We're good. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so very much. Um, it's going to be a pretty quick one. We going We only when we have one action. Yes, madame clerk. Uh, we're about to start our city of North Miami Beach workshop for our budget. Can you please do the roll call, please, for Wednesday, August 6th, and
we're starting at 5:15. Why is it going up like that? 519. 519. Sorry. 519. Commissioner Gimmon here. Commissioner Jean here. Commissioner Smith present. Commissioner Smuckler present.
Commissioner Sue here. Vice Mayor Shernoff here. Mayor Michael Joseph I am here. Thank you. Next item is pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right. All right. Play ball. Mr. Mayor. Yes. May I just before you start, may I explain to the public that the electricity was out in the building and
there could have been no recording and no visuals for you at home. So that's why we were delayed. Otherwise, we would have been on time at 5:00. Thank Thank you for your patience. Thank you, Commissioner Smith. Uh now we go to our only presentation discussion
item is our fiscal 2026 budget workshop. Um I I'll take it from here, Mr. Mayor. Go ahead. City Manager Pocket. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, commissioners, uh, Vice Mayor, um, staff, uh, thank you all and, uh, members of the, uh, community or here
watching at home. Uh, I want to thank you and welcome you to our first budget workshop for FY26. Um, before we get started, I want to thank the team, um, the staff, um, all the departments uh, working uh, working
hard. Uh, this is not an easy process. Um it's a long process. It starts uh way before today. Um and I want to thank the team for for working hard uh working through efficiencies looking how we can get better how we can re rework some of
what what we already budget to uh to make more sense uh to do more things with uh with the monies that we have. So I know it's a long process. I want to thank uh each and every uh department um all staff uh for um for this work. Now it's not over. this is uh this is just
the beginning. Um as we work to um secure our FY26 uh budget. Um having said that uh thanking all the staff um we're working through um through your visions uh to uh push the city forward. Um so we're going to start with a
overall budget overview um from our um deputy and chief financial officer um and then followed by uh some department presentations um for the first one and then we'll pick up um at the next budget workshop with uh with other
presentations. Uh having said that, I'll turn it over to uh Tariq. One one second. Yes, sir. On behalf of all of us up here, we feel the same that the manager just said. So, thank you all for all that you put into it. Go ahead to Thank you, Vice Mayor. Uh, honorable
mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, thank you for, uh, having us today. We have a lot of material to talk about. So, u, as the city manager mentioned, I will go first to talk about the big picture in terms of the city of North Miami Beach, then we will dig into the details with
the department. Uh, I also want to thank you all. This is the moment where I feel I'm I'm in NMBB and when you get to talk about the financials and the budget uh that's I'm officially walking through the numbers with you and
getting to a path uh that will be an adopted budget that will be uh in line with the commissioners and the mayor's vision. Uh with that said um um I think I'm going to first give you some handout that will help you also follow the
presentation. If something looks small or anything, you will be able to uh go through that folder. Bernice and Denise can help me pass out those reports. What you will receive is basically all the materials we're planning to go through with you today. Um uh uh including the
memo, the agenda, the finance presentation, the police department, public works, uh etc. So, I'll give uh Bernice a moment to provide you that information. Thank you.
Thank you, Bernice. Um u the memo I I shared through the city manager to the mayor and the commissioners is really an overlook macro scopic economic look of what really impact us. Uh my experience as a
as an economist is always through the 2007208 recession as well as the covid pandemic we all realize that cities are not immune to what happens to the economy. So uh most of the information I provided you it's three levels. At the
United States level uh at the federal level there are certain indicators there are many economic indicators that plays on a monthly basis that can shake either the financial market the monetary market or as well as the government policies. The four element we always watch is the
GDP which shows the growth of the economy nationwide. So far from the data we show that there is a uh uh uh forecast that the GDP in terms of this United States will continue to grow but a slower rate. Uh all these chart are
small in in in the presentation but the memo has a detailed more clear element to those charts. The second uh element we always look unemployment. At this point the United States is at about 4% unemployment rate. It's probably the
lowest in 50 years. The second and third which also affect cities or municipalities is the inflation as well as the interest rate. Those two are correlated. We know that the interest rate there's no indication that is going
to be lowered down and that has an impact on economic development in general and uh the the inflation factor now is about 2.6% 6% and based on the information we received that the Federal Reserve would only start thinking about uh fiscal policy changes to the rate
when the uh the CPI is at 2% hopefully next year. So we don't anticipate any changes in the in the interest rate. So that's at the US level. Uh in terms of Florida, um I myself new to Florida. From my economic research, it shows that
Florida as a state is in a really uh good standing in terms of other states. So unemployment is basically lower than at at the nation level. So the nation is at 4%. The Florida is below that. So our job market in the state of Florida is
doing much better nationally and much better than other states. the population growth. It continues to be one of the most growing population-wise states in the United States. A lot of people want to come to Florida for a lot of reasons. It is indicated to be slowing down, but
it is not slowing down at a rate that is uh uh uh I would say risky. uh there's a potential forecast that about a million people will come in to Florida by 2030 and that's an indication of growth and also indication of attracting talent and
attracting companies. The other two is the housing and real estate as well as GDP. GDP continues to grow uh as well as personal income. It is slowing down but it's still uh one of the highest in the nation. Now what's happening in Miami
date county? Miami date county also is leading the state itself in terms of economic indicators. Number one is an uh is the employment and business growth. You see the red chart that's the the national trend. The blue chart is the
Florida trend and you can see that the employment is a little bit higher than what it is now. Unemployment uh is the lowest in the in the state at 2.6% in Miami date county. So all these and there's other things uh uh in terms of project is more detailed in the memo
what really makes Miami date county as the leading uh uh county in Florida itself which is basically the economic engine probably one of the economic engine in the state. Now, North Miami Beach, all of these
factors that I mentioned has a direct and indirect relationship to what things go in terms of uh North Miami Beach. The number one factor I was able to find is the unemployment. Unemployment rate in North Miami Beach, that's from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is is about
2%. It is really one of the lowest in terms of cities. Uh other indicators uh that I think are positive for the city of North Miami Beach is also the taxable property value. It's not increasing at the highest level like last year, but it's still showing growth in terms of
value. The other two elements which we're going to go through through the presentation is the revenue forecast in the general fund as well as the general fund surplus. Both in my opinion are also positive indicators.
I think we uh we all went through the process uh in July of adopting the millage rate. As you can see here, the we we are at 6.1 millillage. Uh we are still lower than cities like North Miami, Golden Beach as well as Miami Gardens. In terms of revenue, we
forecast at that rate of 6.1. The revenue forecast for property tax is about 24.2. Again, all these slides are in your uh in your report. uh if you have any difficulties seeing them u uh the millage uh quickly to go through it
is still flat in the last three years since 2003 uh 2023 it's steadily going down. Um I want to also thank uh my colleague Adam. I think we worked with him a little bit to do some GIS analysis to
show the property value in North Miami Beach by zone. Uh some of these numbers are not visible through the screen, but in your slides, you will see that the value of property, it's still strong, but it differs from one area to another
in North Miami Beach. Now, we are in August 6th. Um um I believe we've done the uh budget workshop as a first step to the budget process, but there has been a lot of work behind the scene, multiple meetings
with the department. We went through many audits uh in terms of uh financial trueing up the numbers in personnel personnel positions. Some departments have uh gone through some reorganization of their department which has an effect
in the personnel budget. But we we I want to thank my team honestly, Seth and Sharon. I don't know if she's with us here. They really did a great job uh kind of keeping the momentum and keeping u an eye on the the the precision as
much as we can in terms of the budget. So now the first thing any municipality does is to know what is our resources for the next fisc fiscal year. What's the money that is available for the city to allocate? There are two sides to this
uh equation. Number one is unrestricted reserve. This is after you close the book in 2024. And we're going to go to more details. Our our audit is showing that the city started the year with about 18.5 million unrestricted reserve.
This is money that is not assigned to any project or to anything in particular. So this is a one-time money. Uh we don't expect this uh uh uh amount to be uh the same next year depending on how we we're going to allocate it. But
this is also available for allocation. Our forecast in terms of a revenue in the general fund uh as of today is about 74 uh $75.4 million. The two equate to 93.9 total resources available for the
mayor and the city commission to allocate as they see fit. Again, the $18.5 million does not in it exclude the 20% uh u u u u restricted amount that we will have we will have to contain in our
reserve. So this is more detailed view of the city's general fund reserve. We have a $54.3 million in reserve. Only 18 of it is unrestricted. We can call it a surplus. other other amount of money
like the 20% restricted for the economic uncertainties and other items. Now the general fund uh is a 74.4 uh $75.4 million. The main source of uh revenue for the city is the property tax
uh and other things as you see here like the water search charge which we're going to go to next. Uh this is the NMB water search charge by uh by county and by city. Excuse me. It's about $10 million and this is money that goes to the city's general fund
currently. Uh the chart we have here is a historical look at the difference between budgeted revenue and actual revenue. And as you can see our projections and our budget is always uh
conservative which means that we collect more than we project. there is a there is a a distance that you can see between budgeted and actuals. Uh on the other side, this is a comparison between revenue and expenditures. Have we ever had a
structurally balanced budget? Structurally balanced budget is when revenue is equal to expenditures and that's only in fiscal year 2024. However, in uh July 14 July 15 commission meeting, uh we presented that it wasn't entirely the the story because
in September of 2023, there was an amendment of about $2.3 million that was needed to make the budget balance at the end of the year. Uh so the revised budget is actually higher than the revenue. So we continue to see a gap
between the city's revenues and expenditures. Uh this is a comparison of the general fund department um uh between the 2025 original adopted budget and proposed. Um you can see the the the percentage and
by how much going up uh you have the law enforcement, city manager, etc. uh we're going to go into the details about what what drove the cost of the budget for each department as the department had started presenting. Um so now um as of today our proposed
budget shows an $82.8 million with a revenue forecast of 74.4 million. So we have a shortfall of $7.4 $4 million currently and that can be bridged by the surplus we have.
So this is another look at the the expenditures in orange, revenues in green and that what you see in light blue is the delta. So using the $18.5 million at $7.4 million to bridge the
gap, it will bring the surplus remaining surplus to $1.1 million. This is a look at the general fund expenses by department. Uh, give me one second. Yes. So, on that one where you said you're going to take $7 million from 7.4 from
the the reserve, right? Correct. And that's what you're suggesting. That's that's that's what I'm suggesting here. there is balance the budget today to b this the proposed budget before we go we there are some other slides that
I'm going to share with the commission on the things we can do to to to to uh decrease the the $7.4 million but now our projected expenditures are $7.4 $4 million higher than the expendit revenues.
The general fund expenditures again the main driving is 61% of our budget is salary and benefit. 61.1% of the $82.8 million is personnel.
And here you can see the salary and benefit changes between department. Again salaries include medical benefits include uh pension include retirement. It also include u uh
certain things such as overtime in certain department. Uh so that's uh uh the total is $55.2 million. Now why the personnel budget is going up? Uh it's very simple. It's growth in
FTEES. Uh currently the city has uh uh seen the growth. I can't see the number five or six FTEEs. Uh that's the increase between 2024 and 2025. Um I I personally have done I think we
we will be proposing a budget policy. Uh I think uh in terms of uh uh budget increases in terms of FTEES uh the it will my recommendation is any new positions will come to the commission first for approval before it's added. Uh
for example transferring nonpersonnel budget to create a new position. I'm recommending that also has to be approved by the city commission. That way the commission has visibility and has the the the the governance of
authorizing and knowing what that increase is. Also the proposed budget policy uh is necessary u uh for my assessment of dealing with the audit annually. uh it will help us uh certain
policies in in the resolution to catch up to not being delaying to not delay the the the the annual audit and have it on time. Uh so this is something that through the city manager we will be working on to hopefully bring it back to the city commission. Uh because like I
said 61% of our budget personnel we have in my opinion put certain things that can help us maintain that growth. Wait one second. Yes. I didn't know we were in control of when we got audits or not. Wasn't that just part of the financial department?
Uh, say that again, vice mayor. I thought that con the part about audits was not didn't come from this level. It correct from No, you're absolutely correct. the the the commission and mayor doesn't have uh it's basically how the department
especially finance and others are well prepared to put all the items needed to complete the audit on time. I'm I'm hoping that this policy will put that sense of urgency and the necessary steps that we know exactly what we need to do
as soon as we close the fiscal year in the end of September and we have the audit ready in June. So that was the I'm sorry if I that was confusing but that was the purpose of the policy. Now we we spoke about uh the $7.4
million gap in our budget and we noticed what we can control, what we cannot control. Uh our budget currently is 100% allocated to personnel. Now this table provide a visibility about the vacancy by department and as you know like any
other municipality uh you will always have vacancies in department. We it's hard to say any organization will have a 0% vacancy. Therefore, therefore, because the the analysis showed that we
are at minimum at 13% vacancy year-over-year, we may apply a vacancy rate, certain vacancy rate adjustment to our personnel budget to reduce it. So, these are scenarios 2% 3% 4%. Of course, we're not
going to apply vacancy rate saving to a department that is fully staffed. We're only going to apply it to the department that have vacant position. And now the vacancy rate applying it instead of holding all the budget in the personnel budget we able to reduce that those
amounts we have I'm proposing a 4% vacancy rate uh which is uh uh $2.2 million that will bring our reduced de our deficit to 5.2 instead of 7.4. There are other things we can do to reduce the
deficit, but the vacancy rate will be step one, an easy step one. That is not it's not we're not uh freezing hiring. We're not doing any of that. We're just trying to true up the personnel budget. With that said, the chart will be different. Now, as you can see, the
general fund expenditures is 82.9 million. The revenues is 75. Now, the the the debt the the the the budget gap is 5.2. two, which will give the city uh the mayor and the commission a remaining $3.3 million surplus that can be
allocated somewhere else. A onetime money for certain projects. Uh that concludes my presentation. U question, Commissioner Florine. Thank you. Uh so that additional you said 3.3 million
what was the number or 2.3 million? 2.2 2.2 million. You said that could be allocated anywhere. the $2.2 million is a a an adjustment to reduce the personnel cost. So the personnel cost if it's 52.5,
it would be 52.5 minus 2.2 million. But your la the last statement that you made about allocating certain funds anywhere. Can you repeat that again? I Oh, okay. So um do you want to Right. Right. So the I'm sorry if I um
confused the commissioner. So $18.5 million is a surplus, correct? Applying the vacancy rate will shrink our projected deficit from 7.4, right, to 5.2, correct? How do we pay for the 5.2? It's from the $8.5
million we have in surplus. Mhm. The remaining from that will continue to give the city $13.33 million and uh unrestricted funding. Okay. Okay. I I heard you incorrectly. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. I'm sorry about that. Thank you, Commissioner Smith.
Thank you so much. I have a few questions. Um, number one, we really have to concentrate on economics because 28 million visitors are coming and $22 billion is spent by those visitors. North Miami Beach has to get our share
of that. Correct. And we can't get that share unless we increase economic development spending and making sure that North Miami Beach attracts them to be a part of that spending. Um
I just there was a 210% increase in management. How did that come about? And now you're asking perhaps for one more employee in management. Uh let's go back to the you're talking FTE table. Let's look at that.
when uh this table doesn't show go the table they had the percentage of pluses and minus on employment okay this one that one 210.5% on manager city manager and communications city manager and
communication is 210% I can speak to that I think the difference between this year's budget and the proposed budget in city manager's office and the personnel is I think there were two positions created in communication. You want set go ahead set
also has the 300,000 centennial. Yes. So two things uh that but this is only personnel though. We're talking only personnel. Yes. So this table only shows the personnel changes. Why the increase? Uh I believe and you guys can correct me if I'm wrong
that there were added two positions to uh communication department. Go ahead. Uh if I if I'm Yeah, if if you recall, we um um during the during the year the previous administration and I believe through direction from the from the council, we
uh we modified the communications budget for um professional services and we added two in-house positions for communication. So when we started the when we started the budget last year, we didn't have two an additional two-house
uh communication employees. We were using uh professional service outside um um outside uh um contractors, vendors. So that's true. Here's my concern. Has a study been done from department
when you said that departments that do not have a vacancy. Has a study been done that that department maybe had one person too many that could be moved? Because what I see from the circle 61% or 67%
on employment and I also see as a commissioner that things aren't getting done. So those things don't 61% goes to employment and the the city still needs a total cleaning up.
Take that. So it just doesn't add up. It it it doesn't add up. Um, one of the things I want to make sure we bring back, it wasn't my initiative, but I'm a th000% that money that's moved from one
department to another department can't be done without approval from the commission if it's more than $50,000. So, that hasn't been brought back and I think that needs to be brought back on September 6th. But I'm concerned
the money that we spend for employees isn't my problem. What's my problem is that we need more employees. We're deficit of employees and we don't see the results of good use of the money for the employees for
everybody. If they're short in a department, whether it's code enforcement, I mean, I just heard yesterday from somebody that was extremely upset because code enforcement hasn't been around to take care of an issue they have on their block. Well, if we don't
have enough people in code enforcement, how could they come? Then I sat in the water department and I was hearing about people coming around to check whether or not a water meter is broken. We only have two people on for the 185,000 people that use our water. So something
is a miss with the employees versus the work whether it's department department something is definitely a miss because every department seems to be short of employees to get the work done
but yet our budget doesn't let us hire a lot a lot more employees. It just isn't there. The money's not there. So we we somehow need to have an internal study on each department who needs what
and who has too many so that we can see accomplishments with the employees that are working very hard but see themselves don't get to accomplish anything because they they don't have what they need. That's what that's what concerns me looking at the budget that you've
presented so far. Commissioner Smith through the city manager. I think um um absolutely um I think there was a slide there where we had the proposed policy. I I myself um I think uh working through uh Commissioner Jean and Commissioner Sue we discussed
this gap in terms of policy. How do positions get adopted when you add uh my own experience especially in any city in any government entity you work with 60 to 70% is always salary and benefit.
This is a standard it government work through staff. So the 70 to 60% is not unusual. No, I'm not concerned with how much it is. I'm concerned with it that each department at that with it being where it is does not have enough staff.
Something is a skew. And I'm more concerned with the departments that have enough staff that our city doesn't show also an upgrade month after month, year after year. That's the concerning point.
That's a little bit why I want the budget to work a little better. whether the staff doesn't have enough each person that works maybe should have a a different scale so that they get more and then the accomplishments are made. I don't know
what the problem is. I know one thing that we're short in almost every department and we're in a deficit. Hello. That's what I'm concerned about and commissioner I totally 100% agree with you. me person as a chief financial
officer of the city uh position adding position reclassifying position. The bigger thing is reorganization of a department like a if you have a new vision as a director or an executive or city manager you want to reshuffle how the department is and how the department
will be all of that we're hoping it's going to come to the commission for approval first before we march to it and that's what the policy will do. So now the chart that I shared with you which shows the growth in FTEES we want to make sure before there is
growth in FTEES which is the full-time position will come to the commission to know do we add this or not this is the job description this is the reorg and I think that policy will have the commission visibility as well as the direction if that's the way to go or not
currently we don't have that policy so I love the grocery store I'm in the grocery store all the time I love the grocery store and I I am not a fool to not understand how what used to cost $3 now cost me nine. I understand it. I think it was Commissioner Sue that
pointed out that we 10 years ago we had 230 employees and 10 years later we had 450 employees. And 10 years ago people were proud of the way the city l looked and I knew before I came here that this was going to be a a thorn in my side
because that's what we get when it's public comment is how proud they used to be to live here and now. And that's what I want the budget to reflect. I want the budget to reflect how we are going to turn that around and bring back a
beautiful city again. And if we're short of employees and we're in a deficit, you have to show me how we're going to do that. That's what I'm looking for. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. We we hear you comm Vice Vice Mayor. I know Commissioner Florano is in line, but I
wanted to kind of um piggyback on what Commissioner Smith is saying. So when you show us the the departments, we're not necessarily seeing a flowchart of the positions within each department, right? But also, I know a greater concern is that we're not competitive as
it relates to salary. So even though we do have a higher portion of our our funds go into operations, a lot of our from the lower level all the way to the top, we're not competitive enough. So that that's another issue. So to her
point, if we're really going to analyze the budget, we need to see what positions are open. And then the greater conversation is pay scales and how do we increase those margins so that there's a compression for people who've been here so many years but then are not
necessarily getting paid to the market value. So I think those are the also the conversations that we need to see cuz when you show us the the budget, we don't see the positions. So we're not we're not HR or the department heads who are looking to see okay we need three
more code enforcement here we need you know we don't we don't have that purview however if you're bring us a budget without actually lining out we have it in the bigger book but we're not really seeing what positions are in quote
unquote this this line item and then are we competitive the I do. We What do What needs to be done? Do we need to pay more to do it to do the job? I'm I'm I'm really concerned and I know you have presentations. I
don't want to take it away from you, Mr. Manager. I appreciate you, but we only get two opportunities to tell the public what we're thinking here with this budget. And the budget did start, thank you all to staff, a long time ago. The minute we passed the budget in October
1, it starts again. But at the same time at this first meeting we need to have what's the goal of this budget? What's the goal of our money? And the goal is in my mind what were the three things that you had as a priority. So my mind
is to clean up the city. Let the people see and be proud of riding down their street living on their block with a beautiful city. And it's possible because we had it. Um but here's the thing. I asked the public what would they like and you know many
of them said I'd like the millillage reduced. So you're going to lower the millillage have less revenue and yet need more. So I don't know where we're going a skewer but we really are a skew but we really are not not handling this
the way it needs to be handled. I have a new scale personally. This commissioner has a new scale. I look at things now and say, is that the way Bal Harbor would do it? Is that the way Sunny Isles would do it? Is that the way Aventura would do it? And if the answer is no, then we can do it better,
too. And we have to do it better. So, in the budget, when you're telling me deficit, I need the staff and you to figure out how we can get accomplish what we need to get accomplished
under the money we have coming in and the staff that's necessary to make it work. That's what I need in the budget. And then, Mr. Mayor, I'll vote yes. That would be the No, you voted last year. You voted last year for the budget.
I did. That was the first time in a long time. Oh, well, I thought she did. I remember that. I I was very surprised because you were the Because you're very you have a very Well, now it really has to make sense. I apologize for taking up the time, but I
will tell you this complaint has been coming before us for the last year and and you can see it yourself if you live here. If you live on my block, if you looked at what's going on in my neighborhood on their chat, how unhappy
they are, how disappointed they are, and how they are resentful and and it's every department, every part of the city. It's not just them, whether it's Ulita, whether it's Pwick, whether so we need to correct that in this budget. this is budget is that has to be the
goal without having a well I'll say one thing um commissioner Smith I because I know I you have your scale and I respect that but one thing I want to say is this not to say that people don't look at
look to certain areas like B Harbor want to just have a more conducive and and be proud of where they live North Miami Beach is you know I'm not looking to be like somebody else I understand the standard I understand they have a high standard or they have they I wouldn't say they have a high standard. They have their standard.
Well, not to dirty laundry, but when you go and you see that a sink isn't working in in a bathroom and it hasn't worked for two weeks in North Miami Beach and it has a black garbage bag over it and it happens to be a disability bathroom in our city. That's not acceptable. And
I don't know another city, North Miami, Miami Gardens, I don't know another city that would have that. No, no. I'm I'm not saying that. home. And that's where my I come from. I come from a simple thing of a sink. From a simple thing like that. There has to be
correction in the budget that maintains a beautiful city for the tax dollars that are spent. And what does the public want besides a beautiful city? To lower their tax dollar. So that's what I'm looking for.
That being said, um you finished your presentation. Who's up next? Um, if you have any questions. Okay. Oh. Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, you Oh, it was it was just Commissioner Smith.
Oh, I'm sorry, Commissioner Florine. All righty. Um, thank you so much. So, uh, to to the points that Commissioner, uh, Smith and Commissioner Jean made, you know, I'm I'm just looking at this year after year after
year, and what I'm seeing is we, you know, the staff has enough on their plate to keep the doors open, basically is what I'm seeing. Um, you know, that's that in and of itself is a task that is um that's not simple and it's not easy.
So whether it's the sink that's not working or it's a pothole um you know that's just keeping the doors open and so we we provide the services we make sure that you know things are are operating as best as we can. Um but what
we're what we're doing is we're asking also those the same folks who are trying to keep everything moving to also bring us into the future. So, um I it might sound philosophical, but but I think that's just the reality.
We're asking people who are daytoday making sure that, you know, we we um we keep things going to also take us into the future. I think this this budget, since we haven't voted on it yet, can speak to the fact that we need people in
addition to our staff that is that is going to focus on taking us into the future. So I don't know what those titles are. Um you know I I don't know what who you know who those folks are but I I I know that perhaps in some
organizations they have a particular team of people that just focus on how do we take this city or this organization um you know to to to the next level uh while making sure that there's quality assurance and things of that sort. So um I don't know have you seen that? Have
you have you seen those types of setups in you know organizations and and can you lend some some thought to that because I think until we have that we're burdening uh let's look at public works for instance I mean h how are with all that they have to do
you know how do you how do you how do you put that on them to now take us into the future as it relates to um you know the beautifification as it relates to uh uh infrastructure and those types of things. Um, you can also look at uh let's see here.
I guess it is always thinking about the future. They're kind of like always working in advance, but I guess that's the world they're they're in. But um even when it comes to parks, so you have a parks master plan. Um I think we had our parks master plan. Was it 2016 that we came out with the parks master plan?
What year was it? It was it was adopted. Yeah, it was adopted in 2016. 20. Yeah, it was. Yeah. So, are we following? Have we been following it? We follow the parks master plan. We've we've completed some projects, but uh
it's it's pay as you go. So, we can't follow, you know, you have this parks master plan for, you know, multi multi- hundreds of millions of dollars. Right. Right. So we uh you know so through through the years uh we accomplish bits and pieces of the master plan as budget
uh as budget allows right and so and so I think we got to do one of two things either we say okay you know what we have x amount in reserves we're going to pick particular projects and we're going to move forward with those right and so but we still going to have we're still going to have a healthy amount of reserves so at least people can see things are getting done or we're
going to say um we need to go out and you know find different sources of uh of funding to accomplish everything that we say we want to do. Cuz if you look at that 2016 parks
master plan uh for instance, it's it's it's millions and millions and millions of dollars, but then you're using whatever you can get out of that year's budget and then the seven of us here are driving around the city looking for those parks. It just doesn't make sense.
You know what I So, it's either we we we decide, okay, we're going to we're going to all champion a couple of projects a year, or I'll repeat it again, we're going to focus on a particular area, a particular zone. We're going to say Eastern Shores is that zone for year uh
fiscal year 2526 and we're going to go and to Eastern Shores, make the assessment, and say, what do they need? guardgate, entry sign, uh roadways, this and that, street signs, wayfinding, bus benches. What is
it that they need? Once we make that determination, what have we done so far? How how much more do we have, you know, to till we get to the to completion and then we focus there for 2025 26. Not to say that we're not going to do
anything else. That's not what I'm saying. But we focus on those improvements in that area for that year. Once that year comes to a close, your deliverable is everything that we said we would do and everyone can look at that and say, "Hey, you did your job." But when you're doing a little bit here, a little bit there, no one's going to
see it. No one's And by the time you circle back around to do the second thing on that list in that particular neighborhood, the first thing that you did is already broken and ready to get repaired. So, we we have to adopt that kind of a method. And this has been years that we've been
talking about this. Um, but we just got to do it or or else we're going to continue to have the same conversation. So, um, hopefully there's some things you can speak to about what I said, but Mr. Mayor, no, no. I I just want to preface. I mean, one thing I one thing I have noticed
that each community, especially in our in our city, has its own very specific needs and how they, you know, point out their frustration of those needs not being met. Some people are very active on social media. Some people are active on, you know, reaching out, making
calls, and some people are active in just voting in general. What I want to make clear is that yes, I understand there should be a focus to a degree, but I wouldn't specify to me my my perspective. I wouldn't specify to a specific area, but to a specific initiative. Like if we're going
to work on our parks or we're going to work on this specific thing that's general throughout the entire community, let's do that. But when you start breaking it up, neighborhood to neighborhood, it becomes very adversarial and I don't want to have that issue because I've seen that done before and
everybody has their own and I every neighborhood can have their own gripes from not having a park on uh in in uh eastern uh eastern shores to delays to Sky Lake. I don't want to have that. But like, no, what I'm saying is it's a thought. It's a thought. No, it's a thought. But I understand
your train of thought, but I think if you if you specify to the to a specific uh uh initiative or specific thing that affects all areas, parks being an example, because like not all parks are equal in the city. Like I go to man like I go to Aqua Bowl like trash. There's
trash. There's pigeons and there's a lot of stuff. People really go out there. The people in Aqua Bowl area, Allen Park, they go there and it's not always at the best. It's not upkeep as well as let's say Allen Park in general and whatever, but it is a beautiful area, but it's not as it's not upkeep. But if we're I think something like that, we
can show those deliverables a lot easier because we can focus on parks or we can f focus on other programs that we haven't done as as well from programming. But like I wouldn't want to preface it to neighborhood to neighborhood. So So Mr. Premier, just to just to um just to you know kind of um piggyback
off of what you're saying. It it's it's it's um I understand your your uh concern which is a very important concern, but it's about it's about you know building segments and initiatives that we can hold each other accountable
to and the community itself knows that this is the direction that this budget is heading in for the year. no matter where you go, they're going to be able to say, "Look, okay, well, you know what? This is a parks focused year. That's what we're going to focus on." Or, "This is a particular neighborhood
year, or this is a this, this is, you know, look, if I'm in a particular neighborhood and I see what's happening in another one, and I know that maybe year fiscal year uh 26 27 is going to be our turn. Oh, I'm excited. I'm looking forward to it." Or if I know this year's parks, then I'm waiting until the park
in my neighborhood gets done, right? Um, and when it's done, we know it's we know it's something that we said we would do and and we delivered it. Oh, no. So, the the um and and and another thing, too, I think the budget, this is you
you're just the beginning. You're the introduction. So, I know we have a lot more to go, but the but the but the budget needs to be a living document. It's it needs to be a living document. and that everything we do I remember a couple years ago I had asked for us to
have a budget launch where all employees come together all the staff and management launches the budget and every employee knows what role they play in making sure that this budget comes alive right so that that's that's another thought but can you respond to what I
said I appreciate it commissioner McKenzie yes this this problem is solvable I think the first part is like Commissioner Smith said our ongoing revenues has to equal our ongoing operating expenditures the moment and I you you
saw the chart it's been always a gap the other side of the story also if if that if that was the case we just follow the logic of planning and execution we wouldn't be having $18.5 million
surplus because if I show you the other chart that shows the actual ual cost of of of of maintaining the city of North Miami Beach operations versus the revenue. Then it flips. There's a gap
between the planning and the execution. The I I'll show you in a minute. So there is uh there is a chart that shows our budget. I don't know if I have that here. So this shows the gap. what we need is
more than what we we plan to collect. I don't know if I have that chart uh actual budget revenue but I apolog I think I had it in the other uh uh presentation. The actual expenditures are lower than the actual revenue.
So that in itself doesn't add up. What you planned is more than what you make. But once you close the books, you find out that you collected more than you planned. And that's what we said there is a surplus. So this side of fiscal
management has six major component and I've myself done it uh through experience. The experience to that there are certain things you have to do throughout the year to get you to the goal that the commissioner McKenzie said. We want to reach to a goal. So the
goal has the side of the equation of the expense but also has the side of the of the revenue side. We do spend a lot of time to see how much our personnel will cost, how much the contract we need to
do X Y and Z. The revenue side presentation is always the source of revenue is at valorum like millage XY that's the bigger one we and I think staff have started doing the the analysis needed in the revenue side not only in terms of of auditing but there's
also the other things are not auditing the revenue that adds up to your revenue number one economic development so economic development and how the expansion happens in the city will with the focus will add up to a certain
revenue stream to the city. Number three or number four, the city provides services and provide permits and provide certain things. Rate analysis is also needed. It has to be done on time on everything we do whether it's permitting
of public works or economic development or water and those has to be done before the budget get adopted. So we understand if we adopt rate X or Y whether increase or decrease we know what that means and
also if we don't raise the in we if we don't adjust our rates what is the subsidy because if you keep the cost of providing this permits at some level and your personnel is going high because most of the work is done by personnel so there is a gap between the revenue
you're receiving based on those pl so all of these are pol and also the policy we mentioned about uh uh uh adding positions or reorganization of the department. In my opinion, my professional opinion that
should be always coming to the commission for review and approval before anything adds up or anything changes. So these are the things that I truly believe we can do in tandem. Not one thing, all of these things. And we have to know how to measure them and we
have to stay on time on it to know that all these things has to happen in sequence. So next time we're doing the budget, we know the result of the policy on our budget. We've done certain things in the equation of fiscal management, not only the expense size, but also in
the revenue side. So I've done it. It takes a lot of work. I I truly believe we will balance the budget, but it's not just one thing we need to do. There's there a list of things in tandem that has to be done.
There's a lot of people here waiting to present. So, we'll get to we'll get to my other questions. And and also, we do have another B budget workshop and then we have the first and then the second meeting. So, um, Commissioner Flor, um, sorry. Right. So, because we started like 20
minutes late and because we started an hour ago and because I see how many presentations are we doing here tonight? Like six, eight, seven. Seven. So, so I'm I'm just I'm not going to ask any questions. I know your phone numbers. I can call you. Um, just want to make a
comment that the I believe the dates are wrong. I don't know if this goes online, but the the the public hearing dates are wrong on in this in the in the book. And that's all I'm going to probably say there for the rest of the night. Thank you. And to to commissioner floor
um smuckers understand this is no. Well, no, I just hold on please. I just want to preface like we do have several presentations. We are going to have another budget workshop coming up in the next two
weeks. on the 26th, we have a first budget hearing and then we have another budget hearing. So, there will be plenty of opportunities. I know that and we've all and and this is a fluid conversation we'll be having with each, but I understand. Look, police is here. There's a litany of other groups. Public work is here. There's some questions I
like to, you know, um ask them if I if I can. If not, because of time, I can wait for the next budget here. I mean, bud budget workshop in on the 26th. So, I'm like to Commissioner Smuggler's point, I'm gonna be I'm gonna keep my my thoughts brief because this is just an opening for everyone to see where we are
are and that we're gonna this is a working thing. So, Commissioner Jang. Um, okay. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I wanted to kind of piggyback on what Commissioner Furman said. There was a resident that called about Eastern Shores, right? They had a litany of different issues that they wanted us to
address and that asks the administration if they can come up with an action plan so at least you can try to tackle certain things, right? It goes to the same area cuz if you you still have to have a holistic view of the entire city, but you still should know what the top
air what are the top concerns in each pocket of the city so that you can address those reflective of what the staff is doing. Again, one of the things I want to ask for is um a list of consultants that we have in each department. If you can get a list of how
much we spend in those areas because a lot of that can go into our employees themselves and I think if we we don't have a clear snapshot of what that is. So that would also help us to gauge where we can
empower the workforce. um because if we're constantly um supplementing the workforce with consultants, then it doesn't really give us a true picture of the output that we really need. So, that's one thing. Um and again, a
flowchart of what the departments look like, who are in the departments, and we're going to hear from the departments, but I really want to know what do they need urgently to kind of fulfill the top three needs that we have as a as a commission. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, so I wanted to ask you really quickly about first of all like this 15% of transfers. Was it 15 15.8% of transfers? Can you explain that real quick? Uh, the transfers is u as you know the
general fund u uh contribute uh to certain fund like the IT uh IT internal service fund. uh there's also uh that mechanism of how this fund pays the other ones for the services uh uh that
that they provide. We I don't have the details there but I can provide you the detail of the internal fund transfers and how they are done. Okay. So again thank you commissioner Smith for you know bringing up the topic of the budget policy. I think we it's
dearly needed. Um so Commissioner Jean whenever you're ready. Oh, no. For the record, we're waiting on the attorney. He had to pine on some issues and updates, so we're waiting on him. Awesome. Thank you so much. I hope the attorney is listening since he's not
here today. Um, I'd also want to echo something that the residents have been talking about, which is any of the new buildings that we're collecting taxes on. This is actually feeding into Commissioner Smith's um intention. if we can keep the new buildings 50% of those
taxes to refund to the homesteaded however that is going to look in terms of like how many years do you have to live here if you are homesteaded of course right like things like that um I think that might be something that we take into consideration uh my other question to um our interim
city manager Platkin is there looks to be a $400,000 increase in your budget can you explain in that please. I don't know. I didn't hear it. Communications. No, but that's that communications is a
different line. Communications in itself is and this is what you mentioned to me, right? The centennial. No, mayor and council is 914. City manager is 1.5 from last year 1.18. And then city manager communications
is 308. Last year was 99. So economic development is a $20,000 gain. So I'm just uh Thank you, Commissioner Sue. The increase is due to two things. Number one is the personnel increase comm uh
the two position that were added this year for communication for communication that that's not that's not what I'm asking about. The second one is the centennial. If you look at salary and benefits changes next time, you need to put a page number on these things. So, you know, we can
reference it. We'll do. All right. So, um, so there in the manager's position, in the city manager's position, the 2026 proposes go. I think you're in the wrong. It's called salary and benefit. Keep going.
No. There you go. So, line two, second column. 300. You said four. Well, I mean it's close to four actually. It's over. It's 315, right? Okay.
There you go. 320. Thank you. They already We can't read, but we can. And we can't do math either. You're right. Good. Good point. Either way, it's a 27% increase. I'd like to know what's going on in the city manager's office that is going to change
drastically because I would prefer if we put 323,000 on the streets to clean whatever it is that that we need for the residents convenience and a better quality of life. Before you answer, Mr. Banninger through
the mayor, just provide us an itemized of the of the um of each department. I think that would help. I think that Sure. And I'm not done. Sorry. Thank you. All right. Um, the other one apart from the flowchart which uh,
Commissioner Sean mentioned, I think there should be a revision of the desript job description. It has to be a lot clearer. Mr. City Manager, like you have to, you know, we if we're going to restructure this organization now, to to reference what I mentioned before that
Commissioner Smith likes to mention, I'm going to mention it again and going to clarify. In 2013, we had 400 employees. Our budget was 110 million. In 2021, we had 550 employees with a budget of 167.
In 2020, sorry, that was 2021. In 2023, we had 560 employees with a budget of 164. And now we have a budget of 212 with I think full-time employees is 505.
And um I'd have to ask our HR who how many part-time employees we have, but I think it's almost 200. When you say um Commissioner Sue, when you say 212 million, but what does that consist of? You consider you're adding the water plan in there. Correct. So, okay.
No, no. I mean the city's budget is 212. And then No, but I just want I just want you to break it down because when you throw those numbers out, people can some get confused like when you take out the water plant, right? um because I we had an expansion of water, a pretty big one. We're in a we
we're h we were fortunate to bring it back, but a lot of things changed as a result of that. So when you would add those two numbers, you're like 2013 staffing wise was very different because of how the water plant was set up than how when it came set up, Mr. Mayor. No, no. I'm just saying like because
you're saying you're you're trying to you're trying to make in comparison how the staffing from the from the amount of money that is budgeted out. I just want you to understand like when you that the water plant is, you know, they were not our employees. No, no, it was 2013 I think we had the
water in house, didn't we? No, but in two we we beefed up to be quite frank like when when we um when Jacob's there that whole situation, we kind of beefed up but and we assumed a lot of people as well as a result of the beef up. So, it wasn't we didn't we didn't get the the same amount of employees that
were taken away during that whole period or whatever. We It's not like we got the same net in return. Like we got more people when we brought it back in. Right. And also for the garbage. For the garbage and everything else. So what No, what I'm saying what I'm saying is that like I I mean that that logic didn't make
sense to me, but if you can clarify, I would love to hear it. You're saying you're trying to you're trying to make a comparison between staffing and total, right? Are you talking about just the water plant or you talking about every employee that works for the city made inclusive of the water plant? This report was actually made by the city manager's office back
in for the June commission meeting number 15.5. This actually data was on in that in that discussion item. Is that here? Is it I don't know. I have it I have it in front of me but um all I'm saying is that I don't know when that was
included. Did that include our you know obviously in 2013 we did not have the water plant outsourced in house. No, I was I'm not saying that. What I'm saying is that when we brought it back when we brought it back s like I'm saying like I just want us to be like compare apples to apples. That's all I'm saying because
you're make I understand your train of thought saying hey we have less employee from we have less employees but we're spending a lot more. No I mean the the spending is is is you know is inflending is inflationary. The other point that we have to also be cognizant of is that the
older our city gets the more pensions we pay. Okay. So that is already a given. I understand that there is a natural growth and natural natural rise in these fixed costs or so we so call right which is pension and um the older the city is
like the more we're going to pay because we're going to have a lot of people retire and we're going to have to pay pension. But my point is hiring employees. Now, if whoever prepared that um that document might be able to tell me whether that 2013 number of 400
employees is including water or not and garbage and garbage and garbage. So, if you can now my ass my assumption is yes, right? We did have that because there were probably a total of maybe like 20ome employees that were working in the solid
waste and we had our water department that was also, you know, functioning pretty well. Well, now very well. Very well. Thank you. Yes. I mean, like I wasn't around at that time, so Well, very well. But now that I'm seeing it like right now, I think it's doing pretty damn
well, too. All right. So, um, so with that said, no, no, finish your thought. Was I going to get censored? Okay. No. Um All right. So, so my point is to say that yes, definitely. Um, I think that the job description needs to be clear, an
organization chart needs to be clear, who's answering to who and what they are responsible for, and we need more details in terms of these skills, and they should meet those skills before getting hired. Because I can see that there's a lot of hiring that we don't
have them fulfilling all the position or the description that they have because we don't have a job description. Okay, Commissioner. Thank you. I'll work with HR and we'll do an audit of uh all the job descriptions. I also like you to do an an audit on the
um on the salaries too because I believe that there are some very hardworking well-qualified individuals that are in our city and are not paid at the level that they should be paid. HR is reaching out. They're looking to do a comp a full compensation. We already had that already.
Uh I don't think it was a full No, it wasn't. It was it was because of the it was it was it was like a se a segment. It wasn't fully like system one. So So yes, HR is is requesting and is actively looking to do a full compensation study uh that would address
what you're what you're um requesting. So you will be giving me the the number of this 323,000 on the side. Yes, we will. Okay, great. Thank you. I I will bring that back up here. Um I have some more. I'm so sorry. Can I ask a question about this? Sure
thing to ask to you. You want a job description of of every employee? I'm not I'm not sure. I don't want it for myself. I mean, I think he should have it for himself to manage the the the city. I mean, I I will I will look into requests. We'll do an audit. I'm sure that most I know Jacob had emergency
childcare issue, but I would imagine most uh positions require a job uh description and qualifications in order uh when it's posted. Um, but having said that, we will we will do a full audit on every position to make sure that there is a
job descriptions and qualifications. Like once in a while, I'll look at the city's website to see if there's any job openings just for the heck of it. And it has a job description. Yes. And are we enforcing that? I would I hope so. I would hope so. No, I mean that's that's that's a question I'm asking him, right? So
that's why I'm I raised the question. Now, um I uh we we would hire the best quality employee that we can for who's applying um etc. But no, we would love that. I think that if
we do that there will bring a lot it will bring a lot of pride to our to our staff as well that like oh you work for North Miami Beach. Not like you work for North, you know what I mean? I think that's uh so um what I also want to mention is um whatever McKenzie uh sorry
commissioner Fleurmont was mentioning just now about the projects right I think that this is where the CIP plan comes in because the CIP plan should encompass like whether it be water public works and you know community development including all the parks and
things that we need so that way that money can be can roll over year after year in the budget and we don't have to like sit here and talk about it again because once I mean like again I'm going to echo this with my colleagues that I would love to have a workshop with you
and hear your thoughts and learn about what you're thinking and also share what I think and yeah we're having this right now. No, this is not this is not the workshop for our like our comprehensive plan and our strategic planning. I think this is a workshop for the budget. So now okay
does that make sense? Is that No, no, I'm just waiting. I know comms. Yes, I know. I'm sorry, Jay. Okay, so um I have Oh, audit. Commissioner Ch I mean Vice Mayor Chernoff just said that the
audit is at your at your you know on your at your discretion. So I'm asking and I'm asking again about the ARPA fund audit. I think we should also have an audit. Like everywhere we could have an audit, we should have an audit because right now, if we don't audit ourselves,
the state is going to audit us. So, we might as well deal with this stuff first before it actually gets out of hand and they come in and start doing things that we don't want them. Well, can I to that to that point? Um, as a mayor, I get a lot of these notifications ahead of time. um you know
the the c the governor uh and his doge team has reached out to the county. I assume they're going to be reaching out to the municipalities. We have been very forward act forward- facing. Um I've seen the correspondence that um they've initially tested certain aspects of our of our of our u our finances. We've been
very responsive, very responsive. And and don't forget we were audited just last year. So even those are being updated on a constant basis. We understand what you know what the taxpayers uh are counting on as well as the governor and his staff. But I we are
we are very cognitive of the current new normal that uh and expectations moving far forward. But I I see them and I'm not say even I'm not saying that just because we're we're we're hang on just because that we're we're we're providing it now that we're not going to get the letter or whatever. But we have gotten
letters and it has been you know very fluid to the credit of the staff and responding very quickly. So go on um see if No, I just want to support what you said. I think you, Mr. Mayor, always get those letters. We always get them. I think we responded with all the information they requested and I shared
that information with you. Yes, please do. So I did. I think from my understanding, an audit happens every year. Yes. Right. No, no, no. It does happen every year. We had a very specific audit. We had a very specific audit. Oh. Oh, you mean the forensic one that we did for the pecards? We did that. There was there was very
there was very there's various aspects. Not even just that. It was you know, our clerk was out. There was different departments audited. It wasn't just Pecar. Okay. But what I'm saying is that the ongoing conversation in regards to to um to the to you know, Doge and everything else to
the credit of the staff to the city to the city manager and the staff, I've seen the correspondence. These guys, they sent out the request. We we we want to know this information within 20 to 48 hours. Correct. Boom. And because we understand what's going on and how how quickly this because we
do not want things to metastasize saying that we're not being communitative and we're not being on point because that's what a lot of these audits are looking for looking for some type of complacency not willing to work but our books are wide open and I've seen it. No, that's I I think that's wonderful and they come to you first.
Yeah. And in the entire side but I just want to I I know sometimes you guys don't see that because they're they're responding um pretty quickly but I've I've seen it and I'm very proud of that by the way. So, well, I know that. Okay. So, we've done an audit on our books to present to the state like we do that every year. Um, I don't believe that we have an ARPA fund
audit because after we've received the money in 2021, have we'd had an audit since then? We audited ourselves. I think what that doesn't count. What? No. Audit yourself. It's just, you know, going over the numbers. What I'm saying is you need a third party to audit. And that's my request is that I
have made this request several times about like an ARPA fund audit like by a third party and I would like Mr. Manager, can you please take this on? Well, let's get it clear. How much money do we owe? Do can we you know is there something we can do about that? There's no
working on it. When Tariq came in, Tariq gave us an audit of it where we found that there was a problem with that's where it came up. Yeah. was from the audit that he did of the ARPER funds and now that we're we're mitigating that we're expecting to um get that resolved.
Right. Um can I so through Thank you uh Commissioner Sue and mayor vice mayor. Correct. So the first that the first thing we've done as a finance department through the city manager's office and former city manager is we looked at the ARPA fund
the good and the bad uh meaning uh the deadlines by the treasury etc. and we flagged everything that needs to be corrected. We are now working on a corrective action because of the vacancies we have in finance through the city manager. We
have an auditor in house working with us to get our books together and we may come to you last meeting we hired additional um correct for you speak to that too. We the so we met I mean we came in with a
contract. We may need more resources because the as we dig in more we're going to show you that staff report probably in September and tell you why we need an upgrade or adjustment to the contract and what the auditors are doing for us is to correct the problem. We
found the problem. We were very transparent about it. Now we want to get to where we are in compliance with Treasury. That's our goal as a finance department as a city manager's office. Do you have any updated uh reports to send on that one?
Uh I'm I can share with you next budget workshop. I can tell you where Perfect Three. Um one last thing I I want um well not one last. Okay. So the pension um speaking of the pension so I understand that there's like some
different systems that the that the um the pension is uh being paid out by. Uh can you shed some light on that and like what's the plan for the uh city manager's office to do something about that? Well, the pinches are run um to I want
to preface this. The pre we have an independent division that runs it. Correct me if I'm wrong. U well what the pension if you may I'm sorry commissioner. So if you can re tell me the question again I'll make sure that I'm answering you correctly.
Okay. So there's two organizations administering our pension. Yes. So my question is why two? And does this mean that like we have to pay a retainer for both companies instead of just paying one company for the retainer or
how does that work or do they charge as a percentage of paying it out? We the the the city has multiple pensions. So there's one for police for example and there's one for staff and directors etc. for the police. I think you will u my colleague deputy chief
Stewart is going to come and talk about that because that's also in itself is a is a fiscal uh uh I would say uh place where we really have to understand it is it fully funded or not. I'm I'm going to cut to your to your question. Uh so for
the pension for the police one of the increases in the budget as you see is we have uh not a fully funded pension. It's it's supposed to be at least at 70%. 70% is also low. So when every year we have a report that we get from our investors
that tell us to bring your pension to 70% you need to pay 7 million 9 million etc. The other side which what you mentioning Commissioner Sue is the city currently have two vendors I believe that manages the city's overall staff uh
retirement 401 I think I can't mention their names public record that we have those contracts I believe it's nationwide and it's also mission square uh I've been looking at that with the help of my colleague Jacob Indram
director of u of HR and we are looking on whether two makes sense or one makes sense and all of it is going to come to the commission to decide whether uh what we need to do. Number three is the mission square and also nationwide uh we
were trying to locate the agreement and because we couldn't find it there's a lot of turnover. It said nobody's fault, but the city attorney is working with staff to uh recreate those uh uh those agreements and we have to bring them to
you anyway. Um and I'm hoping the next commission meeting which is September 8th, you will see the memo, you'll see the two companies, you will see the costs, you'll see do we pay him the same cost or not, and then the the the staff will follow the the mayor and the
commission directives. Could could I just ask a question Sue to the mayor? Are you Did you just say you can't find the agreement? Yes, we couldn't. Uh so then could you call the company and ask them? We did call them too. We I did everything possible. I think we called
them. We emailed them. I think themselves they couldn't find the because the So we have an agreement with no agreement. I'm wait on hang on. Yeah. I just want to understand. No. I understand your standpoint. This is okay. We do have pin. We do have the
pension representative here. Um, from my I can see him. He's back there. Uh, and I don't want to misspe to say that we're missing a public record. Okay, let's be let's be clear. I know that's why I asked. I want to be clear. And let's be sensitive to that, too. Please, please, please,
let's be real sensitive to that. Um, um, you I understand you're looking for that that the reason we were looking for the agreement because we needed an amendment to it. There's a 401 uh uh Roth amendment to one of the agreements and that's the reason why we're coming back
to amend the agreement. Yeah. Okay. To add additional services, Mr. Mayor. Yes, we are we're working on that. That's I just want to make that clear just so we can be on the same on the same page. I I understand your concern. I know that they're working on getting that document. I just don't want to say that this is not I'm sorry.
Um it's not available because I don't know how diligently they've searched. I don't know if this is commence it commenced last week or whatever. I'm just I just want to make sure we're still doing those dimensions to to get that information and not saying that we're because that's a very important document. Let's be clear. So, I just don't want to like misspeak.
That's all. I understand what you're I understand your concern very much, Mr. Smith. But I don't also want you to say something. I I want to see it. If it's not there, then the public needs to know that, too. And I and we're making that request for that information. Right. We're working
on the due diligence and uh and we will regardless it'll be coming uh to you guys September. In September. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Sue. Thank you so much. I'm going to finish up. Um I know we I really want to lay the grounds for the search charge for the water plant in our next workshop
because I really do want to put this on the straight and narrow. Put our search charge into the water plant for any CIP projects that need to be done. So, um I whatever your plan is, I would love to see it. And um any recommendations you'd
like to make, that's also something that I want to see. Uh last but not least, so I'm just going to go back again to the 50% property tax that I'm I want for the long-term residents who, you know, from the new buildings that are complete. If
you can bring that at some point um in the next workshop or, you know, so on so forth. Thank you so much. Will the commissioner Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Vice Mayor, good evening. All right. Um, two concerns. Um, number one, I would like to see a proposal for
us reducing the tax a little. And again, I was on a commission that we did that for every year that we had it. And we were at 10% when I was there, almost 10%, and we got down to six or 7% every year. And I know it it hurts, but we
have a lot of stuff in there that shouldn't be in there. And we need to really sharpen the pencil and and you know, make sure and again I'm not criticizing or anything, but the the bottom line is is that the
I don't want to see us going into the reserves. And I understand you're using it to balance the budget, but that's the trouble we got in before. And that's why we had no reserves until Mario came and got us reserves and made sure that we
had reserves. And that's why we have a reserve right now. But I don't want to make it go away if we can look into No, he set up the the threshold. He set up the threshold so that we don't go below a certain amount. No, we raise the threshold a lot higher than a lot of other cities, right?
So we're way above the the standard from like other municipal Commissioner Souk. I Thank you. I was going to hang on hang on let me finish with that. I haven't even finished commissioner. So if you can let me please. Um so so we can to be on the same page like what I'm saying is that um our
reserves the the threshold has been was increased substantially from our last from the last several years. I mean it went up to the I I think how% the reserve count 20%. 20% before yeah before we were at for years working off of what 10% 10 or 10 or 12.
Not even 10. Not even 10%. So we've we've buffered ourselves and we're still we're still working within that. We're still working on our means. Also keep it keeping understand there is and I understand c um you know your your your standpoint of
like you know uh possibly reducing the ledge but I want you to understand like it's good to say that but also understand like the the the way that you distribute that particular may be like a point or whatever compared to what services might be cut or reduced.
There's a balancing act as pointed back. Absolutely. And I don't want us to because right now the county nobody's looking to reduce their millage. It's like right now they there's the forecast is looking very very bad. Very very bad. We have properties that were slated for development now going on
bank foreclosure down the street. Correct. So we just got to be very mindful of that. I understand it looks it sounds good to hey but what I don't want to do is that we we we cut our nose and slide our face type of situation. I don't want us to do that and I want us to not reduce the quality of service that our
residents are barely receiving now for a headline. I don't want to do that. No, we we represent a lot of people and I they want they don't want the quality to go down. We got to be mindful with it. I just say we got to be much more budget conscious. To your point, um, Vice Mayor, we got to be and we got to know where the money's going to.
Cut cut the fluff. Cut the fluff. And and that's again to your point my my concern is is that as soon as we have a little deficit, we use the reserve because we have it and I don't want to do that. That reserve is for a rainy day. That reserve is for, you know, an
elevator that comes up that wasn't budgeted that we have or a hurricane or something. Exactly. And that's my concern if we can to your point to your point um commissioner. Yeah, we we will look and we're always looking for efficiencies through this budget. I want to thank the
team again for working so hard to this point. Um but this is the start um here. Uh isn't to start with the team, but it's the start here. Um and um you know at some point
um we will never touch the 20% that we're talking about even though we we have some additional funds uh above that. we'll never touch the 20% and we also have um another three million set aside for a natural disaster. Uh so there's there's also additional funding
for um for an emergency uh situation, but but we're up here giving our wish list. No, no, we are we are and but like like I said, I'm glad that you pointed it out. We have on top of that the additional what $3 million, but and we like I said, we have a very healthy reserve. I'm not trying to go into our
reserves. I think it's always good because from a from our bond standpoint and how we move forward and how financials look at us and how our ratings it it we're very attractive and we're going to get the best rates. So I want us to keep us at at that level. But commission let me oh vice mayor
and and based on based on your point last year or the year before we changed the accounting method. It seems like today we're back to a regular way of accounting and that's where we're seeing you know the the funny business was the way that it was shifted and where it was going
and not understanding and so on and so forth. And so I appreciate you bringing it back and everything's in front of us just we need more details. We'll do Vice Mayor. Thank you. That's your final point, please. I just want you to be clear to all of us
why we have that $18 million of reserves to begin with. Is it not because like actually the work that was budgeted to get done wasn't done and the people who are supposed to get hired weren't hired? I think that's important to know. It's not like we have this magically like you
know this reserve that like was created because it it was actually because of and and that I could be misunderstanding that and please clarify it for the public. Uh thank you Commissioner Sue. Um, I will come back with a detailed analysis
of what that $18 million come from, but I'm sure there are at least two or three variables that we will all agree on that will explain why we have that reserve. Number one, when you have vacancies and you have budget into personnel positions
and they stay vacant for whatever reason it is, that money, if it's not spent, it goes to the reserve. So now you don't have staff and you have vacancies and vacancies are attached to a certain project that needs to be completed. So then there is the the domino effect. You
need staff position needs to be filled. If they're not filled then you have surplus. If you don't have staff it may have an an an unintended impact on the project and the project money will be there until you have staff on board.
These two I can tell you that they are in a relationship. But I will come back next on the 26th with a document to all of you to explain exactly how did we get here. Okay. Thank you so very much. That was about an hour and a half, not more. Who's that? Who's up?
Thank you. Uh thank you. Uh you know what? Apologies. Wait. I I just want to sum I just wanted to summarize because I went first and I heard everybody. So somebody wants to give money back from all the new construction. Somebody wants to lower what the rate is, the millie's rate.
Somebody else wants to make sure we're paying the right amount to everybody. The question is where does the money go? Where does the money go? because for the revenue that we bring in for the work that needs to be done and everybody here
is saying help. I got to tell yesterday at the police street uh night out I I have to tell you a woman came up to me and asked me as a senior could I reach out to Florida Power and Light make sure they give a discount to seniors.
That's hurt people that live in North Beach that are hurting. So we need to figure this out. That's the summary that we need to figure this out. That we want to help the public. We want to get the job done. We want to make sure the employees are paid correctly and have
enough employees. And we have to do it on what we have coming in. So, it's an ominous task for sure. For sure. But between now and the next budget, I would like for you to show us some of the adjustments that you think can be made.
That's the summary that I have. Thank you so much. Thank you, Commissioner Smith. Commissioner Jean, one more thing. The vacancy rate, right? You said you were going to that's going to shrink it to 5 million, right? Um it was there more that you can bring
it down to maybe four. I don't know what you cuz that's a more definite amount since we're saying that we are saying that we want to see the reserve stays a little bit more intact. So you've brought it down to from 8 to to five with the vacancy rate. Can you try to bring it a little bit down in
100% I think 4% is safe. The four million the four million correct I mean we can definitely work on that. Yeah the the the 4% brought it down so we can look at a different percentage uh to but we'll look into that. Uh thank you for that commissioner.
Thank you deputy. Next up, thank you. Uh, our first presentation will be by uh, police deputy chief. Um, Chief, Deputy Chief, I know that um, uh, our chief is uh, working on some other matters, and I'm glad that we have our
deputy on doing the best that he does. Deputy Chief Nichols, when whenever you're ready, you just go for it. I'm going I'm going downstairs. I'll be right back. I want to be more All right.
Ready? Yeah. Good luck. All right. All right. Um, thank you, Deputy Chief. Uh, when you're ready to roll, um, you have you have the floor. Well, good evening, mayor, commission, and
manager's office. I'm here tonight on behalf of Chief Pine, who's out on currently on leave. And uh I promise I'll be shorter than the DCM. Uh so, we're going to kick off tonight with the accomplishments of each division and going through the goals and then what our finance and finance
finance uh for the department as well as our business plan. So, I'm going to start off with the administration division tonight or the court last fiscal year. We've hired and trained eight fiscal uh eight officers this fiscal year. We've graduated three cadets from the academy academy. We
currently have one attending. They'll graduate on August 22nd. We received and outfitted 12 vehicles. Six of it's for the road patrol sergeants. Four were for the detective bureau and two were for the K9 division. Departmentwide active shooter training was put in place this
year annually. It used to be bannually. This is a need that we felt like with the state of affairs in this nation that uh we need to do every year. And we also created a centennial badge which was designed and is currently being produced for the 100th next year.
This is Can I just ask you? You hired eight new people. Um or how many are you short? This is this is not the right Okay. This isn't This isn't the correct presentation. Excuse me. The the wrong presentation's
loaded. Technical issue. Um maybe we can move on to another uh if you can um are you do you know can you give the press so you have it there? I have it here but it's not going to correlate with the slides. Oh really? Wow. Um do you
No, we're okay. I mean the police is a major issue for us so I I don't know. We don't want to worry about the slides. You just want him to go through his uh presentation and then we'll we'll send you um Yeah, we'll send the slides but um deputy when was this? We have it in front of us but you can speak please. Okay.
Go ahead. One second. Mayor. All right. No worries. Oh, he's got a We have I want us to all understand this is not going to be the first time for this we can you know if staff sees that
we have questions you know follow up with those answers if you can't really you know readily give it to us just I hope the staff that's here understands that if you don't have the information you get it to us to the particular member or to all of us So, please keep it as brief as possible. This is just
the first. We have another one. Then we have a but first budget hearing and we have a second budget hearing. So, please staff work with us. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I think we're we're all set. See how quick we can uh just call an audible and move forward. Apologize for that, but it wasn't
correlating with my notes. So going into the administration division's fiscal goals, we want to hire a minimum of 10 to 15 officers this year, acquire 12 more vehicles for the agency, hire a crimerevention supervisor, and hire the remaining vacancies for communications,
which is three. Our current division ongoing projects in the administration division the vehicle leasing program with the 12 new vehicles for next year will be to outfit the traffic the rest of road patrol administration and the community patrol truck for the vote that we'll be
getting. Uh the school speed zone cameras are still an ongoing project and it's in procurement waiting for an agreement. Currently awaiting the new Motoras to be programmed to be distributed among our personnels. That's a new radio system that was purchased. Body armor
replacement for the special response team. The Bearcat that was purchased under the ARPA funds is currently being built. The marine patrol vessel is in progress. We just are waiting for the official inwriting grant retrieval for approval.
And our Glock firearm transfer, which is currently in progress, to go from a 45 to a 9mm going into the operations division. This is the uniform patrol that responds to calls for service. We responded to 86,842
calls this year as of August 1st. We've issued 7,395 citations and also have made 820 arrests. We're doing all this. We're doing all this while operating short-handed as it shows the commitment of the officers here in the North Miami
Beach Police Department to keep the city safe and serve the community. Going into the uh FTO program, we accomplished training 13 new officers this year. Our special response team was deployed 29 times. This was for variant
warrant arrest for violent crimes, smoke shops operating, selling illicit drugs in the city, and barricaded subjects. For our K-9 unit, we've responded to 11 call outs, which had to do with subject on perimeters with violent crimes, 25 explosive detective assistance calls for
bomb sweeps, and 17 narcotic sweeps was consisted from traffic stops and assisting other agencies. One of the big highlights we have this year that has improved in the last eight months is our social media has increased 44.3% with the amount of 29,000 users.
Going into the goals of the operation division for this next fiscal year, we want to continue for uniform patrol, maintain a high visible patrol to deter crime, continue data-driven deployment and strategies to address the emerging crime trends, and to increase the
community engagement initiatives and proactive policing for our FTO program. We want to reduce the burnout because due to our heavenly amount of vacancies that we have, we're constantly training new officers. We want to continually provide leadership coaching and mentorship skills to development
training and send additional FTO's to specialized training support them in becoming certified instructors. For the special response team, we want to continue to train in dignitary protection, increase our active shooter response training, focusing on schools and religious institutions.
And for the K9 unit, we want to enhance our K9 deployment efficiency through ongoing Candler and dog team training and expand our community demonstrations to strengthen public trust and understanding of the K9 program. For our emergency operations center, we want to continue our in-house training across
departments to strengthen our readiness for a natural disaster, upgrade our technology for improved situational awareness and communication, and continue with our public preparedness campaigns. And lastly in the operations division goals for the social media. We want to continue to expand our social media
presence to improve transparency and community relations. For our investigative division, as you know, recently we closed out a 39year-old homicide case and we are also I'm pleased to announce tonight we are very close to solving another one hopefully by the end of August or
September. Uh for the detective bureau we also solved the homicide. I don't know if you recall a little less than a year ago, a smoke shop that involved four individuals that was closed out this year. In the detective bureau as well, we have
promoted two new sergeants and one new detective as a result of the sergeant promotions. For the crime scene unit, we've added two new crime scene technicians. For the tactical investigation unit, which is our undercover unit, we've added two new detectives.
For the tactical investigation unit, has executed 29 search warrants. We've had 60 felony arrest and 26 firearms seized, as well as $350,000 of illegal currency. They're doing a fantastic job. The detective bureau has focused on
thoroughly investigating all assigned cases and providing the victims with a positive resolution. And we have made 56 felony arrest. eight misdemeanor arrest and one warrant arrest. Our goals for the investigation division next year is to currently develop, which
is in progress, our real-time crime center to increase the effectiveness of crimeolving capabilities and to determine crime. We are currently waiting funding from the federal government to complete the project. The investigations division would like to increase we would like to increase
our closeout rate for solving cases from currently at 28% to 32%. We have currently increased yearbyear since 2023. The detective bureau would also like to add two additional detectives. Just so you know, we are down to five detectives
now with the amount of case load that comes in. Again, they're doing a phenomenal job. And as well with the manpower hopefully being up by next year, we would like to incorporate back to a full-time street crimes unit
comprised of one sergeant and three detectives to focus on frauds, robberies, and gang violence. Going into our community affairs bureau, as we stated last year, we came that we were one detective short from having every zone in the city a community patrol detective. We now have added that
and we have six community patrol detectives and one for each zone. Our community police detectives have responded to over 120 quality of life calls for service. We have attended and over 36 city events. Our North Miami Beach Police
Explorer program, which is doing outstanding, attended the 68th City of Miami Explorer Academy and winning the bicycle obstacle course, male fitness award, and class leader award, as well as participating and attended the 2025 Law Enforcement Explorer Conference,
winning first place in crisis intervention, first place in men's advisor obstacle course, first place in women's advisor obstacle course, and third place in the bic bicycle course. Also, we were able to complete the presentation for the Florida Enland Navigation District, which is where our
grant is coming from for the new patrol marine patrol vessel. Our goals going into the next fiscal year for community affairs would be to like to add a third full-time motorman position, increasing the unit to three officers and a sergeant. Adding a crime prevention supervisor to
the community affairs bureau to oversee the comm crime prevention unit. And of course, as I mentioned earlier, adding a new Ford F250 vehicle to serve as a dual purpose to uh transport the new marine patrol vessel as well as high water rescues.
Now, going into our uh budget with the business plan on how the department and programs alignment and how we keep track of our key performance measures. Our first goal, excuse me, our first measure is priority calls for service,
crime rate, crime clearance rate, citations, arrest, calls for service, our vacancy rate for sworn and for professional staff. Going into our core program one which is to reduce crime
from fiscal year 24 to in this year we have our priority response time decreased from 3 minutes and 58 seconds to 3 minutes and 50 seconds. We are looking to reduce that by another 2%. As well as our as I spoke earlier the crime clearance rate as you can see each
year we have improved our clearance rate for closing out cases where last year was 26 and a half and we're at 28% now to make it 32%. going into our core program too and solving cases. This number is a little a
little confusing if you don't understand it. The we went from UCRS to NYERS two uh year ago, two years ago and it changed the way the statistics are maintained for the state. So when you see the number of uh 1,700 and in 2024
1,794.6 that's off of 100,000 persons per crime. So really, it's 1.7 persons in the city as a victim of a crime out of 100,000 people. Moving on to our core program 3 for ensuring the safe and secure environment
for residents, visitors, and businesses. Our citations, we have increased from 2024 to 6,897 to 7,395. We are looking to increase that by 20%. Uh for our performance measure two on
the arrest, we had 1,116 arrests in 2024 and currently we're at 820, but just reminder this numbers are as of August 1st. Uh we're projected to increase the arrest by 5%. And for our calls for service this year so far, as
we as I stated earlier, we have responded to 86,842 calls where last year was 101,730 calls for service. Going into our last performance measure for hiring and training and retaining staff for hiring swarm personnel. Last
year we hired eight. This year we've already hired eight. Our projection was is 10 for 10 to 15 for next fiscal year. We are looking to onboard four to six officers in September which would put us anywhere from 12 to 14 officers hired in
this fiscal year. And for our professional staff, we are looking to hire two more professional staffs. We met our goal. We had seven in 2024. We hired two this year. We're looking to add additional two to the vacancies of the traffic enforcement specialist and a
cso, community service officer. Guess now getting into the meat and potatoes of the budget for the general fund. As you can see for salaries and related costs under the first chart here for fiscal year 25 it was 28,632,486.
With the fiscal year 26 proposal it's $30,872367 uh with a change of 2,239,881. This increase is largely due to the IUPUPA contract that was signed last year and with the raises that currently take place as of October 1st for next
fiscal year. Our operating cost went from 2,38,47 to $2,73,490 for $395,443 change. This is due to the increase of the undercover vehicle rentals, increase in cost, the mentorship and leadership
program that we brought into the police department, our psychological services for our mental health program and a grant consultant. Just want to point out there since having the grant consultant hired back in uh late December and starting in January, she has already found over $200,000 in grant money and more is to
come. Going into the fiscal year 2526 budget highlights for salaries and related cost. Our overtime for fiscal year 25 was 2,63,000. We have now reduced it to 1,959,850
for a decrease of $100,00 $103,150. For leave payouts, we had budgeted 118,768,000 for fiscal year 25. We're budgeted for $125,000 in fiscal year 2026 for a total
increase of $6,232. On a side note, we had five officers retire this year and we had an unexpected payout of $442,311, which is why we were over our projected budget from the year before.
And for the salary and benefits, it's excuse me, it's the same as the previous slide for the budget request as it's basically employee salary and benefit increases. For the reason of the operating cost increases, as stated, vehicle rentals and leases increased $16,000. This is
for our undercover rental vehicles for the TIU unit and our federal task force. Uh our professional services went up $112,000. We had projected $81,253 in 2025. We now have it at 193,510.
Again, the reason for this is for the mentor mentorship and leadership programs that were brought into the agency last year. Our psychological services for mental health and our grant consulting services. For operating supplies, we were increased 187,36.
We project we had 64,274 for fiscal year 25 and for this fiscal year, next fiscal year 26, $792,210. This is due to duty and training ammunition for the firearm transfer. Ammunition is very expensive, has gone up over the past few years, and for the
uniforms and vest have gone up as well. Our uniform maintenance allowance went up $48,000 and this was due to the contract from the CVA that was signed last year. And with that, do you have any thoughts, comments, or questions that I can answer? Thank you, Deputy Chief. I'll
start. Thank you so much. You know, I should start at this. Oh. Oh, you pointed to me. No, wait, wait, wait. That's fine. No, we went there last time. We I I'll start off with my vice mayor and work out this one. I I would like you to Okay, vice mayor. Go ahead.
I was I was I was point I was about to do like the pointing. I was like, Vice Mayor All right. Thank you, Chief. Good presentation. Can you explain why you went from the 45s to the 9 mm? Uh yes, vice mayor and through the manager's office, the reason
why we changed our firearm is the best practices for police departments have been switching from 40 45 calibers to the 9mm. It shows that the 9mm round has the same impact. It can carry more ammunition in the magazines as so it's the larger caliber rounds and also it's
a it's not as expensive as a 45. So there's cost factor and for best practices. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. All right. um and the news on KA. Uh thank you for that question, Vice Mayor. Uh as you know, we maybe you may not know through the manager's office,
we just hired an accreditation manager. She's been on for two weeks. Uh she has been diligently working and getting us back on track and as the chief stated back in June, we are looking to have that accreditation back in 2026. Great. Thank you. And one more. The new
phone system that you switched to about a year ago, how's that working? The phone system, the radios. Yes. Yeah. They the whole Oh, Carvine. Okay. Yes. The phone for dispatch of
Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Yes, Carvine is working out very well. We've haven't had to use it often, but when it's been able to been used and it's been a great system to give the officers a heads up of what's happening out on the scene before they get there
through the capability of sending out a text message to who's calling us for the complaint and being able to see what's happening live on the scene through their cell phone. Oh, and the excuse me, one more. the red light camera. The red light not it's not
the camera the red light stopping for the uh school zones. Yes, sir. How's that going? Well, as um we have already committed to a to a company that's currently in procurement for negotiation of the contract. Didn't we approve that already?
Yes, it is approved. It's in contract negotiations. Yes. Okay. No, commissioner red light camera we already have. It's through red speed is the contract school zone speed school it's like a speeding camera
ver mobility is our current vendor for red light camera and for school zone it's going to be uh right uh red red speed yeah thank you chief thank you thank you um so regarding red speed I
think I sent a couple of articles about the the speed camera not being accurate um do we have any way of checking to see like if they dispute that they were actually driving in the right speed that I'm just this is not this conversation
but um I just wanted to bring that up to your attention so that maybe you could also mitigate any problems that we would have with the residents. Um that's one thing. The second my most important question is like I I I assert that this 300 I mean sorry like
the the the budget going up has a lot to do with um like a lot of cost and a lot of Yeah. Let's let's take a look at that. Are you for the operating budget commissioner? Um well I think it's let's let's start
simply first. I I just wanted to know how many vehicles are in the PD. We currently have approximately hundred, a little over 100. Okay, awesome. And then um how many of those are leased?
Uh the least we currently have 166 about 69 65 65. Could I ask why we we choose to lease? Yes. So uh Yeah.
So, it's cheaper in the long run than paying all the money up front to purchase vehicles. So, two years ago when we went to the program when we p when we leased 44 vehicles at that time, our fleet was in desperate need of upgrading. And just to get 20 vehicles
at that time was going to cost $1.2 million. So, the first year the lease was 644,000 over 60 months. So you're you're getting more vehicles for your money on a lease than you are for purchasing right away with the costs that go up every year. And we've been able to outfit our fleet
to the needs of the department faster than going through the purchasing for outright purchasing the vehicles and of they do buy back our vehicles at the end of the lease. And aren't they? And they bought our current fleet that we had that we sold back that gave us a discount on the uh lease agreement.
And don't they pay for 100% of the maintenance? Do they? They pay 100% of the maintenance on the unmarked vehicles. I just want to make sure those on the unmarked I'm sorry. Go ahead. Was it unmarked vehicles? Did I hear that correctly? That is correct. They change that every few months cuz
people that are doing undercover work, they change the vehicles. I see. Okay. Yeah. Great. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner, thank you. Um, just want to commend you all for the great work that you do. in the presentation there was it said 27
open positions. I'm not sure if that's the same in tandem to what you shared with us in the earlier part of the not your presentation in um um the CFO's presentation. It said 27 open um open
positions. Is that the accurate number? I believe it is commissioner. Okay. It is in the mid20s to that higher rate. So, I know you want to on board between um 10 8 to 10 this this upcoming year. Um what methods are you guys using to
promote or to do more outreach? I know there's always an issue with with trying to get qualified um individuals interested. Of course, Commissioner, and thank you for that question that gets asked a lot. We currently just got a police app. We are one of the first agencies to uh
register with the app. We've received numerous applications from that app and has increased our recruiting as well as we've gone out to the local theaters. We're advertising in Dade County, Broward, and Palm Beach. Uh we just basically we just signed the agreement
going forward, but it's very expensive for 6 weeks. It was $22,000. I was going to ask, is there a way that we can increase your marketing budget? Um, I'm not sure what your line item is for marketing, but I think that's a big part of it to have 10 officers to on
board. I'm not sure how many people are actually going to retire in 2026. That might make your Well, right now it's one hopefully because we had five unexpected last year. Okay. So, you know, I think that would be a good investment cuz 10 is a lot. Speaking to all of the positions that you mentioned were either open or you
need here, you need there. And I've seen other agencies like do advertisement on on the um the metro buses and different creative forms of marketing. So if there's somewhere that you can increase um I think that would be a good value to us. Absolutely. Commissioner through the uh
manager's office. Our current budget 75,000 for the recruiting. But we can we'll come back with a larger number through the manager's office for the next commission. We'll look into it. And I know there's one more thing I I was um Miami date fire rescue did an outreach event here and there was a I know there
was Nikki from the police department that was there who mentioned the neighborhood program that it helps um cities entice um new officers with some kind of housing initiative. So, I know that there's there's talks and I definitely want to see if we can mirror
some type of program that would help be an initiative in an an additional incentive for us to get better uh candidates. Do we still have the signing bonus that we used to give? Uh yes, commissioner. To answer the first part of your question, we currently have a building the building
at 16395 Boulevard actually offers that program. one of our officers is currently living there at uh a reduced rate and we are going to reach out to the other buildings the new constructions when they come in and talking with uh the developers about having that program. Okay.
And as far as the second question with the I'm sorry, could you the um bonus sign on? Oh, yes. We currently have a $10,000 signing bonus for certified officers. That's great. Thank you. I want to add to that to that point. Um and I and I want you to be very
transparent because I did have a conversation with with deputy. It is not as easy as it was and correct hiring recruits because there has been a change of culture and that mentality of police and because I need you to be a little because I a lot of people think that we're not do we
don't have as much as incentives but just speak to that because there is a culture change in regards to the recruits that are coming in and how it's a little bit more difficult to get the quality and you know dep compared to what you came into years ago what have So because I'm I just want you to I want
the public to see this part. We're not aging. We're not aging the deputy. No, like 10 years, you know, he's a young man. Go ahead. 19 years ago, but no one's counting. Um I I uh let me start out by saying that from our recruiting and for attracting,
we are getting quantity over quality. Definitely. And just to put into perspective, right now I'm processing six certified officers. I'm processing 17 police cadets cuz we plan on sending at least 10 to the academy where you know 17
right now I'm looking to send 10. We're looking for the best quality out of those 17 going into going into the um how it was when I came on and how the generational is now. I don't want begging. I don't want to offend uh the
generations, but my my generation had seemed to have more of a passion for law enforcement doing the job where the recruits today uh aren't as passionate, I guess you could say. To I'm sorry to speak to that. When I
was 19 and I looked at being a police officer, I sat in a room with hundreds and hundreds and hundreds. They were they were hopping at the bit to get to barely trying to get people in. So just just perspective, when I got hired back in 2006, 2007 to get on the
North Miami Beach Police Department, it was very difficult. You almost had to know someone and that's because the quality that was out there at the time versus now. Not everybody wants to be a police officer in today's world. A lot of officers don't want to be the
next one on the news for doing their job in a ne negative aspect. And every agency is hiring from here to Alaska. And certain agencies have bigger for more career. Federal agencies are now trying to federal agencies are offering $50,000 for a signing bonus. So these are the
challenges that we face while out there recruiting for our new hires. Thank you. I don't I don't want to take too much time. I'll wait for a final comment. Commissioner Smuckler. Okay, I'll make this quick. So, um, thank you so much for your presentation. Um, I put something on the agenda for
the next commission meeting that I don't want to start discussing now because then it we'll get into another uh long conversation, but um maybe if something that the commission agrees upon it, it'll be something that'll will help the police department actually recruit and
retain. The next thing I wanted to tell you is that next week Tuesday um the commission status of woman is having a back to school. Yes. And I would be more than happy to give the police department a table. There'll be teenagers there. They're never too young to start recruiting at least getting them to to
be interested. So you're more than happy to have a table there if it's something that you guys can do. Uh absolutely, Commissioner. We'll have the recruitment team there. Okay. Thank you. Thank you so much. great presentation. Um, and
I I'm uh seeing that it seems to be that morale is improving in the police department. So, I'm very happy about that. Um, and uh just whatever you guys need for us to champion, that's what we're going to champion. That's just the bottom line. Absolutely. Um,
you know, I said that's just the bottom line and I thought about wrestling WWE. Yeah. Stone Cold Steve Austin. All right. But, uh, we're supportive and look forward to, um, helping you guys get to where you need to go. Thank you. Uh, thank you, Commissioner. The chief
and I are ecstatic with the support that we have from the commission, the manager's office, and it's been awesome. It's shown, and it's been reflected in the police department. Okay. Thank you. I want to thank you also. You, it's obvious the change in the police department since you and the
chief took helm, and I am grateful for that. Very grateful for that. Thank you. Thank you, commissioner. We appreciate that. Okay. So, I just want to know if you have enough money. So, do you have enough money for more gang units being as that seems to be on the news a lot?
What's going on? And we had in my tenure fabulous gang department and she left and uh it was a Oh, there's a few in that unit. Yeah. Jody Schustster, Alex Morales, Ray
Catlin, Rocky Festa. So, do we have enough money to make sure your gang unit is topnotch? That's number one. Do we have enough money to have the crime cops be able to go and get their whatever equipment they need, whatever tests they
need? Do we have enough money for that? Do we have enough money to pay for um buoys and life rafts that are requested? Is there a way that the buoy could cost more but be permanent? Do we
need a second boat, a smaller boat in the canal? Do we have enough money for it? If we do, do we have enough money for a police department, psychologist, somebody there or a social worker, somebody for the times we're in and the
stress we're in? Do we have somebody that we can have somebody the police department to take care of our cops that work for us? Absolutely. Do we have enough? I want to make sure you have enough money because I've always said it. We could have the best things in the world, but if you don't
feel safe to come to the events, which brings me to the fact that we had an we, as I recall, we had an event freeze and yet our police department went to 36 city events. So, the freeze did not work out as well as we had hoped. I'm just I'm just bringing that up.
Oh, no, no, they went to It wasn't It said he said 36 city events. I wrote it down. City city related events. City related events. Oh, you forgot the word related. Okay. So, so we only had 20 and so it still didn't
work out as well. Uh so in all seriousness, I think my whole goal uh you were one of my three that means a lot to me. My whole goal in looking at the news, which we're full if we watch the news today because it's so
I mean just today there was another shooting in Atlanta in I don't know an air force base or army base or something. So um I just want to make sure the police department has what it needs financially. I want to make sure that
you know what else is missing. You would know the chief would know. Your your police officers would know what they need. I want to make sure you have it. That's all what what it takes will take away from something else. But we want to make sure you have what you need for all
those things plus whatever else you need. Well, thank you for that, Commissioner. We're never going to deny wanting to have more money in the police department to out us with the top-notch equipment and and the nation. Uh, I will answer that we have what we need in concurrence
with this fiscal year's budget, meaning that we were able to sustain where we're at, sustain the services we have with what was given for the police budget. We can always use more money. Going to your answer for the street crimes gang unit. Yes, we as soon as our manpower gets up,
we will have the bodies to be able to create that unit. Uh, people don't know. I don't mean to interrupt, but it costs $5,000 per checking to see whether it's the right DNA. One one thing that we have to take it outsource to a different company that
does that. And that's just checking one. So, it's about $5,000 for a DNA. Yeah. So, we need the money for you. Uh, yes, absolutely. through the manager's office, we we bring back a higher proposal of equipment that we need for the at the next budget meeting.
And and in reference to things like the life, I know I'm going to give money and I believe Commissioner Smuckler's going to give money for the No, the buoys. I I said buoys also. I would help with the buoys, but it turns out the problem with
the buoys is to invest the money and then have them float away, which they do, and they end up under a bridge somewhere. We need to have make sure there's a process that the buoys can be permanent because what it does is it
No, the the the two different buoys. I know we talked about the the life rings for for life savings. the buoys, uh, Commissioner, I'm to speak for you, are the ones that are in the water to say no wake, slow down, you know, whatever. And they're attached to a chain, what, for
lack of a better word, chain and and weighted down to the ground. And occasionally there's no permanent. They they break and can float away or, um, what have you. But, uh, we're going to make sure that we have the right buoy with the with the best possible securess,
um, that we can. Can't promise they won't break off or float away. That's just the nature and no buoy is set in stone. Um but uh but uh we will make sure that um we get quality as you said buoy so they don't um float away.
The the thing about the buoys is it deters speeders. It deters a lot of things in the water. So that's why they're good to have them there. And they they don't cost a lot. Maybe a couple hundred dollar but it also cost a couple hundred dollar to have them placed in the water. and and that it
doesn't seem like a lot, but it seems like a lot when it floats away a week later. So, that's where I just want to make sure in all of your areas when you talk about the recruits that you're getting and hopefully I mean, your explorers are
amazing. Amazing from day one. They have the right training and hopefully many of them will pick North Miami Beach to be where they'll start their career. Absolutely. That's what we want to do. That's what we're encouraging since we re since the police explorer program was
uh I'll say redesigned and it's it's there. We're hoping to these the explorers want to go in the law enforcement will be able to hire from within. And I happen to agree with Commissioner Schmuckler. Um the Army recruit uh booth was there last night at the police night
out had a lot of success. A lot of people stopped by. So, I think every time we have an opportunity, we should have a booth for the police department. Absolutely, Commissioner. We strive to have a recruiting booth for every city event, and we've been going to various recruiting events around the state, the
city, the counties. We were just at one two weeks ago in the city of Miami. Oh, fabulous. Fabulous. Well, I appreciate you. and you'll get with the manager to see what money you need to make sure our policemen are safe and make sure that they have what they need in case they run across something that
is unforeseen. That's that's the important thing. Absolutely, Commissioner. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Final thoughts. So, I um you know, I spoke to the deputy chief that, you know, we we have to look at some drone technology. I'm partnering up because I've seen some of this stuff utilizing the cut and response time,
especially in Miami Beach docking stations. I want you guys to really take a look at that and also see how we can supplement the funding of it because we can use those same drones to, you know, do inspections on roofs and I know building department has and we're going to get to them eventually in regards to
the possible funding that they can supplement as well as the fact of the, you know, the Miami day police department instead of, you know, turning on their helicopters, they can utilize that same drone to go um do, you know, do the initial like response. Absolutely. And and so but just consider those types
of uh um um you know relationship building and and um partnering up with different uh aspects of of our city in regards to reducing costs. Last but not least um I know you you say you have enough for equipment, but you know we we get we get bombarded from a lot of
residents uh saying that we need more. So if you if when it comes to let's say marine patrol and having jet skis and everything else to see what else could be included to make sure that our waterways because you know commissioner Fmont lives next to the Snake Creek
Canal and he always tells me about the No, not alligators. They're not alligators in there alligators. There are I know I know I'm not I'm not speaking to that. There are I I would I would assume that there gators everywhere there's standing water. There's man there's manatees, but there also there
are also people speeding on on jet skis as well. Yes, I've seen it on social media where people say, "Hey, what's going on with that?" So, if there's a need and I know there's a need if you if you guys can see how getting additional equipment, maybe additional jet skis to mitigate that those concerns be well appreciated.
But I I just want to tell those those those thoughts and and you you'll come back to us. Well, Mr. Mayor, we have the the the um ARPA funds that um we're hoping that they can get back for the marine stuff. So, if that's something that can if that earmark can
be found again the boat. No, they're getting the boat. But we had earmarked some 300 two 200s plus for additional marine stuff that you know dissipated in the ARPA waterways. So, which was the question, Mr. Mayor, you're asking for jet skis, but I have
asked if they need a small boat. Do you Which one's better? To answer your question, Commissioner, we have a small boat right now. We have it in the CI CIP budget for fiscal year 27, but we will bring it back through the manager's office for the additional. They currently have a small boat that
they use. I you probably seen it during heart health walk or bike, not really bike through five, but they do have a small craft that goes through the canal. Um but they're also looking being proactive that in FY27 for replacement uh small craft as well.
Good. And maybe we can make it one of our priorities in Tallahassee to to get more. But but the mayor's asking for additional besides the boat. He you're also asking for jet skis.
Uh well, look what I'm saying is that we have a lot of stuff on the agenda. You heard my thoughts. Yeah, let's continue. This is We have another budget workshop. We have public works. That's going to be a pretty massive chief. But as as as you as you've heard, Deputy, we are here to
support our police. Whatever you guys need, you let us know because the first above all else, as Commissioner Smith, is security. It don't m This matter is about nothing parks. Nothing else matters unless security protected. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Oh my god. We know. We know what you
mean. Wait. Parks. Wait, wait, wait. Who sec who secures the parks? Wait, wait, wait, wait. Look, look. Oh, come on, man. I'm going to hear this. But the but the I'm going to hear from parks. Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. But the police secure the park. Wait, wait. Let me
And the police secure the water department. Oh my god. Let Let me Let me reassess. Every department is special. Every department. Parks, you know, I love you, Parks. But I know I'm going still hear it. I I know I'm going still hear from parks and public works or whatever. That being said, I I know how
important security is. People to have fun, you got to feel safe. Absolutely. And and people have fun if they feel safe. And who's who's taking care of all these good Mr. Mayor? Um Mr. Mayor, thank you. Um now that um Thank you. Thank you, Deputy.
Thank the deputy chief is finished. He has a um an event, a a 70th birthday. Um, so if all the questions are done, I'd like to dismiss him so that he can he can get out of here and attend that. Thank Thank you so very much. Bring us that cake.
Absolutely. Absolutely. Commissioner, I just want to add one. She um commissioner, let him go to the party. Come on, leave. We're going to let you go to the party. I just want to make sure that I know that this is a big help for you, which is the um the real time crime center. Yes.
That you you guys are, you know, went to look at that the mayor mentioned. Um, could this be some kind of CIP project as well that you like build on it year over year to fulfill that, you know, cuz it's about a two over $2 million project. Absolutely. It's something in the future
we can look to add in the CIP, but just keep in mind Miami Beach's $2 million RTC center did not happen overnight. It took them about 10 years. It did. It did. So, so that's why I understand. So, that's why I'm thinking like if we do the CIP project, then we can like roll over the funds a year over year. Absolutely. We'll look into that.
Thank you. Thank you. Yes, commission. Thank you, Deputy Chief. Thank you. Thank you, Deputy Chief. Thank you. Have a good one. Thank you, manager. All right. Next up is public works or in interim director public works commission.
We do have uh I know um public works. Um director, please um I you understand the time if you can be as brief as possible. Yes. the titles you not and not uh you don't you know be as you
know brief as possible like the titles are there they're sufficient enough not reading line by line by line so just please yeah I'll try my best to summarize the the slides navigating I'm just pressing I'm just pressing to navigate
all right A high tide. Who's a high tide? Oh, okay. Um, good evening, mayor, uh, vice mayor, commission, uh, clerk's office, and city manager's office. Um, like to introduce the, uh, proposed public works fiscical
year 26 budget. Um, I'd like to start off by um just having a quick discussion about who we are as a team, who public works is um and what the public works team um really kind of manage and oversee for the city of North Miami Beach. Um we have 10 divisions. Um we
manage our road repairs, traffic calming, uh street maintenance, sidewalks. Um we have our storm water division that manages our drain. Um we have high collapse drain um situations going on in the city. Um we manage our NPDS compliance expectations which are inspections of those um drainage
systems. Solid waste uh contract right now we have coastal we oversee that contract um and part of that um includes litter picking and includes um maintenance of nuisance um uh limiting litter picking and stuff of that nature.
Um we also oversee uh permits for rightway. Um we have an engineering section underneath our administrative um division where we handle most of the coordination and project management um aspects of um infrastructure building
projects um uh storm water drainage uh projects. We also have a facilities maintenance division um that oversees routine maintenance, repairs, inspections of all of our city assets um including the fountain and our city signs. Um um we have a mobility division
um that oversees our our free transit uh transportation programs that we provide to our residents uh freebie um NMBB line. Um, we have a fleet division that oversees all of our fleet in the city. Um, and including police departments, provides services, repairs, purchases.
Um, and as recently as not too long ago, we also have our capital improvement program that now um, sits underneath um, public works. Um, during today's uh, budget workshop, we will present um, nine of those 10 divisions. Um on the 26th uh we will come back and discuss
the capital improvement program which will include a comprehensive view of our CIP program for the city. Uh public works includes uh 72 positions. Those 72 positions branch out like we just talked about into two uh 10
designated uh uh functional areas. I'd like to start off by um really talking about the highs which is the accomplishments of the team. um in the past year. Um Highland Village drainage improvement. I put that first on the list because the team is extremely proud about that one. Design is completed.
Permit is completed. We're in bidding right now. Um and as for the installation of the backflow pretor um and you'll um you'll see that obviously we'll talk a little bit more detail about that in the CIP program. Um it is important to note that you will see some projects that appear right to be CIP
projects. Well, a lot of your CIP projects are managed um by your public works team. Um a lot of our managers are project managers. Um so it's it's important for us to see the cross functionality in those relationships as we talk about um what we have
accomplished. Eastern Shores drainage structure repairs like like we've just talked about um heavy drain collapse happening across the city. Skylake Road resurfacing and Oak Grove restriping. Um made some repairs to the 15th Avenue bridge. Um we've installed some
temporary speed hs. Um thank you for the uh reszo that assisted with that. Um we've adopted a new traffic calming manual. Um in September we're coming with a safety action plan. Benefits of that safety action plan. Um it's pretty much giving you a master plan in terms of where in the city we need to focus
our attention for safety. Um it's very detailed in nature. Um and it also helps sets us um in alignment with the uh vision zero for 2050 which means reduce fatality and keeping our se our our streets safe. Um so it's a really good comprehensive plan and we're looking
forward to sharing that with you in September's commission meeting. Yeah, I was just going to tell you that. Thank you. Maybe I should let you do this. Um the 168th and 20th uh traffic calming roundabout. We've completed design and permit. We're in the bidding phase right now. We're excited about that one. and
that's right right behind city hall here. West and eastern storage drainage repairs. Um we've had a number of complaints for street lights and low hanging wires. We've addressed those as well. Um we have moved a little um a little bit away from contract work and used and leveraged a lot of our uh
technical services and our facilities team. Um first floor city hall lobby 100% was done by our internal staff and not contractors. Yay. So that saved the city some money. It also allowed us the opportunity to kind of crank it up a little bit on um the uh
purchases right on the um the tools and equipments and you know what we what you see is a byproduct 100% of your staff. So, um, library, um, have quite a few things. The generator study, the AC study, the waterproofing, the windows,
all of those things. All of the design work has been done. We're now moving into the next phase um, as we prepare for fiscal year 26, which is to actually launch on the completion and the construction of those things. So, this year was I'm sorry. No, that does not include the restrooms.
No, still working on the restrooms. That one's a little bit more complex. First floor. No. Library restrooms. Libraries. Library. Library restrooms. Yes, sir. Did you do the first floor restrooms? The the first floor restrooms down here in the city hall.
We're 100%. Yes. Staff. Yes. Um city of NMBB fleet master. We now have a fleet master for our um citywide. That was a huge exercise. Um we've had pockets of information, but being fairly organized is critically important as we move
towards um operational excellence, which means understanding where we are, baselining. Um we we completed a full assessment in terms of where um the condition assessment of all of these assets with our current staff. We did not send them out. So that was another
um savings for the city. It took it took us a little bit longer than we expected. Obviously, we had um shortage in mechanics. We hired a mechanic 3 that really helped propel that. Um and so we completed that full-on condition assessment and we now know where the fleet um our fleet condition is. And we
also at um use that information to complete the 20-year replacement plan. Very nice. So when we present the CIP plan, you will see the um 20-year replacement plan for your city fleet and equipment. So that was a huge success as well. Um we hired obviously like I me just mentioned
the mechanic two and the mechanic three that um that the commission approved for us. So we were excited about that. Um and we have done official introduction of um automation and we will talk about how those automation has helped us streamline and um really um work smart
and not hard. We'll we'll talk about that in the next slides. Klene, when you were on that last slide, the 15th Avenue, you're you're already doing things on that that wasn't that bridge brand new. Yeah. It's just a structure joint um a
structure joint restoration that was needed. So that's normal for it to go. That well after a few years. Yeah. That's normal. It's normal. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. wanted to give beautifification a standalone slide because this one was very important because a couple years
ago um we kind of added that additional team into beautifification um and we fell back a little bit on contract work and we um asked for um a performance um a year later we're a year later into that new model with that additional team um and we've also like we just talked
about added some automation the team is on tablets which helps us with really quantifying the work that they do across the Uh to date, um they've mulched the city with about 4,478 mulch packs. Um and that includes citywide and our major
area crossroads. Um trees removed about 78. Stump grinding activity 54. Um illegal dumping activities to date, 248, and that includes our alleyways. They've removed 34 dead animals in our city. streets, shopping carts, 634 coconut
trees that they've trimmed, coconut activities, 1,667, and the year is still not over. Um, and they've trimmed about 1,942 trees. Um, of course, obviously there there's some commonality between those trees, but that those are the efforts
that they have done so far, and we are applauding them with that. Like we talked about, we have gone live um with automation and um technology. So, as you can see, we are looking at our performance week over week and evaluating as a team where we need to
shift our attention. Um, and this allows us to really provide the city um on on another level. Um, and that other level means we divert our attention where it's needed. Um, and it also helps us identify where we need to look at our policies um, a little bit more closer.
Um, we talked about shopping carts coming back in September. This dashboard helped us identify that we needed to look at that. And as you look at shopping carts, you kind of see a drastic increase with shopping cart. And if we're using most of our beautifification team to just chase after shopping cart, it gave us a kind of avenue to kind of zoom in um where do
we need to focus our attention? Where do we need to tighten up? And so um and this also helps the team um understand and see what they're doing in the bottom line and how it connects. Is there a video? Video?
No, that's just me clicking real fast. Correct. Um, we've start, like I said, we've uh, this is another example of dashboards that we've created within the public works department. Um, we've gone live um with the project management aspect as well. Done a lot of work
there. Um, we've integrated about 50 to 60 robust projects. Um the application that we're uh currently using which is Smart Sheet um is a it's called Smart Sheet for a reason. It takes the day-to-day work that we're doing. It rolls it into key metrics and it also
displays dashboards all simultaneously. Um if we had to hire people to do that, it's probably the work of maybe 8 to 10 people. And we're doing that. So who's inputting it? So as they do the work on the field, they're doing it. They're doing it and it's automatic. They're literally creating their own dashboard without even knowing it. So
all of it is continuously connected together. Um what you're looking at right now is the Washington Park dashboard. No one is managing the Washington Park dashboard. The project schedule is as the project manager is updating the schedule with activities um mitigating risk and um pushing back what
where needs to happen. The dashboard itself is reflecting what's actually happening with those projects. Um so this this has helped um drastically. It helps internal conversations that are happening. Um because there are projects such as Washington Parks that we are shared with NB water. We have external
stakeholders which are contractors. We're all lively communicating with just this one tool. So it helps streamline everything from the communication and it's also um available on a um app as well. So it's also on my phone. So it's really easy. It's easy easy to uh download. Um and this is just a
screenshot of what it looks like. Um, as you can see, we have a library of projects that have already been created. Uh, we'll deep dive a little bit more into this. Um, but we're doing this not only with CIP, but we're doing this with our operations um, repair and replacement efforts as well to keep
ourselves pretty organized. So, when people say, "How is she answering me so so fast?" Um, it's because we're took a little bit of time to do some 5S and organize oursel a little bit so that we can go slow to go fast. Um, and this is another example. Um we'll deep dive into that next week. But
this is our our CIP dashboard that helps us understand where we are um every step step of the game. How many projects do we have in each phase? Um how much of the budget have we utilized? Um and it helps us understand do we even have the bandwidth to bring in more projects. It's okay to say we have to pause,
right? Um and these are the type of uh conversations that happened and we can have conversations with our city manager's office to say well we have some we have too many projects in in um design right now that are going into construction. We don't really have the labor resource to bring in more projects
and it helps us understand where do we need some additional support extension of labor. So now I'm going to go um into more of the go slow to go fast that we talked about which is who we are as a team and this helps frame in fisc year 26 what
our goals are and our ask in our budget. Um we did a complete SWAT analysis um as a team. Um we did that in our beautifification conference room. Um doing the SWAT analysis requires that we are very honest with each other in terms of understanding where our strengths and our weaknesses are. There's no way to be
successful and move in an operational excellence fashion if we don't know um really where what we need to work on and where we need help. Um so we know we have a love for the city that we know. Um and we do know that we're very flexible and passionate and we we want to solve problems and we're pretty good
at it. Where we identified our weaknesses is where our budget kind of really comes in, right? And where the opportunities are. Those weaknesses are um we know we really need to do a lot more critical thinking as we move. We're asked to move in an agile fashion which is very fast but moving very fast also
means the devil is in the detail and so what it means is to identify who among the team can possibly do a little bit more on that data analytic side and really study right so there's two types of um critical thinking um there's the critical thinking of um really
understanding the city to a fairly extent right and so really snap judgments and then there's the critical thinking of really looking at the data and what the data say. Um, sometimes perception can become reality and what we believe to be the reality may not necessarily be the reality and we're
finding a lot of that in public works which is where we're got the restructuring we're going to talk about soon kind of comes in. Um, we have an opportunity to work with our cross functional partners a little bit more. What that means are there are uh processes that are in procurement, there
are processes that are in finance that affect our ability to be successful. Um there are processes at NB water that overlaps with what we do. Um so our ability to really work closely with our crossf functional departments is really going to mean saving money for the city
and really mean us doing more for the city. Um and we'll talk about a little bit um more later on what that looks like. Project management and really being organized. So a lot of what I just shared was um kind of sitting everywhere. It takes us 60% of our
effort to really find out where are we, who left off where, who do we hand off to and so we've kind of closed the gap on that on that aspect of stuff. So the project management mitigates risk and it also helps us with change management. Change management is very very critically important as we talk about
operational excellence and that's where we want to go and that means when a process changes in finance and it changes um it changes another project that is directly related with a project we're working on change how are we alerted that it's changed right um so
that way we recalibrate to make sure that we gain momentum with those changes um so the opportunities that we found is we we could use some automation um we could use a lot of automation and we've we've um started did that and there's some more there's a long more there's a lot more to go um but we've at least
started that process training um we found we needed some training in the in the world of procurement and finance right how do we look at our billing how do we look at economy of scale how do we look at blending in contracts and working with our partners there are contractors that parks use that we also
use um so how do we look at the data and consolidate those efforts um and save the city some money we did that with the mulching activity 445 52 bags of mulch. We worked very closely with Mr. Ian. We have a synchronized work order system
and we've combined our effort to get mulching done across the city. Um and so that economy of scale has saved us some money working with our procurement partners. Code enforcement. Um we have ordinances we've identified. Um we might need to beef those up a little bit,
right? Um there are code languages that indicates what we can and can't do as and I'm saying we as you know the residents. However, there are no violations or infractions for not meeting the codes
expectations. There are languages that are really unclear and it's open to interpretation by whoever the reader is. Um and so we are taking a really close look at that and seeing where those gaps are and really cleaning those out. Um, and then there's regulatory threats like fee
schedules and stuff of that natures. Um, and we're working on those things. In September, like we talked about in October, we'll come back with what we believe those fee structures should be. We've began conversations with our city manager's office on those things. Um, operational excellence, um, only spend just a couple seconds on that.
Operational excellence is really just a business, uh, business philosophy. As most of us know, I have a background in in private sector. Um, and so, uh, business philosophy focuses a lot on optimizing processes. How do we do more with what we have? How do we reduce
waste? How do we reduce redundancies? Um, and um, and this allows us to really operationally give more, do more, produce more using the same um, essential assets and resources that we have. And we're going to show you how we
would like to propose restructuring the public works organization to do that. Um, so three things that I'd like for us to just take away from this slide is just really optimization really means reviewing our processes, reviewing people, do we have the right
individuals for the fit? Have we fit the right individual to their capacity where they should be? Um, and have we evaluated the systems and applications that we're using to align them with what we need them to do. Um, and so that's really what those three things need. And that's the vice chair. Uh I see that you
have the um tablets um sweepers, trash trucks. I had asked about our um HVAC and also street clean street cleaner that was um I know we're using a contractor to help us with that, but is
there in the budget for us to either repair what we have, get a new one? What's the plan there? Yeah. You want you want No, I I sent the commissioner an email earlier. She probably didn't get to it, but I'll I'll let you explain. So, we we do have a vac truck, a brand new one
that's in operation. So, that's fantastic. Um the street sweeper um the vendor environmental, if I'm getting it right, environmental such and such, right? Uh they promised um to deliver X
when we needed it. They didn't meet that promise. PW and the team worked in procurement worked with uh legal um to cancel that contract. PW also um through assistance from other agencies that Kleen uh you know worked
with um identified a street sweeper now um they've uh they they're working through procurement. There's a letter of in intent and it should be in operation in a couple of months. So we should So to answer your question, uh, VC truck is
in operation, brand new, and we should have, uh, our street sweeper in operation in a couple of months. Thank you. That's amazing. That's actually a perfect example of cross functional working together. That was legal, procurement, public works all together to mitigate risk because to
lease that is pretty costly to keep their and it's required for NPDS, right? But procurement really reacted relatively quickly. We worked with other municipalities to help us out. Um, so in the next within next two months, we'll have a brand new sweeper. That's awesome. Yeah.
Um, so what's the plan for 2026? Um, so I'm going to jump in. Um, I I I heard earlier today when we started, I heard a few things from the commission. Um, really want to know, um, pay scales. We really want to know how
do we turn the budget around, right? So that we get our city beautiful again. And we really want to know what are we doing with the money um for each division. And so we kind of took an actually we took that approach. And so we want to talk about division by division what's really budgeted um who's
in that division um what programs are in that division um so that we can kind of just paint that picture and where we're want to spend that money. So the budget for fier 26 that we're requesting is somewhere around $1.2 million and that's more
general fund. The administrative um team um encompasses your permits um which is your rightaway permit, your engineering division and the administration over the public works department. Um it has your director, deputy director. We've requested a strategy and
innovations manager, um your office administrator, permit administrator, permit clerk 2, city and your city engineers, um as well as an engineering coordinator. It's important to note that your strategy and innovation manager would be a new position that we
requested for fiscal year 26. That position is a reclass. Um there are no positions that we are asking um for that we are asking additional fund. We've looked at our organization and we've looked at the needs. We've looked at
where redundancies are where similar positions are doing pretty similar traits and we worked as a team to put that together more importantly. So we all talked about what is it that we really need. We used a blackboard. Um we sat inside of a war room. We wrote everything on the wall and we circled where we saw commonalities across peers.
And so as a team we we strategized and developed what should public works look like in order to do what the commission is asking us to do. So the strategy and innovations manager position um we're taking the admin one of the admin coordinator position that we have in our
um administrative division reclassifying that appropriately. um to to really put together a game plan and help us with a more datadriven operation. That's really what that position and we'll talk about a little bit in this presentation later on what it does. So our programs in there are obviously the consumer
relations um dealing with the residents businesses, disaster recovery, oversight of the transit operation um is at the admin level um the public works department um oversees all the rightway like we just talked about. What that also includes are street light
improvement plan reviews, field inspections, um all of the citywide traffic calming we talked about before, safety action plan, storm drainage. So all your engineering functions, everything falls in there. Um also we as we talk about um working
smart and not hard, using digital services and innovation that falls in your administrative function as well. Showed you a few examples earlier of what that looks like. having dashboards and KPIs to really help drive where we uh put the labor um to really be effective. Um being a financially sound
city um having project ledgers um which is something that we are driving forward in fiscal year 26 which means really taking really good accounting of where we're spending the money for projects. Um that's something that would be fairly new in the organization in terms of how we would like to continue to streamline
the process and we'd like to begin that in fiscal year 26. um department general accounting um holding ourselves accountable to having robust budgets and really knowing every month where we are where our spends are and what we want to
roll over. Um so those being very financially sound is where we believe um we have an area of weakness and we believe that there's some great opportunity for fiscal year 26 to really pull public works into a different direction. The next division I'd like to talk about
is transit. Transit's uh CITT budget is around 4 point 4.5 million. Um very small division um obviously with a new new contract that we've kicked off. Um we've talked about um restructuring as well. We had a transit analyst position
that was previously funded out of this. Um we've opted not to move forward with the transit analyst position. Um with the rec with the reclass that we're asking is for a um engineering and construction manager. um that position will be uh put us in a uh better
position to be more successful as it relates to blending in CIP and the engineering group. So the engineering group as we talked about um handles a lot of your CIP projects citywide, right? Um and the the construction and engineering uh manager position will
oversee all things related to contract management um and will also assist us with um coordinating logistics in the city. um there is really no separating engineering work. Um and it's really looking at um developing a core team
that would divide and conquer everything on an engineering aspect. Um and so that's the approach that we'd like to take in fiscal year 26. Um it also allows us the opportunity to do one thing that you also called equitable pay. Um we retain talent and the talent
work closely together. Um, and we do it underneath the budget of the ceiling without having to expense more dollars. Um, it's really just paying people equitably to do what they're talented at and what they have degreed professions to do. Um, and not really have to go out for consulting and contracts.
I had a question about transit with the advertisement since you're getting rid of that position. Um, I think one of the things like for example the maps and the different ways to to call for service that the different things that we have. I've always talked about how do we how what's
the plan to market these things? Not only like at the library and on city hall so forth. I've been asking for that. I haven't seen it. But when you remove that person that's coordinating the the transit and you're moving it more into an engineer um purview. Um,
are we also talking about Miami Day County transit and all and all the different, you know, modalities that come through the city? How is that going to work? So, you actually had three positions in your transit area. You had a transit analyst, you had one a
municipal worker, a full-time employee, and then you had a part-time position. Um, your you you actually had two part-time position and one full-time, and then that one part-time ended up being a full-time. that one full-time position has stepped up drastically. We recently
just had an outreach. He actually maintained managed that outreach function solo. He actually sat in a kaizen session with Proel and identified where we desperately needed some stops
that were proposed to be removed. That's that tribal knowledge and that's really the empowerment of really asking your team to step up, right? He was a part-timer, but he really understands the transit because he rides it. He lives in the city and he knows where all
the high schools are. So, he was not going to allow someone else to kind of come in and dictate and say, "Here's where things need to be, right? There's the tribal knowledge and then there's the data, right? Um and both of them have to work hand in hand to really get us to where we need to go. So have we
removed um employees or functions within transit that is necessary? Absolutely not. You have one and a half labor resources there right now that does the um the um the advertisements that does the communication with the residents and they were actually at the outreach
actually showing where the stops are, where they'll be moving. Um so you have that hands-on approach. um your your part-timer. She rides on the trolleys. She's hands-on with the communication parts with the folks who really are not that technically savvy. That's her
function, right? Um and then the other one, he works on the function of the more how do we work with communications? How do we get the shelters back up now that we have routes? And so that's that person. And then on the engineering aspect, there's always the data driven part of it, which is if we're talking about really truly optimizing and we're
talking about the data piece of it, it has to be someone to that technical um um who has that technical experience to really look at now those numbers um and really look at where do we sit such as um Commissioner Smith, you recently asked 5:30 to 7:30. I want to know what those numbers look like, what is it
trending like, you know, is that something we need to consider evaluating? That's where that's more of an engineering analytical function, right? And so it's really aligning those key functions to the right person um that can really get you the results and answer those questions for you. Um I think we're asking a lot of good
questions um we just needed the right positions to ensure that those questions get answered. Yeah. And through the mayor because she already I wrote my questions down but she already started by asking something about transport. So I like to just ask these couple things while we've been
inter I'm okay with that. I don't know about. So, um first place, why are we only studying in um the accessibility and the usability of the trolley in Highland Village? Why aren't we studying it in
Pwick and in all the other areas? Well, that was really what I was saying. Well, that's why I'm following up. I mean, it's right here on the page. That's what your study is, but I think it needs to be in every area. I don't know which page you're reading. This presentation I'm reading. It doesn't have, as I said,
a page number, but it right here. It says, "Real time trolley tracking enhancing the accessibility and usability of the trolley system." Oh, that's the mobile device. The So, the mobile device, that's the mobile device. That's not the the study of the data.
Smart smart. Yeah, there's so there's a there's a mobile device that uh Proel um is launching October 1st that couples all of the transportation options for a rider. So, they'll be able to see Miami Day, they'll be able to see Yeah,
they'll be able to see the ProLel um shuttle services. um that app gives them real time um first point of where they'll get picked up or where they where they pick up the ride to final destination and it shows them all of the mobility options to get there. That's
what that is. We need that on everything. And it says right now up there three trolley replacement, but we're not going to have the trolleys at the end of their contract. They get to keep their trolleys. We're not replacing them. Those trolleys are going to belong
belong to us when their contract's up. Yes. Yeah. Okay, that's good to know. And and their bus their buses. The buses. Yeah. Yeah. So, it's important to note that the TR Yeah. Yeah. Shuttle.
Okay. Well, we're calling it the trolley. A rose by any other name is still a Okay. So, um, and the other thing is, um, does the company with our $9 million contract, do they do the maintenance and
repair or North Miami Beach does maintenance and repair? No, they do maintain. They do maintenance and repair of the So, ours is only the shelters. Yeah, we do the shelters. So, are the bus benches that have been in the storage going to come out? Yes, we're working on that now. That's
actually coming soon to discussion. Yes. Well, now that we have now that we have a go forward plan for October 1st and we know where some of those stops will be moving to cuz that's a predecessor really of installation. Make sure somebody sits on them so they're still working.
All right. Um public is there uh because I know we're we're we're stuck on time for 9:00 public. Is there I'm going through the divisions if you I mean that's I didn't stop her. Oh, no. I'm just saying like if um is uh let's let me let me do this. Is there anything
are there any pertinent parts? I know we have the presentation, but there any other They're all important. No, no, no. Pertinent pertinent. I'm not saying they're not all important, but just for the time the kind time that we currently have, is there anything that you want to fast forward to specifically to to sum uh summarize real quick?
Not necessarily. I can brush over each one because I think all of them are important. I'll I'll I'll go a little faster if that's what you're asking me to do, but answering questions. Yeah, I I'm I'm not asking, but you were you were bringing it up. Um, I was just going to say that, um, I mean, for the sake of time, um, if if the commission
wanted if there were any questions regarding public works in general, we we can get there without, uh, finishing the presentation or we can let the the director brush all items. Uh, m, no, that's not No, we've got six more.
We have six more. And that's six more department. So, we have six more. That's the thing. Four more. Four more. Four more departments, right? We have four apartments. That's why like we're looking at the time. Well, maybe but maybe we could do two and then finish the other ones.
Okay. Um and director. So, so if you can just speed along and if we have any uh and we'll hold the questions for right after. So, please go ahead please. Okay. Go ahead. Beautifification fiscal year 26 um ask
is 2.7 mil. Um, in the beautifification budget, um, we've laid out in your presentation, um, what the staff looks like. Um, but the only important, well, everything is important, but I'd just like to call out that we are walking into our centennial celebration. Um, and
so, um, a lot the 163rd Street beautifification in Hanford is a partnership with U CRA, right? Um, and so that falls underneath there. There's some efforts there for that solid waste. um solid waste. Um no change of solid waste, but just a $6 million um budget
here. Um we're not doing any labor changes or anything like that. The only thing that I'd like to call out here is, as you can see, you see few different logos here. Um one of the big uh projects that we're going to move forward with is the illegal dumping task force. We've already started working with police department on those cameras.
Um it's going to be really going after introducing some fees to beef up our ordinance a little bit more. So you'll see my face here asking for that. Um and then um we've already started working with other municipalities. We're benchmarking their operation where how they've kicked off their task force. Um
we believe that's going to be a win for the city. Storm water um help. We don't have enough people in our storm water division. Um I'm just going to say help. You can kind of see how many people we have. Um we are walking into a master
plan that is five years old in the budget. We're asking that we um really focus on um putting putting some money in the budget for storm water. Um and yes, I forgot to also mention for solid waste rate study. We need a rate study. We desperately need a rate study for
solid waste and we need a rate study for storm water. Um your rates are not supporting your operational cost in a nutshell. Okay. How is litter pick litter picking in storm water and uh beautifification? How where is the correlation between those two? Oh, that's a big correlation. So, in
your NPDS your your number one reason why you have to do litter picking is because that is a report that we have to generate that affects your storm drainage. If you remember, I think it was a year ago or two years ago, there was that little small little increase that went into um making sure that we
fund the litter picking activity. Um because you're saying like what what position does that in storm water and is there how many people do that in storm water and how many people do that? That's only just one position paid for just one. There's that little increase.
Um just one person. How many do the litter picking in in the beautifification part? Oh, in total you have about four. No, for five square mile city you don't. All right. You don't. Understood. And that's why the chart when you can see the number of litter picking illegal dumping activity when you start
correlating that the number of people you have. Well, this is a direct place where we need more. So I So we're we're looking for the um this is a budget that you have to create to make sure that we're in the right spot. So you have 3,800 drainage that has to get inspected in the city. You're in a city that's flooding and you have a master
plan that's 5 years old that you have not even started working on anything drainage and storm water has been it it desperately needs attention through the mayor that's what I'm saying this these are the things that we need to see that we need more people in those roles so if you have one one municipal
worker two there do you need two do you need that's the things that we need to kind of are the re wait are the recommendations there to staff what's need are are you showing us what the current status are where you're actually this is the current state. No, but what are you asking for? That's the question that we're trying to get to
because how do we get to the to the to the answer to those concerns? So remember, storm water is one of your more trade specific areas. So for the work that we're talking about capital work um for your inspections, you probably need another
four. But for your actual capital um 10-year master plan implementation, that's more consult. That's more contract work. That's what that is. That's more CIP. We'll have that conversation on the 26. So, Mr. Mayor, Commission, to your point, we've heard you about beautifification,
litter picking, I and additional positions that may that it may require. Okay. Okay. So any is that the any more slides or you didn't realize public work was this big? No, no. I just don't know. No, no, no.
To be clear, I'm not going to make that same. Look, every Let me help. This is very important. Every department is important. If you had a sheet that showed us each department on a a spreadsheet, I guess, that has x amount of employees,
they need two, they need four, they need six, they need whatever. I think that's what would go over better for us. You're doing a beautiful presentation. Don't don't get me wrong. You spent a lot of time on it. We thank you. But I think what we're looking for is what do we need to fix getting satisfied
by this budget or do we need Yeah. So that's we're looking for the answer to that need. I understand where we are, but you know what the problem is. It's a problem that we have to mitigate. How do we get to fixing the problem? So if that can and
so we can help you with this budget. Yeah, we can. So in the closing on let me let commissioner Flormont say his uh his comments so we can like go to the next uh next uh department. Go ahead, Commissioner Foreman. I can imagine um Oh my gosh,
I I didn't even give my intro to my statement. Go to your statement and forget the intro. Forget the intro and go to the statement. Okay. So, um no, I I could just imagine her practicing over and over over the last couple of weeks just for today, you know. Um but I can see
the presentation there's a lot of um you know uh thought and process put into this presentation and this is perhaps other than PD our biggest department, right? Yes. Yes. So everything that we see that's happening infrastructure-wise
um you know I mean trees being you know cut all of that stuff it all keeping keeping this it's all public works clear so it's a very it's a very I want I want the copy of that presentation if I don't already have it you have it in the book it's okay well thank you um
it just needs to be numbered next and I want to review if you don't have enough time to go over it I'd like to review it separately with you because I think it's a very important presentation um especially um as we come into our next workshop, we can have better questions prepared for you. But I but I do agree
we we want to know where we can help you most. Um you know so um yeah thank you. So without going to the rest of the slide where where where I would like some assistance is we'd like to bring in a senior fiscal analyst in fiscal year 26. Um, we'd like you to um fund the rate
study for the storm water and for solid waste. We'd like for you to approve the restructure um that we've proposed um for these positions which is underneath the ceiling. Uhhuh. Um does the restructure include new
positions and how many? Pertaining to beautifification and it's no new positions. It's just restructuring the positions. Yeah. And renaming them. act actually commissioner she she she was um restructuring to align uh for better functionality and
what was needed uh with current. So she actually reduced position to restructure what she needed. Now, we will look into hearing from the getting the direction and hearing from the co the commission um the additional needs
uh that that we're all looking for and that we're all talking about with beautifification, storm water uh needs um or anything public works cuz public works is a big division and it department excuse me and it is one of the obviously all important I don't get
that into that trap with the mayor but um it is one of the most visible and one of those departments that you actually see Yeah. and get called for because the residents see public works and what they've what they're doing or what they're not doing. Exactly.
Um not in internal service, not in the finance, not in the procurement, but this is actual visual um to the public. Mr. Mayor, if I could say number one, all the presentations were presented that way where they showed us what their accomplishments were, what they showed
them what their departments are like. And so that took up a lot of each one of the presentations rather than get to the meat that we're here for, which is to make the budget something that is come back. As the mayor keeps saying, we have four three more times we're going to
meet, but if we don't start it now, when we meet again, it's going to be the same thing. Correct. The thing I want to say is your department to me is what the public is talking about. If we don't have your department under control and we don't have the trees trimmed and we don't have
so what your needs are. If we don't have time to go over individually, please sit with the manager course and let us support it with the changes the next time you come we come to the meeting because that's the key to showing North Miami Beach the
beautifification that we want especially for the centennial and especially for people that can't afford between their taxes, their electric, their water, everything they can't afford it. Could they see something with their money? I think it's one of the most important.
Mrs. Smuggler, final thought. Yes. So, you had me at the work was done by staff internally down there. That that is amazing. And you know, that's how it used to be done in the in the good old days. Like we had staff that would that would
yes paint and fix and and we never called out anybody for repairs. So, thank you so much and I really appreciate your presentation and I got to see another side of you that I really appreciate. You did an amazing job. And um since I'm talking about how
wonderful it is for and how how you're showing off how it was done internally, maybe they can take that staircase here that's like peeling and falling apart and and uh painted. That would be something. Facilities is already talking about uh
potentially upgrading the stairwell. Um well, not potentially. They're talk well potentially. Everything comes down to funding and what's most most important. But if there's a need and dilapitated and and and whatever, but I'm sure we can slap a fresh coat of paint to make to make the place look better.
The the the railings. Yeah. Yeah. I I non-slip paint on the the understood. Thank you. Uh Commissioner Smug 30 seconds for Commissioner John. Then I wanted to commend you for the amazing presentation. You made two points that I
wanted to highlight. the fact that the departments like finance and procurement off the the mainstream of those processes delay your effectiveness and I think that's something that the management need to address because often times you're hearing procurement isn't holding up
finance is holding it up you guys need to address that as well 30 seconds commissioner Sue thank you um so currently you you said you're you're budgeting for 70 employees right what do we have currently
72. It's on Oh, it's actually up on here, but there you go. Yes. So, you currently have 72. We've restructured. Yeah. Okay. Um, when you talked about KPIs earlier, um, you know, were you thinking of like square footage of of what you're
going to service or or build out or um the number of like u like the the CIP, CPIs, like you know what I mean? all the the programs, how are you measuring? Yeah. How are you measuring your um achievements and stuff?
Um so we're measuring achievement based on our goals. Um and so when we walk into fiscal year 26, we have measurables in terms So if we want to talk about CIP, we're going to talk about that on the 26th. But for instance, for CIP, it would be how many projects would have been studied that we have slated to be
studied by the end of the fiscal year. Um and we measure our success rate against that, right? Um and then what are the constraints that may have hindered that? There are some things that are controllable, some things that are not controllable for such as we know that there were some traffic calming projects that were delayed for seven months, right? Yeah. And um and we
talked about that during our budget retreat as to you know what do we do to mitigate that so that the next cycle of traffic calming projects don't take that hit. So those are the ways that we improve our performance based on really understanding what the data is telling us are are constraints that affects our performance. And so that's just for CIP.
Um for our road resurfacing um for road resurfacing for instance, we just completed as you know the WGI just completed the assessment for the entire city. We have a road map of you know from what streets are worsly damaged than others, right? And we also know
what the completion rate is, you know, for our contractors. And so that's how we're measuring ourselves. How many of those streets within the budgeted amount that is allocated? So whatever you approve is what's really going to determine how many we can get done. And that's our KPIs, right? How much of that thinking of, you
know, how we could like for example like square footage of maintenance that you've done or like the roof um you know the leaks that we have in city hall and and I think across the street also has quite a bit of that, right? Um all of these things like I just want to make sure that you budget for them so that
you know when it comes time to that maintenance like we're not leaking in city hall and you know everything is um kind of like running smoothly. Yeah, there are some metrics that we have to fall back on. We can't say we want to do three buildings. We want to do two buildings as we saw with the HR office space when we opened the walls.
It was a total different situation at that point. We were delayed another year, right? And so we we are mindful of those things as we collect the data. Thank you, Commissioner Sue. Uh final thought. Um thank you. Okay. Vice Mayor, you said infield infield
reclassification infield that that you do that you when when somebody is not doing what they're supposed to, you try to put the job to be what they are and so on and so forth. We have a bunch of employees if you could try to figure out how to get to
all the way down the line that people are more than qualified for what they're doing and need to be reclassified that were not reclassified. That's that's exactly what we're doing. That's exactly what we're doing. You know, we have we we have we have talent that is just sitting there just waiting
for an opportunity to step up to correct to the vice mayor point. I find and I close off. Please, we got to do a better job with HR and um this particular department that needs to be resolved. We shouldn't be having any holdups. I've heard a lot of complaints. Please mitigate that as soon as possible
because that holds up um this department for moving forward. Last but not least, you know, I I don't know if this was brought up during discussion how, you know, a mistake that was done on a contractor from a water standpoint was being blamed on our own our own um public works department when they should
have resolved it. That needs to be mitigated. And I know that Commissioner Smucker is working on mitigating that as soon as possible with possible legislation. It's on discussion. Um so but like you know if whenever I just don't like the community as Commissioner Smuckler
pointed out sees this department more than anybody else in regards to actually doing work and seeing cleaning up the streets and and making sure the projects get done. I don't want I don't want needless blame to be put on our team where somebody else division was responsible or a contractor was responsible where you guys had nothing
to do with it and we have a very vocal group in a particular neighborhood but they which they're very rightly so to their frustration that things have to be done the right way and if we have to sue we got to sue but like it shouldn't be held up to to your department for the frustration that they're feeling. So I just want to clear I think we're all in
that. I I agree with you and I think going back to the point of procurement and legal because if a vendor and HR and HR too HR it's not the operating department it's departments that supposed to have those metric help you guys do your job.
It's so that being said thank you so very much director who's next. Thank you very much. Thank you. Yes ma'am. Just the last page. the last page. The difference is about 500,000 400,000. You got to get parts. Is that what they're asking for?
We're actually underneath. We're actually lower than last year's budget. We rec we we restructured. Yeah. When you restructure though, you're asking for an additional 6,700 to 7,191. I don't know which side. Is that correct?
