for you.
University of miami education
and human development.
Also have florida international
university, the institute for
civic leadership.
Miami dade college institute
for civic engagement and
democracy.
The clio institute.
Miami workers center.
Hispanic unity of florida.
Again, the mexican american
council for getting the youth
engaged.
And we also have the prosperity
social and community
development group.
Thank you to the community
partners for making this
happen.
The mayor and the chair, the
mayor will read it for you so
you know what it says.
>>mayor cava: for the photos
you can take off your yellow
stickers, that was to get you
in the building and guess what?
You arrived so that's great.
To each of these fine
organizations we say many
appreciation, much
appreciation, this is our
certificate of appreciation, on
behalf of the board and
residents of miami dade county
+3 million I take pleasure in
presenting the certificate to
you in recognition of your
valuable contributions to our
community and for your support
and dedication in bringing
miami-dade county next academy
to life on this first day of
the month of SEPTEMBER 2026
miami dade county florida
signed by commissioner bastien,
CHAIRMAN Anthony rodriguez and
myself as mayor.
>>mayor cava: so where did
these classes take place, how
many of you attended in person?
And where did you go?
And what's the common
denominator?
Libraries.
All right, and we are so
pleased our library director
lydia lopez is with us, please
join us up here.
Because our libraries are truly
our most democratic
institutions.
And our libraries are always
available to support our
community so let's give a round
of applause again to our
libraries.
Great, okay.
All of our graduates.
[Inaudible]
>>mayor cava: all right all you
wonderful graduates, so good.
We will take it.
Are we going to need 2, shall
we put all people behind?
You tell us, there is armando,
she will direct us what we need
away, like al did this change
your life or your approach or
your plans, what was your
biggest take away, anyone want
to offer?
Okay, awesome.
My name is tanisha paul and I
lead a company called civico
due to the flexibility of
miami-dade county I had my
little ones, but that being
said one of the great takeaways
for me was section 2. When we
talk about community from a
design standpoint that being
the infrastructure, the
institution, the people and I
laugh a little because one of
the great exercises was asset
mapping.
With the asset mapping which I
did twice, but with the asset
mapping it allowed me to map
out something we're working on
about place-based investment
and redevelopment.
So I won't go too much into
that because I love the elders
feedback but the program is
great, all sections were cool
but section 2 is near and dear
to me.
>> my name is arianna, a public
servant and I work with the
department of transportation
and I also am part of nonprofit
organizations, one of them
being women in transportation
where we work with the youth,
k-12 students and lead them
through career pathways and the
most significant part of this
civics academy was the
networking with other people
that attended.
I believe the relationships I
created during the civics
academy will help me build a
better future and to lift up
the nonprofit organizations I
work with.
>> I'm bone needed jones
peabody it was an amazing
program.
I was already involved in the
brownsville civic neighborhood
association, I have a
non-for-profit, education means
more access for pregnant teen
moms but what it did for me was
I had run for office, I did not
win.
I was discouraged when the
opportunity came when someone
asked me again having been part
of this, I relished the
opportunity to do it so now I'm
running for office.
Thank you so much.
I'm in the runoff so see you in
NOVEMBER, thank you.
>> were going to move to
breakfast but this is the
perfect opportunity.
So for those who are able to
stay if there are issues you
are speaking on show them all
the amazing things.
All right, thank you.
>>
mary, are you good morning,
thank you for being here.
Oday of course is SEPTEMBER 1
which kicks off many things
including childhood cancer
awareness month and we have 2
incredible organizations here
this morning and we will start
with mystic forest.
As we know, the mystic forest
foundation was founded 18 years
ago in honor of salvador funny
and is dedicated to supporting
children and families affected
by pediatric cancer through
advocacy awareness amenity
outreach programs that provide
hold assistance and comfort
throughout their cancer
journey.
Mystic forest foundation
continues to raise awareness on
childhood cancer, provide
support for families and
inspire communities to fight
against pediatric cancer
through compassion service and
advocacy so therefore on behalf
of our mayor whose right here
our entire board of county
commissioners and the community
here we do proclaim, the month
of SEPTEMBER 2026 as childhood
cancer awareness month in
miami-dade county.
Why don't you come up here and
I'll have the mayor say a few
words and we would like to hear
from you as well.
>>mayor cava: I'm very pleased
to join our wonderful
commissioner mickey steinberg
with this presentation and let
me say mysteriously behind us
as arrived this glorious
bouquet which was presented to
me and I had no idea it was
this big.
I said to bring it down but I
think it's very fitting we
should have this beautiful,
vibrant bouquet of life and I'm
wearing my butterfly for a
ascendance so that is what this
great program does.
I didn't know about this
program as I said earlier.
What a wonderful way to help
our children on their way to
provide support because we know
it's not just the medicine,
it's the heart, it's the
caring.
