[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
STEVEN MEINER: WELCOME TO OUR OCTOBER 21 PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS.LOVE SEEING THE PACKED HOUSE HERE TODAY, SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
WE HAVE, TO ME, A SPECIAL GUEST, MY WIFE IS EVEN HERE, SO THANK YOU FOR COMING.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE ALWAYS START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOR PROCLAMATIONS AWARDS, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD.
I ALWAYS SAY THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART, WHERE I GET TO SURPRISE SOMEBODY.
BUT DON'T FEAR IF I CALL YOU, AND YOU DON'T KNOW IT.
SO, MELISSA BEATTIE, WHY DON'T YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE-- JUST GET STARTED, AND WE'LL-- TANYA BHATT: YOU GO FOR IT.
MELISSA BEATTIE: 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.
STEVEN MEINER: SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF VERY, VERY SPECIAL GUESTS HERE IN THE CROWD.
I ALWAYS SAY, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ANY REFLECTION ON THE ORDER THAT WE TAKE THESE.
BUT THAT DOES NOT INDICATE-- SOME OF IT IS A TIMING ISSUE.
[PA 4 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING LIEUTENANT HYOK CHONG FOR 29 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.]
AND IF RALPH, IF YOU CAN CALL UP THE LIEUTENANT CHONG ITEM.THAT'S PA4, PROCLAMATION TO LIEUTENANT CHONG, 29 YEARS OF SERVICE.
STEVEN MEINER: AND PARTLY, I'M CALLING OUR POLICE ITEMS FIRST BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET THEM BACK TO WORK.
LIEUTENANT CHONG, WHY DON'T YOU COME UP HERE? BY THE WAY, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY APPROVED YOUR RETIREMENT.
I THINK CHIEF JONES SHOULD HAVE RIPPED RIP THAT UP.
BUT WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE POLICE FORCE.
BUT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN OUR FORCE, IT'S JUST LIKE YOU SWEAR THERE'S A TWIN BECAUSE YOU SEE YOU EVERYWHERE, AND YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE GUYS.
EVERY MAJOR EVENT THAT OUR CITY WAS THERE, YOU WERE THERE DIRECTING, LEADING, 29 YEARS WITH OUR CITY, MOVING UP THE RANKS TO LIEUTENANT.
AND WE'RE JUST SO APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID FOR OUR CITY.
AND WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT HONOR AND RECOGNITION, AND REALLY JUST A SYMBOL OF FOR OUR NEW RECRUITS OF THE DEDICATION AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDED TO OUR CITY, AND OUR RESIDENTS, AND OUR BUSINESSES.
STEVEN MEINER: DO YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS? HYOK CHONG: YES, SIR.
THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR THIS HONOR.
IT'S BEEN PRIVILEGED TO SERVE MIAMI BEACH FOR 29 YEARS.
AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR MY FAMILY AND MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
WAYNE JONES: SO, MR. MAYOR, COMMISSION, I'M THE TYPE OF PERSON I DON'T CRY VERY MUCH, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, TODAY HYOK RETIRED, AND HIS FAMILY WAS THERE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I SHED A LITTLE TEAR BECAUSE HE'S MEANT THAT MUCH TO ME PERSONALLY, PROFESSIONALLY.
HE'S MEANT THAT MUCH TO THIS AMAZING POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IN FACT, MUCH OF OUR SUCCESS RELATED TO TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, RELATED TO CRASH INVESTIGATIONS, MUCH OF OUR SUCCESS IS OWED TO THIS MAN RIGHT HERE WHO'VE GIVEN THREE DECADES OF HIS LIFE, THIS WONDERFUL CITY ORGANIZATION.
SO THAT I'D LIKE TO GIVE HIM ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
STEVEN MEINER: SO I'M GOING TO READ THE LAST PART OF THE PROCLAMATION.
I'M ALSO GOING TO COME DOWN, AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU, AND HAND YOU A LAW AND ORDER AWARD THAT HAS MY NAME AND ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMISSION SO YOU'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER US.
STEVEN MEINER: NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 21, 2026, AS LIEUTENANT CHONG DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
TANYA BHATT: LIEUTENANT CHONG, LOOK UP THERE.
[00:05:04]
STEVEN MEINER: HAPPY RETIREMENT.AND LISTEN, WE'VE GOT THIS BIKE PATROL IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK.
[PA 18 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO OFFICER ALVARO LEON.]
[PA 19 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO OFFICER GUILLERMO LAGOS.]
[PA 20 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO OFFICER STEVEN SERRANO.]
[PA 21 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO OFFICER BARBARO PEREZ.]
[PA 22 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO OFFICER YANIER GENER.]
STEVEN MEINER: RALPH, LET'S PLEASE CALL PA 18 THROUGH 22.PA 18, CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS-- OFFICER ALVARO LEON, OFFICER GUILLERMO LAGOS, OFFICER STEPHEN SERRANO, OFFICER BARBARO PEREZ, OFFICER YANIER JENNER, OFFICER MELISSA ROSA.
TANYA BHATT: YEAH, ROSA SEPARATE.
SO DO THOSE FOLKS WANT TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM? IF YOU GUYS THINK YOU CAN GET A CERTIFICATE OF-- DO YOU ALL THINK YOU CAN GET A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION WITHOUT A LITTLE BIT OF EMBARRASSMENT? YOU DON'T KNOW MY PARENTING STYLE.
WAYNE JONES: [INAUDIBLE] TANYA BHATT: OK, SO.
ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO, I THINK THIS HAPPENED.
IS THAT RIGHT? THERE WAS A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT IN NORTH BEACH AT THE GAS STATION ON THE CORNER OF BAY AND 71ST.
AN SUV AND A PERSON RIDING AN E-DEVICE HAD AN UNFORTUNATE ENTANGLEMENT.
NOW, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN SOUNDING THE ALARM ON THIS FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION FOR A DIFFERENT DAY.
BUT WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS THAT THIS WOMAN WAS LITERALLY TRAPPED UNDER AN SUV, AND SHE COULDN'T JUST BE PULLED OUT.
IT WAS VERY COMPLICATED-- AT A GAS STATION, NO BUENO.
LIKE, NOT ANY SINGLE PART OF THIS WAS GOOD.
AND THE FIVE OFFICERS WHO WERE BEING RECOGNIZED TODAY, ONE IN ABSENTIA, HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO GET THERE QUICKLY, NOT FREAK OUT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A BASIC PART OF THE JOB, TO NOT FREAK OUT WHEN YOU SEE THE HORRIBLE THINGS, BUT TO ASSESS THE SITUATION SERIOUSLY, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RISKS WERE TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED, NOT JUST THE POOR WOMAN TRAPPED UNDER THE SUV, TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HANDLE IT, TO GO FIND A JACK TO ELEVATE THE SUV.
WHEN THE JACK-- IT WAS SHOWN THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO PROVIDE ENOUGH CLEARANCE TO LITERALLY GET PEOPLE TO LIFT THE SUV AND GET THIS WOMAN OUT OF THERE, FIRE DEPARTMENT OBVIOUSLY CAME AND TOOK CARE OF HER MEDICAL NEEDS AND TOOK HER TO GET ASSESSED.
BUT IT'S THIS CALM, COOL, COLLECTED, PROFESSIONAL TRAINING THAT BRINGS TO BEAR AT THESE AWFUL SITUATIONS THAT THANKFULLY, MOST OF US WILL NEVER ENCOUNTER.
AND YOU GUYS ENCOUNTER ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN AS FIRST RESPONDERS IN EVERY PART OF OUR CITY ENCOUNTER ALL THE TIME.
AND SO I WANTED TO CALL YOU OUT FOR THIS IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE IT'S JUST SUCH GRACE UNDER PRESSURE.
I'VE NEVER BEEN IN THIS SORT OF ROLE, OR IN THE MARINES, OR ANYTHING LIKE THIS, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE DEFAULT IS TO ALWAYS GO TO YOUR TRAINING.
AND SO I THINK IT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE TRAINING THAT YOU RECEIVE HERE IN MIAMI BEACH IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FOUNDATIONAL TRAINING YOU HAD FROM YOUR VARIOUS ORIGIN STORIES.
SO I COMMEND EACH OF YOU, AND I'M NOT GOING TO READ EVERY SINGLE PROCLAMATION.
YOU'LL FIND THAT WHEN YOU READ YOURS, THEY ARE TAILORED TO YOU, TO YOUR ROLE IN EACH OF THIS.
BUT FOR OFFICER ALVARO LEON, OFFICER GUILLERMO LAGOS, OFFICER STEPHEN SERRANO, OFFICER BARBARO PEREZ, AND OFFICER YANIER GARNER-- "GAN-AIR" OR "JEN-AIR"? "GAN-AIR," THANK YOU.
I WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND PRESENT YOU EACH WITH YOUR OWN RESPECTIVE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE SERVICE TO OUR CITY, AND CERTAINLY TO THIS WOMAN WHO IS STILL WALKING AMONG US, THANKFULLY, THANKS TO YOUR QUICK REFLEXES AND EXCELLENT TRAINING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU EACH WANT TO SAY A QUICK WORD OR IF THE CHIEF DOES.
OTHERWISE, WE'LL COME DOWN AND PRESENT YOU, AND LET YOU OFF THE HOOK.
WAYNE JONES: COMMISSIONER, I THINK YOU SAID IT ALL-- GRACE UNDER PRESSURE, EVEN HEROES.
AND I THINK MY POLICE DEPARTMENT, FULL OF HEROES.
[00:10:02]
BUT EVEN HEROES NEED HEROES.AND THIS IS WHAT HEROES TO HEROES LOOK LIKE, THESE GUYS.
TANYA BHATT: WOULD ANY OF YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? OFFICER LAGOS: SO THIS IS ALL VERY IMPROMPTU FOR ME, BUT I CAN SAY FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSION FOR TAKING THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE.
SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE OUR EFFORTS MAY GET WASHED OUT IN THE DAY TO DAY.
