HAS, UM, SHE HAS REALLY GOOD PEOPLE SKILLS
[01:40:01]
AND SHE PULLS IN PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND YOU DON'T FEEL SOMETIMES YOU GO INTO THESE, UH, GALLERIES IN NEW YORK AND PEOPLE ARE JUST LOOKING AT THEIR COMPUTERS AND THEY DON'T EVEN LOOK UP AND TALK TO YOU AND SAY ANYTHING.AND IT'S REALLY NOT LIKE THAT.
IT'S A VERY, UH, INTERACTIVE PLACE.
AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY A VERY WONDERFUL, VERY TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO'S WITH US TODAY, WHO WAS A TOTAL DISCOVERY FOR ME.
IT'S MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND THANK YOU
AND JUST BY, BY WAY OF CONTEXT, CLOTEAL IS A LONG TIME MIAMI BEACH RESIDENT.
SHE WAS ON HPB, UM, DRB, SORRY, SHE'S ON D-R-B-M-D-P-L, UH, AS CELEBRATED INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL JOURNALIST, AN ARCHITECT BY TRAINING AN ARTIST BY CREATIVITY.
AND SHE HATES WHEN I TALK ABOUT HER, SO THIS IS REALLY FUN TO TORTURE HER
OH, WELL I JUST AGAIN WANNA SAY HOW INSPIRING IT IS.
I'M GONNA COME EVERY TIME IT'S ANNOUNCED, JUST THAT I CAN LEARN AND SEE AND GROW AND BE INSPIRED.
UM, SO I WANTED TO CREATE A PLACE, A DESTINATION WHERE YOU EITHER STUMBLE OR YOU DECIDE TO SHOW UP AND EXPLORE ART, ART FROM VARIOUS DIFFERENT ARTISTS AND BACKGROUNDS AND DISCIPLINES.
UM, BUT ALSO A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN DISCOVER A LITTLE BIT OF MORE ABOUT WHO YOU ARE IN CONNECTION TO ART AND IN CONNECTION TO STORYTELLING, IN CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY AND IN CONNECTION TO CULTURE.
SO THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF WHAT DION OZ IS.
THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME FOR ME AT GOING INTO YEAR THREE.
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO 30, UM, BECAUSE IT'S AN EVOLUTION, IT'S ORGANIC.
UM, EVERYONE WHO WALKS IN THE DOOR IS WELCOME.
AND IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS WELCOME, IT IS.
I DO, I CREATED A WIND DOWN SUNDAY OPPORTUNITY FROM 5:00 PM TILL 7:00 PM USUALLY BY SEVEN 30 OR EIGHT I'M ASKING PEOPLE LIKE, I GOTTA GO
UM, AND THAT'S MEANT AND BUILT OFF OF THE OLD PARISIAN LITERARY SALONS WHERE PEOPLE WOULD JUST COME IN FROM ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND ALL DIFFERENT AGES AND ALL DIFFERENT RACES AND ALL DIFFERENT DYNAMICS AND, AND JUST ENGAGE AND TALK ABOUT WHATEVER IT IS OF THE DAY THAT THEY WANNA SHARE.
AND LO AND BEHOLD, THEY ALSO LOVE SOMETIMES TO BUY A PIECE OF ART.
SOMETIMES I HAVE AN ARTIST COME THROUGH THE DOOR THAT THEY GET TO MEET.
UM, BUT MOSTLY IT IS ABOUT COMMUNITY.
MOSTLY IT IS ABOUT CONNECTIVITY.
UM, I HAVE A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY FROM
EVERY AGE, EVERY GROUP YOU COME AS YOU ARE, IF YOU HAVE YOUR BEACH SANDALS ON, PEOPLE STAND AT THE DOOR AND THEY SAY, COME ON.
I WAS LIKE, COME IN, WE'RE AT THE BEACH.
THAT'S WHAT THE BEACH IS, RIGHT? UM, SO I'M GRATEFUL TO BE HERE TODAY.
