[Music] Hello friends, Vanessa Joseph here, your elected city clerk in the sometimes sunny but also sometimes stormy and always beautiful city of North Miami. In this segment of Long Meeting Short, I'll highlight some of what took place during
our July 8th, 2025 meetings of the CRA board and the city council. First up, the CRA meeting. The CRA board authorized a $200,000 business attraction expansion and rehabilitation grant for North Miami Beach Volleyball
Academy. The funding will be used to support the development of a centralized youth volleyball training facility at 122000 Northeast 14th Avenue in North Miami. The project aims to enhance
recreational opportunities for local youth and also contribute to economic development in the area. The project is also part of a strategic partnership with League 1 volleyball, bringing the opportunity for North Miami to become a
national hub for professional volleyball and youth to pro pipeline development. Nomi Village LLC was approved for a 1.2 2 million grant funding over a three-year period, which will be used to expand and enhance their current site.
The total estimated project cost is about $3 million. And planned improvements include a culinary incubator container, an event pavilion, tent with a modular bar, perimeter fencing, lighting systems, and a new
entrance feature. landscaping enhancements, site utility upgrades, as well as contingency and permitting costs. The project is expected to strengthen the area's economic development and community engagement
capacity. According to their presentation, the owners of the venue see it as an anchor institution for the 7th Avenue corridor revitalization. During the council meeting, the mayor and city council made several special
presentations. July is parks and recreation month, and it's a time to recognize the important role parks, trails, and recreational programs play in our communities. It's a chance to highlight the benefits of outdoor spaces, healthy activities, and the
dedicated staff who maintain these valuable resources. This month essentially serves as a reminder of how parks and recreation contribute to the overall being and quality of life for people of all ages. I really enjoy walking the Arch Creek
Preserve most mornings. It's a great way to start the day and enjoy the beauty of nature. And if you ever want to join me, feel free to reach out. So, in honor of this month, a proclamation was presented to our city's parks and recreation department through the assistant
director, George Vega. Vice Mayor Timothy presented proclamations to Taboo Fitness and also to extended hands. A special presentation was given to the students who were awarded the North Miami Educational Foundation scholarship. Additionally, special
recognition was given to the officers of the month for the past few months, which included officers Kenyan Turner, Sidell Joseph, Alexander Cresbow, Mario Pñena, and Detective Oswald Salier for demonstrating exceptional bravery,
outstanding community service, and going above and beyond the line of duty to ensure public safety. The meeting also included special presentations by the city's lobbyists which included Clarence Williams from Becker and Poliov, Katya Seleur of the Southern Group, and Rana
Brown with the office of Ronald El Book. They had such great insight to share. So, I'm going to take those clips and share them with you through my social media. And finally, we received a quarterly finance and budget presentation by Angela Reyes, the city's
chief financial officer. As of the second quarter, our general fund revenue is at 51% of the annual budget with expenditures at 48%. And that pretty much means that we're right where we're supposed to be in terms of how much
money we're bringing in and also how much that we're spending. After these special presentations, committee appointments were made, including the appointment of Dana Magua Finelon to the Downtown Action Plan Advisory Committee or DPAC. the appointment of Chief,
former Chief Kenneth each to the Board of Adjustment and the reappoint of Rosem Michelle Gapiel to the North Miami Commission for Women. It's truly special to be able to be a voice for your community. So, if you're interested in
helping to be a voice for your neighbors and supporting the progress of our city, I urge you to join a board or committee today. You can find more information about each board and committee by visiting www.northmiami.gov/
city clerk. And you can also find the application there as well. Now, let's get into some of the other decisions that were made. City Council approved a resolution ratifying the city's submission of a grant application and authorizing a grant agreement with the US Department of Justice to receive
$38,616 through the Edward Beern Memorial Justice Assistant Grant Program. The funds will be used to support law enforcement initiatives and these include equipment, training, and other
public safety improvements. City Council took the same action related to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement, FDLE, grant in the amount of $9,687 to support a comprehensive health and wellness platform for law enforcement
personnel, which is aimed at improving physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Council approved a resolution authorizing the negotiation and execution of a couple of interlocal agreements with Miami Dade County through the Miami Dade Rescue Plan Fund.
