change. >> Hello. >> She wanted to match my yellowish with me. So we Careful. Um good evening. This is uh City of North Miami Beach workshop for um city
manager interviews. Today is Wednesday, January 7, 2026, and it's 6:07 p.m. Uh, Mrs. Clerk, please uh do the roll call. >> Commissioner Sherf >> here. >> Commissioner Florimmon, >> Commissioner Jean,
>> here. >> Commissioner Smith, >> present. >> Commissioner Sue, >> present. >> Vice Mayor Fortuna Smuckler, >> present. >> Mayor Michael Joseph. Thank you. >> Let us rise for the pledge of allegiance. To the flag
of the stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Um, so before we start anything, um, I've had several inquiries about, um,
Mayor Joseph's interviews, if those will be available online. So, they'll be available. It's the video or is it a transcript? >> It's the video. It'll be a video and it'll be online by uh uh Friday the
latest. >> Friday the latest. Okay. Then I also um had a few people um mentioning that yesterday there was like the the the the video and and our mouths were not um in
sync. Did anybody else get that? >> Comm uh uh Madam Chair, Commissioner Sue mentioned that to me. I spoke to Ricardo. um he looked into it and then by the time he looked into it he said everything was working fine. >> Okay. >> So I don't know if it was just a momentary uh situation but uh we we did
get that information and the IT director looked into it. >> Okay. Perfect. All right. So um we will be interviewing um Mr. Mendes today. Hi. How are you?
Okay. I I think that we I Mhm. >> Perhaps. >> Can you hear me better now? [clears throat] >> All right. So, Mr. Mendes, did I interview you back in
2021 or was it you for for the city manager's position? >> Not here. >> Not here. >> Not here. >> Oh, okay. I've been telling everybody I did. So, [laughter]
>> so I actually tell everybody you were her pick. >> Actually, this is my first time here. >> It's an honor. It's to all of you. >> But it wasn't on Zoom. You didn't? >> I believe maybe on Zoom. Yes, >> we may have have a I believe we did.
>> Oh, okay. Okay. So, I'm not >> All right. So, we met on Zoom. Okay. >> We met in Zoom. >> Yes. >> Through the chair. If I could, you're going to have to speak into the microphone because I also got the same Yes. >> complaints that people couldn't hear. >> The several people did mention to me
that not you obviously, but the the other candidates weren't speaking directly into the microphone. So, u we >> I am and I like to uh please excuse me in advance. I'm a little aonic today. >> Okay.
>> I will do my best to >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> to be as clear as I can. >> Okay. Perfect. >> All right. So, we're going to follow the process that we did yesterday, which is um you're going to give a three minute introduction about yourself and then um
we're each going to ask one round of up to five question, I'm sorry, up to five minutes and then we're going to do a second round again up to five minutes and then we're going to have you close with uh two minutes, one minute, a one minute closing.
>> Excellent. >> Okay. Thank you. So, I'm going to um let's see. Yesterday, the last person to start first was um Commissioner Smith. So, Daniela Jean, Commissioner Jean,
will you please start? >> Oh, I keep on skipping that part, don't I? Please um give us a three minute introduction of yourself. >> Okay. Um also, let me know if I'm speaking out too loudly. >> And and it doesn't have to be three minutes, up to three minutes. Okay.