I AM HONORED AT YEAR THREE TO STAND BEFORE.
WELL THANK YOU FOR CREATING IT AND THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR.
I'M GONNA WRAP IT UP AND I'M GOING TO JUST MARVEL ON TOP OF THIS PROCLAMATION FOR LIKE THE REST OF THE YEAR AND BEYOND.
CAN I HAVE MY LITTLE COMMUNITY COME JOIN ME.
ONE OF MY YOUNGEST ENTHUSIASTS.
ALRIGHT, ONE, CAN YOU ALL MOVE A LITTLE BIT TO THANK YOU.
AND LYLE TO THE END HERE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY, HAS YOUR WORK UP RIGHT NOW? YEAH.
[PA 7 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING HECTOR SANTOS FOR HIS ENTREPRENEURIAL EFFORTS IN RESTORING THE ROYAL PALM BARBER SHOP AND THE COMMUNITY IT IS FOSTERING ON 41ST STREET.]
PA SEVEN.HECTOR SANTOS, RESTORATION OF ROYAL PALM BARBERSHOP, FOSTERING COMMUNITY
[01:45:01]
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.UH, IT'S SURELY AN HONOR TO RECOGNIZE ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, HECTOR SANTOS, UMC.
I'M GONNA DO THIS BILINGUAL, UH, OUT, OUT OF A COURTESY TO, UH, TO, TO HECTOR.
AND WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT HECTOR'S STORY IS THAT IT REFLECTS SOMETHING, SOMETHING DEEPLY AMERICAN, DEEPLY CUBAN, BUT ALSO DEEPLY.
MIAMI BEACH,
AND WHEN HECTOR TOOK IT OVER IN 2019, HE HONORED THAT LEGACY WHILE BREATH BREATHING SOME NEW LIFE INTO IT.
LA BEACH DE AND WHAT HE CREATED BECAME FAR MORE THAN A BARBERSHOP.
HE CREATED COMMUNITY, HE CREATED A GATHERING SPACE, A PLACE FOR BELONGING.
HE CREATED A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOMED, WHERE NEIGHBORS FEEL CONNECTED.
WHERE FRIENDSHIPS ARE FORMED IS WHAT HAPPENS IN ALL THE CUBAN BARBERSHOPS AND IN ALL THE BARBERSHOPS.
YOU SIT DOWN THERE, YOU START CHATTING, YOU START SOLVING ALL OF THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS. AND IN MANY WAYS, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE ROYAL PALM BARBERSHOP ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF, OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS VIDA.
AND THAT'S WHAT I LOVE IS THAT LIKE SO MANY IMMIGRANT STORIES, YOU CAME TO THIS COUNTRY TO WORK, TO CONTRIBUTE AND TO BUILD A BETTER LIFE.
UH, LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO HECTOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERSEVERANCE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WARMTH FOR YOUR ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN MIAMI BEACH.
AND THANK YOU FOR ELEVATING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CUBAN AMERICAN IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH THROUGH YOUR BUSINESS.
YOU SHOULD KNOW HECTOR A FEW TIMES WHEN I'VE SEEN SOMEBODY WHO'S GOT A GOOD HAIRCUT AND I PASS YOUR, I PASS YOUR, I SAY, WHERE'D YOU GET THE HAIRCUT FROM? THEY GOT HECTOR SANTOS.
UM, I WANTED TO ALSO SAY I, UH, LIVED FOR THE FIRST 13 YEARS, UM, JUST A COUPLE OF BLOCKS FROM YOUR BARBERSHOP.
AND I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS WHO HAD FOR A VERY LONG TIME, SHORT LITTLE PIXIE HAIRCUTS.
AND THEY HAD THESE BIG BEAUTIFUL CHEEKS AND THESE BIG, BIG BLUE EYES AND THEY WERE DROP DEAD GORGEOUS.