SO WE DON'T DO THIS JOB, OR WE DON'T DO THESE ACTIONS FOR RECOGNITION, BUT IT DEFINITELY DOES MATTER WHEN IT GETS RECOGNIZED.
I'M VERY PROUD TO WEAR THIS UNIFORM.
I'M VERY PROUD TO WORK ALONG THESE FINE MEN HERE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE'RE UNDER.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN UPDATE, I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THAT YOUNG LADY A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER THE INCIDENT HAPPENED.
SHE'S GOING TO RECOVER FROM HER INJURIES IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS WERE RELATIVELY MINOR IN COMPARISON TO WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.
SO WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE OK.
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE RECOGNITION.
STEVEN MEINER: AND THANK YOU ALL.
IT IS ON VIDEO, SO IT'S A HARD VIDEO TO WATCH.
BUT IT'S NICE TO HEAR THAT THE RECOVERY WILL MOSTLY BE COMPLETE.
IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT TO WATCH WHEN YOU'RE SEEING SOMEONE PINNED UNDER A VEHICLE.
AND I CAN ATTEST TO WHAT COMMISSIONER BHATT JUST MENTIONED.
I MEAN, IT'S A HARROWING SITUATION.
YOU DO A COOL, CALM, COLLECTED AND BE ABLE TO LITERALLY SAVE A LIFE.
TANYA BHATT: OFFICER LAGOS, THAT'S YOURS.
OFFICER LAGOS: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
TANYA BHATT: [INAUDIBLE], THAT'S YOU.
[INAUDIBLE] I'M NOT SURE WHICH LANGUAGE TO SAY IT IN.
AND WHY DON'T YOU GUYS COME UP HERE.
NOW, THIS CAMERA-- 3, 2, 1-- ALL RIGHT.
[APPLAUSE] STEVEN MEINER: LET'S CALL-- LET'S CALL PA 23.
[PA 23 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO OFFICER MELISSA ROSA.]
RAFAEL GRANADO: PA 23 IS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, OFFICER MELISSA ROSA.I'M WITH THE 11TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT CRIMINAL MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT.
I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT I OVERSEE OUR CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM PROGRAM IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY FOR THE LAST 23 YEARS.
I FIND THAT IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE MIAMI BEACH COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, THANKS TO THE GUIDANCE AND LEADERSHIP OF CHIEF JONES, WE HAVE A SUPERB, REALLY TOP OF THE LINE CIT PROGRAM.
WE HAVE CIT OFFICERS THAT ARE SENT TO 40-HOUR TRAININGS.
AND THEN WHERE CIT IS BORN, IN THE CLASSROOM, IT LIVES IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THROUGH THE TRAINING, CIT OFFICERS OF MIAMI BEACH ARE WELL INFORMED, KNOWLEDGEABLE, HAVE RESOURCES AND THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, INTERVENE IN CRISIS, LINK THEM TO RESOURCES, DE-ESCALATE AND HELP THEM GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE.
[00:15:03]
AND I AM SO HAPPY THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO RECOGNIZE MELISSA, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT SPACE AND MOMENT BECAUSE THE WORK OF CIT TEACHES US THE IMPORTANT TRUTH, THAT THE GREATEST CHALLENGE IS OFTEN BETWEEN THE SPACE-- BETWEEN THE FIRST CONTACT THAT AN OFFICER HAS WITH A PERSON AND THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES.EVERYONE SEES THE CONTACT AND EVERYONE SEES THE OFFICER TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS AND TAKING THAT PERSON, AT TIMES, SOMEWHERE.
BUT WHERE ARE THEY GOING, RIGHT? THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES BEHIND THAT, AND IT'S JUST NOT TAKING THIS PERSON AND TRANSPORTING THEM, PERHAPS, TO A HOSPITAL OR TO A HOMELESS CENTER.
BUT IT'S FINDING THE APPROPRIATE SERVICES, MAKING PHONE CALLS, SENDING EMAILS.
AND I HAVE PROBABLY MORE EMAILS FROM OFFICER MELISSA ROSA THAN ANY OTHER OFFICER WHEN IT COMES TO FINDING THOSE RESOURCES, MAKING THOSE CONTACTS, LINKING PEOPLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE FIND PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS IN THE COMMUNITY, MANY TIMES PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT, BUT MELISSA MAKES SURE THAT THAT PERSON IS SEEN.
MELISSA HUMANIZES THAT PERSON AND IDENTIFIES WHATEVER NEEDS THEY MAY HAVE SO THEY CAN RECEIVE THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.
AND THANKFULLY, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SENDING PEOPLE TO TRAINING, BUT IT'S MAKING SURE THAT THEY GET RETRAINED AND REFRESHERS, AND CIT SERVES AS A PLATFORM THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER.
BUT IF THE LEADERSHIP IS ON BOARD, THIS PROGRAM CAN CEASE VERY QUICKLY.
AGAIN, THANKS TO CHIEF JONES, TO MAKING SURE COMMANDER THAT-- MITCHELL, LIEUTENANT ARE LEADING THE HOMELESS RESOURCE UNIT.
AND TODAY, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE MELISSA.
I DO WANT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE ALL OF THE OFFICERS THAT ARE CIT AND THE HOMELESS RESOURCE UNIT, BECAUSE THEY DO A TREMENDOUS JOB.
AND THEY ARE NOT ONLY RECOGNIZED HERE IN MIAMI-DADE, BUT NATIONWIDE AS WELL.
SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A PLATFORM, WHICH WAS THE SOUTH FLORIDA WELLNESS NETWORK, TO NOMINATE MELISSA AS THE FIRST RESPONDER OF THE YEAR, AND THANKFULLY SHE WAS CHOSEN.
SO I INVITED OUR PARTNERS, SUSAN AND MICHELLE, TO PRESENT THAT AWARD, IF YOU WILL ALLOW US TO DO SO.
AND COMMISSIONERS, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING YOUR CHIEF, YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM AND HAVING JUST EXCELLING OFFICERS SUCH AS OFFICER MELISSA ROSA.
RAFAEL GRANADO: THANK YOU, HABSI.
MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, FOR EVERYONE.
BUT IT WAS TRULY AN HONOR TO-- WHEN WE RECEIVED HER NOMINATION, AND THE REASON WHY, ABOVE AND BEYOND, WAS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
IT REALLY READ INVESTMENT, COMMITMENT, AND PASSION.
THERE IS SOMETHING THAT OFFICER ROSA HAS NOT DONE YET, SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THE MORE IMPACT THAT SHE'LL HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AS AN ORGANIZATION, SOUTH FLORIDA WELLNESS NETWORK, WE ARE PEER LED, WHICH MEANS THAT WE ARE ALL PERSONS IN RECOVERY.
I, MYSELF, SUSAN, IDENTIFY AS PERSONS IN RECOVERY FROM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND MENTAL-HEALTH CHALLENGES.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, THERE WERE MANY FIRST EXPERIENCES WITH FIRST RESPONDERS WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH MY STRUGGLES.
SO THOSE MOMENTS ARE IMPACTFUL AND THE MEMORIES STAY A LONG WAY.
SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY GIVE OFFICER ROSA THE AWARD, BUT TO RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK AND VERY IMPORTANT WORK OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
RAFAEL GRANADO: THANK YOU, HABSI.
TANYA BHATT: OFFICER ROSA, IT'S PERFECT THAT YOUR RECOGNITION IS COMING TODAY BECAUSE WE'VE JUST SEEN NOW THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF REALLY IMPORTANT AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY POLICING-- THE DRAMATIC RESCUE OF A PINNED PERSON UNDER A CAR, THE DAY IN, DAY OUT, AT ALL EVENTS, AT ALL INTERSECTIONS, TRYING TO MANAGE THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC, AND SO MUCH MORE THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS OUR RESIDENTS HAVE.
AND THEN A DIFFERENT KIND OF POLICING, WHICH IS MAYBE LESS VISIBLE UNLESS YOU'RE ON THE RECEIVING END.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE BEHAVING POORLY AND VERY ERRATICALLY, AND THE NATURAL INCLINATION
[00:20:01]
WOULD BE TO SEIZE UP AND RESPOND IN KIND AND-- MAYBE NOT LITERALLY IN KIND, BUT TAKE IT AS A SIGN OF AGGRESSION, WHEN, REALLY, IT'S A SIGN, A CALL FOR HELP.AND SOMETIMES THE PERSON IN QUESTION CAN'T RECOGNIZE THAT THEMSELVES.
AND THE TRAINING THAT YOU'RE RECEIVING, THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, YOUR COLLEAGUES WHO ARE THERE WITH YOU, AND GOING THROUGH THIS TRAINING AND PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE EVERY DAY IS SO IMPORTANT.
WE'VE COLLECTIVELY, AS A COMMISSION, BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY SIGNIFICANTLY THROUGH THE $10 MILLION THAT WE SPEND EVERY YEAR TO TRY TO HELP PEOPLE FIND THEIR PATH FORWARD AND FIND THEIR FOOTING AGAIN.
SO THE FOLKS WHO ARE LEFT ARE THE HARDER CASES, THE ONES WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION PROBLEMS AND THINGS THAT ARE LESS EASY TO SOLVE.
SO FOR THAT-- THOSE REASONS AND SO MANY MORE THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ARTICULATED, I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND YOU.
I KNOW YOU WERE HONORED YESTERDAY, LAST NIGHT AT THE HISPANIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE EVENT.
SO IT'S A GOOD WEEK FOR YOU AND MAY THEY CONTINUE IN THIS TRADITION.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HERE KNEW THAT-- WHY YOU WERE BEING RECOGNIZED, AND SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, CHIEF.
OFFICER MELISSA ROSA: GOOD EVENING.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HERE, SPECIFICALLY STARTING WITH THE GOVERNOR, WITH THE MAYOR, WITH MY TEAM, WITH MY MENTORS-- BO HALL, HABSI, HOMELESS RESOURCE UNIT, THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE TEAM, THAT WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO, ESPECIALLY HELPING THE VULNERABLE POPULATION.
IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. IT'S NOT EASY.
IT TAKES A LOT OF PATIENCE, A LOT OF PHONE CALLS, AND A LOT OF REUNIFICATION WITH FAMILY MEMBERS THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT THEIR LOVED ONES.
BUT I AM HERE TODAY TO SAY THANK YOU, AND IT'S AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD.
CHIEF WAYNE JONES: MR. MAYOR, COMMISSION, I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF MELISSA.
SHE DOES THIS JOB WITH EMPATHY AND COMPASSION.
OVER THE TWO DECADES SHE'S BEEN AT THIS, SHE'S TRAINED, INCLUDING MYSELF, THOUSANDS OF POLICE OFFICERS IN THIS COUNTY AND BEYOND.
AND THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A HIGHER RATE IN THIS COUNTY OF USE OF FORCE, WE DO POLICE WORK-- THE FACT THAT WE DON'T SHOOT AND KILL PEOPLE ON A REGULAR BASIS, LIKE SOME UNTRAINED POLICE DEPARTMENTS DO, I CREDIT THAT TO THE TRAINING THAT HABSI HAS DELIVERED TO THIS COMMUNITY AND POLICE OFFICERS THAT SERVE IT.
OFFICER MELISSA ROSA: THANK YOU, CHIEF.
RAFAEL GRANADO: OUR NEXT IS PA 6, CERTIFICATE
[PA 6 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO MOTTI BORTUNK FOR HIS POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE MIAMI BEACH COMMUNITY.]
OF RECOGNITION, MOTTI BORTUNK, POSITIVE COMMUNITY IMPACT.MULTIPLE SPEAKERS: MOTTI! MOTTI! MOTTI! MOTTI! MOTTI! MOTTI! MOTTI! MOTTI! STEVEN MEINER: MOTTI, YOU'RE A SUPERSTAR.
LOOK AT ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT CAME FOR YOU.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WHO'VE MET MOTTI BORTUNK.
IF YOU'VE NEVER MET HIM, I CAN'T EVEN DO IT JUSTICE TO DESCRIBE HOW MUCH JOY
[00:25:01]
THAT YOU BRING TO PEOPLE.WHEN YOU MEET-- YOU JUST HUG PEOPLE.
YOU JUST BRING THIS HAPPINESS.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE WEARING MY HAT RIGHT NOW, WHICH I DIDN'T EVEN ASK YOU TO DO.
I REALLY JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WHO YOU ARE, AND YOU LITERALLY SHOW UP TO SYNAGOGUE EVERY DAY.
AND JUST, YOU'RE ALWAYS SEEN AND VISIBLE AND JUST A SOURCE OF GREAT PRIDE AND JOY IN OUR MIAMI BEACH COMMUNITY.
I HAVE A PROCLAMATION THAT I WANT TO READ SOME OF BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY AND YOSSI AND AYELET, YOUR PARENTS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AS WELL.
SPEAKER: [INAUDIBLE] MULTIPLE SPEAKERS: MOTTI.
STEVEN MEINER: MOTTI, DO YOU WANT TO COME UP AND SIT FOR A MINUTE? ALL RIGHT! MOTTI, I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING I'VE SEEN YOU COME TO.
BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, WE DON'T DO THIS OFTEN-- YOU'RE THE FIRST PERSON WE'VE INVITED TO COME UP HERE.
SO I'M GOING TO READ THE PROCLAMATION, THE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, AND I'M GOING TO READ IT.
I HOPE I DON'T MAKE YOU BLUSH.
OK? BECAUSE IT SAYS A LOT OF NICE THINGS ABOUT YOU, AND I THINK YOU SEE THE LOVE THAT YOU HAVE OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME HERE TODAY.
TO MOTTI BORTUNK-- THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH HONORS THE UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
MOTTI BORTUNK IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF THAT SPIRIT.
MOTTI HAS A NATURAL ABILITY TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL APPRECIATED AND VALUED.
HIS WARM SPIRIT, EASYGOING NATURE, AND GENUINE HAPPINESS BRIGHTEN EVERY SPACE HE ENTERS.
MOTTI HAS A SPECIAL WAY OF BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN OTHERS, AND HIS PRESENCE REMINDS US OF THE POWER OF KINDNESS AND CONNECTION.
MOTTI ATTENDS SHUL SYNAGOGUE DAILY AND IS A BELOVED PART OF THE JLC COMMUNITY.
HIS ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS AND SHARE HIS HAPPINESS HAS MADE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON THE PEOPLE WHO WALK THROUGH THEIR DOORS.
HIS CONTRIBUTIONS REFLECT THE STRENGTH AND BEAUTY OF A COMMUNITY BUILT ON COMPASSION AND OF INCLUSION.
SO FAR, SO GOOD, RIGHT? [LAUGHTER] MOTTI'S FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ARE PROUD OF HIS MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AND BY THE WAY, HIS PARENTS DO AMAZING WORK, AS WELL.
MOTTI'S FAMILY, COMMUNITY ARE PROUD OF HIS MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BOTH BIG AND SMALL.
HIS MILESTONES HAVE SHAPED AND INSPIRED THOSE AROUND HIM, AND HIS PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HIM.
MOTTI ALSO SHARES A SPECIAL BOND WITH OUR POLICE OFFICERS-- I KNOW OFFICER HABSI, AS WELL, RIGHT? MOTTI BORTUNK: YES.
STEVEN MEINER: YEAH? HIS APPRECIATION OF THE POLICE SERVICES REFLECTS YOUR GENEROUS HEART.
MOTTI IS RECOGNIZED FOR THE JOY, KINDNESS AND POSITIVE ENERGY HE BRINGS TO MIAMI BEACH COMMUNITY.
EVERY INDIVIDUAL HAS SOMETHING UNIQUE TO OFFER.
AND, MOTTI, YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO OFFER.
YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS REMIND US OF HOW MUCH WE GAIN WHEN WE EMBRACE AND UPLIFT ONE ANOTHER.
SO MOTTI, TODAY, OCTOBER 21, 2026, IS YOUR DAY IN MIAMI BEACH.
RAFAEL GRANADO: THAT'S SO COOL.
STEVEN MEINER: DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK OR-- NOPE.
STEVEN MEINER: KEEP UP THAT GREAT SMILE, MOTTI.
[PA 16 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING BIKUR CHOLIM OF MIAMI BEACH'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY.]
PA 16.RAFAEL GRANADO: PA 16 IS PROCLAMATION, BIKUR CHOLIM, OF MIAMI BEACH'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
[00:30:01]
STEVEN MEINER: OK.BIKUR CHOLIM, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GOING TO ASK ALL THE VOLUNTEERS FOR BIKUR CHOLIM TO COME UP HERE.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, WHO ACTUALLY BROUGHT THIS ITEM.
I ADDED MY NAME AS A CO-SPONSOR, AND COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ WAS GENEROUS ENOUGH THAT I'M GOING TO LEAD IT OFF.
I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE CHAPLIN, HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN, RABBI MENDY BUT AS YOU SEE, YOU CAME WITH YOUR ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK TIRELESSLY.
SO FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, BIKUR CHOLIM WORKS IN MANY COMMUNITIES IN HERE AND MOUNT SINAI, AND LITERALLY MEANS VISITING THE SICK, BUT IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
IT IS HELPING THEM, HELPING THEIR LOVED ONES, GET FOOD, HOUSING.
PROBABLY EVEN SHORTCHANGING HOW MUCH WORK GOES INTO IT.
THE GREAT VOLUNTEERS-- I HATE TO KEEP SINGLING OUT MY WIFE, SHANNON, BUT SHE IS ONE OF THE VOLUNTEERS AS WELL.
AND WHAT'S INCREDIBLE ABOUT IT IS YOU'RE VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME WHEN PEOPLE ARE AT THEIR WEAKEST, AT THEIR-- REALLY, AT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE.
SOMETIMES IT'S A DEBILITATING SICKNESS OVER TIME.
SOMETIMES IT'S A SUDDEN-- A VERY SUDDEN ISSUE THAT COMES UP AND FAMILIES ARE-- SORRY, I'M GETTING EMOTIONAL, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I PROBABLY DON'T EVEN KNOW 95% OF IT, BUT I KNOW THERE'S SO MUCH THAT GOES INTO IT.
AND HELPING PEOPLE LITERALLY COPE WITH SOMETHING THAT IS SO TRAGIC IN THEIR LIVES HAPPENING, BUT YOU'RE THERE WITH A SMILE AND THE SERVICES THAT YOU OFFER.
IT'S SUCH A LEARNING-- WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM WHAT YOU AND BIKUR CHOLIM DO, SO THANK YOU.
ALEX FERNANDEZ: AND MR. MAYOR, IF-- STEVEN MEINER: YES, I'M SORRY.
YES, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
ALEX FERNANDEZ: AND THANK YOU FOR CALLING UP THE VOLUNTEERS.
I THINK WE ALL CAN LEARN SO MUCH FROM EACH OTHER, FROM THE EXAMPLES THAT EVERYONE SETS.
MR. MAYOR, YOUR PREVIOUS RECOGNITION, SUCH A YOUNG MAN BUT SPREADING KINDNESS IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY, BUT THIS EQUALLY IS AN INSPIRATION.
MENDY, THE WORK THAT YOU DO ALSO, NOT JUST WITH PATIENTS, BUT ALSO WITH DOCTORS, MAKING SURE THAT THE DOCTORS AT MOUNT SINAI HAVE THEIR KOSHER KITCHEN AND THAT KINDNESS, THAT THOUGHTFULNESS OF GOING OUT OF YOUR WAY, OF YOUR GENEROSITY, OF BEING THERE TO ENSURE THE DIGNITY OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY FEEL FORGOTTEN AND PERHAPS WHEN THEY'RE IN THEIR LOWEST MOMENTS.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS DO EVERY DAY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE REMINDED OF EVERY DAY IN OUR SOCIETY, THAT IN OUR OWN WAY-- PERHAPS IT MIGHT NOT BE VISITING THE SICK, PERHAPS IT MIGHT NOT BE NECESSARILY TAKING CARE OF THE DOCTORS, BUT THAT WE NEED TO BE OUT THERE EVERY DAY SPREADING SOME KINDNESS, REMINDING OF EACH OTHER'S HUMANITY, BEING THERE FOR EACH OTHER IN THEIR LOWEST MOMENTS.