One agreement is to secure $2 million to support upgrades and improvements at Kagny Park, including recreational facilities, infrastructure enhancements, and other public amenities. The other
agreement is for $1 million in funding to be used for infrastructure improvements at the Mocha Museum of Contemporary Art right here in North Miami. and those include building upgrades and enhancements to support cultural programming. City Council
authorized a resolution to execute a grant agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, FD, to secure $400,000 in funding for the city's flood mitigation project at Northeast Third Court. These funds are going to support efforts to reduce
flooding and improve storm water infrastructure, which is a significant issue across the city, but especially in that particular area. Council authorized a resolution approving the execution of the 2023 statewide mutual aid agreement
between the city of North Miami and the Florida Department of Emergency Management, FDM. This agreement enables the city to formally coordinate and share emergency resources, personnel, and support with other local and state
agencies during emergencies, disasters, or major incidents. And this enhances the city's preparedness and response capabilities. City council approved the establishment of the city of North Miami residential hazardous tree removal
program. And this program is designed to assist residents in identifying and safely removing hazardous trees on their properties to protect public safety and their property. The guidelines outline eligibility requirements, application
procedures, removal standards, and funding provisions. And there's also priority for our more senior residents. So for more information, please contact the department of public works at 3058959870. Mayor and council supported the honorary
code designations of certain Florida transportation roadways that are located within the city of North Miami as authorized by Senate Bill 820, which was adopted by the Florida legislature back in 2014. And these code
designations include the following roadways. the portion of Northeast 8th Avenue between State Road 916 or Northeast 135th Street and Northeast 131st Street, which is designated as Gerbin's Augustine Avenue. the portion
of State Road 922 or Northeast 125th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue, which is designated as Sergeant Carl Murdy's Street, and the portion of Northeast 126th Street between Northeast 8th and Northeast 9th Avenue, which is
designated as Detective Sergeant Steven E. Bower Street and also the portion of Northeast 127th Street between Northeast 8th Avenue and Northeast 9th Avenue which is designated as Sergeant Lynette
Hodgej Street. Council adopted the city of North Miami's 5-year consolidated plan for 2025 through 2029 and the annual action plan for fiscal year 2025 2026. And these plans outline the city's strategies and funding priorities under
the community development block grant or CDBG and home investment partnerships programs or home and these support affordable housing, community development and public services to address the needs of low and moderate
income residents. To arrive at this point, the housing and social services department hosted public input sessions and distributed surveys to solicit public input and resident participation on the proposed plans. Council
authorized a resolution approving the evaluation committee's ranking and recommendation to award Performance Services, Inc. for guaranteed energy, water, and wastewater performance savings contracting services. The
resolution authorizes the intram city manager and city attorney to negotiate an agreement with the selected vendor for the upgrade of the city's water meter system from manual reading to
advanced metering infrastructure or AMI improving accuracy efficiency and water usage monitoring. So basically the focus is to be able to provide real-time data analytics for the city and real time detailed water usage
insights and alerts for utility customers. On first reading, council passed an ordinance amending the city's procurement code to raise the dollar threshold for contracts the city manager can approve without the city council's authorization from $30,000 to $50,000.
And this means that for any purchases of goods and services that do not exceed $50,000, the city manager can authorize the purchase without needing to present the request for procurement to the city council. This will of course come back
for a second reading. Just before we closed out the meeting, council had a quick discussion about the millage rate and voted to place it at up to 7.4 mills. Are you interested in having a say in how your tax dollars are being spent? Join us for the budget
workshops to be held in August and then attend our two budget hearings on September 11 and September 25th, 2025. I'll be sure to share updates on these meetings as I receive them. Don't forget, as of July 9th, the city council
will be on recess for the summer. Regular council meetings will resume on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 at 7 PM in city council chambers located at 776 Northeast 125th Street. But even though we're taking a break from meetings, that
doesn't mean that the office of the city clerk is going to take a break from serving you. So, even though this is the last segment of long meeting short for this summer, as always, if there's anything that me or the office of the city clerk can do to serve you, just let
me know. We will always be able to be reached at 3058959817 or by email at city clerk@northmiami.gov. And since you're already on social media, just follow our page, North Miami Clerk on Instagram and Facebook. Have a
wonderful, beautiful summer. North Miami Council meetings take place at 7 PM on the 2nd and fourth Tuesday of every month in the North Miami City Council chambers located on the second floor of City Hall. If you're unable to attend a meeting in person, you can
watch it live on channel 77, the City of North Miami's YouTube channel, Facebook page, and Vimeo liveream. If you're interested in obtaining a copy of the agenda, please contact the office of the city clerk at 305-8959817
or city clerk@northmiami.gov. The agenda can also be found on the city's website at www.northmiami.gov.