--------- Okay, good afternoon everyone. It is 3:00. Call the meeting to order. Mauricio, [Music] Commissioner Joseph present. Commissioner Styver here. Vice Mar Lama here.
Mayor Fetchan here. For the record, we're trying to get Commissioner Viscara on the phone. Okay. Begin. Okay. First item that we have is 2A, the Miami Day Fire Department annual report.
G. All right. Good afternoon, Madame Mayor, members of the council, to the city manager, and of course to the uh beautiful residents of Sunny Isles Beach. My name is Ray Jadala, fire chief of Miami date fire rescue. I'm proud to be standing here
before you to conduct and present the 2024 service delivery report. So, we'll jump right into it. So, so, uh, I've got a little video here that highlights, uh, Sunny Isles Beach, and it's not just the services for
calls, but also some of the community outreach programs. And there is some volume for this presentation. [Music]
Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat.
[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]
Heat. Heat. [Music]
[Applause] [Music] All right. Thank you. Thank you. So once again, it's a pleasure to be presenting the 2024 service delivery report for Sunny
Alles Beach. Just a little over uh overview of Miami Date Fire Rescue. Uh sixth largest fire department in the country with 72 firehouses that span uh from county line to county line. um over 167 frontline units, fire trucks, rescue
trucks, and as you saw um on TV, you know, the there's quite a bit of uh specialty resources from fireboats, technical rescue, hazmat, helicopters, and as such, over 3,000 MDFR employees, from our firefighters to our professional staff, as you see here, uh
behind me, that helped uh put this program together and the service delivery report. um you know, Miami date Fire Rescue responded to over 280,000 calls and of that, as you could see here, just over 4,000 of those calls um
originated in Sunny Isles Beach. And of course, Miami date Fire Rescue is an ISO accredited uh one and a nationally accredited uh department across the the the country. So, a little uh fire rescue resources in Sunny Alles Beach. And this is just a
snippet of a service delivery report that was presented uh multiple pages of additional information that is dedicated for Sunny Als Beach. As you can see, even though we have one fire station, Station 10, that's assigned to Sunny Als Beach. As you could see in the TV
program that numerous fire trucks from all around tend to respond for an emergency. um uh on any given fire in a high-rise, you will receive in the in the upwards of 20 to 25, you know, fire apparatuses, including a command staff to mitigate these situations. So, it's
not just one fire station that you actually have here. It's 72 fire stations and 167, you know, operating units. And you know, we have 42 firefighters on any given day that do tend to respond here from, you know, multiple alarms to reported structure
fire and of course, you know, medical calls that uh play out. Uh the response time for fires and and life-threatening emergency incidents here averages at 7 minutes and 14 seconds or less. And as you can see in the map as to where the
uh the additional stations, but you have 11 stations that are within four miles of Sunny Alles Beach. So building a safe and resilient Sunny Alles Beach. Um the calls for service have increased over the course of since 2019. Um and in addition to that, you know,
there's certain communities around Sunny Als Beach that's densely populated, no different than the high-rise communities in the northeast sector of Miami date county. There are two developments under construction that's going to bring in over 600 new residential uh units. And of course, Miami date Fire Rescue
conducted 592 business inspections uh in 2024. And you know, last year um in the last 5 years, uh we've also upgraded some of the resources that tend to respond to the signing aisles beach area. So, it's not just about fire calls,
rescue calls, and as such. Um, as you could see that Miami date fire rescue uh participated in eight community events in Sunny Alles Beach and we reached over 2700 residents in the Sunny Isles Beach uh community. Um, in addition to that, we conducted nine health emergency uh
life protection programs. This is a first aid awareness class that uh consists of hands-on CPR uh stroke awareness uh stop the bleed uh and as such and you know we've received positive uh reviews and we've also received testimonials where individuals
have actually utilized you know the training that's been conducted here at Miami date fire Rescue and you saw in the video the the one of the classes that was actually being pro provided here at uh Sunny Alles Beach. So, of course, we're always, you know,
striving to do better. Uh, we do receive surveys back from various uh residents that we provide services. And as you can see here, we did receive a total of eight uh surveys that uh came from Sunny Isles residents. And the we received a
perfect score of a 5.0 out of a 5.0 in regards to satisfaction rate. And as you can see here, that's actually one of the comments from a Sunni Isles Beach resident. Um, so as you can see, the the job continues to to be done in a professional manner. And with that,
Madame Mayor, that you know, concludes the 2024 uh service delivery report. And at this time, I open the floor for any questions. Thank you very much. Um, who would like to start? Go ahead. Yes, Commissioner. How are you, sir? If I can. Thank you.
So, and this is a question that I've asked previously. We've had from time to time um actually last year uh this year presently we had um we've been having outreach from
Hatsala from another um Jewish ambulance corps uh to um assist them in coming into Sunny Isles. Um what is your take on um whether that service would be helpful to
Miami date fire uh or a hindrance or you work together? How do you see it? Well, the the first question I would have to ask is you know is the service that's being provided by Miami date fire rescue um you know a concern? Is there any challenges? Are we looking for
improvements? Second, we've worked with Hotzala for almost 10 years. Um there are there are uh statues uh that are in place at the Florida level laws. Um you know I know that there's discussion where they do respond uh for residents
you know but they have to contact a certain number. So the the the challenge at hand is this 911 you call 911 fire rescue you request fire rescue fire rescue is going to respond. It doesn't matter from where but you are going to get a unit. So, you know, utilizing a
service that's strictly on a seven or 10 digit number with the anticipation of responding, you know, could be problematic. Now, we've been working together, like I said, for the last 10 years, and it actually flourished after Surfside, the uh the Surfside incident.
Um but I would have to have you know further discussions in regards to capabilities, responsibilities um because we do have uh policies in place with Hatsala as to when we both arrive on an incident what is to transpire. And I can tell you this in
just just one snippet of it is if both units arrive on the scene um and the patient is unconscious by default by rescue in the state of Florida is required to begin you know assessment and care. So again it's stand I won't say stand down it's never
a standown moment we will always work together but you know in regards to transporting of the patient getting them to the hospital of a person that is full cardiac arrest unconscious etc by statue Florida statue my any fire rescue agency
is the lead agency to to transport so I think we would have to have further discussions as to what the vision is uh but again we have been working very well with hatal I know that there's another organization that's attempting to come in, but we haven't had any interactions
with them. Um, but that's where we stand with that. So, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Yeah, I have a question. So, sir, you said you've been working with Hatsala. Can you give us uh some examples of what you've done together with Hatsala? So, they do they do come to
headquarters. We discuss different protocols. Uh they are working on a CAD, so the uh computer aided dispatch. So, how 911 calls come in uh to fire rescue is is the CAD. Uh they're working on receiving a CAD similar to ours so we
could, you know, uh uh coordinate calls. What tends to happen with these calls is a patient may call 911, but they may also call the the 10-digit number at the same time. Yes, sir. Or afterwards. Yeah. Yeah. Either before or after. Either way, for the incident. And what we've done is
we've actually shown up on scene either um you know at the same time or the hot unit may be there and maybe not necessarily a EMS unit. It may be like a I think a like a motor unit like a motorcycle or something of that sort and they would begin care. Now again
depending on the circumstances with the patient if the patient is stable and a hota ambulance does respond and they feel more comfortable to go with them. Once we're assured that the patient is stable, we've actually allowed them to transport to the hospital, but we work
hand in hand to ensure that you know the patient's not going to deteriorate uh while in transport to the hospital. Mhm. Yes, sir. Okay. And then you you said there's some protocols or standards in place with with hatal. Yes. Okay. So we have procedures and and
protocols so that there's never a a contradiction as to who's supposed to do what um when they're supposed to do it, who's supposed to transport. So that's why, you know, we have a very good working relationship with the medical director with uh Dr. Reitman, you know,
that uh leads their EMS aspect of it. So and I know that they were meeting with the EMS division from Miami Date Fire Rescue on a monthly basis. I believe it's been, you know, shifted to a quarterly basis to ensure that the working relationships continue um in a positive manner.
And and out of Sunny Al Beach and surrounding areas, let's say Aventura, North Miami Beach, um maybe a little fur further south Surfside, where do you see the most uh coordination with Hatsala? Do you see a lot of coordination in Sunny Al Beach or
is it in other areas? I I would have to look at the specific information because we don't track that information. It's not something that's trackable for us. I would have to have the discussion with Dr. Reitman from Hot, but it would be more towards the, you know, the very
affluent Jewish population. So, specifically North Miami Beach or Aventura or Sunny Alles Beach, I couldn't tell you, but I know that it's usually concentrated in the northeast sector of Miami Day County. Yeah. I'm just trying to gauge the use and and the the coordination when those
if we could track those instances or I have some information on that. It'll be good for us. I would have to have the conversation with Dr. Royman from Hala because Miami date fire Rescue does not, you know, track it. Correct. Okay. All right. Thank you. Yes, sir.
Thank you, Commissioner Jefferson. I just want to say thank you for what you do for us, for your service. Um, and I hope that you continue doing the same thing and I hope that God protect you guys. Okay. Thank you. Well, thank you so much, Commissioner. Yeah. Thank you.
Thank you. I I have a safety. Thank you so much, Commissioner. I have a quick question. I think you noted there's 47 uh per day. Oh, four uh firefighters in regards to the 11 state uh the 11 stations that are within the four miles
that we have 47 firefighter EMT medics that could typically respond to Sunny Isles Beach on a drop of a dime. But the the uh station that we have here in Sunny Isles, how many are seven firefighters, sir? There's two units. And just for clarification, because I know people get very nervous when they
see, you know, four fire trucks show up to a building. They think that, you know, the building's, you know, going to fall down. Can you just quickly clarify why so many trucks show up to something that might be minor? So the every fire department across the United States is kind of guided by the National Fire Protection Agency, also
known as the NFPA. So NFPA has different rulings. So NFPA 1 through, you know, 1900 and 1710, you know, requires a specific number of resources on specific types of structures. So just not to get
into too much technicality, but there's three different classifications considered low hazard, medium hazard, and high hazard. A low hazard is a typical house. A medium hazard is a typical low couple of floor apartments, maybe a warehouse or strip mall. And a high hazard is something just as you
could hear, high hazard, a possibility of, you know, numerous fatalities, a high uh a high-rise, a hospital, a nursing home. So a high hazard requires a certain number of fire trucks and a certain number of firefighters on scene within a certain amount of time. So you
don't necessarily have residential homes here in Sunny Isles Beach. It's all highrises. So, by default, you're going to get just even before the first unit arrives, if a reported structure fire or gas line or hazmat call, by default, you're going to get eight firet trucks
and rescue trucks, three commanding officers, and two EMS supervisors because if the incident turns out to be legit, those resources need to be put in place sooner rather than later. You can't play catch-up. It's all about being proactive. Thank you. Thank you for that question. Thank you, Madam.
Thank you for all the work you do. Thank you, folks. Appreciate it. Thank you. Okay. Next item is to be a proclamation presented for parks and recreation month. Honorable mayor, vice mayor, commission, city manager, city staff, thank you for
having us here today. Um, we're here for Parks and Recck Month. This This year marks the 40th anniversary of Parks and Recreation Month. Each July, we celebrate park and recreation professionals and how they improve the lives of tens of millions of people, making a lasting impact in communities
across the country. Parks and recreation programs are essential to community health and well-being and help cultivate lifelong friendships, memories, and family bonds that people hold dear decades later. This year's theme, build together, play together, reminds us of
the contributions of more than 160,000 full-time park and recreation professionals along with hundreds of thousands of part-time and seasonal volunteer workers and volunteers who maintain our country's close to home parks. Um, unfortunately, I couldn't get the
whole team here today, so I have a small contingent of our team that was available while everybody else is with kids with camp or working in the parks right now. So again, I appreciate you taking the time to recognize all the work they do, dedication, professionalism, and ultimately they're
passionate about what they do, and it shows in the events that we do, our programs that we run. Um, and it's all thanks to everything that you guys offer us to be able to see those visions through to the end. Thank you. I I want to give an opportunity to the commission if they want to say a few words. Anyone go
ahead. I would like to uh just your mic. Thank you. I would like to uh show my appreciation to the entire um St. Als Beach
Recreation Force that we have that I know you put in so much effort to make every event just a perfect event and I just want to say thank you. Thanks. Anyone else? Yeah, I wanted to u to thank you as
well. Um you do a lot. I understand uh the logistics can be very complex and the hours and dealing with uh residents and keeping everybody happy. So big thank you and a big round of applause for you.
Yeah, bless you. Okay. So, um I've been a user with my family um of our facility since 2007 when I moved here to Sonia's my daughter Isabella which is right there was two years old and since there
we've been uh using it and in a personal note um I homeschooled my youngest one Musi because he has a learning disability uh he got diagnosed with a a clinical anxiety and also ADHD. HD and potentially dyslex dyslexia. So having
said all that, um he's right now with you guys and he's in the camp as of right now and it's because he feel the love like you say. He feels safe. It's almost emotional for me because when I leave them with you guys, I know he's going to be okay. So thank you.
Oh my god, that's that's beautiful. Um yeah, I everything that everyone else said. I've been here for many years. I I actually grew up here. I went to junior high school and high school. before we had anything some in even sidewalks. Uh and every year, you know, the work that
you all do and everyone else that's not here in in these parks, uh if it ever feels like it's not unnoticed, it is. It is very noticed. The parks are amazing. They're beautiful. All the things that you guys put on, all of the um not just the events, just the every day. Anytime you go into any one of our parks, it's
pristine. And I don't believe there's any city that I've ever been to that looks like our city. and it's because of you guys. So, thank you. One one more thing I wanted to give you a big huge huge thank you for the uh for the party we had about a week and a half
ago. It was it was great. Um a lot of smiles, a lot of happy people, good vibes. So, the residents were very very happy and that's thanks to you. Yes, absolutely. All right. Thank you. Can we take a picture or is there too many people? Do we have a photographer?
Do we have Oh, there he is. He's hiding. He's hidden amongst our team. Colin [Music] [Music] Perfect. [Music]
[Music] [Music] Okay. All right. So, uh, we're on to discussion items. We're deferring I believe 3B, C and D. Correct. Correct. Okay. Let's start with 3A, please. Okay. This is a discussion regarding
remote voting by Vice Mayor Lama. Okay. So, um we had briefly discussed this perhaps a a year ago and we were talking about if we had the ability to
vote remotely. Um, and the reason this came up is because uh I was sick for the uh previous commission meeting and uh I thought I was going to be able to vote. The reason I thought I was going to be able to vote is because in the past
we've had commissioners uh miss the commission meetings. Well, not miss um call in and be able to vote. So there there's two things here. one, you know, we need to be consistent with our policy. I know there's a policy in
place that states that we need to be present to be able to vote. We have not followed that policy uh correctly and I wanted to uh it's part of our it's part of our policy. I mean, I I discussed this with with the city
attorney. Um, so I just wanted to bring this item back up again because I think that if we are following an item, we are involved and we happen to get sick or there's an emergency and we're able to
call in that we should be able to vote. Okay. uh in the in the past commission meeting, I I received a phone call uh right before the the meeting and and I was told I cannot vote and and
I am aware of what the policy is. So, I wanted to know if you're open to the idea of perhaps revising that policy and being able to vote. Obviously, the intention is not to abuse it, but if
there's a situation where you know you've been involved, you are fully aware of the item, I think you should have the right to vote remotely. So, I just wanted to open it up for discussion be before we go into the discussion, I just want to make sure that we have the
facts. If the city uh attorney can just please um give us a a synopsis of the um opinion that you wrote to us. I'll I'll try to be possible. I'll try to be brief and concise. Um, we're not taking So, we you don't actually have a policy.
You don't have anything on the books with regards to whether by resolution, ordinance, or even informal policy. Um, shortly before the last meeting that you referenced, I was asked whether remote voting was permitted.
So absent finding anything expressed cuz your code and your charter me mentions nothing of it and frankly there's nothing substantively in there that even suggested it was even ever really intended or considered. So the only thing we can do at that
point and at the time is look at your charter and look at your code with regards to absences attendance being present and as I explained through the statutory construction process and analysis you have to look at
all the words what they mean and they have you try to bring them into context the the various context into some sort of harmony. So you have a few sections which I delineate in here. Obviously your charter controls and then um your code is secondary.
But the long and short of it is when you look at your code and and we'll we'll put aside the attendance issue with regards to your charter and forfeite by absence situation because that that may create a conflict depending on which way you go. Can you just clarify that just
for whomever is watching? So in in your in your charter, you have a provision for forfeite by absence. So you get elected, you get sworn in, and you're always a no-show. Simply put, there's a process by which
you could forfeit your office as a commissioner or as mayor for failure to appear. So, in speaking with the city clerk, my understanding is that for purposes of tallying absences, regardless of whether they're for cause or not, um for
purposes of tallying absences, if you're not physically here, you're absent. So, the the problem you get into is if and and and I'll preface it also by saying that you can allow remote voting.
It's not unlawful to do so. But you would have to make some changes to your code because right now if that if you were allowed to do that for example, you would be absent for purposes for one purpose but be present to vote. So you can't be both. You can't be here to vote
and be absent. So we'd have to somehow reconcile those in some form which we could do in your code. But in looking at your code and the various sections with regards to presence uh and as I start off with it's very clear that as a
quorum has to physically be here that's expressly stated in there. Um but with regards to everything else everything suggests the language suggests that you be at the meeting. It even there's a section that says that at the time of the meeting you shall take your
positions on the deis. um if there's a conflict of interest, you're required to leave the chambers. And by leaving the chambers, you're absent for purposes of vote, for quorum, and everything else. So you
put all that language together and again I'm not saying it necessarily says you can't or that you can but under that analysis the subjectively in looking all of the different sections of your code in your charter it's highly
suggestive that the intent was that you physically be here in order to be able to vote but there's no policy in place that I've been made aware of that either says you can or you can't. So you all have will certainly you need clarification
going forward as to whether you want to proceed that way or not and there's some things that tried to put in the memo that you should consider in doing that. So for example if you allow remote voting
uh essentially you'd have to count that as being present. Mhm. So that causes issues where theoretically, not anyone would do it, but theoretically you could be sworn in and never step foot in this building again. So those are the sort of inconsistencies
we'd have to work together. Again, if you want to do remote voting, you can. Some cities choose not to, some cities do, but we would just have to reconcile some things in your code so that we're square on all levels. Okay. And just for clarification, vice mayor said that we have voted remotely.
I don't aside from uh COVID I don't believe we ever voted remotely. I don't recall I I remember the my memory is not great but I remember let me ask the city clerk. So there there has been instances or there have been meetings where one
commissioner is absent and they have voted. I can't tell you off the top of my head how recent it was, but I do recall there being instances where instances or instance instances I I believe I want to say that it was more than one time, but I can't tell you off the top of my head how recently.
I actually do remember um a couple of years ago maybe uh one of our commissioners was not present. Uh actually that commissioner never even received the it was an add-on item which it was a contract for 10 years. with
Newport and has to do with the restaurant. So that commissioner um never received physically even the contract because we got it that same day just before the meeting and the person voted on the phone without even reading or seeing the contract
ever. So I don't think that we need to create a policy. Uh it seems to be clear that if you are absent you cannot vote. So maybe we don't really need a policy for everything. And this is just like common sense like the city attorney was explaining. If you're absent, you cannot
vote. If you want to vote, you got to be here. And if you are sick, sadly, you cannot. So maybe you can try to defer the item or request the item to be deferred. So you can have the opportunity to vote whenever you are better. Uh but I think it's very simple and I truly don't believe that we need a
setup policy for that. I think is clear to the commissioner's point and I didn't mention this in the memo because I didn't want to suggest one way or the other, but if you do proceed with voting remotely, there are some things you need to consider. So, the commissioner brings up a good point. If you're not here
physically and someone supplements the record, whether it with a contract or with a letter or letters from residents or if you're someplace else and you don't have the capability of seeing that, you don't have the full record. So, you're voting on less than the full record. I would never recommend voting
remotely on a quasi judicial matter because then you get into due process issues with the applicant for similar reasons. If you do allow remote voting, you have to have sufficient technology in place to make and this kind of came up during COVID as well where you have a
sufficient amount of technology that that provides full full engagement so that it's not just over the phone where it's like I'm sorry, what did you say? I'm not sure I heard what what you said. You actually see the person's face or they're able to see at least chambers or
something is presented whether it's evidentiary or something that someone wants to look at. Um there's, you know, you can read articles with, you know, that someone your constituents that come to see or speak to their elected officials should be able to see and talk
to their elected officials, not talking to a phone type thing. So those are the type of considerations. But from a legal standpoint, certainly to the commissioner's point, um you you don't want to risk miscommunications because it's like, well, I thought this is what I heard and
this is why I voted and now that I know this, I wouldn't have voted this way. Um or again, if the record is supplemented, you should have full access to the record before your vote. Okay? But again, it's not illegal. It's not unlawful in Florida to do remote voting.
Just the recommendation is you have sufficient parameters in place to ensure the the most uh efficient engagement with constituents and obviously preserving the record and so on and so forth. Commissioner Joseph, did you want to
give in your two cents? I would just like to I would just like to say that I'm fine with our system the way it is and we should try to not have an error going forward as to
having any votes when someone is not present. Okay. Yeah. Um, yeah, I can appreciate what you're saying, Vice Mayor, but I I agree with uh everyone else because it could be something even as nuanced as there might be an item that you thought
you were going to vote for and then all these people showed up and maybe that changed your mind or someone that was here that talked to you right before the meeting. There's just, you know, being here is important, especially uh, you know, we need to make the time to be here. That's what you know we agreed to but I
understand if you're sick but I think that what Commissioner Stein said is it makes sense you can always request that an item be deferred through the you know the manager. So so so just to you know backtrack a little bit the intent is not to be absent. I I understand I think we all
understand that we need to be present physically. this is in case of illness or of an emergency and um you know with technology being in place I think that you know anybody
that's absent that's been following an item and is well verssed on that item and if there is some documentation that is you know handed to us a couple hours before that could easily be sent to
someone that is is about to vote remotely. So, um it'll be interesting to see what other cities have done, other cities that do allow remote voting because some of your um concerns I think
that with technology can be solved easily um is not something to be abused. I just feel that, you know, when somebody, let's say on a Monday, I I come to the Tuesday um agenda review and
Thursday I'm sick. I'm super sick. I'm fully aware of what's going on. If there's additional documentation or emails or letters from the residents, Mauricio can send those to us. The city clerks can send those to us. As far as
be uh having residents show up, you could see that through um YouTube, you could see that through our website, you you could be, you know, fully aware. Obviously, it's not the same as being present, but I think that there's ways
to um circumvent some of those challenges. So, that I just wanted to put that out there because we haven't been consistent. And I think that, you know, now that a few of us got sick, I just wanted to bring it up. And um, you know, it's
fine, but let's be consistent. I just don't want to get a call 30 minutes before stating that I cannot vote when I know I myself, I think I have voted over the phone and other commissioners have voted over the phone as well. So, we
either go left or we go right. Um, so we need to be clear on that. But again, my position is that we should have some exceptions built into our charter or a policy, etc. Just like our charter, I think, allows us to uh miss three commission meetings, I believe, or maybe
four. Six that many. Oh my god, that's crazy. Yeah. No. Is it Are you sure? Yeah. I think it's it's four in a row. It's six un uh six excused, four if you're a commissioner, and three if you're a mayor.
Right. in the calendar year. In the calendar year. So, yeah, it's it's substantial. Look, I can appreciate what you're saying and I I'm sure you were really frustrated, but to your point about being fully versed and engaged, I hope that we all are in every single item. Um, so, you know, that's
the assumption. Um, you know, just don't get sick, Alex. [Laughter] I could have easily not have been here. Okay. Uh, Commissioner Vcar wanted to say something, I believe. So, go ahead, Commissioner Vascara.
Speaking of remote participation, here I am. Um, okay. So, I think that Allan makes um a good case for our needs to revamp our code and our charter. Um, I was not aware that we have a policy in place.
Um, but I Alan, if I heard you correctly, you said that we don't, right? Is that right? Correct. I'm not aware of any official policy or written policy. Neither am I. Neither am I. But but clearly there's there's a um there's a way that we've been interpreting things and there's a way that we've been doing
things. So to me there's a couple of things that are very clear. Number one that you do need the physical presence to have a quorum. What that means is your worst case scenario is going to be three people present and two people on the phone. Uh but you're obviously going
to have the majority of people present. It makes sense to me that the presiding person should be there in person. So, if the mayor is not there, but let's say she's on the phone, but she's not there physically, then the vice mayor would be the presiding officer. Um, that's not
clear. I think it's logical, but it's not clear. I think that could be clarified. Um, the the need for a physical place, again, it's not I don't think it's explicit, but obviously, if you require a quorum, a physical forum,
you require a phys a physical place for them to be at, right? So, um, if you want to clarify that, that's fine. I'll, you know, but I think it's it's very logical. And then I'm just going through your memo, Alan. Okay. So, when it comes to the conflict of interest piece,
um, there's the part about you, you know, you you can't what is it? Something about where you underline counting the vote. Um well, you can't be if you're making
yourself absent for the purpose of a of a um conflict of interest, that's after the meeting has started and the quorum to start the meeting at least is no longer there. So I feel that this only applies
when in total you have three people present, right? because we've always counted uh physical and and telephonic as being present. And I I don't take issue with the fact that we need to clarify the language, but I and maybe we
can clarify even the the number of times that we can appear telephonically because I agree with you that the since it's silent, it could very well be that somebody just shows up for all 12 11, right? for all 11 meetings of the year
by phone and there's nothing to prevent that. I don't think that's appropriate. But I also don't think that it should just be a complete ban because life happens and you can still be prepared. I and I by the way not with the quasi
judicial. Um, as for the comment that cyber sent me did about the um the commissioner on the phone, that was me. And I remember that I had COVID that I had prepared. And the thing about that leaf, it was an add-on. I think we I I
don't like add-ons for that reason. If I had been present, I wouldn't have been able to properly prepare for that because it was handed to us kind of late in the game. So, but I remember it was an urgent matter. I knew there was a lot of work that went into it and in the end
it played out fine. So if you trust the work of your staff and they're bringing something to you in an urgent way, it played out beautifully. But I didn't like it. I didn't like the process. I don't like being handed things virtually or physically uh anything last minute
because I do like to be able to prepare. Uh let's see what else. um the forfeite piece. I think that that's what we've been using to to measure our absences and what we're allowed to do,
but we always interpreted it as absent means you're not there by phone and you're not there in person. So, none of those. And I I think it's been working, but I understand
not leaving that window open for somebody to just like not show up at all and like be there on the phone and and because then it like you're not taking the job seriously, right? So, um, and I and I understand putting some clarity
around that, but life happens. You know, I'm I'm in Ohio today because I planned on on being present and I thought it would be okay. I'm I'm very prepared. I'm able to have the conversation. I'm able to contribute. So,
I don't I don't have a problem with that. But I do think that we need to um you know, put what do you call those? Guard rails for abuse. It hasn't been a problem. We don't have a history of
that. Our commission shows up. Um, so I I do think that we should be able to to vote telephonically, but perhaps put some some parameters around it. Life happens, guys. Kids get sick, we get
sick, uh, accidents happen, but we're still able to do the job. And like uh the vice mayor said now with with um like technology coming forward and we maybe we can make it so that it's
you know zoom and like like in court right in court we have uh all in zoom I'm in my office my client is in their home the judge is in their chambers the opposing council is uh in their office their client is in their home nobody is
physically in in in the same room and the cases are moving forward this way. So it's very possible our judicial system can function this way. We can certainly function this way especially if it's on
a on a exception basis. This is not going to be the norm. It's it's super possible. I think we need to get with the times. But I do think we need to put in some guard rails. Um, and I think that until we do, we should be able to
continue voting telephonically because in it is fuzzy. And so because it's fuzzy, we're we we can interpret it to to allow for the the proper uh participation of
of the people who who are present even though not physically present. Uh so those would be my thoughts. I I think that, you know, our code and our charter needs
to be aligned, but that we should be able to continue to appear telephonically on an exception basis. And those are my thoughts. Okay. Thank you. I, you know, respectfully I disagree. I think that
our the those that's that wrote the charter never assumed that anybody would even consider voting remotely. Um and I think that our charter does address life happening and getting sick. We're you have a very generous policy of of
absences and if you start adding exceptions then where do you stop? Um so I think um unless uh anyone else here disagrees we keep it as is. Just need to schedule.
Well if you Yes. Thank you. But yeah I have another comment. It's like okay the thing with government is that apparently we have a unique ability to complicate things. I see a very simple
your accent you cannot vote. No more than that. And I understand life happens. Believe me, I do. I have children as well. Um so and um so about that specific contract that I was talking, it was a contract for 10 years
that we received in the moment that we were sitting down in here. I trust our staff. I trust the work of the city attorney and everybody else. But it happened to be that I like to read and I take my job very serious. So I need to verify because we are humans and we make
mistakes and we seen it in the past. So um I don't see the need to add exceptions like we said before because what happen if we are in Bora Bora and then um I can
say that I have a cold and sneezing uh but it happened to be that I'm not here because I'm in Bora Bora now because of the sneezing. So um what is going to be what kind of sickness are we allowed to have to vote on the phone or not? So if
we can fussy and very very very complicated of a thing that is very simple you can hear you can be part of the discussion like like the vice mayor was was the last month uh but sadly if you are not present then you cannot
vote. Yeah. Okay. And also I just like we're uh deciding for future commissions, future mayors, and I think we have to consider that as well. Yeah. I mean, you solved that easily. You you're allowed two remote votes per per
Yeah. I No, I don't you don't you don't have the support, Alex. No, I'm just stating out there. I'm sure it's going to come up in the future. No, it could come up in the future, but I agree. I think we're over complicating. I think Commissioner Stuan is right. I think that it was it's actually very clear. So, um, but it's a
good conversation to have. So, let's clear be having this conversation. Well, I it's clear to three of us. So, uh, all right. Uh, item 3E. Three is a discussion regarding the feasibility of a winterland village attraction by Commissioner Styson.
Yeah. Um, so back in 2021, I remember that you guys had a uh probably potential vendor who made a presentation about winterland, winter village, etc. Uh, it was very beautiful, fantastic. I just re resaw the that presentation. I
was not part of the commission back then. Um and between the reasons why apparently wasn't pursued is because uh it was the construction and another construction but the renovation of the uh bridge in 163rd. So, um, givingven
that I received a lot of feedback about last year's winter, um, festival and knowing now that we spent on that evening $90,000. Um, and, uh,
there were like mixed emotions about it. Um, I would like to consider to having conversations with not that specific vendor or whoever who could bring something like a uh winter village, winter market that we can have for a
longer period of time, etc. like there is happening in other cities here in America and usually almost all over Europe. Um, and that will be a service that we can give to our people and again I like what they presented back. So, um
I would like to see if that is feasible for the winter. Thank you. Can you go into more detail? I didn't really understand. Do you need to see the presentation? It was It was um It was amazing. It was
amazing. It was a ice skating rink that was a real ice skating rink. That was the one that we had the problem with the electricity that we were having a bad deal. It was a number of things but it was uh for two months I believe that you can use three months I believe.
Three months. It was really a very cool it was amazing. But yeah I I I think some of the concern was also there was going to be um people coming from the outside obviously because they're going to market that to South Florida and it was not going to be
just for us. So they basically they will take over the park. Okay. And it was cool. It was awesome. So there was a few concerns. One, the bridge being re refurbished, the bridge on 163rd and then also
uh the influx of people coming into the city and perhaps that causing some, you know, some some frustration, traffic, etc. I I don't know. Uh, that's what I'm Well, I'm very supportive of of of revisiting this and considering it with
obviously all the things that we had an issue with or this commission had an issue with back then. Yeah, I'm in support of it, too. But I'm just going back in history because if we were able to limit or have tickets for, you know, because at Heritage we can't limit it to residents
only. Correct. Um, it wasn't about No. So that vendor agreed that there would be discounted tickets for our residents. However, their business model relied heavily on it being a regional attraction, meaning
that it's bringing in, you know, like a thousand people from outside of the city on a daily basis to make it worth their while. All right. Well, I would I would support us talking to other cities that are doing something similar. Um, Commissioner Joseph, did you want to
add? Yeah, if uh there's something feasible and uh we have some type of template that we could possibly follow, then I'm open to it. Maybe can you guys share with us the presentation? Um, so they know what we're talking about. Yes.
Whoever like Jerry was in there maybe. So, yeah. Yes, we can share the presentation. Um and then we would like some better direction from you as far as you know what that vision is because that particular presentation. It was beautiful and it was a tremendous
endeavor but it would tie up the park for 3 months. They didn't want to go less than that um for their investment. And that brought forward some other issues that we have with Miami Day County and a referendum being required to use a park for that purpose for that
extended period of time. So I don't know if Alan can elaborate on that. Yeah. So, uh, back when this was presented, there's a, uh, in in the county's charter, there's a provision, it's article 7, um, dealing with parks and which was enacted before the city
was even incorporated. um where the commercial use of a park or a pred predominant part of the park for an extended amount of time is not permitted and it is only permitted if you take it to the voters.
And we had my predecessor had contacted the county attorney's office at the time and they said 3 months was pushing it uh for the amount of time where you're actually taking over a park. um the county wouldn't necessarily step in and and go crazy about it, but unfortunately
there's a provision where your residents can object and challenge it if it's not taken to the voters. So, I'm not saying it's impossible, but we'd have to be careful to get the county on board and that still wouldn't foreclose necessarily one of
your residents that's impacted in any of the surrounding area of the park from challenging it. of all parks. I think that one is the most under utilized and this would be if I may also um the presentation was
like you said beautiful and maybe was a little bit too ambitious for us. So maybe they can because it has even a snow tubing snow tubing uh etc. So it was really cool. Um I believe we had grow to the point that where we need
something like that. Um it doesn't have to be the same scope. It can be turn it down and also probably not three month but two months or whatever you know and maybe it's not the only vendor probably there is other people interested all over America. So um that's why uh the
direction that I would like if possible to give to the staff is to consider this as a as a possibility and look for it whatever is it uh probably starting with that particular v vendor but whoever else can be provide something and again it's a negotiation so not three months
two months not so aggressive and so ambitious even though that was great maybe a little bit tone it down for the first time and to the point about traffic I do not believe our traffic is going to get less at all. Look what's happening with Aventura Mall which is
amazing mall like the best mall in America or whatever and uh and continues growing more restaurants and more of everything and a lot of people that is going to Aventura come through Sunny Al. So regardless we have the exposure and
people is going to continue going through our city and we are lucky that gateway have a plenty of parking spaces and to the mayor's point is very underused that such a big uh property. So if we can bring something to our city and to our residents and to South Florida why not
are you suggesting it for this year? I'm sorry. Yeah. Yeah. Me too. Yeah. Well, the presentation that they did, the presentation when they asked for you guys because you guys were here back then, uh, was actually in July 2021. Okay. So, and then you guys are going to have the opportunity to
continue like getting all the tweaks to making it happen. So, I do believe we can make it happen. We're always looking to get the biggest bang for our buck. So, so what? We're always looking to get the biggest bang for our buck. Um, so let's uh go for it. Does Commissioner RCAR have anything to
add? Commissioner Viscara, sorry, I'm muted. Say that again. Did you Did you want to add anything? Are you in support of I'm okay. Okay. Okay. All right. So, I think you have the direction, Mr. City Manager. Okay. Wonderful. I don't think we have any
other items. No, ma'am. All right. Meeting adjourned. See everyone at 6:30. 6:15. 6:15. Thank you. Thank you. Part: 2
Okay, good evening everyone. It's 6:30. I'm calling the meeting to order. Mauricio, Commissioner Joseph present. Commissioner Styverson here. Vice Mayor Lama here. Mayor Setchin here.
For the record, Commissioner Viscara is absent. And we have a quorum. Okay. Wonderful. Um, David, lead us in the pledge of allegiance, please. Everyone could please stand. Pledge allegiance 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. Thank you. Before we have the invocation, I just want to recognize former uh Mayor Norman Edelup and
Goldman. Nice to have you here. Rabbi, good evening. Almighty God, source of wisdom, peace, and justice. We gather here today as public servants, community leaders, and
residents of our beautiful city of Sunny Alles Beach, seeking your guidance and blessing upon this meeting and all its deliberations. This week in the Torah portion of Pinas, we read about a man who in a time of a moral and national crisis rose with
courage to defend the sanctity and the future of his people. In return, you granted him bridge shalom, a covenant of peace. May we too in our beautiful city be granted the strength to act with courage, integrity, and unwavering
commitment to the common good. May our efforts bring peace and unity to all who call this city home. We're mindful too of our brothers and sisters in Israel who continue to face immense challenges and threats. We pray for their protection, for the safe return of all
captives, for comfort to the grieving, and for the true and lasting peace in the holy land and the world over. May the spirit of community, the pursuit of justice, and the promise of peace guide this meeting and all of the work that we do. Let us say amen. Amen.
Amen. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Mauricio. Okay. First item is approval of the minutes of the June 17th, 2025 commission meeting. Okay. Can I get a motion? Motion.
Second. Second. Okay. All in favor? I. All right. Now, order of business. I understand we have some changes. Yes, we do. So, items 9B, 9 I 9 J have been deferred.
Item 6B has been revised. Some minor minor changes. And then Commissioner Joseph has an add-on related to the Jewish solidarity day. Okay. Why why didn't we have this add-on before?
Uh, this one was inadvertently left off. Um, I spoke with Commissioner Joseph earlier today. Um, and I did confirm that he did request for this to be put on for this month's agenda and it was just again inadvertently left off. Okay, good. I just wanted to make sure that um, and Commissioner Joseph, you
had asked for this to be moved up because Yes, Rabbi Ker would like to make a statement and Okay, wonderful. Uh, does I need a motion? We can do that for the changes. So, move. Second. Second. Second. Okay. All in favor?
I I All right. So, we'll go first to zoning and then before we do that, uh the opening statement. Oh, of course. Thank you. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We appreciate your attendance and thank you
for joining us tonight. Before we begin, there are a few important reminders regarding conduct during our commission meetings. Please ensure all electronic devices are turned off or set to silent mode to maintain the integrity of our
proceedings. Mutual respect is the foundation of productive discussions. We ask that everyone remain silent and attentive when someone is addressing the commission. Clapping, applauding, heckling, or any verbal outbursts either in support or opposition of the speaker
are strictly prohibited. Any individual wishing to address the commission must fill out a public speaker card and submit it to the city clerk before the relevant item is announced. Each speaker is granted a maximum of three minutes. Should you exceed this time, the chair
will notify you to conclude your remarks. Speak directly to the agenda's points. Remain concise and avoid redundancy. Should an individual speak without the chair's permission or continue speaking after a warning, they may be escorted out of the chambers. It
is essential to avoid making impertinent slanderous remarks or becoming boisterous while addressing the commission. Such behavior may lead to being barred from future commission appearances unless the majority of the commission members present vote otherwise.
The presiding officer may disallow signs or placards in the commission chamber. Please exit the chamber quietly and without disruption. The goal of our meetings is to facilitate public input and participation. However, disruptive or disorderly
conduct hinders our collective objective. Individuals who want to speak on an item on the agenda are asked to fill out a public speaker card and give it to the city clerk before the item is called. Speakers are asked to speak to the issues, make comments concise and to
the point, and refrain from making duplicate comments. All speakers will be limited to one three minute comment per item. If you exceed the 3minut allotment, the chair will advise you to finish your comment. If you speak out of turn
without permission from the chair and or you do not cease speaking after one warning, you will be escorted out of chambers. In order to maintain orderly conduct and or proper decorum at these meetings, anyone who interferes with the orderly
process of the meetings after a warning may be removed from the meeting and may be barred from further appearance before the city commission as permitted in S286, 0114, FS, and SS74-5
and 74-21 of the city's code of ordinances. Any necessary removal will be made at the direction of the mayor and will be carried out by law enforcement or designated sergeant-at-arms. It is essential that attendees adhere to these
rules of procedure to ensure productive meetings that serve both the public and the city commission. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. Great. Thank you. And um I appreciate that we actually have people in the audience. I just want to remind you that it echoes here. So, if you're having
conversations, please take them outside because we can hear them. So, thank you. Go ahead, Mauricio. Okay. So, we're on to a section five of the agenda, which is zoning. And I'll read the opening statement. Uh, ladies and gentlemen, this evening's agenda has one zoning application. In these
matters, the city commission sits in a quasi judicial capacity. The decision of whether or not to approve a zoning variance is not a popularity contest, but must be based upon substantial competent evidence as it is presented tonight. If you intend to provide testimony on any zoning application, you
must be sworn in by the city clerk and you should also fill out a public speaker card and give it to the city clerk before the item is called. You will first hear from the city staff and then from the applicant. After this, the mayor will allow anyone from the audience who has been sworn in to provide testimony. The zoning applicant
has a right to cross-examine any witness and for rebuttal. Please make sure that your comments are concise. So, anyone that's going to be speaking on the item, please raise your right arm. You swear the testimony about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth. Thank you. And before we continue, are there any exarty communications that need to be disclosed by the commissioners? No. No. Thank you. Is Commissioner Viscar on the phone? Okay. Good evening. Um, and Mr. Mr. City
clerk, could you please read the companion item for the TDRs, please? Yes. Um, so it is 9A, which is a resolution approving purchase and assignment of transfer development rights in the amount of 313 square ft, a floor area ratio, and zero dwelling
units from the city's public TDR bank account to Gabbor South LP. authorizing the planning and zoning director to withdraw 313 square feet of F and zero dwelling units from the city's public TDR bank account and assigning the 313
square ft of F to the property located at 17949 Collins Avenue, unit 801. Okay, thank you. Uh good evening, mayor, vice mayor and commission. Uh this is zoning application PZ 20225-09 for a balcony enclosure at the mansions
at Aqualina. um specifically for unit 8001. The applicant is Gibbore South LP and the request is to modify the approved site plan for the mansions at Aqualina project and to purchase and assign transferable development rights from the city's public TDR bank. Um to increase
the floor area of unit 801 by 313 square ft. The price for purchasing the TDRs will be a total of $39,125. This site plan modification will increase the overall floor area of the mansions at Aqualina Development from 436,012
ft to 436,325 ft. Um here is the existing floor plan for unit 801. The balcony that's to be enclosed is at the northwest corner. And here is the proposed floor plan where you can see that the balcony will be um converted into a bedroom if the
application is approved. The remaining floor area available for purchase through TDR's at the mansions project is 91,866 square feet. The project is consistent with the land development regulations and I am available if you have questions. Great. Thank you.
M. Do we have any public speakers? No public speakers. Okay. Are there any questions? No questions. All right. I'll take a motion. I'll make a motion. Second. Second. Commissioner Joseph, yes. Commissioner Styverson, yes.
Vice Mayor Lama, yes. Mayor Setchin, yes. The application is approved four to zero. Thank you. Next item. Okay. Next item is Thank you. Pleasure. Ordinance is for first reading. 6A is an ordinance of the city
commission of the city of Sunny Als Beach, Florida, amending chapter 265, article 2, section 265-5 of the code of ordinances of the city of Sunny Beach entitled definitions to revise the definition of the term child care facility amending article 7
entitled zoning districts to incorporate child care child daycare facility as a permitted use in the recreations and open space zoning district in section 265-30. 30 and in the community facilities zoning district in section
265-29. And there's a conditional use in the medium high density residential zoning district in section 265-34. the neighborhood business zoning district in 60 265-36,
the town center district in 265-37, and the business overlay zoning district in 265-38 and amending section 265-44 entitled specific use regulations to incorporate the physical standards for child care facilities consistent with
Miami date county code of ordinances chapter 33 article X9 XAC. Excuse me. Uh good evening, mayor, vice mayor, and commissioners. This is an ordinance to amend the land development regulations regarding child daycare facilities. Um
it is specifically going to revise the definition of child daycare to align with state statutes. Um it is going to establish the zoning districts in which child daycare um the use is permitted. It will be the ordinance proposes for the use to be permitted in the community
facilities and recreation open space districts and as a conditional use in the RMF2 B1 BO and TCD districts. A conditional use will need to come to commission for review and approval. And finally, the ordinance aligns the physical requirements with Miami Dade
County's ordinance because the county's ordinance does preempt municipalities from um adopting standards that are more or less stringent than theirs. So, the standards found in the Miami Dade County uh code of ordinances chapter 33 article
XA relate to the minimum outdoor play area space, minimum indoor classroom size, vehicular stacking for pickup and drop off, the safety barrier requirements if the property is adjacent to a body of water, and does not allow the outdoor play area to be located in a
front yard or street sideyard unless it has a reinforced barrier. Uh, I'm available if you have any questions. Great. Thank you. Do we have any public speakers? No, ma'am. Any questions? No questions. I'll take a motion. Motion. So move. One second.
Okay. Commissioner Styverson. Yes. Vice Mayor Lama? Yes. Commissioner Joseph? Yes. Mayor Setchan? Yes. The ordinance passes on first reading. Second reading will be scheduled for August. Okay. 6B is an ordinance of the city
commission of the city of Sunny Alis Beach, Florida, amending sections 265-4, purpose 256-6, definitions 256-9, Issuance and renewal of permits, decals application 256-10,
Replication of permits/deals. 256-11 Exclusion of certain vehicles 25614 parking rates and fees. 256-15 authority of city manager and 25616
term of permit decals transfer of chapter 256 article two of the city of city code of ordinances of the city of sunny al speech repealing section 256 12 hours permits are valid of the code of ordinances of the city of sunny al speech entitled parking authority
okay m mayor vice mayor members of the commission this amendment provides update to our parking code with our current practice. Okay. Do we have public speakers? No, ma'am. All right. Are there questions the commission?
I'll take a motion, please. I'll make a motion. Second. Second. Raio. Okay. Vice Mayor Lama. Yes. Commissioner Joseph. Yes. Commissioner Styent. Yes. Mayor Setchan. Yes.
The ordinance passes 4 to zero. Second reading will be scheduled for August. Okay. Next item, please. Okay, next item is 8A, ordinances for second reading, which is an ordinance of the city commission of the city of San Beach, Florida, amending ordinance number 2024-618,
approving budget amendment number BA2425-05 to the city's operating and capital improvement budget for the 2024 2025 fiscal year. Mr. City Manager, Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of the commission. This is the second reading
of a budget amendment that assigns and transfers some of our fleet vehicles. Right. Do we have public speakers? No, ma'am. Any questions of the commission? No. All right. I'll take a motion, please. Motion. Second. Second. Okay. Commissioner Joseph,
yes. Commissioner Styverson, yes. Vice Mayor Lama, yes. Mayor Setchan, yes. The ordinance is adopted. Great. Now we're on to resolutions. Yes, ma'am. So, we're going to hear 10 Q. 10 Q right now. Okay.
Um, let me just read it into the record. Yeah, let let Maurice read it first. Yes. Perfect. Thank you is a resolution of the city commission of the city of San Beach commemorating Jewish solidarity day as a special day in the city of Sunny Beach providing that Jewish solidarity day shall be
recognized annually during the first week of May through the issuance of a proclamation. Commissioner Joseph, yes your item. Yes, thank you. So we have brought this up uh before it was deferred. Um
the uh we had had this on last month. The mayor left uh before the vote, but she had left a note that she did agree uh with this uh resolution. So, we'll see how her vote goes tonight.
Um this uh day is a day to an ongoing day each year to celebrate Jewish solidarity within the city of Sunny Alles Beach. Uh we have this has nothing to do with religion. It has to do with jewelry. Um, senator speech is a haven
in Miami Dade for uh Jewish residents and for as long as it should be, this should be a day to celebrate um uh Jewish um heritage uh to uh celebrate
Jewish history, Jewish culture, and to uh praise the state of Israel. and for everyone that supports uh the state of Israel. Um, now I was speaking with Rabbi Ker and he had said to me that where I had
planned to have this day celebrated on the first Sunday of May, it turns out that because of Passover and well, the rabbi will explain it uh that uh they would I would request if this resolution
passes to move actually the celebration day to December. So, Rabbi, if you would um one, Jerry, one second. Mara, do we have public speakers? Uh, we do. We have Rabbi Ker.
Great. Rabbi Keller, please. Dear mayor commissioners, um as commissioner Joseph mentioned, what uh perhaps was not known to him and to all of you that uh in a period of time between Passover and a holiday of Shabotat, which is 50 days after
Passover is a time in Jewish calendar which is time of semi morning and because of that it's a time when we don't listen to the live music. I would imagine that any such celebration or any such heritage day would be accompanied by concert, by music, by performances
which possibly would make a restriction basically for observant people to attend such a Jewish observant people to attend such an event which kind of uh becomes contradictory. So it is uh my idea suggestion that I would like to support
what Commissioner Joseph said that perhaps in December when we already do have an annual uh Kaneka festival or sometime around that time also in May many of the snowbirds are gone. They're no longer here past Passover. many many
residents already leave and I think it would be much in my opinion better month time to move this perhaps during the Kaneka festival where this could be celebrated. I also understand from the previous commission meeting something
that uh came to my attention that there was some uh discussion again as commissioner Joseph mentioned about jewelry and Judaism and uh I don't quite honest see how the Jewish heritage day would be different from Hispanic
Heritage Day that we hold in this city. Again, maybe this is the attorney's u uh judgment to I don't know to define whether the people end and a religion begins, but uh in my opinion, this is not definitely not a holiday of a
Judaism because those are the holidays that are mentioned in the Torah. This is not a religious celebration, but celebration of the Jewish peoplehood as was mentioned by Commissioner Joseph. Great. Thank you. Do we have any other public speakers? Thank you, Rabbi. Okay. um to to discussion among the
commission. Would someone like to start? I Well, let me let me start then. Okay. Um yeah, I absolutely support um anything having to do with celebrating um Jewish heritage, especially since it's a very large u portion of our
population. However, I don't want to add something that is already in existence. So, let me clarify. The month of May is already designated nationally as Jewish Heritage Month. So what I would like to suggest is that we somehow support that
which I think we already do to some extent but not necessarily as a celebration just as heritage. So the same way that you know let's say the library does something where they are acknowledging Jewish scientists or something of that that extent putting things out on social media. But in in
December, which I think we already have in our budget, an item for Hanukkah that we've not done in the past, um we at that point also do something extra but maintain May as Jewish Heritage
Month. So we can acknowledge our Jewish community at the Hanukkah event or whatever we want to call it. I'll defer to the attorney. um but not stray from the national norm because then we're creating not necessarily a holiday
because the Jew Hispanic heritage is in I believe September. September correct so for us you know so anything we do from Spanish heritage we would do in September. Yes. But this is not see the idea behind
my resolution to begin with and I had this discussion with Rabbi Keller and he agreed with me that our Jew our Jewish community in Sunny Isles is fragmented. We do not celebrate
together. And Rabbi Ker has tried himself to have other um fragments of the Jewish community uh try to join him in in certain
celebrations. I'm trying to not muddle Judaism with jewelry. So I have to watch my language. But um so the Jewish solidarity day which I'm absolutely trying to codify as
a day in Sunny Isles is important because we do not celebrate jewelry together as a community. We have a fragmented community because of the congregations how separate they are.
I'm not talking about the religious part of it. I'm talking about the jewelry part of it that we don't come together as a Jewish community and that's what I'm trying to have happen in the city and having a day to celebrate Jewish
solidarity day in the city is very important for the Jewish community in Sunny Isles. So I understand what you're saying, Mr. mayor, but I'm not looking to give up the Jewish solidarity day itself as
an ongoing day of celebration. How would you address then? Because having it in December, you are in effect aligning it with Hanukkah, which is the Jewish holiday. And that was that was a surprise to me today. Mhm. I was planning on having it the first
Sunday in May, but I was told that because of right the 50-day morning period that it would interfere with some people joining. I'm not looking to have it just to be a
Jewish celebration. We uh the Jewish community has many non-Jews that uh celebrate along with us um many occasions as we do with other uh residents in their holidays. So this is
a community event, but it it does um emphasize the solidarity of the Jewish community in Sunny Isles. So, um, Rabbi, I understand what you're saying. My concern is that it does it does
unfortunately model it if we do it in December. But I also I don't want to create Well, it was the rabbi suggestion to have it in. No, I understand. But my my point is is that then why wouldn't we have, you know, any other solidarity, Venezuelan
solidarity, you know, Cuban solidarity. So, it becomes something that it it starts mushrooming. But I I'd like to know what the rest of the commission thinks about this. I think I made myself clear. Vice Mayor. Yeah. I just wanted to know
can I get the dates that we are looking at or the date for the Jewish solidarity day? So originally I would like to know sorry I would like to know the dates for for Hanukkah more or less. They're towards like the middle end of December. Correct. It changes every year. I'll look it up.
anywhere from the Okay. Okay. Go ahead, Jerry. So, if there's going to be a conflict where I have someone opposing Jewish Solidarity Day because it's moved to December and there's another holiday
that is celebrated that it may cause someone to say there's no need for additional celebration. Then I will um further ask the rabbi for another suggestion. I know that people
are away um up north um after the the end of April, but I'm not willing to lose the day in order to it's important I believe to have the
Jewish community in Sunny Isles come together for a celebration regarding um Jewish heritage and uh Jew jewelry. which I I see from going to temple to
temple um and just speaking to the community itself not in a religious sense that we are not together as a community and that is what I'm looking to achieve and
I believe this would go a long way towards that. Okay. So are there any other months or dates? I mean, well, that's what I'm going to now ask the rabbi. So, let me let me ask this question. How can we work this out so that we can we
can make it work in May as part of Jewish heritage? Because it doesn't necessarily need to have music. What is your idea for this as far as this day of celebration? Matter of food celebration. Well, a celebration without music is not really a celebration. You added on there that this would be a
budget amendment, correct? Yes. So, how much money What are you thinking? What is this exactly that you are proposing? I have a few questions before that. Yes. Okay. Go ahead. So um because if you are born in Colombia or Venezuela, you are Latin,
you're Hispanic. Okay. Yes. So first for me is the definition. How can you be calling Jewish solidarity day when you want to unify the Jewish community of Sonia not a religious thing?
Because you are comparing to Hispanic heritage. Hispanic. Like I said, what's the concept? If you're born, Jerry, one at a time, please. If you are born in Argentina, you are Hispanic. It doesn't matter who do you believe, what is your religion, if you are male, female, gay,
whatever, you are Hispanic. Okay. So, Hispanic heritage, how can you compare that to uh Jewish heritage? That is I didn't fall into that trap. That was someone else that mentioned that. No, no, I'm asking right now. Okay. So because that I said that that since it's recognized
Jewish heritage and and and Hispanic heritage are nationally recognized to me. No, I I know that. But how is it right now that we're going to put funding which actually also in the budget right now? We do have a celebration that is called um heritage
celebration and it says uh for um $32,000 and it says um in the budget book it says this program uh modification is for the replacement of international celebration and for Hispanic and Jewish heritage
celebrations. This is in response to the direction of the commission to respond to community interest and desires. What day is that? There's no day. It's no day. It's $32,000 that we are putting for that right now. No, no, I haven't finished, you know. And um
and I do believe the way we can uh protect our community overall is with what we are doing right now. We are providing safety, security. Uh also in the budget book, we are going to be
celebrating a religious event like Hanuka in December. We have a religion um um we changed even the colors and all of that of our winter um lights to be inclusive and now we have a little
drreles etc. So um like you said before we are heaven for the Jewish community and we want to keep it like that but we want to be a heaven for all communities. So it will be perfect if you call it a
community unity day or unity day and it's for all ethnic groups for all the religions and for everyone in Sonia but I think we are going into a very um interesting path if we continue putting
so much of public funds to celebrate one religious. This is not religion. How come not just okay? So this is see you're combining you're
falling into the trap of of saying that jewelry is Judaism and it is not. I am not celebrating Judaism. I'm celebrating jewelry, Jewish heritage, and Jewish accomplishments and having
the Jewish community in Sunny Isles come together for a special day where I intended it to be during Jewish Heritage Month, which if if at all else I may still have to go with that,
but um that is the case. It has nothing to do with religion. It's with bringing the community together. Community? No. Okay. But let's let me let me let me interject here. I I think that
um for me I I if we maintain it as a May um event because it's already established nationally. So you're not doing anything that is different from what the US government the the president but Sunny Isles does not have a Jewish
heritage celebration. I understand that but I'm saying we can figure out a way to do this so that we meet everyone's needs but we do it consistent with what everyone else is doing around the country which is in May because I I understand look of course of course I understand there's difference between
the religion and you know jewelry this is different however when you add it to December for Hanukkah that's what I was I was pushed there I I understand I understand what you're trying to do so so Okay. So, we will just have fewer
people attending and we may have some people not attending for religious reasons, which is unfortunate. But if we have to um have it on the first Sunday in May as opposed to not having it at all, we will
have it on the first Sunday in May. It doesn't necessarily need to be like a party. It could be recognizing heritage. No, I I No, the intent is to bring people together to have a celebration regarding
Jewish jewelry. Okay. Yes. Jewelry. And another thing is that um we are in heaven as it is right now. Uh because we are not out there in the news. So why do we want to continue bringing unwanted
attention? No no I haven't finished it. plenty of security. This is not Commissioner Joseph. Commissioner, please let let she's got the floor. Why do we want to bring unwanted attention to sunny? Why do we walk out of the house?
Okay. I haven't finished like I said. So, um, in my neighborhood, I have a big Jewish community in my in my street and I live in one street only. Okay. So I don't want people to be there to target my neighbors in my in the community that
live in there by us continue putting um public resources to celebrate one religious over over the other. The I the sunny ass is really safe for everybody because we are not in the news and we don't need to be in the news. So
continue putting uh resources, public resources to celebrate one culture over other and if it was for any other if it was for an any other if it was if it was for any other religious or culture I
won't be also in favor of that. Okay. So like I said we are really putting our money where our mouth is. Whenever there is something happening in the world, we have extra police security that it cost us money to protect our community and we need to continue doing that and we have
to do even more to have all sars to be safe so they can walk everywhere and they can feel safe like we feel right now. So why again do we need to continue advertising things uh so we are going to bring unwanted attention to our
community as it is. Um, I never heard that the Jewish community was so separated or not not together. I and I have and I've been living in this city for 18 years. Okay. My children are are very good friends and I'm very good friends with part of people of the
community. Um, so again I want to do things the way we are doing it, the way that they are safe for everyone. And this is just like I don't know. It's like kind of self- serving. I I I don't It is not u Wait a second. Commissioner Joseph, I want to give the vice mayor a chance if
he wanted to add anything. Yes. So, all right. I I understand that there's ethnically Jewish people that are not necessarily religious. They may be atheists, they're not religious, etc. Uh so I understand you your point. It
could get a little bit fuzzy. So I understand everybody's concerned too that the the there's a thin line there. Um it's not a thin line when it comes to let the vice mayor let the vice mayor speak. I'm giving you so so so what I'm trying to say is that whatever we do if we have
this solidarity day it cannot have any religious component for obvious reasons because of the constitution we need to have a separation of church and state. So, um, we'll just have to see how we could implement it and pick the right
month or date for it. Um, so I don't know if you know you could have conversations with with the rabbi or the rabbis and and see what what date is the most um convenient date or the
most um you know ideal date to have this be successful but definitely no religious component at all. It would not be that is not the intent whatsoever. Yeah. But but I mean you need to understand as well the the the concerns
um you know jury Jewish so there's some intertwined Jerry let let him finish please. There's only a confusion for someone that doesn't understand the difference. Okay hold on we're we're we're getting off topic here. So I I have a I have a
question. Um, uh, Susan, if I may please, uh, for the budget, we have for the the line item is Hispanic Heritage and Jewish Heritage, but it's under one line. It's two events in one program mod. Yes,
it was eliminating the international celebration that was everyone to create two separate events, Hispanic Heritage and Jewish Heritage. And was there, you know, a date pencled in for both of those? E. Yes. I believe it's on the calendar that was submitted
to you at the budget workshop. Okay. And it was just basically half and half. Yes, exactly. Okay. All right. So, are you opposed to doing it in May? I'm not opposed to doing it. Okay. So, but there won't be any music though,
right? In May. Well, there would be music except whoever does not want to attend because of the music who feels saying yeah who religious reasons they can't attend. Yeah. It is not a religious
festival. So that would be unfortunate because it would be at that time. Maybe we could mix them. You know I I I know of a salsa klesmer band. So that's not um Okay. I I hate to point out the obvious, but if the attempt is to bring
all of the the various kabads together in solidarity, doesn't this defeat the purpose then if there's going to be music? Well, so are you really tied to the music is I'm asking you does it have to be part of this? What is a celebration? I you know, so
what's the question? If we are talking about bringing Habat together, how is this not a religious? I'm not. We're not. I did not. You say it. You go from temple to temple and the people that No, no, no. You said that you go. No, I did hear very well.
Wait, wait, wait. Please let the floor. I heard very well that you said you go from temple to temple, hence religion. Um, and then that the people is not together. I told you I go also to the temples and I see people very happy and
very together helping each other. Um so again we are going into a really bad path this way. I'm totally okay with having a community unity day. If you want to bring the community together is
that what you are after you know it doesn't matter where are they what ethnic group or anything. So, let's do a community unity day. And if you want to bring have a concert or whatever with different groups, different languages, etc., I'm all for it. And if you want to
put good money on it and to have a community specific breakout for for Hispanic Heritage Day and Jewish, we have $32,000 is the mod number 13. I'm going to tell you the page number is in the in the book is
page 209. So we do have it already. So why are even we talking about this? So that is the day that is the expense. So it's already ticketed. Okay. It's just a matter of declaring the day. Okay.
Okay. I I still don't see the purpose of it. Okay. Okay. So this is the day I'm speaking of. Okay. Perfect for you. I don't I don't support this. I think we are doing a disservice to a Jewish community by doing this and bringing unwanted unnecessary attention to them. We want
them to continue being under the radar so they can be safe. The Jewish community, okay, does not is not looking to hide or to cower. Okay. So, that's absolutely unwarranted what you're saying. Oh, well. Okay. Okay.
Okay. All right. I think that we're um I think the rabbi may have something else to say. Okay. Normally, we don't allow it, but given that I think we're going around and around. Please, Rabbi, please, if you No, no, no. You are the expert. So,
please uh uh clarify some things for us so that we can move on to the next item. If I may, um few things and again maybe the city attorney will correct me. Uh, number one, Commissioner Styverstone, I will tell you with all due respect, uh, we're not walking around with a tail
between our legs and we're not hiding and making another Jewish event or celebrating Jewish peoplehood is not bringing unwanted attention to the Jewish community here. I disagree with you, okay? Respectfully, number one, um, and Jewish community should feel safe and if any
other people, any community and, uh, any people should be celebrated. If there's one to celebrate, they should be celebrated. And we feel safe. Thank God the Jewish community feels very safe in our city, thanks to our police department and thanks to our city and all the care that this commission takes
care of of our community. Um, Jewish peoplehood would be religious uh on a federal level. This probably also would not be celebrated. And uh there are minoras on public properties including the white house lawn and uh it's been already argued and argued in federal
courts and in the 70s and I can bring you if you need the the precedents and the cases that were discussed where it was ruled that this is absolutely permissible even though minora could be said by some it's a religious symbol. I don't remember being here also uh in
this chambers when our city attorney when we discussed that minora is not a religious symbol today. day today minora became it's a symbol of freedom symbol of light of celebration of light and on and on but that's just some of the things that were mentioned here I again not pushing one way or the other which
day to do um again perhaps I don't know maybe this celebration would be appropriate maybe corresponding to yat mud I don't know I just mentioned the fact that we already have a celebration which is organized by our community this is not about kabad this is not about any
one synagogue this is about general people Jewish people at large and as Commissioner Lama said that there could be Jews who are not religious. There could be Jews who are Christians. There could be Jews who are agnostic or or atheist. This is about ethnic people and
peoplehood and contribution of the Jewish people to this country and in this particular case I would say to this community and to this city. So Okay. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Okay. All right. So what day are you proposing
so that we can get clarification? Well, if I can ask the rabbi. Rabbi the Well, okay. So, let's talk about a day. Is March a better day? Is Mar a day in March? It doesn't look well. Okay. I think it
doesn't have to be decided today. Let's have the vote. Let's see if we can codify the celebration and then we can uh solidify the date. So, let me make this suggestion, okay? because I I want to make sure that this is this is very clear because this is
important and I know it's important to you, it's important to me and I think that there it needs to be very very clear what we're doing. We right now I don't think officially do we recognize Jewish Heritage Month officially anywhere? No, the city does not. No, we do. We do do a proclamation, but
we don't wait one second. I'm asking the city manager. We do it through a proclamation. If we don't have the proclamation, then we don't have recognition. Correct. Correct. Okay. So I propose I propose an an annual
celebration during Jewish Heritage Month. Okay. And then for a solidarity day, we can discuss that at a different time. I there's no need to have two different days. We don't have a day is my point. My
point is you don't have a day. So that's the problem we have right now. That's why I'm I the intent was to make it during Jewish Heritage Month, but you know the the red herring is the
fact that there is a morning period which I wasn't aware of. Not red. So if we can Well, would you be okay? I know you don't want to do this, but I'm going to suggest that we defer this to next month where this can all get ironed out. I think it's pretty clear sort of where where we
stand and I think you're going to get the support, but it would be better if it's very very clear exactly the day and what it is you want to do. Thank you. Well, we can move the day. It's important to codify the fact that we have the votes for the
uh solidarity day itself. All right, Commissioner. And I just want to say um thank you Rabbi for the clarification and I do admire the resilience of the Jewish community and the in their contributions etc. Um and
like I said I live among the community and um and I know you guys are not hiding and it's not about being cover or nothing like that. Um again there is no hiding here and it's not I don't mean to be disrespectful at all okay to any any
community. I just said that with what's going on in the world and what is happening here in America, um my point with not bringing unwanted attention is that I want to continue for our community to continue feeling as safe as
you are right now. And I don't want to see the protest that we are having in New York City or um we're politicians like the ones that we have in New York City coming here to South Florida. Um, and if we can continue doing the things
that we doing for the safety of everybody, uh, and like I said, nobody's hiding, nothing, and you don't need to hide. Uh, so u, that was my point. Okay. So, like I said, I don't mean any disrespect and I will never call, uh, the Jewish community to be covered. Uh,
because I do admire the resilience, but we need to make sure that we are what we are doing um, the unintended consequences. Like I said, we I believe we do so much for a community and anything that you guys always need when
they come to us, I haven't seen anything that we say no to. So, we were having so much red and green um holiday decorations and it was brought to attention and last year we have like overwhelming light blue and and white
gold um decorations. So uh I believe the city of Sanb has a does a very good job making feel everyone wanted and comfortable. So and that's the way I want to continue having it. That's what I said I will support a unity day a
community day a community unity day uh so we we can celebrate all but when we go down the path of celebrating one group over the other that's when things get a little bit complicated. So, um
Huh. Yeah, I know. But Hispanic has nothing to do, like I said, with religious where you are born in the language you speak. Yes. All right. Well, you don't want to have a Hispanic heritage day. Celebration. That's not what we're talking about right now. Yes, it is.
Okay. So, you're not So, you're So, you're not interested. You want to have a combined celebration, a community celebration? Yeah, sure. And not have Hispanic Heritage Day. Is that it? Okay. If it's a community and c the
celebration of all 100% I don't understand. I don't understand your reasoning. I don't need to celebrate my community. We celebrate each other every day. So, okay. So, you don't want for Sunny Isles to have a Hispanic heritage. I want to have a community celebration. Yes, that's what I have.
But I wanted Hispanic right now. We don't have a Hispanic. Hold on. But it's it's on the We don't have it. But we don't have it. So, what are you talking about? We don't have let's we celebrate so many but we don't have it we're not no one is being heard because you're be both speaking at
the same time. Um is it possible Mr. City Attorney for the last whereas clause for it not to have a specific date? Well right now for a date to be determined. No
we well it it's it's a determinant. I mean that in itself I I guess we could work around but we sort of pingponged around quite a bit and as written I don't know that it reflects I still don't know what you all are going to be voting on right um and I want to make clear also that
to the extent we do forward with this we go forward with this resolution section two with regards to including an align item in the city's annual budget I just want to be clear that this does not bind you to having that that's part of the budget process so that can change in the budget process,
right? It could be not budgeted at all. Right. All right. So, again, this isn't as clear as it should be, and I think that it's not as clear as you want it to be, Commissioner Joseph. So, what would you like to do? Would you like this evening being very clear, actually? Okay.
Yes. So, would you like to repeat what it is you want to do then? Okay. So we will have upon codification a Jewish solidarity day on the first day of May
of each year. And if the day needs to be changed for a certain reason, we will then look to the city manager to um find a day that uh suits the city better
suits the residents uh better as to having a better attendance. So you you want it to be the first of May, first Sunday of May. First Sunday of May each year. Correct. All right. to unless unless we find a day that's that
that's more suited, right? We can't I don't think that we can put that in in the resolution. No, that No, but I'm asking the attorney to clarify. No, we will settle it as the first Sunday in May and then we can do some
modification if necessary. Well, you you'd have to come back and and amend your resolution. Okay. Okay. So, if you're going to put in a date certain now, the first Sunday of May, that's going to be the first Sunday of May. You decide to change that in the future, you need to amend your resolution.
So, I don't Yeah, I'm not interested in doing that. So, um Well, let me just let me just ask uh Vice Mayor because I want to make sure that you have the support. Did you have anything else that you wanted to add? Are you in support of this?
Two things. I I'm in support of this as long as doesn't it doesn't have any religious component. No religious component whatsoever. And um and just wanted to reiterate that there's such a thing as Jewish ethnicity
and not necessarily it has to do with, you know, religion. Correct. Um there's always going to be confusion. However, you need to understand that whether it's the residents or other people. Um
so I think that this can move forward as long as we are within the uh constitution. Yeah. I let me constitution regarding this doesn't even come into play. Let me just add uh to your to your point. Yeah.
There are very there are many many Jewish Americans that are famous, that are artists, that are writers that are absolutely not religious and not do not even consider themselves Jewish, but they are in fact Jewish. So to your point, I think that it it could be very
clearly not a religious event. It would be a celebration of Jewish heritage. Um and get you that bad. What? Okay. Okay. So I will for the purposes of this resolution to leave it as the
first Sunday in May. Okay. And we will um I think it's a good idea to defer the item and hear also what Commissioner Biscar has to say when she's present. Yeah. I'm not looking to defer it. I
will push it to a vote today. Okay. Um, Mr. City Attorney, is this clear what we be voting on or do we need to repeat it? As far as I can tell, it's as written. Um,
it's as written and sufficient. It says the first week of May, so we may need to just change that to the first Sunday of May. But, uh, I I I this is what you're voting for. It seems to reflect that. Okay.
All right. So, with that, I'll take a motion. I'll make a motion. I need a second. Second. Mauricio, since this has gotten a roll call. Roll call, please. Commissioner Joseph, yes.
Commissioner Styverent, no. Vice May Lama, yes. Mayor Fetchin, yes. The resolution passes 3 to one. Okay. Thank you. Next item, please. Okay. Okay, next item is 9 C
and actually we're going to be hearing the next four items together. Mayor, right? So 9 A we already did. Yes. So C, D, E, and F. Yes. So just if anyone was planning to speak on 9 C, 9D, 9E, or 9F, we're combining
them. So if you need additional time to fill out a public speaker card. No. All right, Mauricio. All right. So 9C is a resolution awarding invitation to bid number 25601 and approving an agreement with Georgia Enterprises as a primary awardee for
preventive maintenance services of the HVAC management system located at the government center, the fleet building and the building department modular. Okay. Nine. Sorry, just need to read all all four. 90 is a resolution awarding invitation to bid number 25601 and
approving an agreement with RGEN Enterprises doing business as water cool excuse me cool water cool water air conditioning as a secondary awardee for preventive maintenance services of the HVAC system at government center fleet
building and building department modular 9E is a resolution awarding the bid number 25601 and approving an agreement with Ren Enterprises as the primary award ee for preventive maintenance services of the HVAC system
at Gateway Park, Pelican Community Park, public works compound, the spot, Heritage Park, and Town Center Park, and Meditation Garden. And finally, 9F is a resolution awarding invitation to bid number 25601 and approving an agreement with Conmech,
Inc. as the secondary awardee for the preventive maintenance services of the HVAC system at Gateway Park, Pelican Community Park, public works compound, the spot, Heritage Park, and Town Center Meditation Garden. Okay. Thank you, Mr. City Manager, Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of the
commission. This awards through an invitation to bid primary and secondary agreements with two different companies or maintaining our HVAC systems throughout various buildings in the city.
Okay, Mr. City Clerk, do we have any public speakers for any of the items? No. All right. Are there questions from the commission? I'll take a motion. So moved. We need a second. Second. Second. All in favor? I I
Right. 9G. 9G is a resolution approving a first amendment to the agreement with Kone, Inc. for elevator service and maintenance for the elevators located at Gateway Center. Mayor, vice mayor, members of the commission. This awards an agreement
with Conc for maintenance service the elevators at the Gateway Park. Okay. Do we have public speakers? No, ma'am. Do I have any questions from the commission? I'll take a motion, please. Motion. Need a second? Second. All in favor? I I. Next item, please.
9H is a resolution approving a first amendment to the agreement with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company as a primary awardee to provide fleet maintenance and repair services to group one vehicles. City Manager, Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of the commission. This awards first amendment
to the agreement with Goodyear Tire and Rubber for fleet services to our vehicles. All right. Do we have public speakers? No, ma'am. Any questions from the commission? I'll take a motion, please. Motion. Second. Second.
All in favor? Okay. We are skipping I and J. So, okay. 9K is a resolution ratifying an increase to the blanket purchase order with public supermarkets for the purchase of necessary goods for fiscal year 2425.
City manager, mayor, vice mayor, members of the commission. This ratifies approval for a blanket purchase order with Publix for various expenses including summer camp that city events throughout the year. Thank you. Do we have public speakers? No, ma'am.
Questions from the commission? No. I'll take a motion. Motion second. All in favor? I I All right. 9L. 9L is a resolution directing the city manager to initiate public engagement activities and develop a comprehensive plan of action under new state
regulations governing motorized scooters and electric bicycles. Okay. Mr. City Manager, Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of the commission, this has been something that you all have directed us to do additional enforcement on. we have been
limited and the state law has changed somewhat. So what we would like to do is some community engagement and bring back to you a plan of action to enforce and further enhance our enforcement efforts
with scooters throughout the city. Okay. Do we have public speakers? No. Do I only have a one comment about it? We are not going to be hiring any consultant for this, right? No. Okay, perfect. Because I think it's very
clear what most people want. So hopefully and the timeline for for to bring us something if any as soon as we can. Okay. Hopefully it will be sooner than later. Sorry. Yeah. Because we know the children want
want to continue using the scooters. We have the seniors that they're sharing the sidewalks with the kids in the scooters. So it's very clear what's going on. So hopefully sooner than later you guys can bring us something about this. Residents want their sidewalks back.
Okay. So any questions? Vice Mayor? No. All right. Um and and just as we discussed it during the agenda review, please let's make sure that we engage with the the principal and the school board to make sure that whatever it is that we do that they are in step with us
so that any enforcement is uh complemented by whatever they do now that they can as well. Yes, we will. Thank you. The only thing about that is that please do not allow the school board or the school to to delay this process for us. So if we give them a notice to be part
of the conversation and they don't respond to that notice, let's not stop moving forward because of them because it has happened in the past. Sure. Okay. Agreed. All right. I'll take a motion. Motion. Second. All in favor? I. Next item.
Next item is nine M M excuse me. Uh a resolution urging the Miami Dade County Board of County Commissioners to authorize municipalities located within its boundaries to establish and maintain speed limits of 20 miles per hour on
designated roadways within each municipality's jurisdictional boundaries. your city manager, mayor, vice mayor, members of the commission, this was based on your direction for us to proactively engage
with Dade County to modify the speed limits throughout the city and that's what this is. Okay, Mara, do we have public speakers? We do. David Virgil. Good evening, mayor, vice mayor, and commission. My name is David Virgil. My address is 17500 North Road, Sunis
Beach. I just want to say I think this is a great resolution to continue supporting pedestrian safety in the interior streets of Sunny Isles. Um, keeping the speed limit at 20 miles per hour would um, help keep pedestrians
safe while crossing the streets here in the city. I think almost everyone who spoke at the town hall in March was in support of keeping the speed limit at 20 miles per hour and hopefully Miami Dade County is able to authorize keeping speed limits at 20 m per hour instead of
raising it to 25. Thank you. Thank you. Do we have any other public speakers? No, ma'am. All right. Do we have any com uh let commissioner Joseph go first. Yes. So, I would like to ask the city manager um Miami date county when they were here uh
doing that presentation, they said that they were going to take steps regarding uh speed calming. Have you seen anything at all to date that they've done regarding calming?
I'm not aware of anything at this point. So, but they are still pushing us to uh increase our speed limit. Well, I think they're open to having some dialogue. So, I think this will definitely help. So, let me just clarify. Uh,
Commissioner Joseph, they um they met, they had a meeting um their committee on transportation had a meeting and they overwhelmingly support this. Okay. So, this was this is really just to give them that extra push and this is going to go before the commission.
Yes. Okay. So they we do require uh calming on certain streets either uh speed bumps which I've driven uh Golden Shores withstand he knows that there are many
many speed bumps that are uh missing that should be there. We have a long stretch and you know yourself between on 186th Street all the way up um North Bay Road to 188th Street. It's
a speedway. There's um not one speed bump and we need at least three added in that area. All right, but let's just stick to what we're discussing now. So um yeah, I think that this is going to to absolutely help them move it along. We still would require the study. Is that
correct, Mr. Manager? Yes. Okay. And then also down by Tropicana on the south side of the city, there's um traffic calming procedures that need to be in installed as well. Okay. Thank you. Uh Commissioner Stuben, you said you want to say something?
Yeah. Um first I want to co-sponsor the resolution like I said before, but also uh this is a good example of what happened when the community comes together. uh when we had this issue in the past or when it came to us was with the idea of increasing the speed limit
to 25 mile per hours and I thank you uh everybody here in the staff for helping us put together the town hall and the community came they spoke and we were able to show that we can get this because it's according to Florida status
uh and you know this is what we can get when we fight for what is right so And thanks for to the community for coming to the town hall and for you guys to listen to us and and also the county. Vice Mayor, did you have anything to add? Yes. So, obviously, well, from what I
understand, we're we're going to pass this resolution and the county is in agreement or is open to keeping the speed limit at 20 miles per hour. Um, I would still like to see the uh updated
data, the updated study. We don't have And then Yeah. I mean the data is from like 2018 2019. Yeah. So and then um what Commissioner Joseph said, what is the plan for the calming
um of the you know people that are speeding the traffic etc. So I'd like to see that as well. So if you could follow up on that with the county I'd appreciate that. Okay. Thank you. And um you know, as we said during the agenda review, I think we all wanted to co-sponsor this item.
Um and I do want to u also commend the community um and actually Commissioner Stuben as well for for that workshop because in speaking to Commissioner Steinberg who brought it up and and she's really fighting for us. She actually mentioned that we were the only
city to do that. So it it matters. Um yeah, kudos to Commissioner Steinberg. No, I said I think all of us. Um I'm gonna I'm sorry. Yeah, all of us. Yes, please. All right. So, uh I'll take a motion. Motion. All in favor? I I
Okay, next item. Mauricio 9n is a resolution establishing the city of San Beach proposed advalorum tax millage rate at 1.800 800 MS per $1,000 of taxable tax value which is 7.52%
more than the roll back rate of 1.6741 mills for fiscal year 2025 2026 Mr. city manager mayor vice mayor members of commission this establishes our proposed ad valorum
tax mill at 1.800 800 mills. Okay. Do we have any public speakers? We do. Ken Percy. Hi. Your name and um although we know you, your name and address for the record, please. Thank you. Uh mayor, commissioners, city
staff, my name is Ken Percy. I live at 200 Sunny Als Boulevard. On Tuesday, I was able to attend the city commission's workshop about proposed fiscal year 2526 budget. The 2223 fiscal year budget reduced the
millage rate from 2.0 mills per thousand of assessed value. In his presentation, the city manager stated that this resulted uh in an unprecedented 10th year that our city has lowered the tax rate.
Fiscal year 22 24 uh 23 24 was the 11th year the city continued lowering the millage rate reducing it from 2.0 to 1.9. Last year 2425 our tax base saw a $1.8 billion increase in value from the prior
year prompting the commission's decision to reduce the millage rate yet again. Ken, could you speak into the mic, please? Uh the mill rate from 1.9 to 1.8 mills. It was therefore disappointing to hear the city manager commence his presentation
for 2526 fiscal year budget with the words, "We've retained the same milleight." Miss Fetching us older folk and lower income uh families here in Sunny Al Beach who stand facing the platform. Uh I I hope you and your
fellow co commissioners are able to guide the city staff to dig a little deeper and continue this amazing winning streak for the people of the city like delivering a 2526 budget that continues to lower the millage rate.
This would be for the 14thi continuous year and obviously raise a significant target for it to be lowered again next year as well. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak. Thank you. No further speakers. Okay.
Would you like to go first? I would love to go first. Okay. So, on um Tuesday I discussed the fact that we have, and correct me if I'm
wrong, $20 million set aside for well drilling. Is that correct, Mr. City Manager? Go ahead. Approximately. Yes. Yes. Okay. And these wells are being
drilled in an area where we have uh very little elevation. Is that correct? Please, if you want to. The purpose of the wells is to assist with drainage. Yes. Correct. But unless you have enough
elevation, spending money on drilling wells when you have no depth is a waste of money. Can you clarify that question? I'm making a statement. Oh, okay.
