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>> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Please take your seats. [music] The meeting is about to begin. Remember to speak into the microphone as this meeting is being recorded for public record. Please stand by. We are going on air in
5 4 3 2 1 Good morning, everybody. Welcome to the May Finance Economic Resiliency Committee meeting today. Um we're have some great events, conferences in town. Lots going on. So, let's kick this
off. Uh we'll kick it over to our CFO and then our city attorney and uh get right into business. Good morning. Today's meeting of the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee has been scheduled in a hybrid format with a quorum of the committee physically present and
remaining members, staff, and members of the public appearing either in person or virtually via Zoom. In order to participate in today's meeting virtually, members of the public may dial 1 888 475 4499
and enter the webinar ID, which is 863 6059 5462 pound. Or log into the Zoom app and enter the webinar ID, which again is 863 6059 5462.
Any individual wishing to speak on an item must click the raise hand icon if they are using the Zoom app or dial star nine if participating by phone. Uh thank you, Chair. We have a couple of announcements. Uh OB2 has been
withdrawn. We have two time certain. 11:00 a.m. for MB5 uh and 11:30 for MB6. That's the end of the announcements. I believe, Chair, you were going to call MB1 first. Little passive-aggressive there, Mr. uh
>> [laughter] >> CFO. Uh we'll uh first item will be MB1 referral to Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee to discuss funding for the 19th Street parking project, MB1. Good morning, David Gomez, director of capital improvements. Um
Mr. Chair, commissioners, I I appear before you today to discuss the potential funding of a new project which is the reconfiguration of 19th Street between Meridian Avenue and Convention Center Drive to pick up additional parking spaces. Um as you all know, the Holocaust
Memorial had their inauguration and their grand opening just recently. As part of that project, the parking lot just to the east of the former uh site was uh occupied by the new building. Um and we have since been looking at ways to potentially increase some parking
spaces. Um in on May 15th of uh 2024, the city commission directed us to conduct a feasibility study. The report that is attached to the memo is the conclusion of that study. Uh essentially, it shows that by
reconfiguring the median, we can pick up an additional approximately 34 spaces on the street. Um the key here or the driving factor for the design of this is the fact that that street is used for
multiple functions, not the least of which is delivery and staging for convention center events, as well as access to the botanical garden by large vehicles. So, we need the extra wide uh travel lanes just to stage that that equipment and those uh turning radiuses.
Um and with that, I'm all the projected total cost for the for the project is approximately 1.8 million dollars. Uh and one of the options, should the committee choose to recommend it, is to begin the design
now with the remainder of the cost funded later. Uh obviously, we would recommend going through the budget cycle for all projects. David, do you uh by chance have visuals? They are attached to the to the memo,
but I didn't bring electronic for the How many parking spaces does this This adds 34 spaces to the on-street parking. And what's the total that can come up for space? Uh that I didn't do that math. I I'll be in the minority here. Um Where is it? Where's the new park? I just
think the greenery that we have in this area is something we should be replicating across the city. I think 17th Street should look more like this where we have a median as opposed to many turning lanes um and have green corridors. I'm going
to angle. Right, for the amount of time that we have activations at that site that will need excess parking, I'm just very hesitant to give up 24/7
of aesthetic and really cooling of the city having these trees. Um for the chair, um you're I guess I'm in the minority with you. I I wouldn't want to change the median right now cuz it looks beautiful and just for more
concrete. Um And plus we have the the city city's garage right here. And what what is it What is the occupancy of that typically? In the area we have uh 799 spaces in the
convention center garage, 714 in the city hall garage, 400 >> the convention center hotel's going to have its own garage as well, correct? >> Correct. >> Yeah, so look, I don't think we need to spend a 1.5 million dollars on 35 parking spaces, especially when we're on a little bit of a budget crunch. It's for the rollback rate.
And we're going to be losing green space. Uh I mean, that's just my position, so. I mean, do you want to come up and share your thoughts? I know it's your item, but we didn't have a chance to talk. Yes. >> Please. Um I I actually
am supportive of this because I know that both the Holocaust Museum and the Botanical Garden need the parking. I just am shocked at the price tag. Um and so I don't know if there if I mean and we can talk about
why it would be this much. Um and I Listen, I appreciate the green space, too. I don't disagree with you guys entirely, but there will be still a little bit of pockets in in green space, but um and maybe there's something else that we can look at. I mean, I I still think that there should be parking on the
south side of Pride Park. Um and I know that transportation says it's not wide enough, but people park there anyway. But I don't know. I'm actually the one in the true minority cuz it seems like you guys which is okay. Just here. I I think you'll have support with a broader And just simple math you
know just simple math it comes out to like $43,000 a parking space. I I mean It's more close to building a garage. Yeah, I it's I can't I can't sit here and say we need to pass the rollback rate and we need to
have much more tighter restrictions on spending and then can and then spend $42,000 on a single parking space. We're We're going to talk today about a little bird bath that's about like 10,000 and we're
going to you know we're going to pick it apart. But we're going to somehow sit here and spend $42,000 on a parking space which we removed it you know green space from. So But what do you want What do you What do you want to say? First of all, I think
you're absolutely right. You're right on target. I was shocked when I heard why it is so expensive. But then when I met with uh Joe and David um um help. Anyway,
they explained more. The reason, critical reason, is when they built the Holocaust Memorial Center, we lost many spaces. >> [clears throat] >> And now we're trying to get them back. The visitation is about 150,000 people a
year, okay? And they have nowhere to park. They would have to walk to the Convention Center, and very often garages full. And of course, the garage behind City Hall is very full. And But we're going to
have the the Many people can't walk cuz of rain, weather, it's hot. So, we're trying to generate and give them some additional parking. The price tag is astronomical. I agree with you. Um if you haven't been
to the new memorial center, in 1 second, 1 minute, I just want to tell you. Now, all three of us were there for an event last week. Did you actually see the holograms? Yeah. Of course. Amazing. I It this has nothing to do with the merits of this center. It
is The need The need >> you to know, look, I'm Bob, I we we threw an event there, you know, I'm I'm a staunch supporter of Israel, and and I'm Jewish, and but I don't want to conflate the two where, you know, this is doing good center, and then somehow justify $1.5
million on parking. >> Right. And just let you know that the the Convention Center hotel is building how many more parking spaces? And it'll be open to the public? It's quite Yeah, so quite a distance. What I'm just asking, and and
if there's a way of removing the median and creating new spaces, that was the whole idea. If we can reduce it or narrow it. But according to your great engineering people, it can't be
done and you have to get approval by the county. It's quite convoluted. But, I'm just saying maybe it could be studied further and >> you know, another just thinking outside the box, you know, we have that Chamber of Commerce building across the street.
You know, maybe we can you maybe we can hybridize those parking spaces for only the memorial uh parking. And I don't cuz I always see that parking garage or that park whatever it is parking lot or garage, but I always see that lot always empty.
And you know, maybe that's a better way to to to take to take this on. >> That's a good idea. However, you know, obviously we'd have to check with the chamber and I think there's some businesses in that building, too. So, but maybe after 5:00 cuz it is empty after 5:00 and so then
and I don't know if that would help. I don't know what time the memorial closes. Yeah. Does it also close at 5:00? Weekends maybe they could use it. My final clear recommendation, maybe if you could ask Joe and his team to explore it
further to see how it could be done. If not getting that many spaces, some spaces just to alleviate uh the need cuz some people uh can't park. Can't walk, you know, handicapped so and so forth. Joe, well, what is the or David, what is
the um what is the occupancy of the Convention Center garage, which is literally across the street from the Botanical Garden and essentially the Holocaust Memorial? The Convention Center garage has 714 spaces. And what is the occupancy rate of it?
Zero. I'm sorry. 799. I don't know what the occupancy All right, well. Thanks for coming down. And then we also have the city where the City of Miami Beach Customer Service Center is on 18th. It's literally one block away. We have another huge garage.
Yes, so uh the Convention Center garage, first and foremost, is currently also utilized by the Botanical Gardens, so they have validation rights. Um I will say that the Convention Center garage is beholden solely to any convention that is going on that is a regional or
statewide or local convention. So, for example, right now the convention that's going on is more national. So, even though it calls for 20 >> I I don't mean to interject, but Bobby, maybe you could help us out here with logistics. The majority of event activations at the Holocaust
Memorial, and we're just spitballing here, right? From my understanding, from my experience actually, are on the weekends or in the evenings. So, it's actually a usage that probably coexists pretty well with the Convention Center,
right? What we don't often have activated weekends at the Convention Center. Uh we often aren't activated in the evenings, right? I don't think we're looking for parking for activations at the Holocaust Memorial during the day. That's my take, right?
So, I think we perhaps if we better facilitate a partnership with a Holocaust Museum, with the Convention Center, I think when people know, "Hey, this is exactly where our parking is." We're only talking a a difference
of 30 or 40 ft from where this median is proposed. Perhaps step one for what we can do is start better dialogue and facilitation of the events for the Holocaust Memorial using the Convention Center hotel, and maybe
Will, that's something you can help spearhead with Bobby is is getting that dialogue. So, when people are visiting for a weekend event here, they know right away, "Boom, we have dedicated parking at the Convention Center hotel." Mr. Chair, may I Thank you.
Perhaps we Is there any way we can also offer the Holocaust Museum visitors free valet that can shuttle people valet operated by our team because I know we can't do valet in city parking garages unless it's through us.
Well, would that be a possibility either in our 17th Street garage or somewhere in a garage and work something out in that regard? So, we can. I will I always I always am a little bit leery of valet because valet is very
man hour intensive whereas one of the things that kind of always goes through my head is maybe a courtesy golf cart because it can be on call. It can be hey, if you need courtesy service. And so, whereas for example, I know the convention center garage is extremely convenient to the Botanical Gardens. We
also have the opportunity for, you know, on [clears throat] nights and weekends the seven the G7, the city hall garage is absolutely empty most of the time. And it may even have a more direct route going right up Meridian to the entrance of the of the of the memorial. And so,
I would I would probably say have maybe some type of on-call golf golf cart as opposed to valet right out of the gate just because having a valet means you have a human being there every single hour it's open for possibly no people there. >> How about this? How about it? I don't
understand though. I'm sorry, you mean a So, people would park inside the convention center and then take a golf cart from there to the the front door of the Holocaust Museum. Is that what you're Yeah, so so for example, if there is so understanding that there are going to be people with mobility challenges,
we can take a few different approaches. Um, for example, um, anybody with mobility challenges, we can look at having a few more spaces on street on 19th that are ADA. And one of the things that we can do is time mark those spaces for say 3-hour maximum. So, if we make
all of 19th Street 3-hour maximum, both ADA spaces and regular metered spaces, now that means we can time limit those ADA, so there can't be somebody that goes in there that wants to park for 8, 10, 12 hours in that space.
So, that focuses more toward visitors of the botanical gardens and the memorial. You know, I don't know how long the average person stays in either of those locations, but that could also serve a purpose for individuals with mobility issues. But then also, if somebody does have
mobility issues and they say, "Hey, all of the spaces on 19th were taken. We want to still have a little golf cart service." You know, that's kind of a one-off. It can be part of a kind of an extended service for either one of those facilities. If you appoint me, I'll be
happy to volunteer to work with him and see if we can solve some of these issues. >> Move it all up. >> How about uh about Bobby, me and David, we uh Can we go split a cart? split a golf cart and we'll dedicate it to the uh Holocaust Memorial. You guys want to do that? Oh gosh, that's wonderful. I want to thank
you all for your kind consideration today. Yeah, sure. All right. The three of us will buy a golf cart and we'll dedicate it to the Holocaust Memorial. Thank you. I'll be in touch. Absolutely, sir. So, we can just try to find direction.
Is this something to come back to Ferk with a more detailed plan? Is this going to return to commission to direct admin to convert 19th Street parking into a 3-hour minimum? And then it sounds like this might be a side bar about I guess donating a golf cart to the Holocaust Museum, which I
assume would be staffed by by Holocaust Museum staff. So, I just wanted to um Well, leave the uh you know, give well direction to work on that. Uh the dynamics of that program. So, that's something that should come back to Ferk then. No.
>> I >> of coordinating a golf >> service. Um with the Holocaust Memorial, just engage in better dialogue with the Holocaust Memorial. We'll take lead. Bobby can help coordinate about how we
can provide services from one of our garages to the Holocaust Memorial for events. And if they need a golf cart, uh we'll look to take care of that. We can make sure that that golf cart those golf cart that golf cart has access to the facilities because obviously we don't want somebody to be
like, "Hey, you have to now get from the fifth floor to the first floor." Um and then we wouldn't while we'll take the direction, um we could uh easily make the parking spaces on 19th a maximum of 3 hours administratively. I mean, technically we could do it
tomorrow. Um so that wouldn't be an issue and that would create better turnover. So we don't have individuals so uh to just sit there all day and so therefore if people with mobility issues are want to to park closer, they're more likely to find a space within a couple feet from the door rather than having to
walk. Great. So I think I have it. Uh let me try the motion here. Return to commission with a favorable recommendation to the direct administration to convert the 19th Street parking near the Holocaust uh Memorial as 3-hour minimum and for the parking department to engage with
the Holocaust Memorial uh for solutions. 3-hour maximum. Sorry, 3-hour maximum. Okay. All right. Um so do we have someone making that motion? I'll make motion. Okay. Uh who [snorts] will second? I'll second.
All in favor? I. Thank you. Item passes. It's uh do NB7. Okay. NB7. NB7 referral to the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee and the Committee for Quality Education to discuss collaboration with the School Board to
resurface basketball courts at Miami-Dade schools for dual use as pickleball courts. MB-7. Doctor. Good morning. >> Yeah, I just wanted to tee this up. This is Commissioner Mateo Salinas and I's dual item. I guess we're co-primes on
this. Uh we went to a pickleball tournament a couple of weeks ago and it was great and we did it on the on their basketball courts and they told us that look, no one ever uses them um and we'd love to
kind of adapt them to a pickleball uh use and I asked uh the doctor here to broker the best deal possible with the School Board. So, what do you got? Good morning. Uh
so, the request was to actually discuss the item at the Committee for Quality Education, which we did. They passed a motion in support of the request. Uh they very much like the idea of potentially having the basketball courts that are outside being used for uh dual
purpose. Uh some of the uh members indicated that from their observations, the basketball courts outside are underutilized because the students are using the inside basketball courts within the gym. So, they they support it. We actually also discussed
it at the Youth Commission meeting and uh they were uh very very piqued their interest as well. So, uh next steps would be if there was a desire to engage the public school system, uh we would need direction to do that. We currently
have a joint use agreement with Miami-Dade County Public Schools that allows us access to the field and basketball courts in the parking lot adjacent to the play field at the senior high school for Sunday use only. We are in the fifth year of a five-year
agreement. So the timing is good because that will expire I believe in November of 2026. So as part of the conversations with the district, we can certainly if there is direction provided to include the possibility of resurfacing and
striping that court to make it an a dual function a dual option. I believe that our parks, facilities, and fleet director is here as well who may have some additional information regarding
what that would potentially entail. I mean, I you know, it's John, don't worry. We are very supportive of this. So you know, I'd like to make the motion to engage the district in discussions about resurfacing or
repainting whatever needs to be done and then you know, once we get all that figured out and who's going to pay in the cost sharing and whatever cuz there's going to be a minimal cost I'm sure for restriping or re Right. So the motion engage the district. Let's see what we
get. Let's come back to Ferk maybe with the price and >> Do you Do you need direction from the full city commission or can it be from the committee? I believe we would need this to go back to the full commission so that we could then engage the school district and also that would include our ability to
to negotiate the extension of the current JUA to include this part of it. >> Do you think that we may be able to get more than just a Sunday? I think that six years ago when we were negotiating for access,
the challenge for access to a high school field and basketball courts is that the high school utilizes their field and courts at minimum six days a week. Certainly Monday through Friday they are on the field using it. They have so many
different sports and activities. We would not be able to gain any access at all Monday through Friday. Potentially Saturdays, but the current agreement allows us to negotiate additional access at the beginning of each year and then throughout the year. So if if our parks
department did want to request additional access they certainly have the ability to do that, but we're guaranteed access to the community on Sundays. Okay. So that's I make a motion to send it to the commission for I already made that motion, Commissioner. >> Oh, second. >> [snorts] >> So I I think what it would be is return
to commission with favorable recommendation to direct administration to negotiate amendment to the joint use agreement for the Miami Beach Senior High to resurface the existing basketball courts to accommodate basketball and pickleball and and any costs will be considered as
part of the budget priority during the 2027 budget process. Yes. We'll show that motion made, uh seconded. I second. I'm sorry, who was the second? I'll second. All in favor? Aye. Thank you. >> Item passes, thank you.
Actually, why don't we hear NB5, uh trolley advertising? Yeah, um I've long advocated for Commissioner Matheus Celenis has really compounded these efforts about ways to raise more money into the city. We just had our
first budget retreat for the 2027 year. In 2026 we actually focused on transportation and talked about prioritizing advertising revenue. When we discussed this item previously, I think
it was because I noticed significant lack of of trolleys wrapped in the city. We got an LTC. I don't know if that's in the memo if anybody has that handy about what are percentages.
But Mr. Chair I Jose, please. According to the the latest I need to announce the item. I'm sorry. MB5 discuss potential improvements to trolley advertising revenue and consider issuance of an RFP for advertising services. MB5.
Okay, so Mr. Chair to to answer your question according to the latest update from Outfront Media. They're our advertising company on the exterior of the for the exterior of the trolley vehicles. I believe it was 11 vehicles.
So roughly about It was 11 out of 30 It was a 35%. 11 vehicles equates to 35% of the vehicles equal currently equipped with advertising and that was as of
about a I would say a month or so ago when that LTC came out. Through the chair. Yes. >> [clears throat] >> So you So the staff already approved a an advertising agreement for the trolleys? There is a current agreement. Is it just
for trolleys [clears throat] or is it for It's just for trolleys. >> Just for the exterior of the trolley vehicles. Correct. This was an agreement that was executed I believe it was in 2020 two. Um and it's currently continuing on a
month-to-month. We put out the solicitation for the trolley with a combination of the advertising. That's when we came to award the trolley and if and if you remember we kind of bifurcated a little bit the advertising temporarily to bring this to furc and that's why we're here today.
All right, hold on. I I don't So we So the commission passed it in '22, but we haven't really been advertising on it until [snorts] recently? No, they've been >> No, we've been advertising ever since 2022. On the trolleys? On the trolleys.
Our Our occupancy rate only about one out of three trolleys has current advertising, which we got an LTC, and Mike, maybe you're you're a representative Outfront Media. Can you come up? Jose, is it
solely Outfront that is tasked with finding the advertising for that? >> Yes, sir. Mike, could you come up and talk on this? We got a letter to commission from our city manager saying what the occupancy was, and I see with my own two eyes, and I'd say it's
probably even down from that 33%. Some of the reasons that were given were a legislative item where we essentially banned alcohol advertising, and I guess nationwide that that constitutes a large percentage of
similar type advertising. I don't accept that as a satisfactory answer, right? The We are the epicenter of the world. We saw our resort taxes, our tourist and visitor numbers. We are the event capital of the world.
We have the World Cup. I am just hard-pressed to think that we can't do a better job at advertising. Mike, I don't want to get in a long-drawn-out discussion. We just need a better partnership and effort between your group and the city,
whether it be lawyers, hospitality. You guys are the experts on that. We just need better utilization for this. One for the revenue coming in. This is an enterprise fund with a structural deficit. I'm sorry, not an enterprise fund, but there's a fund with
a structural deficit, so we need to address revenue enhancing opportunities. This is one, and just from the pure aesthetics of the city, they're older outdated buses. Of course, we're talking about getting uh new ones, but until that time comes, um they look run-down and ragged, and
actually advertising isn't going to help that. So, we don't have to get into a long drawn out of this is why it happened. This Let's just do better. Let's all collectively do better. We have a revenue share, so benefits all of us. Please, let's prioritize this. Jose, I want a point person from our city that
is providing bi-weekly updates on this. Um cuz this is big. This is a couple hundred thousand dollars that we're just letting go to waste. I have a question. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Question for both of you. Are there any restrictions that we can
change or review or look at that would help us get more revenue such as the alcohol you know, sales or whatever, or advertisers, or I think someone had told me, and I don't remember who, but there was instead of
wrapping the whole trolley, we've opted to only wrap from tire to tire, and so we might get more revenue if we wrap the whole trolley, but for whatever reason in years past, we didn't decide to do that. I'm not quite sure why. I would love to know why, but any other type of restrictions that we can look at and review that would bring us more revenue.
What's the background on the percentage wrap? So, if I may, and for the record, Mike Yudent LSN Law. We represent Outfront Media, and I'm joined today by Lonnie Ferro, who's the VP of Government Affairs, and Gus de Quesada, who's the
VP of Sales. So, quick back The short answer is yes. There There are a couple of changes that can be made to increase revenue. The background Mr. Chairman on the actual format is that this was originally a piggyback of a City of Miami contract. It is That is
no longer the case. There's a separate successor contract in place now. The original contract with the city of Miami outlined very specifically which areas of the trolley could contain advertising. And so the city's program
was was adapted to basically match the city of >> why is that? There had to be a rhyme or reason. >> I I I think they wanted enough of the actual, you know, original trolley to be visible to maintain some sort of sense of branding, identification, etc. That
was the city of Miami's decision and so we sort of inherited that over here. There are opportunities and in fact just recently a several Outfront executives and Outfront is the largest transit advertising company in the in the country, probably the world, certainly
in the country by far. Um they were in Europe recently exploring best practices and looking among other things at this. There are luxury brands that want to do unique things involving full wraps. We have not historically been able to do that here. We'd love to
do that. Um another uh revenue generating >> It's not complicated. Let's do it. It's not complicated. With >> Please, please come. Yeah, if you guys want to join And I have a I have a couple I have a couple of renderings if you'd like to see Yeah, please, please. >> And again, Lonnie Farrow, um
vice president of government affairs at Outfront. And I just I put together a quick presentation. To to your point, Mr. Chair, um certainly not something that we um want to harp on that the alcohol restriction is is is a you know, makes up about 30% of
the business categories that were advertised on the trolleys. So it was significant. Um and then you can see Why is it not showing that Why is that six of six? PJ, is it is it possible if it's okay with with uh you, Mr. Chair,
commissioners just >> driving Gucci bags if you want over to Europe and sell Yeah, so so there's a side six that's not showing up here, which is the slide exactly that shows the full wrap of the vehicle. So, we're seeing this Can you show us on your computer if Uh on my computer
Oh, you know what? Hold on. It shows up It just showed up there. Yeah, she's opening Okay. And then, um I also want to ask >> Yep. Okay, there we go. So, um our leadership team Okay. So, our leadership team, um as a
in sales, marketing, asset development, often benchmarks with national uh and international uh transit brands. And so, just last week, we were in London looking at their entire transit entity, all the light rail, trolleys
>> you again? Um I'm going to cut you short. We love it. Uh the commissioner and I are going to sponsor an item. Allow That's what would need to happen uh if we wanted to do a full trolley wrap, we would need to sponsor an item allowing this, but as I understand it, there's an ordinance
saying you can't. So, would we have to We would need to amend the ordinance is what we would need to Yeah, [snorts] so so I think the original contract, which was a piggyback off the city of Miami contract, did not allow for it. There was another contract put in place, the idea being that there would be a status quo until the new trolley full trolley
contract was awarded. And so, we maintained the status quo. I do believe that under the existing contract, and this is something we can explore with with uh the city attorney. I do believe there's more flexibility right now if it's the city commission's will, we would love to expand format to explore
some of these unique opportunities, especially with luxury brands, cuz Absolutely. one of the things we've seen, um is obviously the program took a hit after the alcohol prohibition cuz it made up 30% of sales. >> And I fall short of allowing alcohol again. And Outfront found ways to
increase revenue. So, 2024 was actually a a sort of record-breaking year. 2025 was a bit of an aberration and that's why we're here because several of you noticed the revenue in 2025. There was a dip. We think it was mainly due to a
couple things. Number one, nationwide trends when it comes to transit advertising, there was a dip. It's now on the upswing. And number two, deployment of new digital assets all throughout the city, right? National brands, luxury brands started moving toward that. Outfront has
adjusted their strategy and just by way of way of comparison uh the revenue generated this year, 2026, through the first four months is higher than it was for the 12 months of 2025. So so there are, you know, what caught your attention was an
aberration and I think a lot of you had legitimate questions about why revenue was so low in 25. The good news is that there's an upswing. Are we uh currently Are we How many more years of the contract do we have with Outfront? So this contract
was in place for an initial term of 3 months with 3-month renewals. That's the idea. >> is the what is the the split cost or the revenue share? For the city to Outfront.
So the Yeah, the the contract that's in place right now is 52.5% to the city with the balance going to Outfront. What does the city of Miami have? The city of Miami is structured differently for a number of different reasons. I'd
have to go back I'd have to go back and check. I think you know. It seems like they have a better deal. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, it it could be. It could be. And and and the reason that I I do think it is a better deal is because there was interest when we were putting this contract together. >> you also have your billboards everywhere
at the bus stops, right? What is that percentage breakdown? So so Outfront Media does operate the advertising at both the city of Miami and city of Miami Beach shelter, you know, shelters, which generate significant revenue. What's the What's the revenue breakout?
Percentage, is this For in the city of Miami Beach? Yeah. The revenue generate Not the revenue, what's the the percentage? The share. 52/48 percentage. 10% of revenues to the city at this phase. Yeah, so I
the transportation director was saying that it's 10% in the city of Miami. The city of Miami is different city of Miami Beach shelter program is different because Outfront made a capital commitment of 20 or 25 million dollars to build out the program and then operate it, which costs
about a million dollars a year. >> Okay, so I just want my colleagues to know that it's, you know, it's great to say, "Well, you know, let's get all this out." But we should really focus also on the uh the contract. And cuz I don't think 50% is enough or 52%. I think it should
at minimum be 70%. And it's it's on our city property. And as far as the the cost of the wrap, I'm assuming Outfront pays all of that, right? Um so, you know, I think we just got to be really smart on how we structure the
deal because, you know, it may sound great, but there's also going to be a lot of people who are going to complain like, "Oh, well, why are there so many advertising?" At least we can say we have a really good deal to bring in a lot of money to this this transportation fund.
So Some clarification. Sorry, so the city of Miami is 60%. Um and again, that dip that you experienced in 2025 was also as we began to install a lot of the digital panels at the shelters. The The advertiser
interest shifted there because of our pro the nature of programmatic and digital moving around the city gave them more options in that space. So, that was also a dip. But again, there are certainly adjustments that we can make to bolster
the top the trolley program and the digital shelter program, right? So it just takes it takes that time, but we're there. >> It's not a finite pie. There there are when conferences come to town, they get sponsorships, right? Especially Miami Beach where you have an expanding
audience. So let's do better on this. Um happy to support getting the best contract that we can. We will negotiate that from the dais. Mr. CFO, your your nervous twitch gives me anxiety. Um I got you. Hold on. Awesome. Thank you. I just want to I
also want to make a comment too that um Commissioner Bot. Thank you. I just want to make a comment that luxury brands are great and absolutely that's something we definitely want to see here, but we also are health and wellness town. So bigger sporting goods brands like Adidas and I don't want to tell you how to do your
job. >> no. But you know, think outside the box and I don't know if they they typically advertise on trolleys or not, but maybe approaching some sporting, you know, health, wellness brands, you know, If I if I could, 80% of the advertising that we're
selling, about 80 85% of the advertising that we're selling on trolleys is local businesses. So not so much of the national interest. Likely if we did a full bus wrap, you would see the national interest everywhere. But mostly now local real
estate, health, right? You have a lot of FIU and UM advertising on those trolleys. So That's great. you would see a shift if that was the >> Yes, and we're interested in the full wrap. So hopefully we will see that shift. Thank you. Commissioner Bot. I'm sorry. I've been jumping out of my skin
because my entire career has been uh branding and advertising and marketing. So I am actually going to tell you how to do your job. I want to I want us to use this opportunity to reimagine what we do with these
moving billboards. I agree with everything my colleagues have said about a better deal, but this is an opportunity for us to use this as a canvas to elevate our brand as a city. And thereby then generating more better more impactful awareness for your
clients. Thereby enabling them to have to have more sales and us to charge higher rates, right? I don't want to hear, "Well, this is what they do in Miami." Or the average national Miami Beach. We are a different city. We are a different property. We are changing to
health and well-being um and tech um capital of the world and we should reflect that. If you want to take a good example, The Devil Wears Prada um two is out just opened. There is a building on Ocean Drive that has been effectively
wrapped. It took, if I remember correctly, 12 or 13 versions of that um It was that you guys? Did you work on that? No, okay. Um 12 or 13 versions to get to the final acceptable iteration. For multiple reasons. Not not the city.
The the person who owns the building is like and who is in this business, by the way, is like, "Absolutely not. That doesn't commit it that doesn't elevate the brand. It doesn't it's not representing the film. It's not representing the property." We have a very unique opportunity because 5 years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago, we did
not have the brand that we are building right now. And I will absolutely and I understand you know, whatever percentage is local mom and pop advertising, that's great. So we'll we'll reserve for anybody who wants to do that, that's fine. But we should be intentionally building and I'm the reason why I'm saying this for everybody in the room is
because as you negotiate the contract, we should be intentionally building a platform that caters to eye-popping, beautiful, elegant, understated, um witty um marketing campaigns that are not just
about, oh, you know, popping bottles and big booties. I I don't care about that. That's not what we're doing. I know you guys do. I know you guys [laughter] do. But that's not the >> democracy, uh, Commissioner. No, but I mean Is it? That's a different conversation. Um
But I'm serious, like we have this incredible opportunity to make these really important, um, services to the community also be um, part of what people love to see here, right? Like you don't want to see a trolley that's got boring ads of your
local, you know, injury into personal injury attorney. Not Not for us. But to see a trolley that is beautifully designed and wrapped in a thoughtful way. And also, by the way, you will be able to charge more money and your clients will have the opportunity to tell a brand story, which is super
different from what they are normally able to do. It is a nexus of opportunity and I just want to put it out there so that as we are all working on this from the procurement side, from transportation, from legal, from your side, um, working with your advertisers.
And I'd like Melissa to be involved in this as well. Um I I don't want us to miss the opportunity and short change the effort. To be fair, the lovely lady was actually just about to present it and I asked her to hold off, uh, yeah, for brevity reasons because we may
need a legislative item to allow the full wrap. How does that work, Rick? Well, that was news to me. I I I'm not aware and I think Mike mentioned that the the issue may not be the the ordinances, but rather the agreement that was in place with Miami that that
those restrictions. Yeah, in fact >> are we judging what we're doing based on what Miami's doing? Our Our contract was that, right? >> It was originally a piggyback. >> the Miami contract? >> Originally, yes. >> a piggyback. Piggyback. It was a piggyback. But why why don't we have our own?
Well, we're exploring this now. We're We were getting to that before you showed up. >> [laughter] >> I'm sorry. And I also have a great photo that you need to see about some of the wraps that we're discussing. Wait, I'm sorry. I had two things written down. Yes, she'll she'll show you the great photo. So, what is this So, so we we want to come this back to FERC? Yeah, if
I if I can, that's exactly the the point. We're speaking with Christy from procurement. I think the seeing that the committee has a very good interest in expanding in a trolley revenue advertising revenues. And it appears that the vote of the vendor and staff will have some recommendations that I think that now we
have some Now, we can't give direction, but that this would return to FERC with specific recommendations for contract amendments to enhance trolley advertising revenues to the city. I disagree. I'm sorry. I would prefer to go right to full commission. I don't know why we need it to
puddle around in committee. I think we will get full support on this at commission. So, can we just go to full commission with these recommendations and discuss it there? We could we could show it to a return to commission with a favorable recommendation with specific recommendations. >> that. I'm just saying we're going to have to then take time
away from a commission meeting to get the details basically iron out the details. That's That's why it's in committee. And I don't know if we if the the full commission is really the appropriate place to do that. I think it is, but respectfully, you
know, I mean Is this a one or two How about we have a sunshine meeting before then? >> One or two at the full commission? Just commission or Ms. If you want to just I mean, I'm fine with that. Um I I guess I just, you know, it's either going to clog the commission or it's going to clog up FERC. >> we can't give direction, but we can
certainly give feedback. And since Commissioner Botta is a media expert, we can we can really lean on her for her expertise. Thank you for noticing. I appreciate that. >> Yeah, so let's just pause for a second. Rick, some direction here. Um do we have to modify this
in our future contracts or existing contracts >> the director of procurement to let us know where we are in the process because I heard earlier that we had bifurcated this item. There was an active RFP
and the RFP has not been awarded, correct? Correct. So the it was an ITN I believe and it was for the trolley services but also it incorporated advertising. The proposal which was LSF
submitted Outfront as their sub for the advertising component. At the award of the item we bifurcated the two. We kind of put aside the advertising because the the deal at the moment was not in our best interest and
Commissioner Suarez requested us to kind of go back to the table with Outfront. So as of today we have executed the agreement with LSF for the trolley services and this is where we are today trying to decipher And is the intent Mike that this would be an agreement with LSF or would we
have a direct agreement with Outfront like we currently have? So I think that's the decision that needs to be made by this body. The original intention was to negotiate some of these terms including Commissioner the revenue split including potential restrictions on different
categories like alcohol and including format changes to enhance revenue and increase you know just a general look and feel. Um When could we realistically expect to get the new trolley fleet up and running? So I I I actually just spoke to them
yesterday. I believe that they managed to accelerate the delivery of the first trolleys which may be coming now in Q1 of 2027. They were supposed to come in Q3 Q4. Um so that's been very positive. >> what I'll ask and I'll rely on Outfront
Media for this. Is it worth amending our existing agreement now to allow for full trolley advertising. So, we can do that in the interim, and then that will be a part of our contract,
what we look for in our uh pro forma contract with the advertising. So, what what what I would what I would suggest or respectfully um you know, request is that we negotiate some of these terms and explore the possibility of either reincorporating it
back into the trolley contract as originally contemplated as an amendment or present it to the commission as a standalone contract. Either way, the important thing is for the parties to get together and agree on improved financial terms and revenue enhancement
opportunities. And then ultimately the commission can decide whether to So, let's send that to the full commission. In the interim, I think you see at least four votes of support here. So, read the tea leaves. Don't wait until we have this approved by the full commission.
Go out in the room and start today about modifying our existing contract, and then be sure we're incorporating this into our go-forward contract. But, if you're telling us that we can get elevated, enhanced advertising services
for our buses if we incorporate a full trolley wrap, let's start that process right now for the existing contract. We'll refer that to the full commission for formal approval. But, you have four votes of support for that here. So, do it after this meeting.
Um and then incorporate that for our next contract going forward, and we have a bit more leeway about what that looks like. >> Yeah, I just I just want to caution my colleagues, you know, I don't want to I don't I don't think again, I don't think it's appropriate negotiating terms
at a commission meeting. I think it should be done here. And because Well, nobody's negotiating terms. >> Yeah, no, the staff will negotiate Well, the staff is technically negotiate and then it comes to us for approval, right? And so, that's where So, the rubber meets the road and if it's not something
that I think or we think is going to be enough for the city, then again, I I think it's better at a committee meeting. >> we only have a few months left on this existing contract, right? So, we're not renegotiating all of these terms. The only thing that we're amending is to allow full body advertising for the next
5 months of this existing contract and then the terms that'll be important to essentially hash out are going to be on our go-forward contract. So, right now >> So, what is the go-forward contract? When when when can staff come back If I may through the chair, I think what the
committee intends to do, but you know, please confirm, is to send this back with a favorable recommendation to amend the existing contract to allow for the wraps and then to direct staff to negotiate terms for the new contract with Alfrun and then potentially to
return to committee to review the financial terms. That part can return to Alfrun. Okay, so so I can I think I think Rick Rick had it, but I just want to repeat it. Return to commission with a favorable recommendation to amend amend the existing contract to allow for full full trolley wraps and the item
will stay here and return to Alfrun with specific recommendations for for the new contract to enhance trolley advertising revenues to the city. Perfect. Everybody's all in agreement. That's it. >> I'll I'll make that motion. Okay, Commissioner Commissioner Suarez seconded by Hersh. That that makes me
happy cuz I I get these What are the term uh you I get microaggressions when I sit at Pura Vida and I see six unwrapped trolleys go by cuz I say my city's as a taxpayer, I am losing money every time one of those goes by without a wrap. We
agree wholeheartedly, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Commissioners. And all in favor? Aye. Aye. Item passes. Thank you. Uh Commissioner Bott, the is it 11:30 yet? Yes, uh, good timing there. Let's do the PAL, uh, that has a 11:30 time
certain. Okay. Uh, and it will be MB6 will be called next. MB6, discuss establishment of a recurring grant to the Miami Beach Police Athletic League in honor of the late Sergeant David Caruso. MB6.
Um, ironically, we just spent how many hours yesterday talking about recurring grants versus one-time grants? Um, so I'm very mindful of this. I also know that, um, a recurring grant to an organization like PAL has incredible dividends because they don't
need to spend resources every year, um, um, scrambling to make up the funds that may or may not be, uh, available. And the money going to the PAL organization is invested in our most at-risk kids. The statistics I Deb
isn't here, but I'm sure Chief Jones can tell you know, trot off a whole list of statistics about kids who come through the system and now are our employees at at the Parks and Rec Department who end up going to the police department, um, to to work there, too. Who go to college
and come from backgrounds where college was never in their, um, horizon. People who come from really challenging backgrounds and find their way to being mentors for others, for working, um, in careers that they never imagined. I cannot imagine a better, more important
investment, um, with a very small, uh, dollar sign attached to it. We're talking about $10,000 a year, and, um, I would like to get your support to do this going forward. Chief, would you mind coming up and Just just to add to that, Commissioner.
Yeah, >> [clears throat] >> just just to add to that, Commissioner. I and Chief knows this, I I decided to donate my entire salary to Kaho's family um for as long as I serve and it happened um shortly after his passing. So,
it's a you know, I'll be supportive of this as well. All right, Chief. Not sure if you should rely on that for too many more years. Sir? Not sure if you you should rely on that for too many >> [laughter] >> more years. Um good morning. >> is only six grand, right?
Well, it's all of it. It's all of the the benefits that we get. >> Good. Thank you. Good morning, Wayne Jones, uh police chief. Um you know, I I often brag about the the city um and I refer to it uh as the capital of
the world. Uh not only because of what all it represents, its beauty, um its culture, um but more so because I feel as an employee here for more than three decades, it's a family.
You know, I was touched when um I was touched uh when Commissioner Suarez uh said to me he was going to donate his his annual salary to the widow of David Couso to help with uh his family.
I'm touched today when you talk about as you talk about um honoring him by uh possibly implementing this this uh funding source for for scholarships. Um like families, we don't always just
agree. We sometimes disagree. We we fight and we bicker, but at the end of day, I I think like families, when one of us needs help, the entire community comes together led by uh you. So, I I I'm grateful and honored that you're considering doing this. Um it
just speaks to why the city is so exceptional as uh this Magazine mentioned earlier today and and why we should be and is uh the capital of the world because it's a whole family coming together when we need each other the most. So, thank you for this. Thank you, Chief. I think we
have a great event coming up for him in about uh 10 days as well. So, Yes, and thank you for your leadership on that as well. Um I think it's just now being publicized and I just learned about this date last week and and again, this is one of those things that was not asked for when people care enough uh to take care of of folks when they need uh to be
taken care of and their family need need help and um I I can I cannot thank you >> We're family, so thank >> So, what's the event? Uh we'll share with you. It's a beach bash with the proceeds going to uh the officer's family. Amazing. Jason, if through the chair if I may, what is the
path for this legislative item? So, we would show this and it appears there's um a favorable recommendation here as return to commission with a favorable recommendation to make an FY27 budget priority a $10,000 recurring grant to PAL in the honor of the late Sergeant David A. Cruse. Um does it need two
votes or is it a two votes at commission? It would go to commission to become a budget priority to be discussed during the budget process. >> Is there an appetite to start it this year? I mean, it's 10 grand. Um if I may, the time timing-wise would almost match up because if it went back
to commission, then we'll have to be a budget per budget amendment through the year. Obviously, recurring is something that that, you know, the administration always We're actually all these items we always recommend to be considered as part of the budget process, but especially recurring ones. >> And I think just to be fiscally conservative, I think if we're going to
be doing this, we should be taking money from somewhere else to pay for this. You know, I don't We just had a discussion yesterday about expanding the budget. I'm certainly in favor of this, but I think it should come at the cost of something else. That's a Okay, so that's a different conversation, but could we start it this
year and move it forward? Take it from reserves this year and then find the funding for it going forward. >> you know, with the idea of of finding the money from >> the money from somewhere else. Um yes, we could we could show it um to be a 27
budget priority and to be funded in 26 via a budget amendment. Yeah, that's what I'd like. So, if somebody wants to make a motion. >> I can't. I'm not on the committee. >> I'll move it. I'll second. Okay. All in favor? I. I. I'm sorry, who made the motion again? I made the motion, Commissioner Suarez. Okay.
Thank you, Commissioners. Thank you, Chief. Thank you. Thank you. >> Everybody. Uh Commissioner Suarez, do you want to hear OB4 uh discussion regarding feasibility of establishing a condominium special assessment?
Sure. It's um all there. All right. OB4 discussion regarding the feasibility of establishing a condominium special assessment assistant program for financially vulnerable residents, OB4. Hi, good morning. Alba Tarré, Office of
Housing and Community Services. We have been exploring the criteria for a special assessment program operated by the city. We have >> let me hold on. Let me just give a little background on the this so for my colleagues. Um >> [snorts] >> the county has a similar program where
if you are a a homeowner or a resident of Miami Beach and you have a a condo special assessment, um they give I think believe up to $50,000 in a 0% loan
to cover certain aspects of the condo special assessment. This is so that they don't get priced out of the market and they have to leave. Um and the terms are are very favorable obviously to the to to the homeowner.
The county has unfortunately seen ups and downs as far as the funding goes, and I'm not sure exactly where they stand now. I wanted to have something similar for the city of Miami Beach. Um it's a little bit differently than how
the county gets its funding source. The county actually gets its funding source from a tax revenue uh on on property taxes. And when you have it based on a tax revenue, it is you certain you have
certain restrictions on on who can apply. Um the idea here would be to find other funding sources that doesn't rely on a tax, so that we have greater control over who can qualify for this program,
perhaps through a development agreement. Um or a, you know, public partnership uh joint agreement. So, I'll let you can kind of give us a little bit of what you were and your team has have been laying
out as far as the details. So, we were looking at some basic requirements. Obviously, we would want the property to be located within the city of Miami Beach. We would want the applicant's primary residence from minimum of five consecutive years. We would have an approved homestead exemption. We would
look at for it to be subject to a verified condominium special assessment related to structural repairs, building safety improvements, or recertification requirements. And we would also look at they must be a cur- current with condo association fees. That would be the
basic structure that we would be looking at. After that, we would need some direction on the most important piece, which would be the income eligibility. Miami-Dade County currently has up to 140% AMI. And so, we would be looking
potentially at three different options that we could explore today. The first would be area median income, increasing it up to 170% AMI. That would equal for a household of one about $152,000.
We would also The second option would be looking at housing costs burden based eligibility. So, what that would mean is the approach would focus on the affordability rather than the income alone by measuring how much of a household's income is already dedicated
to housing expenses. That would be the second second option that we could potentially explore. >> Explain that a little further, please. So, for example, households would qualify they spend 30% or about 30 to 40% or more of their gross income on total housing costs, including mortgage,
property taxes, insurance, HOA fees, and special assessments. So, if we had an example, a household earning about $180,000 would be about 15,000 a monthly income. If their costs would to would their monthly costs would be about $6,000, the
housing cost burden would be about 40%. So, that would make them eligible due to high cost. That would be the potential second option that we could explore. The third one would be assessment to income ratio. The model would directly tie eligibility to the size of the special
assessment relative to household income, uh specifically focusing on financial impact created by the assessment. So, what that would mean is, for example, if you had an annual household income about $150,000,
the special assessment would be $30,000, that would be 20%. So, that would make the household eligible. If, let's say, there was an income of $300,000 and the special assessment was $20,000, that would be 6.7%. That would make them ineligible.
>> the cutoff? What's the What's the percentage break that you would qualify for that third option? About If it exceeds 10 to 20% of the household income. And again, those things we could potentially look at with more of a fine-tooth comb if we were to look at
which model would we want to specifically look into. Right. And does the county as has the county restarted their funding for this or it's still in the works? When we had last reached out to them, they had told us that they were looking to restart. We have not seen a a
specific restart. >> So, just for my colleagues, again, this is this is unfunded. I don't I don't expect this to come from a the general fund. But, there are going to be plenty of opportunities in the future where uh
perhaps a developer comes to us and ask for special you know, development rights. And this is certainly another avenue where if we're going to be doing if we're going to be granting those rights, we can help
we can have these funds specifically for people who need the help as far as these aging condos get worse every year. So, um for this particular discussion, it's who do we want to qualify
for this program if it ever does get funded. Uh and I'd love to hear I kind of like option three. Um I'd like to hear what my colleagues have to say about this. And I'll start with this is one of the most critical items
facing our city. And we had a similar item that was proposed uh maybe a year ago. I think it was from a development agreement where there was a kind of block area or several block area uh that
would have done something similar. And I just had a philosophical pretzel of should that be going to just some people? Right? Versus park or infrastructure. I don't
I'm nuanced about it. I see arguments both ways. So I don't want to say I put my full-fledged support behind if we have a development agreement or some other special revenue raising opportunity that I'm definitely going to be for this
because I'll think of Try and weigh that. Okay, do we do something that is absolutely needed? It is impacting people including myself, my parents in our building. So I'm living this every day.
Versus something that's for every single person in our community. Just philosophically not sure how I'll come down on that. But yeah, for the various options I would I think align more with option three as well.
Yeah, and look Commissioner Mr. Chair, it's Not just some people, right? I mean this is we're kind of in a unique period of time where It's all coming down on condo owners, right? And it's we're not Really picking
in my opinion winners and losers. It's just they're Condo owners which is like 80% of of Miami Beach home owners Is They're struggling. And you know, ever since the Champlain Towers It's it's just been getting worse every
year with assessments Elevators, you know, just you name it and They need help. And so if we're going to And now look, if we ever do have a development agreement that comes to us, I'm not saying all of it, right? I'm not saying 100% of
Of whatever we negotiate goes to this particular fund, but I want to at least start this fund have it managed or have it laid out so that whenever the money does come in if it comes in we can
it's ready to go. I have comments. Um, I I am also you know, open to this fund. Um, I actually have I'm working on an item
about some something very similar and I think they could actually maybe be merged. Um, I want to do something actually for renters that's a similar you know, rental short-term rental assistance program but maybe we just have a general housing
fund and it is for condo owners that have a special assessment or renters because when a developer develops a building maybe one of the public benefits can be you know, donate into this condo or
housing fund. So, you know, we might have a program under that umbrella of the housing fund that you know, if you need rental assistance you get some of it here or if you need assessment you get some of it here. So, that way we're helping more
people with their housing needs because you know, across the board there is a housing crisis right now whether it affects folks who are struggling with high assessment fees or renters who can't afford to live here
you know, that they're seasonal workers whatever the case may be, but I see this as being a broader program um, that where we could help more people to your point. Um and [snorts] I actually like three, but I also like two
because that's going to um option two will also I think create parity with folks who, you know, what exactly their cost burdens are.
Um but I am open to this idea and you know, it's interesting Commissioner Suarez you said that 80% of our our um owners here, condo owners. But I wonder out of that 80% how many of those condo owners rent to folks and then pass that burden on to their
renters. Well, 2/3 of 2/3 of all Miami Beach residents are renters. Yeah. >> So um and look, I I wouldn't want to merge the two. I I would like to have separate funds and again, like I said, if there is a development agreement, I'm not
saying all the 100% goes to this particular fund or that fund. It's just let let's let let let us um come to that crossroads when when it needs to. Um I'm more concerned about you know,
there's and this is why I want to keep it separate because having rental assistance is very different than getting slapped with a $50,000 bill. You know, when [clears throat] like that and and you may not be on the board and you had no decision to do that.
Uh or or to take part in that and all of a sudden, you know, there's there's no relief for you. You know, we've been all be getting these emails from South Bay Club. They're looking at like an 80 to possibly a $100,000 assessment. And that
is, you know, and if if they go through with that, I know a lot of people who are not going to be able to stay. In fact, they're going to lose money on a condo that they've had for 10, 15 years. Um and so that's that's why I want to I kind of keep it separate. So
>> but what but it would be separate, but it would just be under like a general housing fund that developers would have to pay into and then we can decide how it gets dolled out or based on, you know, those details we can flesh out. >> Sure. Cuz I do agree with you. I want to also support those that are struggling
with assessments. You know, we all want to help everyone. Okay. There's many people >> want to help obviously renters who need some but I was under the impression that we already have that. Do we already have a We do have a rental assistance program because it is funded through federal
dollars, it can only go up to most 80% AMI. Sometimes when we get special grants, then we're able to go a little bit higher, but there's some specificity with it. >> So that that's funded through federal dollars, right? Which is by the way why I want to set up this program because
the the the county funding came also from federal dollars, right? Or or state dollars and it was very restrictive on what we could and couldn't do, so. I I I also think we should engage our
NGO partners for help in this, right? A lot of these homes are historic. A lot. Where is MDPL? Right? That their entire advocacy movement is for preserving and upholding some of these buildings.
It's great to advocate, but if they're raising millions and millions of dollars per year, I'd love to have them as a partner in this. You know, I I think this is an all hands on deck effort. This will never ever be solved just at the behest of government, ever. So we
need an all hands on deck approach. I I think we should lease with them to see what resources they're able to commit and dedicate as well. >> [snorts] >> Commissioner Watlington. Um I would be shocked if MDPL is raising millions and millions of dollars a year.
I think um I I think you should I think we should definitely engage with them for their advocacy and connecting with the community and helping people find better ways to make the repairs that need to be made in some cases. Like I think they should be a
partner um and God bless if they are raising that money. Um I just want to shift the the potential dynamic a little bit to include that cuz I don't think they'd be able >> Even if it's not money, just uh advocacy and and education and outreach. And expertise, right? They know more about
that than I. So, engage them. It's all hands on deck. >> Yeah, and also we have an incredible um uh historic preservation officer on staff. Debbie Hackett is brilliant and knows everything about everything on this stuff. So, you know, this should be not just about the finances. It's about
how to get it done the best way, if you know. So, the other question I had, and forgive me if you said this, Alba, I I know I'm coming late to the party here on this. The the various options you had, did were these options based on data points of how many people are
renting, how many people own, how many people own but don't live here, how many people own but it's their primary source of income to rent it? Like, do we have any of that data? Because I think that will help us help inform us better about how many people we're serving and how to serve them best.
Well, as we were looking at this program, because this would be a special assessment, one of the basic requirements that we were looking at is for it to be homesteaded. So, at that point, it would have to be their main property. It wouldn't It wouldn't necessarily be a rental situation because we would be looking to help home
owners of of And do we I'm sorry, so I did miss that. I apologize. So, the other part was um the lower tier what of of the homesteaded properties, what percentage falls into which tier?
I Well, that's that's why they they presented three options for how would you want to apply >> how many different homes homesteaded homes fall into option one, option two, option three? Like For Miami-Dade County, they're doing 140% AMI. I don't
believe, and we You research this, I don't believe there's other programs like the ones that we're proposing currently because because they use federal dollars or some other form of >> No, no, that's that's not the that's not I'm I'm not No, she's trying to get more data on like real statistics right.
>> Beach, let's say we have 100 homesteaded homes that that are facing assessments. Of those 100 homesteaded homes, which of them fall into level one, level two, level three. Like if if the bulk of the people who are having the biggest issue are at 100
versus 80, maybe we should be looking at 100 instead of 80. Like and I don't know. I mean that's a that's a discussion, but without knowing that, like will this program if we go, you know, with option three, we'll only be able to help 13 out of those 100 homes, but if we Commissioner Commissioner if
if respectfully um the I think the issue is the staff doesn't know what the income level of these people are, right? That and that's kind of why Commissioner Magazine and I are okay with option three. It's where you know, if you want if if the assessment's so
large that it's 10% more than the income that you make, then you qualify. Um but right now they they don't know that because in order to qualify, you have to submit your your financial records. No
one's going to submit their financial records willingly just for a statistic. So, we don't know that. That's why we're making the decision on on three of these options on what we think is is best suited for this program. Can I ask though if we do it that way? Like let's say you the the
and I'm just thinking out loud here. Bay Club, let's say a lot of those people, you know, it's what an 80,000 50,000 whatever it is. The last I from what I remember in emails like $86,000 for one bedroom. So,
I guess my question is is that So, assume we have 100 people that are going to need help. >> Where do we get enough money to >> Right. And and how do we decide, you know, Again, I I just I just want to be clear. This isn't a discussion about how to
fund this program. This is a discussion on how to set it up for when it is funded. >> but but the problem is is that like let's say Yeah, like let's say you have 100 people that all need assistance and we don't have enough money. So, then do we pick 50 people to give
them the money, or do we take 100 people and say, "Okay, you can't really have as much money as we hoped. You only get a little bit." >> assuming it was a first come, first serve. I don't know if I'm explaining it right. >> First come, first serve up to 50,000. >> Yeah, it was a first come, first serve up to 50,000, up to a certain dollar amount. So, and that's something we can
discuss today is and I'm okay with 50,000. Um spec- especially since the county doesn't have the program anymore. Now, if the county does reinstitute their program and they have taken advantage of the
county and I don't think they should qualify because they're getting they're getting dollars from the county. >> Yeah, that's double dipping. Yeah, exactly. So, but to answer your question, it was a first come, first serve. Okay. I mean, and I'm I don't think that
I I don't think that that's a great way to do this because then we're going to get a ver- a lot of very upset people that didn't know about it. >> a lottery program. Yeah, maybe it's lottery or something. >> we can do a lottery, we can do what's what we think is best fair. Um the only reason, you know, I I like first come, first
serve is you know, cuz usually the ones that are coming first really need it. Um and if you do a lottery, then you have to wait, and then you have to get your finances in order. But again, this is you know, look, it it's up to us, right? But maybe it should be based on people
who really need it, you know, more. Meaning like What I mean What I mean needed in terms [snorts] of timing. You know, like like you just got your assessment passed today and then you have another person who's got an assessment in in that's coming in a year. Yeah, but I'm thinking about people that
live in the same building. Yeah, and if I may, we just had in in my building we just had an assessment and there were there were people who knew all about the county program and like I'm all over this. This is great. I can't wait to do it. And there are other people like, oh my god, I what county program? Like there are there
it's not necessarily like they need it first or they need it and they're all over it because no matter how well disseminated the information is, it won't reach everybody. And so that's that's often not I don't know. I don't have statistics to say often, but in many cases, it's the people who really
need it most who are working the two jobs or don't speak English or or don't aren't connected digitally through the government to the government services So so how do we move forward with that? Is this something How does staff feel about this? Where are we trying to make it a little bit more, you know, there's more
parity in who gets it first? So for most of our programs, what we try to do is first come, first qualified. So that means that you've brought us all of the paperwork. That means that you've followed up. That means that you did everything that you came, you filled out your information, you submitted everything that you needed to do. And so
>> But again, we don't think that's fair, I think is what we're talking about. Alba, I don't, you know, for the >> Because like insiders for example, you know, I think the argument is you're going to have a lot of insiders that know the program and then there's some people that kind of just find out and then they're like, "Ugh, you know, I didn't know about this."
So maybe there's a certain maybe there's a way you you do qualify and then once you qualify, you get put into a certain pool. We've we've done that too with our affordable housing. We do a lottery based system. So once you do submit all of your criteria, it gets randomized. And just so I like where you guys are
going with this because it really highlights the need for a program like this, right? So, the more money we have in this, the more people we help, and the less of a chance that they have to do in a lottery to to get accepted. >> But I will say though that part of my conflict though is not is
do we give more people less money or less people more money? And that's what you had kind of said and and that's something that we really have to look at when we are developing this program because at some point the money's going to run out. So, how do we help best? I mean, should we
just kind of keep this here and continue speaking with staff until we have a more tangible uh view of where the funding is going to come from. It's not as if we need to get this implemented today. >> Right. The only The only reason I want
to get this sort of off the ground is because we have some development agreements coming up. And I don't want to lose I don't want to lose that opportunity to possibly fund this. Can I make a suggestion? So, in in service of the goal, maybe we're not
we shouldn't let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and maybe we start with um the um first people to come in with a full qualified and are qualified go into the lottery, and that seems equitable, and then as the program evolves, if we need
to tweak it in year two or three with what we've learned, then maybe we make program modifications. Would that be an option? Well, I don't want to promise money to people that we don't have. Well, we're not promising they're going to go to the lottery. >> We're promising a program that is
has zero funds. Well, that's that's If we need to start somewhere, right? We need to put the the first foot forward, and this is the first foot. >> the first foot. I don't think that's the best first foot. I think this needs to be figured out first. Well, if nothing's going to be perfect at first, right? So, that's why we kind of have to get our feet wet, and that's why I want to get
this done as soon as possible because I know there's development agreements coming up where we can say, hey, you know, we have people who own a condo and aging condos who need help. One last thing before we, you know, I think we conclude this is what do you
think the max amount should be? The the the county has it at 50. 50,000 per per person that applies? If the qualified people, yes. 15,000 per person? >> 50. 50? Well, I I think there's a lot of math that we have to look at. >> way, when is that when do they have to
return the loan? Uh They have about 50, I want to say 50 years for their program. 50? I want to say 50 years. >> And and it's all Is it a lien? So basically, if they if they sell or if they pass away, the money gets automatically put back into the fund?
>> Right. And it's a repayment at 0% interest. So we would be looking at generate regenerating the funds if we were dispersing them because people would have to be paying back um on a monthly basis. >> money did the county have in that fund? I know the range was in the millions.
Like tens of millions or under 10? No, not hundreds. It was >> No. No, not hundreds of millions. I know that. Tens or is it under? Tens. Tens of millions. Okay. All right. Well, that's a big county. 25 million. The the county the county is servicing
vastly more households than we are. So proportionally ours can be much smaller and still have the same aggregate impact. I would like to have I mean, I in a perfect world, I'd like to have a million dollars in this and again, it's it's all our money. It's not We're not
giving money away. We it's just It's a loan. It's a 0% loan. Is there anything we could do on this money, too? Are we able to maybe bond it out, you know, in in the future or is it I I think you know, what what I'm
hearing of this and it's going in a couple different directions is it would kind of be like a revolving trust loan that once the money goes into that pool, you would lend that out and as the money comes back in the program could regenerate itself and be re-lent out again. I don't see it necessarily as bondable based on the discussion and I
think your interest is to get the framework of the program set up >> Yes. so that it would be potentially funded through development agreements and if money through a development agreement comes in and they say developer says, "We're going to contribute $10 million to the city for your uses and you guys divvy that up and we're going to say a million dollars in
this program." Once the money's in the program, then the program would be activated. So I don't think we would be advertising it to anyone letting them know it existed until such time funds were available. >> I colleagues, I mean how do you feel? If 50,000, 30,000, I mean Wait, can I ask you a a question Jason?
Through the chair. Yes. A a second question now. Um if we raise the money like developers pay into this fund to to service this need as the holders of this fund, the city's not allowed to invest it, is that
correct? I >> Or is that not correct? No, I I think it would follow our investment policy. Um it would be restricted funds for a specific purpose. Um and since it would probably be needed on a liquidity basis to be put out pretty quickly, right? If we run this program, I would keep it in
I would keep it in a a liquid money market. It would gain interest any money that's in there and we do an available uh balance every year to see if there's any additional dollars that are um available. But hypothetically speaking, you could you know, you might get $10 million put
into it and we only need a million dollars of it per year and so the balance, let's say we put $5 million into some kind of fairly safe but better than a money market account investment, right? We we could have that flexibility so potentially so that the money that we are taking in from developers could be
working for us as we are financing people on a rolling basis, hypothetically. >> Yes, I invest as as your city's chief financial officer, I do invest. >> cuz I know there's some things that we can't do that with, but this would not fall under that. Uh yes, this would be something I would be able to invest, but
I would keep it short and liquid. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Perfect. >> issue with that is these assessments pop up and you know, we we don't know. Like for example, South Bay Club, you know, this is just it happened in the last month at this >> No, no, I understand, but the liquidity, it's not it's not going to take 6 months or I mean, I hope there's $10 million in
my fund. Well, no, I understand, but I'm not talking about things like a CD where you're stuck with something. I'm talking about, you know, better than money market account, but some liquidity and anyhow, let's let our CFO figure out the rest. >> So, I would colleagues You're welcome. >> [laughter]
>> What do you think? 50, 30, 25? I I What do you What does staff >> Yeah, I I have to think though. I I I I'm not sure if I like two or three best and I really want to think this through and this is the first time I'm kind of
seeing all this mapped out. So, you know, I want to talk with Al a little bit more because again, I'm not I I I feel like you're stuck on the number amount, which is fine, but I'm still grappling with do we help more people with less money or or less people
with more money? That's my internal conflict right now. So, I can't give you a number. I I don't know yet what what in my mind is the approach that I think serves our residents the best. That's like splitting the baby between two and three. Well, which which which would be the full amount, right? Because I think what
you're what you were saying is you can help more people if they get less Yes. >> cap. Correct. >> Right. And so, but two one, two, and three doesn't doesn't apply to that. That's just who qualifies. Right, but it's still
I want to I want to know how different are these two scenarios? So, you know, if we give less people more money, is that a lot more money that we're giving less people versus the other. I Do you know what I mean? I'm not >> I I understand what you're saying and
and I'm I'm trying to I'm trying to maybe shed some light on it. It's if the one, two, or three option is who do we think should best qualify for this program, right? It's Is it a 140 AMI?
I forgot what option two was, but it it option three is if they make a certain amount of If they If they're bringing in a $150,000 a year, but their assessment is worth $30,000, that's you know, $15,000 15% and they're saying that the
the threshold is 10%. So, that means for whatever you made that year, you have a 10% nut that you have to pay that came out of nowhere, we're going to be willing to help you out. That's to qualify. Now, I think what you're mentioning or you're talking about, Commissioner Mateus is
can we help more people by giving them a less amount? And that's why Right. >> I'm I'm asking. And we don't have to decide this today. We can decide it at the commission meeting cuz I do want to move this forward to the commission where we say, "Okay, you know, we can
help 150 people if we give 35,000, but you know, we can help 100 people if we give 50,000." So, you know, I think between now and and the first commission meeting, we can probably look at historical assessments. I don't know if that's public record.
Here's the thing like in in in option two, the cost burden uh based on eligibility. So, we've got folks who the cost burden is at 40% if that's their eligibility and we're giving them $6,000 on this
example. You're No, I'm sorry. I'm reading this wrong. But at any rate, I agree with you and I don't really know what the best I just want to sit with you a little bit more, Alba, to talk about these two scenarios for qualification and I like both of them. Three scenarios. There's three. >> I know, but I don't like
I I mean, one is I guess I mean, I do like one. I think 170 is too high, frankly. Maybe 140, but it but it also I think there should The problem with this is that there should be a sliding scale of need. And so, if you're, you know,
There's a bunch of different scenarios. >> I think look, what I'd like to do, with respectfully, is I'd like to bring this to the full commission. In the meantime, we can all sit >> with Dr. Tari and and ask her what her professional opinion is and and have her give the the pros and cons.
Um of of what we think. And then, as long as we decide on something at the next commission meeting, I'm all for it. And you know, I want to make I want us to work for people who need it, right? >> And because I you know, I've been to countless condo meetings. People really
need it. And these aren't necessarily people who are destitute, right? They're not Also, they're not super wealthy. They're kind of, you know, they're there. They've been here for a long time. They see the city changing. And all of a sudden, they get hit with a $50,000 assessment.
And you know, I I I feel for them cuz we hear from them all the time. I agree. >> So, and again, I that's kind of why I don't like doing it based on an AMI. I like to I like I like to say that, hey look, this is how much you're making.
And if it's if it's more than you expected to expense for your year, then, you know, we're going to help you out. And that's that's just my preference. But again, I'd like to move this forward. And then, in the meantime, we can all speak to to the housing Okay.
staff and then have them come to us. And then, at the commission meeting, we can we can just finally decide on a on a on who who's best to qualify and how much we want each person to make. And then, like Commissioner Bot said, you know, we don't want the perfect be
the enemy of good. Um, let's let's let's get it off the ground cuz I know there's going to be development deals coming up and I want to have this I I I could I want to have this already ironed out. So, if we do get it funded, we can bring relief to people potentially this year. Mhm.
So, Yeah, if I can if I can to to assist you, I think with the the sponsor is asking us to return to commission with a favorable recommendation to create a condominium special assessment assistance program. Uh Option number three uh for financially
vulnerable residents to potentially be funded through development agreements. >> Well, I think the idea was we wanted to see we want I think we want to discuss options one, two, and three at the commission. >> so I think just taking the term option three off of the >> No, no, we No, no. off the motion, I
mean. Oh, off the motion. Correct. Yeah, so So, just to create the program for financially vulnerable residents to be potentially funded through development agreements. So, that would be the res going back and it sounds like there'll be a little more hashing out. So, this would probably be not a consent item. We'll probably do it as a as a R and an
R7. And I think it's I think it is important to hear from the rest of the colleagues on what what they think is Um, yeah, let's make it short, right? And and hopefully you can do you you can outreach to all of us just to say, "Hey, look, this is what's coming up. You know, where do you where do you
stand on this?" It's good. Okay, so we'll show Commissioner Suarez making that motion. >> Yeah. A second. >> Second. Second. Okay. All in favor? Aye. Aye. I am passing. So, Mr. CFO, I apologize. I misunderstood when we kind of huddled in the morning that
um when the sheet you gave me OB1, OB3, NB3, and NB9, um I thought you said they were being deferred. Uh in fact, you're saying that they'll fall off if not heard here. So, I wasn't planning on hearing any of those given I thought they were
deferred. That's my fault. Uh I apologize for the misunderstanding. Can we just collectively open and continue all of those with the expectation those four will be heard at the next meeting? Yes, sir. I think under your discretion
that will show those open and continued and they will um definitely be heard at the June meeting. Thank you. I'm going to try and speed through two when I have to get out of here if the team wants to continue quickly. John Nors, can we hear NB2 repave work
by Fdot? >> [clears throat] >> John, how are you? Um Mr. CFO, do you have to give some more to open up? Thank you. NB2 discuss including a requirement to repave the entire public right-of-way before closing out a permit for FDOT work in
the city of Miami Beach, NB2. John, thank you for this. We've had some discussions even in person. We had the Fdot team out on West Avenue. Um When I see this, I see it in several parts of our city, many parts of our
city. Fdot will do utility work. Fdot or other utilities will do underground utility work and let me just get the theme out and then you can correct where I'm kind of miswording some things. Uh there will be underground utility work
done and the roads will only be repaved that essentially cover where that utility work was done and it just makes things look awful, right? I saw it on West Avenue where we spent millions of dollars of taxpayer money in repaving
that roadway and then in that case uh I'm sorry, not Fdot, FPL um came out, did their utility work, covered just where they were going, and the road looks awful, right? It looked like this lightning zigzag uh that they
just cover their tracks and it destroyed all the aesthetics that we paid millions of dollars to essentially maintain. I see the same thing kind of lining up down this called 6 no 7th or 8th Street where we're doing some utility work. It happened in the South of 5th area and
this is just things I'm observing and anecdotally. I see it all over North Beach. So the thought I know there's some trade-offs that you're going to talk about here is if utility provider comes in and does underground work it we
just can't have our city looking so hodgepodge, right? If underground utility work is done, it's my belief uh I want to hear from you that that utility provider should be doing sidewalk to sidewalk repaving. Um let me
hand it over to you to kind of see what I got right, what I got wrong, and what our considerations are. John Norris, public works director. Uh just a little housekeeping. The item does say Fdot. I don't know if any action needs to be taken to change that to FPL because I believe that was the
intent. But uh thank you for bringing this item. The Department of Public Works has restoration standards that are published in our public works manual for all contractors that are doing work within the right-of-way within city
right-of-way. That's what we have control over, the roads owned by the city or the right-of-way owned by the city. These restoration uh standards are based on the extent of the utility cut that's made. And it's important to note that most utility
companies are going to do a temporary patch which is going to be very minimal and then they're going to have a paving company come back and do the permanent uh asphalt restoration at a later date. So a lot of times we do see these small patches, but then
maybe in a few weeks a paving company will come back and do the entire restoration. Currently, if a utility cut impacts two lanes, let's say it's on the dash line of two lanes, it is required that they restore both those lanes.
When a perpendicular cut is made across the street, they have to go 25 ft in either direction. That is to basically make a seamless a somewhat seamless repair. In addition, we do have a moratorium
after we have resurfaced the roadway for 5 years. That moratorium then introduces full-width paving standards for cuts to address the concern that you brought up. So, there are a few options here. We could extend that moratorium.
I would caution against that because any standards that we hold contractors to, the city will also have to adhere to. So, it will drive up cost in particular to our utility funds because most of the restorations that are done
by the city are going to be because of a water main break or a sewer line repair. So, those costs will not only drive up costs to do work in the city for the other utilities, but also for our own utilities.
>> How often would that happen? Oh, that happens very often for city work um [snorts] multiple times a week that we are doing repairs to a utility and we have to come back and do a restoration. Can we
I'm happy to hear what my colleagues have to say. Uh keep this here for further discussion for a month. My item, I don't think anybody has a priority of getting this heard, but if my colleagues want to chime in here, um but you and I discuss
uh some nuances. Okay. And one thing I did want to mention is uh further follow-up on these permits that are pulled. And that's one thing I would like to address is make sure that we are getting these temporary patches restored to permanent patches. And I think that's a
lot of the issues that we're seeing around the city, so. We need to do better at that. And perhaps this wouldn't be so highly visible on my radar if that happens because it just we we we can't live with our city looking like that. It's been a big focus of
uh aesthetics. And perhaps the time when it goes from temporary status to repaved, maybe maybe I could get over, you know, not doing the curb to curb if we got out of that interim period now. I mean, are you familiar with what's happening on either
7th Street or 8th Street east to west? Yes. It's like you can literally see where the utility was cut out. Mhm. Going all the way down. Same thing um I think down Washington Avenue uh from 5th Street to 3rd Street, you
can see where the utility was cut. Uh and it's probably so long ago that you know, you can't even recall the work that was done there cuz it probably didn't occur uh when you were here. Right. And and the other thing to keep in mind, I know we want to discuss this later is the jurisdiction that we have.
So, some of the most traveled roads in the city are FDOT roads, especially for me going up to North Beach, Collins. So, I see it every day there. Harding, um Dade Boulevard is is county. So, we do need to look at uh the jurisdictional authority that we have. We do have good
working relationships with those agencies, and we do communicate with them on uh temporary patches that haven't been permanently restored, but that is one thing to keep in mind. It's just I hate when we I feel like we're second fiddle on anything. I saw FPL doing substantial work over on
Biscayne Mhm. uh downtown. Whole eight lane you know, the whole four lanes is repaved. You know, I and I go that would never fly you know, to have on Biscayne Boulevard. It looked like a lightning bolt going in and out of there. >> [clears throat]
>> And I never want to play second fiddle. I I asked myself would Coral Gables have streets that look like this? No. Um so, I just want to be sure that we're holding up the high standard. Commissioner Bate and then we'll we'll keep this here so we can have time to discuss. Okay. He's He's a sure. Commissioner Magazine, thank you for bringing this in with your
permission. I'd like to be a um a co-sponsor with you. Please. Thank you. Um this has actually been on my radar for the last couple of years and sort of lost track of it. Before you were here, I was doing these neighborhood walk-throughs um with a whole host of staff members and um it
was a very hot topic of conversation because there would be patches that just sort of they're Oh, yeah, that's just a temporary patch. And then when they came back to report back on the punch list of things that we were seeing, they're like, "Oh, that should have actually been um done 6 months ago." And I'm like, "Well, has the permit been closed
out?" And it just it it's like in limbo. So, I think a part of it is just better operational procedures internally to make sure that whatever the right time frame is. Is it 60 days? Is it 6 weeks? Somebody goes out there and says the work is done, it's got to be finished. The other thing is aesthetically for
sure, it's a disaster. But also um you know, there was um a on 63rd Street on the northbound lane coming around the the curve of death, there was a patch that hadn't been made who knows how long ago um that was such it had sunk and it
was such a divot that I literally called because I thought I went over it at normal speed and I thought I was going to break my axle. That's not a good look for the city to be breaking people's cars axles, traffic congestion. It's been fixed. It's not perfect, but it's okay. Um, but
then, you know, it's funny that this is up on on the um on the agenda today because I literally drove from from 71st Street down to City Hall today and I was thinking, we need to have a a ride-along with with you and Jose and um there was somebody else I wanted to
bring to show because there was so much work being done from 71st Street across 63rd down La Gorce to here. You You drive it every day, I'm sure. You know exactly what I'm talking about. When that is finally done, like forget the fact that it's like taking your life
in your hands and and being a you know, in Frogger or Mario Kart or whatever, when the work is done, I have zero confidence that the contractors, whether they're individual homes who are doing repair work or FPL or or us, um I have zero confidence that those roads
will be restored to a a proper passable um condition because I haven't seen it. Not that it's not possible, but because there's no accountability. So, I would love to also work with you on this um and figure out, you know, how much of this can we do by just tweaking our internal measures now
and how much of it is massaging the relationships with external um organizations, but it's not good enough the way it is now and and there is so much work happening right now. Like we've kind of let it go fallow because there hasn't been a lot of utility work happening over the last
number of years, but now we we can't handle it the way it is now. So, thank you to her for bringing this. >> Yep. Thank you, Commissioner. Okay, let's uh thank you, John. We'll we'll discuss in the interim. Yes, so we'll show that I'm heard in return for further discussion and we'll show uh Commissioner Bop Ming Addy's a co-sponsor.
Um I want to be respectful. I know we have a resident that came for her item. Uh I have to step out. Commissioner Suarez, do you want to uh lead this with uh Monica? Thank you so much. This is the bird bath? Yeah, I'll call it up. Just All right. I think for the chair we're you're going to hear one
more item and then adjourn. I like birds today. Okay. So, I think we're going to one more item in the journal. One uh a second here, sorry. MB8 Discuss the installation of plumbed bird bath water feature at Belle Isle Park.
MB8. Uh Thank you. Um ladies and gentlemen, I'm here. I've said it all. It's a small project. The component parts are not expensive. I've only gathered another 60 um How many signatures are there?
>> I have 195 total. Uh but it's easiest I've done ballot initiatives. I've done voter registration. I've done petitions for my condo. And I've never in my life had a petition that people were so excited and happy to sign as the little bird bath petition for Belle Isle Park.
>> you do bigger you do bigger events like the Oak King's Day. Oh well, I do yeah. I'm kind of an activist. I go way back. Um and I um I I really just think there's a lot of support for this. People want they love having the bird feeders in the park.
They love seeing the birds, you know, more birds. And let me say that many of our species are are um imports. We have the the Eurasian collared doves from South America. We have the the green parrots from South America. But we also have a lot of native doves. Uh we have a black and
white warblers. We have the little palm warblers. We have the red-bellied woodpeckers. We have blue jays. We have grackles and mockingbirds. And we have mice. A little brown mouse came to my feeder and I picked him up and he his back legs were broken and he bit my finger, you know. But he would love to
have some water. And we've got squirrels back in the park. I don't know how they're doing it with the dogs. But people really they want the people that I'm so grateful to parks. I'm going to shut up in one with one minute for the community gardens and my bird feeders. And they they'll people that live in
condos, you know, I I wanted to buy a house and get out of here. But I'm I'm too old to go. I'm pushing 70. and people in the park just want in the parks, the gardens, the bird feeders, and the little bird bath is just a little project. And I'm also willing to kick in a couple grand of my own money
on this. I don't know, you know, I'll deposit that into a fund for this. >> So, John, what is the cost? Yeah, we we estimated cuz it it needs plumbed water, it needs electricity, and a setup. We'll do all $15,000 for all of that. Is that >> That's There's >> That's the most you think it'll cost? I mean, cuz it's just I mean, just running
some plumbing and electricity really isn't that much. There's geo bond money, too. >> Right. Not for the park. Not not not for the park. Um so, yes, you always run into things with construction. So, we we've we picked a location closest to water, closest to
electricity. We'd rather, if you are going to send this to full commission, we'd rather budget for the full 15,000 and not have to come back and maybe come under under budget. But when you're looking at utilities and a couple Who's the Who would have to do Would it be a city staff that does the work? Um Or you have to get a contractor?
>> It'd be a It'd be a It'd be a combination. For example, we would have to >> we just have city staff do it? And it cost uh nothing. Well, we we do I I could check into that, but we are running electrical lines, and I'll see we we do a hybrid. In the parks department, we do a hybrid with some of our park staff, as well as some contractors.
Um but we are taking If approved, we want to do this the most economically um method we can. >> I just think that if we have I mean, it's just a simple electrical and a water, that should cost almost nothing if we have a person on staff to do that.
I do not The parks department does not have a licensed electrician. We we can do some some small work, Does Does facilities? I I don't know if we have a licensed >> that for sure they do electricity because they have to cap some of the outlets at the on Right. We can do small work. And and and Commission is pretty
small. Commission is one outlet. We We will one one pipe of We have to tap into a supply. We will We will try to keep these costs as minimal as possible. If I can maybe to to assist so we don't have to put a dollar value on it, but if it's interested [clears throat] for this to move forward as we always do with for budget priority is the city attorney
commission with a favorable recommendation but make a budget priority and FY27 budget priority for a plumbed bird bath water feature at the Bella Park and then John can work on refining that that cost estimate to see if it's able to be at a lower amount when he submits the budget handsome. >> since
um I think since Monica's so you know involved in this. I think Monica you even said that you're willing to pay for the bird bath itself. Well, I'm willing to put $2,000. The component parts are less than $1,000. It's some rocks, maybe
river rocks or sandstone. It's a little two horse one or two horse power motor. Monica, I'll match whatever you put in, okay? So can we is it possible to to have a private >> a fund for myself and Monica that we give to the city. I'd rather just tell
instead of having a instead of having making it a budget amendment priority, just tell staff to do it and then whatever the cost is we can donate to to get it done. I'd like to comment to this. Sure. Well, you want to answer the
question. I I The motion could be changed to accept private donations and and I'll ask Rick to jump in if I'm off line is cuz I think we've done it before is to accept private donations towards the cost of a plumbed bird bath at Bella Isle. >> Sure and I think you still need to
figure out what the total cost will be because I don't believe that Commissioner Suarez and Monica intend to fully fund the cost. I think I mean Mr. Mr. Salinas. My concern with this and I don't oppose
it or anything. It's lovely, but you know, as I'm thinking about our budgetary needs and items, you know, what do we you know, then what do we do when Flamingo Park wants a bird bath and then they want a $15,000 bird bath, and then Bay Shore Park wants a $15,000 bird bath, and then So, I would encourage you
just for us to be fiscally conservative, you know, the folks that signed your petition, is there a way to circle back and say, "Hey guys, you know, you want to chip in 200 bucks? You want to chip in You know what I mean?" Yeah, we we already have a sponsor. We've got 4,000 right here, but there
were 109 people on the petition. Uh 2 190. 190, forgive me. Um So, then, you know, so that way if we have a privately funded bird bath, which is what we discussed last night, these little projects that, you know, neighbors can can fund, and then that way we're not
absorbing the cost, and we also don't have to say no to another neighborhood that might want one. We can say, "Hey, look, they self-funded this, Flamingo Park or Bay Shore Park or whatever Normandy Isle, you know, why don't Sure, listen, I I think uh Can we try that first? >> Yeah, yeah, that's what I'm and that's
what I'm getting at is I'd rather just I, you know, myself, I'm willing to volunteer, and and Monica's willing to volunteer, and I'm sure, I don't know, maybe of the 190, some are willing to pitch in a couple hundred bucks. I mean, go to the If I may really difficult to So, it it but you know, go up to all the individual people and get money out of
them, I've got to tell you. I I pay a $100 a month for the seed for the bird feeder out of my pocket, and I have a little sign up on the feeder, you know, "Please help me if you can keep it going," or whatever. I think two people a year give me $20 for a bird seed.
If I may chime in, um the standard is across the street. This is a pittance for them. Somebody, you know, maybe there's a conversation to be had. The other thing I I don't really want to involve Respectfully, I don't really want to involve the standard. Okay, so I have a bigger issue with this.
>> Um which is not about the bird feeder at all. And I Monica, I want to talk to you, but the the note that you sent in about that that anonymous text message threatening violence to you. >> Yeah, well, like there's one day, just one day of text messages that Yeah, that was insane, but that's a different conversation.
Um, what do you mean? At one day, there was a single day during which two people sent me um, a slew of text messages saying that the birds were bothering them and making noise and they should not be allowed. >> personally, like threatening. I It It
wasn't too mean. I felt I was threatened by the words on the page. It was like really out of line, but that's a That's a different conversation. >> There's already birds there, right, with the bird feeder? >> You know, the park is very political on Belle Isle. So, you have to be very careful. >> bigger issue I have is systemic, and so forgive me, Monica, it's not directly
about the bird feeder. I have an issue with, um, the fact that we are consistently getting estimates for work done on relatively small projects, installing the sign at the banyan tree in park, uh, in Bayshore Park, or, you know, a pedestal for, um,
uh, a plaque in North Beach. And John, I'm not I'm not coming at you, but these are the the things that you and I have talked about recently. Um, the the this could cost $15,000 before we explore who do we have on staff in which departments that can do the work internally. Um, and I forget
who I had the conversation with. It might have been you, John, it might have been somebody else cuz I have a terrible memory about, um, starting to hire people with journeyman construction skills so that somebody from you facilities could do an installation of a, you know, something in a park. That these the skills that we have on staff
can cross departmental lines to lower the cost of what this is. Like I I don't know what a bird bath installation costs. It seems like it'd be a lot, but But, you know, um, how do we improve the process so that we can >> Well, that's a different discussion.
>> No, I know, but I want to elevate it here so that because we're in the middle of this we're starting off the budget conversation. And so, I want that to be something that we discuss as we move forward in the budget process and as we look at who we're going to be hiring and what skills they bring and and what cost
estimates are because if we've got a billion-dollar budget, but in fact without cutting a single job, we could actually have a $950 million budget and achieve exactly the same just because we think differently about operations and cross-pollinating.
It is a different discussion, but it's it's timely. So Can I also I'm sorry. I just want to circle back to my point though. >> has to say too. John? Um Commissioner >> Well, hold on. Okay. Um I just want to make sure we get on track here. And I'm I'd be more than happy to
to follow up on that discussion, but for now, for the sake of time, where are we with this? If I if both Monica and I want to fund this personally >> chase those 190 >> this? >> Yeah, wait, can I just say I just did the math? $15,000 divided by 200 people
is $75 a person and if I back out the 4,000 that you guys already committed, it's $55 a person. >> won't get it from everybody. Yeah, I mean if I can't but this 55 but but Commissioner Mathesen's It's okay. >> mind my my my What difference does it make if it comes from two of us or 190?