AND THEY ALWAYS GOT THE BEST HAIRCUTS FROM THAT BARBERSHOP.
I THINK IT WAS BEFORE YOUR TIME, BUT YOU'RE CONTINUING THE LEGACY.
[01:50:01]
TIME I PASS IT, I FEEL WARM AND FUZZY.THANK YOU MS. MAYOR, YOU WANT TO COME DOWN? MS. MAYOR, DO YOU WANT GO, PAUL? THANK YOU.
HOW MANY BUSINESSES HAVE SURVIVED MIAMI SINCE 1960? YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
[PA 8 CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR LUIS ATENCIO.]
[PA 9 CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR KARA PETRELLA.]
PA EIGHT PA EIGHT.SHOULD WE DO 'EM TOGETHER? YES, PLEASE.
SO CERTIFICATES EIGHT, NINE, AND 10 CERTIFICATES APPRECIATION.
LUCIO, KARA PETRE AND SARAH MARIA.
[PA 10 CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR SARA MURILLO.]
ARE THEY HERE? SARAH KARA.SO, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING COMMISSIONER'S AID IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.
THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND NORMALLY IT'S, IT'S NOT THE RESIDENT SHE'S REFERRING TO.
UM, AND, UM, IT'S HARD ENOUGH, UH, TRYING TO CATER TO THE WHIMS OF YOUR PARTICULAR COMMISSIONER.
UM, IT'S A REAL MESS WHEN YOU'VE GOT THREE COMMISSIONERS OR FOUR COMMISSIONERS OR EVEN JUST TWO COMMISSIONERS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING TOGETHER.
AND IN THIS CASE, WE HAD SOMETHING THAT, UM, A LOT OF US ON THE DAYS WERE VERY, VERY EMOTIONAL AND, UM, DOGGED AND PERSISTENT ABOUT BECAUSE WE KNEW HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS THE REINSTALLATION OF THE CROSSWALK, PAVERS, THE RAINBOW ART DECO INSPIRED CROSSWALK, PAVERS, UM, THAT SYMBOLIZED, UM, OUR ART DECO COMMUNITY AND THE LEONARD HOROWITZ COLOR PALETTE AND OUR OPEN-MINDED INCLUSIVITY.
FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, COLLEAGUES, FAMILY, BUSINESSES, VISITORS.
UM, AND IF YOU MAY REMEMBER, IT WAS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN 2008.
IT WAS THEN RE REINSTALLED IN 2019.
I THINK I'M GETTING THE DATES RIGHT.
UM, IT WENT FROM PAINT TO PAVERS AND LAST OCTOBER, OUR ESTEEMED GOVERNOR DECIDED THAT HE COULDN'T HAVE THAT HAPPEN ANYMORE.
THE CROSSWALK, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE SAFEST INTERSECTION ON OCEAN DRIVE, WAS, UM, DEFILED AND DEFACED AND TORN UP.
AND, UM, BECAUSE WE HAD TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAW AND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW OF US ON THIS COMMISSION WHO COULD NOT REALLY LET THAT STAND.
AND SO WE CAME UP WITH A PLAN AND WE ALL HAD DIFFERENT WAYS OF, OF ATTACKING IT.
UM, AND WE ALL CONTRIBUTED TO IT.
AND WHAT CAME OUT OF IT WAS A NEW RAINBOW SIDEWALK IN LOMAS PARK THAT CANNOT BE RIPPED UP BY THE STATE BECAUSE IT'S OUR PARK AND IT'S OUR SIDEWALK.
UM, IT IS NOW A FULL RAINBOW, NOT JUST A FUNCTIONAL CROSSWALK.
THERE ARE ALSO NOW RAINBOW BENCHES THAT ARE THERE, THERE ARE RAINBOW BIKE RACKS THAT ARE THERE.
AND THERE IS THIS BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC, UH, BEAUTIFUL PLAQUE, UM, EXPLAINING THE HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CROSSWALK AND THEN THE SIDEWALK.