AND MR. MAYOR, I PASS IT OVER BACK TO YOU, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE FIRST LADY HERE JOINING US WHO WE KNOW ALSO DEDICATES A LOT OF TIME TO THIS CAUSE.
AND I'LL JUST-- AND I'LL OPEN UP THE MIC IN A MOMENT, BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT.
SO EVERY YEAR, THEY DO AN ANNUAL DINNER, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE BECAUSE THEY GET 4, 500 PEOPLE.
SO THIS IS AN INVITATION, REALLY, TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO ATTEND.
BUT WHAT'S BEAUTIFUL ABOUT IT IS, MOST PEOPLE WHO COME HAVE NOT BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY BIKUR CHOLIM.
WE MAY KNOW PEOPLE, WE KNOW THE WORK YOU DO, BUT MOST PEOPLE ARE GOING THERE BECAUSE WE KNOW THE GREAT WORK YOU DO.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT AN INSTITUTION THAT SPREADS THIS MUCH LOVE AND HELP TO PEOPLE.
SO NOVEMBER 1 IS THE BIKUR CHOLIM DINNER.
BUT PLEASE, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING-- RAFAEL GRANADO: I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU, MAYOR MEINER, AND TO THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR ALEX FERNANDEZ, AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE.
AND ON BEHALF OF BIKUR CHOLIM, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST LET YOU ALSO KNOW THAT THE VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE HERE AND WHO ARE NOT HERE ARE ALL REALLY VOLUNTEERING OF THEIR OWN TIME AS WELL.
[00:35:02]
AND IT'S BEEN AROUND-- AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 50 YEARS HERE IN MIAMI BEACH, SO IT'S AN ONGOING ORGANIZATION.AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO BESIDES VISITING THE SICK AND GOING INTO THE HOSPITALS AND HELPING THE INDIVIDUALS IN NEED AND THEIR FAMILIES, WE ARE ALSO, WEEKLY, PROVIDING SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS AND PROVIDING THEM IN AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE JLC, WHICH IS THE JEWISH LEARNING CENTER.
AND WE ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THEM FOR HOUSING THIS KIND OF EVENT FOR THEM AS WELL, WHERE OLDER INDIVIDUALS CAN COME AND HAVE COMPANIONSHIP, PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ISOLATED WHO WILL COME ONCE A WEEK AND GET A MEAL, GET FRIENDSHIP, CAMARADERIE, PEOPLE WHO CAN PROVIDE LEARNING ACTIVITIES.
WE PROVIDE THAT-- ACTIVITIES IN TERMS OF EXERCISE.
WE PROVIDE A HOST OF THINGS THAT THEY CAN BE INVOLVED WITH AS A GROUP AND COME OUT AND BE WITH OTHER PEOPLE SO THAT THEY'RE NOT ALONE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO INFORM YOU ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
SO-- STEVEN MEINER: I'VE HAD SOME OF THE ATTENDEES THAT YOU'RE MENTIONING TELL ME THAT THEY LOOK FORWARD TO IT ALL WEEK LONG.
RAFAEL GRANADO: YEAH, SO IT'S TRUE.
WE PROVIDE A LITTLE NOURISHMENT, WE PROVIDE A LITTLE FRIENDSHIP, AND WE PROVIDE A LITTLE SPIRITUAL LIFTING WHEN WE'RE ALL THERE TOGETHER.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT SPENDING TIME TOGETHER IS WHAT PROVIDES THE HAPPINESS AND THE LOVE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR THE ELDERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
ALEX FERNANDEZ: THAT'S THE SENIOR SUNSHINE CLUB.
RAFAEL GRANADO: YES, THE SENIOR SUNSHINE CLUB.
YES, THAT'S CORRECT, AND SO THAT IS AMONG THE THINGS THAT BIKUR CHOLIM DOES, ALONG WITH VISITING THE SICK IN THE HOSPITAL AND HELPING THE FAMILIES THAT ARE HERE AND THEIR NEEDS ONCE THEY'RE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AS WELL.
[APPLAUSE] STEVEN MEINER: SO I'M GOING TO READ THE LAST-- IT'S LONG, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT TO SAY ABOUT BIKUR CHOLIM OF MIAMI BEACH IN SOUTH FLORIDA.
I'LL READ THE LAST TWO "WHEREAS" CLAUSES, BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE IMPACTFUL.
TODAY, THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH PROUDLY RECOGNIZES AND HONORS BIKUR CHOLIM OF MIAMI BEACH AND SOUTH FLORIDA AND ITS EXTRAORDINARY VOLUNTEERS, THOSE WHO ARE HERE AND NOT HERE, FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING HUMANITARIAN CONTRIBUTIONS, SELFLESS DEDICATION, AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING OF OUR RESIDENTS AND THE GREATER COMMUNITY.
AND THROUGH THEIR TIRELESS EFFORTS, THEY EXEMPLIFY THE VERY BEST OF COMMUNITY SERVICE, REMINDING US THAT IT'S THE-- THE TRUE STRENGTH OF A CITY IS MEASURED NOT ONLY BY ITS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT BY THE COMPASSION, GENEROSITY, AND HUMANITY OF ITS PEOPLE.
AND WOW, WE'RE DOING PRETTY WELL HERE IN MIAMI BEACH THROUGH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURSELF.
AND THE REMARKABLE LEGACY OF HESED, LOVING KINDNESS, CONTINUES TO INSPIRE OTHERS AND MAKE MIAMI BEACH A MORE CARING, CONNECTED, AND COMPASSIONATE PLACE FOR ALL.
NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE, AS THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 21, 2026, AS BIKUR CHOLIM OF MIAMI BEACH AND SOUTH FLORIDA DAY.
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH! RAFAEL GRANADO: IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE MORE THING.
IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT MY GRANDDAUGHTER, WHO HAPPENS TO HAVE BEEN A VOLUNTEER HERE AT BIKUR CHOLIM, ALSO HAPPENS TO WORK WITH MOTTI, AND SO-- FROM THE FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE, SO I JUST WANT TO BRING HER FORWARD, TOO, AS A VOLUNTEER AND [INAUDIBLE].
[APPLAUSE] PHOTOGRAPHER: 1, 2, 3-- 01, 2, 3-- THANK YOU.
READY? 03, 2, 1-- 03, 2, 1-- ALL RIGHT.
[PA 17 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO PARK RANGER DANIEL COOPER.]
RAFAEL GRANADO: PA 17 IS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, PARK RANGER DANIEL COOPER.MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: DANIEL, PLEASE.
SO ABOUT A MONTH AGO, THERE WAS AN INCIDENT AT MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL WHERE THE POLICE HAD DETAINED A SUBJECT WHO ENDED UP ESCAPING.
AND WHILE THIS SUBJECT WAS ESCAPING
[00:40:02]
AND THE POLICE WERE ON SCENE AND THEY FOUND HIM WITHIN, I THINK IT WAS LIKE 10 MINUTES-- THEY SET UP A PERIMETER AND THEY FOUND HIM VERY, VERY QUICKLY.MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: SO WHILE THE POLICE WERE LOOKING FOR THE SUSPECT AT MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL, PARK RANGER COOPER HAPPENED TO BE A VERY SHORT DISTANCE AWAY AT NAUTILUS MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HE DECIDED TO SHUT THE SCHOOL DOWN AS A CODE RED AND GET THE KIDS SAFE AND OUT OF HARM'S WAY.
AND THERE WAS ONE SMALL PROBLEM, AND THAT SMALL PROBLEM WAS THAT, MINUTES EARLIER, SCHOOL HAD BEEN DISMISSED.
SO YOU WERE FACED WITH A DECISION, HOW DO I LOCK DOWN 01,000 STUDENTS? AND YOU DID IT.
AND YOU DID IT SUCCESSFULLY-- VERY SUCCESSFULLY.
AND OF COURSE, POLICE, THEY DETAINED THE SUBJECT.
BUT AT THE MOMENT, WHEN YOU HAD TO MAKE THIS DECISION UNILATERALLY, YOU DIDN'T-- NOBODY KNEW WHERE THIS SUBJECT WAS.
AND YOU KNEW THAT GETTING 1,000 STUDENTS TO SAFETY WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
AND I COMMEND YOU ON YOUR DECISION, AND I REALLY CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH ON BEHALF OF EVERY PARENT AT NAUTILUS AND BEYOND IN THIS ROOM, EVERYWHERE.
I THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT SPLIT DECISION.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THINKING TO MYSELF, HOW DO I GET 1,000 STUDENTS BACK IN THIS BUILDING? BUT YOU DID IT.
AND SO, PLEASE, I'D LIKE YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT HOW YOU MADE THAT DECISION AND WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT MOMENT.
DANIEL COOPER: GOOD AFTERNOON.
I LITERALLY JUST TRIED TO BE SOMEONE THAT MY PARENTS WOULD BE PROUD OF.
I TRIED TO PUT MYSELF IN MY PARENTS' SHOES.
I'M LIKE, OK, WHAT WOULD MY PARENTS WANT ME TO DO? AND I JUST MADE THE DECISION BASED ON MY TRAINING-- PRIOR MILITARY.
OBVIOUSLY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PROVIDED US WITH GREAT TRAINING.
SO I JUST MADE THE DECISION THAT MADE THE MOST SENSE AT THE TIME MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: AMAZING.
AND WHEN I FOUND THIS OUT, I ASKED YOU DIRECTLY-- I SAID, DID YOU MAKE THIS DECISION, OR DID YOU HAVE TO GO UP THE LADDER AND SAY, HEY, I THINK WE SHOULD? AND YOU RESPONDED? DANIEL COOPER: I KIND OF JUST SENT IT.
I WAS LIKE, HEY, I THINK THIS IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION, AND SCHOOL ADMIN AGREED.
MS. TAYLOR, THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, MR. ENZO, THE PRINCIPAL, AND OFFICER FOX, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FOR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, THEY WERE ALL IN AGREEANCE, AND WE JUST MADE THE DECISION TO LOCK THE KIDS DOWN THAT WERE STILL THERE AND KEEP THEM INFORMED.
MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY WERE GREAT WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD THE BEST INFORMATION, AND WE GOT THE POSITIVE OUTCOME WE WERE LOOKING FOR.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: WONDERFUL.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT, IF YOU WOULD HAVE HESITATED OR CALLED YOUR BOSS OR CARLOS OR THE CITY MANAGER, THAT COULD HAVE WASTED VALUABLE SECONDS OR MINUTES THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A DIFFERENT OUTCOME.
HAD THINGS GONE DIFFERENTLY, AND YOU DIDN'T.
AND I REALLY COMMEND YOU FOR THAT GREAT DECISION.
LET ME READ THIS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.
PARK RANGER DANIEL COOPER DEMONSTRATED OUTSTANDING SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, SWIFT DECISION MAKING AND EXCEPTIONAL INITIATIVE WHILE ASSIGNED TO POLO PARK.
ON SEPTEMBER 17, DANIEL COOPER RESPONDED PROMPTLY TO AN EMERGENCY INVOLVING AN ESCAPED SUBJECT FROM NEARBY MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL.
HIS IMMEDIATE COMMUNICATION WITH MIAMI-DADE SCHOOL OFFICER AND FOX, CONTINUED COORDINATION WITH PARK RANGER LEADERSHIP AND PROACTIVE MONITORING AND EMERGENCY CHANNELS WITH THE POLICE ENSURED THAT SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND PARK AND RECREATION STAFF WERE FULLY INFORMED.
DURING THAT SCHOOL'S DISMISSAL PERIOD, DANIEL COOPER PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN MAINTAINING SAFETY AND SUPPORTING SCHOOL PERSONNEL, AS THEY SECURED 1,000 STUDENTS AND EXPEDITED DISMISSAL PROCEDURES.
HIS VIGILANCE AND DEDICATION REFLECT GREAT CREDIT UPON HIMSELF, THE WHOLE PARK RANGER TEAM, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND IT'S REALLY AN HONOR TO RECOGNIZE YOU TODAY.
WOULD ANY OF YOUR COLLEAGUES LIKE TO SPEAK OR-- YES? RAFAEL GRANADO: I WASN'T GOING TO, BUT HE DID SUCH A GREAT JOB THAT HE MOTIVATED ME.
SO OUR PARK RANGER, DANIEL COOPER, AS YOU MENTIONED, HE'S A VETERAN.
HE WORKS ON CARS, BUT DON'T LET THAT FOOL YOU.
HE'S ACTUALLY THE SWEETEST, KINDEST PARK RANGER THAT WE HAVE, OR ONE OF THEM.
BUT EVERY TIME I TRY TO REMOVE HIM FROM NAUTILUS, I GET AN EARFUL FROM THE PRINCIPAL.
I'M LIKE, WE CAN WORK THINGS OUT, AND THAT GOES TO SHOW YOU HIS LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT HE HAS FOR THE SCHOOL, THE CITY, THE STUDENTS.
THAT DAY, IT MUST HAVE BEEN A MINUTE OR TWO MINUTES,
[00:45:01]
I GOT ON THE RADIO AND I CALLED HIM, HEY, DID YOU HEAR THE CALL? NAUTILUS IS NEARBY.HE'S LIKE, I ALREADY HAVE THE KIDS ON THE WAY TO AUDITORIUM, AND THAT WAS VERY HONORABLE.
WE'RE ALL PROUD OF YOU, DANIEL.
AND THE REST OF OUR TEAM, IF I GOT-- SORRY.
IF I COULD HIGHLIGHT PARK RANGER FELIX, HE ASSISTED WITH IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECT FROM THE STABBING THE OTHER DAY IN WASHINGTON AVE.
HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST RANGERS TO HELP OUT PD-- ASSIST.
PARK RANGER, OR SUPERVISOR PACHECO, HE'S-- I LOST TRACK, BUT ONE OF HIS MOST MEMORABLE HIGHLIGHTS WAS WHEN THERE WAS TWO HIGH SCHOOL AGED STUDENTS THAT WERE DURING A SKIP DAY.
THEY HAD SAID TO HAVE-- WAVING A FIREARM.
AND HE WAS THE ONE WHO ADVISED DISPATCH, HEY, THEY'RE RIGHT HERE, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
AND OUR PARK RANGER HE'S OUR INTEL GUY.
SO ANY TIME WE HAVE INTEL, THIS IS OUR GUY RIGHT THERE AT THE END.
AND I'M VERY PROUD OF MY TEAM.
THERE'S A LOT MORE, BUT WE CAN'T FIT THEM ALL IN THIS ROOM.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: THANK YOU, AND I'LL GET YOU ALL CERTIFICATES.
RAFAEL GRANADO: PICTURE? MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: DON'T BE SHY.
PHOTOGRAPHER: LOOK AT THIS CAMERA, PLEASE.
[PA 7 CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION PRESENTED TO EMILY BEATTIE FOR SUMMER INTERNSHIP.]
RAFAEL GRANADO: PA 7, A CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION.STEVEN MEINER: COMMISSIONER DOMI-- COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
SO EVERY YEAR, I DO HAVE INTERNS THAT COME AND HELP IN MY OFFICE.
AND THIS YEAR, IT WAS SUCH A TREAT.
WE HAD EMILY BEATTIE, WHO LIVES ON THE VENETIAN ISLANDS AND I HAD MET A FEW TIMES AT EVENTS, [INAUDIBLE], AT YOUR HOME THAT WERE HOSTED THERE.
AND DON'T BE SURPRISED IF YOU SEE HER COMING AROUND HERE SOMEDAY, BUT IN CHARGE OF SOMETHING.
SHE WAS SO EAGER TO LEARN FROM THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AND SHE HELPED OUT MY TEAM AND WAS ALSO QUITE INTERESTED IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, THE SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT, AND EVEN ARTS AND CULTURE.
AND I THINK YOU WENT OUT TO THE BASS MUSEUM AND MIGHT HAVE DONE A COUPLE OTHER FIELD TRIPS.
IT WAS A JOY TO HAVE YOU AS PART OF THE TEAM, AND I'LL JUST READ A LITTLE SOMETHING HERE ON YOUR CERTIFICATE.
EMILY BEATTIE DEMONSTRATED OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND DEDICATION DURING HER SUMMER INTERNSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER LAURA DOMINGUEZ.
HER PROFESSIONALISM, WORK ETHIC AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE GREATLY SUPPORTED THE MISSION AND DAILY OPERATIONS OF THE OFFICE.
THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION EXTENDS THEIR SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR HER CONTRIBUTIONS AND WISH HER CONTINUED SUCCESS.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE HEADED NEXT YEAR? EMILY BEATTIE: NOT YET.
LAURA DOMINGUEZ: WELL, WE'RE ROOTING FOR YOU.
AND ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO TO EVER HELP YOU, PLEASE REACH OUT, AND CONGRATULATIONS.
LAURA DOMINGUEZ: YEAH, COME ON IN! STEVEN MEINER: YEAH, I'M NERVOUS THAT [INAUDIBLE].
PHOTOGRAPHER: LOOK AT THIS CAMERA, PLEASE.
[APPLAUSE] RAFAEL GRANADO: THANK YOU.
[00:50:01]
STEVEN MEINER: PA 14.[PA 14 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO JUAN MIGUEL PEREZ RODRIGUEZ FOR HIS COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS TO MIAMI BEACH.]
RAFAEL GRANADO: PA 14 IS A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.JUAN MIGUEL PEREZ RODRIGUEZ, COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS.
RAFAEL GRANADO: [INAUDIBLE] STEVEN MEINER: OH, ABSOLUTELY.
WELL, THANK YOU, JUAN MIGUEL PEREZ RODRIGUEZ.
WE SAW YOU LAST NIGHT AT THE OLÉ OLÉ.
WE DID OUR HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS FROM THE HISPANIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS A BEAUTIFUL EVENT.
STEVEN MEINER: WHY DON'T YOU COME TO THE MIC.
WHY DON'T YOU COME TO THE MIC.
AND WHAT I THINK IS BEAUTIFUL IS THAT YOU-- HOW MUCH YOU GIVE BACK AND CONTRIBUTE.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TWO RESTAURANTS-- THE TAPELIA RESTAURANT AND THE OLÉ OLÉ STEAK HOUSE.
BUT IN SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS IN OUR CITY, LIKE WHEN WE DO THE HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS TWO YEARS IN A ROW-- AND I MENTIONED THIS LAST NIGHT IN MY REMARKS-- THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THE BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR MOLLIE HORWITZ.
SHE SURVIVED NAZI GERMANY, THE HOLOCAUST, ESCAPED WITH HER SON, FLED TO CUBA, THEN HAD TO FLEE CUBA FROM THE CASTRO REGIME, AND THEN CAME TO AMERICA AND LIVES IN MIAMI BEACH.
AND SHE HAS CELEBRATED HER BIRTHDAY IN YOUR BEAUTIFUL OLÉ OLÉ STEAKHOUSE.
JUAN MIGUEL PEREZ RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
TRANSLATOR: JUAN MIGUEL PEREZ RODRIGUEZ: YEAH.
JUAN MIGUEL PEREZ RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? TRANSLATOR: I'M GOING TO SAY IT ON BEHALF OF MIGUEL.
MIGUEL WANTS TO THANK THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
MIGUEL WANT TO ALSO THANK GLORIA CAMPBELL.
SHE IS NOT HERE, BUT SHE HAS BEEN A GREAT SUPPORT IN MIGUEL [INAUDIBLE] ON MIAMI BEACH.
MIGUEL HAS-- STEVEN MEINER: I'M SURE GLORIA IS WATCHING.
TRANSLATOR: MIGUEL CAME HERE MORE THAN AND MIGUEL CAME TO MIAMI BEACH AND FELL IN LOVE OF THE CITY.
HE BECAME A CEO OF A DIFFERENT COMPANY, AND HE DECIDED TO PUT DOWN ROOTS HERE, BUILD HIS BUSINESS AND ALSO BUILD HIS LIFE.
THE ROLE, AS YOU KNOW, NOT BEEN EASY AT ALL.
MORE THAN-- BEEN UPS AND DOWNS, BUT EVERY STEP HAS BEEN WORTH IT.
MIAMI BEACH IS A WONDERFUL CITY.
IT'S A PLACE WHERE INCLUSION IS ONE OF THEIR CORE VALUES, AND WHERE THE PEOPLE FROM EVERY BACKGROUND FIND A HOME.
MIGUEL IS DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
HE IS ESPECIALLY PROUD TO PROVIDE JOBS FOR SO MANY FAMILIES AND ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, BRING PIECES OF HIS SPANISH CULTURE TO THE CITY HE LOVE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION, AND THANK YOU FOR THE STEVEN MEINER: THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE] I'M JUST GOING TO READ ONE PARAGRAPH OF THE PROCLAMATION.
BESIDES YOUR BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENTS AND-- IT'S NICE, BECAUSE YOU SEE SUCCESS AND YOU THINK, OH, OF COURSE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF HARD WORK, AND SWEAT, AND TEARS THAT USUALLY GOES INTO IT.
BUT BEYOND YOUR BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENTS, JUAN MIGUEL IS A DEDICATED COMMUNITY SUPPORTER WHO ACTIVELY ASSISTS LOCAL SENIOR CITIZENS, VOLUNTEERS, SPONSORS MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT EVENTS, COLLABORATES REGULARLY WITH THE CITY HALL INITIATIVES THAT STRENGTHEN THE CARE AND SUPPORT OF OUR RESIDENTS.
NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE, AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 21, 2026 AS JUAN MIGUEL PEREZ RODRIGUEZ DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
03, 2, 1-- [INAUDIBLE] ALL RIGHT.
[PA 5 PROCLAMATION PRESENTED TO FONSIS LLC FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING WORK AND SERVICE.]
[00:55:02]
STEVEN MEINER: PA 5.RAFAEL GRANADO: PA 5 IS PROCLAMATION FONSIS LLC, OUTSTANDING WORK.
STEVEN MEINER: COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ AND COMMISSIONER MATTEO-SALINAS.
SO WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PROCLAMATION HERE.
AND BETWEEN COMMISSIONER MATTEO-SALINAS AND I WILL READ THROUGH IT AND PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION FOR FONSIS DAY.
SO FONSIS LLC WAS FOUNDED NINE YEARS AGO BY THE HUSBAND AND WIFE DUO OF CARLOS AND GLORIA FONSECA.
IT'S A TRADE CONSTRUCTION FIRM THAT GENERATES EMPLOYMENT WITHIN MIAMI BEACH, AND ACTIVELY TRAINS AND EMPLOYS WOMEN WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND OFFERS TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS GOING THROUGH HOMELESSNESS VIA THE HERMANOS DE LA CALLE NONPROFIT AND THEIR MANY PROGRAMS. AND FONSIS WAS HONORED WITH THE 2026 BADASS AWARD IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE CATEGORY, WHILE ITS CO-FOUNDER, GLORIA, ALSO SERVES THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE HISPANIC AFFAIRS ADVISORY BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, CONTRIBUTING TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND HISPANIC REPRESENTATION.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: WHEREAS FONSIS HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED NUMEROUS CITY OF MIAMI BEACH PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR PAINTING OF THE SCOTT RAKOW YOUTH CENTER, IMPROVEMENTS AT MULTIPLE MIAMI BEACH PARKS, AND RENOVATION WORK AT THE NORTH SHORE LIBRARY AS PART OF THEIR AWARDED LIBRARY SYSTEM CONTRACT-- AND FONSIS IS CURRENTLY PAINTING THE CITY'S ICONIC LIFEGUARD TOWERS, HAVING COMPLETED APPROXIMATELY 10 TOWERS TO DATE, INCLUDING THOSE AT 5TH STREET, 10TH STREET, 17TH STREET, 21ST, 24TH, 35TH, 46TH, AND 72ND STREET-- THAT'S A LOT-- SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE BEAUTIFICATION AND PRESERVATION OF MIAMI BEACH'S PUBLIC SPACES.
AND OVER THE PAST THREE MONTHS, THE FONSIS TEAM HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY UNDER EXTREME HEAT CONDITIONS AND RECEIVING A PROCLAMATION DURING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH THAT WOULD SERVE AS MEANINGFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THEIR DEDICATION, RESILIENCE AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE, AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 21, 2026, AS FONSIS DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
[APPLAUSE] STEVEN MEINER: THAT WAS A PRETTY GOOD DUO.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: WE PRACTICED.
[PA 8 CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO JUAN JOSE RIVERA, NORTH BEACH PHARMACIST.]
RAFAEL GRANADO: PA 8, A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.JUAN JOSE RIVERA, NORTH BEACH PHARMACIST.
STEVEN MEINER: COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
LAURA DOMINGUEZ: SO JUAN JOSE RIVERA RAMOS IS A BELOVED PHARMACIST IN NORTH BEACH, AND I'M GOING TO READ YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT MAKES HIM SO SPECIAL.
JUAN JOSE RIVERA RAMOS WAS BORN IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, AND PROUDLY CALLED MIAMI-DADE HOME FOR THE PAST 26 YEARS, DURING WHICH HE HAS CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO THE CULTURAL AND CIVIC FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY.
FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS, HE HAS SERVED AS A BELOVED PHARMACIST AND MANAGER AT THE INDIAN CREEK NAVARRO, WHERE HIS DEDICATION, PROFESSIONALISM, AND GENUINE COMPASSION HAVE EARNED HIM THE ADMIRATION AND AFFECTION OF COUNTLESS MIAMI BEACH RESIDENTS.
HIS SERVICE HAS EXTENDED FAR BEYOND THE COUNTER, ESTABLISHING HIM AS A TRUSTED FIGURE WHOSE CARE AND COMMITMENT HAS LEFT A LASTING AND POSITIVE IMPACT ON ALL OF THOSE HE SERVES.
IN ADDITION TO HIS EXEMPLARY WORK AS A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL, MR. RIVERA HAS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN DEVELOPING A CONSENSUS OF TREATMENT GUIDELINES FOR PROSTATE CANCER AND BENIGN PROSTATE HYPERPLASIA, CONTRIBUTING TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE AND ELEVATING STANDARDS OF CARE.
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH SEEKS TO HONOR JUAN JOSE FOR HIS MANY YEARS OF SERVICE, HIS MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THE WARMTH AND DEDICATION WITH WHICH HE HAS SUPPORTED AND UPLIFTED OUR RESIDENTS.
THANK YOU, AND CONGRATULATIONS.
[01:00:02]
I THINK YOU EVEN HAVE SOME OF YOUR PATIENTS HERE.LAURA DOMINGUEZ: YOUR CLIENTS.
JUAN JOSE RIVERA: SHE'S ONE OF MY FIRST PATIENTS.
LAURA DOMINGUEZ: CONGRATULATIONS.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S TAKE A PICTURE.
CAN YOU WALK A LITTLE BIT TO THE LEFT? ALL RIGHT.
LAURA DOMINGUEZ: ALBERT, I WASN'T LOOKING AT YOU.
JUAN JOSE RIVERA: LET ME SAY SOMETHING.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU.
BUT ANYWAY, IT'S NICE TO BE RECOGNIZED.
MY WHOLE LIFE SINCE 1981, I HAVE BEEN WORKING AS A PHARMACIST WITH A LOT OF PROJECTS, EMPATHY, PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES.
AND I USED TO DIRECT RICO, AS WELL, FOR THE CARIBBEAN.
I'M NOT GOING TO MENTION ANYTHING ELSE.
BUT ANYWAY, I WANT TO THANK YOU.
MY TWO WORDS ARE LOVE FOR MY PATIENTS PATIENCE AND EMPATHY.
SO IF YOU HAVE THAT, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO I HAVE BEEN VERY EMPATHETIC WITH ALL MY PATIENTS.
[PA 9 PROCLAMATION PRESENTED TO BACHI JEWELRY FOR OVER TWO DECADES OF SERVICE TO MIAMI BEACH.]
RAFAEL GRANADO: PA 9 IS PROCLAMATION-- BACHI JEWELRY, TWO DECADES OF SERVICE TO MIAMI BEACH.STEVEN MEINER: COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
SO THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL PROCLAMATION FOR A SPECIAL STORE.
I FIRST MET GABRIELA WHEN MARK SAMUEL AND I DID THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY IN 2014.
AND WE WERE TOGETHER FOR THREE MONTHS, AND I GOT TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER AND ALSO THE BUSINESS THAT SHE HAD ON MIAMI BEACH.
AND TODAY, IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO CELEBRATE THE BUSINESS, ONE THAT I'VE BEEN INTO OVER THE YEARS, MANY TIMES.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN, ABSOLUTELY GO.
SO I'LL READ YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BACHI JEWELS.
BACHI JEWELS WAS FOUNDED BY GABRIELA PROVENZANO CHAVARRIA AND-- OF BASEL, SWITZERLAND, AND LUIS CHAVARRIA OF CHINANDEGA, NICARAGUA.
TWO IMMIGRANTS WHOSE SHARED LOVE STORY, CULTURAL HERITAGE, AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT CAME TOGETHER IN MIAMI BEACH MORE THAN 26 YEARS AGO TO BUILD A FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS ROOTED IN DEDICATION, CRAFTSMANSHIP AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.
GABRIELA AND LUIS HAVE GROWN BACHI JEWELS INTO A BELOVED SMALL BUSINESS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS UNIQUE EUROPEAN-INSPIRED COLLECTIONS, PERSONALIZED CUSTOMER SERVICE, PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE AND WELCOMING MULTICULTURAL ENVIRONMENT, REFLECTING THE RICH DIVERSITY AND INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
AS A PARTIALLY HISPANIC-OWNED BUSINESS, BACHI JEWELS PROUDLY REPRESENTS THE CONTRIBUTIONS, RESILIENCE, TALENT, AND ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, MAKING ITS RECOGNITION ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL.
FOR MORE THAN 26 YEARS, BACHI JEWELS HAS SERVED RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WITH EXCEPTIONAL JEWELRY CRAFTSMANSHIP, WATCHMAKING EXPERTISE, AND HEARTFELT CUSTOMER RELATIONS WHILE CONTINUALLY ADVANCING THEIR SKILLS THROUGH ONGOING EDUCATION, MODERN TECHNOLOGY, AND COMMITMENT TO QUALITY.
THE STORY OF BACHI JEWELS, SYMBOLIZED BY THE NAME BACHI, WHICH UNITED BASEL, WHERE GABRIELA IS FROM, AND CHINANDEGA, WHERE LUIS IS FROM, AND IT EMBODIES THE AMERICAN DREAM.
IT'S CELEBRATING TWO CULTURES, ONE FAMILY, ONE SHARED PASSION, AND IT HAS ENRICHED MIAMI BEACH AND OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH DECADES OF SERVICE AND INTEGRITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE, AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM
[01:05:03]
OCTOBER 21, 2026, AS BACHI JEWELS DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.AND THEY'RE JUST OFF OF WASHINGTON AND 16TH, AND THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND WERE IN ANOTHER LOCATION BUT THE SAME AREA.
AND DEFINITELY COME BY TO SEE THEM, AND PLEASE TAKE THE MIC.
I LOVE THE COLOR COORDINATION WITH THE ALL WHITE.
LUIS CHAVARRIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I AM VERY LUCKY THAT I CAME STRAIGHT TO MIAMI BEACH FROM NICARAGUA IN 1989 AND THIS IS THE PLACE THAT I CALL HOME.
AND FOR US TO BE GETTING THIS PROCLAMATION, IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US.
GABRIELA PROVENZANO CHAVARRIA: DEAR MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, AND ESPECIALLY LAURA DOMINGUEZ, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT, WITH THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY THAT WE-- THE CITIZEN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY THAT WE HAD TOGETHER IN 2014-- WAS THAT QUITE A WHILE AGO.
SO, AMAZING THE TIME WE SPENT TOGETHER, AND I REALLY ADMIRED WHAT YOU WERE DOING AND WHERE YOU ARE NOW.
AND ESPECIALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND, LUIS, FOR WORKING BESIDE ME AND GROWING THAT BUSINESS TOGETHER, AND TO MY AMAZING TEAM THAT I'M HAVING.
WE COULD NOT HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL STORE WITHOUT THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY, AND THANK YOU TO OUR CUSTOMERS THAT SUPPORTS US.
THAT'S A VERY BIG THING IN MIAMI BEACH.
IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO HAVE RETURNING CUSTOMERS, AND OUR STORE MAINLY WORKS WITH THAT.
WE HAVE 70% RETURNING CUSTOMERS.
THAT'S A BIG DEAL FOR US, AND WE'RE HAPPY FOR-- THAT YOU'RE SUPPORTING OUR BUSINESS.
LUIS CHAVARRIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
03, 2, 1-- LAURA DOMINGUEZ: BACHI! PHOTOGRAPHER: OK.
GABRIELA PROVENZANO CHAVARRIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH [APPLAUSE] LAURA DOMINGUEZ: CONGRATULATIONS.
[PA 3 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE MIAMI BEACH BANDSHELL FOR ITS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EVENT PRODUCTION, AND DEDICATION TO UNITING FANS DURING THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP.]
RAFAEL GRANADO: PA 3 IS PROCLAMATION, MIAMI BEACH BANDSHELL UNITING COMMUNITY DURING WORLD CUP.STEVEN MEINER: GOOD TO SEE YOU.
ADAM GANUZA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE RHYTHM FOUNDATION MIAMI BEACH BANDSHELL.
SO THE NAME OF THIS PROCLAMATION IS RECOGNIZING MIAMI BEACH BANDSHELL FOR ITS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EVENT PRODUCTION AND DEDICATION.
I COULD END IT RIGHT THERE, BECAUSE IT'S 365, THE WORK YOU DO.
BUT THE PROCLAMATION IS ACTUALLY TO UNITING FANS DURING 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP.
STEVEN MEINER: SO MANY PEOPLE MAY HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN AT THE BANDSHELL FOR THE WORLD CUP, MAY HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE OF IT, OR MAY HAVE SEEN IT ON TV BECAUSE YOU GOT A LOT OF COVERAGE NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY.
BUT WHAT YOU DID-- AND I'D LOVE TO SAY, OBVIOUSLY WE PUT OUR PART IN IT FROM THE CITY, BUT THIS WAS REALLY YOU GUYS.
AND YOU ADAPTED, TOO, BECAUSE YOU SAW THE SUCCESS THAT IT WAS HAVING-- THE CROWDS YOU WERE GETTING, AND YOU KEPT ADDING MORE AND MORE GAMES AND EVENTS, TOO, WHICH WAS REALLY INCREDIBLE.
BUT THE SCENE IS ABSOLUTELY-- YOU HAVE 5,000 PEOPLE PLUS OUTSIDE THE BANDSHELL, VISITING-- IN OUR STREETS, VISITING OUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS, LIKE MANOLO AND SAZON CUBANO, AND OTHERS.
BUT INSIDE, YOU HAD WELL OVER 01,000 PEOPLE AND YOU CAN SPEAK TO IT MORE.
I'LL TELL YOU-- ONE OF THE FINEST MOMENTS, AND I THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS INVITING ME TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS-- BUT I'D WALK AROUND THE CROWD AND PEOPLE WOULD BE DANCING, AND I HAD PEOPLE TELL ME THAT THEY CAME FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD
[01:10:02]
TO COME WATCH THE GAMES AT THE BANDSHELL.AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHEN I FIRST HEARD THAT.
I SAID, YOU CAME ALL THE WAY HERE? THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, IN MY CITY, THEY WEREN'T HAVING A WATCH PARTY FOR THE WORLD CUP, AND I WANTED TO BE SOMEWHERE.
AND I SAW IN THE NEWS OR I SAW SOMEWHERE THAT RIGHT HERE IN NORTH BEACH AT THE BANDSHELL, THERE'S GOING TO BE A WATCH PARTY, AND I WANTED TO WATCH THE GAME WITH 1,000 FANS.
SO IT'S AN INCREDIBLE CREDIT TO YOU.
YOU REALLY ADDED SO MUCH TO [INAUDIBLE]-- REALLY WAS AN INCREDIBLE, SUCCESSFUL WORLD CUP, AND YOU GUYS WERE RIGHT AT THE HEART OF IT.
TANYA BHATT: IF I CAN JUST ADD ON, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF DRAMA LEADING UP TO THE EVENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT SECURITY, AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF IT RAINED, AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO THE VOLLEYBALL COURTS.
AND YOU GUYS WERE GRACIOUS AND GRACEFUL AND HANDLED EVERYTHING WITH APLOMB AND HAD INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN WORKING THAT AS WELL, BUT I WANTED TO-- IT WASN'T JUST ALL EASY.
YOU MADE IT LOOK EASY, BUT I SAW THE BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, GREAT EVENTS ARE-- THE DUCK GLIDES SMOOTHLY, AND UNDERNEATH, THE LITTLE FEET ARE PADDLING LIKE CRAZY.
SO PROPS TO YOU ON THAT AS WELL.
ADAM GANUZA: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR INVITING US HERE TODAY AND FOR THE RECOGNITION.
IT'S QUITE AN HONOR TO BE RECOGNIZED ALONGSIDE SO MANY PILLARS OF THE CITY, AND I MEAN THAT GENUINELY.
AND IT WAS VERY GREAT TO SEE YOU AT A NUMBER OF SHOWS, MR. MAYOR.
AND I REMEMBER MY-- YOU CAME AND ASKED ME LIKE, SHOULD I ADDRESS THE CROWD? AND I SAID, MY ADVICE TO YOU WAS, YES, BUT JUST GET ON AND GET OFF QUICK BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYBODY TALK.
THEY CAME HERE FOR THE FOOTBALL.
IT WAS A REALLY AMAZING SERIES OF WEEKS THAT TRULY DEMONSTRATED HOW MIAMI BEACH IS A GENUINE CROSSROADS FOR THE WORLD.
SO WE WERE PEOPLE-- SEEING PEOPLE FROM, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD COMING TO JOIN US IN MIAMI BEACH TO ENJOY THIS INCREDIBLE GLOBAL PHENOMENON CALLED THE WORLD CUP.
MY PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT WAS SEEING SCOTSMENS FROM THE TARTAN ARMY DOING THE SAMBA IN KILTS, WAS QUITE THE SHOW.
AND IT ALL CULMINATED WITH AN ESTIMATED SOME 7,500 PEOPLE IN AND AROUND THE BANDSHELL FOR THE BIG FINAL SCREENING THAT HAD AN EXTRA BIG SCREEN ON THE VOLLEYBALL COURTS THAT ARE JUST BEHIND THE BANDSHELL IN THE [INAUDIBLE] CENTER.
I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, MR. CARPENTER AND HIS STAFF, PARTICULARLY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS ALL THE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS AND EMTS THAT WERE INVOLVED, KEEPING EVERYBODY FEELING REALLY COMFORTABLE AND SECURE, EVEN IN SOME TENSE MOMENTS.