It's the pouring love to those
who've gone through challenging
times that helps them on their
way to fight back and win so
thank you and congratulations
and to the two young men who
are here celebrating their own
journey we congratulate you, we
celebrate you and we give
thanks to those who are here to
embrace you on the way, thank
you commission.
>>commissioner steinberg: thank
you for supporting our
children, my journey started 18
years ago when my baby was
diagnosed with cancer.
It was a long 3 and a half
years, a devastating and
torturous treatment for him but
the one thing you always, his
spirit was about always having
fun and being able to enjoy
life every moment that he
could.
For that us that is what we
bring to our children,
celebrating every day, giving
them back some of the childhood
that is always lost to a
childhood cancer diagnosis and
our children are in the
hospital for a day or two,
these children battled cancer
for years they become part of
our own family.
The support we get from our
community is truly exceptional
and not seen anywhere in the
country.
Miami dade county, south
florida is the most caring and
wonderful community literally
in the world and we are so
thankful for all the support we
receive.
Since
.
>>.
>>commissioner steinberg: our
next presentation is also to a
wonderful organizationand
childhood cancer awareness week
is observed each SEPTEMBER and
the live like bella childhood
cancer foundation was
established in memory of bella
rodriguez torres and is
dedicated to changing childhood
cancer from a terminal
diagnosis to a treatable and
curable disease by funding
research, providing financial
emotional support to families
and advocating for children
affected by cancer.
The live like bella foundation
has made up around profound
impact supporting families
through their cancer journey,
advancing cancer research
raising awareness and insuring
children and their families
have access to resources care
and support they need so
whereas miami dade counties
does proclaim on behalf of the
mayor, county commission and
everybody SEPTEMBER 2026 as
childhood cancer awareness
month in honor of the live like
bella and with that I will pass
it to the mayor as well.
>>mayor cava: thank you for
making sure we pay tribute to
the organizations that take
care of our children during
their greatest time of need.
I have been part of this great
organization for many years,
bella was a resident of
district 8 as well and of
course we named a park in honor
of bella in again district 8,
these were things I got to do,
so proud to do during my time
as commissioner and since then
we know the organization is
grown to be a tremendous force
for not only family support,
child support but research and
has been able to raise dollars
and have breakthroughs for our
children through that research
so providing so much hope and
every year with the run and the
gala, many other events people
are joining the movement
because they see and are
inspired by the great work of
the family and the organization
so congratulations.
>> just want to say thank you
again so much mayor and to
reiterate what some of you
mentioned miami is thankful
your for your support efforts
and awareness for our children
battling cancer.
Bella fought for 6 years before
she passed away in 2013 and the
support while she was fighting
was so overwhelming and a
blessing and the fact that the
city and community are still
supporting pediatric cancer
awareness and funding and
research is humbling and we are
thankful and appreciative and i
think bella's sister reynaud
wants to say something.
>> it's incredible to be here
to stand alongside my mom and
it's incredible what you're
doing and we will continue to
build and continue to live like
bella until we find a cure.
>>mayor cava: for anyone who
knew bella, it was her spirit
that moved people, so and
really she is looking down on
all of us this week on behalf
of our children who make great
progress and she's a special
spirit, thank you and GOD
bless.
>>commissioner steinberg: a
picture with both amazing
organizations, why don't you
tell us what's happening.
>> this week we have our ninth
annual childhood awareness gold
ribbon parade, it's the largest
parade in the world.
Dedicated to childhood cancer.
We have over 100 gold ribbon
police cars, 50 police
motorcycles.
It is a police escorted caravan
from nicholas children's
hospital past hold children's
hospital and alex's place,
ronald Mcdonald house and joe
dimaggio children's hospital.
It's police escorted so you can
see it on cbs news but also
check out our social media and
finally viewing routes.
>>commissioner steinberg: now
our final presentation, where
acknowledging hunger action.
So miami-dade county is
altering well, feeding south
florida for those who MAY not
know I've been around since
1981.
And have worked to address food
and hunger insecurity in
miami-dade county providing the
community with immediate access
to nutritious food and other
vital resources and support.
Feeding south florida weaves on
their efforts while
transforming lives through
innovative programming and
provides economic growth and
overall well-being so SEPTEMBER
is also hunger action month on
behalf of our mayor and county
commission we do proclaim
SEPTEMBER as hunger action
month.
>>mayor cava: in a former life,
I my work was about connecting
people to resources they needed
especially in times of great
need and food obviously is
number one.
Feeding south florida is our
premier south florida
organization located in the
south day providing those
services and it also provides
it not just in miami-dade but
around the state so we are very
proud of the work and of the
partnership between miami-dade
county and feeding south
florida and we know that
whenever help is needed feeding
south florida steps up,
congratulations and thank you.
>> good morning everyone.
My name is cosmo and I'm the
director of strategic efforts
in miami-dade county and on
behalf of our team I'd like to
thank the city commissioners
for recognizing SEPTEMBER.
Feeding south florida is the
relieving relief organization
in palm beach broward
miami-dade.
E serve 1.7
million individuals and here in
miami-dade we provide
nutritious services for 553,000
households.
through our new direct
programs.
Our work goes beyond food
distribution, the community
pantries ensure families have
access to nutritious food, our
school pantries for kids make
sure children don't go hungry
in the classroom, for older
adults our benefits in outreach
stretch two brothers, we invest
in long-term stability to
prepare individuals for careers
in housing and logistics.
These programs reflect our
commitment not just to feeding
families today but also to live
a stronger hunger free south
florida.
We are grateful to the city of
miami for this recognition and
for your ongoing partnerships
and helping us move closer to a
community where no one will
wonder where their next meal
will come from.
>>mayor cava: some might not be
aware but there are changes at
the federal level in the snap
program and many families are
losing their snap formerly
called food stamp benefits so
our food banks are more
critical than ever to assist
our families and it really
needs our support, thank you.
Since
>>.
[Break]
>> we will start in spanish
with catalina.
[Speaking spanish]
>> I'm one of the elders and
this weekend we did the parade
in wynnewood.
It's a facility that takes
place every year in the city of
columbia where we will end
actually this arrangement is
made by people in the forums
outside the city where they
used to come and carry their
products to the city but later
on the they proceed with doing
a festivity with them and be
recognized because of their
hard work.
So they do this arrangement
once a year so they go through
the streets of the city and
it's an honor for us to be here
presenting this arrangement
that was especially made for
the mayor of miami-dade county.
>> this was a surprise, they
contacted me and said the
flowers were not going to last
much longer.
They wanted to give me flowers
and I said I would be here
today, I have no idea.
What this was.
I'm really so honored and
grateful.
So we know what's happening in
columbia right now.
E are
doing our best to recover from
the devastating earthquake.
This country, this county
especially as was said for
children with cancer is always
showing care and we have been
sending care and relief to
columbia but we know it will be
a long recovery.
The city of medellin was not
affected but the whole country
is in mourning and we stand
with the colombian people and I
want to acknowledge on saturday
I attended the 50th anniversary
of the colombian american
chamber of commerce in miami.
[Speaking spanish] So
incredible, did we get enough
pictures of this beautiful
display?
Thank you armando and I don't
know what we are going to do
now because obviously this will
dominate the morning if it's
left here so we need to find an
appropriate place.
Maybe we could put it in the
hallway to greet people as they
come in and they will see this
beautiful display, you have
something here?
And you know, columbia produces
most of the flowers that come
into the united states.
Mother's day, valentine's day
and I think it was something
like 90% of the flowers for
those holidays come through
miami international airport.
So it's a great joy for us to
celebrate columbia's flowers.
I think so, I'm not in the
charge of this space but in the
hallway outside, I will go with
you to show.
I think the rest of the meeting
[Break]
>>chair: all right guys, take
your seats, find a seat.
Unless you are press or law
enforcement you should not be
standing up.
And I need the podiums placed
where they go.
All right clerk please call the
roll.
>> clerk's office has received
notification commissioner
bastien will be absent from
today's meeting.
Cohen higgins period yay.
>>senator garcia:
>>commissioner gilbert:
>>commissioner gonzalez:
>>commissioner hardemon:
>>commissioner lopez:
>>commissioner milian orbis:
>>commissioner regalado:
>>commissioner steinberg:
>>commissioner mcghee:
>>chair: present.
>> we only have six members
present, we don't have a quorum
um.
>>chair: while we wait for a
quorum I'm going to ask you all
to pleasell to please stand up
quietly for that invocation
this morning given by pastor
carson of the granada church at
the invitation of commissioner
milian orbis followed by the
pledge of allegiance led by
commissioner r gilbert.
Thank you for the invitation to
pray with you today.
Let's close our eyes, bow our
heads and let's pray.
We heads and let's pray.
We seek your faith today on
behalf of our community
miami-dade county for all the
live work and serve here, we
give you thanks for this
beautiful place we call home
and for all who give themselves
for the good of our community.
Especially we pray for our
mayor, for family, for our
commissioners, thank you for
their willingness to serve for
the e responsibilities they
lities they
carry and the
families who support lies who
support them.
Lord as they undertake the
difficult work today especially
the work of preparing for a
budget grant them wisdom,
patience and discernment.
When resources are limited help
them recognize what matters.
Give them courage to make
difficult decisions, humility
to listen well and the grace to
when compromise will serve the
common good.