AND THAT IS, THOSE THINGS WERE SPONSORED BY THREE DIFFERENT COMMISSIONERS CO-SPONSORED BY TWO OR THREE OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND UNANIMOUSLY ENDORSED BY THE COMMISSION.
SO WHEN THIS WAS GOING TO BE UNVEILED, UM, IN ADVANCE OF THE PRIDE WEEKEND, UM, AT THE CULMINATION OF PRIDE WEEK, IT WAS, THAT WAS A HARD AND FAST DATE.
SO EVERYBODY WAS SCRAMBLING AND OUR AIDES GOT IT DONE.
THEY GOT IT DONE IN AN INCREDIBLE WAY, COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE THREE DIFFERENT OFFICES AND ALL THE OFFICES OF THE MAYOR AND COMMISSION.
UM, WE HAD, UM, STATE REPRESENTATIVES THERE, WE HAD COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES THERE.
WE HAD ALL, I THINK ALMOST ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, THE MAYOR WAS THERE.
[01:55:01]
WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE THERE.THE PRESS WAS THERE, NEIGHBORS WHO HAD BEEN THERE FOR THE ORIGINAL INSTALLATION IN 2008.
AND KARA AND SARAH AND LUIS MADE US ALL LOOK REALLY GOOD.
AND THEY MADE IT LOOK REALLY EASY.
AND THAT IS REALLY HARD TO DO.
'CAUSE NONE OF US ARE EASY TO WORK WITH.
WHEN YOU GET A COUPLE OF US, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLES OF US WORKING TOGETHER, IT'S CHAOS.
SO OUR AIDES OFTEN GO, UM, UNSUNG AS UNSUNG HEROES.
UM, AND SO I WANTED TO PUBLICLY COMMEND OUR, OUR, SO, UM, KARA PETR, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP AND, UH, LUIS CIO IS NOT HERE.
UM, SARAH IS, UH, WORKS WITH ME IN MY OFFICE.
KARA WORKS WITH COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ IN HIS, AND LUIS ATENCIO WORKS WITH COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
AND SO THIS, UM, CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION BASICALLY TELLS MUCH SHORTER VERSION OF THE STORY THAT I JUST TOLD YOU,
WE ARE ALL SUPER LUCKY TO BE, UM, WORKING WITH YOU AND, UM, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US TAKES IT FOR GRANTED.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND, AND COMMISSIONER BOT THANK YOU FOR, FOR, FOR RECOGNIZING, UH, OUR AIDE.
BECAUSE OUR NAMES APPEAR ON THE PLAQUES.
OUR NAMES APPEAR ON THE LEGISLATION.
OUR, OUR NAMES ARE THE, ARE ARE THE ONES THAT APPEAR ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
BUT BEHIND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO ARE THOSE DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS, UH, WHO MAKE OUR WORK, UH, POSSIBLE.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE SUCH AN AMAZING TEAM IN BOTH KARA AND AND SYDNEY.
AND I'M SO PROUD THAT YOU ALL THAT THIS ENTIRE CITY, THAT THIS ENTIRE COMMISSION, THAT EVERY SINGLE PUBLIC SERVANT IN THIS CITY, IT PLAYED A ROLE IN THE HISTORY OF RECONSTRUCTING THAT, THAT THAT RAY, THEY'RE ABLE CROSSWALK, BUT EVEN BEYOND THAT IS REPRESENTING OUR ENTIRE, THE DIVERSITY OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY WITH CARE, WITH DIGNITY AND THE HEART THAT THEY BRING TO SERVING EVERY SINGLE DAY, EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT AND EVERY SINGLE TAXPAYER IN THE CITY OF, OF MIAMI BEACH, NOT JUST IN THE INSTANCE OF THE RAINBOW CROSSWALK, BUT EVERY DAY THROUGH THE DIVERSITY OF ISSUES THAT WE, UH, WORK ON SO PASSIONATELY.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH GREAT PUBLIC SERVANTS FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS
YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME, REALLY, TRULY.