Well, uh, first and foremost, I'd like to thank each and every one of you as well as Mayor Joseph and Commissioner McKenzie and the host from the human resources who have been very professional in this
uh, process. Uh I am a registered professional civil engineer and a professional city manager uh with 30 years of professional experience in the public and the private
sector as well. I went to the Florida International University School of Civil Engineering where I got my bachelor's of science in civil engineering. And then I went to the graduate business school at the University of Miami where I got my
master's in business administration specializing in finance and management. Additionally, I'm a a certified government financial manager as well and uh and a
uh I I say an engineering or a utilities contractor as well and a certified quality control manager. I started out working as a consulting engineer uh designing and building residential
industrial developments here. One of our great projects I worked for Mr. Her Godman, the late Her Godman, you may know him, and Mr. John Pepper, who were two of the foremost professional engineers here in South
Florida, and we were the engineers for Mystic Point. We designed and build those seven towers. In addition to that, we also designed the Country Club states and multiple residential and commercial projects. Then I joined the Miami day
county pol excuse [clears throat] me Miami day county public works department and I sort of went through the ranks and became a special administrator. I was appointed to the plaque committee to the development impact committee and to the
development of regional impact committee representing the county. That meant that every development, residential, commercial, industrial, that was to take place within Miami Day County, they had to come before our offices where I had
the honor to lead an amazing team of professional engineers and architects and surveyors for Miami Day County, making sure that the county's infrastructure, transportation, water, and sewer was not being short changed
because of those developments. So I had a wonderful experience in there for many years, approximately seven years. And long story short, I then I joined this great city of Miami Beach as the assistant poly works director and acting
director. We had a significant capital improvement program as well. And uh I continue my career in public administration serving as section head, division manager, assistant director, department director for four different
departments, public works, finance administration, and program management for the great uh Palm Beach County School District where we had a five-year two billion pro uh capital improvement program under my leadership
before I became a professional city manager and had the honor of serving for the as the assistant city administrator for the city of Westbomb and the chief operating officer and chief financial officer for the great city of
Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. >> Okay, I'm I'm sorry. So, the the three minutes are up, but thank you. Thank you very much. Would you like for extending? >> Would you like some hot tea? >> That would be wonderful. >> Can somebody make some [clears throat] hot tea? All right. Someone will be making it for you. Thank you.
>> You're welcome. >> Appreciate my my pleasure. Um, Commissioner Jean, >> thank you. Thank you for being here and thank you and welcome to the city of North Miami Beach. >> Thank you. >> Uh, you have a vast experience. And so
my my first question would be within the first 90 days of you being here, how do you hope to acclimate yourself to the city? And how will you do that inclusive of the employees and also the residents so they can feel the impact? How does
your first 90 days look like? >> Based on my experience initially, I will do uh my very best to earn your trust and confidence each and every one of the elected officials. In
addition, I will do my very best just the same effort to earn the trust and confidence of the people that I'm going to be leading. That that is what has worked for me. Not because I had been the department
director and and being in these important roles. No, I have to earn the respect, the trust and confidence of these people so that we can become a cohesive high performance team. Uh in addition as a professional
engineer I'm als I am also a trained forensic engineer. I plan to do an assessment of the community go throughout the entire city identifying uh strengths
areas of improvements opportunities and challenges. Um, in addition to that, I plan to meet with the city auditors ASAP and and study the entire audit and
trying to and the the annual report which I done the latest. These are all my notes, my own recap. Uh, I like to identify whether are there any are there any critical areas that could back to haunt
the city in terms of compliance with the federal government for instance or with the state government that are not being addressed? In other words, are there any pending critical areas or challenges that that
that that are sort of there or that are recurring and had not been addressed that you don't know of? I believe in transparency 100%. So I will be those are the things that I
will be looking into the city's audit the city's annual reports sitting down with the auditors sitting down with the department directors the section head the division managers trying to get to know you and the people the people that
that you have is the is the biggest asset then may come those water treatment plants which I plan to walk when I was a when I in my senior year as a as a civil engineer. My senior project
was the design of a water and a wastewater treatment plant. What I in the city of Harrisburg for instance where we had a significant water and sewer operation and sold utilities to six different municipalities. I walk the
plant with the plant superintendent, with the utilities directors, identifying any potential threats, any potential non-compliance, any potential operational needs and challenges and making sure that we're addressing those
accordingly. I would do the same here. And by the way, in the city of West Palm, where I was the only registered professional engineer in the mayor's executive team as the assistant city administrator, we also had two plans.
And I had the honor of receiving an outstanding performance evaluation from the city of West Palm and the city of Harris, as I explained to the mayor and commissioner McKenzie. >> Awesome. Um the followup to that would
be what was what would be one initiative that you're super proud of during your tenure? Um maybe you know from a planning perspective or a project perspective, anything that comes to mind? >> Sure.
When um I interview for the chief operating officer for the city of Harris, there were 190 of us. They called me the first time. I went through the second round. went to the third round and then the receiver uh three
star retired general from the US Air Force uh General William B. Lynch who also provided a professional reference letter which I provided to the human resources department. Okay, told me that we were their guy. Oh my god, I couldn't believe
it. I would have gone up there even if they didn't pay. The thing is that the city was was at that time at a very critical crossroads about to file for bankruptcy
and become the largest or the second largest to Detroit only municipal bankruptcy in the United States ever. So we had the governor took over the municipal management from the strong mayor based on the legislation called
act 47. The legislation required three things. The appointment of a chief operating officer that was me receiver the general and the implementation of f of a financial recovery plan that became one of the best in the nation. Under my
leadership, to answer your question directly, Commissioner, we were able to accomplish over 60% of 130 management improvement, revenue enhancement, and cost containment and reduction reduction
initiatives across 20 department and bureaus. Long story short, the city emerged from receiverhip in record time as opposed to other cities in Pennsylvania that had been under
receiverhip for 20 years >> and I got my outstanding performance evaluation. >> Great. So I think which something that I'm very proud >> that I that I was part of the solution a great deal of teamwork but I was responsible
they will call me from the governor's office from the receivers's office from the mayor's office and I had to face the financial recovery plan committee every month and brief them >> on our improvements. >> Mr. Mendes, thank you very much. I'm
going to move on to the next person, Commissioner Sue. Thank you. Uh, thank you for applying and thank you for being here. Um, so our recent budget identified a 5.5 million structural operating deficit. It's funny you were
talking about receiverhip operating deficit that we are currently covering by spending down reserves. Simultaneously, we have a surplus in our building fund, but state law restricts how specific funds can be used. Since we
cannot legally transfer building fund money to bail out the general fund, what is your specific 12 month road map to close the 5.5 operational gap before we hit the fiscal cliff in 2028?
>> Very important question, Commissioner Sue. And as I mentioned, every time they've called me to duty as the city manager of the chief administrative officer is because they've been in trouble or somebody's going to lose an
election or uh during very difficult times which is giving me an opportunity to work and learn from great people. It is true based on my findings you took a 5 the city took a 5.5
I believe a recurring deficit from operations which is not good you know one of the one of my and it's listed here one of the nine points that I highlighted together with the 6.5
CIP in reserves you made you made up the $12 million that you needed to balance the general fund. I believe that we need to close that gap. Put a magnifying glass.
What is it that is what is the what is the what are those deficit drivers? Let's identify it. Is it the upupad? Is it the pension contribution? I want to see an actal the latest actuarial everything updated.
Okay. and and based on our finding whether is that we're transferring employees to the general fund or that we're increasing employees you know any of these practice need to be looked into
and and and make sure that we stop this recurring deficits. Our research should be increasing based on that. You also have a our reserve uh decreased from 15.9 to $4.9
million. I mean they went from 15 to 16. So [clears throat] in 28 I believe you're going to have 4.9 million in reserves. Our reserves should be increasing not decreasing from operations. So going back to your
question, I want to complement my answer. So identify what are the key drivers. Okay. If it's the pension contribution, what how did we get there? Do we have an updated actuarial? If we don't, let's
get one. So after we identify what those drivers are, take a deeper look. Why are we doing this? >> Okay. and based on those findings take the appropriate corrective action. I
like to work together with the auditors and of course with a wonderful team from the finance department make sure that we are effectively and efficiently addressing any areas of improvements. >> Okay, thank you for that. My second
question is um right up your alley. Are NMBB Water, the crown jewel of North Miami Beach, is a regional utility acting as an enterprise business that serves far more customers outside the city than inside. It's this creates a
tension. Our residents want revenue transfers to keep their taxes low, while regional customers and regulators demand aggressive reinvestment in infrastructure. How do you plan to balance the capital improvement plans to
prevent infrastructure failure while defending the utility against political pressure to strip its budget for the general fund needs? >> I believe that we need to exercise professional due diligence to gather the facts
and from those facts we're going to identify priorities. There are projects in modernization of the aging infrastructure for instance that need to take place because we must be proactive
and exercise foresight toward any thing any project that is going to avoid god forbid the placement of a consent decree. I have had to negotiate and deal with the department of interior with the
department of environmental profession uh protection at the federal level and at the state level and it's something that we don't want to do. So [clears throat] identify what the priorities are based on the assessment of the infrastructure.
I don't know. You know, this infrastructure is old. You know, it needs modernization. It needs expansion. That's what brought the city of Harrisburg to the brink of uh bankruptcy
for [clears throat] deferring that require maintenance in the water infrastructure. So based on that assessment, identify our priorities and meet with all of the stakeholders,
especially when we're talking about the federal government and the state government. We need to face the reality. This is what we have. This is what we can do. These are the resources we have. And chances are that they may even help
us to find the additional resources or the additional time that we need in order to implement these initiatives and these projects that are necessary to provide the vital and necessary services. >> Right. Thank you so much.
[clears throat] Um, Commissioner Chernoving again. [clears throat] Thank you for being here. The first question is why did you leave Harrisburg? >> I left Harrisburg
uh as I mentioned we were able to implement a great deal like uh 60% of all of those financial recovery initiatives. In addition, we eliminated all of the grievances from the fire
union, all of the grievances from the police union and the American Federation of State and and [clears throat] county. >> We have Ashu, >> we have them. >> Okay. Uh then as I was mentioned to the
as I mentioned to the to commissioner McKenzie the receiver the general asked me he says son there are some areas that the financial recovery plan didn't cover. I want you to go back and develop strategic plans for each department and
capture those areas. I did that with the city's team. So the general were happy. A new administration was selected. The city was emerging out of receiverhip. >> So they voted you out? >> No, never. I I I
with the authorization of the city's receiver and the blessings, he provided an outstanding letter. I I resigned after I completed my mission. We wanted to give the new measure that was a strong mayor form of government
commission, >> right? We wanted to give the new measure the opportunity that department directors resigned and the receiver left. Okay. [clears throat] What is the most difficult decision you had to make as a
city manager? Um there were a there there were there were a few okay I used to chair the labor management committee meetings with these unions.
Uh unfortunately the city as I mentioned was in a very critical situation and some of the employees and and some people the unions the unions were very strong and uh and
sometimes uh things wouldn't go what I consider in the best interest of the city. So I had to gather with him like I used to wake up at 3 in the morning and do the sanitation route behind so that I could
optimize uh the sanitation routes with the sanitation director and the public works director and I I I I found some patterns of behavior that were difficult to arrange. So I had
to call them and and and and explain to them that they were the doctors and nurses nurses who were nursing the city back to life, that if the city went down, nobody was going to win. And I had to place some people
uh [clears throat] on probation. uh I had to dismiss some and uh after making sure that I gave them my best all the counseling s
sessions and then some as I asked the human resources director but I had to make a decision otherwise we would not be able to to begin the healing process and achieve the momentum that I wanted
to see For instance, three four of the caffers were passed due and uh you know and when I left that was one of the reasons why I got my outstanding performance evaluation. Four
of the CERS were completed in record time, but I had to do certain things with of course the approval of the mayor, the receiver which represented the governor and of course with the help of the city solicitor and the human
resources department. >> Thank you. >> All right. Finally, we have seven different seven of us that sit up here all with the same power. We are not a strong mayor. Mayor has one vote. We have one vote, >> right?
>> How are you going to handle getting things through us? >> My career has been my life and to me um to be able to conduct myself in the utmost professional and ethical fashion
is paramount, is key, it is imperative. Now in order to do that some of the things that I would do is that I would treat whatever piece of information is available to one of you will be available to all of the others. I had
I'll give you an example. uh Commissioner E. Phillis and Commissioner Sue were so kind to contact me at the beginning and I had shared with them a project list and then I thought so I contacted the
human resources director and I asked him to please share with you this project lease because I knew that I had shared them with the other two commissioners. >> Okay. Thank you. >> No favorites commissioner. >> All right. Thank you so much. Um,
Commissioner Smith, >> thank you. So, my first question is an easy one. >> How many employees were under you in Dade County when you had those? >> Where all the employees answered to you? How many
>> in Miami Day County? >> Miami date county. Um, we had about 10 professionals between engineers and surveyor in my section. >> Um, North Miami Beach. I assume you
watched some of the meetings. Have you had an opportunity to watch some of our meetings? >> You mean the one yesterday? No. >> No, not yesterday. >> Not yesterday. But I have watched some in the past >> because North Beach is a unique city.
We're very multicultural, >> right? >> But we're also in between cities that have flourished. >> Aventurum, Miami Gardens, Sunny Isles, North Miami, [clears throat] and we kind of sat dormant. So the next
few years, one of the biggest thing a manager should be doing is looking on economic development and starting to make North Miami Beach be a city that people will want to invest and want to have their businesses here.
Now, we have an election in November, so it's a very short period that a manager has to show us what he can do. What what do you think you can do to bring in that kind of confidence that we're in the right direction going forward to
2027? >> Excellent question. First, I'd like to address in in Miami Day County, I had that. Then when I went to Miami Beach, I had about 100 150 employees. Then when I
was in Harrisburg, I had 550. And when I was with the city of um West Palm, over 1,700 municipal employees, that's what I have been fortunate to
oversee and provide executive leadership and management to now going back to your question, uh I think it's simple. Okay, you have a great thing. You have
your vision, your mission. If I ask you, you know, what of th which one of those do you feel that you have accomplished? I mean, [clears throat] you have a wonderful
uh uh uh vision statement. Okay. If you look at, you know, you want to strengthen the staff, you want to professionalize the staff, you wants to strengthen our relationship with
partners. So what the what kind what sort of things do we need to do? the things that are within your vision. Becoming a a a a more effective and efficient management team,
streamlining the permitting process, providing outstanding customer service for internal customers, our own departments and external.
And when we start developing a professional management operation that will create the synergies that are required for all of the other e great things to develop. The
perspective will change the greater companies we want to do business with the city. the people we want to invest in the city and and the city has such a strategic location and I believe that each and
every one of you who have had the opportunity and the honor to speak you are leaders with uh with mission [snorts] and you want to lead with strategy and I also see passion. So you already have a
lot of good things going for you. Now helping you implement those things. Making sure that we are a high performance cohesive management operations team
that we send the message to the private sector that the business means business. that we're streamlining our you know erh whether it is the permitting process or the land
development process that we are provided second to nonvital and necessary services that our reserves are increasing no decreasing that our gaps between uh general fund revenues and
general fund expenditures you know are a thing of the past and this is where I can help as a professional manager with the knowledge and skills and abilities that I have developed over 30 years but moreover
with my passion for public service. >> I think one more question. Yes. [clears throat] >> You have contacts in Miami Beach, contacts in Day County, even contact contacts in West Palm Beach. >> Yes. >> So, we have an amazing staff. We have
our police department finally is really enviable and everybody now from administration to the residents, everybody loves art. So when you come in, how do you think at the at just
looking around now at city of North Beach, you would bring in people to change a lot of that? Your own people that you know, of course, you want to bring people you trust and you know can do the job. Uh you know something about me. I have never ever brought friends.
In fact there were only two times where because they they asked me say I know this great engineer and I will recuse myself from any selection committee. I'll bring my people. I believe in the best qualified
regardless of national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation. I believe in in in in harnessing and and and fostering the environment so the
very best want to come to work here and stay here. So, I'm not the type of manager that likes to bring his his or her own people. No, I can't. I've never done that. I come here to work and to learn
from you and from them. In fact, based on my experience, most of the time, most of the people are great. In the city of Miami Beach, we had John Cranny and the inspectors, they
never been they they they never been granted promotion. We had all kinds of inequities. So, I worked handinhand with TC Adderly, the human resources director. We addressed all of the inequities. We did job classifications, reclassifications, analysis, >> granted all the promotions.
>> All right, Mr. Ricardo. Thank you. Um I'm sorry, [clears throat] Mr. Mendes. Um now, um we're going to move on to my question actually. So, um so I've been here on the commission seven and a half years. In my seven and
a half years, I've been through four managers and three interim managers. So, um statistically there that's not what one would call job security. So, I just want to know uh what makes you different? Why is you know it would be
nice to have in our city and I don't even remember the last time our city had a manager for more than five Well I do remember but it's been so long uh we haven't had a manager for more than really two years for that matter. It would be nice to have a manager for for more than five years. Why are you going
to be the one that's going to be here for five years? >> Um when I went several reasons. when I went through your annual report. Okay. Like I said, they've called me before when
they've been in very critical situation where they have been financially distressed and the government the governor has uh appointed an oversight board. This is not the case here. You have a great city. you guys have
done something well, but of course the external environment keeps changing and we're going to be ch and the city is going to be challenged regardless and that's what you're that's what we're here for. I believe that the city is a wonderful place. I like to concentrate
on the positive. If I thought that the city of Harris, all of the negative that I read, I went to the library at the University of Miami, my alma m and I studied for a week and I had so many negatives but the
city of Harriser became the highlight of my career. That's the perfect ground for me to learn and to become a professional city manager grounded in every area. So I look at these challenges as
opportunities commission. Okay. Uh why do I think I believe that I've been training for a job like this most of all my life. Uh you have a significant utility operation a water treatment
plant. Capital improvements have become and utilities the Achilles heels of the municipalities. I happen to be a trained licensed registered professional civil engineer.
So I feel that my knowledge, skills and abilities and experience together with my achievement profile and my professional profile are like a like an in like an excellent match but moreover will enable me not just to meet
your expectations but to exceed them. >> Great. Thank you. So, and and I apologize that I didn't reach out to you now, but being that I interviewed you back in 21, I think it was, I I kind of felt like I already knew what you were about. And um so, thank you very much.
We're going to do another a second round of up to five minutes and we're going to start with Commissioner Sue. [clears throat] >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So, the NB has a passionate commission. I
think that commissioner turnoff also mentioned that um and the votes are often often split on critical strategic issues. If the commission gives you a directive based on a narrow 43 vote, how do you ensure the policy is executed
enthusiastically by staff without alienating three commissioners who voted against it? Well, first of all, by as I mentioned earlier, uh by exercising a professional and
objective due diligence on the implementation and part of the of becoming uh of enhancement because I'm sure they're already great. part of the enhancement of the improvements that
that are required in order to become that high performance management team. Okay. Erh means setting the tone and the environment in the staff. Okay. To look at these things
professionally. >> So >> once it is approved, it is approved. >> Yes. And what if you disagree with it? Meaning the four votes that voted for it, you think it actually is against what you had advised the commission?
>> The same thing. I will respect it 100% and go to implement to the implementation phase just as hard as if that initiative was dear to my heart. That's what being a professional
is all about because I have to lead by example. >> Excellent. So my question is I think you when we were speaking you have your own business. >> Yes. >> Right. Uh and you're still running the business. >> Yes. >> If you were to uh take on a position in
North Miami Beach as our city manager, how do you expect to manage your time? >> Uh first and foremost, like I did with the city of West Palm, I will make sure that there's no conflict of interest whatsoever. I also mentioned that I am a forensic
engineer and I have a couple of hundred of forensic engineering reports out there. >> I have my client's insurance company, the law firms. If I get subpoena, if you know one of one of my reports
gets challenged in court, then I have to respond to that subpoena. But that wouldn't that wouldn't pose a conflict of interest in any way, shape or form in one of these uh luxury residences, for instance, in Coral
Gables or in any other cities. I've never done a project in the city of North Miami Beach other than Mystic Point. >> Well, my concern is how how would you manage your time?
>> No. If I made a commitment with the city uh one I mean 100% of my time and my commitment will be devoted to the city ma'am. I wouldn't be taking any additional projects. >> Oh, so your company is just
>> I will have to seize you know my practice. >> This is a 247 as you very well know. >> Okay. And um I think you addressed the conflict of interest. Thank you very
much. >> You're welcome. >> Commissioner Chernoff, >> how would you approach improving city services that residents frequently complain about such as code enforcement, permitting timelines, and sanitation?
>> Okay. Um, as I mentioned, for instance, when I was with Miami Day, uh, the day the county went to an an additional layer of government implementing the community councils
and we so they sent me, the former county manager, assistant county manager and the department director sent me to the toughest one. That was at the door. That was where the bulk of the land development where they build the dolphin
mall which used to be called the beacon triport. So I used to tour the city before you know it was newly incorporated with the commissioner with the commi h with the council members and and
identify and take notes and address you know their concerns. And then when I used to come back, I used to, you know, I used to serve like a clearing house, you know, answering to the community first, you know, be empathic
and listen and make sure that I'm taking notes and gathering the facts so that I can do my best from city hall or from county in order to address with the adequate
stakeholders in order to provide solutions. [snorts] But going back to sanitation in the city, let me give you an example in the city of Harris where we needed to optimize our sanitation routes. So the best way for me to do was to go and do
the routes. I used to wake in the 3 4 in the morning, go with the sanitation director right behind the sanitation truck. I got to meet all of the frontline employees and found out their challenges,
listen to them. For instance, the alleys, the overgrown branches were breaking our equipment, some of the dogs were biting them. Um, some of the equipment was antiquated. And they were really, really a tremendous help to help
me understand what the challenges were. And then I used to go back to city hall and sit down and and and do what I needed to do. We divided the city in in three different areas and we optimize the routes. We pass ordinance, trimming
the the trees on the alleys, so on and so forth. So by working together with the people and listening to them and exercising professional due diligence to our very best with the stakeholders and
the resources that we have which I'm sure are plenty. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. [clears throat] >> Commissioner Smith. [cough] So, if I could ask you, have you had an opportunity to speak had your one-on-one
with the mayor yet? >> I had an opportunity to speak with the mayor via Zoom today. >> Okay. >> And we had a healthy conversation. >> I just wanted to make sure all seven of us because you mentioned Mr. McKenzie Florine and
>> I also met with him in person today. >> I'm glad that everybody had an opportunity to meet you. My question is, you shared with me that you have a young daughter, so it's a young family and you live not as close as some of the other candidates. >> Um, North Miami Beach has a lot of
evening events. We have a lot of events on the weekend. So, how are you going to make sure that you cover your responsibility whether you're in charge and a department head's in charge? The public likes to see the manager,
>> right? So that that's a concern I have for you to the time that's really involved for North Rain Beach >> and that's a valid concern and let me tell you how I feel and what I have done in the past in the city of Harrison. I used to walk the neighborhoods with the
police department. We used to go on a bike every Thursday with the chief and the captains. Okay. identifying some of the challenges, uh, trying to establish strategic relationships throughout the
neighborhoods, making our presence, um, here. Uh, I'm not so far away. Uh when I was building Mystic Point for over six and a
half years, I drove here every day in the morning, no traffic, and went back in the in the afternoon, no traffic. Things may be different today. But if it requires that I that I move
here, I am open to do that. I am open to do whatever it takes so that we can exceed expectation and give it my best. I mentioned to you that my career is my life or was my life until my daughter was born.