Help them work together with
respect even when they
disagree.
We pray also for all who have
come today to speak, to listen,
to participate, help us see one
another not as opponents but as
neighbors and fellow members of
this community each seeking
it's good and when today's work
is done help us to entrust what
has been decided to you, MAY
the work done one here
contribute to peace,
flourishing in the well-being
of all who call miami-dade
county home.
For this place, for these
people, for the privilege of
serving one another we give you
thanks so lord and we pray in
your name, amen.
>> I pledge of 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.
>>chair: you MAY be seated.
All right.
Welcome back guys, do we have
quorum now?
Let me see, before we do the
quorum call?
All right clerk, please call
the rule.
>>commissioner bermudez:
present.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
present.
>>senator garcia:
>>commissioner gilbert:
>>commissioner gonzalez:
>>commissioner hardemon:
>>commissioner lopez: here.
>>commissioner milian orbis:
>>commissioner regalado:
present.
>>commissioner steinberg:
>>commissioner mcghee:
>>chair: I'm here.
>> we have nine members
present, we have a quorum.
>>chair: thank you, madam
attorney, is it in order to
admit reasonable opportunity at
this time.
>> yes MR. Chair, good morning.
>>chair: I will open up
reasonable opportunity for the
public to be heard, please
state your name and address and
the item on which you are
speaking of and you will have 1
minute to speak.
Victor antennas, please line
up, approached the podium and
as I call your name line up
beside each file.
[Reading names] None of these
people are here.
They are here.
Need you guys to approach the
podium.
>>public speaker: hello, my
name is nicole, I live at 795
southwest. 110th avenue.
I'm a student at florida
international university,
sustainability meeting we are
protecting the environment for
future generations which this
item does the exact opposite of
that, paving over wetlands or
our own convenience.
And I believe we should stop
all this.
I believe all of us can agree
we don't need any more houses,
we don't need any more homes,
there are so many vacant homes
in florida and warehouses and
beige buildings and as I miami
born represent resident we
don't want any more money going
to this so thank you.
>>public speaker: I am elena
lopez, 23rd avenue and I'm
speaking on this item, 4b which
proposes altering the
construction of our city.
We have to be very aware of the
overwhelming construction that
has already been happening and
all the taxpayer dollars, where
that has been going to.
The community is listening, the
youth is paying attention to
your every decision.
I came here on behalf of my
students, family members, loved
ones that share the same
opinions as me.
Please make responsible
decisions, use taxpayer dollars
responsibly and listen to the
what the people have to say
will give you your positions
and thank you.
>>public speaker: my name is
dave ian, 54791 northwest.
Second street, we are here to
speak on 4b.
We want to talk about general
development happening in
florida especially over nature
and taking our trees and the
community does not want this.
O matter what development it
is, the amount of jobs do not
reverse the damage that would
happen to our animals,
especially in the everglades.
We just want our community to
benefit and our future
generations are just going to
look over a concrete jungle and
wonder what happened so your
honor, the position to
represent us so represent us
and our needs over the
corporations wants, thank you
for your time.
>>public speaker: hello
commissioners and CHAIRMAN,
sophia mayor, 1172 fountain
blue boulevard miami florida
and I wanted to speak about
item at 4b and warden board
members to be educated about
our agenda item being voted on,
every vote matters because we
need positive impacts that will
benefit residents, great power
comes responsibility.
Taking accountability with
integrity and compassion is
vital for making an impact
whether that's creating
affordable housing, protecting
first amendment expressions and
preserving our environment from
harmful developments such as
kelly tractors and etc. The
existing udp boundaries there
to protect the last remaining
wetland so what does that send
from elected officials,
businesses can drive but it
shouldn't be at the expense of
wildlife and wetlands we need
and benefit from.
If there's something I want
commissioners to remember is
that we can all work together
and reach a common ground, we
don't have to see each other as
a burden but an outlet for
change.
It's never too late to care
about each other and rc.
>>chair: is that it?
I have joseph and victor.
Going once, going twice.
Then I have our tax collector,
dario fernandez who is not able
to have made it but he has a
prepared video to share during
his moment of opportunity.
Do you want to say something
first.
Go ahead.
> met on that mayor my name
is andrew lopez, director of
motor services at the office of
the miami-dade county tax
collector and on behalf of the
dario fernandez we have an
important video message we like
to share with this board.
>> good morning mayor and
residents of miami dade county,
I have miami-dade county tax
collector.
german rodriguez thank you for
working with me.
And my team on this important
issue.
Today I am confirming that our
roadways commission under the
approved school board millage
for the year 2026 2027.
This will save miami-dade
county residents more than 30
million.
I asked the commission to use
this savings for property tax
relief and to protect police
fire rescue and emergency
response and other essential
services.
His year we expect
97 million to be returned to
all taxing authorities
including 84 million that will
benefit miami dade county
residents.
This includes that 20 million
returned hourly in APRIL and 64
million expected to be returned
at the end of the fiscal year.
Miami's financial management
has allowed us to operate
without requesting up to 24
million in advances that we
were entitled to receive.
Our office also does not
collect the 2% commission of
incorporated areas under
municipalities.
3% is 40 million in savings for
miami-dade county residents.
Let me be very clear, no other
tax collector in florida does
this.
And all of these savings are
being achieved without
affecting our services.
I believe it's important to do
everything we can to help our
residents while continuing to
provide a quality service they
depend on.
To the residents of miami-dade
county, we are coming here to
lower your taxes supporting our
public schools, protecting our
police and keeping the
important service you depend on
300 thank you GOD bless
miami-dade county and GOD bless
the united states of america.
>> we submitted a letter to the
clerk to distribute to everyone
of you detailing everything MR.
Fernandez covered in the video
and if you have questions we
are here to respond.
>>chair: the mayor and myself
have been speaking with the tax
collector and we wrote him a
letter to try to get him and
he's agreed so this as you
mentioned is $13 million that
will be outlined in the the
mayor's change memo.
So personally I'd like to thank
the tax collector for his
partnership and commitment as
he did last year working with
the county to deliver the
savings.
Thank you MR. Tax collector.
MADAM Attorney is it in order
to set the agenda at this time.
>> I apologize but I have just
received some additional
requests and need a few
minutes.
>>chair: take your time.
>>chair: I also need director
lord is to read a statement.
>> that can be read now.
>> is the director in the
building.
While we have the attorneys
summarize the agenda changes.
Director I know it's just a
protocol stating you need to
read, if you could go ahead and
put that notice on the record.
>> lourdes gomez, rer, 6.800
florida statutes requires a
notice of public hearing on a
resolution designating a
brownfield area be announced at
a scheduled meeting before the
actual public hearing.
This announcement serves as
notice a public hearing on the
resolution relating to a
proposed brownfield area
designation is being planned
for this board's OCTOBER 6
meeting.
The proposed designation is for
the property at 7248 southwest
42nd terrace, miami-dade
county.
All right, met an attorney I'm
ready when you're ready.
And while we wait.
While we wait I want to
recognize vice-mayor rhonda
anderson from coral gables, I
believe she's in the chamber,
welcome to our chamber.
I'm sure you're here for a
specific item are you in
support or against an item.
>> in support of an item and if
I MAY, rhonda anderson.
Vice-mayor city of coral gables
business address 284 minard
avenue, 2015 hernando street.
Thank you chair for the
recognition, mayor and
commissioners for the
opportunity to speak.
I came here to thank
commissioner orbis for
entertaining the resolution I
brought to extend the life of
trolleys in our city and for
other municipalities as well.
As the daughter of an airline
mechanic and automotive
mechanic unaware of the test
used to develop the viability
of engines beyond the 15 year
previous mark and I would
appreciate your support in
helping our city of taxpayer
dollars by extending them to 20
years, thank you for your time
all right.
I think we have another meeting
do on thursday so I won't get a
head of my colleague but wish
everybody a happy rosh
hashanah.
We still have another meeting
before it starts officially.
We still see each other before
then.
Yes, sure.
MADAM Clerk, if you'd like to
make the announcement at this
time as we await the attorney.
>> the villalobos award
recognizes parents who been
inspired by the memory of a
lost child and have it taken
action to influence the munity.
Pursuant to the award
procedures for the second
nomination for 2026 vice
CHAIRMAN Mcgee nominates tracy
lyons and commissioner
steinberg nominates sherry
silverman on behalf of the
organization we play for.
The presentations of the
vilomah awards will take place
tuesday, OCTOBER 6.
>>chair: thank you MADAM Clerk.
MADAM Attorney are we almost
there?
Let me welcome also our MADAM
Sheriff to our chamber.
Thank you for being here for a
special recognition we have
today and hopefully we will be
passing it as an item in short
order.
MADAM Sheriff I wonder whenever
there is business that needs to
be done here you really fill
this room with your officers
and I cannot help but think who
is safeguarding our streets
because every officer in miami
seems to be in this chamber
right now.
>> thank you MR. Chair.
>>chair: MADAM Attorney go
ahead.
>> we have a number of
requested changes to your
agenda, item 3a1, senator
garcia and commissioners
bermudez and milian orbis are
adding this item to the whole
list, 382 ended supplements
senator garcia and bermudez add
their names to the pull list.
Item 4c, prime sponsor has
requested deferral of this item
to the OCTOBER 6 commission
meeting.
Have some requests
to bifurcate public hearing
items.
5e substitute, senator garcia
and commissioners bermudez and
regalado wish to bifurcate and
that is true for 5e substitute,
5f substitute, 5g substitute
and 5h substitute, 5m,
commissioner tran seven, 5p and
5u just bifurcate,
commissioners gonzalez and
regalado wish to bifurcate as
well as 5y ended supplement, a
request to bifurcate items
first second reading, 7a, 7d,
senator garcia is requesting to
bifurcate but the sponsor has
requested deferral to know date
certain so the board would
decide how it wishes to
proceed, that's item 7d.
7e and supplements commissioner
gonzales and lopez wish to
bifurcate this item.
7f and supplements commissioner
regalado wishes to bifurcate.
8a3, commissioner regalado adds
this item to the pull list.
8a4 ended supplement and 8a5
ended supplement commissioner
bermudez is adding these items
to the pull list.
8g1, senator garcia pulls this
item.
8k1, commissioner gilbert is
pulling this item.
8n5, commissioner regalado is
adding this item to the pull
list.
8p1, commissioners bermudez and
milian orbis at this item to
the pull list.
11a1, commissioner bermudez is
pulling the item.
11a3, commissioner steinberg is
pulling the item and 11a4,
commissioner regalado is
pulling this item and I have a
request for cosponsorship, 3a2
commissioner regalado, 5c
commissioner steinberg, 5x and
5y, commissioner regalado.
8h2, commissioner regalado and
10a2 commissioner lopez, items
to be considered on today's
meeting will be those listed in
the final printed agenda with
additions deferrals and
scriveners errors noted in the
CHAIRMAN's memorandum and the
items I mentioned we had
commission will approve all
items by a single low setting
the agenda except ordinances
for first reading, public
hearings, item 6a1 to reduce
inefficiencies at procurement,
ordinances set for second
reading, items 8p2 and 8p3,
airport contracts which must be
voted on separately and are not
on your pull list on the
following pull list items.
3a1 ended supplement, 3a2 ended
supplement.
Requests to bifurcate our 5e
substitute, 5f substitute, 5g
substitute, 5m, 5u, 5y ended
supplements, 7d and on 7d
senator garcia wishes to
bifurcate but there is a
deferral requested to know date
certain.
he's released his request so
with the setting of the agenda
7d will be deferred, 7e ended
supplements, 7f.
8a3 ended supplements, 8g1,
8k1, 11a1, 11a4, I will read
that item with the other first
readings, 14a2, 14a3 is a
public hearing and 14a4, a
motion to set the agenda is in
order.
>>chair: motion by commissioner
gonzalez, second by
commissioner steinberg, those
in favor of setting the agenda
with every single item being
pulled, signified by saying
aye.
Opposed, nay. Should show the
agenda hereby set.
>>commissioner gilbert: I had a
question on 8k1 I had my
question answered so I will
release.
>> it will pass as soon as you
take a motion.
>>chair: we all voted.
>>commissioner gilbert: I move
8k1.
>>chair: all in favor signify
by saying aye.
Opposed, nay., show 8k1 past as
well.
I'm going to go into first
reading items.
At this time since this should
be quick.
So MADAM Attorney please read
the first reading items.
And any bifurcations we have.
>> 4a establishes section 2 436
of the code creating a
behavioral health advisory
board trust fund and providing
severability inclusion in the
code and an effective date, 4b
relates to comprehensive
development master plan
providing disposition of
application cdmp 2021 between
southwest 272 street and 278
street and between southwest
157 avenue and 159 avenue filed
by lennar homes llc and the
cycle to an end the counties
comprehensive delegate master
plan providing severability
exclusion from the code and an
effective date, 4 deed grants
petition of acacia grove
community development district
generally bounded as amended on
the north by southwest 336
street on the east by southwest
192 avenue and on the sxsw 340
street and on the west by
southwest 197 avenue amending
the boundaries of the district
to expand its total acreage by
approximately 9.88 acres
providing severability,
exclusion from the code and an
effective date.
4e grants petition of newton
road community development
district bounded on the north
amending the boundaries of the
district to expand its total
acreage by approximately 20.87
acres providing severability
exclusion from the code and an
effective date and 14 a one
relates to zoning and
out-of-the-way plan in the
incorporated area amending
section 133 of the code
providing reduced minimum
street with requirements in the
right-of-way plan for southwest
47 avenue from southwest 72
street to southwest 82 street
providing severability
exclusion in the code and an
effective date, those are your
first reading items.
>>chair: any bifurcations,
seeing no bifurcations we have
a motion.
Moved by commissioner gonzalez,
second by commissioner regalado
cohen higgins, clerk please
call the roll.
>>commissioner bermudez:
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
for.
>>senator garcia:
>>commissioner gonzalez: for.
>>commissioner gilbert:
>>commissioner hardemon: for.
>>commissioner lopez: yes.
>>commissioner milian orbis:
>>commissioner regalado: yes.
>>commissioner steinberg:
>>chair: I vote yes.
>> motion passes unanimously.
>>chair: show first reading
items past, I'm going to get
into public hearing items and
take them a little bit out of
order.
We will do public hearing as
though order comes as well
rather than in front.
I'm going to start if you can
read 5x and five
>> yes MR. Chair, 5x is a
resolution code designating
that portion of southwest 132nd
avenue between 104th street and
south colusa club drive as
deputy sheriff devon matthew
way and it supplement.
And 5y names the football field
at devon airpark as the deputy
sheriff devon matthew field and
it supplement.
And this is a public hearing
items, I do have requests to
bifurcate.
>>chair: I will open public
hearing at this time, don't
have anyone signed up to speak
but if the sheriff wants to say
a few words.
If the family wants to say a
few words this would be the
opportunity for you all to say
a couple words, MADAME Sheriff.
>> good morning CHAIRMAN, good
morning all commissioners
elected officials and everyone
who came here this morning.
This is an important moment for
us and our agency and our
community.
Devon jaramillo gave his life
in service to this community
and this is a small moment we
can honor him, honor his
family, honor his sacrifice and
his memory for years to come.
We are very grateful for this
board to consider this
proposal.
And I humbly ask on behalf of
the family, on behalf of every
man and woman who works for the
miami-dade sheriff's office
that you approve and move
forward with the naming of the
street and of the park for
devon jaramillo, thank you very
much.
>>chair: does anyone from the
family want to say anything.
>> good morning, my name is
david jaramillo, the father of
devon matthew jaramillo.
CHAIRMAN Rodriguez and
commissioner regalado, I want
to thank you all for taking
this motion into consideration,
and ask the support you guys
and the community have given to
the family in keeping my son's
spirit alive and I just want to
say thank you on behalf of his
mother and the rest of our
family here and our brothers
and sisters in the back, thank
you so much and I hope you will
pass this unanimously, thank
you.
>>chair: thank you david.
So public hearing is officially
closed, I'm sure that your
cosponsor, I will recognize you
in a minute.
I want to say devon wasn't just
born here and raised here but
he ultimately gave his life
protecting this community that
he so very loved.
Service was in his blood.
He grew up in law enforcement
they law enforcement family and
followed in the footsteps of
his father david a retired
police detective and devon went
on to proudly wear his father's
badge number 1765.
That david, you carried your
whole career.
His heart for helping others
started early before becoming a
deputy volunteer in this
community including helping
collect and distribute
christmas toys to kids in need,
he served with distinction at
the coral gables police
department before joining the
sheriff's office where he came
home to serve the kendall
community where he grew up but
devon was more than a deputy,
he was a loving son, a brother,
friend and colleague and he was
someone people could count on,
someone who looked out for the
people he loved.
Those who knew him remember the
simple moments that made him
who he was.
Riding motorcycles with his
dad, stopping for a cafecito
and spending time with family
and friends.
Is life was far
beyond social work and his
impact will last forever.
He represented the best of
miami-dade, a young man who
honored his family, loved his
community and made the ultimate
sacrifice protecting the place
he called home.
We will remember his service,
remember and honor his service
and never forget him really we
unfortunately hear about
passings of law enforcement
officers, first responders more
often than we'd like, the
sheriff was at the forefront
and it impacts the entire
community when something
happens and for me devon was
the first since I've been
elected that I knew and called
friend so it was more personal
and special to me and he
definitely hit a different part
of my heart so that's why
commissioner regalado and
myself and this board and this
commission is honoring him,
naming a street and a football
field devon jaramillo away and
with your support we will get
that past and with that I will
transfer to my cosponsor
commissioner regalado, thank
you for doing this.
>>commissioner regalado: thank
you for your support and to the
family and all the officers
here and the residence, one of
the saddest things we do is
name streets.
It's usually not for happy
reasons.
And for us it's such a
tremendous loss and as the
CHAIRMAN Mentioned for those of
us who knew devon and his
family he was such an amazing
light.
It's an honor to honor him with
this street and the field and
my hope is when people drive
down and see the name on the
street they will google it and
learn about him and future
generations will also honor his
service and for all the kids
that play on that same field
they will grow up knowing who
he was and the great sacrifice
he made.
i know nothing can make this
easier but you have respect and
admiration for your sacrifice
and for your families
dedication to public service.
He was an outstanding human and
his parents, that's all we can
do is raise good humans and
hope we make the world a better
place and in this case you did
that and so much more because
not only make the world a
better place, he reminds us all
of the sacrifice and love and
heart that goes into serving
the community so thank you, it
is an honor.
District 7 is blessed to have
seen him grow up and honor him
and his legacy.