UM, AND YOU JUST DO SUCH GREAT WORK.
SO KEEP IT UP AND KNOW THAT YOU'RE VALUED AND YOU'RE APPRECIATED BY THIS OFFICE, BY ALL OF US.
UM, AND JUST YOU, YOU, YOU REPRESENT US SO, SO WELL AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
SO THERE, THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY, TO OUR COUNTRY, TO OUR CITY.
OBVIOUSLY WE CHOSE THIS, UH, TO, TO RUN FOR ELECTED OFFICE, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHERS.
AND ACTUALLY TONIGHT IS A REPRESENTATIVE.
YOU WORKING FOR THE CITY ALONGSIDE US, BUT ALSO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HONORED TONIGHT.
IT'S REALLY A GOOD REFLECTION OF HOW IT TAKES SO MANY TO MAKE OUR CITY THE, UH, REALLY ONE OF THE GREATEST CITIES IN THE WORLD.
AND MR. MAYOR, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO MAKE A CITY.
YOU KNOW, AND I, AND I'D BE REMISS NOT TO SAY, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, US AS A COMMISSION, WE DID A LOT TO TO, TO BRING THIS BACK.
OBVIOUSLY OUR AIDES TOOK TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP ROLES IN, IN ORGANIZING THAT EVENT.
BUT MR. MANAGER, YOUR STAFF, YOUR STAFF, YOU KNOW, SINCE BEFORE THE RAINBOW CROSSWALK WAS REMOVED, UH, YOUR PARKS TEAM, THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM BEING PRESENT AND PUTTING UP, YOU KNOW, FLAGS THAT WE HAD TO ORDER ONLINE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN IF THE CROSSWALK WAS REMOVED, WE HAD SOME SORT OF PRESENCE.
UM, THE PARK SCENE, THE PARKING TEAM, THE TRANSPORTATION TEAM, EVERY SINGLE TEAM, YOUR, YOUR, UH, STEPHANIE FROM YOUR OFFICE AND YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, I MEAN, IT'S, IT REALLY IS SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED WITH THIS ISSUE.
BUT THIS ONE ISSUE IS REFLECTIVE OF, OF, OF SO MANY OTHER ISSUES IN WHICH OUR COMMUNITY REALLY ALWAYS COMES TOGETHER.
AND OUR, UH, TEAM HERE AT CITY HALL ALWAYS COMES TOGETHER TO PUT ITS BEST FOOT FORWARD TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE PLACED THEIR TRUST IN US.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE IT WAS SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE BEYOND OUR OFFICES WHO ALSO PLAYED A ROLE IN THIS.
AND I, I WILL SAY THANK YOU ALEX, FOR, FOR ILLUMINATING THAT BECAUSE IT'S TRUE.
AND, YOU KNOW, UM, GETTING THE, THE RAINBOW PAVERS REINSTALLED AS A SIDEWALK, UM, DIDN'T SEEM LIKE IT WAS GONNA BE THAT BIG A DEAL.
'CAUSE WE'VE DONE MUCH MORE COMPLICATED PROJECTS, BUT
[02:00:01]
THINGS DELAYED IT.AND SO I, I REMEMBER, AND I'M NOT GENERALLY AN EXIGENT COMMISSIONER WITH, WITH STAFF, I GENERALLY AM PRETTY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT I, THERE WERE, THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE PHONE CALL TO ERIC SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, THIS IS NOT A FLEXIBLE DATE.
AND HE IS LIKE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON EXACTLY, BUT I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
WE DID HAVE YOUR COMMITMENT AND THE WHOLE TEAM PULLED TOGETHER TO MAKE THE MAKE IT HAPPEN.
WHY DON'T WE ALL COME DOWN HERE? LET'S JUST TALK ONE BIG HAPPY MAN.
UH, HAVE A GREAT NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL.