All right. So, let's go ahead and take a look at our additions, deletions, and withdrawals. I do have one before we get into the others because I understand that we have uh we have our um uh chair of our P&Z board here to talk about one of the ordinance that we have,
ordinance 11B, which is the installation of the synthetic turf. It's 2026-02. Uh I understand uh and having discussed with the attorney before the meeting um that the attorney is going to work uh speak with the PNZ board about some of
the some of the red lines that they had raised with respect to the the language of the ordinance. And it doesn't seem like it makes a whole lot of sense for us to discuss it tonight if we're going to see this the changes put in before we get the second read. So, I would
recommend that we move this to May to give Gage time to get with uh John to uh put in his red lines. So, that would be my only recommendation at this point. That one's 11B. So, that's my only recommendation right
now. I'll open for the commission for any other additions, deletions, and withdrawals that we'd like to address. Um I have some I first is I want to make sure I have the right agenda. So we received one Albert, you sent one this
morning. Um that was the one you sent on when Can you clarify what's changed? Commissioner, I I made some u we had made some changes to the storm order um which I had sent out earlier and in in
that the email I sent out this morning said what the corrections were was the storm order and also the um the item appointing the the lady from um parks and parks way. So we took that off for consent and we put that on the regular
agenda and then there were some some minor typos that we corrected on the agenda also. >> So is is anything added? No. Meaning nobody can say they didn't have the opportunity to see it.
>> Everything was was noticed and properly uh noticed and the agenda went out on time. Uh the it was advertised the the titles were advertised. We added the the u the ranking for the storm order was what we added to that item.
>> Okay. All right. So I think I have this the the right one in front of me. I'll check with you mayor. In that case I will pull consent agenda A approving um the agreement for the line uh improvement in the log cabin. Right. We
have A and then F in the agenda I have is approving quote and purchase of Joe Landscaping. >> Uh that's the res You're talking about the resolution >> and I'm talking about resolution F. Yes.
>> I don't have that one. I don't have that one on consent when I just see regular res resolution. Yeah. >> You wanted to pull that one? >> Well, I'm sorry because it's full already. So, no need to pull. Yeah. No, it's fine. >> Okay. Okay. So, just 9A. >> Just making sure that that was in the consent. Yeah.
>> Okay. Any others uh from the rest of the commission? Hearing none. Okay. So, I have uh we'll move 11B uh which is that second ordinance to May and we will move 9A into our uh resol off of consent into normal regular resolutions, I guess. Uh
yeah. in order to comply with a revision state law that allows us to continue things to a date and time certain. >> Oh yes, >> I'm going to read the ordinance title. >> Okay. >> And and and so we can properly continue the matter. So um uh with the approval
of the commission we will take out of order u proposed ordinance um 20262 which is entitled an ordinance the village commission the village of biscane park Florida amending the code of an ordinances of village biscane park to regulate the installation and
maintenance of synthetic turf providing for inclusion in the code providing for conflicts providing for scrier's errors providing for severability and providing for an effective date based upon the uh direction of the commission. This matter will be scheduled for a time a date and
time certain of um the meeting in May, which is what date? >> May 5th. >> May 5th um at this the commission meeting starting at 6 PM on that date. >> Okay. Thank you, John. All right. So, do I have a motion to second to approve the amended agenda?
>> Make a motion to approve it and to second it. I mean, make a motion to move it. I second. >> All in favor? I >> I Okay, very good. So, let's move on. Our first presentation this evening
is on our ARPA funds. So, the floor is yours. Thank you for being with us this evening. Braving the uh the traffic and the rain to come all the way up here. Can you give that a tap just to make sure that it's on?
Just tap the front just so we can >> Yeah, it might have been I might have just messed that up. >> There we go. >> All right. Mr. Mayor, members of the city commission, city administration, and the public, of course. Uh my name is
Yolanda Aguilar. I am the consultant to the ARPA projects, and it's my pleasure to visit the village again, and I always enjoy coming to the log cabin. It's like you're transported into a different uh time zone if you would. So, it's very
quaint and and I commend you for the upkeep of this special place. Uh I'm here this evening to give you a very brief report. I've been working with the city manager for the village manager for months now uh in order to become
compliant with the ARPA regulations and the the federal regulations as it deals with the money that uh we are trying to comply with all the requirements and I know that the village had a problem at the beginning of the process there was
like a a period of time where the village wasn't properly reporting the activity of the use of the ARPA funds. Um, Mr. Childress has been very diligent with moving these projects through and we are doing on the back end. Um, I'm
I'm involved with the compliance portion of the ARPA funds. Um, we recently transitioned from the um from the Treasury Department website uh the portal from the Treasury Department
closed down and we had to um move our projects into the Florida PA site. So, it was a new process, but I was somewhat familiar with with both portals. So, we've been able to establish communication with the Florida Department of Emergency Management. They
oversee this. So we are on track is what I'm trying to tell you. The next report for the period quarter ending March 30th is due on April 30th. And I have asked of the mil village manager to supply me with some documentation because all the
documentation on the expenditures for the $1.5 million originally allotted to the village is has to have a process where we upload the information to the portal. And now we're seeing these
projects quickly moving to uh the final stages. The Treasury Department published an amended report which became effective on January 2026. Uh Mr. Childris, if I'm not mistaken, I
believe that's the um the new amendments to the uh Treasury Department guidelines. Correct. >> Yes. The only thing and I went I browsed through the report and I actually took a a video um took training on a video online that was published and nothing
really changed except the timelines that they have now extended the program to its final stage to December 31st 2026. With that comes quarterly reports. So that's what I'm involved with right now.
And I understand that you may be awarding a storm water portion of the project this evening. And as soon as the work uh is issued and and a notice of award uh is is issued by the village to the successful bidder, then we will be
in a position to put that into the next report which is going to be due on June 30th. So, we are getting close to the end here and I I issued a memorandum to the village manager last night. I
completely um I'm very confident that we're going to be successful in the completion of the project and I am um recommending strongly recommending that the village move forward as quickly as possible so that we can close out before
the December 30th, 2026 deadline. I think it's going to show good faith on the village because I mean five or six years have passed since these funds were allotted to the municipality. So at some point it's going to be time to close down these projects and we want to make
sure that the audits take place and that everything is in order. So um I'll feel a lot more comfortable once we have a green light with the storm water project so that then the audit can commence. So that's where we're at now. I think you have the two most important phases of
the project and I think it's the actual work on the ground that needs to be completed and then start the audit process. >> That's helpful Yolanda. Thank you very much. Um just one very quick question for you. the completion of the project. I mean this is this next phase of the
drainage projects is >> pretty big is I now I remember we had this discussion very early on about encumbering funds and um versus whatever other >> spend ex >> versus actually spending the funds right so I mean I think that it would be hard pressed for anyone to tell us that the
funds are not encumbered once we get to the point where we're signing a contract with the vendor to come out here and spend the money and do the work. >> Exactly. And even though this deadline's been moved to December, which is great news, I don't know. I don't know that we can reliably say that our next drainage project will be done by that time. I'm not saying it won't be. I'm just saying,
is it going to be sufficient in your opinion to show that the funds are encumbered? We have a contract and the work is ongoing. >> Yes, I believe so. Once you issue a notice of award because you have gone through the bidding process or the selection process and you're following based on your guidelines and you have issued a contract to the successful
contractor then you have actually encumbered by process the funds that that were awarded to the village and I think you'll be in great shape. >> Excellent. >> Yeah. >> Well, I'll ask if any other commissioners have any other questions for you, but I very much appreciate the update. >> Happy to respond to any questions. Any
questions from commission? Yolanda, thanks so much for being here. We appreciate the update. We're looking forward to tying this up. >> Thank you. Thank you very much and thank you for having me here this evening. >> Thank you. Okay, good news. So, uh, having concluded our
presentations for the evening, um, now, so normally I just want to let the commission know and for anyone that has joined us since the, uh, since the start of this meeting, uh, as a reminder for anyone listening and for any member of the public, we have a 5:45 meeting where we do proclamations and presentations. Um, and that was originally started with
the intent of, you know, moving along our 6:00 meetings. Um, and I just wanted to bring to the to everyone's attention that the proclamations that we had during the 545 conference was one for autism awareness month for the month of April 2026. Uh, and in conjunction with
that proclamation, uh, county commissioner Raquel Regalado sent us a an autism awareness month flag, which we just hoisted uh, with the help of John, the chief, the captain, and the manager. So, we will be flying the autism awareness flag this month um in
conjunction with our proclamation to to create and provide awareness and follow through with our proclamation. So, um we'd like to just I'd like to extend our thanks certainly to to Commissioner Regalado for sending that along to us. Uh and then in addition, and this seems particularly um relevant given some of
the items that we have on our um our agenda this evening is our Arbor Day proclamation. And we do this every year uh and we do it again for the month of of April and specifically April 24 which is Arbor Day for this year 2026. And just remind everyone that on
April 25th I think Al um correct me if I'm wrong. April 25th will be our village observation of Arbor Day out here in the the lawn uh of the log cabin. So in conjunction with that proclamation we'll
be holding that event. So, I just wanted everyone to be aware of that since sometimes the 545 goes kind of without a whole lot of public and circumstance. Um, all right. So, let's go ahead and get to our public comment and we'll open up public comment here in the log cabin first and then we'll move on to to Zoom.
Uh, and a reminder for anyone providing us with your public comment this evening, uh, please provide us with your name and address and public comment um is limited to three minutes. So, I will start with those here in the log cabin. Hi, my name is Al Baran and I live on
849 Northeast 121st Street and I came today just to put a face to a name. I'm going to be applying for the parks and parkways board and I just wanted to make myself available for any questions or just to connect.
Thanks for being with us, Iliana. So, we have your item coming up on the uh the resolutions. So, if there's any questions at that time, maybe we'll ask you to hang around for just a little bit if that's all right. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> Thanks very much for volunteering and for being here. Okay. Any others here in the log cabin?
Once going twice. No. Okay. Any on Zoom? We have John. >> Yeah, sure. I'll go. Hey, John. >> Hey. Hi, everyone. John Holland. Uh, A44 Northeast 119 Street. Uh, sorry I can't be there in person. I'm still nose down on this project, but I know I've been
saying that for a while. The end's in sight. I just hope it's not an oncoming train, but I'll know in a couple weeks. I think it's going to work out great. Uh, first off, thank you, Issa, for another successful uh Easter shindig. Um, you know, with my girl growing, I never know when the last one's going to
be. So, thank you again. and I know he works uh very hard on that as as does the a lot of folks down there. Um but he's kind of the face of it and he's he's out there with the microphone all morning. So thank you again Isa for for all that. Uh the main thing I wanted to talk about um the lovely uh young lady
who just introduced herself. She as you know is not technically a resident of of Biscane Park because she lives on the north side. Um, I know a lot of people who live on the north side of 121st or 122nd thereabouts and like her, they all walk south when they want to go out and enjoy nature and they come right into
Biscating Park. I kind of consider them honorary Bis Skating Park residents, but technically as they're not, we need a four-fifths vote. So, I really really really I mean, if you look at our qualifications, I think you'll see why. Not to mention the fact that we had a hard enough time, you know, the board wasn't meeting for like a for I don't
know a year or so and um and we we we've been down a person for about that same amount of time. So, we could definitely use the help especially with someone of her qualifications in experience. So, I hope you guys can come to a a four fits agreement on that or or unanimous would
be awesome as well. Um, wanted to mention from a PMP perspective, um, parks and parkways, not policy and procedures to be clear. Um, happy to see that there's been a lot of progress on getting the trees. We have quotes, um, and that's going to be talked about tonight and obviously a lot
of help from um, residents Glenn and Tammy the calls and people who helped out on the walks. So happy to see that that's moving forward. Um, and wanted to mention also that a couple things on the agenda tonight about pedestrian projects that that Commissioner Huntington and Commissioner
Ansler's reforestation. Obviously, we're happy to help with any and all of that. Um, nonp parks and parkways items that I just wanted to throw out my resident's opinion on very quickly. Uh, one as a finance MBA, um, yes, interestbearing
account is I would I haven't looked at the details of the, uh, investment vehicle. However, I assume this is a low-risk investment vehicle and we should we should be collecting interest on our reserves. So, this seems to me like a bit of a no-brainer. Uh, but the devil's in the details. So, I'm looking forward to hearing more about that and
reading into it. Syn uh synthetic turf. Um, I've driven by the park a few times and I got to say, I've been here a long time. I've never seen the field look so bad. I know we're in a drought and all that, but I think this is a great idea for a lot of different reasons. um
aesthetics, durability, uh usability. Um and that dovetales nicely, I think, with the no smoking ordinance. We don't want a new expensive, uh turf to catch fire, right? Also a fan of the cars idling. I've noticed a lot of cars idling and smoking, and that's just not a good
thing to have around the kids. And then last thing, and I'm just throwing this out because I'm half joking, but half serious. I still wouldn't mind seeing a pickle ball court around sometime, but not holding my breath. Thanks, guys. Thanks, John.
Appreciate it, John. Thank you. Cheers. Um Um All right. Uh I don't think we have anyone else uh on Zoom except for Paul who's with us for finance questions. Hi, Paul. Um so having uh seeing no more public comment, we'll go ahead and close public comment at this
time. Uh and I'll ask for uh commissioner's reply to comments uh if any. No. No. All right. So, in that case, let's move on to our reports. Our first report up for the evening, Mr. Manager. Anything specific that you'd like to
talk to us about in your report for this month? >> Uh, yes. Uh, good evening, Mr. Mayor, members of the commission. Uh, this the month of April is a very busy month for the village of Biscane Park and also for the parks and recreation department. Uh this past Saturday, April 11th, we had
the this this coming Saturday, April 11th, at 6 PM, the village will be hosting the annual uh Jazz in the Park Festival at 6 p.m. We're looking forward to another great turnout. Last year I attended and it was very well attended,
had some great uh bands, and I'm sure uh Issa will put together another great event. On April 25th, the parks and recreation board, parks and parkway board will hope be hosting the Arbor Day celebration that you just talked about, Mr. Mayor. And that will be from 10:00
a.m. till till noon. And then on Friday, April 24th, the village will be hosting the uh mobile drive license uh renewal van uh with our tax collector uh coordinating with our tax collector. and that would be at the recreational
center from 9:00 am to 4 pm last year. We did this uh we're going to do this quarterly. I think we did it about three months ago. It was very successful. We had appointment appointments throughout the day. It's on the website. So, we encourage people to take advantage of this. Uh this past weekend, we hosted
the annual egg hunt at the at the park. It was estimated that 400 to 500 people attended the event. Uh we were blessed with wonderful weather. Uh the parks recreation department as u Mr. Holland
just said did an another excellent job. Um I'd like to thank the police chief and his staff. Uh public works John Jenkins and his staff. Code compliance. Miss Grant was there. um our parks and recreation department, Issa, his staff,
all the hardworking uh dedication made the ex the made the event so successful. Um also, Mr. Mayor, yourself, Commissioner Huntington, uh Commissioner Samrian, thank you for attending and enjoying the f festivities
and um participating in that sack race. What I think the chief has the video of it. >> Um >> not for public consumption. Yes, on the on the agenda on the agenda this evening is um um also
is our report the CIP projects. I hope you take a look at that and see how many of these projects are moving forward. We have many of them being awarded tonight on the agenda. Um as you are aware that our consultant just talked about the
stormwater project. Um that's a a a a critical project that we're working on and and there's time frames that we need to meet. Um also on the agenda is an LTC that provides information about the
Australian pines on Griffin Boulevard. Uh Miami Day County has uh inspected those along with our staff, our arborists and uh we identified uh six of the seven Australian pines. the one is intertwined with a a fig. The fig is
going to be able to be saved, but the uh the Australian pine with that's intertwined with it will have to be removed. And they're all going to be doing this at their own expense uh will be assisting with closing off the street and we'll let you know when that date um
occurs. Um finally, Mr. Mayor, members of the commission, as you had had I had uh reported prior, I'm going to be gone the first two weeks of May. I'll be traveling. Uh Issa will be the acting village manager as always. He does a
great job and um uh I will be checking in on my emails at the end of the day and um uh hopefully everything will go uh smoothly for that May uh village commission meeting when
we're already working on that agenda and thank you very much. >> Thanks Mr. Manager. Are there any questions from the commission on the manager's reporting around? None. Okay. Uh, all right, Al, thanks very much. Um, so let's um we'll
move on to our our department reports now. Uh, are there any questions or any comments or anything uh from the commission on the building department report for this month? Hearing none. Okay. Uh, I know we have Dorine here with us. We're on We have our code compliance report. Are there
any questions or comments uh from the commission on the code compliance report uh that Dorene might be able to address? Um, I appreciate you coming forward with the detail of the driveways and what the status is. I was wondering if there is a way there was a resident that came
forward with that question specific. Um, and maybe we know who it is and we can provide that specific report to to him. >> Yes. Uh, Commissioner, we've already uh file forward that report to him.
>> Okay, great. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Dorian. Um, all right. So, our next report uh is parks and wreck and Issa is here with us. Are there any questions uh on the parks and recck department report for this month?
Hearing none. Hearing none. Thank you, Issa. Um, uh, police department, uh, we have our chief and the captain here with us. Are there any questions on the police department report for this month from the commission? Hearing none. Okay. All right. Chief,
Captain, thank you. Finance, we have our finance report. I know Paul is I think he's on Zoom with us. Uh any questions on the finance report for this month? >> No. >> No. Okay. Uh next is public works. Uh John's here
with us. Any questions for John on the public works report for this month? >> I just had a question. And um last year there was um for preparation of storms coming up, hurricane season, there was a
pile of sands in the different areas and those have those been re um how do you say resolded? Is the plan to resold those? is the plan to what what are we doing with this space where the sand was piled because the the grass is
>> obviously um >> yeah it wasn't there wasn't sod there to begin with commissioner is more weeds than anything so we have removed the uh the sand that was there and probably in June 1st we'll probably uh replenish
those sand piles and put more sand out there >> so the sand is going to go back into the same spots it's not going to go by the church or anything >> by the church. >> Yeah. No, I think I'm I'm mixing up with the debris that we agreed with. >> Debris goes to the church. Yeah. >> There is no other opportunity to put
that somewhere else that it's not and and again it can be another, you know, conversation. I was just wondering if from public works you drive by those places used to have weeds or greens in any way. Now it's just sand. So, I was wondering if that was a plan to, you
know, >> I I something that >> I'm sure with all the rain we're getting that um there'll be some greenage going in there now. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All righty. So, our CIP report um from
the manager is our final report on in item number eight. Uh does anyone have any questions on the CI CIP update? None. Okay. Um so commission reports uh is our final report for the evening. I'll just start on one end and come this
way. Is any is anyone like to provide does anyone like would anyone like to provide a commission report at this time? >> Uh all I'd like to add is thank you to all the employees uh issa parks and recck department. Thank you again for a great event last weekend, the egg hunt. It was very well attended and very well
done as always. I just want to say thank you. I'm looking forward to uh jazz in the park this weekend. >> Same here. But I also would like to, and I already did this to the chief, but I anytime any of our officers do something really good, I wanted to be brought out. And we had an incident where I went to
youth fair and I had a very bad effect. And I got home and one of our officers who was on duty was very concerned. I mentioned this to the city manager and to the chief. And I just wanted to congratulate the chief uh because sometimes people criticize what our officers do and I think that was very it
was a very serious thing that I went through and it was good that he was willing to uh take me to emergency if I needed it. So I just wanted to comment that did it privately but I also like to do it publicly. Thank you >> Mr. Vice Mayor. I'm sorry.
>> Yes. Um, so I just wanted to highlight I had um several mentions or invitations um celebrating Women's History Month and I missed the proclamation you did last month because I I got here at 6. So I
wanted uh to say thank you publicly to um Christy Fraga, mayor of El Dorado, put together a beautiful event, invited all women uh around the county to participate to mingle. It was beautiful and I was there representing Biscane
Park together with uh Councilwoman Mary Estim from the city of North Miami. The I didn't know this happened for the past seven years. It was the first time I was able to assist and it was quite the party. I was impressed by the way they
like threw out the window and everybody participated and it was a lot of female empowerment. So it was beautiful. Um and uh I also wanted to appreciate uh chrome uh congresswoman Federico Wilson for the mention and you know notice that
I didn't do that you know month sort of flew away and I didn't get the chance again to be part of that proclamation so I'll extend a bit later but I want to thank all of you as women they're part of this uh those that engage those that volunteer those that are there for each
other so um there was a lot of talk how we connect better and and it was it was quite nice. So, thank you to all of that. And the last thing I um got back to Miami um the county animal services, if you remember, I had an item related
to TV and our efforts and so I did invite them to come forward. They actually suggested, you know, part of the um the services they provide is, you know, how do we connect more? Is there opportunity for presentation materials to be distributed etc. So I think it
would be great for May for them to come and do a short presentation on what those services could mean for us and how um residents can take advantage more of what is already at the disposal um you know not additional money that we pay
but within their taxes that they can um tackle. So that's to be um coordinated through staff, but um in in the conversation, hopefully they can make it for in the upcoming uh commission meetings. Um that's it. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. Um maybe Al, we
could uh have put a placeholder on for the presentations for for the county to come up and do give the presentation on the TNR. >> Yeah, that would be great. >> Excellent. Thank you. Um, so, uh, very quickly, um, it's already been said, but just to say it again, uh, Issa, you guys
did a great job, public works did a great job, police department did a great job, everyone involved. Darin, you were there as well. Um, everyone did a great job, staff did a great job. It was a fun event. Um, and, uh, Commissioner Samary and I got a chance to be in the sack race, which was fun. Uh, we didn't win.
No video doesn't exist. Um, so, uh, yeah, just thank you again for for the event. It was it was well done as always. And my kids beforehand didn't want to do the egg hunt and then when we got there, they did so well that they were very happy. So, you you turned
them around. So, great job. Um, quick update on property taxes. I'm sure as anyone has followed the news, there's likely to be a special session for property taxes. At this time there's been no continuing and ongoing discussions with the county on how to address it because that that session
needs to be set. So it's been pretty quiet, excuse me, been pretty quiet on the county front uh on the discussion on property taxes. So uh to the extent that we get any more information from them, I'm I'm happy to bring it to the commission. Um and uh I believe if I saw
this correctly that uh Al had forwarded an email to the commission that we received from county DOT where they were able to set up we there was recall that there was an email from a resident group I think up 119th asking for some information on traffic asking that we
put in some calming measures. The county was very helpful. They jumped into this very quickly. They did a traffic study. Their findings were their findings. you know, they are what they were. Um, but you know, we through the ILA still have the ability to control some calming measures and as we've all discussed for
a long time now. Uh, traffic calming me measures need to be supported by data. So, um, I'm have not yet done it, but I told um Al. I'm going to reach out to Diana. which is our contact at county DOT to ask if they'll share the data with us so we can >> sorry
>> to potentially use it um to support the installation of traffic calming measures to the extent that we are able. So I'm interested to see what they collected how they collected it and what it says. So I know the county has in uh years past said that they are willing to share data with us. I don't have any
expectation that they won't do that this time as well. Um but as soon as I get that information from them hopefully um I'll ask uh Al to provide it to the rest of the commission. >> Can I ask you a question? So is is the was the feedback was um there's certain specifications you have to follow,
right? In order to have um this data >> for us to do it or for the county to do >> for the county to do it. >> County. Yeah, it has to that has certain criteria that it has to meet and >> not to jump to the jump to the conclusion. Yeah, sorry. uh they they didn't find uh the data sufficient to support the county intervening to do
anything on the road. So >> won't do it but they are able maybe to provide the materials needed for the data collection right I'm sorry the raw data or the insights on the datas and that that was a distinction I wanted to make one thing if if they give you just
an excel sheet with all the numbers >> it would be great if they can collaborate right >> say you know with this numbers right >> do you have best practices of other cities that maybe are not you know qualifying with the specs but um have taken advantage of specific deterrence.
>> It's certainly part of what I'd like to ask them. I mean, my understanding with the ILA, we can take as long as the data supports it that we're able to do it as long as it complies with the uh with the the engineering standards that we have attached to our ILA, which just adopts the county ones. So, it's just going to depend on what that says. So, as soon as
we have it, hopefully we'll be able to interpret in a way that's able to support some help from that area. So, one step at a time, hopefully they'll share it with us. >> Mr. May if I clarify my reading of that email was that their study focused more on a instituting an always stop at 11th
court. They didn't really talk about speed in their study. They were more focused on stop signs. >> So I'm curious I'm cur that's why I'm curious to see what data they collected. I am too. And maybe the formal proposal would be to instruct the manager to either provide us an LTC on this or
report next month next with that data and next steps on whether or not we need to uh engage with Kimley Horn or another design or if that data is sufficient to move forward with the idea of a traffic caling measure. >> Yeah, we can certainly do that. I I just curious first things first is I want to
get it because I don't I don't know. I don't know if it's just counts. Um, I don't know if it's if it's I know they chief I know they mentioned on their accidents, but I think they said one accident in the last decade or whatever it was. And I know that's the the accident that the resident group is focusing on, of course. Um, so that's why I'm just curious. I'm curious, what
do they have? What did they take? What did they collect? And how did they do it? What do you got, Chief? >> Chief Carlos A. uh they usually do a count and it's based on amount of traffic on the street and I don't think
it made it to to any level of >> it's just going to be data >> what I kind of surmised it was that it was just a count but until >> I'm at that stage of I don't know what I don't know so I'll wait to see what they get and you know we will make the
appropriate decision I think from there >> but I agree >> appreciate it chief Sorry, I agree with Commissioner Huntington. I think the idea of putting it on as a discussion item maybe with seeing the data that we have would be uh our next step and again
this has been as you as you just mentioned for so long I would do a next agenda if it's possible just to have the conversation of what what does it mean and what for us is next step. >> I agree also not >> completely agree. I think that we we have the pulse of something here. I
don't want to lose it. We have data coming in. Let's continue to hone that to an actual solution. >> I'm with you. All right. Well, that will conclude our commission reports for now. Um so, let's move on to our consent agenda. Uh so, um do I have a motion and
a second to approve the consent agenda? >> I make a motion to approve the consent agenda. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> I. All right. So, that will bring us to our resolutions for this evening. Our first resolution is going to be item 10A 2026-
28. Uh I know we moved one of them, but we'll do that. I guess we'll do that last. Uh so John, would you uh be so kind as to please uh read that one on the record for us? >> I'm sorry. >> Uh 2026-28. It's 10A. And this is resolution 2026-28
entitled a resolution of the village commission the village of Biscane Park Florida approving the purchase of one 2026 Ford police interceptor utility AWD vehicle using a competitively awarded agreement by another governmental agency providing for conflicts scriveners
errors for severability and an effective date. >> All right, thank you John. Do I have a motion and a second to move to discussion? >> Make a motion to uh approve resolution 2026 20 Eight resolution approving purchase of police vehicle from Grand Road. Second.
>> Okay. Uh you know I read the uh the cover memo uh Mr. Manager. I know we have Paul on with us because there's some implications. There's some finance implications on where the funds are coming from, but I think it's pretty pretty well detailed in the memo on where these funds are being provided from alternative sources.
Uh are there any questions or any discussion items that anyone would like to to bring up with respect to the resolution? No. >> No. Okay. Um All right. Uh so having no discussion on the item, um uh all in favor of approving resolution 20268 >> I
>> I >> I Okay. Uh very good. So let's move on to resolution 10B, which is 2026-29. John, would you please be so kind as to read the resolution under the record for us? Mayor and Commission, this is
resolution 2026-29 entitled the resolution of the village commission of the village of Biscane Park, Florida, accepting the lowest responsible and resp responsive bid submitted by Chin Diesel, Inc. for the demolition of the public works storage building located at 893 Northeast 109th
Street, Biscane Park, and authorizing the village manager to issue a task order to Chin Diesel, Inc. for the demolition of the public works storage building providing for conflicts, scrier's errors, severability, and an effective date. >> Thanks, John. Do I have a motion and a second to move to discussion? >> I make a motion to approve resolution
2026 29 approving Chan diesel tax order for demolition of public works storage building. Second. >> All right. Um, so I know that this uh will hopefully make Dorian feel a little bit better that we're moving this thing forward finally and John as well. Um,
so, uh, I'll just, uh, ask the commission if there are any questions or discussion items that they'd like to, um, to bring up at this time on the resolution. >> I do. >> Okay. >> This basically means we're getting ready to go with this. We're ready to go and
demolish. You're you're approving for the the administration to go ahead and accept the lowest and most responsive bid that we've uh submitted for the demolition of that structure. >> The next step would be demolition it. >> The next step would be for us to meet
with that contractor um make sure that the terms are agreeable and enter an agreement with them and then for them to obtain a demolition permit and proceed with the demolition. That's what I was wondering. So, what do what do you think in terms
of timing? And I was thinking for everybody that lives around I I I gave myself notice already that that's going to happen, but I'm wondering for every neighbor, you know, when is this going to happen and what do they expect on a
process like this? >> Well, Commissioner, it's all enclosed on our own property. It's not uh really >> I'm just wonder I don't know. I'm asking is this something that's going to be loud? Is this going to be three weeks of work of trucks coming and going?
>> It's going it's going to be a couple days. It's not going to be weeks, but we'll um that's part of the negotiations. The contract will uh make sure that they have uh the minimous impact on the neighborhood as possible. So, a couple of days and and the whole
process on getting into an agreement and actually doing it, is this expected in the next couple months or is there a time? >> Yeah, in the next in the next 30 days, we should have an agreement. >> Got it. Great. Those were my questions. >> Okay. Uh thanks, Vice Mayor. Thank you,
Mr. Manager. Uh any other questions uh before we vote? Hearing none. Okay. So, all in favor of approving the resolution? Hi. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> All right. And I completely lost my
agenda. There it is. All right. So, our next resolution for this evening is uh resolution 2026-30. It's 111C. Um John, would you please be so kind as to read this under the record for us? >> Yes. Um mayor and commission. Uh this is
resolution 2026-30 entitled a resolution of the village commission of the village of Biscane Park, Florida authorizing the village manager designate to transfer certain village reserve funds from a non-interest bearing account to an interestbearing account providing for conflicts scrier's errors for
severability and an effective date. >> Thank you John. Do I have a motion and a second? >> Yes. Make a motion to approve resolution 202630 approve and transfer reserve trust funds into interestbearing account. Second. >> Okay. Um, is there any specific
discussion or questions uh about the item? >> Yes. >> Go ahead. >> Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. Go ahead. >> No, this is one I just wanted to compliment uh the manager on it because I think this is what we should have had a long time ago is interest barren. You know, I know government sometimes doesn't work that, but for business when
you put you always has make money on money to put in, you get be able to make a lot more money for it. And that's what I think. So, I'm just congratulating the city manager. I think this is a great idea. Should have been done in the past. >> Right. Thanks, Commissioner. Any other comments or discussion items on the item?
>> It was actually the same. And um I was going to ask Paul is online, right? >> On there, I think. Hey, there he is. >> Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can both. We can hear you both. >> Hear you. So, I was wondering, what's the history of that? Because that was my first question. Why didn't we do this
before? >> Well, this is all Al's fault. It's the first We know that. >> No, he's he's exercising a uh a a very responsible uh resolution for you today to to be very transparent. Frankly, this
is already in our guidelines. We've already established these bank accounts and it was a routine uh of all of our clients, but particularly yours to move funds. Uh >> sorry, I can't hear you. >> To to move funds right after Can you hear me now?
>> Yes. >> Okay. to move funds right after we start to receive the tax receipts uh after the November 1st billing into an interest bearing account. So that's step one. Two, we realized two years ago that the uh state board account was outperforming
uh your bank account, your savings account, if you will, and you know, and that was uh an opportunity for us to to sort of show you how much of a big difference it is to put it in that account versus your your normal banking uh savings account. uh we have the
authority to do this. It was passed six years ago uh when I first got involved and uh but I appreciate uh your village manager bringing this to your attention through a formal resolution. Uh I don't know that it'll be necessary, but this I don't think anyone was on this commission back then. So I thought it
was a an admirable effort on his part to show you what we're doing. >> Awesome. Thank you. That's great. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh thanks Paul and um good to have the uh the input from our our resident uh finance expert that's not a legal
opinion John Holland. Thanks John. Um uh all right so um all in favor of approving the resolution. >> I Okay, let's move on. Uh our next item is 10 D which is resolution 2026-24.
John, would you be be so kind as to please read it onto the record for us? >> Yes, Mr. Mayor, members of the commission, this is resolution 2026-24 entitled a resolution of the village commission of the village of Biscane Park, Florida, ranking proposals received for the installation and maintenance of trees within the village,
approving an agreement with top ranked proposer, authorizing the village manager to execute the agreement and any related documents on behalf of the village, providing for conflict, scriveners errors, for severability, and an effective date. >> Thanks, John. Do I have a motion in a second? Yes. >> Discussion. >> Yes. I make like to make a motion to
approve resolution 2026 20 4 village tree proceedments installment establish of these services. >> Second. >> Um okay. So, um, Al, as I understand the item, uh, what you're looking for from the commission is guidance on how we
would rank these these the the biders for this project to provide you with direction to begin a negotiation with those biders. Correct? So, this is this is just at this point, this
is the bids that you've received from these groups and that you are looking for direction from the commission to go to that group and talk specifics. Is that correct? So um commissioner so the uh the I I appointed the committee to review the bids and to score the bids. So that has
been done and they met individually for them to m meet as a group it would have been have to been uh um noticed and uh and be a public meeting. So since that that didn't occur you we have to uh you
have to rank them. We were under the code of silence until just now when this w when this was read and so now in a public forum you have to rank them. Um my recommendation is that you accept uh the lowest you know the most
responsibility which which is the lowest price and grant me the authority to start myself and the village attorney for us to both meet with that that uh vendor and to negotiate a contract
agreement with them that u meets the requirements of the specs specs and if we can't meet uh an agreement with them that we move on to the next lowest qualified bill. >> Okay, >> that's what we're looking for. Yeah. >> Okay, great. So, um I know this this just came up just for, you know, the
benefit of of the commission. Um Al, this came up in our discussions about, you know, going to these providers and and making sure not only that they understand what we're what we're looking for, but also, you know, that we we negotiate, I mean, this goes really without saying, but negotiate the best
possible deal that we can on behalf of the village, which would hopefully include three years of watering. uh three years of of of warranty for these trees since we've seen this happen in the past where certain providers have have provided and planted trees didn't provide the the warranty that we wanted
didn't maintain them and a lot of them we lost a lot of them so you know using that as as uh as a teaching point for us I suppose that we can go to to the vendors however we rank them uh with that understanding correct >> yes so Mr. Mayor, the uh specs only had
uh two years of watering, but since that since that time, we've had some feedback from parks and parksways and some other members saying that after two years, some trees died. So, we wanted to uh change that and negotiate that for another a year period to see what what
the additional expense would be and also to make sure we those trees were uh um warrantied for a 30-year period. So, that's what we're we're looking for. And just to point out that uh on the on this um review committee was the chair of the
parks and parks and parkways. So she redid reviewed each of these bids and ranked them and was part of the process. >> Okay. M >> Mr. Mayor, just for the record, I want to make sure that everyone understands that there was no meeting of the
committee. they were asked to individually review and provide a score for each of them and then staff you know processed all that information to give what you have here today. So that is why there is that requirement
that we're asking the commission to do which is to take that information and rank you know how you all feel is the top ranked candidate uh based upon all the information including experience and pricing and then we will go back and
execute um finalize that agreement assuming we can reach an understanding particularly based upon the addition of the new year uh or additional year and then um uh enter into the agreement with whoever that company might be. >> Okay. I I appreciate that, John. Uh so I
I at this point I guess I'll just open it up to the commission for any comments on it. I mean, I'm prepared to pose something, but I'm happy to hear from the rest of the commission on on thoughts. >> Yeah, I think the city manager addressed it. I was on the commission before, twice before, once before. And we had the problem with the trees dying of the
water. So to me, that's very important. I think that we need that to be where they have to extend that and make sure that the warranty is more than two years because as you know they die after two years and and we got stuck we don't have the water trucks to do it. So I want to be sure that if there's a price that we
have to find out what that price is and even even if we have to pay it we have to pay it. I mean it's important can't have trees dying. >> Okay. >> Well I I have questions. So John just to understand the process. So here we have
is the bidding on the RFP asking 60% as it states here that is going to become price heavy right and then we say 35% it's based on what qualifications you brought and then the 5% extra the references and that job was determined
by certain people that participated individually graded and based on this grading this ranking in front of us is what comes up. >> That is correct. Okay. So, what I'm a bit lost in the process and I don't remember doing this for any bidding
before and that's why I kind of jump to this is why does the commission without having been part of any conversation with any of the vendors is the one to approve this ranking? I mean for me I look at this and I look at the totals and I go by the the totals
but that if you go by the totals that we say and the the total amount of 259 points is who needs to be awarded. Well that happens to be also the best price proposal because takes 60% of the the weight. So it makes just automatically for me would say following the ranking
that that that uh vendor needs to >> well the the reason for this is um you know the village has historically used a procurement system that's based on requests for proposals versus bid
solely you're looking at the price. If that were the case, we would just, you know, provide that recommendation to you with some other items that are lower cost. But when we start getting into these large of of projects or larger projects, the um you know,
administration prefers to look at the totality of their experience, not just price. Uh as to why we are doing it this particular way, it's really an issue of timing. It's to get this project moving
forward as quickly as possible so there's no further lag. And the that is why we're asking the commission to rank the proposals um as opposed to either the uh advisory
committee or the manager doing that. So we don't have so we don't have to delay this an additional month, month and a half. So, who was uh the committee in charge of doing this? How many people met with a different
>> It's on the memo commission. >> You remember it's like >> um I it was the chair that was on on the on the um >> on the committee. Um I think John, you were on the committee and uh and Dorine
uh those three were on the committee. >> Thank you. So rather than just going through an open RFQ that's just going to be price based, we're given more variables to make uh a holistic view on the vendor and and better educate the
decision. Where I I'm still falling short is what role do we carry and in if anything you know besides what we read again the ranking is there we were not part of the process. So, I'm just wondering um could we just say I'm just
trying to understand. So, actually I think uh visual escape is great. I've heard great comments and therefore I vote for them. You know, is is that a possibility that you're asking me to do? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. >> That you know I'm
um this commission >> Yeah. >> is the holder of the first strings. >> Yes. >> And And so uh you do have if you so wish to the discretion to rank the uh proposals
in any manner that you wish uh factoring in the um uh scoring that was done by the individuals um and you know direct us to u negotiate and entered into contract with whomever
you select as the top ranked proposer. Um, and yes, it does give you the discretion to pick, let's say, for example, VisualCape, uh, Inc., which has the highest price proposal, but you may be, um,
impressed with their qualifications and their their recommendations. >> Yeah. Okay, get it. Um, is this something we've done in the past? When was the last time we put together a ranking like this and had the commission come forward? And I'm thinking if this
is the idea moving forward based on time. So it's time constrained the format that sort of brings this forward. >> The the various items. I think there's two other items on the agenda that are we're asking similar action from the
commission >> and my conversations with the the village manager with Mr. Childress. Uh it is um time sensitivity driven um as the main factor. So there is no additional delay in moving these
projects. And >> let me ask you if we were to do the uh avenue we have been using for bidding which will be a former RFQ which you say it's solely based on price right >> no it's invitation to bid >> and it could also be variable to
different things or it it's just based on price I want to be clear. Okay. So, if we were to do the main differences, it's just bright space. What would a normal bidding process take? >> We would put the the bid out onto the street.
>> Yep. Uh we would receive the bid proposals um and staff would uh u evaluate the bid, make a determination that the bids that have been submitted are what is called responsive and
responsible and then go to and rank them on who's the lowest bid um >> which we've done in the past. I was just wondering the time frame of that would be >> well that that doesn't require anything other than >> as soon as the bids come in. >> Yeah,
>> in theory um staff time uh bidding the rankings of the bids could be done within 24 hours. >> Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make an interceding motion ranking uh 123 Croin Inc. as number one, E Rodriguez as number two, and Visual Scapes as number
three. So your motion then is to rank them as they're presented on the spreadsheet there. >> Yes. And as reflected in the points totals. >> So Ryan, listen, there is no need for the interruption. I get it that you want to move quickly, but this is the first
time we're actually changing the way we're bidding to contractors and it's putting the responsibility on us not having been part of any interview with vendors. So I am I'm not trying to delay. I'd need to have this questions answered in order to make uh a call. So,
if you just give me a minute, you interrupted the attorney as he was speaking. >> Your last um or to answer the last question or actually was the first question in reverse order. Uh I do not
know when was the last time that it was done this particular way. Um I I obviously I've been on this job for >> you want to know the fun for history
just a couple of months but even going back to my previous tenure I don't I I can't recall that it's been done this way or not to be honest I I just don't have that that answer. >> That's okay. I think you know again I I I wanted to understand what that means
for us and and sort of in in what context is this uh a way to for us to operate consider we have specific ordinances related to how uh you know a bidding process goes. we have
a a contract with an a vendor that helps us through bidding process so that they can be executed um with support. Um I don't know I'd like to hear your comments as to how you guys come about
making this decision. >> Well I just before we go further uh we have a motion proposed and I I do want to be respectful of someone proposing a motion. Uh my very my very very brief comment on it is, you know, we've done it this way before. We we just do it by
price. We say these people are qualified. They bid and we're going by the lowest. Um so that's just the way that I'm used to it. So this just provides additional metrics for me. Um >> can I ask you a question on that? >> Sure. >> So if it's by price, why wouldn't we go
to an open bid? And that that's the only thing I'm asking you know because here you know 60% is price but there are other consideration and it's not per se a bit in process there's you know other people involved staff and and and in in essence
you know we we haven't go through the process of publicly opening those envelopes making sure that hasn't been so I mean it's a big responsibility I'm just wondering if it's just by price when you make this decision why wouldn't we do it on a bidding >> point or mayor In the past, we have done
everything by price. Some this process I likes because it's based on the lowest bid, but also qualification. >> I agree with that. I >> and I think in the past we have had in the past we have bet the low whoever got the lowest bid got the job. >> Yeah. >> And sometimes we didn't get the best bid. So I like this process where it's
not only the lowest bid, but it's also the qualifications. We have not done in the past. In the past, we have done, if I remember when I was on a commission, whoever got the lowest bid, we assumed that they were qualified, but they really wasn't. So, we have had jobs in the past where we have the lowest bid
and it wasn't the best thing. So, I rather pay more to get the correct best job. That's the only comment. >> And your your motion is which ranking again? >> Just as I reflect on the on the cover memo. >> So, going to the cheapest bid.
>> Yes. Croen E. Rodriguez and Visual Scape being the third. >> So, I'm going to give you just as as we discussed because again, it helps me um frame um how I I place my vote. But in any open meeting, these companies come forward with the understanding
there's going to be service constraints that they have to provide. They're usually contracted and there's a person in charge of supervising that the quality is delivered and blah blah blah. Um, so you know that that sort of goes
with the purpose of hiring a vendor. Um, I 100% agree that we've learned that it's not always the best scenario. It happened I think in the last project for storms uh the drains projects that there were issues of quality at the end right
people came forward saying they were not leveled or there were questions about the process itself during construction. So we always going to have those. I am not sure that this process is going to save us that that might not happen. We'll have you know because now we're
considering in the package service and background that the service is going to be outstanding. So um again I'm I'm against the fence here because of what that means in terms of um a change in the way we've done open
bidding publicly and following our ordinances. I I understand and I I hear what you're saying and yeah, I can appreciate the perspective. I think the safeguard here um the safety net so to speak is that this is us ranking in providing the manager with the opportunity to go to
these people and I I don't believe that the manager would agree to enter into one of these contracts if after discussion he doesn't feel that they are qualified to do the job. Um so because we're ranking in that way, we're saying Mr. manager, you can go to these people, you can negotiate a contract, you can get the best terms available, you you
know uh if if negotiations fail the first one, you move on to the second one and that you are acting with the best interest of the village in mind. Um so with that understanding, you know, I'm I'm happy to to move the the motion uh
because again, I know Commissioner Hunting proposed it and I have not my apologies have not asked for a second on it. >> We will second it. Okay. So, we have a second on Commissioner Huntington's motion. So, because we have a motion in a second, uh I will ask for the commission uh to vote at this time.
>> I I vote yes. >> No, >> I I vote yes. Um but I will say that I don't disagree with uh with Commissioner Amsler in the sense that um you know we we as a commission put out the framework
of what what what we feel that we want for the community or what we what the community gives us and feedback and then it's the manager's job and responsibility to go out and get those RFPs, RFQS, whatever, however you want to call them uh and then come back to us. I think this turned into like a more
of a procedural thing than really than really what it should have been, which was this is who we've selected. This is who came in uh and we're just asking for your, you know, give us the old uh but I think it's gotten a little bit more confusing in the sense that they want us
to rank and I'm not going to rank anybody. That's the manager's job. Uh, and that's and and and I will give him that responsibility to say, "Hey, you know, we've we said this is what we want. Now it's the manager's job to go out and get the qualified candidates and and and and go through the process." Um,
so I think that that's where the confusion for me was because I'm not going to I'm not going to rank anybody. Uh, that's the manager's job is to do and and and ultimately it's his responsibility to hire the right people. So, but I don't So, I'm going to agree, but I'm but I don't disagree with
Commissioner Amst. >> Mr. Mayor, if I should point out that to clarify these were ranked by a committee just that for the sake of time, the committee didn't meet publicly. So, this is the requirement is that we meet publicly and accept the rankings of
three independent reviewers and put it out on the public notice. So, but we didn't have to accept that is the point. We we could have we could have we could have we could have made a disaster tonight. That probably wouldn't have been a prudent financial decision to >> or an efficient one either. >> But they they there's besides this dis
they were ranked by three individuals with >> let me let me clarify that >> ranked. That's the issue. They they weren't ranked. they were scored uh individually and in instead of to save
30 days be able to get the project moving forward as quickly as possible, we're bringing that next step in the process of actually ranking them, which is what you do in a request for proposals directly to the commission as
opposed to the uh advisory committee. that would be the next step and we're bypassing that and bringing that directly to the commission to again um expedite the project uh because that's the direction that we've received
>> and also the committee knows the village I mean the people that are selected is not outside I just don't you know I don't have a problem with this at all uh we have to have the responsibility in the past we have had city managers that have not done their job and So this one
you have to trust and you know I trust him to do this right. So we can't micromanagement and that's what we did in the past. >> You know I I still look I'm I'm I'm voting yes on it. Uh Al um and I the way
that I look at it is is understanding the concern that the vice mayor has raised understanding what what Art has said. Um but still also of the belief and understanding that this was when this was this went out for bid that we had qualified responsive and responsible. I wrote that down.
Responsive and responsible um groups provide a bid to us uh and then that they were looked at. Um and you know looking at Croin for example with you know coming in uh under the next closest which is E. Rodriguez, you know that
that I put my trust and faith in you that when you speak to this group and you talk about their credentials and say, "All right, you were response responsive and responsible." Um, that if you don't feel that they can do the job, uh, then you'd move on to number two. So, uh, that's the way that I I would
view it. Um, and I know we're going to have to do this again very shortly, so we're going to be talking about this again. So, um, as far as resolution 202 gee, excuse me, 2026-24.
Um, I think we're resolved on that one. Uh, but we're going to go right back into it with 2026-26. So, uh, John, would you please be so kind as to read resolution 2026-26 for us, please? >> Yes, sir. Uh mayor, members of the
commission, this is resolution 2026-26 uh entitled a resolution of the village commission of the village of Miscane Park, Florida, ranking proposals received for the construction of storm water drainage improvements phase 2A approving an agreement with the top rank proposal authorizing the village manager to execute the agreement and any related
documents on behalf of the village providing for conflicts, scrier's errors for severability and an effective date. >> Okay, thanks John. Uh, do I have a motion and a second to move? >> Make a motion to approve resolution 2026 for the storm water drainage improvements phase 2A project. Second.
>> Okay. Thank you. Uh, Al, uh, did you want to provide any, uh, background or or introduction for the item for us, please? >> Um, no, Mr. Mayor, as you heard earlier, this is the ARPA fund money project that's uh, very timesensitive. We wanted to move this forward as quickly as
possible. uh we hope to award this, you know, as by the end of the month and get this project going off the ground. So, we appreciate your support on this. And so, just to kind of reiterate what we talked about on the last item, again, this is
this is the commission providing some direction to you, Al, to open negotiations with one of these one of these biders, one of these contractors, um that responded to the the request uh and then in the order in which we we would provide them. Correct. >> Yes. Thank you.
>> Okay. Uh so, uh I'm just I'll open to the commission for any discussion uh or any motions on the item. >> No questions. >> Yeah. >> No others. >> I do. >> Okay. So this is following
um sort of the same situation correct where we have certain areas and evaluated is that right Albert >> I'm sorry >> so this follows the same process as the one we just disced as before
where you have people evaluating. >> Yeah, we had a committee evaluated had scored them and now those scores are being brought to you to rank them. Yes. >> Okay. And also with the idea of speeding this the process usually they will go
through an RFP and that's the reason you want to do it this way. >> Commissioner, as you probably aware, we have some 13 CIP projects that are going on. Uh we had uh numerous um bids going out. We wanted to move those bids along.
Yeah. That's why we were trying to especially with this one, it was time very timesensitive. We wanted to move this one along. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Uh any motions from the commission on how we or discussion points on how we'd like to rank these based on the evaluations
from know this looks like from uh >> make a motion we rank them from one to six following the point total starting with two the V engineering group at 244 and last would be Metro Express at 163.
That would be just so it would go V Engineering, uh, Homestead Concrete and Drainage, AMI Engineering, Stout Group, FG Construction, and the sixth place, Metro Express. Correct.
>> That is correct. >> I'll second that. >> All right. So, we have a motion and a second to rank based on point totals uh from the uh advisory group. Uh, all in favor of the motion. >> I I
>> um also being the largest CIP project we've had for years, um, I don't feel comfortable with the system, I would have rather go to an open bidding like we did last time. Again, I understand why we're trying to switch
things, but uh I don't think a month uh it's 1.3 million, 800,000. We're talking a big big ticket item. Um it's a no. >> Okay. Um sorry. Uh I'll vote in favor.
Okay. Uh All right. So, that takes care of resolution 2026-26. Our next resolution uh is item F, which is res, excuse me, resolution 2026-25. John, would you please read the resolution under the record for us?
>> Yes. Um, mayor and members of commission, this is resolution number 2026-25, entitled a resolution of the village commission of the village of Biscane Park, Florida, accepting the quote submitted by Joe's Landscaping and Tree Service for the removal of dead or diseased trees and village controlled or
owned medians on 119th Street, authorizing the village manager to execute all necessary documents and expend budgeted funds for the removal of the trees, providing for conflict, scriveners, error, severability, and an effective date. >> Thanks, John. Uh, do I have a motion in a second to move to discussion? Yes. I make a motion to approve resolution 20
resolution 2625 approve and quote purchase of Joe Landscape and reference 119 Street medium tree removal. >> Second. >> Um All right. It's so Al, I know you had the cover memo. I know you detail the arborist reports and you've attached the arborist reports here uh talking about
the uh the condition of the tree and and the inspection that the arborist had provided for each of the trees that are listed here. Is there any other anything else that you'd like to to provide to the commission before we discuss? >> No. So, this was uh initiated from a resident and that on 119th Street that
was had brought us brought to our attention the condition of that black olive and then when we went out to inspect the black olive, we noticed the other tree and uh did had a report done on the other tree.
>> Okay. Uh any questions or discussion points from the commission on the resolution? >> Just uh I had this discussion with the with first off I approve this but I just want for for anyone out there that wants to know why Joe's always gets to the landscaping. Can you can you ex me and
you had this discussion and I approve this but Joe's landscaping always gets the bidding. Could you explain how that happened? >> Well um commissioner he always comes in with the lowest price. >> Yes. Right. So he's uh we had we got got uh requested three quotes. Our our
public works manager uh selects three firms and asked for three quotes from those three firms and and Joe um always under bids the other two firms >> and you have been as they say scrutinized them really well. I mean I trust that you scrutinize them very very well right.
>> Yes. >> Okay. Let me let me clarify that he under bids blindly. There is no he doesn't have none of these companies have access to
the quote being submitted by their competitors. So it is a blind system and he just gets the right number and it's historically been the lowest. That's all. Yeah. >> And commissioner, for point of uh
clarification, big dogs did win a bid a few months ago for some tree removals as well. So, it's not always uh any other questions or discussion points on the resolution before we move to vote? No. Okay. All right. All in favor of
approving resolution 2026-25. I >> no >> I Okay. Uh we have two more and uh our well the last one listed here before we move on to which was previously 9A is
the item uh appointing uh Iliana to the uh the parks and parkway board. Um go ahead John. >> The item that was pulled from consent >> does that come first? >> Yeah. >> It's a resolution. Got it. Well, sorry,
Alon. You got to wait just a little bit longer for us then. Um, all right. So, then our the other resolution um is what was formerly tagged as 9A, which is resolution 2026-31.
Um, John, would you read that one onto the record for us, please? Mr. Mayor, members of the commission, this is resolution number 2026-31 entitled the resolution of the village commission of the village of Biscane Park, Florida, accepting the proposal submitted by RE Chisom Architects, Inc. to provide architectural and engineering
design services for site lighting improvements at the village's historic log cabin and authorizing the village manager and to enter into a letter agreement for the log cabin lighting architectural and engineering design services providing for conflict, scriveners, error, severability, and an effective date.
>> Great. Thanks, John. Do I have a motion and a second move to discussion? >> I make a motion to approve resolution 202631 approving the letter agreement for lighting improvements in the log cabin. >> Second. >> Okay. Um, vice mayor, I know you asked that we move this one off consent. So,
uh, would you like to leave with question or discussion? >> Yes. Thank you. Um, so my question was I was looking at the letter that they include under services because I wanted to be clear what they're providing us for this money. Under services, it says
take existing conceptual design by others to incorporate site lightening and prepare construction documents. So I got a bit confused. Is this so what are we asking them to do u in terms of was there a design I believe the answer
is yeah there was already a design pushed forward um years ago about what light needed to be for the log cabin. I wasn't sure if this related to that and they come in and provide the services to push this through the construction
pipeline with the permitting first and and and the proper mechanicals and all of that needed. So I I was trying to understand if this agre agreement is developing the lighting design or implementing a previous design that was
approved. So, Commissioner, this is we um they're just going to develop for us the specs so that uh a permit can be uh pulled. These are the uh construction documents that they're going to design for us.
>> On which design? >> Uh well, it was just a a concept. It wasn't really a design that they had a concept of uh outdoor lighting. So, um, >> but that didn't so that wasn't included here. So, I wanted to understand. So, >> no, it's this is just showing where the
trenches are going to be built and and how much electricity we need to to to power those lights and that it's not the type of lights, not the design of the lights or anything like that. No. >> So, but in order for them to So, that's what I'm trying to understand. for for them to define what's needed and make
sure that we're prepared. That has to be that had to be something designed by someone else. It says here designed by others. So, they're not going to design the the lining for the the log cabin. They're going to help through the permitting process and and and guide us
through I guess all of that. My question is, is there a a lining design that was already done for the lock cabin? And this is step number two where they come into. >> Yeah. Yeah. There was some conceptuals a long time ago that there was
conceptuals that we had forward them uh to so that they could review those conceptuals and then so they can work on those uh construction documents. Yes. >> Uh wasn't that Calvin Jordano by any chance? >> I don't I don't recall. That was >> okay. So that that was because I didn't
see they were not included in the agenda, right? The design was not included in the agenda. The schemat the the original design it was just the conceptual I mean just this this document awarding them
the uh agreement to to draft the um the um per permanent documents. >> Okay. So again uh for what I recall I was trying to make memory of how we got to this space and when I was reading the contract it talks about two
deliverables. One the existing conceptual design by others to incorporate sidelining uh prepare construction document blah blah blah. I understand that part um and the second is schematic design and construction permit documents. So I was thinking what does the schematic design mean? And I
remember I believe it was Calvin Jordano that came with the first proposal. People came back and forth in terms of whether they agreed or not with the lightened project. I didn't see it included. I do 100% agree with moving forward with what we need to get done
for the village. I just don't know. And anybody, you know, that just recently moved, I would know what that looks like. So, if I just bought a house behind us, am I going to have a light reflecting right into my house? How
would they know in order to come here today and say, "I don't agree with this." You understand what I'm saying? >> Mr. Mayor, can I can I answer? So this has to come back before before you to award a contract and that and that the design will be in that contract and all
the where how many poles are going to be in and what where the line lights going up or going down. So that's that's will have to come back you to you for another process to be awarded a contract. >> The design would have to come back and redone. Yes. In order for people that
people will have the opportunity to say that and have a say in us to >> Yes. This is just this is just a >> these are just the conceptual drawings. This is just the uh for permitting purposes and then we'll use that to to go out to bid for the process and then
that would have to come back to you to award the bid and and and the design will be in that bid. So if there's changing in the design um and they've already you know what I'm saying? Do you guys follow what I'm Yeah. I think put together like if there's changes in the midst of the
permitting process that we're going to pay $27,000 or whatever that is. >> They're going to come back with all the um uh plans as to you know this all the permittings you need to move forward with and then we're going to come back approved and people are going to be about what? Oh no it's about something
that we passed two years ago. Um that that's what I'm trying to establish or at that time is our opportunity to say does anybody else have something to say and we can change it and that is money. >> Well the way that I understand how this
is working is there's a project in place where we have to provide additional lighting based on the site this this site area. But I think it's a phased approach that right now what we're approving is is designing construction for permitting and running of electrical lines. But the actual design of the
lights themselves and whether that's I remember this we had this discussion a couple years ago. Yes. >> Where we talked about, you know, certain lights are this high and they point only at the ground or certain lights are this high and I remember having discussions in 2023 uh with Florida Fish and Wildlife about certain lights that are more wildlife friendly versus traditional lights.
>> Yeah. >> So, if I'm understanding the manager correctly, this isn't for the actual this is the placement of the lights and these are the lights that are going in, but this is for the buildout. This is for the running of the electrical. is to to provide for to us to get the the village to get permits to put this in
and then the design with the actual light construction comes after this phase. >> Okay. Is that it? >> Yeah. So there is a log cabin parking and ADA access. It's in uh option number one that Calvin and Geodono and
Associates had drafted that and that was um back in July of 2022 when that was done >> the conceptual design when the >> June June a presentation was made to the village commission on uh June 7th 2020 2022
>> because so so you know I'm going to put it in a perspective a homeowner going through a construction and a renovation you have a a first design and say this is how it's going to look like and it looks beautiful and that's was called in Jordano a lot of people had feedback then we move forward into okay we're
ready to go with this if we are and and that would be the first thing we approved that right was that approved greenlighted >> in in 2022 I I think that was the um option one was the the um uh option that
the commission had um had accepted at the time Yes. >> So, so that is sort of that's a design you chose. Great. I I like it. Let's go into permitting, which is where we're now. We're going to hire a company that's going to say, "Okay, let me draw,
you know, uh, grab pencil and pen and let me put it on a paper how it's going to look with the layers and all the specifics of, you know, voltage and whatever might be." And then I'm going to go in through the permitting process. when we come back, we're going to have people say,
"But what do you mean that light is going to go there?" And since 2022, I have no idea that that's happening. That's that's what I'm saying. I'm I'm not in this agreement. I'm wondering if is there opportunity to defer this to include that and have the ability to
review a if it was approved which schematic design was approved have people know exactly what we're approving it for so they can come back and you know we can say everybody's aware that this is going to be installed where >> Mr. Mayor, if I will. I'm I'm very
familiar with this Calvin Gerardono presentation from 2022. Okay. >> There were two options. One being a more overhead lighting option. Other one be a Ballard lower style lighting. The Ballard low style lighting did not qualify or not comply with Miami Day County lighting code, which we are currently not in compliance with. And 30
minutes when it's dark out there, we'll be not in compliance of lighting code for an open public building. So, we're kind of limited with what we can do. And that was the sentiment of Calvin Griodono back in 2022 or yes. Um and so we're kind of limited. I 100% agree with
you that we should be transparent to the residents who live around here and we should maybe host a town hall and show them what we're working towards maybe once we have more cons drawings from uh from Chisum. But right now what what we were presented in 2022 is just basically
like you described this is what your project could look like. But we don't have many options. There's only a couple ways to light an area when it comes to actually selecting the types of lights, the color, and things like that that can obviously have lots of public input. But as far as what Miami Day County code is
asking for, we're pretty limited with what we can do. We have to light the area if we want to be in compliance with that code, which we should, which is a goal of this commission for probably the last decade. So, for me, I'm fully in support with moving this forward because every night we host one of these meetings, we're at risk, and I'm tired
of being at risk anymore. I want to move forward with solving this this issue. >> I agree. I think everything you said sounds uh great. Um my only concern this was 2022. Again, a resident's base changes constantly uh especially since
um and I would want if this would have been included in the agenda today, I think we would have been okay to vote because then anybody had the chance and opportunity to know exactly what we're moving forward with. people have no idea what you know again I'm I'm having a hard time understanding the schematic
and permitting process of what and I think anybody can relate if you live around that you know you're not going to come understanding what that means for you had we put it in the agenda I think it would have been clearer so what I'm proposing is that I 100% agree I want to move forward this should have been
tackled prior to uh 2026 as you heard that was four years ago almost um to defer for next months and include all the documentation make short again to notice so everybody can participate and we can vote. That that would be my proposal. I'll make a motion to defer it for next meeting.
>> Now, can I just very briefly very go ahead. >> So m Mr. Mayor, if if you approve this tonight, we can have Chisum here next month. They can make a presentation about the about uh what was option number one, what it's about, and then uh
so they can work on this is holding up the roof. This is holding up the paving around the around the around the village hall. So this this is very you know we we are trying to do it coordinate a
bunch of balls in the in the air. This is one of the balls in the air. We have to you know get this done get this design done so that the the u um um paving lady can go ahead and do their their do their repairs of the roads.
This has to be done first and it's this is not part of the u the state contract. We had to separate it out. So um uh you know if I would suggest that it be approved tonight and then we can ask Chisum to come back on on uh in May and
make a presentation about the about the law. >> Yeah. I mean since vice mayor has made a motion. I I after if we vote you know on out we got to vote on how I would make the motion. And I agree with city manager. That's the motion I would make to but we have an emotion already here.
So we have to address this motion. So mayor made it. >> I completely agree commissioner Samary. I think that uh the manager's plan to approve this tonight and have Chisum come back and give some public input is a great option because as Chisum is one of our agreed upon vendors from the vendor list. So it's not like the vendor
is going to change and we all agree that something needs to be done. So let's move this forward. have them come back, get resident input as they because I'm sure it's going to take more than one month to design these documents so they can have that resident input during a presentation. >> But but to be fair to uh the vice mayor, she made a motion. So we have to mo you
know vote on that motion then I can adjust the other >> we will I just have one question for Al. One question alism Chisum architects if we agree this are they dropping is Chisum architect dropping any lights in the ground? No.
Okay. Um All right. So, uh, I know, uh, vice mayor, I know you had a motion, so I'll ask if is there a second on the vice mayor's motion to defer to next month. >> I actually will change my motion because that is a good medium point I wanted to get, right? >> Me was just transparency in in terms of
we can move forward to production or the floor before we know that everybody is on board. So, I think having the vendor come forward, it's a great uh way to mediate that. >> Can I then I second a motion? Well, hold on. So, are you are you withdrawing that
motion then? >> Well, I'll change the motion to approve assist with the um you know the idea that the vendor comes next month and gives a presentation of what the design would be. >> Perfect. Okay. Do I have a second on the vice mayor's >> and I second it changes.
>> All in favor? >> I I >> I >> I Okay. Very good. All right. So, that is the last of the resolutions. Now, John, please correct me if I'm wrong. the appointment of of Ilana to our board. We're getting back to it now, I promise. Uh, is that by is that by resolution?
It's on our resolution list. >> No, I I I historically um you have made or this commission has made appointments just by voice vote. >> Okay. So, in that case, um we'll make it even easier. is is we we have the the appointment uh to the parks and parkway
board. Um I'll just put it up to a voice vote to the commission. Uh is do we do can we do this by roll or can we just do this by voice vote? John, >> there there would be a motion. Okay. Second and then all in favor. >> Perfect. Okay. Your mic is off.
>> My comment is uh first off I have nothing. My problem is we should have the person that is on this board should have a tie and live in the village. Um to me this will open up for anyone on the outside to join our boards not known
about the village and how it works and we're not would not truly represent the village of Biscane Park. That's my only concern that I have in reference to you being on the board. Uh because I lived on 121st Street on the Biscane Park side. I wasn't on the side and to have
people that are not living in a village to come in can re by having you on the board is going to be able to open it up to anybody in the future that is not a resident of Biscane Park coming in. If I got to be a commissioner of Biscane Park, I have to be a resident of Biscane
Park. So, that's my only problem that I have with you being on the board. First off, I want to thank you for wanting to be on the board. I wish we can get a lot more people to people that live in a village to do it instead of outside people. But that's the biggest concern that I have. This is going to open up a
can of worms. So, I can't support this. >> Leon, I've read your your resume and I think that you're uniquely qualified to serve in this position and you have the recommendation in the glowing recommendation of our the chair of that board. uh the the attorneys provided a cover memo to the commission that this
this board the governing documents of this board allow for an appointment of a non-resident by supermajority. So that's why it's before the commission wasn't on consent. Uh so understanding that I'll ask if there is a motion and a second to approve the appointment of Ilana to the parks and parkway board.
>> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I >> I >> I >> I >> I wanted to say thank you again. It's uh they need you. We need you and I appreciate your your stepping forth from
our neighbors uh village and city in this case. Yes. >> If if I can just say one thing, I uh congratulations. Uh and I do agree with Commissioner Samaria that this is an extreme measure and there's a reason why the framers of our charter put this in as a supermajority because it it is a
extreme measure to put someone not a resident into our board. And the only reason I would say is acceptable if someone has an exemplary resume as this candidate does uh being a research fellow, a PhD, her time in public affairs, her grant writing experience. Uh that is what got me to vote yes. I
was I was most likely a vote no until I read your resume. That's what gets me over the edge. >> Your mic's off. >> You're going to have you could have somebody that is just as qualify her in the future doing the same thing. That's my biggest concern. She is wellqualified
and you know I but I just you could have somebody in the outside that is the same qualified head that's going to apply for boards. That's my biggest concern. >> I apologize Mr. Mayor. Can I get this motion the second and the vote again? >> Motion was made by Commissioner Gonzalez. The second was made by Vice
Mayor. It was the vote was 4 to one with the only no being uh Commissioner Samario. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> Thank you and welcome you to the commission. >> Thank you. We appreciate you uh your volunteering your time and and your background to help us. Okay. Uh so let's uh that concludes our
resolutions. Let's move on to our ordinances of which we only have one this evening since we moved 11B. Uh our first ordinance for the evening is the second read for ordinance 2026-01. John, would you please be so kind as to read the ordinance for us?
>> Yes, sir. Uh this is ordinance u 2000 I'm sorry 20261 entitled an ordinance of the village commission of the village of biscane park Florida amending the code of ordinances village of biscane park to prohibit smoking and excessive idling of vehicles at city parks for inclusion in
the code providing for conflicts providing for scrimmage errors providing for severability and providing for an effective date this is on second reading and for adoption >> thank you very much John do I have a motion and a second to >> I make a motion to approve ordinance 2026 601 clean air prohibiting smoking
in the village parks. >> Second. Okay. Um do we have any public comment on the second read of the ordinance before we move to discussion? >> Going once, going twice. Seeing none. >> Public public comment is in from the public. Us
>> I'm sorry. Yeah. On ordinances, John, we we provide an opportunity for additional public comment. >> No smoking. >> Thanks, John. >> No fart. Gracias. >> Okay. All right. Um, so, uh, at this point, we'll move to discussion. Is
there any discussion or any questions about the second read of the ordinance from the commission at this time? >> Around none. >> Okay. Madam clerk, would you please call the role? >> Mayor Gro, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Amsler, >> yes.
>> Commissioner Gonzalez. Commissioner Huntington, >> yes. >> Commissioner Samo, >> yes. >> The item is adopted 50 on second reading. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Okay, having concluded our ordinances, we will move into our final section for the evening, which is discussion and new business. Our first item is discussion
12A, which is on the freebie item. And uh Mr. Manager, this is something that you brought to our attention. Would you like to introduce it for us, please? >> Yeah. Um Mr. Mayor, as the cover memo had provided information about our current feeb contract, we're go on a monthto month.
Now, we're coming up for renewal on the on the uh with the state. I'm going to ask uh uh our parks and recreation director, Issa Thornell, to come forward to talk about a little bit about about the um freebie program. And uh we we've
been operating this since 2021. He's very very familiar with the program. And we had uh two discussions now with uh the um transportation um um division within Miami Day County about the free
re program um about h how how that money could be used for other purposes. And also we had uh discussions about with CITT also about the free freebie program but I'll just I'll turn it over to Issa
so he can uh provide more information. >> Where is yours isa? >> Good evening uh mayor and commissioners residents. Uh so yeah the manager and I have been on a number of meetings um and really doing our due diligence in regards to this to see what is the best
route for the village to take going forward. Um, as he described, our contract right now is on a month-to-month. We are due a renewal. Um, and there are some just some parameters where we just want to make sure that we are crossing tees and dotting eyes to make sure that we're
providing um the best things for the village. Our main goal obviously, and I think it's you all's goal as well, is that our roads need a ton of work. Um, with the CIT money, we have a minimum amount that we can spend on transit, which is 20%. Uh, maximum amount for
transportation is 80%. Right now, we're spending approximately $120,000 a year on freebie. Um, I think the number that really threw the manager and I was that in regards to how many riders we have per month, that comes out to about $25
per ride where these rides are maxing out at maybe 1.2 two miles. Um you can get an Uber probably to Aventur for $25. Um so we're really not maximizing the usage there in regards to moneywise. Um
that those funds could be spent on roads to improve our roads andor on smaller projects. So we wouldn't be spending as much as the money that um we could be receiving for CIT and then designate more of those funds towards roads. Uh we met with a couple of representatives um
Linda Morris from um the chief of services of planning and scheduling for Miami date for transit to kind of go over some ideas that we could bring to you all going forward of how we could spend that money if we did decide to cancel the freebie contract and still stay in compliance. Um they had
cancelled the one bus route with the better bus network system that we had going through Biscane Park. They have now brought that 16 bus back. So it is returning to ride. It's the Metro link. It's a smaller version of the big bus. Um but it will it is a continuous hourly
route that is going through um sixav now. So that bus does exist again where we had lost that before. Um we do have that public transportation coming back to the village. Well active it is active now. So we have opportunities there where we can use that 20% at its
smallest fraction maximizing the 80% for transportation to designate more toward road work. um and create bus shelters, um ADA walkways and landings where those bus stops are. I think with our meeting um with Linda Morris the other day, we
established that on each side of 6th Avenue, it's approximately a bus stop every two blocks. Um the only benches that exist right now are on 113th Street um on the west side and then on 120 21st Street on the west and the east side.
the other um bus stops in that area do not have um they don't have sidewalks, but they also do not have benches. Um but we could look to possibly to use that 20% to create in those heavily traffked areas like the 1113th where the
sidewalk already exists. um establishing a shelter to help our residents who do catch that bus uh protection from the sun, protection from the rain, and then also on the 121st side where we do get our heaviest traffic for those bus connections, establishing those there. U
we thought of a plan to maybe establish two of those units over the next three years, which would give us now three years. is if we do that two every 3 years gives us three years to even get more creative of how to spend that 20% but also use those three years um to
work on our roads and establish a lot of the roads that we know need to get work now where we designate that 80% max that we can um to working on those roads. So, we kind of wanted to bring this to you now as we are approaching a deadline to renew this contract. Um, and also by uh
regulations, we have to cancel within 30 days uh 60 days and also have a public notice. So, if we are to cancel freebie before our ending in June um with our FDOT contract, it would be the May meeting where we would need to decide by
that. So, we wanted to bring you this on this meeting so you all can have a discussion. we can go back to the drawing board if needed to find other options and ways to use the money and or establish a new contract with freebie if that's what the direction you all want to go. Um but this was the best time to
give us the proper time that if we do want to cancel we would be in in compliance with that. So that's kind of the overview there. >> Sorry didn't mean to >> I appreciate Thank you, Issa. So just so I'm understanding or communicating what it is that that you and the manager are
are asking the commission is this is basically um uh consent of the the the commission for for you and the manager to explore and propose alternative ways to spend that money. not to cancel freebie. Maybe part of that is is to explore alternative transportation
solutions, paving, just other ways that we can spend the money and not necessarily cancel it because I know we've talked about this in the past is potentially expanding the service areas of freebie. I know they've been hesitant to do that, but you know, this might put it on them to say, well, if we're considering not renewing the contract,
maybe you're considering expanding the area. Maybe we make it more valuable. So this is more of of the direction of the commission to say could you present us with proposals on how we can spend that money and alternative ways to to for the betterment of the community. >> Correct.
>> Okay. Understood. All right. Um are there any questions um for uh for Iser for the manager on this item? >> Your your your microphone's off. >> Just what the mayor said. But I think with Free the only way I would want Freeb to stay is if they're going to extend extend the area. I mean, it's
it's ridiculous that we don't go to freebie does not go to uh where the post office is. That's where a lot of people goes. It only goes short distance. I would rather see the money spent. If they're going to agree to extend it, then I would rather see the money be
spent elsewhere. Um as long as we follow whatever it is, the 20% that we have to have for transportation. And part of freebies has an has intendency um in extending it is as of right now they feel like they have extended it um
because the places they reach are out of our district um whereas and we only have one vehicle. So even if you maximize your ride which would say the max distance right now you can go to the plaza on 125th um which is technically
north Miami um that's for shopping. Whole Foods. That's one of our mo our busiest drop off spots. Um their argument now is that that's a a link to public transportation, but it's also a link to the North Miami freebie. >> Yes. >> Um and NMBB also has freebie and
Aventura has freebie. So obviously that would be a long ride for any of our residents to have to wait for those freebie connects. Um but also their argument is that we're linking you to places where you can catch alternative rides. Um, so me and the manager joke
that they we we they go to one Publix, but they don't go to the Miami Shores Publiclix. So if that's your Publix of choice, uh, they don't go they don't offer that one, but they say, "Hey, we offer to go to this one. We offer to go to Whole Foods." The other busiest spot right now is the Aldi Shopping Center. U, which again, it's on Biscane. Their
argument there is that it connects to public transportation. Um, and then anywhere on 121st, 125th where you can again connect to public transportation. We want to push the button on them. Obviously, if we if they could extend it, that would definitely benefit our
residents. The only problem with extending it is we only have one vehicle. So, the more you extend it, the longer the wait time will be. >> So, we got we we have one vehicle to extend to we've asked for more vehicles to get more vehicles would drastically
increase our price. But I I I think the amount of ridership just I think proves the point that it's really not supported by this, you know, by this village. I mean, just the amount of ridership. If there was a lot of ridership, then I would say, okay, there's a support for it, but I don't, you know, they're not
going to extend it. I don't see that there's a um amount of wrership that justifies the amount of money that we're spending. I would rather see the money be spent on roads and other projects or even other transportation that you guys can come up with. I just think that to me it's not enough ridership and I just
wouldn't want them to be staying with this. >> So, uh I want to thank the manager and Issa for bringing this. I didn't even think this was an issue uh until it was brought to my attention. Uh and I did the research myself, verified a lot of these these things. Uh ECU took a lot of
my talking points right out. Yes. Uh were on average $25, sometimes all the way up to $40 a month or or per ride depending on ridership is low. Uh and then I independently verified uh looking at Uber, Lyft, and now Whimos, a new robo taxi that's in the area. Uh those
trips through even the farthest point to Biscane Park to the farthest service delivery area is like a $10 Uber. So we're paying someplace like 2.5 to four times the market rate for this ride. Uh and looking at 300 rides, we're three over 3,000 residents. You're talking
about 10% of our community. But let's think of the nature of this service. It's a ride there and a ride back. So cut that in half. It's actually about 5% of our community. And then when you look at 36% of our community has children under of nine and under and freebie does
not supply car seats, uh that cuts into the population that can use this. 100% of our population drives on roads or uses a road for a bike or walks their dog on it. Uh to me, it's a no-brainer. It's this service is not being used to the best of it ability. I wish it was,
but it's not. Uh, so I would like to see other options. I'm fully in support of seeing other options and other options for transit for uh residents as well because, you know, and I know that Miami Day County uh utilized a Uber voucher system for a while to uh fill in transit
needs. And if you just instituted a $3,000 a month voucher system for Ubers, that would come in at 20% and be far less than $120,000 utilizing the same usage we're using right now. So, I would love to see different options for spending this money money much more prudently than we're spending right now.
>> And especially uh thank you commissioner for bringing up I don't use UA because I have a vehicle, but thank you for bringing up about the car seat. To me, that's a that's a you know, we have a lot of people that have kids. That's to me is a is a reason not to keep it if they're not going to supply car seats
because even when you have I think Uber sometimes you have to have a car seat in there if I'm correct with Uber does require >> Uber supplies a car seat. They they supply the Thank you. they supply cost each. >> Another point I I meant to mention as well is the cancellation rate in the
last quarterly statement for freebie was 30%. So 30% of of people requesting a freebie decided the service was taking too long and canceled the service. That's a glaring number for me as well. 30% is pretty high and cancellation rate. >> There any other questions for the manager or Issa?
>> Thank you. Both of you did a good job on this the research because as commissioner says I didn't know about a lot of this stuff because I don't use it. Thank you. >> Um so thank you. Yes. I think so I'm going to the recommendation. The village manager office recommended the mayor and
village commission allow the village man office to continue to explore the best use of cit funding that may include the elimination of the freebie services 100%. I mean you want to keep exploring what we can do better with the money. You don't need permission for that. Go ahead, please. I mean, I think I want to
clarify that the objective of this point, if I understand correctly, is just to ask the question, are we spend the money correctly? Right. Right. >> Not to get rid of the service. So, we're just saying, are there other ways in which we can utilize this better? If
there is a proposal, we need to look into that. Absolutely. At any time, that is always going to be welcome, at least on my end. One thing I just want to make sure um I just throw out there. I don't think this is a very straightforward
applesto apples comparison on how much does an Uber cost versus what we spend. We're public service. We spend taxes in different ways. There's people don't have kids don't never go to the park you never see. There's people there in their
homes that really need the service, right? So not every service is going to be distributed equally and it's a straightforward mathematical equation. So I think we need to be mindful of that. That would be my my my um thing to to throw in there when you're looking
into what other things can be done. Um I know the service has been very welcome to your uh point on the time. I've used the service. Time is an issue. I'm the one that cancel because it hasn't come for 35 minutes. Right. So now, hello, it's me, but there might be someone that
really depends on that over to go to uh Publix. So, I just want to just throw out there, it's not just a one-on-one um comparison of costs. I would love to see what can we do. First, we need to understand who's using it, right? There
was an issue with the data. Apparently, the you know, I read that from um the manager's feedback to one of the residents. they're counted three times instead of one because you know however the data is analyzed that needs to be looked into as well. So I think more you
know about who uses it better we'll be able to identify what else can we do for them while of course that's you know moving money towards roads if we can all the the issues we already know we have so that would be my my my uh feedback. Thank you.
>> Well Mr. Manager, it sounds like you have support from the commission um to go forward with the alternative proposals to see what we could do with that money um and you know keeping an eye on potential uh potential public transportation assistance for the community um and maybe maybe free will
work with us. >> So do we have consensus from the commission to have the manager and issa make a proposal at the May? >> Right. So, we would need um if there's consensus to um have us come back and
put a resolution on the May agenda for uh cancellation and to look look at the other alternatives. We would have to from now until May uh we would explore trying to get the number of riderships, how many
people are actually using it, uh who those people are um trying to not notify them that there is a possibility in May that it w will be cancelled and um that we are exploring these other uses of that money.
>> Right. So the resolution being effective as of May because we need to cancel 60 days or 60 days out or 30 days out >> 30 days out. 30 days out. >> This gives us the 60 days >> bringing it to you now. So then at the next meeting it will be >> a 30-day termination notice. >> Yes. 30-day termination notice. So the
resolution would have to be passed in effective 30 days prior to cancellation. So we'll put the resolution on there. It will be included with the backup from from from you Al and Issa on how you would propose to use those funds. And at that time the commission will decide whether to go with one of those alternative proposals or to cancel free.
So we're not making that decision even this evening. We'll see that in May. >> Correct. This you guys mentioned that this contract is monthtomonth, right? So that means that it automatically renews month to month there. I mean whether you have a extended contract or you don't have an extended cont you're bas we're basically monthtomonth. So we can
continue this monthtomonth thing for for as long as b basically as long as we want or as long as they don't they don't come back to us and say hey you know we in order for us to continue we need a contract right or or or because go ahead. What were you going to say? So >> this the yeah the state is asking us
commissioner to enter into a contract. So they they won't the state >> oh the state is so they're they're providing the funding they want a current contract. So >> got it. Okay. So >> that contract would be terminable or ter we either party can terminate that contract with 30 days notice which is why it's essentially month.
>> He said 60 right? >> No the 60 was this. So we bringing it to you this month. So we have a month to bring you whatever you want you wanted for the May meeting. So then at the May meeting if we do cancel it now we have the 30 days >> because June is the end. >> Is there a clause to Commissioner
Gonzalez point maybe to extend it uh to ask for an extension in case we need it? I mean I'm I'm just asking in your end you're going to have a month now to go and figure out what we're going to do with this money and a plan B um and sort of put all those numbers together which
seems seems to me a rush just on the safe area. Is there a opportunity in the contract that allows us to extend and just pay the 10 grand or there isn't? >> I think we I think we're at the point of extension um doing the monthtomonth
because they they want an active contract um now. We should have an active contract per our agreement with the state. So the monthtomonth has been us trying to first negotiate a lower price and find comparable rates to other municipalities that have we're we're
very um special in regards to our demographic. So even finding comparable contracts has been a chore and even for freebie um and then at the end of the day I think we're at the bottom of freebies totem pole in regards to our little 10
grand is a is a drop in a bucket for them. Um, so even going through the trienerial review and things like that, it's been almost pulling teeth in that regards to getting those information and those corrected numbers that we need because I just think we're low on the totem pole to them. Um, so that's been
difficult in itself knowing that we're such a small staff and it's between me and the manager literally ringing them off the hook to get some of this stuff done and even the contract. Um, so that's why we're kind of bringing it to you now because in in not in addition to the 10 grand we pay every month. There
is also the manpower that goes into making sure they're staying above because all of those reports for CITT 5-year plan, all of those things that go into that are also part of that agreement with >> even if we have a signed agreement, we have a 30-day out anyway, right? It's a
30-day out. Whether whether we sign an agreement or not, we still have an out. >> Well, I don't know that that provision actually exists. I just made an assumption because >> well in most contracts yeah most contracts there's an there's there's an out there's an out clause >> and most times it's 30 days sometimes it's 60 but >> right
>> um and and and it's usually for both parties uh either party has the right to to get out of a of a contract so I guess that that that that would be the only question that I have is is what what is the out clause uh on if we do sign a new
agreement with them if it's 30 days it's 30 days is not a big deal It is what it is. >> So, uh, Commissioner, there's an ILA agreement also with the Miami Day County. So, if we if we uh terminate the
freebie, uh, contract utilizing that 30-day out, the ILA, uh, agreement with the county involves some penalties >> really, >> which we can avoid if we cancel in advance of the June deadline. Yes.
>> What penalties are we talking about here? >> Um I have I just read it, you know, briefly. I'll have to review that and get that to you. >> We have an ILA with freebie >> with with with Miami Day County. >> Yeah.
>> Or or a a transportation service. You have to agree to Miami Day with Miami Day County. >> Yeah. I guess you have to agree with them for everything, right? >> So u Mr. Manager Ana, if that can be part of what we're being provided in May, I think that that would be helpful
because we certainly want to have all the information before we make a decision on freebie. Um, since understanding it's expensive based on ridership, there's still a service it provides for a demographic here. Um, which I wouldn't want to just off-handedly terminate um, you know,
without an alter. >> There's a there's a lot of missing data in my opinion here. I mean there's a lot of stuff that we I mean I would need to know to understand as far as the wrership is concerned and I know that we talked about you know them counting people two three times same household
right because it's I I could imagine it's probably the same houses that use this they use the service so they you they count them a lot right but it's still a service that we've provided been providing for the last four years. So when you give somebody something for
free and then you want to take it away, it's always a problem, right? Um that's why you should never give nothing for free ever. You got to charge even if it's a dollar, charge a dollar, right? But anyway, but the point is that uh now we've we you know, we have people that that are dependent or semi-ependent or
fully dependent. I have no idea. And so in order for me to even start contemplating this, I would I would need a lot of that a lot of that information. Is that something you foresee being able to provide to us in May in a 30-day period? >> Yeah, I mean those numbers obviously are going to have to come for freebie. They
don't we don't calc we we go off the reports they send us in detail and if they they have dropped the ball in a sense on some of that data but we'll be >> addresses. No, >> they don't have addresses. You have no idea. >> There's a there's basically a hot zone
map where it you know it just shows you the the peak areas that are getting it but no direct addresses. Then if we're presented with this information in May, we don't feel as a commission that we have sufficient information to cancel the agreement, then we don't cancel the agreement. >> Well, also I think part of the information should be presented to us in
May is what a new contract from freebie would look like because as this contract is from >> 2021, I'm sure their costs have gone up. I'm sure 120,000 is not what they would renew for. They' probably ask for an increase. I mean, everything's gone up since 2021. So that could change this
negotiation as well. If if they're asking for 10, 20, 30% more, that could change the sentiment and we're not seeing an increase in ridership or increase in service delivery area, that could change the conversation as well. >> Certainly. >> I know by excuse me, I know this is probably impossible, but if there's any
way that we can have somebody from freebie come and talk and they can answer, I think that would be having it right from, as they say, the horse's mouth >> would be something. I think that's we can get somebody to come. I think that would be really big. >> It's a good idea.
>> So, do we have consensus then for from the commission to move forward with having the manager and Issa present us with the alternatives at the May meeting? >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay. All right. We look forward to it. Issa, thank you. Thank you. >> All right. >> Park Jazz in the Park Saturday. >> Jazz in the park Saturday
>> 6 and 9:30 >> plug. Okay. Um, all right. So, our next discussion item is 12B, and this is, uh, Commissioner Huntington's item. Uh, would you like to introduce it for us, Commissioner? >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, I put an item on for discussion this month, uh, from referencing our strategic planning
session in February where we talked about pedestrian projects, increasing the walkability of the village. Uh, I, uh, levied an option of converting our alleyways to, uh, linear parks or walkways, trail, recreational trails. Uh, Commissioner Aler brought up the
idea of putting walkways through our larger medians, some of our better used medians. I think both are great options. I want to continue that conversation. Uh, I shared with the manager yesterday a uh potential funding option with the uh Florida recreational trails program
that it will be opening up soon, will be open till the end of May. So, it's uh prime time to have this discussion to town hall with the with the residents and get their input on it. Uh but it's the uh opportunity is there, the funding's there and I think we should
continue the conversation. Uh the fun the funding source has very similar to FURDAP has a 5050 uh a an 8020. So we could look at lowcost smaller project with great impact to our residents. So, I think it's something we should continue to talk about and uh see what
next steps are from the manager as far as uh grant uh honing in on a possible location uh with our consult with our grant writer as to uh if that timeline is feasible to have an application out by the end of May uh and just continue
uh leazisoning with the res residents as well. Maybe host like said host a town hall to get their input of where they would like to see a project like this put in. >> So, can I just ask you I appreciate it. Thank you. Um, can I just ask you what what you envision as being the next step? Is it scheduling a town hall? Is
it outreach? I mean, how do you how do you see advancing this item? >> That's how I see it. I see it maybe uh work with the have the manager present us with maybe two options at at a town hall as to where a walkway could go, where linear park could go. Um, that would work into the grants uh that's
going to be opening soon's uh you know, their requirements. Uh so that way we can get resident feedback as to which kind of project they would like to see. Uh you know recreational trail, exercise trail, all these are being used by or being developed by this this grant. Uh
and it all centers around walking, biking, um moving people around in a non-motorized fashion. Uh and it state funded. So that's how I envisioned it. talk with talking this dis uh identifying two locations you know maybe
one walkway one linear park and present them in the town hall and let's see if residents uh come out and give their opinions >> okay so Al having heard that recommendation from the commissioner how would you foresee as a manager how would you kind of foresee presenting this to the commission for uh resident input
>> um so yeah I did get the email from the commissioner and I had forwarded to our grant writer for them to to to review the uh the grant um proposal and and you know what what our uh what we would have to do to submit the application. I read
it was a a 50/50. It was 80 8020 or 6040. Um and we would just have to I guess uh uh we have we haven't talked to anybody about um about a design and what the cost would be or how extensive it
would be. And I I don't um uh I would have to explore some locations within the village that or get with Commissioner Huntington to explore some locations where we would have these trails and then uh and then go from there. >> Okay.
Um Okay. I mean I just ask if the commission has any input on on the item that the commissioner has introduced and and the manager has provided input uh input on. Is anyone Is anyone I guess there's anyone opposing because I I certainly don't see any danger in in exploring the
idea. >> No, I don't have a problem. I I definitely would like to explore it. So, I I agree with you 100% of it. I don't have anything I don't see any really negative. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see any negative of what your proposal is about. So, I like for city manager to
look into it and then bring it back to the commission and we can discuss them more. But again, thank you for bringing that up because it is very good. >> Yeah. So yes, I am as you know, so I'm I'm all on board. Um I maybe can count two people of everybody I've spoken to
that this would not be okay with. Um majority of the people I spoken to is they want a place where they can walk safe. Um how that looks like, you know, the whole back and forth of whether sidewalks are available for us or not.
That that that's not the point. It's what options do we have? So I'm 100% on board on starting the conversation finally as to action. Where I'm a little stuck is what would
we ask or tell people at this stage? I think there's a lot of homework prior for us to do in order to have people understand what the opportunities are because this could be very big or it could be nothing because we have not a
lot of money. Um, I'm going to just throw it out there because I think this is one of the things the administration can use. But, you know, you can, it's public record. You can just go and look into what a trail costs by the square footage and then you can calculate more or less. So,
you can bring some scenarios to the table and then considerations for grants or, you know, appropriations, whatever monies we're able to get. Um, I would just be cautious of what we are promising. That's all because um I don't
know you know in all the years I've been trying to move this forward when we talk about um again the idea I think the concept was sidewalks and it was a lot of push back I think now we understand there other options right so 100% on
board exploring it having some more concrete information to share when the time is appropriate >> it's a great point commissioner that the specific grant that I forwarded to the manager actually breaks down projects every year award lists and has description of the trails, how wide, how
long, uh, and also includes design builds. So, we're not funding the design. Uh, it it would be almost be a project where if we don't get the grant, we don't do anything at all. Uh, yes, those are all open public documents where we can kind of steer our decisions. Uh, the good thing is I think
we have no shortage of locations. There's >> plenty of great medians. There's plenty of nice alleys. Uh, I I envision this as starting small. Let's just get one win under our belt. Get a small little walkway done and then take small bites of the apple every year. Not make a huge
project out of this. I think a small walkway here, small walkway there will make a huge difference if we continue and go forward, especially with the 8020. I mean, uh, communities are investing $20,000 getting the rest state funded from the state to a $150,000
project, and they're getting a trail, a, you know, exercise trail, recreational, uh, trail, uh, jogging path, >> things like that. No, they don't pick a wall. >> Uh, so I think that these are small wins that low budget impact can be a huge uh,
plus for our community. >> Now, yeah. Now, these grants that we can get, is it going to be matching grants that we have to match it? Okay, that's >> sounds like you've got some consensus here, commissioner. So, I I guess the the the the consensus of the commission would be to
have you to continue to work with the manager on identifying some sites, uh kind of scoping out high level views of what the cost what cost would look like. um and then take those proposals, then figure out how we can go to the community to see if it's something that they want to continue with. Is that does
that encapsulate what you're what you're asking as a >> That would be fine with me. Uh you know, I gladly host the town hall when the when the time comes. Uh I would invite Commissioner Aler if she would like to since this is part of her idea as well as the walkways to join me in hosting the town hall. Uh and you know, hopefully residents will come out and voice their opinion.
>> And that's also it's also going to be asking residents that are in that area if it's going to bother them. Okay. Okay, great. So, sounds like you have consensus of the commission to do as you've asked. Thank you both for putting it on there. Well, for Ryan for putting it on there
and Veronica, I know you've been talking about it for a long time as well. So, thank you both. Um, all right. So, the last item that we have for discussion this evening is uh item C. Um, vice mayor, this is your item. Would you like to introduce it for us? >> Yes. Thank you. So just wanted to bring forward opportunity same to to to
clarify some doubts that are going around as to what are we planning to do related to the tree um replacement plan what grants are available to us which ones have been awarded timeline areas affected by it etc. I think there was a
lot of questions back and forth on this and I figured this was the right approach to bring it forward to clarify. So some of the discussion points I wanted to have I and in summary the question number one that comes up is what's the big picture?
And I think it's a very fair question. So I'm going to go over a little bit of background um for uh whoever might listen that don't have it but a year ago some trees came down. That was a big um opportunity for residents that came forward and said, you know, that needs
to have a a plan in place to replace those trees. Obviously um moved a lot of people and had a lot of controversy about whether they needed that's not the point. And I think we're past farad is what's the big picture and and and what
are we sort of stepping as number one two three and four to finalize um this reforestation strategy. So um one of the thing is we have several tree grants and we have several projects
on how we are tackling. So I wanted to ask the manager if you can give a brief description Albert about the grants we currently have approved and sort of the budget we have at hand to start thinking
about planting and provided those trees have been removed phase one Australian pies first uh phase two the ones we recently saw uh come out and what's next because I think the other question is so is this an ongoing things. Are we going
through every corner of the village and deciding when the things come off? Um, you know, because they look best. So, we call the arborist. When do we call the arborist? Can, you know, can a person, a resident do that? Like we saw today, it was a an approval of money that went
forward to a resident who said there is a debt tree. I need you guys to take care of it. So if there is a you know a recourse for people to do that do we communicate um where the money comes from again I think it's a very big um the question being
what's the overall plan when we look at the tree situation in the village so Albert if you can just as a as a intro to this provide a step as to clear clarity as to how many grants have been awarded
and what is the timeline light consider for each that we have. Um, you know, again, and then we can talk about what's what's next. >> Um, Mr. Mayor, if I could. >> Yes. >> So, there there's two grants that have
been awarded. You have approved both those grants. Both those grants have come before this commission for approval. The first grant was the Steinberg grant for $25,000. >> Right. Uh you had an item on the agenda
tonight to award to rank uh the um the vendors who had submitted uh request for the installation of that those trees for th for that grant. Um we'll be matching that grant with
another $25,000. Uh the second grant has been awarded also that you approved and that was uh approximately $24,750. Uh that's from the state with federal money. Uh we're matching that's a
matching grant where we have to match that with another $24,750. That grant all the everything has to be completed by June. Um I I said some I uh told somebody today it was June of uh
next year 2027. Everything that all trees have to be uh completed. All the paperwork has to be completed and that timeline. And the first grant there is no timelines but uh we have already received the $25,000. Uh the second grant is a is a
reimburseable grant as uh we have to submit our expenses and our the paperwork and then we're reimbured for that. >> Okay. Thank you. We're talking about uh is it about $100,000 that's going to go into this?
>> 25 and 25 plus our matching adds up to $100,000. Yes. >> Right. So, and there is already identifi Is John on the line, by the way? I don't know if he's still with us. I know it's late. Okay. Um, >> yes, I'm I'm I'm here. I'm here.
>> All right. Thank you so much for staying until I'm still so late. Um, so I know that the board already put together a plan and the plan had a lot of involvement from residents and going through different areas and identifying some trees that need a replacement. Arborist came on board and did that
work. So we have already a list to move forward and go and buy with this money especially m Miss uh Commissioner Steinberg since we're ready to after today to operate with a vendor right and go and ask for um in this list to go
ahead and and start planning. I guess the question is in the in the uh um Jesus how do you call it? Sorry I'm dribbling on the minutes. sorry for the
the p the parks and parkways board and you know and it was mentioned there there is a plan to continue to remove trees and I think when we talk about there is a plan to continue to remove tree that's sort of sounds an alert of what that means. So I wanted John if you
can give a little bit of of a background as to what that um is about like what what is the next step. So because we did three walks and identify certain things and you know and so when we think about there's more work to do are we talking
about different walks that are going to happen from different areas in the village where people can also participate. So are we exploring a proactively looking to remove trees that we see are bad? And the question that comes with that is are we outpacing the
removals versus uh what we get. So if if you guys understand that that's where it's coming from is are we are we do we not have a plan and we have an arous going around the village saying this dead is you know this tree needs to go and that's going to happen with every corner.
>> Is that the plan? I I'm I'm asking if visibility um >> my my my take on it I'm sorry I didn't mean to cut you off. >> No, go ahead. And it's sorry I I posted the question on the minutes because that was addressed uh specifically by residents. are we talking we're going to continue to remove right I just wanted
to touch on that and then the rest John was also for the rest of the commission to engage >> okay um my my take on it and I feel like I'm somewhat on the sidelines um on this even though I'm on the on the board I am not I've come to discover that I am much
more as you can see over my left shoulder an arts and culture guy really looking forward to jazz this week I'm not much of a tree person um but I am glad that you approved of the honor tonight and I'm glad that Hannah and Andrea and and Juan are um and I I been
in, you know, in involved in those discussions and I more or less agree with everything they say. And if you'd left it to me, you would have slash pines everywhere because I love slashbinds and I I don't mind the the the overkill, but my take on the pro the team's approach is that it's kind of
we're not going to eat the elephant all at once. That we're going to have to take do this in bites. And clearly the the priority was on areas where the Australian pines came down because that was a drastic measure. Um but I think as part of that process as dead trees are
identified um they are added to um the the document that we're using to track all of this and obviously that's shared with the village manager who's been you know crucial in helping keep us moving uh keep us moving along. Um, and I I
guess I'm not entirely sure that's kind the the dead I guess what I would be saying is is that the dead trees that we identify. It's incidental. It's not like we went out looking to find things. In fact, one of the things tonight was 119th Street. I'm racking my brain. I don't know where it is. I'd probably
have to drive by it again. I've probably driven by it a thousand times or ridden by it on my bike. And and so that that wasn't necessarily in our purview setting up. It's just have it's just incidental you know found found benefit I guess of us doing these walks. >> I hope that answers I think I hope that
answers the question. Yeah. And so that's why I wanted to bring it for me this is a question to the administration in terms of you know we have a certain amount of money. How do we envision uh and of course this is in in correlation with the board because we rely on the
board for advice and for counseling on this to the commission right so you you come for and you can say we think we're going to divide the village in three parts and every year we're going to attack one. I don't know. I'm making this up now. >> But yeah, whatever whatever the the plan
might be, it seems now it's a little bit all over the place. And I'm talking about implementation when it comes, you know, a resident just mentioned we need to remove a tree, which you know, if it's dead and and it's dangerous, we we have to if there's an arborous state and then we have to we have to >> but then we have county come in and we
talking about Australian pines, but we put our arborist to do the the check on those. So that's a question, you know, that came up. Albert, what are we using the arborist? Our arbor is for county trees and it shouldn't that be something
that falls within the county spend you here for the county trees? >> That that question is for the village manager, right? >> What's the process? So we we call our arborist, we pay for it, and then we
tell the county, but you need to take it out. >> Why wouldn't the county be the one paying for the arburies, for example? >> Commissioner, that was the procedure that you requested. >> What do you mean? >> You requested for any tree removal that
there be an arborous report for that tree removal? >> No, that wasn't my question. So my question is why is this arburies paid of our pocket when this is a county trees? So the the the Australian so again as you can see there's several parts into
this as the Australian pounds they already left and we're ready to maybe execute within the next year that was a concern why it's taking so long. Well you know there is a process of bidding there is a process of actually implementing. Okay. The second is there's Australian pies have been you
know recently put through an arburies that we pay correct me if I'm wrong with the budget from the village that exist on medians that belong or you know property from the county to m maintain. So the question is why are we why are we
sending this arborist over there with our money instead of calling the county to assess the health of these trees and so why are we proactively moving to do this? >> The road is located within the village
of Biscane Park. It's just like the road of 121st Street. So, we used an arborist to report on those uh Australian pines on 121st Street. Uh we used an arborist also on Griffin and then the county came
out looked at his report and he and and reviewed that report and made a visual inspection and then decided to go forward. >> Yeah, they came because we called him. So, my question was more on the spend that should have been um for what I understand part of the uh county's job.
You know, we can flag a tree. We say we need we need maybe for them to come and >> uh commissioner that was within my authority and that was my decision to make that decision. >> Oh, I understand and it's all within your authority, Albert. I'm not doubting your authority in any way. I'm just
wondering if there is an opportunity for this spend because it's coming out of the village money when it could be through the county because this belongs to them. And so again, I wanted to bring it forward because there it seems to be a little bit all over the place. My
proposal for you guys tonight was if you stand behind the fact that we need a proper plan and we've been talking about the Australia replacement plan that started last year and sort of that kicked out a several review on other
trees and now it's it now it's landed us on county territory um out of our budget. So I don't see the plan clearly. I think I understand the concerns and again I have data the villagers don't. So if they come to me
with questions I can tell them that we have certain amount of bids active that we have a plan and parks and park weeks has already identified certain amount of trees but the question remains as to so what's next or should I worry about my tree should I place uh if if it looks
dead should I call also for it to be removed or are you going to be my corner and when are you going to replace it and whose corner is going to be next so I think that just to me calls for the opportunity to establish a plan that's clearly identified for anybody to come
forward and ask questions about and and understand again John my my my idea of dividing the the village in three parts um you know it comes out just so that people know that their corner be going to be affected and by when this is
excludes in every way those are emergency but the question is how do you know they're emergency is it that we're going through every tree knocking them to identify. So again, I I wanted to give light to a lot of the questions residents have first. This has been an
ongoing topic for over a year and we're talking about planting in another year potentially. So um give visibility and see if there is an opportunity to really put together a plan that is clear to share with everybody
and you know hear your thoughts. >> Do you I'm sorry. Uh do you have like a plan in mind that you have? >> So I I have ideas like I just threw one out. You know, again, we have a a board who's uh working already in certain ways
to move forward wish lists. Um but I don't understand those pieces are together and I have a hard time answering. So are you guys going to go and check on my tree? I don't know. Do you need to? Well, if I
do, who do I call who do I call for my tree? Because so is it becoming an thing that we're gonna check the trees all over the village or or not? And um or is a very clear, you know, it's going to take a year on the Australian pines. We have that feedback already. It's going
to be three months of the ones identified and we stop. Unless you call us for a dead tree and you know and and that you know unless you call us because there's a branch about to fall public works goes in and takes care of it. We're not going
to continue to to check health and pain and arvaries on every village tree to tell us how it is or yes I don't know again I don't know to your point I no I have the plan no I have ideas that I could like go I want to just share um
it's not my job you know to come with the plan it's my job to make sure I assess that there is a concern and the concern is we don't know what's happening so I just wanted to give opportunity to clarify So I think >> Oh, go ahead. >> I think we're we're kind of in the
reactionary phase of this of this right now. You know, Australian pines were an urgency. Uh we identified more Australian pines that are also dangerous. Other trees that residents have reported to us. I mean, the evidence is out there as you see arous trees that are diseased, dying, decaying
that there's there's a uh declining health in some of our trees and we are are finding them. We're re reacting to them. We're removing them and we're reforesting with the grants that we have. That's just reactionary replacing what what is diseased and dying. Uh I
definitely think a plan would be in place to elevate that to the next level. Uh I know I've sat on sat in on parks and parkway boards where they've discussed that. I know that's a major resident concern is the cutting over the medians, driving over the medians. How do you stop that? I know that's part of your item is suggesting putting 4x4s,
things like that which are probably not aesthetically pleasing. I I know I've heard the park I don't want to speak for them, but I know I've heard them say they don't think those are aesthetically pleasing either. They would like to see our medians elevated to another level understory grasses. Yes,
>> small shrubs, things like that. Uh that is getting into the >> we're fine tooththing. We're polishing this marble phase. I don't think we're there yet. I think we we're approaching it and I think we should start developing those plans. So when we get there when we say okay we've done the
sweep of the entire village all the the the trees that are diseased dying and decaying are removed we start to reforest them now we can start talking about polishing removing uh you know the random palm that someone planted 10 20 years ago and has now turned into a professional
>> which we've seen in the walks and people identify >> that's that's honing into a beautiful design. I think that's where you want to go. It's where I want to go. that's where this commission wants to and I think that's a great use of a maybe a joint session with our parks and parkway board to discuss next steps of of that
plan. Uh I think probably the first jumping off point is we got to hear from the manager that we've finished that sweep of the village and we we've removed what we think is everything. Obviously, we're always going to be reactionary. Someone could find a tree tomorrow that or the next week or whatever. We're always going to be reactionary and I encourage every
resident if they have concern about a tree to report it to the manager report it to public's works to get it inspected because I would hate for anyone to get injured by a decayed dying tree. Uh >> about the step one of what you just said which is the plan you know. >> Yeah. And well that that has to always
be ongoing. We always have to be reactionary to trees that are that might be decaying and dying because as you see of how many have been removed there was a considerable amount of time in this village that those trees didn't happen overnight. There's a considerable amount of time in this village where they weren't being looked at or they were being looked at. I'm sure they were
being looked at by John and his he wasn't being listened to and so now he's being listened to. Now we're doing the prudent thing of removing them and the prudent thing of replanting and thank goodness the grant funds are coming in so we can walk and chew bubble gum. And I uh I know that that's what the parks and parkway board has done. They've uh
strategically planned the Steinberg grant and the state grant to work together even though they're two different grants. Yeah. So there it's, you know, one cook cooking two meals. Uh, but that's the next step. The polishing this marble into a beautiful fine thing is sitting down with the
parks and parkways. What is your vision? What is the the the commission's vision? And then once we have that plan, then it's going out to funding and find the funding for it because there's funding for trees. I don't know if there's funding for shrubs. >> I would love to see that there is. Uh, but that's where I think where we're at. To me, it looks like we're still
reactionary. We're still removing what's dead, replacing it as grants come in. getting through that process and then once that's done then we can start talking about let's polish this let's let's bring in designers let's have someone design it whatever it is so so
um so that point thank you so so that point so uh Mr. manager. So is the idea to continue doing this reactionary approach across the village and identifying with the arborist what trees are dead and continue to do that work
along the year >> uh commissioner through the mayor um commissioner to answer your question I think it's it's very important that we have a uh a canopy that's wellmaintained And uh I think Commissioner Gonzalez the other
day said we've we've have a a canopy that for many many years uh was neglected and wasn't being taken care of. And I think Commissioner Honeyan just uh reiterated that fact and and we need to educate our our residents and that they shouldn't be parking on the
mediums and they shouldn't be driving over the mediums and and if they see that to contact code or contact the the police department to take action against that and to to maintain our mediums in a prestige man manner. And that's what
we're trying to do. So, we we will continue uh to have a plan throughout the year uh to uh maintain our our foliage whether it's you whether it's on on the mediums or whether it's in our
parks. We just trimmed all our trees in our parks. Uh we had plans to trim the trees around here. I think that these trees have been have been trim trimmed a long time and that's what our our our plan is to continue. We're maintaining our buildings. We should maintain our mediums.
>> Yeah. Okay. So, as that plan moves along and I just think there is better opportunity to align these things the the most we can. I mean I agree with you. You're not going to have it all tied down to the last tree. This is a moving target. I get that. I think
people get that questions when when you know an arous coming forward and going into this new pines, you know, that's a very sensitive topic for a lot of people. um starts wondering is that going to be my corner next or my next tree and the other thing I wanted to
highlight is the safety of the median situation and the pecs and whether we have opportunities. So what's the process if if you constantly see um medians being you know ran over by cars and you know police is not there all the
time to catch them and that continues to be an issue. Is there an opportunity for PEX to be included or some temporary deterrent where someone can call and say can I have um you know temporary it could be a rock I don't know I know there's code to
that so it can be just anything so >> so Mr. mayor to answer a question. So, uh I think I think it's important that we we try to educate people before we uh take that initiative and to uh they can
call me, they can call the police chiefs has responded. They could call code and if they see if it's on a regular basis, we'll try to educate the uh the resident and the surrounding the contractors that they shouldn't be parking in the medium. And that's been effective. I I'm seeing
as time goes on, less and less people are are parking in the mediums and are driving over into the mediums and uh and and uh and and taking, you know, taking that initiative to to park somewhere else. Um but uh that's that's that's
putting pegs there. Um it's it's not a good look. I don't think anybody agrees with that. uh some some residents in the past had take took upon themselves to uh to put plantings of their own in the in the mediums and and we and public works
had to go out and remove those. discourage that. Um you know um but uh uh we would ask them to call us uh directly so that we can educate the the residents about uh the proper codes and
and before we start putting out pegs. >> Do we know if this is something that's been um discussed by the the parks board this issue specific to the trees? >> Yes, we we we we've talked about Hold on. Yeah, we've talked about
>> Sorry. We've talked about the the the use and this for the fact that you don't know this, it's probably because our minutes aren't that great um or that thorough, but we we have talked about, you know, having if we have additional funds, you know, the grants all if the grants all come through that some of
them could be for understory as they're calling it. So, yeah, this has been discussed. Um but as someone whose meeting is driven across all the time, I would be happy with 4x4s in the interim. Not a problem for me. So I think I you know you have it's been discussed as as
a possible use of additional funds and and Albert can keep me honest here as to which grant that would allow or would be would be would allow for that. So maybe an a topic just to recover in the midst of this conversations and say you know if there is established way to do it
again you're going to get people who are going to feel well I wasn't told I could do it or I was told I couldn't do it or I was told it by code you can do it. So I'm I'm always trying to assert if there is a way we can um provide a a solution
even if it's temporary and in a proactive way. Um, so maybe something to visit. Um, John, I'll leave it up to you, but I appreciate the time. Again, I wanted to give um clarity to and a little bit of the feedback from the administration on what the next steps
are. And um and the rest, you know, people need to come forward and to the parks and parkways and sort of put their thoughts forward. I know a lot of, you know, people participate when they can. that's on everybody's schedule and
>> but it's it's um it was just to I think again I rather be proactive than reactive. I'm not a huge fan of trying to see how we cover the hole. I want to see why are we taking it out and what we're going to do in advance.
>> If I can just say one last thing before I do probably sign off for the night. I hear you commissioner and I think that what you're talking about is getting off of our the back of our feet. you know, back be on our back heels and and getting on the front of our feet, playing playing on the front of our feet. And I think that now that you've given us the opportunity to put a ringer
on our team from North 121st Street side, I think that maybe with her experience, we'll codify a lot of the things that you're questioning into policies like how residents should act when they spot what they suspect is a dead zone. all the things that you talked about I think could be codified
and we we've already drafted stuff with uh uh an AI which is fairly generic and would obviously need to be refined. Um and and we can wait for to join the board before we take another look at that. But I think that that's I hear what you're saying and the direction you want to go and I I agree that we we that should be our focus going forward and I
think will hopefully uh help us get there. >> Love it. I'll be there. It's April 8th the next meeting, right? >> That would be tomorrow. Yeah. >> Yeah. Oh jeez. already we okay thank you John I appreciate thank you everybody >> great >> thanks vice
>> thank you >> before you you finish I would ask would you want to uh send formally a question to the parks and parkway board if they would like to uh entertain the idea of going next step looking into designing understory and things like that because
once we know that they have that intention that we agree with that intention we can start talking about sitting down for a plan how what is the plan to develop the plan, funding, things like that. I feel like that's your your concern is is developing that plan. And I think the first step is
sending a formal message to them. Is this something you you want to entertain? Is this your is this your what is your next step? So we can start that dialogue back and forth or sit down together in in a in a formal meeting to start developing that. Once we have that dialogue open, that plan, then we can
start looking for funding. But if we have if we if we never start planning, we're never going to look for funding. And I think John got it because he he said it before. I think to your point, it's been reaction first because we got trees removed and the need was to replace them. Um so that was first. But
yes, I think always we should come with the plan first and then move forward. Um I understand you know the we have a new member on the board. Uh we have you know the team sort of being working better and and you can see on the minutes already. Uh, I love the idea that
they're discussing the SOPs, you know, codify. I mean, that's that's the way you start planning. So, I think they're on the right track. Um, if you need a formalized question, yes, John, I think that that's the ultimate goal of the parks and parkways board is come together with what beautifification plan
looks for the village and give us your recommendation on how to get there. But specific to what we're, you know, I wanted to be uh specific was happening is is it stopping tomorrow? And I think the answer is no. The answer is going to be we continue to see trees and we'll
assess the the health for safety concerns. Um but it's not uh you know out of the will of just removing trees. We understand that that that it's got to be a reason behind it. And the other layer to that is communications. I don't
think nobody deserves to wake up in the morning not expect to see the tree they they want or not know what's going to be next or what happened and am I getting a tree next year or why and so I think when you have a plan you avoid all that. >> Um yeah.
>> Yeah. Certainly I think that it's it would be important to get the the parks and parkways board um opinion on this because um they've been doing some really great work for us and we've been relying on them heavily and they've been delivering for us. So, I think it's a good question that you've proposed, Vice Mayor, and I think it's a good solution
to have the parks look at it for us and um yeah, certainly the tree thing, what I would put set in my head is a tree bytree basis, tree bytree basis. Um so, yeah, I think that's a good solution. Um and I would certainly be interested in hearing from
uh uh the parks and parkway board on on how we could implement and effectuate that. Uh so uh if there's nothing else on that u vice mayor, thanks for putting that on. Thanks for the discussion. Um you know, I think that we'll see some some further developments with that with uh with the involvement of the parks board.
Uh so if there's no further discussion on that item, uh that concludes our new business. And since we have no old business and nothing to move to the next item, uh at this point, if there's nothing else, Mr. Manager or uh John or the commission, um I would ask for a motion to adjurnn. >> Make a motion to adjurnn.
>> Second. >> All in favor? Hi. >> Hi. >> Hi. Thanks everybody.