So, this is um th this well drill. The only way to solve our flooding problem in the center island is to have pump filtered pump
stations pumping the water into the bay over the seaw wall or through the seaw wall. That's the only way that we're going to solve that issue. But in Sunny Isles, actually, if you've looked at uh cities up north and cities out west,
towns out west, they have major flooding. We have been lucky in that regard. We've had some flooding, but we cannot say that we've had catastrophic flooding that
warrants $20 million or $60 million being spent, especially in an in an area where we have no elevation and the idea of a misguided idea of drilling injection
wells um is just wrong. And in that regard, I I say that we should halt that project, that it should never get started and lower the millage rate to
1.8 for this year. The mill rate is at 1.8 1.7. Okay. Anyone else? Commission Susan, Vice Mayor. So, to your point about the Wells, um I
believe Susan or Stan sent a sent an email. I've researched following up on that. Yes. No, no, hold on. Where they're going to get a peer review, I believe. No, professional peer review. Yeah. So, they're going to come back to us with some information on that. And then
um second, if we're going to lower the millillage, I mean I'm open to discussion, but I think this is $2 million. Wait, wait. One at a one at a time. One at a time. Lowering the millage rate one. Commissioner Joseph, Vice Mayor has has the floor. Spoken about it. Yes, I understand. So, please let him speak.
Commissioner Lama is listening to me. No, he has the floor. I'm trying to speak. We do it. We do it by turn. That's the way that it works. Go ahead. No, what what I was going to say, if if we want to have that discussion about lowering the millage rate, I think we should bring in our finance department to to talk to them
about that and see what that and run some numbers and see what the impact is on that. We know it's $2 million. All right. Basically, the city actually our our reserves Hold on. Hold on. Commissioner Joseph, you're recognized. 27 million from last year. $2 million to
give back to residents is not a lot considering uh we have so many residents suffering uh with with um increased taxes, increased property values that their taxes have
gone up and uh we need to give back something. We're a rich city, thank God. Well, last time we we we we run the numbers and we had the same discussion where we lowered it to 1.8 eight. Um, the impact on actual residents, I mean,
they were not getting back a lot of money. Um, and I think also some other factors that we need to kind of look at is what's going to happen with the economy, values going down, Commissioner Joseph,
one at a time. Yeah. But I mean, I'm open to a discussion. We'll just have to, you know, um, talk to finance, I believe. All right. So, um, to the city manager. Hold on. To the city manager. Is never on board. One, one moment. What' you say? I'm sorry.
Finance is never on board with lowering the I'm recognizing the city manager. For the purposes of this meeting, we need to vote on the millage rate. Correct. Yes. All right. So, it sounds to me like we have two commissioners that are
potentially not ready to vote for it. Um, do you want us to take a vote? Yes, I do. Okay. So, uh, I'll take a motion. Okay. I'll make a motion to approve the millage to No,
that's what we that's the the item in front of us is this item. So, no motion. Okay. I was going to make a motion to lower it. I understand. I understand. I we have to follow the the process. Thank you. Okay.
So unfortunately the the motion fails but I think that there's it's a little bit more complicated because laws um and we need to have a millage race so that we can transmit to the state. Right. Exactly. So if it doesn't I mean it it failed already. So we're going to have to
likely schedule another commission meeting a special city commission meeting to propose the bill rate once more. All right. So then that's what we're going to do. You can reconsider. So you're this is a preliminary um mill rate that we need to convey to
the property appraiser, right? You still have an opportunity to lower it if you want to. You can raise it, but you'll have an opportunity to lower it if you want to proceed in that fashion if not as the city clerk said or under strict timelines from Florida statutory
standpoint. So, keeping in mind the advertising and everything else, we'd have to schedule a special meeting in short order to um get this to the property appraiser. All right. And we sort of risk us not
all being able to attend. Um All right. So, would you be against us voting now for the for the 1.8 and then Okay. I would be so How can we resolve this?
Unless you do a reconsideration. I mean like the city clerk says it failed. There wasn't a Was there a second? No, there was no motion. There was no no move the 1.8. Mhm. If there's I mean I guess so. C can I add one more thing, mayor? Sure.
So again, keep in mind that this is just a tenative mill rate. Nothing prohibits the commission from in September when we have our hearings for the budget to then consider lowering the miller rate at that point as well. Yes.
Or if you want to make an alternate motion at this time to so the motion fail. You can make a motion if you want at the 1.7. That's what I would like to do. You can proceed in that fashion also.
But then I believe you stated that we we won't be able to to raise it, right? Or to raise it from the 1.8. No, once we vote for it, you can't raise it. You can, but it's it's an incredibly arduous process and you don't want to do that. So the easiest way would be to vote for
1.8 and then in September to lower it to 1.7. Correct. So we are within the parameters of state law and all that. Correct. Correct. Yeah. which would include Commissioner Viscaro. Okay.
So, if we wanted Mr. City Clerk, you'd have to do a motion for reconsideration. Okay. So, I need a motion for reconsideration. I make a motion. Okay. Second. All right. Mauricio.
Okay. So, we're reconsidering the military at 1.8, right? So now, no, I'm looking to make it 1.7. That's the reconsideration was for the 1.8. Okay. So I want to uh reconsider a new motion.
Oh, you can't reconsider a new motion. So we had a motion. Hold on. We had a motion. It failed. The motion for reconsideration was reconsideration means you're bringing back something. So you bringing back the 1.8. So I do not make a motion.
Okay. So can I make Hold on. Hold on. We had we had a motion to reconsider. We had a second, but there was a misunderstanding with the second. Correct. Correct. So the sec second I'm asking the city clerk. So the second doesn't count. So I still need a second to reconsider.
Mr. Stevenson. All right. So it failed. It fails. So right now the status quo remains and we're going to have to come back. Okay. To establish a tenative special meeting. Yes. Okay. All right. Can you propose a date for the special meeting, please? Well, we have to calculate this. There's
advertising. We're going to have to readvertise and we're going to have to check with finance and see exactly uh what time parameters we have. So, I don't know that. I mean, unless you're very talented, I don't know that you can not right now. I'd have to get back to you all with a date.
Okay. Okay. I won't be in town next week if it's going to be for next week. Okay. I won't be in town. Um that's what I say. Right now, I think we should have a date right now. Well, I don't or at least wait like one one at a time. So, what what are the legal parameters?
How much time do we need to give to to advertise it? Well, there's a the advertising. Do you recall off the top of your head the advertising? I don't recall off the top of my head. No, unfortunately. All right. There are some. Can we figure that out before the end of
this meeting? We have a few more items. I'll try. You can try. Yes. Um, yeah, we can keep moving forward. All right. I'll try. So, next item 9 uh Oh, only two more items. Yeah. 900 is a resolution approving the
issuance of a proclamation recognizing the August 1st, 2025, excuse me, this uh ordinance was excuse me, this resolution was amended at the beginning of the meeting. So, it now reads as a resolution approving the issuance of a proclamation recognizing August 21st,
2025 as Zippy Holland day in the city of Sunny House Beach. Okay. So um just for the public listening, normally in the past we uh proclamations were presented at our um 3:00 meetings, but we changed it. So now it's by resolution. So it takes two
readings uh or rather a reading and then we present it. So um this is to propose a tippy Holland day. This is a Suns Beach resident who's lived here for uh over 20 years. uh besides being a Holocaust survivor, she's an educator, she's an author, she's an artist, uh
she's a public speaker. Um and this would just be to uh acknowledge everything that she's done for the community. We have any public speakers? No, ma'am. All right. Go ahead, Commissioner Joseph. Okay. It's my understanding that uh the purpose of this resolution was to honor
Cippy Holland, who I know personally as well. Um, as a Holocaust survivor, we are lucky enough to have many Holocaust survivors in Sunny Isles Beach, and I believe that this resolution should be expanded to honor all of them, not just
one Holocaust survivor. Okay. Well, I appreciate that and I, like I said to you during the agenda review, I think it would be a good idea for you to present that as your proclamation for next month. But this is specific to this resident and this she's being presented this not because she's a Holocaust survivor but everything that
she has contributed to the community in the last 20 years. Um that is part of her life of course and that's part of her book but like I said in the agenda you because she's an author, she's a public speaker, she's an educator. This is why this is specific for her and I I
appreciate what you're saying but this is just Yeah. Um, I wanted to say that I admire CP and her work and I would like to uh co-sponsor the resolution and add my name to the proclamation as well. Okay. Anyone else? All right. I'll take
a motion. I make the motion. I need a second. Second. All in favor? I I I Okay. Thank you. Uh 9P. 9P is a resolution approving the issuance of proclamations requested by city administration.
Okay. Mr. your city manager. I'm going to take this one. Thank you. Um based on the process that you just described, um the city manager's office has certain um honors that they would like to include
and rather than bring to bring them to you one by one, these are all departments or um certain things like Tree City USA requires us to have an Arbor Day. So those are um presented to you for the rest of this calendar year and then in the November of each year we
will have the following year's proclamation proposals. Okay. Um thank you. Do we have any public speakers? No ma'am. Any questions from the commission? I'll take a motion, please. So move. I need a second. Second. All in favor?
I. Okay. Um now we're down to citizens forum. Mauricio, do we have speakers? We do. Okay. This gives you more time then. Vitali Falovich. Okay. Vitali, I know you're here every month, but please your name and address for the record.
Yes, ma'am. Uh, my name is Balovich. 9380 Southwest 167 Terrace, Palmet Bay, Miami. Uh, one of the things is that I'd like to see our the Sy Police Department expanded. And what reason why? Because
we're giving more people coming in. We have more buildings coming in. And if you have a major crime happen, for example, a homicide or a robbery, and you using Miami Day Sheriff's Office for them to respond to a crime, the longer it takes for them to respond, less
evidence stays on the scene. Why not? You have most amazing detectives, and I'll say it, and I'm somebody disagree with me, I have no problem with that. Greatest detectives in South Florida. and two of them standing outside.
Why not have a homicide division or robber? Like in Los Angeles, they have a robbery homicide division. That would save you money as the city instead of hiring the homicide coming from Miami Day, have your own homicide unit, have
your own robbery unit, have your own special victims unit, those specific units that would help the city in case a crime has occurred. And one of the things that I noticed that and is that when I was looking at the office buildings today that police department
stop somebody they amazing respond the way they professional you have utmost amazing police department and you guys and I understand it comes from administration and if one of the citizens don't agree you guys have greatest administration here at this
time and you know what I think a lot of not only that you guys should honor the citizen you should guys honor yourself because you're one of the greatest administration here. Thank you for Thank you. Thank you, Vitali. Anybody else? All right. So, I know that you literally
had an extra five minutes. Okay. Can I ask for an extra five minutes just to confirm with the city attorney? Okay. So, we're going to take just a a break. Okay. Wait, would please go ahead. I spoke to the finance director and she explained that we have to have the
information to the county by August 4th. Okay. So then all right let's let's adjourn for f uh no not adjurnn we'll take a five minute break then yes okay thank you all right thank you check with her she needs she needs copy Maurice, are you ready?
One second, man. I'm just trying to look for three more minutes really quick. Okay, mayor. Okay, so we're back on. Yes. So after speaking with the city manager, the city attorney, and also consulting with the finance director, we
need to have this forwarded to the county by August 1st, right? So we need to meet So two of you are are not available next week, right? Which is the I'm not available even the week of July 21st.
I'm only available on Monday. Does Monday work? No. Okay. So then we're looking at the week of the 28th. So either the 28th uh the 30th
31st Saturday and Sunday. Oh no, that's no July 31st is uh Thursday. So the week the week of the 28th I can meet after 6:30. Okay. That entire week. Okay. Yeah.
Yeah. I was just going to note that the hearing I'm sorry. The the meeting has to be uh past 5:30 or 5 o'clock. It has to be after 5 o'clock anyway. So, all right. So, the 31st is a Thursday. Is that okay?
Yeah, that week. So, with me? Yes. Does that give enough time? 31st. Yeah. All right. So, July 31st. That peer review schedule. Wait, hold on. Commissioner Joseph, July 31st at 6:30.
Correct. July 31st, 6:30. Okay. I just have one clarification that I need. Um, we need to make a decision that day. Yes or yes? Right. Yes. Because we had to present it by the following day. Yes. Because you risk if you if the
property appraiser doesn't get it, uh, then you're stuck with your, uh, miller rate from last year. Okay. I just wanted to clarify that that Yeah. that day is the last day to have that conversation. Correct. Okay. Okay,
that's it. That's it. All right. Wonderful. Thank you everyone. Meeting adjourned.