Hey everyone, can you hear me? >> I see heads turning so I'm just assume that's a yes. awfully quiet. Are you uh are you all able to hear me? I got a thumbs up from the manager. Okay, that's good.
I only have kind of a limited view here. Does is everyone is everyone there? We uh I can see Commissioner Amsler uh walking around, so I'll wait a second there. But otherwise otherwise, we're prepared.
Someone mind just trying to speak into a microphone just because I can't. It sounds very quiet. Can you hear us? >> There we go. Excellent. Thank you. So, uh I think I got a thumbs up from the manager that
everybody's uh all here and accounted for. So, uh I have 601. So, if we're ready to get started, um we'll go ahead and call to order uh the meeting for this evening. Um, and just, you know, for I guess a
point of order, um, since I'm here on Zoom, uh, the internet here has been a little spotty. So, um, certainly just let me know if I'm breaking up or you can't hear me. Um, I I am out of town for a work event right now, so I'll be here as as long as I'm able to before my
next, uh, my next meeting. Um, so anyway, so um, uh, today's August 19, 2025. Uh we are here for our first budget workshop. Uh we again this being a workshop we only have uh the presentations and discussions here on
the agenda for this evening. Um now I know uh Mr. Manager and you know I think that's Paul there with you. I think that we were planning on doing things a little differently this year. Um so I know Mr. manager, you've you've set out some of the forward along the department
reports uh and planning on having the departments at least police parks and wreck and code compliance present um present to us this evening. Uh but is there any is you just maybe want to kind of you or Paul give us kind of an overview on on how you expect the
workshops to go? It seems like we'll do the presentations if there are questions for each respective department then the commissioners will have an opportunity to kind of have a discussion. Um but you know being a workshop uh this is just I guess more exploration at this point of
what each department is looking for. >> Yes. Uh good evening Mr. Mayor. So we um >> Thank you. Thank you. Little little too still too loud. Come out.
>> Better better. So, uh, Mr. Mayor, yes, we we have three departments that are presenting tonight. Uh, police, parks and recreation, and code compliance. And then we'll after each presentation, we'll open it up for uh questions and
and and to for the commission to ask the department directors or myself and the finance directors here. But before we get into that, Mr. Mr. Mayor, if I could just take a moment. We had a request for a variance that was scheduled in May,
but the property owner could not stay at the hearing. It was running late, so she left a little bit earlier. We want to reschedule that variance. Uh the clerk will reach out to each of you. Uh should be about an hour to see what dates best
for you. And uh we if we tonight I was looking there's fees involved for that rescheduling of that uh variance. If I could just get consensus this evening to wave those fees and then the the village clerk will reach out to you to uh to
schedule that that that uh that variance. Certainly fine by me since I I they had already I think correct me if I'm wrong they had already paid the associated fees necessary for the first variance hearing. >> Yes, they did. Yes. >> Okay. Certainly would be fine by me, but
uh I'd open it up to the commission if there's any questions or anything. >> It's fine with me. >> Fine with me. >> Yeah, it's fine with me as well. And then once once uh the clerk uh reaches out to all of you, she'll announce it at the second budget workshop what uh what
date that variance will be and so we can schedule that put on the agenda and and notice it. >> Excellent. Okay, great. >> So, go ahead. >> Go ahead, Mr. May. >> No, I was just going to say the back to the to the budget uh presentation.
>> Yes. So, uh tonight's the first night of our two-day budget workshops. uh we'll have presentations as I said from the park uh police department parks and recreation and code compliance uh you'll see that uh each department has a very lean budget and that we have emp
emphasized doing more with less and some of the departments you will see a shift in the organizational structure that will um emphasize efficiency and effectiveness and placing the right people in the right positions. Uh the overall budget represents lowering the
millage rate from 9.4 4 to 9.3 uh for fiscal year 2526. We'll we anticipate uh uh $2.3 million in capital improvement projects and we'll be getting more into that on the second uh day of the budget workshops. Our police
chief was a little under the weather uh this evening. He had spent uh last night in emergency emergency room, but he's back home resting. So, he's not going to be here to make the presentation, but Captain Rosaro is. And uh before I turn it over to the police department, I just want to turn it over to our finance
director. He'll make some uh brief comments. >> Thank you. Uh I think the the manager handled most of the things I was going to say perfectly. Uh with a little highlight on the budget structure. Uh you may have noticed the uh July June
financials came out. uh this and the draft budgets have are evolving the CIP fund where it's literally a standalone fund which all the revenues from grant revenues from our end of the year contributions revenues that are
designated by ordinance at the end of the budget cycle etc will be the income and then you will allocate to those projects we'll talk about that more in in depth but I just wanted to bring your attention because I know a few of you have had questions about it and I I think I resent the financial But if you
look down there, you'll start to see how the the details are flowing together. Um, and and as the manager mentioned, there's some some slight structural changes. Uh, and those are reflected in all of the benefits and salaries, etc. So, we we've carried everything to the
to a very accurate number. Uh and manager also mentioned a 9.3 milit rate included in this overall budget just to give you a big picture is over $530,000 in additional funds with a 9.3
millillage rate. So that's a significant amount of money and I think you can if you didn't read between the lines, you have millions of dollars worth of capital projects and you will make decisions later about what to do with that. But at this time we're just getting into the operations as the manager said.
>> So now, Mr. Mayor, I'll turn it over to our police department Captain Rosaro for make his presentation. Can you hear me? I can. Well, if I could. Perfect.
Yes, >> this is the same presentation you sent by email yesterday. Yeah, >> that is correct. Yes, ma'am. >> Yeah, I got it. >> Well, good afternoon everybody. Uh major of uh members of the commission, Mr. Mayor, vice mayor, and residents.
Madame clerk, Mr. Manager, and everyone present here. Thank you very much. Um I would like to start with the uh so our our our mission function and uh speak a little bit about a a leadership transition in the past few months. Um our mission continues to be the same uh
preservation of life, protect our property, prevent crimes and maintain order through community oriented policing from our department. Uh our core values transparency, integrity and professionalism definitely is displayed out there by our officers every day. I
think our department is a better place. It has been in many years, at least in my experience here with the department. Um, we continue to build trust and safety through collaboration with the residents and stakeholders. Um, as we all know, uh, during year 2024, I
towards the end of the year in October, our department underwent some, uh, transition and leadership. Um, I want to assure you that during this transition, uh, we never, uh, compromise your safety. we continue to enforce uh to be
out there and uh and do our job. We I think the part of our system was to revert back to basics, bring our departments to uh a position where we just go ahead and concentrate on our our our our core uh job description, which
is to patrol, protect, communicate with the residents and uh and respond to any emergencies you may have in the city. Um in October it was uh we through the transition I uh stepped up as acting chief for the department. I was
fortunate that shortly after that uh uh Captain Abila was appointed as uh uh Aila was appointed as a captain for the police department which came as a great uh uh breath of fresh air for for us. uh he definitely helped uh through this
whole transition and make sure that uh we encompass in a steady recovery path for the department. Uh some of the changes that we made too is immediately after he came in we appointed we hire a full-time detective.
There were several cases and and and investigations that were pending that were not being tend to within the city. And fortunately, uh, Detective Eduardo Martinez was appointed. He brought with him almost 50 years of experience and he
was able to hit the ground running and tackle any of the cases that were pending and, uh, start uh, resolving a lot of the issues that we had. So, in terms of our enforcement trends uh, for year two for 2025,
uh, our unifor citations, we are up to July. This is not including the the this month's uh stats. We up to about 2,475 traffic citations. So traffic, traffic, traffic. That continues to be one of our
main objectives. We hear our residents, they're concerned about traffic out there and we continue to to shift our focus on traffic. Uh they're constantly going. I also see with that you may see some of the arrests are going up and I
just want to assure you that this has nothing to do with internal with residents of the community. This has to do with the interaction that the officers have with individuals that are going through the city and there the results of this traffic citations and
this traffic stops. Okay. Um uh we continue to show uh watch orders that those neighbors even though we're enforcing traffic uh our officers continue to drive around the village to exit the vehicle checked on the homes. I
I strongly continue to advise the residents whenever they're going out of town to please let us know and inform the police department and we have that service. They can do it through the gov app or they can go ahead and come to the station at any time and request for an officer and we can do it for them as
well or show them how to do it. Um our calls for service they they seem a little bit down of about 451 to what it was in the previous years. I think that has to do with the compromise that the officers have out there on the road
and the constant enforcement. So some of these numbers like um the calls for service will definitely go down when things like this happen. Um overall our enforcement productivity and arrest is about 146% higher and this
year we already project at this point we're about twice of the enforcement and almost every area of any of the pre so this is a year that marks a history for the village to possibly be the in the last 10 15 years a year where we have
more production as a police department. Um in terms of the highlights of the budget like to move to this section. Um so overall budget is about 2% less than it was for 24 2025.
Um our personnel and training uh there were we were able to accommodate and partnered up with some other agencies that had training for us that came at no cost. One of them was the county. And so we're able to send our officers on at no
cost to the village. And all this training can be do locally which also will save us and trips and and putting our officers outside of the village when we need them here best. >> I'm sorry, Captain, what page are you in? >> I'm in the second page on the number
four, the budget highlights. >> Yeah. Uh for the repairs and maintenance, we went down. That number is very very important considerably about 43%. Uh as soon as we started in October we
were able to identify about 10 vehicles that were in uh within our fleet that they just kept creating issues and money kept being thrown out to keep these cars in service. So we identify those cars. Uh we were able to
deadline them and uh secure a uh company that does the auction and these could have been sold and these funds from the uh from that sale came back to the uh village. Um we're in the process to trying to find uh you know newer uh
better ways to manage our fleet. Uh and hopefully soon we'll have more. I think we we have two more vehicles coming into the department uh by that are being bought through the sheriff's bid and hopefully this will make our fleet you know more manageable and having less
issues. Also the manpower involved and picking up these vehicles uh and uh arranging for cars to be taken and tow uh tow expenses all those things were definitely an issue for the village. um
go back to the education and training as I mentioned before we're partnering up or a lot of local agencies infinite amount of training that is being done by by neighboring agencies in which the uh our village does not have to spend any money on that. uh that also
considerably brought out travel and perdm cost that in the past as unfortunately uh this funds were definitely not managed correctly. Uh professional services continue to be the same we didn't and the only shift that I
could see consider went up was the 5% for the increase for uh on our salaries for the full-timers and this is related to the 5% that comes with the bargaining agreement. So there was going to be a shift there in that
going into our objectives for 2025 2026 we would like to continue the community enga engagement uh we have asked uh the village manager uh we wanted to launch a neighborhood resource officer and NRO program and which is presented there in
the budget for the this new year. Uh we would like to have a dedicated officer to that will serve as a direct leaison with the residents. Key functions will be to organize neighborhood watch programs, attend community meetings, uh knock doortodoor and residents and times
of needs that we have uh disa natural disasters uh proactive identified issues affecting quality of life uh before the escalade. And I think this is really going to be a benefit for our community. is going to strengthen that strengthen our trust, improve the communication and
empower our residents to uh be partners with the public safety right um and ensure a visible approachable police presence in the village. Uh we continue to move and uh guarantee I think that one of the things as I mentioned at the beginning of my
presentation is go back to the basics ensure that we have a minimal staffing there. There should always be at least two officers on duty. And what I mean by that is making sure that we have two full-time officers or part-times. We
cannot rely on the our reserve staff just to do that. We th those guys their function is to, you know, add to whatever services if we have a special event, but we cannot take those officers and ensure
that we're going to use them to fill our day-to-day operation. it's it's not the right thing to uh to do it. Um so the last thing uh you know operationally we've been able to we're on track to basically bring everything
that was not in compliance with FDLE and many of the other agencies that that that help us with the day-to-day operations. A lot of these issues have been identified since uh February this year and I want to say over 90% of these
things that are back in compliance uh our department is in good standing for this new year. Um another uh thing that we they may bring is the uh so the system that we currently use in free it's called tracks and it's also
utilized by many agencies uh in Miami date county is is man managed by the state and it's the one that we use to do all currently all our crash reports and reports everything is done through there so uh tracks is now bringing a new
feature in which our officers are able to do a CAD which is uh is a basically it's a computerized aid uh dispatcher and so they have all the stuff they will have all the information that will merge through there and this will give our village the
opportunity to report all our crimes through fers and uh and and neighbors which is the state and federal so we'll be back on the map this hasn't been done in the village I believe uh Chief Abila will probably be upset I remember that I think it's
2020 since the last time that our actual our village reported this to uh anyone. So, um it's we're not violating the law. We're not breaking the law by doing this. But I think this will give the opportunity to our village to to be in
the map and to show that we are very safe and and that you know that everyone here is uh is is safe. Um last but not least, uh Power DMS. This is one of the big items in our system.
We continue to keep it. Uh I think that the ultimate goal will be that once everything is backed to where it needs to be and we're able to uh you know backs revert back to basics. We continue to use this system as a great
communication tool for the officers to maintain our files and also and and and sometime in the future to accomplish accreditation and also it's a great tool to revise policies and to work on our
the departmental orders. So closing message in this last few months our departments has restored any state or federal compliance uh improve enforcement visibility and community engagement. I
think that we have strengthened financial accountability and operational stability. Uh I think this is a good budget. I actually work myself with uh with Chief Aila and uh and and I thank the manager for giving me the opportunity to have that input and uh we
all the three of us all work together and I it's the you know especially with the integration of that detective and the daytime and the changes that we have in the admin for positions that were not really being used before. Uh I I I trust that this budget is good to bring us
back to where need to be in compliance. Um and uh I look forward to the lounging of the neighborhood resource officer. I think this is something that our village needs and um and just regaining the trusts of all our constituents and you
know uh everyone around us and do you have any questions for me? So, um I think at this time I'm just gonna I guess open it up to if anyone has any questions you want to discuss or um address any of the uh the items in
the proposal uh with with Paul or the manager. Um but it's certainly kind of free form open to the commission to go ahead and and address any of the items that uh that we just heard. >> Mr. Mayor, before we do, maybe just procedure so we we know how we're we're
handling this. Are we going to go line by line or we just each commissioner asks their questions that they have? >> I'm comfortable with either. I just want us to all be on the same page so we're not duplicating efforts. >> Yeah, that makes sense. Um >> I go ahead.
>> Point of order. Uh I hope I did that right. Point of order. I like to do like we did the point uh line by line for each item for each item. There's only three departments and and I think that we'll be able to accomplish it going by line by line.
uh it's fine. I really don't have any real preference. Um so we can do it that way. And you know I think uh they're both necessarily kind of the same thing. If you go line by line, you have questions about line items, then yeah, we have the people here to answer them. So
>> um so that's fine. So we can open maybe a suggestion for procedure. Maybe we we ask any questions that pertain to the captain's presentation and then we'll after that we'll go through line by line briefly. That sounds good. >> Okay. Uh I'll go first for for
questions. Uh Captain, I I really like the NRO program. Uh my question would be, is that going to be a dedicated officer who would not be pulling regular shifts or would it be a shift officer who's an added responsibility on top of uh their normal duties as a shift?