>> This is one of the first if you moved to North Miami Beach that we would have a manager that lived in the city. And I will share with you you probably can get to Bickl faster than you can get to Mystic Point now. But >> no, the bright line is 10 minutes, which
is a maze. >> Well, and it's right down the street, right? >> So, here's the thing. We have an election in November. >> Yes. >> And three of the seats are going to either something's going to happen where two of us might run again and
maybe the third seat will be somebody that aligns. But it could very possibly be that the whole commission would change who has the power. So what needs to be done in North Miami Beach? Everything from your finance to economic
development to infrastructures to our water plant, it has to be done right away so that you can prove to whoever is elected that they need to keep you here. So, are you prepared for that kind of
work, that kind of dedication so that not only do you know that there's a difference, but the public can see a difference and the commissioners can see a difference? Are you prepared for that? >> Not only am I prepared, but I've been trained. Like I said, this is a
wonderful place compared to the city of Harrisburg at the critical stage it was when I went there. The city of Sweet Water, they are all thriving today. And you know, one of the things that I'm most proud of, you never heard another
scandal, another negative thing about Harrisburg or Sweet Water. We did away with all of that. I appreciate >> I appreciate very much that you come with a lot of credentials that every
department seems in North Miami Beach to have a need. But I thank you for being here today and I'm sorry. I apologize that when they set it up, it was set up so that we all couldn't be together the same night. But I'd like to hear the last of my question from my
commissioners and then to hear your three minute closing. >> No apologies necessary, Commissioner. Thank you for having me here. >> Oh, Commissioner [clears throat] John so has >> Oh, great. Oh, okay.
>> Was there one minute closing? >> Yes. >> Did anybody adhere to that? >> I'm just asking. >> Commissioner Jean. >> Awesome. Thank you so much. I really enjoyed the interview. Just hearing your responses, your passion, and your experience. I'm really curious to read
your notes and to see what [laughter] what else you've been able to discover and find, but um I did enjoy everything that I heard. So, you you've making my decision a little bit more complicated, but thank you. >> Probably my notes are available for your review. In fact, when when I was uh in
the city of West Palm, I handed my notes. They belong to the city, you know. So, >> all right. Thank you. Um, so thank you so much for for taking time for being here. We we all [clears throat]
appreciate it and you have up to one minute to um to just do a closing. >> Okay. Well, thank you again. It's been a pleasure to meet each and every one of you including Major Joseph Davia Zoom and Commissioner McKenzie today. Thank
you to the human resources department for a superb job and their professional help. Um as I mentioned I have 30 years of experience uh in the public and private sector
organizing departments implementing strategic plans delivering complex capital improvement programs in both uh infrastructure and facilities and implementing one of the most
ambitious and successful financial recovery plans in the nation. for the city of Harrisburg. Um, I became a professional city manager by completing by completing an entire career track serving as section division manager,
department director before I became a professional city manager. I didn't skimp. I didn't take any shortcuts. uh as a certified financial manager [clears throat] I am I have developed expertise in the planning programming
operations management accounting financing and reporting that is required uh excuse [clears throat] me and as I mentioned um as a professional engineer I have
been extensively trained in the design and construction construction of both facilities up to 40 stories and water, sewer, storm water and transportation in for structure that
are so key to providing our vital and necessary services. I believe that my knowledges, skills and abilities and experience are will enable me not just to meet but to exceed your expectations and help you
accomplish your strategic plan which I love by the way. Um and uh I'm doing on time. >> I don't want to. >> Okay. >> All right. And lastly, and lastly, I
believe that I would have never gotten any of these great jobs that I've had it not been if I didn't have the passion for public service and if I didn't have the people skills,
which are in my number one list in my list. My number one. >> All right. Well, thank you so much. Thank you everyone for being here. Have a night >> um motion to
>> second. >> I'm not motioning it. >> It's a workshop. No, no motion. Just a >> No, we can stay forever then.