It doesn't I mean it I'm saying like as long as the money's coming privately, I don't think it matters. No, no, she's saying that both like you guys would be funding four grand of it and then there'd still be 11,000 more. >> I don't even think that it's going to cost more than five. In all honesty, like
and that's what that's what that's what Commissioner Botta is saying is like I I just don't see that happening. I think we can do this all internally for you know, and and look, if Flamingo Park wants a bird bath, you know, maybe you know, we should definitely have someone on staff who can
just do these quick fixes and and I I I get it. Staff always wants to have a third party do it and you know, they always charge us three times what the normal cost is. But I don't think we need that. I think we can get this done here. I think we just need the material cost and just have some PVC and some electrical and
some conduit. So where Okay, where do we Where do we stand? I was just informed that this item or our companion is also with neighborhoods and hasn't been heard, so it will be heard in another committee. But, it sounds like from this maybe it is a dual piece that would come back to commission. Is I believe it would just
return to commission with a favorable recommendation to accept private donations towards the installation of a plumbed up bathroom at Bella Park. And then what I believe what would happen is that ends up being the motion out of here is it would be held until neighbor I guess the next neighborhoods meeting where you can get their part of the
recommendation I I guess. And that we could all go back to commission cuz you have two different two different items there. And probably what I'll end up doing is that will all probably being a discussed take action cuz it obviously may be two different pieces of that. And my assumption also would be is let's just say the accepted donations are $4,000 and it ends up being whatever it
is, five, six, seven. There's is some other private public dollars that need to be included and that would just be the budget enhancement that would be submitted. I don't think we're going to need a budget enhancement. So, I mean can can finance also direct staff to find the personnel, you know, maybe through facilities to to
do this or what >> that come from the commission? Commissioner I can answer the two questions. I agree with what you said. In fact, we have city staff working on the latest pedestal and plaque. Okay, so we we are doing the task and Commissioner you have my commitment. We
are going to look to see how much if not all we can do of this project with city staff. Done. Okay. Great. I mean I just got I got a plumbed bathroom at my at my place it was like 200 bucks. You just You just place it there and you know, it's you just Look
at permit requirements. We're going to do it right. Whatever we can do with city staff, we will. If it makes sense, we will do with city staff. So, if we get the $4,000 donation, that plus city staff may be sufficient if not the Just for education, do we need when we do something like this, do we need to go through permit permitting processes?
Like is there a whole thing or is it does is it like a I'll I'll with the building department. There will be an electrical connection. There will be a water connection. We're going to do it right. We'll do it >> No, of course. I'm not suggesting we don't. I'll maintain it. I'll do all the maintenance. And you know, and speaking about private funding, I think you mentioned this at the budget hearing
yesterday. Commissioner Matthias Eslana says, you know, if maybe we do reach out to these 190 and say, "Hey, you know, your name could be put on a little, you know, metallic plaque." Yeah, like, you know, like you got you got a little fun, you know, brought to you by It's hard to get money
out of people though, you know. I'll tell you. Or maybe not individual names, maybe a a plaque just saying, you know, dedicated by the residents. >> Well, that's the point is if they're if they're giving money and if you if we want to encourage more private dollars and your name is, you know, tiny little
font, I I don't see the problem with that. I think and by the way, a lot of our projects could get funded that way, right? So, we can discuss that when it when it gets to So, at least for now, Monica, just let you know that this is passed. Uh well, we haven't voted yet
technically, but this is going to pass. It hopefully does. Our finance and then neighborhood still has to iron this out. Um and then we'll move it Yes, okay. Okay, I'm going to Yeah. Okay, so uh I'll move it. Yeah. So, return to
commission with a favorable recommendation to accept private donations towards the installation of Palm Burbath at water features Bella Abzug Uh actually your Just technically, could we get your chair Matthias Eslana to move it. Um Second.
Okay. All in favor? Aye. It I'm I'm going to Vice Chair, there's public comment. Well, the the the item is passed. Is it a Is it a commissioner? Is it a commissioner? No. How many?
All right, let's hear it. Deborah Leibowitz, please unmute yourself. Uh hi everyone. I have listened for 2 and 1/2 hours to hear about this one minuscule issue. Um this is really an informative meeting
and I'm I'm so glad that I attended. My initial understanding was that this bird bath was going to be paid for out of GEO bond funds and that concerned me because it was not brought before the thousands of residents who live on Belle Isle,
which I do for the last minute 10 years. I live on Venetian Island for 25 years before that. So, I'm a very long-term um Venetian Islands resident, Venetian Causeway resident. Um I I'd like to say hats off to you for
all the important um items you've discussed. You've touched on many things that are super important to long-term residents about the roads, about construction that never seems to be done, etc. Um I I guess I would like there to be a
process whereby residents on Belle Isle have more of a say in what's going on in Belle Isle in general. Um And I'm working towards that. So, thank you for all that you do. I appreciate it. Thank you, Debbie. Uh appreciate you
staying engaged for um >> [snorts] >> for for all the city matters, especially on Belle Isle. Okay, so I want to do one last item. I think uh Commissioner Goran is online from uh North Bay Village. If we can hear that item. Is that the
non-resident entrance fees? Mhm. Okay. MB9 Discuss take discuss take action on possible revisions to non-resident entrance fees and or introduction of resident guest passes for city pools, MB9.
Okay, John, um why don't you take it away? Okay, thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Um Yes, we we currently have residents use our entry enter our pools at no cost, and we do have resident rates to enter
our pools, which currently are $19 for adults, $13. >> Non-residents? Non-residents, $19 and $13 for children. And then we have also a resident could buy a punch pass or a 10 entry pass that they could use for
their guests, which is at a reduced rate of [snorts] Well, it's $105. $105. So, that would bring that price down to $10.50 an entry versus the $19. So, that's our current our current structure that we have for the the pool entries. And North Bay
Village has a separate resolution, which is $6.50 for children and $9.50 for adults. Do we have a cost for North Bay Like, what do we make every year in North Bay Village? The dollar amount from those residents.
Do you have a figure? I I know your item does say that you only sold 32 punch passes for about $300. >> that's the punch passes, yeah. >> Yeah. Um okay. Um So, uh Look, I I think, you know, we have a
great neighbor. Um I'd like to take them over someday. Uh >> [laughter] >> Yeah, I know Goran's listening. Um and this is the first step, and I you know, I think we should uh be good neighbors and allow them to
um to come for free. And I I don't really think there's going to be any sort of strain on our resources. I think it's just good It It's It's It's good for for our sort of interlocal uh partnership because they're going to be having a a major soccer club in in
Normandy, and and I I'm, you know, I I think they're they're certainly willing to entertain a a a trade-off, if you will, with uh uh this. Is Commissioner Cuck on the line? Did he raise his hand?
Not yet. >> Okay. John, what do you have to say? Well, Commissioner, can I add one thing? Looking at some revenue, North Bay Village FY25, looks like we collected $860 in revenue for their non-resident rate coming in. Yeah, I mean, that's nothing. We don't
We don't need to I mean It's nothing. I It's nothing, but so we approximately sold 32 punch passes for $3,000 to North Bay Village resident. >> That that's to any resident. You can buy a a 10 a 10 punch pass. Um So, then
do we do we I missed this part, I'm sorry. Do we collect We know how many North Bay Village residents, you know, there if we give it to them for free, there's obviously a loss. And you know, so is it 100 bucks a year, 1,000 bucks a
year that we The ones that we we we were able to capture equaled $860 in total revenue collecting the special North Bay Village entry fee. Okay, I mean, that's very nominal. But then, when they have their soccer field, are they going to let our residents go
there for free? Are they What's the We were able to There's a There's a separate item also. A few different conversations with North Bay Village and and and my staff was in in contact with North Bay Village administration, and they asked to give us until give them
until like mid-July before we continue this conversation because they're about to open They They just They want to get settled settled in with their new center. But um so, we were in conversations, but it's on pause until mid-July. And to the vice >> Well, I'm sorry. That's okay. Um so, I,
you know, love our neighbors, but they don't have anywhere in their budget where they could also, you know, I just They're about to be flush with cash with their new developments and you know
I mean with all due respect Commissioner Arment, I don't It's just $800, right? I mean and I'm not saying make it free for everyone. I'm just saying just for North Bay Village we're going to that like you said they're going to be up and coming over the next 10 years. I want to have the best relationship
with the public and I don't want to nickel and dime them for like pool passes because there's going to be a time where our kids in North Beach are going to want to go to to North Bay Village And they should and I just want to make sure that they Yeah, and listen, I mean by the way look if they don't
reciprocate then we can easily take this away, you know what I mean? It's it's not like this is forever. This is just let's just as a good first step let's see what this takes us and then again it's $800 that And let's be honest that $800 is is
really kids going to the pool, right? And with their parents. So I I think it's just a good first step to build a better relationship. I I agree but again I just want to make sure it's reciprocated and you know what I mean? That's all. >> and Commissioner Goran Cuk is on the line. Maybe he can
speak to how he they can reciprocate. So we've and Commissioner Bout, did you want to say something? Go ahead. Thank you. So I it's funny cuz we're all having the same conversations in the same week. I was literally on the phone with the mayor of North Bay Village yesterday morning about this
from a larger perspective this kind of reciprocal use because they have something that we need that we are not going to be able to do which is multiple soccer fields and something really important for our residents and you know I'm I've been talking about where could we put in a full-size soccer
field and it's going to be almost impossible not impossible but almost impossible and require a lot of trade-offs. Are we talking talking about the West lots? Potentially or or elsewhere. I mean maybe on the roof of a new parking lot. I I don't know. Like I'm I'm trying to think outside the box
on this. So, what I was saying to Mayor Steidiford was can we have a conversation? I know they said to us that their staff said to our staff, we need until July to figure out where we all are. But in Rachel and I were saying that we actually need to have that conversation sooner rather than later because of
their legal contractual obligations if we're going to adjust the contractual obligations so that we have a reciprocal exchange of soccer field and and residents in North Bay Village and then they come and use our 72nd Street um
sports complex and other Miami Beach facilities. It it should really be this whole comprehensive holistic like where we are almost the same town and you know, we're working on um uh trolley situations and how to get our residents to them and their residents to
us without putting additional cars on the road. So, I I think that the the goal of this is exactly right. I I think I and I know I don't have a vote on this, but my preference would be to just hold on for we're talking about meeting at the end of May to start this conversation. To
hold on what we're trying to do and maybe start with this and that's fine cuz it's it's confined, but the bigger conversation, let's figure out how to do this holistically in a way that benefits all of us. Yeah, and sure. Like I can just like I said like you said, I
want to confine this to just this particular thing for as a good as a good first step Sure. on on building that relationship with North Bay Village until until such time that we take them over. Mr. Vice Chair, if I may, I just
want to provide Are they green lighting this situation? A little point of clarification. There was a an item related to facilities for North Bay use of facilities by North Bay Village residents at the March 4th meeting which
received a favorable recommendation to return back to commission and to direct the administration to negotiate an MOU. >> That was my That was that my >> No, it was your item. I believe that this item might be a modification of that item based on the you know, free access. So, I just
want to make sure that when this goes back that we don't have competing items on Well, I think this is very specific for reconciliation. Well, well, it hasn't come back to commission yet, the one from March 4th. So, I think that that
could be combined with this one perhaps. Um, I think we can keep it separate. I mean, again, I just I want to I'm not trying to make this complicated. Let's hear from Commissioner Goren Cook. Please unmute yourself, Vice Mayor Cook. Thank you.
Hey, good morning or good afternoon, everyone. Uh, and I've I've heard some great comments and and feedback here and I just wanted to reiterate that the purpose of this is to continue building on the partnership that we've already started. We started with the trolley and that's been really favorable by the
community. We ended up doing a couple of joint events at the bandshell. Commissioner Bott joined me for that. That was that was a great time of joining our two communities together and this Normandy pool we see kind of as as an evolution of that partnership.
Right now, it's as we saw a couple hundred bucks a year. If that is if that is if that is a sticking point, I'm willing to I'll just pay it myself out of my own pocket if needed. But, I would like to try it out as a
pilot program for a couple months, perhaps throughout the end of the year to show our residents that we're continuing to work together with our neighbors, with our partners, that we're looking to maximize the use of joint resources that we both have. And I'm I'm open to having the conversation about
our soccer fields and we'll have paddle courts and pickleball courts and walking paths and other things that will open in July. I know we are looking to move over our parks and rec director there by September. So, that might be the best time to to to see
where where we can where we can add on, but that is absolutely the intent. We want to offer that up to North Beach residents, Normandy residents as well to take advantage of of those fields and and amenities that are going to be available. All right. Thank you, Vice Mayor.
Appreciate it. So, look, I I like I said, we just want to build on the relationship. We have plans in motion for a more of a long-term strategic partnership. But this is a good first step. Um Commissioner All right. Um I'll make the motion to
move it to full commission to support this item. If I may add to that, just hearing what the commissioner Vice Mayor from North Bay Village stated about a pilot, is would it be then returning to commission to a favorable recommendation to allow free access by North Bay Village residents to
Miami Beach pools for a period of pilot period of 6 months and that would give the time to iron out these other nuances. Through the through the end of the year. Through the end of the calendar. >> Yeah. That'll just make it easy. And we'll show Commissioner Monica Salinas making that
motion. >> I'll second. Seconded by All in favor? Aye. Aye. Item passes. Okay. Thank you. >> Mhm.