>> You as as you know, we we have a a small staff. uh our our goal is to have that officer dedicated and manage that program, but should the need arise for him to perform other duties, uh that person should be able to help assist
with emergency coverages and things like that. I think that at any time now the officers out on the field would give him the opportunity. You you never stop being an NRO once you're out there. So, >> uh my other question with that program is uh have we looked into the collective bargain agreement? Is there a plus item
for an NRO officer? >> Uh, no. I >> I'm sorry. What was the question again? >> Is there for an NRO officer, uh, neighborhood resource officer, would there be a plus item? You know, a lot of times with, uh, departments, if you have an added responsibility, there's a 1% 2%
bump, something like that. If you have an added responsibility to your job description, you get a I just wonder if we if we reach out to the union and their opinion on this this program. I'm not aware uh the when we check the uh the agreement, but I definitely have to get back to you on that. We'll like
to do a little bit more research. >> So, this is part of the agree. So, this position exists in the bargaining agreement that we have. Is that that how it works? >> Oh, if No, not now that I'm not I I did not see that that position in there. But, uh as the the duties would change,
then we'll probably do a little bit more research and ask him before that is integrated into our staff. Oh, my last question is the I see the task force assignment. Have we identified an officer who's going to be put placed into a task force yet? >> Uh uh yes, we we it's a it's you know
it's it's a lengthy process uh to identify someone. You always want to make the this officer kind of runs independently from the village and we want want to make sure that we have the right individual for it. I know the uh the chief is currently working on that. Uh but uh but definitely we we want to
bring somebody over as soon as possible. I don't know and who he has in mind. Uh but hopefully it happens soon cuz I think that is uh um is a good program. Small villages like ours uh can definitely benefit from having a person in one of these uh task forces.
>> I completely agree. I think it's a a vital program and I I hope we get back into it soon >> if managed correctly. But yes, yes, it is. >> That's all my questions. I don't have any questions on the presentation. Um I'll have some questions uh when we go through the through the actual budget, but I just
want to thank you. Uh I was very impressed. U you know this this was a runaway department for a long time and the fact that you know we are controlling it now better. Uh I think is a reflection of the leadership uh on on
your department and also the leadership that we have now uh at the management level. So I think that uh this is great for the community and uh for everybody. So thank you for for that. >> Thank you sir. We have support from day one. Uh I've I've had all their support
to uh make this transition and I'm confident that we're definitely in good hands and we're going to continue to move forward in the right direction. >> And I only have a couple questions. Yes. Uh could you talk more about the police department, the staff? I mean, you gave us a good graph here that explains each
of the, you know, who's in charge of the staff, but I'd like to know how many reserve officers we're going to have and and so on. >> So, we we haven't we currently we have about 14 reserve officers is that we have in staff and then we are fully staffed now as a department, which we
haven't we weren't for a while in the previous administrations. So, we have a an officer that was hired. He's currently going undergoing the the field training officer program and he's about to start within the next I would say 45 days. So we'll go ahead and be um we
haven't lost or hire anybody else in the process cuz as I mentioned I wanted to first we wanted to get a a grip of uh fix all the problems everything that every area and every aspect of our operations needed to be repaired before we were able to bring anybody else into
here. I think that, you know, we're we're there uh almost there. Uh the person that we hire, it just needed to happen cuz we had that 40hour position that was open and the manager work with us to get it in there. Uh but from here
on, I think it's important that we get all our ducks on the road and everything is fixed operationally before we're able to bring more people, whether it is reserves or full-time or part-time officers. Okay. >> My other questions would be when we do the budget. Okay.
again. Thank you for No problem, sir. Good. >> Awesome. Thank you. So, I think I'll start first saying yes, this is like day nine. I appreciate so much having um context context, you know, prior just to looking at Excel, which is what we've
been doing. So, I think that's huge and I'm uh very thankful for for the effort behind that. I would appreciate that procedures be met. We have to receive this and an agenda, which I didn't. I don't know if I was the only one didn't get the agenda but it's good to get this presentations in advance so that we can
make notes. So I just got it yesterday. So um probably we're going to talk more about the detail on the Excel but on the presentation itself I think it's wonderful. So specific on page two there is um traffic arrest which actually
caught my eye >> 12 to63rd 163 sorry what constitutes a traffic arrest because it's an impressive number. >> Yes. So that comes from so a traffic a
traffic arrest constitute any any violation when one of these officers uh engage in a traffic stop any violations that sometimes remember not we don't have to physically take the individual to TGK which is our local uh holding
facility but just by the person being presented with a criminal citation is considered an arrest. This could be generated from a uh a suspended driver license or >> Oh, so if you stop someone and they had a suspended uh license that
>> constitut the officer. So the officer has the discretion Yeah. to either transport, arrest and transport this individual to jail or because it is in in certain traffic situations, we have the discretion to go ahead and remove
the vehicle to make sure that person is not operating that vehicle which most of the time does not have insurance or registration. It could be detrimental for the for the community. We remove the vehicle, it gets towed, and the person is able to walk away with a criminal citation, which is making the promise
that we'll show up in court and fight this in court. So, that is considered an arrest and those are the ones that have made in there. Now, we're not trying to take every single person and we try a lot of our officers definitely exercise the discretion with doing this
enforcement. We don't want to hurt the community. We want to educate the community. >> Yeah. And that's where I think you know on sens it was a sensitive question because that means on how how is this being approached from 12 before to 163.
Um, >> another thing that is important to to to to explain here is the >> the fact that uh you know also when we have these arrest typically unless there are more are more
issues found more crimes or there's an arrest warrant. Uh if we take a person to the local facility is about a 30 45 minute ride from here, an hour wait time sometimes if we're lucky and then another hour back depending on the
traffic hour. So we had to be uh you know we had to be a little bit sensitive as to how we do that. So typically the officers do ahead and issue the crime a criminal citation. It it goes in a base by base and then it's up to the officer. That's their discretion. >> Got it. Mhm.
>> Okay. >> And you mentioned about the watch orders which I think are fantastic. Go Gabby and the place to do it at the website as well, right? >> It's is being used a lot. Uh and you know we hope to see more and we'll
continue to educate. We I've had a lot of officers they kind of feel the pride that they able to now we we you know we're able we know about the system and we're able to educate our residents. So a lot of us are going and people sometimes they come and they do it at our station from the gov which is listen
we we want the members of the community to come and see us and to know that we can help them at the station. Our station is open Monday through Friday 9:05 >> to help them and that's great. My question was specific as to where can I record a watch order. So I know gov has
the alternative but on the website itself there's a section that says you can do it. Yes. I just want to make sure that if I don't have the app and I go online, there is a section that still counts. You you're receiving. >> Absolutely. You still you could do it through the village of Biscane Park
uh.gov website. You can do it to gov >> or you can you can do it over the phone >> or you can come to the station and do it. And so yes, all those four ways that you can do a watch order.
Um, this was answered and then I had a question I think on the oh police department budget variance percentage of comparison FY 2025. Which one is 143 says communication? Is
that because of the the position you're asking? Is that what you're assigning it to? there is a 143% of increase. It's code 41. So maybe you need to see it with the Excel, but I was wondering
because that's where your graph states 143. I would like to say >> and what what's that for? What what are you guys asking for more money for communication? What what's that addressing?
I >> you can I recommend that you use the mic so that the question can be >> Looks like Paul might be talking but I'm not entirely certain. >> Yeah, he he's about to get the mic. >> Thank you. Is that better? >> Sorry about that.
>> There you go. So, communications line, this has to do with what you adopted in 2025. You were under the impression you'd be able to eliminate your AT&T mobile hotspots and use the Helium phones. Yes, we talked about it. And >> removing those phones turned out to not
be effective for the police. So, they reinstated the AT&T. So, you're basically going back to where you would have been normally. So, >> and it's going from 6,000 to 15,000 is 143%. Seems like a lot, but I just didn't know how to address that on the
graph, but I remember we discussed that. >> Yeah, graphs are tricky like that, aren't they? They can. >> All right, awesome. And then um in training, uh the education and training, I know it was decrease also your staff has changed and so the structure overall there's ways of making
more efficient with online training. I mean, there's a lot of that you speak about why that's going down. You know, I was talking during our conversation about the program for assisting um you know, those in needs. I'm just wondering if that requires any additional training
that we're not capturing. Um and that me, you know, since it's a decrease yearover-year, I just want to be fair with that. Um I want to make sure that we have all the available training possible for the staff that we we
changing structure, you know, completely. this is the time to do it. >> Yeah. >> We were we were fortunate enough that we were we've been able to partner uh
through relationships that uh the our new chief has with many of the the other agencies including the FDLE. uh we're actually in conversations with them and there are many resources at a state level that are will come at no
cost to the village in many different areas. One of them being for residents with special needs and so we've already reached out. It's it's there's a process and there's a there's a as a wait period for it, but uh there are many things out there and I trust
that we'll be able to make those connections and hopefully bring all this training to the village at no cost. >> Okay. All right. And then um >> Commissioner, before you move on from that, just touch on that as well. the uh if you uh look at their presentation,
they talk about applying for no cost grants and >> which page >> it's towards the back there uh uh their objectives for 2026. And I know speaking with uh Chief Alva, he is uh has the attention to apply for any grants he can
for those kind of trainings. And I know the Department of Justice offers quite a few training grants that are no cost to the village. So I'm I'm guessing that's what he's referring to when he says. So I think it would be wonderful to know what trainings we've always had >> and what are aimed to have. I would love
for us to check that we are doing those relationships, you know, connecting with the appropriate departments and reaching to do this at zero cost as you propose. But since we are not going to be tracking ourselves with money attached to it, I think it would be great if you
can come forward and say these are the trainings we normally would get and this is what we're aiming to do and those are going to be at zero cost. You know, hopefully those connections happen and then they we achieve them. Um but then there is a goal for us to follow through
and I think if it doesn't happen because there is a waiting list of three years to your point that we need to budget for next year if we find that's important. >> Absolutely. >> So I think I would I would just ask that list that you have give us visibility as what are those key trainings we would
look to get you know with those connections um into your goals. But I think it's wonderful and the fact that we can do it at zero cost is >> yeah we'll do we'll definitely we'll keep you informed. >> All right. And then um
community inter agency partnerships. Uh so increase collaboration with code enforcement. So all of these things are great and then at the end maintain strong coordination Miami date sheriff's office and emergency management for preparedness and response. These are things that weren't happening or that
>> Well, no. Uh as a matter of fact, uh in the last I think uh three months uh we've actually met about three times with the entire commanding staff for Inter Coastal. Uh the captain, lieutenants, sergeants came here and uh
they're definitely making a much uh strong approach. uh they came they actually were willing to come to our community knock door and make sure that people understand what the transition of the county was and we are now at uh and sell we have their cell phone numbers so
if we ever encounter and and they're really offer all the assistance from the county and it's big for us being a smaller uh community a smaller police department and uh it already was it was put to the test it was nothing major but it was good to know that we couldn't
pick up the phone and call somebody and get assistance from the county. So, we're really thankful for that. Yes. And it I I never seen it happen before. At least in my tenure here for the last seven years, I've it never happened. >> That then that's amazing.
>> That's awesome. Thank you. Um on the last page, I believe it is. Yeah. Or no, the last doesn't matter. Um, when you talk about facility security upgrades, install access, um, CCTV proposals
received for PD and public works, are those proposals already in the budget? >> Uh, Mr. Manager, will you? No. Are are there we still um so some of the stuff that we already accomplished from the last year 2024 2025 which is our
access control internally there's still a few things that we need to identify in terms of the CCTV cameras but it shouldn't be something too large have some money maybe from this budget to finish that portion right >> correct yeah it's mo the biggest the
biggest part which I think is the most cost costly was our access control and that has all been already accomplished for the village hall and our our uh uh PD station. >> Okay. Um traffic radars recalibrate or expire
units. I was trying to understand what that mean. What does that mean? >> So our our officers have handheld devices which they use to measure the speed on vehicles. So some of those those be require at some point for to be
recalibrated or replaced. So those are the >> got it but that that's not a cost item. It's sort of um it's not rel we don't need to allocate budget for additionals or anything. We we have the the amount of >> current all the necessary equipment
within our staff >> and do you prevent uh or is there a budget for um how do you say maintenance of any of this? >> It's part of our operation. It's part of our operational cost and they get recalibrated and service every I believe it's every every six to seven months
they they have that service. >> Got it. >> They're very good equipment too that last very long. the NRO is that an existing job description? Do you have a job description for this? >> No, that that that description will be created uh part of that. So when we
spoke to the uh the uh county the specialize and the offer to have our officer when selected to ride with them and go through their NR again another training that comes at no cost to the village. they will go ahead and take
their our guy under their wing and make sure that he's up to speed with the entire NRON. Uh >> and I think my question came in similar or echoing uh Commissioner Huntington in terms of what the role of this officer is. So understanding that you're going to hire for the position that you're
asking for, what the role is going to be, how much percentage of the time is going to be assigned for this role versus, you know, another um maybe as extra help from officers that might need, you know, um I think that's a it's a good way to present for approval in
any department that might want, you know, full-time employees. Absolutely. They have a very clear understanding of what they're going to do. Um, so I would ask for that to see uh Bri for approving the position. Uh, I think it's an amazing opportunity. I think we need it.
Historically, we need it. I think it's uh a lot of, you know, the Q&A uh sort of round that I was asking from the PD department with the residents. I mean, this is part of what can be achieved if you had someone connecting all the time. But I would just ask for that. >> If if you ask me about the percentage
that we want, we always shoot for 100%. want this person to dedicate entirely to the community. But >> again, because being a smaller department, sometimes the needs may come where they might be utilized in different areas, but never losing their, you know, once you're out there on the
field, you never lose the opportunity to engage with the community. So, >> okay, >> let me see then, uh, fleet management optimization. So is this um to to be so it's to happen.
This is something that's going to be coordinated for the next fiscal right. It says in coordination with development explore replacing the current fleet program with a more coste effective alternative including possible participation in the sheriff's bid program for future future vehicles.
>> Yes. Yes. So, how far are we from that optimized fleet to happen again? >> Well, I I tell you what, we're much better place than we were in the past considering that, you know, 10 of our vehicles were
costing the village an immense amount of money and those cars were identify no longer ours. The service is also safety wise, it's not they weren't safe for our officers to drive out there. uh in terms of giving you a percentage of how we're I think that just the fact that we were
able to identify the issues, get rid of the older vehicles and there we're about I want to say 50 60% since we're able to identify the problems and move forward. Uh but I think that this year will definitely get us there. Uh we have we still have some work to do but with the
help of the village manager I'm I'm I I trust 100% that we can get there. >> Great. And then the next one, best practices implementation. You know, I have to ask you about SOPs and what >> you know I I I love that um those
>> Yes. So I you know if you ask me just like you and I think that I'm speaking for for Chief Aila um the parameal orders Yeah. is one of the number one things and and we talk about in the numbers and the things that we want to
accomplish. But just like you said before, >> these things needs to be in writing and everyone needs to understand what the job descriptions and the direction that we going to go before we get there. And so before a lot of these things are we
continue to work on, one of the number one things we want to achieve is to get our departmental orders >> uh where it need to be. So, it's number one priority probably and and should have been mentioned more in my presentation. I apologize.