Which side are you looking at? 500,000. FY20 20 previous year budget um fiscal year 2425 our budget was 20 million 172 we reduced it's reduced there's there's no addition we actually reduced
okay but I'm looking at this page here am I on the wrong department here performance measurements and I don't know what that is okay wrong department thank you so much thank you next up. Thank you. Uh, thank
you for for amazing job. Thank you so much. Parks, who's next? Parks, right? Parks, uh, Ian, I'm going to have you skip what the commission said, the I don't want to call it the fluff, the accomplishments and stuff like that. We're going to get go right go right to
your requests. Absolutely. I just hope to get some love from uh from the Told you. I told you I was going to get it. He's the first part of it, too. I got to tell Chris already. So, all right. Go. Uh good evening uh mayor, uh vice mayor,
commission, uh staff, everyone, uh in in the building. Uh thank you again for having me. Um I'm here to present a fiscal year 26 budget presentation. Um through my presentation, I I'll be brief as as fast as possible. We want to go over quickly um department overview, some key accomplishments or performance
measures for fiscal year 26 um budget comparisons between current fiscal year and fiscal year 26 and then finally fiscal year 26 and where we're going towards the future. So as the parks and rec department, we are sorry. Um no, you want me to slow it down a
little bit? I'm sorry. I I'm just trying to trying to understand the department overview. Okay. We're just we we we the question is is that what what's from the meat and from the meat and potatoes part of it. What is this? This is it. No, no, no. I I I'll move down cuz he requested. That's what I said. I
went to the last page. He wants like 500,000 more. Let's find out what Tell us what you want. He want Yes, let's hear that. Let's hear that. Go to go to your request. There you go. Okay. So, uh fiscal year. Thank you. Meat and potatoes. I I'll make it quick. Thank you guys. So for fiscal year 26,
our budget request and some comparison between current uh fiscal year. So uh fiscal year 26, our total operational request is 108,370. Um we were able to realign some of our accounts um meaning we had some reductions for this upcoming fiscal year
in the total of $39,566. So for a total net increase for fiscal year 26 of $68,000. Um, obviously that does not include uh cost of living, increases in in salaries and such. So for fiscal year 25, we had an adopted budget of $6.7 million. As of fiscal
year 26, we are requesting close to $7.2 million. So I have a brief summary of our request. Um, we're anticipating a increase in a requested increase of $24,500 for our holiday lighting. Um, now that we're talking about our our centennial year, we'd like to expand our
display and make sure that we have that community pride in our holiday lighting program. Um, we did listen to the DAS and I know you guys recently mentioned our Valentine's Day event. So, that is something that we are bringing back. We are requesting a total amount of $8,000 for that. Um, we're also requesting
$7,500 for Comic-Con event. That's uh something that we've been doing in the past. There's increased costs, so we want to make sure that we help mitigate with that. And then we're also requesting $750 increase for both Veterans Day and Memorial Day events just to again enhance those events. Um
as far as uh yes center after school, we're requesting $600 um operational supplies increase just to kind of mitigate some of the expenses on educational components and um just the rise of of uh cost and supplies. Um, as far as our aquatics division, we are
requesting an increase of 4,650 for repairs and maintenance, um, to address some of our aging infrastructure in our aquatic centers. Um, and we're also requesting $6,700 in our chemical uh, cost as we've seen an increase year-over-year in our chemical expenses
um, based on on procurement contracts. Um finally for park maintenance um we do want to make sure that we are beautifying our facilities and thus we are um we have some some request in in our park maintenance um division we are requesting $20,000 for other contractual services which is more specialized uh
maintenance. Um we reach out to different vendors and and acquire some of their specialized uh services. And then finally for our repairs and maintenance, we're requesting 24,550 for deferred maintenance and again the some of the increased in um labor cost.
So that kind of sums up um our request for fiscal year 26. Um the rest is kind of where we're going as a division. Um I can kind of go through this if you'd like. If not, we can kind of move forward. Um just some final closing thoughts and some commitments. So, we in
the parks department are committed to building a safer, greener, and more inclusive North Miami Beach, one park, one program, and one experience at a time. And then our message to mayor and commission, with your support, we will reimagine recreation, modernize our facilities, and ensure every resident,
young and old, has access to safe, beautiful, and inspiring spaces. Together, we're not just maintaining parks, but we're building North Miami Beach. Thank you, Commissioner Smith. Okay, real fast. Um, this was the sheet I was looking at. I apologize, but I did
see it's an increase of 500,000, which I'm sure with the chemicals going up and with what we're doing for the public, that's a necessity. But how much more would it cost to open our pool for more hours, that's one of the complaints I get all the time is they go there, the
pool's not open. Why isn't it open longer hours on holidays, etc. So, how much more money would you need? Commissioner, we we can look into that, but I I I want to be weary of um and and and add more money to the budget if you want to do that. Um I know we get calls
from time to time. Um but uh the demand um to to if if you want to open up for three or four or five people, you know, cost you X to open up for, you know, to open up for Y. Does it does it? But you've got metrics. We've we we working on metrics. We now
have things um uh through recrack that we can track. Um but we will look into just as you're saying expanding. I know we I know we did this year expand hours. Uh Ian can can speak to that but we can also look to increase see how we can
incrementally increase uh those hours especially when when there's no school and it's beautiful weather. When it's a school day off of school that pool needs to be open because for that that's very imperative. And then the weekends we need to make sure it's open on Saturdays and Sundays and
so that I know that we share our pool with the high school etc etc and have a lot of programs there senior programs but we really have to make sure that as you say if the metrics say it's five people that's one thing but if over the day it comes to 20 or 25 people that's
the public that needs to have the pool open. Commission Commissioner Flora and thank you for being so safe with our children. Amen. Thank you. The the holiday lights. Yes, sir. Last year. Top notch. Top notch. Amazing. That was top notch.
Amazing. Thank you. I thought it was. Thank you, Commissioner John. We appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Um, but they it was top-notch. Um, you know, but being me, I was like every every block I turn on, I'm always
looking for that one, you know, um, you know, but it was it was it was amazing. Um, and so definitely look forward to supporting it again this year. Um, and you know, it starts in parks. That's where it begins, right? So, we appreciate your your um your hard work
and we're going to continue to support you. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner Smuckler. No, I I appreciate everything that both you and and Andy have done over the years for um our parks department. You you've both over the years have done an
amazing job. Continue to do it. And thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you. Nice suit. Um I do want to say thank you as well. And one of the things I'm going to ask is for um what's it called? a promotional
deck for um for parks like a sponsorship deck because when you have things like the senior the senior lunch lunchon the Hanukkah lighting that you guys uh amped it up last year we still need to have there's a lot of companies that want to
the lighting theor the manora lighting was multicultural multicultural but I know you guys helped a lot with getting certain things in place so having something running where we and constantly go cuz you know certain 8,000 7,000 5,000 here there's
companies that are willing to partner with us in those ways. It's just that sometimes as commissioners we don't have the marketing material that um we can share with those um groups and I I do like what Commissioner Smith said about if it's anything pertaining to the public we have to have those we have to
champion those things. So, the pool is definitely something that I would say. And um kudos on the social media cuz you guys are like blowing it out the water. So, it's really good. One lives here. One lives here. One lives here. Thank you, Commissioner. We'll definitely look into that. Thank you very much.
That was fun to Commissioner Sue. Thank you. Um Parks is doing a wonderful job. I think um that's these I think these events are are should be aimed for sponsorship that I'm seeing like whether it be Valentine's Day or Comic-Con. Okay,
that's what I think like what she was saying like I totally agree with that. I think that we should aim at having I always say this, the city should be run like a business, not to make a profit off of the residents, but to make a profit to pay back the residents. Okay,
so that's the goal. And you don't see a restaurant opening only on Mondays and Wednesdays and not on Thursdays and Fridays. And you know what I mean? You think of a restaurant, it's open every day. It's open at the same time. You know exactly what you're getting into
when you're going to go there and you know when it's going to close and that is how our po pools, our parks should all work, right? Including the library. We haven't gotten to that. That's going to be another conversation. But I think that if you have that predictability,
you would have like really consistent group of people coming in and then like of course like you know if they're residents. Now I'm going to have a little thing about uh somebody was having a conversation about coming to the pool and being carded. Mhm. Okay. And not being enough. They needed
to bring a utility bill. when I'm bringing if I had kids, which I don't. If I were to bring the kids over, I'm not thinking about bringing my utility bill over to prove that I live in North Miami Beach. Understood. Right. I am I'm proposing I'm
What? That's great. But I mean, if it's announced ahead of time, that's fine. Wait, hang on. I I was I was a resident of Sunny Isles for a brief year. So, what they did was they had you bring in if you were Excuse me. Thank you.
If we had um if you have a rental, you have a rental agreement, you send it in and you get a resident card. If you live here and you're homesteaded, you're there, you come in and you get a resident card. So, all the events in Sunny Isles, if you go in there and you
don't have a resident card is $10. Absolutely. Right. So I think there's something that the manager should look into as into how we can actually standardize the situation so our residents have a great card with a 100year logo on it. I don't
know something. So you know that's something that I think we should do and then like that would go like it would give special privileges everywhere including when they do that book bag giveaway that we're going to do next week. All right. Um I think I have No, that's it.
uh to believe you me uh there's one commissioner on here has always been saying our residents have to always come first like she's made that very clear well that's what we're here for and I I'm I'm on the same page but but like and so that's why when it was
brought up to the and plus we also have to understand like the fees to get in for non-residents what's what's the amount for the pool so the pool non-residents they it's it's very minimal it's $2 $2.50 50 cents and $3. That's what it is. Exactly. Yeah. Well, is it cash or Well, no, not now. So, now because we
have Rex Track, we also take card. We take card. We take swipe. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, you can definitely What What's the name of the swimming pool where that has the caves in Coral Gables? I think it's the Venetian Venian. $19 or $17 to go there now per person.
Again, our fees are very minimal. And then we do we do for residents, we do wave certain fees for for pool access. I think we all got that same email and we all at least I I spoke to the manager about it and sent it to staff about that and I think that that's something that
was pointed out that needs a correction for sure. I think also I mean like since we're all very gung-ho about getting kids to swim, maybe the kids are are free and then the parents pay, you know what I mean? And that way or a certain age, right? What is the age cut off? What is
um 17 years old? Okay. Yeah, that's good. 17. Uh uh vice mayor. Yes, sir. Wonderful job. Thank you. Thank you guys. Appreciate that you stepped up and what you're doing. How hard it is. Oh yeah. You know, you just had the hardest
summer, the hottest summer. You know, whenever we need something, the farm is there and I do appreciate it. So, thank you. Thank you. F. May I Mr. Mayor? Bishop Fmont. Commissioner of Flormont. I didn't say Bishop. Okay.
All right. Um, so something came up to mind. Um, the Cohen Bridge. Okay. Um, uh, it's it's between Challenger Park and the plaque. The one right there by the miss the blue. Correct.
Putting a plaque there. Yeah. So, we we need to put a plaque um on I think on both sides. They're missing. Um, and that is also the would all the signs be under parks as well or is that public works? Public works. We know
depends on the neighborhood signs. Neighborhood signs is is public works. That's public works. Yeah. Okay. So, if um because I know we were we were kind of moving public works a bit fast. We're coming back. So hopefully we can answer that question in the next workshop. Back for what? No, the different neighborhoods.
They're they're they're they're working they're working on that currently. Just I mean I want to bring it up you guys, but I know we we had a meeting last week on each sign. We're we're we're looking at replacing the neighborhood signs that you come in. Welcome to when whatever that is. Um
looking at designs to replace those um because they're obviously running down and very old. But that's going to be on uh for for this budget cycle that we're going to be we're going to see that get working on. Um, we have, I believe, some money this this fiscal year that we're
going to be starting and and and uh some additional funds next fiscal year. Okay. But for parks, that Cohen bridge is super important because you'd be surprised how many people are, you know, and there's a a big blue um monument, but there's no plaque on there. And I think on the other side of it,
there's like two monuments that are smaller and maybe one of them has a plaque and the other one doesn't. So, just take a look into that. Understood. Thank you. There'll be a plaque within a month. Final point, I I did reach out to you guys. We got to do um that online there's an online system which you guys I've actually looked into. It's an
Airbnb type of system where you instead of because for a long time you would have to come in here and do like a paper receipt or whatever to try to like lock down the live like certain aspects of our parks and w this particular program can do like online. You can find out what's available. You can pay with your
card and then do it that way. I'm looking forward to that that particular thing being utilized. Also, you got to become electronic. No, we got to Last but not least, please, we got to do something with our theater. We need to design build pay. We need we need to we need a design amount on there
because a lot of times when it comes to like the grants that we can avail ourselves to and believe me, there's a lot of grants out there. We have to have the we have to be shovel ready. That'll that'll be CI Yeah, that'll be part of the CIP uh conversation. Thank you so very much. Thank you. Thank you. We have a grant person, don't we? Uh why
am I talking? He's talking things have to be shovel ready to get some of these grants and he's talking about design have the plan so they can be but uh but that's a that'll be in the CIP discussion. Thank you so very much. Who's up next? It Oh, it should be easy. So
Oh, wait. Commission before it starts. So we get a lot of complaints that people can't hear us and that we're not and is it possible like to get like bigger um skeptical are miked up.
No, not miked up, but to to make these bigger or something so that they the people in in the audience and on TV can hear us better. We'll look into it. Um, most of the time is we have to make sure that we project towards the microphone cuz so we I agree, but this microphone is
kind of little. So, I just wonder if a bigger microphone would help us project better. Maybe. I don't know. Oh, Sue was saying she couldn't hear me tonight and I'm right here. I have to go here. Right. Have you You've gotten complaints.
We always get Yes. Put a headset on. Hello. Hello. We had headsets during Yes, we did. Yeah, we did. We did. We did. We had headsets during Zoom. Yes. It be brief. Please tell us what
you mean. I only have like five slides. Go ahead. It uh good evening, mayor and commission. Ricardo Castillo, chief information officer. Um like I said, I'm the last one. I just have a
a quick Oh, and I don't know why it looks superimposed, but um uh just want to give you some brief information. This year our budget was 6,186,18. For FY26, we're requesting 6,635
6 uh 6,635,626. Uh before before you start, I'm sorry. It's come to my attention that the uh IT and procurement didn't make the the binder. Um so it's only five it's five slides, right? Yeah. Finance I mean they're going up to see if they can print it and at least
you have it. Why don't we just send it? Yeah, you can. Oh, we'll Okay, we'll we'll email Yeah, we'll email you the the slides for Commissioner Smith. Wait, she has email. We we will make sure that everybody gets the uh the slides too.
Not just me now. All right. Um so, real brief. Um the IT department uh basically we there's uh four main areas for us. Uh administrative and AB support, public safety IT, which consists of three dedicated IT personnel. We have about
our police department application support and network and system support. Uh like I said, our ask for next year is 6,620 uh 6 million 635,626. Uh this was uh uh this year's allocation. As you can see, it it hasn't
changed much uh from uh uh FY25 to our ask on FY26, but the bulk of the expenditure and I it's software and software upgrades. Um so uh just so that you guys understand how our budget works and then the rest is other operating other services as well as other uh
operating expenses. Um some of the key accomplishments this year we uh did a refresh of our network infrastructure citywide. Uh we've been deploying some AI tools uh for our website as well as uh for city management. Uh we transitioned uh our phone system to a
cloud-based phone system. Um, we continue to work with NMBB Water on implementation of a new utility building system. Um, we developed the city's first uh incident response plan and uh we're working on increasing uh our training and cyber security efforts
citywide in addition to also collaborating with the other departments. Um our goals for FY25 uh uh 26 and beyond is uh continuing to um build on what we've already implemented with our ERP system with Munis uh
strengthening cyber security um looking at cloud and and how we can migrate some of this uh systems to cloud um provide uh more end user training and uh support um implement AI tools uh to improve other cities departments uh oper
operational efficiency um increase IT's participation and collaboration um with uh various departments including NB water um seeing how we can reduce our telecommunications and software expenses uh through consolidation of uh services citywide
um uh succession and realignment of team roles in IT to ensure that we have proper business continuity and establishing a formal IT governance uh committee. um highlights like I said um the what we're requesting is approximately a 7%
from prior year budget of uh 6,186,18. The primary drivers for the increase our personal expenses merit and cola. We uh we had some additional software expenditures uh this fiscal that are going to be reoccurring for next fiscal and those were our ring central cloud uh
uh phone system, our flood plane management system um and uh our open go system for procurement uh some of the capital requests. We are um uh we need to replace our storage system uh due to uh uh the current system
already uh being uh close to 5 years old and then the uh company that we were utilizing for the software they got acquired and they're increasing their fees by a,000%. So we're looking uh for a different solution. Uh um then there's uh three uh capital requests for the
library through it. uh you know we uh those I believe will be probably in public works as well but since it is its own fund we uh submit our capital requests through the uh public works process but it they get funded in IT those are recording sound booth exterior
LED uh video wall and a driving simulator for the library um and basically this is my last slide this is just a pledge from our department which is to ensure that we uh maintain uninterrupted delivery of IT services uh bolster cyber security,
infrastructure redundancy and disaster recovery that uh we work on talent development um not just within IT but within the city by training and upskilling staff for future roles and technologies. Um improve workflows and support through system upgrades and automation. Um improve communications
and collaboration with internal departments and explore new technologies to support smart government. That's it. I have a question. Smart cities. Commissioner, I want Thank you so much for the presentation. I have a couple questions. So, I know we passed a smart city
legislation. I wanted to see what areas of the city are smart. So, for what? Yes, I meant the pun. I meant the pun in there. So for instance, parks and recreation for a long time collected their fees and you guys came on and
helped them to to operate or to launch that that correct that service that they've been paying for for years and not using, right? What are some other areas around the city that are similar? So, if you can provide something um on the next go around that
kind of highlights that I know there's an app for water, there's an app for there's going to be an app for transit. There's so so many different things that we don't necessarily know that are available. Even with the Wi-Fi that's available at the different community centers, um these are the things that we
need to know that that you guys are doing. I think it would be a good way for us to kind of also um show how progressive the city is. And in addition to that, giving us an update on procurement and the um vendor process. I
know that was something that we wanted to kind of automate instead of having people have to provide the form with paper and PDF. So, I don't know where we are with that. But things like those I would love to see each department and how you guys have been
able to help them mainstream their smart city approach. Absolutely. So we'll compile a list uh you know working with the different departments and uh uh like you said the different initiatives uh um that they have and uh uh send that to all of you guys.
Commissioner Smith. Thank you. So the library let uh lent us their trainer for the computers and their trainer for the smartphone etc. Is there any money in your budget to have a trainer that would teach the public
maybe a monthly meeting? I would be happy to coordinate that that the public could come and learn how to use their software so that they could see the social media that we're producing because most of the public that I deal with in the seniors they don't know how
to do it and they are so appreciative. So we could we do that in that department. I did ask for that before. I don't know if you have he has some of that material already done already. So it's just a matter of us but I I would like it on a regular basis because even the young kids can be you
know involved in etc etc. So that's one thing in your budget. The second thing is I have no idea what this question means. None but the League of Cities just asked us before we come to the summit to the state um convention that
what do we want to see with AI? So, do you have anybody in your department that will constantly be updated on AI and how does it apply to government? I'm sure there's areas where it does apply and if that question could you fix it if it
just sound right. I know it's something to I guess that would be me. I know we I know I know we need it. We definitely need it because it's not it's a it's here. It's not coming here. It's here. But I think we need somebody. It would be your department if I would be right.
And I think you need somebody there. Do you have that in your budget? Uh we don't have a person per se in charge of AI. That would be myself as the CIO uh that been leading this efforts. And then uh we do have AI tools implemented. I know uh uh Commissioner
Sue asked not long ago and we'll probably uh send that uh information to all of you guys so that you guys are aware. But we are using AI. Uh you know there's pretty much an AI tool for a everything out there. So we have to be very strategic as to what are the areas that we want to uh tackle. Obviously you
know um AI can bring a lot of operational efficiencies uh because it allows us to handle some of those day-to-day tasks without necessarily having to have a staff tied up for that. That way staff can focus on on the bigger uh uh items and let AI handle
those day-to-day type of questions. Well, I was kind of kidding that I didn't understand. I do understand and that's what I was thinking. I was thinking that that AI can really help supplement dollar for dollar for employees and manpower that we need if we use it in
the right direction. Absolutely. But that's why I'm asking you in your department. It would only be you. And if you feel you're going to need somebody more or somebody trained more, do you have it in your budget? Because I don't think it's going to wait another year. I don't think it's going to wait another year. Uh we uh I I'll speak to uh
finance and city manager's office and see if we uh Okay. The answer is currently no. He's doing it a roundabout way, but the answer is no. But we can we we hear you and we can look at the possibility. Commissioner Smuckle. So at the library, we teach
classes on how to use the phone and all that. Mhm. So, but people couldn't get to the library and they really that's why the library lent us their people and they we really need something a little something in the city. So, this isn't necessarily related to it, but it just
Yes, I can speak into the mic. Um, this isn't really it related, but um did you you made me think of something? Um, and since Commissioner Smith is here, I don't want to like call her and get
accused of a sunshine for discussing this with her, but here I can. I'm thinking that maybe and through ProLel and maybe they can sponsor it. That at one of the senior lunchons that Proel can actually teach the seniors there how to use that new app that they're going
to be featuring. Well, that's on our schedule to bring them there anyway to tell them the changes. So when they're there, hopefully they can do that. Yeah. So that they can teach them how to use cuz there'll be an app available so that they can teach someone. We Yeah, we can we can set that up.
Procel is already there. I'm sure they're more than willing, but we can also let the seniors know in advance that, hey, if you have a mobile device and you use a mobile device, please bring it for this lunchon u because we're going to be doing some type of showcase on how to use it for for transportation. And you have to bring it
to the next lunchon and lunchon after because most seniors don't get it the first time. Yeah. Thank you, Mhm. Mr. Mayor. Um, and thank you for the presentation, Vice May. Uh, Vice Vice Mayor, when you give us a thing, I don't think your microphone is on.
Sorry. When you give us uh the proposition that says you need 600,000 your 600, your budget 600,000. Is that an acceptable budget to you or what what happens with that with how are we working that? Uh, good question, Vice Mayor. that that
budget was vetted. Uh it's all uh reasonable as well as justifiable in terms of So his whole budget you've accepted already proposed I think prop in the proposed budget that gave us correct. Okay, that's what I needed to know. Thank you. Yeah. Everything everything you're
hearing is proposed. So So that's all already been proposed. Yes. Now they're just getting our thoughts. Wishing for anything more than what's proposed? Well, we're only going to be wishing for more when we hear from you all. Um, we've we've been bringing presentations of what else we want.
That's all here. I wanted to make sure that he's telling us he needs giving him 600,000. Yes. Uh, correct. U, Commissioner Sue, thank you. Um, I like I was thinking of the same thing
and then Commissioner Smith said it, which is um I think with like I was mentioning before with our pension growing so much and us being an older city, how can we like, you know, slowly kind of transition that so that we're not paying pensions into, you know, our
grandkids generation. Um, we're looking at something like along the lines of the of the IT using using technology. Um, I remember I went to the Japanese general counsel's house and Lufanza uh came and made a presentation. They have these
little robots that actually once they lock eyes with you, it'll follow you around and lead you take you in different directions like when people are going on cruises or when they're, you know, going to different places these computers and then they have a little screen for people who either
can't are hard of hearing and they speak in case you're hard of, you know, seeing. So there's a lot of accommodations that can happen with that if we're well and exactly. Yeah. So So what before Skynet comes online.
Okay. We know what generation you're at now. Skynet. Oh my god. Okay. So So my point is um that I think that you know if we can find something like that in city hall like oh can I help you pay your bill or you know what I mean? Like and I
want to keep all of our employees. Don't take me wrong, don't get me wrong on this one, but what I'm thinking of is in moving into the future that we slowly start to transition that and use that to supplement anything that like we the natural attrition of employees. So, um,
and I think that there's a lot of that for I mean like we still can't replace lifeguards with robots. So, you know, those are some things that will will always stay around, but I think that there's a an excellent way that we can start doing this. And I want to compliment you. If um the residents
don't know yet, if you go on our city NMBB website, you have a chatbot that can tell you all kinds of things just by typing it in. It's on the left hand side of the column of our website. It's very important. I'd love for communication
and through the manager to produce a video and he also has an app for a video like an AI app for a video that like has created the video on how to pay your BTR. So all the advancement that we that you have made I like kudos BTR
BTR BTR business business tax receipt BTR business tax receipts. So there's like a teaching how you can do your BTR. Sorry my accent is a little too heavy. So my accent's a little bit too heavy.
I'll talk clearer. Um yeah. So basically yeah that's a good job. I really want I I invite my my colleagues if they haven't already known about it. Like it's um it's it's a lot of fun. So, thank you very much, Ricardo. And don't spend too much money. Uh all right, Commissioner Jean.
Okay, so I know we're um we're heading to 9:00 and we only had schedu. Um I I'll say this. Um for me, like I still feel like our website could be a lot more streamlined. There's a lot there's a lot of stuff going on that website. However, I know it's being worked on
uh and um comm's work on on on upgrading it. What I will say is that you know to the smart smart city uh um concept concept that commissioner um John has championed. I I' I've been looking for the something we're doing like city city
Wi-Fi if possible partnering up or seeing what the possibilities are and providing that. um those costs um can help very you know those having Wi-Fi access you know bridging that digital divide can help out the most vulnerable people in our community and a lot of
people don't have the data data services because of the lack of the fact of like you know program yeah no it's been it's been discontinued discontinued so and that's why like there's there's it's it has like there was there was a program it was like um a program that
was very big last year it was discontinued um Not it wasn't renewed. It wasn't renewed. It was something wasn't funded. Oh. So that being said, I think the city should look into doing that possibly like in let's say start off in the CRA area. That's a discussion with the CRA seeing if we can make it like fully
Wi-Fi and different like in in the CRA because I think that a lot of people would utilize it and we could and we could do advertising on there and say, "Hey, this is May I just a little bit?" I just wanted to say that um Okay. the federal government does have these programs. I just posted that um in my in
you know to to some to some residents. They give you a free smartphone and unlimited talk and text including 15 gigabytes of of data. It's Obama phone. Great. I'm glad that it's uh it has a
name. Okay. So the Obama phone is working. They still have the Obama phone around. So, if our residents want that, as far as having us do that Wi-Fi system, I think it is it is wasteful. Our our community, we have we may have
communities that need Wi-Fi connection. However, they might not have the devices to connect to that. But if you have these phones that are free and the smartphones, including the data, it's all inclusive. You're all done. Commissioner, I wanted to I wanted to um kind of
piggyback on what the mayor was saying with the with the Wi-Fi. It's an infrastructure thing as well, right? And I know you guys have invested in hotspots for the library where we do have 35 hotspots at the library. So, I don't know that to the mayor's point if we can look to increase that,
but more so can you give us um some sort of action plan for for the infrastructure that's needed for Wi-Fi? So if the infrastructure is I don't know what what does that look like. We're not tech techy people. So I don't know how it looks like from an
innovation standpoint. All I know is that the 4G towers are coming up and this there should be some type of like partnership because those things are look it's the towers that are one there's one over by um the sky lake off of where the where the bank is TD Bank. It's it's summer west. That's you
know that's my neighborhood. So, but like these things are pop propping up and a lot of times um when they get you know the certain communities that because they're you know keep they want to keep some type of affluence in their communities have worked out deals to say if you want to put this tower here there has to be some type of concession that
type of stuff. So depending of how how you want the deals to operate um there's you know there's some ways of reducing some costs but I I still feel like you know those you know it's not you know as a kid you can't you know or students they don't have the lack the that digital vibe is serious not all of them
can apply for the bomophones or there certain they're capped at certain what what's what resources are available from at least from the federal level a lot of those things are being discontinued a lot of times it was going to be done taken done by not just state but um local government now that's being like taken away. So, whatever we can do to at
least alleviate some of the burden and I know those those those those things really like affect everybody like Wi-Fi access affect everybody. If you can reduce those costs and and make it more immenable to to or more accessible to residents, they'll see that cuz that affects everybody. It's not like just you know different areas in that sense.
So, I that's why I wanted to put it out there to see what options we have and to be inclusive of that um when helping you know in and making our city even techsavvy. That's Mr. Mayor still get the free computer. Well, no. Well, I think that's being I think some of them are being that's
being discontinued, too, because it's not discontinued. Muted on expanding out. I'm talking about it's still internet. Mr. Mr. Mayor, yes. Yes. It's 9:02 and we have one. If you if we can get through one, we procurement.
It's a small small department. It's the last one. We could go we could go straight to the requests. Um but if you allow that you heard my you heard my thoughts move on to procurement we can look at Mr. CIO of advertising where didn't we say from 7 to 9. Yes 5 to 9.
5 to 9 and and could we just congratulate on the wonderful nomination for the prestige. Oh yes congratulations. Congratulations. I mean just the nomination that being said we have great we have great leaders in our city. Um, so next up there'll be a final final
department. What's procurement is the last one on on today's also has an award and water. Wait, wait. Oh. Oh, yeah. Okay. So, I misspoke. If who who's who has a shorter slide? Who has a shorter slide? Um, procurement. Procurement is probably
Let's do community and we'll and we'll say procurement because let's uh if if if I may, we can do procurement. I think they got uh shaft and I want to say shafted last year and I don't know if they got to uh too important. I don't want to rush it. I don't want to rush procurement
community development. Come on. Community development. Let's go. Commissioner Yes. because everybody had an opportunity to speak. We're we we're going to we're going to we started late but we everybody had an opportunity to speak. So we only had start 20 minutes late but we didn't start the presentations until an
hour and a half later. And also we have to let you know we have to get through these presentations and go to the meat and potatoes of it all. So a lot of times we we I understand us we get these presentations above uh prior to so like for the for the following um meeting
staff tell my story too. City manager every time I have a presentation I cut it out. I never tell my story. City manager. So for the next meeting um can we like I understand you know what we are how we're getting there. I just
please allow that to be the um provide us provide that to us beforehand but the main discussion should be what is being what's being requ straight to the requests. So community development what are the meat and potatoes for your department. Thank you. Good evening Mr. Mayor, vice mayor,
members of the commission and uh Mr. Manager. We are not asking anything anything new fish and potatoes. Sorry. Go. We we are not asking anything new uh from what we had previously basically we cut about $350,000 out of our prior budget. So
whereas last year we had 209 uh 2.9 million now we are asking 2.6 uh we have the same staffing and uh we we cut out a lot of uh uh private consultants that were uh you know charging us. So that
360,000 has been cut and we are not asking anything new but we've got take a lot of initiatives that we're taking this year. We are going to do a comprehensive plan update. We we are doing some uh you know transit related uh you know projects that will be coming
online soon and we're very excited about uh the automation that we've done. Our reviews are all automatic now you know are online. Payments are being done online and so we are excited about the coming year. Okay, I'll I'll doing a great job. Um, Commissioner Jean, do you had one thought?
One thought. Uh, I didn't get the email, by the way, um, manager, about the HVAC and um, but thank you so much for the great work. I I did ask for a breakdown of the BTR fees. Um, so I'm looking forward to seeing how we break it down. I know um our ACM also has some ideas of
how we can booster up some of those fees in in very conservative ways, but I I did want to respond uh get a response to the email that was sent. Thank you. We we'll be happy to do that. Commissioner Smith, I just want to thank you for reducing your budget. Uh great job. And if we
could keep permitting moving quickly so that people won't be dissatisfied as they're just starting their process to build in North Beach. Thanks to our great IT team, we've got a good automation. That's what I was going to ask you to partner with with Yeah. Why don't you have AI walk them through? They could. They could.
Don't Don't laugh. You have helped us and we've got a good automation on all our You laugh. But you laugh. But you know what? You and my husband will be lost cuz it's coming. Um reduced our spend in uh contracts by doing some volume pricing with
cooperatives. And um we are doing a kind of an internal shift in our our department where we are focusing on strategic sourcing and when we do that we are looking at some of the um larger scale
projects P3s um some grant management alongside the manager's office and finance as well as um some vendor some additional vendor engagement. So this is what our org looks like. Um I am
I have these are all my full-time staff. Um we have some initiatives that we we had three goals last year and we've met and exceeded those goals. One of them was to provide um innovative digital services and we've
done that through um with AI with our um electronic bidding system with Cintasia. Take it back. Take it back vice mayor. Um we have um uh done some mass vendor communication when it comes to our engagement. Um we have streamlined some
Amazon price I'm sorry Amazon spend and we're doing that through Munis that goes live in a month or less than a month rather. And then we have uh Commissioner John has been on us regarding the online vendor access portal. So we have an SOP for that and we're going live with that
by the end of this month. So, that's going to be a big push with um our new vendors that come aboard. They'll be able to access their invoices and register. Um we also established a vendor corner. So, if you look on our website on our page, we have a vendor
corner where there's um initiatives to become an Amazon Prime vendor to be a small business enterprise with Miami Day County um as well as to learn about um providing a good invoice and we're doing that through AI as well.
Um, another one of our goals was about um, uh, customer service. And so what we're doing internally is continuing to use AI for videos, SOPs, and some training. And we're also attending trainings around
the city and engaging our our user departments and in our peers in other cities. And this is helping us with some best practices. And finally, yay. Yay. Yay.
Um, one of our major goals was to achieve the to earn the 2005 I'm sorry 2025 achievement of excellence in procurement and so um we have received this award for the first time since 2008
and that is a major accomplishment. Congratulations. Thank you. Um we'll be getting that award soon. Um it'll come it may come directly to the mayor and then we'll be able to be recognized. Oh, it's how they send it. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Um, I'll make sure it goes straight to y'all.
And so, um, in our give it to them here. Yeah. Got it. Got it. And, um, another one of our accomplishments is all of my professional staff are certified. And that has been the first time since of
course under my under my leadership but um under the past maybe four CPOS's professional staff were not certified. So we have our professional buyers, professional uh procurement professionals. We have um two Florida
certified contract managers. And in the next by the end of this fifth by the end of the calendar year, we'll have an additional uh contract manager and we'll have um another certified public buyer and I'll be receiving another certification as well. So this is a a a
major accomplishment for our department and shows that we are working together as a team and growth does not stop. Okay. Thank you. Put it Put the go back to the um budget slide. Yeah. Yeah. I was going to skip on. No, no, no, no. That's That's There you go. There you go. That's the
meat and potatoes. All right. Okay. So, um this is um our budget is increasing. Um not by much. It's mostly um headcount. I have um it says my team there, but um I have another person coming on board to fill all our vacancies. So, we're promoting from
within and then we're going to fill a vacancy um also within the city. And um that puts us last year we were at 783 that puts us at 835. Um we have um a smaller operating budget. Um we our contract now our some
of our professional services we do have we have an audit a pecard audit that happens every month. So we definitely have to keep that. Um and our online systems, our uh e- procurement is being handled by cards are still being used. I'm sorry. How many pe cards are being used?
Um less than 60. Thank you. So give or take anywhere from 40 actually out and registered are about 60 used on a monthly basis. It ranges from 35 to 45 and so that's like I said that spend is down this year as well.
All right. Um questions. U Commissioner Smith. Uh my only question is uh you're doing a good job and I just noticed that you have a robot. Did we hire that robot? Oh my god. No, that was our trip. That was our trip to Amazon. The Amazon plant.
I'm just saying AI robot. I'm just saying. Well, the only thing I can say about procurement is it's very difficult for us at least for me to see when does it go through procurement and when does it not go through procurement. So that has nothing to do with the budget, but I'd love to have an
appointment with you. Of course. Thank you, Commissioner Flora. Uh, a great job. Um, and I also like the fact that I um see um movement from parks into procurement, which um is is a
great thing when you see um uh your employees who started at entry level positions now being in um you know, these types of positions. So, that's my aim. Yeah, that's a good that's a very big deal. So, um you know, we're here to support
you whatever you need. Um and um you know, I think that we've had some conversations as it relates to making sure that um there's equitable um equitable opportunity as well as equitable um compensation for people uh
in our in our city. So, I ask that we take a look at all departments including procurement as well. Thank you, Commissioner Muck. Thank you for the uh presentation. It was amazing. It was short and amazing. Um I I I've always wanted to ask of
this. When you send us those uh emails that were in a cone of silence, when that's over, can you send an email letting us know that we're Yes. And and um the manager and I had talked about that. So the last email I
sent had um a list a report and I think that's what we're going to be doing on a monthly basis maybe semionthly and so you know that how the projects are moving in and out of the cone of silence right even a reminder that we're still sometimes it'll be 3 years later I'm like I don't know if I can talk about of course so we can definitely implement
that for sure. Yeah we we had that conversation and she's going to be sending you guys updates of what's in and what's out. All right. Thank you, Commissioner Jean. Thank you so much. Yeah, I wanted to congratulate you on all the great accomplishments and thank you for the vendor um process that you um your team
is launching and also thank you for the um the upward mobility of staff. My concern is with um the the volume because everything filters through procurement and are you do you really have enough staff because all of the
departments depend on you for either quote verification without the gas they can't go so far so you know we when I looked at your flowchart I realized that you need more people there because it's really your department filter it's is not an
enterprise um procurement model to what commission Commissioner um McKenzie Flemont said it's centralized to your department. So that's a concern and I think that has to be addressed in the budget process. And also salaries, Mr. Manager,
you know, we don't want you just look into it. We want you to do something about it. Thank you, Commissioner Sue. Thank you. Um first of all, congratulations on all of your successes that you have. Okay, good. All right. And then um thank you for helping me
work on the SBE um certification with the county. It's very important. So for residents who don't know um you can register yourself and get certified with the county and of course like she will also accept you your your quote your your solicitate we will solicitate from
you. Yeah. Okay. Um, is there when you when you're asking when you're adding a new hire, my question to that is uh is that like an entry level so that you are promoting someone to replace or and it's a two-part question. So the part two is
do you from what we hear in from public works and I know I when I was on the water since Andreas Suarez was there I've always been um we've always had issues with you know like having a specialist in in procurement in some way
either they have their own procurement department or we consolidate everything and then you know you do yours. Do you have a specialist for that for public works and for water department? Okay. So the first part of the question um regarding um hiring from the ground
level um that has been um a preference so we can move staff up. You know I I steal folks from user departments that are stars and kind of build them and grow them. Now um that has been probably the easiest way to grow the department
because the talent isn't comparable to the pay. Right? So, for instance, um I would need if I need an agent that can write a bid, you know, right on the spot day one, I'm looking at $85,000.
And so, um you know, those are some of the challenges that we have in the market. You know, we put stuff out, we get things back, and they're just just not there. Um uh Deputy Chief talked about the same thing with with police. It's just not there. And so, um yes, I could use uh you know, another body for
sure. um we've we're you know we're being strategic in how we do things and that's where I want to kind of change the department a bit so I can focus on those largecale projects with with an analyst or with somebody that can run with me while the day-to-day and
operations stay in uh purchasing and contracting and then we found some holes in our in our department like everybody else. So we're try to mitigate that the risk working with risk as well as our contract management which has some major holes. So we're we're fixing those as we go. So yes, I can stand to have somebody
else. Um the second part of that question was for water and right now we do have a utility uh purchasing agent. Um we we from since Andrea was here um she was really
adamant about having someone um because of the the load, right? Um and I agree with that. Um the problem is to have somebody specialized in water. you know, we don't have a lot of water utilities, but the ones that we do, they come at a at a pretty penny. So, we're grooming
that person. They're working now. Um, they they've been here for a little less than 6 months. Every other department doesn't have it. And right now, we don't have the department segmented where I have one staff member per department. Um, that wouldn't work right now. Um, everybody kind of gets um I have it
segmented by by dollar value. So my more senior people can handle the higher dollars with myself and then some of the lower staff handle the small dollar where it's easier. It's under my authority or the managers. So you know we're we're being strategic in how one the personnel is used and two how we um
you know reduce and manage spend. Okay. Vice Mayor, congratulations. Great job. Keep up the good work. Thank you. Now, uh, in closing, because, uh, com commissioners, I had one. How many
people? Go ahead, Commission. How many people are you adding to your department? I would like to add right now just one. Is that all you need? Cuz we need to we need to move the city forward and you're you're central to this. So, we have to I'll have a I'll have a deeper conversation point. We need to know the
truth here about what you need. You know, uh, really though, just quickly to interject, I think every department, because I think I was the one that said the first thing you see is public works. Uh, but the police department, and I think every department needs more people. I mean,
well, it's hard to get it's hard to get more people for the police, though. That's Well, no, not only but what I'm saying is we're look what we're look at the task, right? Wait a minute. Let's look at the task we're asking the manager to do. Be sure to get this, get this, get this, and what do you need? and get this and get
this but don't raise the millage and don't so let's No, no, no, no. I I I think the proposed like um we procurement stated what she needs. I guess we can have discussions moving forward and and and expressing if there might be a need for that. All I ask this
off because I know we we've gone past is that is there any way to have u one uh a resident preference when it comes to bids that come in? What? So meaning so right now we have wait no
local preference local preference. Oh man see contract contract background. So right now we do have legislation that was um adopted back in 2022. I remember
um it is um it honestly it didn't come through procurement so we really have to kind of vet it a bit more. Um but it is is for uh contracts for 250 or more. That's what I'm saying. 50,000 I'm sorry. Okay. So, look, one thing one thing I want to be able to do is to to say that
we're giving every opportunity to businesses that, you know, um, patronize our community that are here in our community. if that legislation has to be updated to just have a preference. I'm not saying that, you know, it'll lock that you can't allow this bid or whatever procure procurement um
advertising you put out has to go to specific, but like but I I like the I like the fact that I want to give the people that actually paid to our tax base, right, the opportunity to to benefit from the opportunities that we're able to give out for sure. So, if that can be updated Yes.
in regards to that, I would greatly appreciate it. And um that's something that we have to look into. And last but not least from a procurement standpoint, congratulations. Um, also also if you need extra because it is a department that is not seen but without
them there's a lot of stuff we can't like we cannot do. So so um please like I said res the the local preference is is very important. I want us to really look at how we can help the people that patronize our community first before all else. That being said but I wanted to be
legit, right? mean that I'm not looking for virtual offices or anything like that. I'm looking for brick and like they have a presence of course that's what I'm saying like their business is here. So that being said, thank you so very much. Maybe they they have to have a certain
years of like a business license with two years and also um rep uh I hate this word because of the law school reprocity. You're not rep reciprocity. reciprocity.
Now I don't know if this is added I don't know if this is added but like if I have you it is very hard to get a SB certification but to but do we have any what's that R word again with getting some type of like let's say we do have a local preference that that
can be utilized and and getting some type of like uh it'll be a quick way of getting registered depending on if they have a certification from the county already do we have that because certain like like if if I'm a brow let's say for example Ber County has this reper word
with Dade County, right? So, if you have certification with them, you just got to show that you have certification and then you got certification on the other side. Do we have that type of relationship currently? Um, for the county, Miami Day County, we don't we don't need um that in writing.
We can use it, right? We have that relationship where we can use it. Um the thing about that is um we have to establish our own um legislation as to how we uh take on small business if it's set aides and things of that nature. So
to not not um go around that but to kind of lean into that. Commissioner um Jean and I were talking some months ago about when we rebid some of our solicitations like grounds maintenance and janitorial, we zone it out so we get more of our local participation, smaller firms that
can take on that work. So these are things that we're doing. Um we've changed our our uh terms and conditions to add the SB language where they can be a part of it. Now, there are some things there, you know, while we don't have the legislation to to to call it a set aside
to set aside these um particular contracts strictly for small business, there are things that we can do to bring them in, right? And so, we're doing that in terms of um our local plumbers and and uh tradesmen. We're we're establishing a job type contract for
that as well as logistics when we have events where we want small business from balloon makers to to caterers and all of the things. But stewardship is our main thing and so we want to make sure that we're doing it in line with not only the code um but in line to what's going to best suit and serve our our residents.
Thank you. Um m um procurement director. Uh I do I have a motion to adjurnn to I have a vice mayor motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. Mr. Manager.