IT'S A VERY PASSIONATE GAME, AND PEOPLE ARE VERY PASSIONATE WHEN THEY ARE WATCHING IT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE FIFA HOST COMMITTEE FOR MAKING THAT SCREENING-- THE OFFICIAL SCREENING FOR THE FINALS UP IN NORTH BEACH.
IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE JOY, AND IT'S AN HONOR.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING IT-- WHEN'S THE NEXT ONE? TWO YEARS FROM NOW, IF THERE'S A COPA AMÉRICA, WE'LL DO IT AGAIN.
BUT WE SAID-- I THINK WE SAID MOST OF IT, BUT I'M GOING TO READ THE LAST WHEREAS CLAUSE.
THROUGH THESE SUCCESSFUL EVENTS, THE MIAMI BEACH BANDSHELL FOSTERED COMMUNITY CONNECTION, GENERATED SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE EXPOSURE FOR MIAMI BEACH THROUGH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA COVERAGE.
AND DEMONSTRATED AN OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, CULTURAL PROGRAMMING, BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER THROUGH THE SHARED EXPERIENCE OF SPORT AND ENTERTAINMENT.
NOW, THEREFORE, DO WE, AS MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 21, 2026 AS MIAMI BEACH BANDSHELL DAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
[APPLAUSE] ADAM GANUZA: WE'VE STILL GOT SEVEN HOURS TO APPRECIATE OUR DAY.
TANYA BHATT: GOING TO BE-- REMEMBER IT EVERY YEAR.
03, 2, 1-- 03, 2 1-- ALL RIGHT.
RAFAEL GRANADO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[01:15:08]
STEVEN MEINER: OK.[PA 11 PROCLAMATION HONORING PANIZZA BISTRO FOR 23 YEARS OF ARGENTINE FLAVOR AND COMMUNITY.]
[PA 12 PROCLAMATION HONORING CVI.CHE 105 FOR ITS CULINARY EXCELLENCE AND CONTRIBUTION TO MIAMI BEACH’S GASTRONOMIC LANDSCAPE.]
[PA 13 PROCLAMATION HONORING TACO STAND MIAMI BEACH FOR ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY'S DIVERSE CULINARY SCENE.]
[PA 15 PROCLAMATION HONORING PIZZETTE BY LEONARDO FOR ITS ARTISANAL ITALIAN CUISINE AND CONTRIBUTION TO MIAMI BEACH’S CULINARY SCENE.]
I ALWAYS SAY LAST, BUT DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, WE'RE GOING TO CALL TOGETHER FOUR ITEMS-- THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MATTEO-SALINAS, PA 11, 12, 13 AND 15.RAFAEL GRANADO: PA11 IS PROCLAMATION, PANIZZA BISTRO, MIAMI BEACH STAPLE SINCE 2001.
PA12, PROCLAMATION CEVICHE 105, PERUVIAN CULINARY EXCELLENCE AND CONTRIBUTION TO MIAMI BEACH, PA13, PROCLAMATION TACO STAND MIAMI BEACH DIVERSE CULINARY SCENE.
AND PA15, PROCLAMATION PIZZETTE BY LEONARDO, ITALIAN CULINARY CRAFT.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: THANK YOU.
SO PLEASE, NEIGHBORS, JOIN US.
YOU WILL ALL GET YOUR FLOWERS.
SO I WENT TO LUNCH AT CEVICHE 105 NOT TOO LONG AGO, AND I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN TRYING TO GO INTO EACH OF THESE BUSINESSES.
ALL FOUR OF THESE BUSINESSES ARE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER, AND THEY HAPPEN TO BE ON LINCOLN ROAD WHERE WE'RE HAVING SOME CONSTRUCTION.
SO I KNOW IT'S BEEN REALLY TOUGH FOR YOUR BUSINESSES IN THAT AREA.
AND AS A COMMISSIONER, IT FEELS LIKE YOU HAVE THE WEIGHT OF THE ECONOMY ON YOUR BACK-- ON YOUR SHOULDERS, AND SO I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT I CAN TO HELP YOU GUYS.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH SIGNAGE, WHICH I BELIEVE WE'RE WORKING ON.
AND THERE WAS SOME REFUNDS TO THE SIDEWALK CAFE FEES AS WELL, BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'T EAT ON YOUR SIDEWALK ANYMORE AT THE CAFES.
BUT I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE YOU ALL, YOU FOUR, YOUR BUSINESSES AND INTRODUCE YOU TO OTHERS TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO EAT AT YOUR RESTAURANTS.
AND IT'S FUNNY, BECAUSE IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, TWO OF YOU HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
I BELIEVE CEVICHE 10-- OR, PARDON.
YEAH, CEVICHE 105, YOU'VE BEEN THERE SINCE 2014.
IS THAT CORRECT? AND ALSO, PANIZZA, YOU'VE BEEN THERE SINCE 2001? RAFAEL GRANADO: YES.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: SO YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME.
AND THEN YOU TWO, PIZZETTE BY LEONARDO-- HI-- YOU OPENED IN 2025.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: YOU JUST OPENED.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: AND ALSO, TACO STAND, YOU JUST OPENED AS WELL IN 2025.
YOU'RE THE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK, LITERALLY.
AND YOU'RE NEXT TO SOME GREATS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME, AND I KNOW YOU'RE ALL STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW.
SO WE SEE YOU, WE APPRECIATE YOU.
WE WANT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO HELP YOU TO STAY AFLOAT.
WE APPRECIATE ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ECONOMY, INCLUDING THE EMPLOYEES THAT YOU EMPLOY, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
AND I HAVE PROCLAMATIONS FOR ALL OF YOU.
AND PLEASE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOUR BUSINESS A LITTLE BIT AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR HISTORY HERE IN MIAMI BEACH, PLEASE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, AFTER 25 YEARS, THAT IT'S A GREAT CITY.
IT'S A GREAT WEST LINCOLN ROAD, BECAUSE WE ARE STILL ON LINCOLN ROAD, BUT IT'S THE WEST PART.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING EVERYTHING FOR US.
AND IT'S A REALLY TOUGH TIMES, BUT WE NEED TO KEEP GOING FOR THE CITY TO BE BETTER.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MATTEO-SALINAS, MR. MAYOR.
ACTUALLY, WE STARTED WITH ONE HOLE IN THE WALL IN DOWNTOWN LOCATION.
THEN WE OPENED IN SOUTH BEACH LOCATION IN 2014.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE COMMUNITY.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF CITIES OF MIAMI, CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
I GOT A GREAT HISTORY IN OUR CORNER-- ACTUALLY, LINCOLN AND WEST, ONE DAY-- ONE NIGHT, I WAS WALKING.
I SEE THIS EMPTY SPACE ALL CLOSED AND SAY, ONE DAY, I WANT TO BE HERE.
THE NEXT DAY, I GOT A PHONE CALL AND SOMEBODY SHOWED ME THIS PLACE.
AND FROM THAT DAY, WE START-- ACTUALLY, IN THE CORNER FOR ALMOST 12 YEARS AND DOING SO GREAT.
WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF HOPE.
WE ARE ALMOST 1,000 EMPLOYEES, AND WE HAVE TO KEEP GOING.
NO MATTER WHAT, TOGETHER, WE HAVE TO BE STRONG AND THEN KEEP GOING AND DO OUR BEST.
WE LOVE WHAT WE DO, SO WE HAVE THIS AMAZING FUSION-- PERUVIAN AND JAPANESE.
AND I THINK CEVICHE, TACOS, ITALIAN AND PANIZZA, THIS KIND OF CROISSANTS AND AMAZING PASTA.
SO TOGETHER, WE WANT TO JUST BUILD SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.
RAFAEL GRANADO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: THANK YOU.
[01:20:02]
RAFAEL GRANADO: WE ARE THE TACO STAND.WE HAVE HERE, IN MIAMI BEACH, FIVE LOCATIONS-- IN MIAMI, FIVE LOCATIONS.
WE ARE REALLY PROUD OF SERVING MEXICAN FOOD.
WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD QUALITY OF FOOD, AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: THANK YOU ALL.
SO I HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR EACH OF YOU, AND I'LL COME DOWN AND BRING IT DOWN AND WE'LL TAKE SOME PICTURES.
TODAY IS YOUR DAY, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL, SO THANK YOU.
[INAUDIBLE] STEVEN MEINER: COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
I JUST WANT TO CELEBRATE ALL OF YOUR BUSINESSES.
YOU TRULY ARE SPECIAL, AND I'VE BEEN TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
PANIZZA, I'VE BEEN TO VALERIE'S HAPPY HOURS AT YOUR PLACE.
AND THEN, AT CEVICHE 105, MY AIDE, ALBERT, WE CELEBRATED HIS BIRTHDAY THERE THIS YEAR, AND WE ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT.
LEONARDO, I CELEBRATED NEW YEARS AT YOUR PLACE WITH MY NEIGHBORS, DEBORAH COHEN AND NORM COHEN, AND SOME OTHER NEIGHBORS THAT WENT THERE, AND WE'RE ROOTING FOR YOU.
AND THE TACO STAND, YOU KNOW WHAT I LOVE? EVERY TIME I GO, I SEE PEOPLE FROM CONFERENCES.
AND I'M LIKE, HOW DO THEY KNOW FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER TO COME HERE? SO YOU DO HAVE A FOLLOWING.
WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE FOR YOU, AND WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST.
REACH OUT TO MONICA-- TO COMMISSIONER MATTEO-SALINAS, OR ANY ONE OF US, BECAUSE WE'RE HERE TO HELP.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: NOW, DON'T BE SHY.
MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS: WE'RE ROOTING FOR YOU GUYS.
THAT'S ALL THE ITEMS. WE HAD A COUPLE OF DEFERRALS, SO THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES AND OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION, AND OF COURSE, ALL THE AMAZING HONOREES AND PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.