>> I I love this. I appreciate you. That's it for now. Thank you so much. >> No problem. >> Thank you very much. >> Not off the hook yet, Captain. >> So, are we going to go line by line or um
>> Well, can you all hear me? >> Yes. Yes, mayor. We hear you. >> Okay, Captain. I had a couple of questions for you really quickly. He's still Is he still up there? I can't see him. >> I'm here, Mr. Mayor. Go ahead. >> Gotcha. Uh, so, um, so I admittedly I'm
probably not going to be around long enough to go line by line with everyone. So, I want to just kind of generalize my questions for you, Captain. Um, and before I get a chance, before I forget, um, you know, the manager and I talked about this before today's meeting that these presentations, uh, I think
Commissioner Ams, I think you mentioned this is like a night and day difference and it's it's it's really nice to see, you know, this information presented in such a, um, comprehensive kind of significant way that we've never seen it before. So, I appreciate this um these efforts that all of our department heads
and captain and of course our chief have put forward and uh especially uh the manager and and Paul. This is um this it's it's already shaped up to be better uh better than I was expecting. So, um with that said, I just got a couple of questions for you, Captain, because again, I don't know that I'm going to be
around with as we go line by line, but I wanted to start very quickly with a couple of things that Commissioner Ams already mentioned. Um you talked briefly about um the improvements uh I guess improvements to uh surveillance CCTV and
that there's some um some budget remaining for this upcoming fiscal to continue to upgrade that equipment. Did I am I kind of summarizing that correctly? >> Yes. Yes. So we we have uh our most the I
think the one of the things that came out the mayor cost major cost for the uh department was definitely our key car access >> right >> and that has already been completed the entire the uh both the village hall and the police department have been equipped
with that uh including our our sensitive areas such as a vault and evidence room. Uh so that's so the last portion of that will be uh rem modernizing a little bit of our CCTV system and making it a
little bit more uh operational and that's what the uh we're in the process of accomplishing >> and I can can I ask you very quickly just with respect to the CCTV specifically because I've um very pretty recently a resident come up to me and said that um she had heard that there
were some issues uh with quality of some of the cameras that we have. So this kind of this this is kind of focusing on that issue um head on. And is it the intention or the understanding or your understanding that the CCTV is is looking to be improved at Village Hall,
at the police department, at the rec center? Is there any is there any one location specific or is it more we're going to see what we can get for the amount of money we have and then distribute it from there? I just want to understand how you foresee that happening. >> Give me one second. I think uh
>> Sure. So, Mr. Mayor, I think the priority is uh the log cabin is to fix the log cabin. So, that's our priority and that's why uh the captain's been assisting us in getting estimates on just what that's going to cost. We went
back and we looked in 19 in 2019 we spent $13,000 to upgrade the log cabin, but um we the the that $13,000 really didn't fix everything. So I I
think you uh you you would be in agreement to say that we we need a major overhaul in the log cabin and we need to bring it up to modern day standards and that's what we're looking to do. So hopefully hopefully before the first
reading we'll have uh an estimate to where how much is that going to cost and whether we can take it out of uh capital improvement projects fund or or or somewhere else but we'll be looking at we'll find some money for it. >> Got it. Well, if that includes uh fixing the microphones and maybe some of these
cameras so I can see more than just a little bit that I would certainly agree with that. Um okay, great. Um there was uh one other one other question um that Commissioner Ary brought up I wanted to follow up on. Captain I was talking about um I guess the liaison with the
Miami Sheriff's Office and in the emergency response. Um, I recall one time last summer where we had, you know, I think a 100red-y year rain event and we were trying to, this kind of goes to what you were talking about in in
understanding and being in connection with the right people for emergency response because at the time apparently it was unknown who the emergency response which emergency response center um responded to our municipality. Uh, and then on top of that, there was no
real information or clarity on who we needed to speak with to secure things like PPP equipment and flood response, emergency response items. So, is is I just I'm curious because, you know, we are at the height of hurricane season now. Is is is what you were talking
about the Miami Sheriff's Office is does it is is this part of it that you now have a better connection with the sheriff's office so we can get a faster emergency response if we get into a flood scenario? >> Absolutely. So I think one of the main
focuses when the when um the manager came in uh he definitely was a concern that we didn't know who were this providers and who was a connection. So I uh quickly reach out to the county. I have not only a name uh la name and last
name but also cell phone. Uh we're we're constantly in uh in communication. Uh he has actually provided me training. Uh our main uh the the uh the city the uh the entity that manages our emergencies at this point is North Miami. And so I I
have been in there and and their facilities. I've met with their facility supervisors and I've underwent training with them in terms of managing emergencies. We're now in the second phase of the training where I'm going to be having access to the portal and be able to better communicate with them.
But that's that that uh relationship have been established 100%. >> Good to know that portal is was was kind of a key issue that we' had during that that that rain event where there was no way to get access to the portal. No one knew how to do it. So, I'm I'm glad
you're >> I'm fully aware because I was see her at the time and I definitely Yeah, I'm I'm in the process of learning how to communicate through the portal. I even had the opportunity to be invited to their uh their main uh uh communication
centers in Dorado and uh so it's a work in progress. It's definitely, you know, is a is a complex system that they use. Uh but we already have the uh we already reach out and we have a line of communication with them. >> Okay. I appreciate that. I'm gonna go
quickly so I apologize. Um I wanted you to talk very quickly with me if you if you could about um the the offduty employment policy that's been implemented. If if this is the correct policy from if I'm remembering correctly what we had and I'm summarizing or
paraphrasing rather uh that previously when our officers were doing offduty typically what happens is the municipality has like a search charge where the municipality collects revenue or some fee um for loaning those officers out and if again my
recollection is that this wasn't really be being done is that what this um this this bullet point is addressing the offduty employment policy being implemented. >> Yes sir. So as someone that was here for seven years
um there was no policy, there was no rules that were being followed. Uh there was not much that was being done in terms of offduty. Um other than the uh resources were being used, the vehicles were being used from the village. uh some of the people were using you know
different vehicles uh and and definitely the fees were not being paid to the village. Uh we were able to put a stop to that. A policy was has been created that everyone has been follow following and uh uh basically the officers know
that every jobs that they work they will be paying a $5 of every hour worked that goes to the village in return for using the uh the village vehicles or any of the resources that provide that are provided from here that has already been established and it's been working at
least for the past 60 days. >> Okay, good to hear. Um, I appreciate that. I have two more questions for you, I promise. Um, the uh I noticed that one of the the I don't know if there was a reduction. Give me one second. Let me
just scroll up to it. Um, here. There we go. One of the reductions um was a reduction of about $27,000 operating supplies. Um, is this would would I be correct in saying operating supplies? This where
some of the equipment falls under some like the police equipment. >> Is this on the presentation >> that you're looking at or? >> Yes. >> Oh, okay. >> Well, I'm just looking at the the high level the like the overview, the financial overview.
>> Operating supplies is uh line item well the the category 52. Yeah, mayor. Uh, we'll go ahead and answer that be. But before we do, uh, the finance director just wanted to make a comment about the our off duty and how
we're capturing those those search charges. >> Okay. >> Yes. In your financials for last month that were circulated, I think you got them today. Uh in addition to the CIP having its own separate fund, we added a fund for police offduty which shows the
revenue and the expenses and the balance is the profit for lack of a better term. So we'll track it meticulously that way and you'll be able to monitor uh the revenue and then make then the commission and manager make a decision how to use that revenue separate of any
other revenues. >> Thanks. >> Got it. Okay. Thank you. >> Right. So you're you're asking about um is it black 48? >> Uh I think it was 52 >> 52. >> Yeah. >> Supplies. >> Drop in fuel.
>> Yes. So um there was a drop in fuel. >> Okay. >> Uh so that that's one of the savings that we had. >> And the nonlineal equipment uh we're not doing that anymore. So, okay, >> savings in that.
>> Got it. And that's that's the point that I wanted to to ask about. Um, this is just based on my recollection from last year's budget. Uh, you know, the the department at the time um had represented to the commission that that we were
I don't just that we were we were under supplied that we didn't have everything that we needed to to effectively respond to certain situations. And one of the one of this was obviously going back a year very early on. One of the the largest increases that we were seeing in
in the request from the police department was for operating supplies. It was it was first aid. It was non-lethal. It was, you know, the boat. I think that was one of them, the flat bottom boat. Um, and so that just struck me. Obviously, you know, we have different leadership in right now.
Things are changed. I understand all that. I just wanted to ask the captain from from your perspective, captain. Uh that presentation last year struck me as a little concerning that we don't that our police department doesn't have the supplies necessary to respond to to
certain scenarios and that's why there was a huge request in additional equipment. So now I'm seeing, you know, a reduction in that line item. So I'm just wondering if you can just give me a a kind of high level overview of your understanding of that issue.
Uh sir, I think that the uh that may be tied to a little bit of board decision making in terms of purchasing things that were not necessary for the staff. Uh this went up to we had a purchase of
uh shotguns and for non-lethal that were not necessary and not operationally the right decision for our department. There are many other things that we can integrate that will become at a much
lower cost and that will keep also the officers safe and give them better opportunities to do that are not having a shotgun uh with non-lethal ammunition. So we were able to identify the issues. Since then this was returned to we were
fortunate enough that we have a relationship with the vendor and they were returned to them and uh I think this these funds could be better better allocated in other areas. >> Okay. So um I appreciate that. Um I just you know it was important to me you know
understanding where you know it was being represented us where we were at from a supply perspective last year to where we are now. Um so >> Mr. Mayor, if if I may say too, instead actually we were able to secure a new contract with Axon, which is uh our
tasers and for officers to have new equipment in this part included in the budget as well. And uh that is a a a better way for them to respond is safer for the officers that are there on the field. So, you know, it's just better allocation and uses the funds better
that that makes these differences in the budget. >> I understand. Okay. I had a feeling that was probably going to be the answer, but I I just wanted to hear it from your perspective. So, I appreciate that. Last question for me. Um and then um uh we'll we'll start with the line by line, but
um accreditation, you know, obviously I understand that things have changed. You know, that we're working on implementing a plan this year that that's going to put us in the best position to start that and and succeed. But the the remaining uh money that's left in that line item for accreditation, I think
it's 8,500. Um, is that is that just for the software or just if you could just kind of explain to me uh obviously I know we're revamping our process for accreditation. So I just want to know is is that just for the software or is it for anything else that you need for that process? >> Yes, that is correct. Although you know
we we we felt that we still needed to keep that the uh power DMS uh I think there's a great tool for us to accomplish what is so important which is our working out the parliamental orders. Uh I that system will give us the
opportunity to be able to rewrite uh and inform the staff about every changes that we're experiencing through our departmental orders and keep everybody on the same page and so I we feel that is a necessary tool for that process and it should stay if possible.
>> Understood. Okay. I just wanted to understand what the you know because I know the plan is changing. I just wanted to understand make sure I understood what the remaining money was for. So I captain I appreciate your time. I appreciate you stepping in here and and helping us walk through and giving us the presentation, giving us an opportunity to ask some high level
questions. Um, so for the rest of the commission right now, I'm a couple minutes late to my meeting. So, uh, I'm going to have to log off now. So, I apologize. I'm going to miss the line by line, but I'll catch up, um, in time for our next week's meeting. But, um, um, you know, certainly
enjoy and, uh, I I'm looking forward to watching the other presentations from the other departments for tonight. Uh, thank you very much, Mr. Mayor. >> All right, everyone. Listen, I I appreciate the time. Thanks so much for everyone's hard work. Um, I'm going to go ahead and log off. I'll catch up before next week. And have a good
evening, everyone. And it's good seeing you all. >> Bye. Thanks. >> All right. Um, Vice Mayor, if I could, we have allocated about 80 minutes for each department. So, we're getting we got about another 20 minutes or so or
less than 20 minutes, but uh we'll be happy to go over line by line. Some some of them are are, you know, just are basic workman's comp, those are are set, >> but uh we're here to answer any questions you may have. >> I think I think if we do each page, if
anybody has an item that they because a lot of it self-explanatory, I think that'll make it much faster. Let's start at page two of 24. Uh, Commissioner, would you start us off? >> Uh, Vice Mayor, if I will, can we go by the object code? So, that would be
object code 12. You'd see it's first. I think that's that's what we traditionally do, object codes, and it just would be more clear. >> Stephie, thank you. >> I have no questions for object code for object code 12. >> Uh, Commissioner, >> well, I have a silly question. Uh, there's a line item here for an assistant chief, and in the work chart,
we don't have an assistant chief. So, I'm just curious where why do we have that in there? Captain. >> Oh, I'm sure the the the term assistant acting and chief all and captain were
developmental while the budget was being drafted. So, the report, this copy has the correct terms for it. The budget will be updated. >> Okay. So, where's that money going to go? >> It's the same money. There's no new money difference. The budget is right has the right amount of funds. It's it's
the the actual budget lines and the worksheets were done two or three weeks ago, whereas this was done recently and has new references. So, we'll we'll get it updated. But >> what will that reference be if not assistant chief? >> So, you're it's it it's just a captain.
So, >> is there going to be two captains or one captain? >> Uh, I believe there's two. >> There's only one on the work. >> There's only one. It'll only be one. So that assistant chief position will be part of the task force. That's that's where that position will be.
>> So it's going to task force. >> Yes. >> Okay. Got it. All right. >> Mine was on the same line. I think that's what we spoke uh when we had our meeting. It was just to clean up um what current positions we have to what future
positions we're going to have. So it's sort of apples to apples, easy to identify uh on the sheath. So salary is 115. >> Well, that's what is budgeted. We haven't negotiated that salary yet, Commissioner. >> So are you saying so we're we're
approving this, but it it's pending negotiations. >> Yes, it's pending negotiations. Not not to exceed 115. >> Okay. All right. That's what I was going for. Perfect. And so the rest it was just that to clean it up and and so it shows. That's it. Oh, sorry. One, one
last one, Vanessa. So, I think she's the assistant to the department, right? The question >> the clerk. Yes. >> My question was about the percentage whether she's 100% allocated for the police department or she's sharing with any other department. >> She's 100%.
>> Okay. Perfect. >> Okay. Uh the only question I have and I I I met with the city manager about this, but you can explain the seven the difference between the 7 737,965 to 241,000. You already explained it,
but I wanted the public to understand why there's a big gap difference. >> Yeah, you just broke it up to to different positions that we didn't do uh the prior year, Commissioner. And then also some some of those employees left that were making higher salaries and and
left and and now we um they're at a different rate. So that's all it is. >> Yeah, that's the any other commission has any other question? Good. >> Let's go to 13 questions. >> No questions. Object Object code 13400
1400 questions. >> Nope. >> Event support. I don't remember that being there last year. Maybe I'm wrong. It's historic. >> Okay, that's fine. So, just clean it up maybe. That's fine. >> Questions. >> What code?
>> 1500. 15. >> 15. >> Thank you. >> No. >> 21. >> 22. >> No.
>> 23. >> 24. >> Nope. uh what falls under um professional services. So it's the what's the loia technology? What does it do? >> Yeah, the software services support IT
services. They have a separate IT uh support services than the city hall. And what what uh so we're we're over that in this year fiscal. What expense put us over here?
>> Um we'll have to look into that. Commissioner, we'll get that back to you on that. >> Yeah, I was just wondering if if it was the the cameras or the axis, you know, doesn't have to do with that, right? When you say information technology, it's just assistant. It's a monthly expense. I was just
trying to understand that a licenses and permitting that's just computer access Microsoft systems right >> so I'll just ask that question what if you can clarify at some point that's it
I'll just say I'll just add one more thing just just for general knowledge here this is the first year that I've that I've actually gone through a budget where I've seen a lot of flat numbers usually you see a bump in everything >> and this year I'm seeing a lot of just the same number from one year to the
next. And that to me that's it's it's while while it's wonderful, I don't know to me if that's honestly a real realistic. I'm just seeing a lot of like if you you'll see it'll it'll in a lot of the other budget you'll just see the same number from 24 to 25 and this is
the first year I think that I've seen that transpire. So just just so you guys keep that in the back of your mind. >> So Commissioner, can I address that? So what we what we do is we look go back and look at what our expenses were for the previous year
>> and to see if we were if we're over budget, under budget, and if we are uh if that was a a real realistic number from last year, and if it wasn't, we were we were lowered it. And and so we say say we on travel, if we were
budgeted $50,000 on travel and we only used $15,000, we're not going to re budget again $50,000. We may lower it to 20,000. So that's how >> I hope I hope that we continue that trend. Go ahead. Go ahead. Uh
>> thank you. Uh 40. >> Any questions on number 40? >> No. >> On 41 communications. Any questions? >> Um yeah, on the AT&T I know that we're switching because of service. Is this
just police? Right. >> Just police. Yeah. >> Yeah. And this is because of the service being so bad. We went from 3,000. We need to do this. There is no >> Yes. >> Do you get bids for this or like why AT&T and not T-Mobile? I'm just making
this up. I have no idea how that works. >> Well, uh, AT&T was the company we had used before and we were very satisfied with them and that's why we, you know. >> Okay. But I'm saying is there do you do the process of trying to figure out or >> I think yeah the police department looks
for the best price one. >> Okay. >> Any more questions on 41? Thank you. On 43 utilities. Any questions? >> No. On 44 rentals and leases. Any questions?
So yeah, here is this. Oh, so your car for example, Mr. Manager, is this here? Is this chess police? >> I I think it my car is in there. We'll have to transfer that over before the second um budget hearing. I mean the f
second workshop, we'll transfer that to administration. >> Got it. And then code. Nothing code here. >> No, no, nothing code. >> So this is just would be that transfer of yours and the rest is just police. >> Yes. And that would be which one on the 44s?
>> I'm not sure. Um, Commissioner, I have to double check which one it is >> because I'm thinking that could bring you almost even if you do because right now you have an an increase. All right.
I I have one question just as for the manager maybe just a leases in general. Could you speak a little bit about what your future plans would be with leases? Are we going to continue with these or as they sunset, are we going to start going towards a new plan? I've received many questions, emails from residents
about highv value leases and I think it's uh maybe just would just address it so everyone >> Yeah, I I don't know if this was detailed as in the previous budgets because I also saw those emails, but as you could see, some of these lease leases are a thousand a month. Uh I was
taken back by the by the amount of these leases. Uh unfortunately we can't get out of the leases. So we're trying to you know slow slowly uh integrate our our fleet to uh a fleet that we own instead of we're leasing. So we're
buying purchasing two cars this year. Uh we hope to out of this budget 25 26 26 27 we hope to to uh purchase two more cars. So within 5 years we'll have a fully uh a fleet that we own and we
won't be a leasing. So that's our goal. >> Oh, what about the car? Sorry, any more question? Sorry. What about the cars that we got for donations? Is that in the budget? >> Those those cars that we got donations from, those are the ones we sold because
they had 150,000 miles on them and they were breaking down every four or five blocks. So, you know, that's and we the cost to repair them exceeded the cost the blue book value of those cars. So, we went ahead and sold them. >> Commissioner, also they they were
donated to us. We own them. So, there wouldn't be a cost >> those vehicles. >> Okay. My only question about that, it's really not a complaint or anything, but did the people that donated to us know that we were going to get rid of their cars? Well, I don't I don't think there was any restriction when we when they gave
it to us that >> th those were surplus vehicles from other police departments and my understanding is when they were first acquired by the village the intent was to cannibalize them and use certain parts of them in the existing fleet. But
most of those vehicles I believe they came some of them came from PBSO if I remember correctly. Some of them came from the Mkasuki Police Department. They were not pursuit rated. They were not something a police officer should be driving on the streets. >> Okay, good. That's that's that answers
that question. Thank you. Okay. Any more questions for that? Okay. Move over to uh 45. Property and liability insurance. Any questions? Thank you. Uh 46. Any questions?
>> No. Thank you. Uh 47 printing and binding. Any questions? Uh 49. I'm glad to see that we don't have any contingency in there. We always Any questions?
>> I jumped the gun. I'm sorry. Any questions first? I want to give the commissioners >> object code 49. >> Yeah, 49. Any questions? >> No. >> Didn't we always have money in the contingency for the police department? And I that that just caught me by surprise that we have none zero this time which is no what that's not a
complaint that's a compliment. Okay. Uh 52 operating supplies. Uh commissioner >> I have a question. Uh so 52 fuel I know historically uh we get all our fuel from North Miami's fuel depot and they've had uh problems in the past of not billing us and it looks like we I don't think we
spent just $6,000 on fuel this year. Um are we do we know what that number is? There's a number. >> Yes, we received the bill uh this month and we analyzed it and put in a new number. The 80,000 is should be more than sufficient.
>> What was historically po in the last previous years? >> It was it was closer to the $90,000. >> Okay. Is >> the the change on fleet will have an impact as well on the fuel, right? >> Yeah. So that's why you see the
decrease, commissioner. So we already had estimated uh what our monthly expenses are now and then prorated that for 12 months. So we uh figured you know what the what the new budget uh decrease would be. >> And then similar to the question that
the mayor asked, I was wondering what fel is very clear to me on operating supplies on the top where you have uniforms, fuel, weapons, but I didn't know what non-lethal equipment discretionary was. So what are the things? I know it's very nominal with 2500.
>> Yeah. And just to to follow up, uh, Commissioner, um, I've got an answer for the AT&T has a special police emergency management special coverage. >> Got it. >> Uh, for police that give priority to police during an emergency. That's why we're using AT&T.
>> Got it. And the chief explained that to us about the non-discretionary that every officer is required two options for nondiscretionary or excuse me for non-lethal use of force. So they have a obviously lethal force but they need two
other options. So the discretionary non-lethal were the shotguns that that he mentioned things way past what is required and the chief's direction was we don't need that. It's a waste of money etc. The officers already have to have two. They want a third one. Like it it was absurd it to put it in his words
for him. >> So you don't need that. You're saying >> Yeah. And commissioner, we those uh shotguns they were we received them. We were put in a storage cabinet and they sat there for 6 months or so and nobody
was trained on them. >> So we needed everybody had to be trained on usage of that >> and there was no followup or anything. So that's why we we gave him back or we were lucky as the captain said that we were able to get our money back from our contact at the supply company.
>> So if I may, those those non-lethal um shotguns, they usually fire either rub what's called a rubber or a bean bag >> are specific purpose. They're usually used for riot control. They're used for crowd control and things of that nature.
They're not something that a patrol officer would normally use in the normal >> Halloween thing coming up. >> Normal. Well, maybe maybe the kids enjoy that, but I doubt it. You're inventing a new sport. >> Be used in a normal road patrol function where somebody's affecting an arrest.
Lethal force is not justified based on the type of resistance they're getting. It's it's usually a taser or or something. And that you have a pepper spray, a a taser, not a not a shotgun. So what what's included for the 2500
here? What what are you thinking? >> 2500. >> Yeah. So what what's that buy in and the non-lethal? >> Yeah. Pepper spray. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So that that was a catchall pepper
spray or anything. >> And it has a much much less possibility of causing harm. >> Right. So, so, so as a village attorney is saying, he used to work for city of Fort Lauderdale and you recall they used
those non-lethal shotguns, I think during a a riot, and you got sued for those, right? >> That's not exactly why they got sued. Yeah, they >> there there are agencies that use the beanag shotguns, but it they're generally, as I said, they're not used
by General Ro. >> Right. >> So, what are we doing with those things if we have them? >> We gave them back. We were able to get our get a refund. Our connection at the supply company, the chief had a connection there and where we get our 100% refund, I think.
>> Perfect. Thank you. >> I still have one more question for fuel. I asked it last year. I just want to make sure we have clarity that all fuel, public works, code, >> all go through there. >> All goes through here. If we see fuel anywhere else in the budget, it should just be here. >> It should be zero and this would cover it. Yep.
>> And and I think this >> that's a good point. And and that's because so even the code and uh code um vehicles everything goes here, >> right? Those are >> Yeah. So there's a little bit of cleanup now that we have the bill. We know
what's actually being charged there. So by first reading, you'll see the the the departments that are not being charged fuel will will go to zero >> and it it'll remain here. I'll be in charge. >> Public works and code, they fuel their vehicles there.
>> Okay. So, you're saying right now we'll see it in both >> a little bit of savings in those other departments. >> Then the cleanup will happen and and you're not you're using to show them here for why is that? >> Good question. It historically there was
a day when this previous commission and previous staff wanted it all in one place. It would go to North Miami. They could track it. There was a time when people were buying their own gas and getting reimbursed and it was it was hurting cats. So this is a cleaner, more efficient way to track the fuel, but
putting it in separate department was labor intensive and didn't mean anything to us. So this is why it's here. You can change it, but I I think it's just fine. >> Okay. Right. >> Yeah. It gets build under one big They couldn't differentiate our departments in their system. they can differentiate
that we're not city of Miami, North Miami when we go to fuel up, but they couldn't pick the car. So, it it wasn't really worth the effort to go any further. So, >> and I I think this was answered before in past commission is it feasible that
it is to better to outsource the gas in North Mine. We couldn't do it in-house. Yeah. >> Right. Exactly. >> Yeah. That's a very efficient convenient. You're buying it at at a non-taxed rate, etc. >> I just wanted to address that. Any other questions on this one? Thank you. Uh 54.
Any questions on 54? >> No. >> Dues and membership. Thank you. >> Uh 55 education and training. Any questions? Yes, Commissioner. >> No questions. >> I have a question for uh Captain
Rosario. Um We had we had money allocated for active shooter training and obviously it wasn't used. So they put zero down. Um I've always had some serious concerns about the church and about the school at the church. Uh and you know kind of what's
going on in our in our in the world that we live in. Um I'm assuming we we do have an active shooter plan in place if god forbid there's ever an active shooter. if we're not getting any kind of training for our police officers. >> Yes, sir. So, active shooter training,
so we actually were able to identify many other agencies that have that training. One of them being the uh Miami date um uh public school police. They actually offer the training for us for free and they're basically waiting for us to as we start we want to start
planning ahead and having our officers go to the training at least two or three at a time. But it has to be planned accordingly. >> That's awesome. >> Beautiful. All right. Great. >> I think if if that to the point of listing all the trainings, that could be something to add because it's important
to highlight that the need is covered. Maybe not at at a cost, but um to Commissioner Gonzalez's point, you know, that's what we approved it last year. I >> think the fact is we still need it and we're just getting it at
>> both the Miami date uh sheriff's office and the college offer a v a variety of training that is available for all our officers at no cost to the village and I I tell you they have hundreds of training in between the two of them that
not counting on the uh stuff that we have available through FDLE we just made contact with one of the representatives of FDLE which is going to be sending constant communic communications of the training may have available as well. >> Well, there's a labor cost associated uh with that training because the the time
that our officers go and spend there, there's a cost to that. So, where would that be reflected? >> So, this is when our um reserve officers come to play our plan is that whenever our officers are absent from the village, then our reserve officers as we
are fully staffed, then they will come over and said, I have so and so is going to be going training this week. They will be able to cover the shifts while the officers are there doing >> but we still have to pay them. We still have to pay them to do the training. >> Correct. But they wouldn't cost a village anything because the officer
that is coming to cover for the shift is is working at no cost. So the officer will go over and do training get paid. Yeah. But whoever is covering his shift is not being paid. I see. So it will be at no cost to the village. >> Perfect. >> Okay. Perfect.
>> I do have one more question. Captain gun range fees. I know last year we had some issues where we weren't getting into certain gun ranges. Um hoping that with our new chief we've uh >> moved those feathers. >> So Chief Ailac was able to get not one but two. We actually have North Miami.
Uh they they're working with us and we have their training facility. Uh we're constantly receiving communication from them letting us know what days they have open. Uh, and we also have another facility down south that and I think even we have one more agency that is
willing to work with us and so so that also we're going to save that cost for the village. >> Any other questions? >> 55. No >> 55. Thank you. >> Yeah, if I could just follow up on on the active shooting. We are also in
talks with um my country club. I mean um country day school um St. Rosal Lima School and the Miami Shores Elementary to coordinate our efforts and the active shooting training with the Mate Miami Day County Sheriff's Department to all
three of those schools because we would if there was something that occurred there, we would also be responding. So, they wanted coordinate with us, uh, Miami Shores and, uh, um, Miami Day County Sheriff's Department. So,
>> great. Uh, any questions on 58? Um I had one. So accreditation software system we we we overspend. Why? Why is that? We were uh at 85 supposed to be where 1300,000.
>> We can look at that and get back to you commissioner. >> Okay. And then and do we need it for next year as well? We have to cover that because it was a license I guess. So, we're contracted to have it. Is that it, >> Commissioner? Uh, the captain touched on
that subject about the vital use of that uh software few minutes ago actually. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't understand you if you said that. I was just wondering because we have 8,500 in the budget. The >> so that line item will be because we
decided to keep our power DMS software >> which is the one we uh we utilize to write our our departmental orders and communicate with the staff with >> and that's a contract that we have with at any time I mean when if you can just I I guess
>> correct yes it's a it's a yearly contract it's paid once a year and it covers the entire usage for all the staff members. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> Finance director has a answer to your question, commissioner, on the over over
expenditure or accreditation. You want me to say it? >> The uh there was a trip where the former village manager and >> we know >> and that's where they went and they credited or charged it towards accreditation and that's where all that money went.
>> Got it. Awesome. So the >> I think it was like $5,000 or Yeah, it was 5,000 bucks each. All right. I >> think that's it, right? >> Good. >> Okay. On uh number 58. No, I'm sorry.
Yeah. No, >> sorry. Uh okay. This one is under doesn't have a number 24 of 24. >> Access control was what? What was access control? >> Yeah, >> this is card readers. >> I'm sorry. >> Card readers going in and out of the
department. But it so it was nothing adopted but it has 17,000 spent. Does that mean 17,000 over budget? I'm trying to understand where maybe it was coded somewhere else. >> Yeah, that was the whole system that we put in the on the police department last
year. >> Yeah. >> When I first got here, they were putting that in. >> Yeah. They had $2,500 budgeted for, but it says we spent $17,000. >> It was it was a uh approved expenditure
by the previous manager to uh add the electronic access to the police department and city hall. >> That was Florida accreditation that they were saying that they needed for accreditation, >> but we never budgeted for it. Um >> I mean I'm surprised we would have
$17,000 not budget as already accounted for. >> It was per it was decided the actual cost for it was not specified in the budget anywhere and the manager came to the commission and said you know this is what we have to do to get accreditation. and I'm going to move funds around in my
department and it was coded to this department >> to this line item but it was absorbed through the department which is allowable for but he got permission to buy the system >> you all approved the expenditure resolution and then he did an intra departmental budget amendment
>> inter so it's within the budget >> within his own within the single department so under your under your code if you're moving money from one line item to another >> within the same department, you do not need a budget amendment. Got it. >> Moving it from department to department, then you would need a budget amendment.
>> Yeah. Because I'm saying as a total adopted, it was 2 almost 2.2, but projected is 1.8. So he had funds to do that >> and it's it was actually as the attorney said, it was a journal entry taking the
funds and moving it all to this so it would be traceable. could have put it 5,000 in three different places, but to do it correctly, this is how it was accounted for. >> Yeah. And I think that if I can just make a
reference to how important it is because the fact and and I guess you know when we we're copy pasting from the previous year we're leaving things flat or the adjustments are needed so the control is better so that we don't have another $5,000 accredititation dinner you know
because at the end of the day that's budgeted for so it could be spent. We approved the budget in the police department, but I think it's it's more to the point of of being really needy and greedy with everything we have. So, um because if you look at this, right, the last page is like quite the
difference. It pops up. All right, that's it for me. Thank you. >> Any other thing that the any other commission wants to comment on a police budget? Okay. Uh Mr. City Manager, what's the next presentation? What happens? Yeah, it was going to be a parks and recreation department or
director Issa Tornell. >> I got it. I have mine. >> Thank you, Mr. Isa, for being here. >> No problem, sir. Hey, Misa. >> Just waiting for the present to start. Good evening, commission, Mr. Manager,
staff, residents. Um, Issa Thornell, director of parks and recreation. This is the budget proposal for the park and rec park parks and recreation department for fiscal year 2526. Um, slight overview of what we are. You know, I always like to call this kind of
the the soul of of the village. Um purpose of parks and recreation is to provide public spaces and recreational activities for people of all ages to enjoy leisure time, promote physical health, foster community engagement, enhance the quality of life within the community by managing parks, courts,
playgrounds, other outdoor facilities, often including organized programs like sport leagues, educational classes, and special events. Um this year, happy to announce we added three new programs. Uh, tunes for tots, uh,
resident le program. Pilates class for adults, another resident le program. Um, and, uh, our second yoga class, which is a little more advanced and it, um, meets on weekdays to make it more accessible, um, instead of the Saturday classes,
which is our original program for yoga. Um, executed well, we were budgeted for seven uh, special events this year. Five were executed. I will detail that more later. Um projected for this coming year, I want to uh add two more programs. We're looking to accommodate
more of adult programming. So right now um looking into a Zumba class, which we lost way back when in uh when COVID hit um but with a new instructor and also a boot outdoor boot camp um exercise class for adults um to utilize more of our
green spaces. Operating days are staying the same. Seven days it's um been like that. Uh I think we incorporated Sunday some years back. Sunday is our only day. Monday through Saturday we are open 9 to 7 um during daylight savings, 9 to 6
when the time changes and on Sundays we are there 12 to 6 and then 12 to 5 when the time changes. our operational chart. Um, as I discussed in, uh, my presentation earlier this year, um, one full-time
employee, um, that's me. It's we've only had one full-time employee since approximately 2005. Um, and we have three part-time positions, um, which are all currently filled, um, proposed for this coming fiscal year. Um, looking to hopefully add another full-time
position. I'll get into more details in the following pages. And then continuing to have those three part-time um positions and one will be vacant as we are looking to move one of our part-time employees into that full-time position. So moving from four four staff to five
staff. um salaries and benefits. Obviously, with that increase um or that additional employee moving to full-time, we're going to see a drastic. So, I'm probably I guess the only department right now that has an increase in their budget. Um that full-time position, we
are looking at a starting starting rate of 35,000 for the year. Obviously, with that comes benefits. um with the full-time position. What we did to offset that is we dropped down those part-time hours um considerably um almost about $21,000
um that those hours will be offset by that new full-time position um overlapping, but obviously bringing in still that third time part-timer to make sure we don't lose any traction. This is um a huge ask, I understand, but for me
it is kind of long overdue. This department um has one full-time position. Me in the mornings, I'm by myself until two o'clock Monday through Friday. Um our building, if you come by any day of the week, you will see 13 to 14 people inside. We have programs that
run during the day. I also have people outside. Um I've incorporated the walkound, which gets my staff up and out. I continue to do that as well, even though it's in it's for the part-time, but I make sure those are done in the hours when no part time is there. Um, so I'm spread thin in those mornings. Um,
and with added responsibilities, um, as we'll talk about in some of my highlights later in this, uh, CITT, um, and assisting with FOT, some of that is a lot of computer work, which kind of limits me in regards to being able to fully engage with the community
outdoors, um, during those early hours. In the afternoon, once part-time staff does come in, we are at our peak hours. School is now releasing. afterare program is starting. Our soccer program starts um soon after that and our park grounds just fill up um in a matter a
matter of hours once that staff gets there. Not really conducive to me training anyone or getting assistance from them in any other aspects besides doing what they're as part-time employees there to do which is oversee the grounds. Um we can't ask too much of
our part-time employees at in addition they work other jobs. um this part-time employee who I'm looking to move to a full-time position. He is already on 4 days a week. This is a easy transition. Um but it will just give me more
flexibility with hours of bringing him in. We know public works department is down a man. These are little projects that sometimes I reach out to public works to do that now with this full-time employee, we might be able to knock out in house simple things like repainting picnic tables, pressure washing um walk areas, pressure washing playground
areas, which usually I have to draw a man from public works. I assist and and get my hands dirty in those things, too. But to have my full-time staff there with me, would alleviate some of that pressure on public works since they're already short man. So, the major change
that you see in in this budget um is approximately a $31,000 increase. That is the $35,000 for the full-time offset by the benefits, but also you do see the deduction of $21,000 in the part-time hours.
This is the budget overview um just for you to have and see those breakdowns. um you you'll see 13 line items that don't have an adjustment. Um internally, some of those line items we did adjust. So like special events, even though the number didn't change, uh we removed the
youth music festival. We did some additions to a couple of the events that we know have um kind of consistently gone over. A lot of that stuff is me adjusting to the the times and the prices. Um our special events have grown significantly over the last couple of
years. I'm proud to say that people love them. People tell me from other communities they love them. They feel like our events are very inclusive. We get a a lot of overflow from Miami Shores, a lot of overflow from North Miami and Miami Dade County. Um unincorporated Dade areas, but our
residents are always there consistently. The families, we've seen the growth with the um dynamics of the village, a lot of little ones. Um that's why we're trying to encourage uh more youth programs for the for the toddlers, but also you'll see that foot traffic at these events um
as well. So um we removed the the youth festival um the youth music festival. We're going to incorporate some of that youth music festival into the jazz um jazz in the park. Um and again we had Jazz in the Park and the parade were the two new additions to our special events.
Um uh again uh the board um special events line item remained the same. Um they came under um and so did our special events. So though the number didn't change, we did re reallocate some money
there. Uh total expenses highlights. Um obviously um line item 12, you see the full-time salary increase. That's a 52% increase. Um that's the proposed personnel increase of one and the proposed raise increase
for the director. Um cost of living and um possible merit raise. So that may or may um go down, not over. Um line item 13, part-time salaries, you see reduced by 39% and that's the deduction I told you, but that would be offset um by the
full-time position. And then line item health insurance obviously is you see that huge jump. That's 12 121%. That's obviously the increase of another full-time employee. Just some of our um accomplishments this fiscal year. Um as I mentioned before,
we added three new programs. Um that brings us to a total of eight contracted programs and we have one one in-house youth flag football program. Uh special events department is run responsible for planning and executing five successful events. This year we were budgeted for
seven. Movie night was canceled due to a scheduling conflict with um um two board events. I am currently constructing uh a yearly annual event which will include all of our special events and all of the board events so we won't have that
mistake happen again. Uh facility renovations, we continue the renovations that we were collaboring with the BP Foundation with um which included interior painting, front room furniture additions, um three screen editions, wall mirror installation. We are scheduled to do an exterior painting for
this September 2025 will be on this budget um out of parks and recreation cit um this past year um was pulled into a new role um I was responsible for submitting the quarterly reports annual report municipal questionnaire and all
additional documentation per our agreement with CITT um that's for our contracted on demand service with freebie additionally attended meetings and um presented on behalf of the village um FDOT as well. I was responsible for representing the village during our first ever trienal review. Uh
that's a three-year review for our our FDOT agreement. Um though deficiencies were found, they apparently always find deficiencies, but um most have been rectified. Um to date, the village has successfully renewed our grant agreement with FDOT. Um working closely with
freebie and FDOT representation to close out the review. And then um park grounds and equipment um perimeter and interior tree trimming completed with the assistance of public works. And then uh we refurbished the playground mulch in both of the playgrounds.
Just important things for safety for us. Parks and recreation revenue. Um we are continuing and and on the goal of hope again um increasing our revenue obviously through added programming. Facility rentals have been up a lot this
year. Um, as you'll see later in the report, I I hope to re-evaluate the pricing for our facility rentals, um, to match competitive parks in in and around us and also to reopen the picnic area, which was a former rinsable area, um,
where we lost a huge tree. We now have those beautiful three trees there that are thriving and creating a whole new sense of shade there. Um, so the goal is to put some new furnishing there and then re reinvent that one as another rentable area. um another way for us to bring in some revenue.
So objectives for 2026 um programs as I spoke before I'm hoping to add those two new programmings. Obviously that will be done um by availability of time and space um already have one contract uh that's been
submitted. So looking good already for the start of the year. Um, special events. As I mentioned, we want to create this event calendar for all village community events and have that out by this new fiscal. So, I want to have that calendar of events out by October 1st so our residents can plan in
ahead and lock in those dates for us um to know they're there. It will also assist us um in planning and making sure so we can reserve things in ahead and hopefully by doing that um get some discounted rates. um grants goal is to successfully submit application for the
FURD app grant this year. Um that goal of replacement of our large playground um I've spoken a lot about this um is really something close to me. Those playgrounds need to be replaced um not over not only because their life expectancy has reached this end but also
for safety. Um and another major impact of that full-time employee coming on will be eyes and ears in these areas where we have high traffic especially during special events. Um, also want to work with the grant writers to find under find other funding sources for building equipment and grounds
improvements. Um, there's a lot of things we kind of band-aids on bullet wounds routine that we've done over the years. Um, but also it's just a lot of things that are kind of reaching uh the end and we need to start planning and and putting things away um for those
repairs. Our floors in the rec center at some point are going to need to do. I just got an evaluation on the roof. um we can do some patchwork, but again at some point that roof is going to be need to be looked at. So I want to work with the grant team very closely. Um they've been amazing. We've been working with
them um lately and and help them find money for me. Um so whether it's a matching grant or hopefully a non-matching grant or where we can knock out some of these little projects with no cost to the village. Um I also want to do an inventory chart and this kind of ties into that. kind of want to
create a timeline dealing detailing the purchase of all of our equipment, um its life expectancy, what's it costing us to repairs, and do a have this detailed chart so we can kind of look at that and start planning for the future in
advance. Um I I I don't want us to get caught off caught off guard with a major expense or for an equipment fix. Some of these playground pieces, that playground is kind of so old, it's really hard to get parts for. um and caution taping the
playground um for any more than three hours is almost impossible. The tape's going to come down at some point. We're not there 24 hours a day and that just presents a safety hazard for everyone. Um so definitely want to create this inventory chart um to better help us
budget for the future on these large department purchases. Facility rentals. Um as I mentioned, I want to reintroduce the picnic area as a rentable area. Um the tree replacements are now providing adequate shade. Um, and then a complete evaluation of our rental costs to see if there's any anything there where we can
tweak um, and possibly go up in the prices to even generate some more revenue. Um, and outreach. I'm going to continue to work with the village departments to to better communicate with the village um, through our social media accounts. Um, I'm right now working with all the departments to try
to get these flyers out. But I in attending a meeting for parks and recreation the other day, a lot of the um other municipalities are really using their social media to get words out even for the smallest little details. Um and the some of what they've received from
their community is that people sign up for that on certain aspects. They don't want a bunch of emails, but they don't mind scrolling past and seeing Biscane Park posted a picture on their Instagram. That's what it's there for. That's kind of what that tool is. So, I think we can kind of maximize uh those
other outlets to get more detailed information out um and do it at a faster pace and and more often. Um and then maybe we can pull back on on the the out the other outlets where people don't want as much um information spread. So,
working with all departments to help in that. Um and for me, that's the parks and recreation budget proposal for 2526. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh commissioners any start with you have any questions? >> Thank you uh Issa for your presentation. It was great. Uh this is like like the
commissioner said before the last presentation this is uh uh a breath of fresh air to see the difference between last year versus this year is is definitely needed and I'm glad we're we're at this point now. Um couple questions I have for the new position. I
I fully support it. I think it's a great uh idea to have a an additional supervisor. would that supervisor be working weekends so that way there's somebody on staff supervise role uh on Saturdays and Sundays? >> So definitely that is part of those hours that I wanted especially on our
rental days. So slow Saturdays but uh the rental days having another set of eyes which is almost every Saturday. So so yes um but also maximizing those hours through the week. So spreading out, not really in a locked in schedule, but that flexibility to have them
knowing that I can go up to 40 hours. Whereas with the part-time, we kind of have to minimize those hours. And it's still again still bringing on staff. So if I'm not there, like you say, I would hope how we will work that schedule that he's there. So even if we have a part-timer there, there's always myself
or that supervisor there sometimes. But I would feel more comfortable with the supervisor also being able to work by himself um as all of our part-timers do at the moment. So until I leave at when I leave for the day, our part-timers are then on on their own for the rest of the evening. I want to get some more overlap
in our high traffic times um between the the supervisor position and then now we'll have three part- timerrs, which we kind of always will have two people on during our peak times, especially on the weekends and Saturdays when when we have those those rentals or andor programming.
>> I definitely see the benefit of having an additional supervisor there during the weekends. you know, having somebody in a management role there, the facility has a lot of risks where people get injured or issues that come up. Having somebody there to handle that is is huge and I think it's a great great idea. Um,
my other question is the programs. I see that we have a significant reduction in programs revenue from last year to this year. Is have we is that because of reduction of programs themselves or is attendance low? >> No, no, that's just where we are in in
the delay. So, you don't see any of the summer camp numbers there. Revenue, summer camp revenue. Um, uh, youth tennis, I she literally just brought me a check today, which is, um, over $1,300. So, you're going to you're going to see that, Paul out. I also was speaking with finance the other day. We
thinking that one of um something might have been misaligned. So, you see rentals is high. Even though rentals has been high, we think that one of those payments for youth soccer is actually falling in there. But I I expect those numbers to to pick up as as we close out the year. >> Okay. >> And my final question has to do with
grants. I mean, obviously I know we're you're working hard with Ferdap. Um but I know there's other grant opportunities out there. The prime time uh playground facilities playground. >> Is is that another one you're going to uh look into? >> Absolutely. So the the prime time and hopefully we can look into that to then
fund the renovation of the Todd lot. Um, so the goal obviously is always to find free money and money that we don't have to match with. Um, for these larger projects like playgrounds, we are going to definitely have to find some money somewhere. But by splitting them up into
smaller projects instead of trying to group them all together and do everything at once, I feel like as with the Ferdab grant, if we lower it to 150, then it's a 75% U match instead of that 50% match. right there alone, it's only going to cost us $36,000 instead of the
when we were looking for 200, it was going to be $100,000,000. So, that right there is it's saving money, but we're still getting u where we need to go, which is fixing these playgrounds and and making our playgrounds safe for our kids >> and and it it diversifies our our
chances of getting one of these. You saw what happened with Florida legislature last year. They vetoed Ford. If if that happens again this year, we >> Right. So, we kind of had all our all our eggs in one basket with that. If we again if it happens this year and we're not working on any other avenues, then we're right back where we started. >> And I heard heard you mention T-Mobile.
Uh you have intention of >> the there's a a T-Mobile um community grant um that we're looking at. I think it's up to $50,000. Um the playground rep from um Burke just sent me another one which is uh it's also um through um
this state legislation, but it's coastal. But I have to do the math to see if we're close enough to fall in it. But it's kind of like I'm going to a conference next week, so I'm going to pick everybody's brain in regards to um what other municipalities are doing,
especially um smaller municipalities. So eager eager to see what I can bring back from there as well. >> Thank you, Issa. That's all I got. >> Thank you, Commissioner Gonzalez. >> Yeah, I just want to say thanks again for the great job that you do over there at the parks. It's always been one of the best run departments in the city.
Um, so appreciate that. Um, and I reviewed your budget and honestly I'm good with the entire thing. So I have no further questions or no further remarks. I'm good with everything. >> Commissioner, >> I have some questions, but I think I'll
leave it if we're going to go line by line. um they're very specific so it shouldn't be be um a long time but I just want to say thank you um for addressing my questions also last week and I think that did part of the job today um and for what you do I mean
you've had the challenge to deal with the same equipment for many years you know I think the hope is that we don't see this here but we see it happening so being behind that and making sure that the grant finally goes forward is huge
huge. Um, but yeah, I think I'll leave the rest of the questions for for the items. >> You I want to thank you for everything that you do. Uh, I'll talk about, but I I like the idea that you are getting you're finally going to get you full-time employee, but I also think
that you have done a great job and I like to see in a budget to where we can give you I know you I don't know what you made last year. I think it was but you're getting I just think that we're not paying you enough. So, I want to see in the budget if we can uh give you more money uh as a salary because you do do a
lot. Every time I go to the park, most of the time you're always there and you're always open to when residents want to talk to you and I think that I agree with Commissioner Gonzalez, that's one of the best departments that we have had running. So, I think you're doing a great job. >> Thank you.
>> Okay. Uh just so we're going to go over now line by line. Okay. As we did before, I'll go to >> Thank you all. >> Thank you. and just stand by in case any questions need to be. Okay. Uh line item 12. Any questions? >> No questions.
>> Yes. So here I I have few questions in regards to the the the salary. Uh the first one I understand that we're splitting. So we have an 8% um addressing uh cola raise and a potential um performance-based
um increase, right? And so my question is are we doing this for every department as well? So we have a cola confirm at 3%. >> Yes. >> And then we are doing also leaving an aside for performance base. You're doing across departments not just for the rec center.
>> Yes. >> Okay. All right. Awesome. >> So you remember commissioner that there's um >> deep and uh >> no we have the PBA >> so that's already Yes. set in in in the
budget and then we also public works has their contract so that's already set. So this would be for non-UN employees that we are budgeting 3% in a cola all all the non-un employees. >> Okay, perfect. So that answers my question. So
>> I think it was 5% in total three and two. >> So I I just did 80. So we have 8% extra for in this case will be ISA right next year this is code 12 >> should be fine >> that that's why I just want to make sure
because then it's cola and then you're leaving the two additional so it's not 8% across the board >> is it a question >> yeah I'm sorry if I didn't question mark I didn't do You don't have to answer it right now. I
mean that that was the question I had. Uh you can confirm it after it's all right. >> Okay. >> That's like I said I just brought up um is in the budget city manager any way that uh like I said I think is doing a fantastic job. I like to see if there's
a way we can give him I know what was his raise from last year because I wasn't on a commission. How much he made last year and this year? Either one can answer it. >> I don't know what I can't compare what he had last year right now. >> Is there anything anything in the
budget? >> Yes. So, commissioner, I think it's inappropriate for us to talk about individual performances at a budget workshop, but that's something you and I could have uh a discussion with individually. I think all our employees do a great job. >> You know, he's certainly has done a
great job. He has assisted me when I've been out. So, but uh I think that's a conversation we should have. >> Okay. No, cuz I think all the I'm going to be talking about each department. I think the employees are doing a great job and I think we need to pay them more money. Okay. Any other questions on this
particular item? Okay. Uh 13. >> No. >> Any questions on 13s? >> Yes. So, the part-time salary um had I had a couple questions here. So, one of the things um that I brought up on our conversation Isa last week was about this position and sort of what we are
estimating um as a salary. Um I I appreciate that it went down a bit, but so you forecasted for 2025 to spend $53,000. We've only projecting to use 36.
So, in terms of time, right, of the the person, we're saying with the three part- timerrs, we spend 30 $36,000, why are we increasing it to 45? That would be my question. Average on that will give you like 32. Um, if we keep
the three part- timerrs, right? And the idea is that we're not going to keep three part- timerrs, we're going to keep two. So, I would have expect that number to even be lower based on what we've paid to part- timerrs. Yeah.
>> The is that the one in my report? Sorry, >> I'm looking at the Excel. >> So, yeah, the one in the report is actually updated which uh the part-time is budgeted for 32563. >> Okay. So, you're grabbing the average. >> We did the average of the last four years as you suggested in our meeting
last week. Wait, so does it mean that I have a different Excel? Like the Excel I have says 45. Is there a different one? Okay. His report be in the presentation, >> correct?
>> Okay. So, so you said you had it at the average around 32 >> 32563. >> Perfect. And then that my second question would that would be you're saying you're not going to need three part- timerrs. >> No, no. I'm saying I want to keep three part-time positions still so we can have
the overlap necessary. >> So I understand the structure change you want to do and I would support you with a um additional full-time. I don't think I have the tools to say yes to keep three part- timerrs just because you're
going to have a full-time person helping you. And again, I think where I I I miss so far is to understand the the rules. So I know you do a lot more you explained it and I'm sure and it's far more than beyond that. I just don't know where the other person is helping you
sort of what so there is no overlap what and we talked about you know that time frames you know there's seasons happening it's not always busy um in the summer versus the winter all of that we spoke about so I think where I would challenge is to have still you know the
same amount of money spent on part- timerrs where you would have a fulltime on you know the whole time and especially knowing in in the past, you haven't needed that. I mean, you the for you know, the the the the numbers sort
of speak for the fact they've used less money in the past for those part- timerrs. So, it's not time. Um, and I understand and I think one of the the reasons why I I appreciate the switch of the structure is because then you can train someone later on, right? We talked
about that. That also comes with the risk of, you know, you're training them for them to go to the next city a year after. But that comes with anything with Biscane Park because of the budget that we have. So, I'm hoping that that's position makes it more interesting. I would be considering, you know, making
sure that that salary you have now, you know, I don't know, uh, 50, what was it? Did I have it right? >> 35. >> 30 as well to 35. It's like who's going to be at 35 for a year, you know, and maybe leave when they have 10 grand.
>> The problem with the with the part-time positions is is retention there as well. I mean, we look at $35,000, that's not even $17,000. I mean, $17 an hour. Um, we are just now getting our part-time employees all up to 15. >> Yes.
>> Dollars an hour. So I know it it looks that huge increase is is more based to me on the the the benefits than it really is on the hourly rate. >> Um but but to answer your question on on the why the three part- timerrs because
my the important thing to me is having adequate coverage. >> Yeah. >> Yes. We've made it happen and I've made do but we do not have adequate coverage 80% of the time during our prime time hours. one set of eyes cannot watch indoors and outdoors. It's you'll have
to >> leaving oursel open to and now we have an increase in programming, an increase in just everyday traffic, an increase in facility rentals. This will allow me to offset those times. Mind you, our our business operation day is not an 8 hour day, it's a 10-hour day.
>> So, my part- timerrs can work 10 hours. They're not I only have I have one person who works Saturdays, and that that's a a super long day for anybody. It's a 10-hour day and we've been making it happen because those are the only days he works but he works a full-time job during the week. >> Got him.
>> We need that coverage to have them somebody there with them during that time. Now, if my full-timer is working Monday through Friday because that's when I need him this week, now I have the flexibility to bring in two part-times on Saturday. They can now split the day and >> still have an overlap during our peak
hours. So, I don't think we're we're we're gaining a full-time person, but we also need to gain that coverage, which that part-time will allow. And again, now this is bringing someone in now who's new, who I would I can train at that part-time position to now as we are
now creating steps. >> Yeah. >> So, this this full-time position now is someone who I can take under my wing. He's young. He's really enthusiastic. He showed great promise. um someone who I can start to teach the things that there's not time to teach my part- timerrs that. Um and next week I'm on
conference. >> Usually I have I leave three part- timerrs back, but no. Yeah. So, I'm just for me is coverage and safety. And now with the increase in all of our traffic program, special events, I need more eyes. Um and just moving to full-time,
we're not getting more eyes. We're just we're just getting more hours on one man. at. But but you you'll be two at the whole the whole time. What do you mean? >> But then if we don't add the other part time, we'll still only be four people.
>> We're we're just moving him to a full-time and then I'm losing a part time. >> I guess that's where I'm I'm I'm not understanding. So right now you're by yourself at the beginning of the day. You open by yourself, correct? Is what you said. You know, if I'm sick, like I have to be there opening the door. Nobody there, right?
>> And you're by yourself until what time? >> Uh 2:00. >> Okay. And then you have three people that could rotate during the afternoon and then you leave and then they're there. Right. >> Right. >> Saturdays, how does it work? >> One person works on Saturdays >> and and it's not you. It's just a
>> partial event. Then we bring in I bring in everybody and >> one person one part-timer works from what time to what time? >> 9 to 7. >> Okay. So you're going to have now someone with you from 5 days a week from 9:00 until
>> that's where the flexibility I think that's where the confusion it's not just going to be a Monday to Friday schedule for that p for that full-time person. >> I'm going to be able to fluctuate that full-time person over where needed during the during the week. So Saturdays I have a huge rental of 50 people. He he
doesn't need to come in Monday. I already have part-time staff in the afternoons. But if it's a full-time isn't a full-time >> just work 40 hours, but 40 hours within a work week. So Sunday to Sunday to Saturday, I can move those hours around. It gives me the flexibility now to know
>> I can have a supervisor in position. Or if my answer right now, if my part-timer calls out on Saturday and my other two part- timerrs are working, I have to work. >> Even if I've already worked 48 hours, I still have to work that 10-hour day. I don't have that. >> Does that answer my first question in
terms of shift? Okay. The second is regards to the money because you can still have three people right on schedule. They're just going to have less hours. What I'm saying is your budget hasn't shown that you needed more people in terms of time. That's you're
you're under spending. You had more money to spend. You're spending 30% less. So the the idea that is another person because we need more hours. It's uh it's not showing. That's what I'm saying.
The difference is a change of structure is that you want someone to train long term. My challenge to that is it's very little money to hire someone that would stay. You're going to make the investment and a year from now the person's going to find that my mur has
an opening for an assistant indeed. That's our challenge moving on. So I I'm not saying don't. I'm just saying restructure it in a way that is more interesting maybe. And the other is, you know, if if you you are working full-time Monday to Friday, two people
all the time, which you're saying, it's not necessarily going to happen that way, then you're not going to need the three-timers at the same amount of money you've spent in the past. So, I think, and we can talk more, you and I, later on detail as to how that phasing you
see, but I see those two challenges. you know, you're asking for a full-time employee that comes with a lot of responsibilities if that, you know, we don't have the same budget next year. Can we keep this person long-term? Is are you be going to be covered? And then is it interesting enough for them to
come and then leave? What does it mean to us to have that whole again? So, those things I think need to be considered. And then in money, I just don't see again I think it's the missing of the job description. are is he going to be assisting you or are you guys
splitting up rules? Is he supervising the rest while you're in the office? And I think that's where I'm not totally clear. Um I don't have a a problem with the budget at all. And I 100% support the change of structure. I just don't see it sustaining right now. So I leave
that as maybe we can talk more about those details, but that's where I'm at. >> Okay. >> I appreciate it. No problem. Okay. >> Any other questions? No. Okay. Uh 21, Michael. Any questions? Okay. Thank you.
Uh 22, retirement. Any questions? Okay. Uh 23. Any questions? >> No. They're all linked to the same. >> 24 questions? No. >> Uh 41, communications. Any questions?
No. >> Uh 43 utilities. Any questions? >> 44 rentals and lease. Any questions? >> What's that? Um rentals and leases. What What usually falls in here? Oh, the copier. Sorry, that's gone, right? Yeah. >> I was just say a comment. Uh, Isa, I'm
glad you got rid of your copier that you've been trying to get rid of for years. >> Question for the rentals and leases. Where is that? There is no rentals and Oh, that's I know what it is now. Forget it. Sorry. Thank you. Yeah. Any questions on Okay, good. Thank you.
45, Property and Liability Insurance. Any questions? Thank you. 46, repairs and maintenance. Any questions? What was the increase here from Oh, no. Sorry. It's a It's a flat number. I read
it wrong. >> Yep. >> It's for 46. Nope. Thank you. Uh any questions for 48? The special events? >> I had one. Um so so the uh pride parade
that you have here you have 2,000 allocated. Um you're decreasing it to 1,000. Is it within the spend you have? Are you using the historical for this year? This was your first year, right? So you don't go over a thousand. That's what you need.
Um and then the Jazzfest. Um uh is there a reason why you considering a higher for next reason for next year? So the um I was there this year our commissioner and that that event is getting bigger and bigger every year. >> It's becoming more and more popular. So
those those events that are popular, we like to spend a little bit more money into it. >> Yeah. >> And make it more attractive. >> And then um and I don't know if it's here, but no, it's not here. So on this on this uh
sense, I was thinking you spoke about programs. Um, and maybe I'm mixing it up, but um, is there a possibility to consider programs for seniors specifically? You know, that's an area we have a lot for all ages, I think, in
in general, but maybe there is an something we can do with the foundation as well. You know, >> been the goal and I'm working really working hard to to try to find that. Um, it's just it's it's tough. There's a lot of one-stop shop for for seniors now,
especially anything exercise related. Um gyms, it's $10 for for so our instructors, none of those programs have survived because our instructors can't match what those gyms are charging. Um so we're trying to find something to incorporate something different. Um
North Miami Foundation, we know they just received a bunch of money. So even if we bring back maybe those activities that they were doing once a month at the park, um I've reached out there. So definitely definitely on the menu. quarter thing quarterly because the foundation had talked about some of the programs they have in place other places
they actually offer transport for some people they have identify you know in the list who are the those in need and that could be interested because they've worked with them in the past so maybe bringing something like that on a quarterly basis again I don't know if this is the part in the budget that we
need to to consider it um but I would be all in support for that >> definitely No. >> A couple questions. Uh >> I just it's not really a question but a comment. Uh Halloween I know is coming up where we uh we were seeing more and more residents and non-residents come to
that event as well. And uh I hope that we're planning for the influx of traffic. Last year when the parking got reached all the way to 120th Street they were parking to go to the rec center. So, I hope that we're uh in like planning on that traffic influx for Halloween night,
>> right? We'll be prepared. >> Any question? >> Thank you. Yeah, all these programs seem to be very good. I enjoy a lot of it. Um and hopefully, and I agree, that we do get some senior citizen programs. It's very important. Thank you.
Any questions for 49413? My only question for it is uh has the artboard been uh contacted with this this budget? Are they are they okay with it? Are they making any changes? I know they attended one budget hearing last year. Uh so I don't know if they're if they've commented on their budget
>> before first reading. Uh Commissioner, we're going to reach out to them and see if we need to make any adjustments. >> Yeah, that was going to be my my question. And then so the only expense is the one that's reported here 2265
against any of these events. >> It's a question. So year to date it says 2,265. I'm in code 49 >> and and some of that hasn't been reconciled. So again this was the first year that these events were in our budget but it's reimbursement process.
So a lot of these things will trick had trickled in probably after um the 531 um cutoff date the year to date which is here. So you should see those numbers increase but they didn't go over any line item budgeted and their goal is to do the same events next year.
>> Perfect. The reason I'm ask I'm trying to see how does the but so the money from the foundation get to us where do we account for that >> from Park Foundation? >> Yeah. So for the wreck. So you're saying, you know, they they help with the putting the TVs, they paint it, they
re restructure, where's that money coming that we can identify the foundation has given us five grand and we successfully achieved it or we've received zero, right? Or, you know, half of it got complete. I don't know. I'm wondering where we capture that.
>> Yes. So it's my understanding I wasn't here at the time commissioner but it's my understanding that the foundation went out and bought the the u items themselves >> and it never it never came through our budget or anything else. They just took
that money that was donated to the foundation uh talked to uh plan I mean parks and recreation saw what the needs were and then went out and and selected items on their own so they didn't have to go through procurement or anything else
>> and then went through just directly through them. >> Is that a practice that we want to keep? I'm just wondering in a way of tracking, you know, some of the concerns I've received are about how we move forward with the projects and I'm wondering if
>> historically that's how how it's been done. So if you look if you look years ago there's there's um art art donations that was done through the foundation. I think there's one out here, there's one on Griffin. Those were decided by the foundation. and the foundation took the
money that was donated to them and and bought those those projects those art pieces and then and got approval from this from the commission to place it there. But the purchases and everything was the money was run through the foundation
>> because I I was thinking if any of for example the arts and culture board events this is our revenue for the wreck that comes straight forward. So, it's not necessarily man money that's being funded by the foundation in any way. I
don't know why I always thought cuz they do fundraising too, right? So, I was I was thinking maybe they're covering any of it, but I guess not. I mean, that's independent completely. That's how we captured it. All right. And as a matter I and I was wondering if that was the
best practice just so that we can track the projects, you know, but I guess we don't have to because they're their own organization. and they do as they wish. Okay. >> Yeah. And historically, as I said, that's the way it's been done for many, many years. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Uh 52 operating surprise. Any questions? >> No. >> 54 membership and duels. Any questions? Okay, thank you. >> No. >> Uh 55, education and training. Any
questions? >> Um no. >> Okay. This education and training is for who? Okay, that's what I thought it was. Okay, thank you. Okay, that takes care.
Any other >> before we close out, I just want to say to director Issa, I just want to say uh, you know, give you a little pat on the back for always running a very diligent budget. I know you're always very budget conscious. I just had informed the commissioner, I just had a meeting with him the other day where he informed me
that he uh was really trying to hold every penny to hopefully purchase a water station at the rec center under this year's budget. And that just shows you the commitment he has to always being fiscally responsible with the village's dollars and trying to maximize the benefit for the residents wherever possible. And I just want to say thank you to Isa for that.
>> I can confirm that because I also talked to you about the water budget and you could have said let's do it and you explained to me that it's not feasible to do it. So I appreciate that you're looking out for the residents money. Thank you. That's why I think you should get a raise.
>> Thank you, Isa. >> Okay. Uh >> yes. So our next uh department is code compliance department. Dorine is present to make a presentation. I got it. Yeah. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Oh, it's it's a >> I got something >> supplement. It's a supplemental you as we go along. I will explain. >> Stop it. Good evening, honorable vice mayor,
commissioners, administration, the code board chair and staff. No resident. This uh budget proposal uh outlines a fiscal roadmap for the code uh compliance department for the
year 2026. My name is Dorian Grant and I've had the pleasure of working in the code department for the last three years. Our primary function um for the code department is to maintain and increase safety, health, and the welfare of all
residents in the village. And we accomplished this by proactively inspecting properties for violations or responding to complaints that come to us from residents, elected officials, administration,
police department and other departments. When we are unable to achieve compliance through letters of intent, courtesy notices or verbal warnings, we issue notices of violation and escalate such cases to a quasi judicial board for
hearings. Our activity for 2024, uh I would just talk about the inspections. We we had just over 3,000 inspections in um 2024
and this year uh we are projected to have at least uh to do at least 3500 um inspections which is a little over by a few um hundred number. So we there's an improvement there in
how many inspections that we're doing. Um, our code officer, Raphael, who's here tonight, has stepped up, I have to say. Um, and the manager in the department is out doing active inspections. Um, next slide. Personnel.
Last year, we had five members of staff uh in the department. Unfortunately, two left. Um, and this year we're down to three. Um with counterintuitive power, we have been able to accomplish our tasks
efficiently and effectively. Uh we just use uh focused effort prioritization and continue to streamline our processes. We don't do any landlord inspections anymore. Uh we've had very few renewals
with short-term rentals. Um and this has helped um for us to um divert our efforts into other areas of enforcement. Um we've also been able to achieve some of our goals by directing um uh some of
um our work to other departments. Uh an example would be um directing uh some effort to public works to help us uh deal with issues uh in the public right of ways. uh PD has been very helpful with helping us uh with STRs after
hours. Um and we are also depending on outside vendors uh to increase efficiency in our work. Next slide. Compensation. This is the most expensive allocation in the code budget. This um includes staff
salaries and benefits that are very unique. Uh staff salaries and benefits. There's one very unique allocation to professional services. Why do I call this a unique allocation? For many years, the department suffered through
issues um with lack of productivity and performance. It was the vision of our forward and forward thinking of former manager village, former village manager Mario Diaz uh to minimize wasted time, effort and resources by contracting the
right technical skills from outside. What he ultimately was able to achieve was not just fill a position but add value to the department. What was important for the current manager
um in the process of um putting together this budget was to restructure and find balance to support financial sustainability. So we reviewed how much effort and how much of our work in enforcement was
directed was directly uh building and zoning and as a result uh we cut professional services by 50% and allocated 50% to the building department. In front of you is a small exhibit. Um I wanted to give
clarity on how much we uh do for building. There's 30 potential violations in that document uh which are just examples of some of the violations that we issue. When you look at the totality of what we do in community enforcement, uh building and zoning do
take quite a large percentage of the work that we do and this is how we justify moving um this allocation to the building department. Next slide. We've also allocated 40% of the code
officer salary for the same reason to building. So building and code are correlated um in that um the criteria established by the state of Florida to enforce building zoning and community standards are under
the same administrative statute which is chapter 162. So examples of building violations you will find in this pamphlet. I won't go through them one by one. They're self-explanatory. Um, next slide. Our total expenses, I'm
glad to to report to Commissioner Gonzalez specifically, we have gone down by 52%. We cut the budget by over half. So on that page you will al will also
show the revenues. The variance um you'll see the variance in the in the in the slide is over 200 uh thousand that we've been able to save in the proposed budget revenues for code in the year 2023 which
was our most active year. Um the position for um the manager was opened in 2022. So there was a lot of uh cleaning up that was done towards the end of 2022 and 2023
was our most active year. Uh we we were enforcing the STVR ordinance for the first time. Um we opened the we were enforcing the driveway ordinance for the first time. So there was a a lot of violations issued, a lot of enforcement that happened from the cleanup and these
two very big ordinances that we had to enforce. We have we brought home 146,279 uh cents in fines and and um payments for licenses uh which is a substantial amount when you look at what the budget
was that year for code. In 2024, we brought in over $100,000 again. And in 2025, we're projected to bring in another $100,000, maybe slightly over. How how is this revenue generated in code
enforcement? Administrative costs, hard costs for abatements, leans, fines, civil citations that are assessed when we issue these violations. We have had uh we I have to do a shout out to our um resident volunteer Linda Dylan. She
helped me us as a department in the first two years to send out letters and and collect as as many um outstanding fines as possible. She's yet to do another send out um in the next month.
So I um we're hoping that we are able to collect more fines and more outstanding civil citations this year before before the end of the year. So our achievements
um I'll quickly go through our achievements. um only listed what we were able to achieve in the past um in 2025 in in the past uh year. What we accomplished uh was uh case management. We were we have
now completely moved to gov. Um so all our licenses, code enforcement cases are issued in one program. Complaints come in through one program. We do still receive complaints through emails or people walking in, but this is our main
source of information now, which helps to make things a little more efficient. Um, properties with approved variances. We managed to go through that entire program. We checked it. Um, we reviewed it and we were able to obtain all the
and the updates uh for registrations and we all h we have all current registrations now. code of ordinances. We have several sections that we will that that were we we were able to update which landlord
registrations were permits now um moved to registrations. There was a big loss with revenue coming in because of this. Um we did charge 145 for each inspection we did and this was over 300 inspections we used to do. We don't do any
inspections uh anymore because this is now just the registration. So we charge $40 for the registration. There's a big difference in the money there. Um outreach, we have launched our outreach program now and we now send out
letters of intent which preemptively alerts residents of a future visit from a code officer. Um we have seen the difference in um response from the residents when we send out these letters. Um we see more compliances
happening. We see residents um getting ready for us. I mean um walking on 11th Street, 11th Avenue now and seeing a lot of roofs clean. Uh we will show you that these letters of intent are really really working. It it it was a um a
great addition to our outreach program. Um, we've al also incorporated thank you cards um in our communication to acknowledge residents that keep up their properties well. Our occupancy certifications, we updated
the forms. Uh we worked with the attorney, village attorney on this one. He reviewed the the forms for us and these are now updated and we're using current um with forms that are current and updated department policies and procedures. Um
this past year we've been able to do procedures for their admin staff. the admin staff have changed quite a bit in the in the past few years and we've been able to put policies in place that such so that when if one um employee leaves
there will still be a blueprint there will still be a roadmap for the next employee to be able to use and and not have a break in in uh performance. We have created a lean registry where all our recorded leans from 2025 are
kept. We keep this on a share folder. Um it can be accessed by anyone. It's a public folder. Um and then our vendor also has a list of the leans that we file. It's a very substantial amount. I didn't get the actual number, but we have um large quite a number of leans
that are filed and accumulating on a daily basis. With property maintenance, we continue to enforce uh enforcement efforts by increasing our sweeps for major property maintenance uh violations such as dirty roofs, exterior paint, driveways, and
that sort of thing. Because with driveways, we enforce design standards, but we also need our residents to pressure wash, clean their driveways, and make make them look pretty. Um building and zoning code violations. We continue working with the building uh
department to enforce building. I've mentioned this before uh and zoning code violations which account for a sizable percentage of the work that we do. We continue uh assisting the building department with resolving cases with expired licenses. This is a big issue.
Um there's big there were I would say in the past two years a lot of licenses that had expired. We had to go through all expired licenses, see where there were code violations and and we issued violations for that. And we have uh worked with the building department to resolve those issues. Short-term rental
vacations um short-term vacation rentals. Um we have had um successful meetings and communications with officials from Miami Dade uh County Fire Rescue. uh they agreed to assist the village with inspections once we amend
and update our code um to meet with state requirements for carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. We continue to actively work with the p with the police department to monitor verify issue and issue citations um to those
found in violation of the noise ordinance. This is a big one um exceeding capacity. they having parties and having people at a vacation rental more people than is allowed. It's a it's a huge safety risk and the police
department has been very helpful in monitoring this for us. We are not here after hours. We're not here weekends. So they do their reports and we issue violations based on the police reports. So I did go through the revenue. I'm going to skip that and then talk about
the objectives. In the year uh 2026, we are looking at implementing the sign ordinance which um former commissioner Kennedy was instrumental in putting together. We
haven't been able to um uh implement this in the past year. we were just overwhelmed with a lot of things but this is um right on the top of the list for the for our objectives and things and and um what we need to do this coming year. Uh
there's been a lot of issues with construction uh sites not following ordinances parking in the wrong places and parking in the median and we will we hope that by enforcing this um ordinance we will mitigate that
uh standard and operating procedures. I just mentioned that we've done SOPs for our administrative uh staff and um this this was um one of the things that uh Commissioner Amsa for instance was
very insistent on and we made sure that we had not just policies for our officers but policies for our admin staff. Ordinances we continue to review uh ordinances with the village manager and recommend amendments uh and changes. We
will be recommending and proposing the following for review this the coming year. Artificial turf is one of them. SVR we need to update the detection of um carbon monoxide and um fire. We would like to make some corrections
and updates. We are recommending um corrections and updates to the current code. Uh filming permitted and um per permitted days and hours. We don't have that in our ordinance right now. And sometimes we have people coming in the village doing filming and it's just all
over the place. There there are no regulations. Uh special events. This is not codified. Uh we need to have uh special codes for these. Um painting boarded windows. This is a
suggestion um the manager uh brought about and I have worked in jurisdiction when this is done. painting um bordered uh when when a when a property is vacant and it's boarded up, painting the board the same color as the house does improve the aesthetics of the house. So, we are
hoping that we can introduce this in the village of Biscane Park. Um, properties look really horrible with just boards or um things that have been put there to cover the windows and and
just doesn't match um what's uh with the actual um property or structure. Um next are electrical permits. uh we are looking to enforce um electrical um
connections or electrical charging stations for EV vehicles. Now this is um um uh really important because I we have noticed that in the village a lot of people have these charging stations that drive um electric vehicles but we have
very few permits in the system that we can point to. Um people who just did these connections and never got permits for them. It's another uh fire hazard safety issue and we need to follow up on this. This is something that we will do this coming year. We will go doortodoor
to the homes that have these e EV charges and um check with the homeowners. We won't violate them. Uh we will issue court in notice and give them a chance to get these permits. Outstanding fines, leans, and civil
citations. We continue to uh we will continue to actively process the collection of outstanding fines and citations. Uh we have a huge number of uh citations some of them from previous years from before we even this team came
on. Um just today um our resident volunteer was doing a lean search as an example. She found three leans that are over 30 years old. Now, it's difficult to enforce these leans because leans have sunset uh
uh periods like code compliance leans will sunset after 20 years. Administrative leans, I'm not sure, it might be 5 years. So, it's important for us to follow up on these leans and make sure we're able to collect these fines or um at least uh bring these uh residents to come back to the board and
ask for reduced fines so we can just clear these these cases um from off the books. online payments. We are hoping to incorporate online payments uh a feature where people can make payments online. At the moment, we send them a form uh a
credit card authorization. It's very cumbersome. We're hoping that we can fix this with gov where people can um apply for an uh a permit to license and make a payment online without um going through a long process of sending us information
and also for safety for their u the privacy safety for their information, their private information. They send this through emails and it's their credit card information. It's their personal information and we don't want to be responsible for that. We want to make sure we have an electronic system
where they can just do it online and we we don't have to have that information with us. I did talk about outreach. Uh what's uh we would like to do in outreach and continue um add on would be to implement our first annual educational event with
the mayor council men and women and the residents. This will be an event that we get everyone together. Department heads can talk about their departments. We can communicate directly with residents. They can ask us questions. We can explain. Residents usually you would think residents know everything about
code but communication education is needed. So events like an event like this I think would uh bring us together and we would be able to talk directly to our residents and explain our codes and explain why we do certain things um and
just leave that um door um for for residents to be able to come in and ask us questions. um a vacant and abandoned property registry. This was suggested by one of our residents.
It's it's a really really great idea. I didn't bring the pamphlet that I got from another city um on how their ordinance has been written, but it's really important that we have an ordinance for vacant properties. There's been an issue with um squatters in in
the village um in the recent years. So if these vacant properties are registered and and property owners take the responsibility to register these um properties with the village, we who work in enforcement, police and code are able
to keep a different kind of eye on these properties. We put them on our radar. We know this is American property and we watch activity what's happening there to avoid these crimes before they even happen. communication.
We are working with um ISSA Parks and Recreation um to develop efforts of um putting things out on social media now so we can communicate with the residents now in a
more modern way. Um everybody's on their phone, everybody's on their uh is on the internet. So why why not take the opportunity to use uh what people are paying attention to to educate them on the codes and and what
we do and what the village offers um in in terms of code enforcement. With that I will ask for your questions. >> Any questions to start from this side? >> Uh Durian I don't have any questions. I just think it was a wonderful
presentation. I will say that I uh love the outreach that we've done already this year and that we're going to continue to do next year. I think it's a very needed thing and I I I I've seen the the results of it myself. I think that uh your department's doing a great job with that outreach and I I fully
support it. Uh and also I fully support the reigning of the budget. I think that uh this budget presents to us as a much more sustainable model for the village and I'm I'm glad to see it. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Darin. So just if you don't mind quickly uh before we go line item
um and for the benefit of the residents, can you just explain really quickly how you were able to lower this budget by over 50%. And can your department continue to do the job uh with that over 50% cut that
you're proposing? >> Yes, two two ways. Um one way was we did lose two employees and we made a decision not to replace them. Um, as the manager said, the overall idea has been to do more with less. So, I just spoke
about our code officer here stepping up. I have had to step up. I had to lose the high heels and put on the tennis shoes and get in the field. So, I go out in the field and do inspections myself. Uh, the code officer has stepped up and he is bringing in a lot of numbers and I'm
really really grateful for that. Uh, that's one way. Um the other way is um what we did with the professional services. Uh when um village manager um Mario Diaz introduced this position,
he brought this position with the idea that administration would pay uh well code would pay half of the prof for the professional services. The the way we've done it now is how he wanted it. But a different administration came in and they saw this very differently and took
that number out of the building department and brought it back into code which was not sustainable which was not uh the best thing to do because this money now that money was going to come out of the budget. When we split it half and half only half of it come out of the
village budget the other half is coming from building which is a completely different operation. So that this is how we've been able to cut the budget by half and >> and part of that question is so do you feel that you can do the job that your
department requires with the the lower staffing level that you're proposing? >> Absolutely. We've been able to do it. Um we lost the the field code supervise. I believe it's eight to nine months now. We we I I could have cried. Maybe I did
a little bit. But uh we've been able to carry on just the two of us and and the clerk in the office. We've been able to carry on the work. In fact, our numbers have improved with less staff um just by us maybe the realization that hey
there's no one else. It's just me. I have to get out and and and and do the job. So I get out do the inspections do the administration and still continue to opening my aperture to train them. I have a heart attack. Commissioner
Amsa, any questions? >> Okay. Peace. >> So, Commissioner Yeah. How how do we do more with less? And, you know, how do you how do you reduce your department by 50% and and still meet the needs of the
the residents? And she touched on it. One of is thinking outside the box. And one of the things we did was the the letters of intent that she said. So, we sent out a letter to the to the residents before we even go out and make an inspection and and instead of having
five officers, now you're just using one officer to send or a clerical person inside the office to send out these letters and saying, "Hey, these are the most common violations that we see before we even do an inspection so that we're getting obtaining compliance
before we even get there, you know." and she's and she's noticed that uh some of the residents and I think the code board have have noticed that that uh uh people are complying on their own and it's just a matter of education, you know, educating people more on what the code
requirements are. >> Yeah, I I I understand. But she also said that she's seen an increase in the uh the amount of uh what citations or or u >> our number of inspections have
increased. Um, I I would say that uh and part of it is is I the most I hate to talk about myself like this, but I am the most experienced code officer in the department. Me getting out into the field does make a difference. >> Oh, that's no doubt about that. I agree
with you there. Okay. All right. >> And and I I would just add to that with with a saying I I I found very interesting. It's by by Lena Horn. It says it's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. So what
we have done is with this heavy load, we have just been steady and and didn't fall apart. We took it by the horns and we just did what we needed to do to make sure things happen. >> Mr. Angela,
>> so a lot was answered. I had the same questions. I think my my you know it it it definitely feels unease after coming from another budget where we heard all of you including yourself promoting the fact that we needed more money in this
department and we approved five people. That was a big change for us. >> We went through hours of exposing the numbers. We did the same research and uh we move forward with that. So it does not feel very comfortable to me to come and say that with 50% we're going to do
more. Um the numbers speak differently. Right. So you're you're showing you're doing more. Yes. I'm saying it's they show differently than what we approved last year which um raises eyebrows, you know, and I think um definitely creates
a a feeling of unease. I don't know what we're giving up for that. I don't know what that means. I think the proactive approach definitely helps. I think the communication for residents help. Um, >> thing to keep in mind, I don't mean to interrupt you, is the change in the
landlord uh ordinance. Remember, we used to do over 300 inspections for landlord permits. >> We don't do that anymore. The ordinance changed so we don't have to do those inspections. >> It definitely has freed us up to do
other things. the STVR uh ordinance when we opened and and and started enforcing it, we had over 30 licenses that we were monitoring. Right now, I think we've I could be wrong about this number. I didn't look at it tonight, but we have about seven or eight renewals only.
That's over 20 licenses less. >> So, there's even less short-term rentals. I think the changes in the market um properties are not selling um vacationers are not coming there's and and some of
>> renewals you're saying. So people had a shortterm they're not renewing. So probably they're moving into long-term. >> Yeah. Moving into longterm. We've actually quite had quite a few properties that moved long-term and then we've had quite a few properties that left because we issued them with so many violations being party houses. They
packed up and left. So, >> that's a great thing and and stat to bring forward. I mean, we've we've fought with short-term rentals for what, two years now, been proven that STR sort of ordinance and the police involvement, code involvement. So, that is proof to
your work. So, thank you. Um, and it's interesting that that's moving the needle. >> Yeah, >> definitely. It was a lot of inspection and it was a lot of inspections and it was a lot of monitoring on our part because remember we had that program that virtual program we had to go into
to monitor people who are advertising. We don't have to do much >> now in that area. So we've moved all our attention back into the field. >> Back into the field. >> Correct. >> Um I'm sure you feel more comfortable without your heels. U we're seeing the
benefit. Thank you. You look as beautiful. miss them. >> Yes. Um and then I think the impact I think it's it's smart to put in both budgets. We had to I mean there's part of you know a learning curve uh that comes in with
that. Um that's it. I just want to say thank you for what you do as always. You're super professional. I appreciate you very much. Um same thing for the rest of the team Rafia too. Um, so thank you and uh yeah, I just think you guys
are going to be wearing those shoes. >> I just, you know, I'm I'm all in. It's saving us money. I just wanted to state that. I don't know what that impact might be. I'm hoping, you know, obviously it's not, it's beyond the money at this point. I'm hoping the
services that we are granted don't go uh >> sort of overlooked because of the budget. Um, >> do best not to disappoint. >> I know. I appreciate that. And and then the other question I had on professional services. Um, I guess it's not a professional s
I'm trying to understand. So for so CAP, you said we we've lowered that 50%. That is because which other positions were we hiring through CAP? Yeah, it's just during right. So why why
are we lowering 50? Where's it coming from? That's 50% le less. >> No, I just saw in the chart and I was >> I think it's a phrasing issue. We it was changed and and re misallocated last year. You may remember the the none of
the lines were correctly coded the way budget. So you don't have a good apple to apple. >> I was going to say >> that that part. Yeah. that part of the reason the budget is so much of a swing is because of the correction from last year and >> we just moved this to the budget.
>> Remember I redid every expense in both departments to get that corrected. Um so >> the I think the bigger topic is what is the right percentage? We're using 6040 60% in code for the staff person and
50/50 for Darin. I I think there's an argument that we might consider as in this process to go 50/50 for both of them. There's surplus in the building department that would support that. >> Okay, that that that was one and then that opens the other question. So in
terms of just cap is our budget remains the same are there increase to it be expected in terms of contract that we're not >> it's under contract this represents it. >> So for in terms of what we have with them that doesn't change. >> Y >> okay that's it. Thank you very much.
>> On the cap, when it comes up, I I have a question in reference to the cap, so I'll wait into that. Um, as far as the the rentals you were talking about, we had one where close by where I live, had a lot of complaints and now the owner has either sold it or he's living in
itself, so that does affect it. Uh, the permits, the landlord permits, I know you don't do that anymore. Has it it hasn't affected the landlords not living up to code? I would say in a sense it has because even though we sent out quite a lot
multiple uh reminders that the code has changed, we no longer have to do this. All you have to do is pay the $40. We just need you to be registered. We the number of registrations we've had have been very few. So what we have done
is I'm only able to send so many um violations at a time is to send out violations. Uh, I send 20 to 25 at a time. So, I send out these violations. I'm able to do it sometimes from my house or I'm able to do it um um in the
office in a very short time period of time. We send them out and and just once we violate them, we get a response. I'm not able to do the hundreds at the at the same time. So, I do them in smaller portions. So they're living instead of
not charging them the $95 as you were. Looks like they they're living up to what the code. >> Some some are not all. I have to say it wasn't a good percentage that we had that responded to the registration. However, we'll continue enforcing it. We
will continue sending them notices and violations so they can respond. >> One of the good things about you eliminating the landlord permit is that the landlord passes the expense on to the renters and it's really bad. Um, you're doing a great job. My only
concern is burnout. You guys are working so hard. I am concerned about burnout and burnout can make it where things go down badly. >> Yes. >> Uh, what are you going to do? I mean, how you going to handle that? >> Thank you for that, Commissioner. It's
it's a very real thing, burnout. Um, but like I said, um, in that saying, it's how we carry this. It's it's us prioritizing um and it's us streamlining what we do to still be effective. Um
burning out is human. I'm not I'm not going to overstate that or understate that. uh it can happen but I'm always uh communicating with the code officer about um how we can limit how we can make it better how we can um follow up
on our cases um without overdoing it or without us doing more than we can manage. So we we are consciously uh looking at that all the time. >> May I going to have a question? >> Just one more question. Uh, do you have a plan for I mean,
>> do we have a plan for burnt? I mean, hopefully it's not going to happen, but you know, we got to be prepared that it's going to happen and it can cost us a lot more money later on. I don't think it's going to happen. I think you two guys are working great, but >> we hope we hope that it doesn't. Um,
like I said, Commissioner, um, we are doing what we can, um, to make sure that doesn't happen. Um, we have streamlined a lot of what we do and and doing it differently, doing it better. Um, and I personally do put in extra hours on
weekends. I mean, I come in for 4 hours or 3 hours here and there, so I'm able to spread out um my work, but I'm also able to work in peace and quiet when there's no one here. >> Definitely. Okay. >> So, so we do small little things like that, too. >> I don't believe it's going to happen,
but I just like that it doesn't not. Okay, Commissioner Amsley, you said you have one more question >> um on on that. So, do we have the ability to hire part-time with CAP if if there is need, you know, in the middle of the year, you can just hire additional services for it. It would
just have to be uh a budget amendment if it's not within the budget project and the budget. Sorry. What do you mean? >> Yeah. Okay, now we'll let the manager talk. But one of the things we looked at what was what's happening with other
cities. North Bay Village has two people working, a manager and a and a code officer. I went to um what's the city next to us? The names Miami Shores. >> Miami Shores. I I spoke with a code officer there just to find out how are you guys doing this? The these uh villages are slightly bigger than us and
they have a manager and a just like us a manager and a code office and they're doing it that way. Yeah. >> So um I draw from that and I think we can do it. Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. >> And if if the flexibility is needed to the point I just wanted to make sure I get it right. You're saying it doesn't
have to be on the on the >> Yeah. So so commissioner, let me address that. Uh we uh building department uh if you know Pedro was out for a while. >> Yeah. >> And uh he was um in South America and we brought in another building official to
help us out. They didn't charge us any any any extra for that. He's been here um off and on for the last three or four months. He's been a great asset. No additional charge to to the village. >> So, you can always tap into that if you if you do need it. Okay. Excellent.
Thank you. >> Any other questions? Okay. Again, thank you very much. Uh okay. Any questions on reference to 12 and reference to 21? 22 >> 22 is the uh >> the benefits
>> retirement contributions >> they're fixed. >> No. Okay. The three health insurance 24 that's the uh broker's comp 25 unemployment.
Okay. Okay. Just uh for 31 professional I have a question without anybody else ask. >> No. >> Okay. Um Okay. This is in reference to uh Okay. This year's budget uh there's 156k for
cap which is in for Dorine that includes Dorine. My question is now there is a 25K are we keeping Dorine and uh are we hiring our own person to do supervise? This was given to me as a question one of the residents acts. So
>> So the the original budget for current year was budgeted at 156,000 and we're tracking lower than that. Uh but the actual allocation is revised in this budget to be more accurate of 50/50%
into the building department and so we can lower it to the 78,000. There's no people being changed. >> No people being changed. Okay. Okay. That's all I have. That's again that was given to me by residents. Uh 41.
Thank you. uh 44 rentals and leases. >> So the the cars here, they're at zero. Um are this where are the vehicles? >> This car is the ARPA reimbured car.
>> They're going to be we're purchasing two new vehicles out of the ARPA funds. >> Okay. >> So yeah, that's why it's it's zero. >> Perfect. >> There's no expense. >> That's it. Uh uh commercial insurance.
Any questions? No. >> Uh 40 46 repairs and maintenance. Any questions, please? Thank you. Uh 49 uh conting cons any questions? Uh this
one, I mean, I like every at least I know when I was on a commission, we always had a contingency of having a lot of money. I'm glad to see that we don't have any money there. So that's a that's a big plus because with the consency, they can spend anything they want. And this way it's accountability. So I do like to see that so far with all the
other ones. Uh 52. Any questions? Operating supplies. >> Just a comment that there's fuel there for $900. Uh that's going to get removed out. >> Excuse me. I didn't hear that. >> The 50 52. There's $900 for fuel that's going to get removed out. >> Yes.
>> Yeah. >> Any other questions? Good. Thank you. Uh 54 membership and dues. Any questions? Uh 55, education and training. Any questions? >> No, I I just had one that I missed to
ask if you if nobody else has another one. Uh on 12, which was salary, what's the expectation increase? You have that 5% also. So we have Raphael um only. Okay, that's it. All right. Thank you.
>> Okay, no questions. Okay, Mr. manager that takes care of all three departments. Uh before we adjourn, if we if there's a motion to adjourn, could you explain what's going that's where the residents would know what's going to happen at the next what we're going to cover the next workshop?
>> Yes. So the next workshop would be all those remaining uh departments that we'll make a presentation on those. >> We'll be able to get in that short period of time. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Do I have a motion? >> Before we do, uh Mr. manager. Are we also going to go over the uh funds?
That's >> Yes. Yes, we'll go over the funds also. >> Okay. >> We defining the date for the variance. I don't know if we were to do that. >> So, uh the clerk will reach out to you to >> to get a consensus.
>> Do we have a motion to adjurnn? Motion to adjurnn. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor? I >> Thank you.