>>chair: do you want to make
the motion to move 5x and 5y?
Seconded by commissioner
steinberg, commissioner
gonzalez you are recognized.
>>commissioner gonzalez: I like
to thank the sponsoring
commissioner and I would like
to ask to be included as a
co-prime sponsor on this and
I'm sure my colleagues would
like do the same.
>commissioner regalado:
anyone who wants to join as
cosponsor raise your hand there
are already 2 co-prime's so
cosponsor.
>>chair: if it can be cosponsor
I'm okay but I'm not sure if
you can have more than one
co-prime, so unanimously.
>>commissioner regalado: if we
are going to make one more
person co-prime that didn't
draft we should make everybody
co-prime.
He whole purpose of
co-prime is you are drafting
but it's fine if everyone wants
to be co-prime.
>>chair: I'm fine with it, this
is personal to the community so
everybody who wants to be a
cosponsor for sure.
If someone wants to be a
co-prime, I'm okay with it.
>>commissioner regalado:
everyone is co-prime, that's
fine.
We all agreed and we should
just vote.
>>commissioner gonzalez: if I
can have a point of personal
privilege.
Here's a lot I
want to say.
And I wish this would have came
up sooner.
I see a lot of deputies here
today.
And devon was a young man that
gave everything.
For this community.
Today, we honor his legacy by
naming a street after a hero.
But we are not just honoring a
street.
We are honoring a legacy that
he is instilling into this
community, into this county and
into every single deputy that
wears the badge.
Because bravery doesn't mean
that you're not afraid.
Bravery does not mean that you
don't recognize the risks that
you take every single day that
you wear the badge.
I think the best example of
that is in the bible.
Christ is praying in the garden
of gethsemane.
This is GOD.
He's praying.
Nd he's asking
that if this cup can be taken
from him, that it please be
taken.
But that GOD's will be done.
And then he goes on to do what
is necessary.
That's what it means to wear
the badge.
It doesn't mean you're not
afraid.
It means despite being afraid
you run towards danger because
it's the right thing to do.
Because it's what the job calls
for.
That is a legacy that will
forever carry on.
It's not just a street naming.
Devon will forever be
remembered because he lived
that legacy.
As every single officer that is
here is in miami-dade and
across the country and monies
that legacy and learns from
that legacy and lives that
legacy.
To the family, we mourn with
you.
We love you.
And we will forever be indebted
to devon sacrifice.
Od bless
you.
And thank you.
>> having a motion and the
second on the table, all in
favor of approving 5x and five
line which names the street and
part signify by saying aye.
Opposed, nay. Show the item
passed unanimously,
congratulations.
This is not something to
extremely be happy about find
happiness in the fact that this
community honors devon
jaramillo.
Don't leave because I'd like to
see you before you guys leave,
I will step aside, we love you
guys.
Next item that I want to call
met an attorney if you would
read it into the record, item
5c.
>> resolution code designating
that portion of southwest 84th
street between west 97th road
southwest 103rd avenue as
sergeant david caruso way.
>>chair: I need to go ahead and
open up public hearing at this
time.
Registered to speak on public
hearing but sergeant caruso's
wife eileen is present, did you
want to say anything.
You don't have to.
But I will take this
opportunity and I'll recognize
commissioner gonzalez who is
my: prime sponsor on this
side.
But I was proud to sponsor this
item as it's in my district.
Honoring the life and service
of sergeant caruso.
Who was tragically killed
OCTOBER 28, 2025 in a
motorcycle crash.
E was just
33 years old.
Still had his whole life ahead
of him.
He probably served the miami
beach police department 10
years and was known for his
professionalism compassion and
commitment to his community.
His fellow officers remember
him as someone who always
helped others, offered guidance
and went the extra mile.
He understood public safety is
about more than enforcement,
it's about trust dignity in
this very community.
And beyond the badge he was a
devoted husband father son
brother and a friend who left a
lasting impact.
This resolution code designates
southwest 84th street between
97th road southwest 103rd
avenue and commission district
10 and nine asked sergeant
david caruso way.
This is a lasting tribute to a
man who dedicated his life to
serving others and ensuring
service sacrifice and legacy
will never be forgotten.
And with that my team has every
opportunity to visit with the
family and the beautiful girls,
is it 2 girls?
One girl and a boy, I saw them
riding their bikes.
We keep track through social
media, that's a powerful tool
these days.
Beautiful children that I know
he was raising very well.
He will be missed.
Commissioner gonzalez.
>>commissioner gonzalez: thank
you MR. Chair.
Eileen, I didn't know david.
I didn't know him.
But he impacted my life and I'm
going to tell you why because I
think you need to know.
To me personally, the most
important thing is to try to be
a good man.
In the bible it says there is
no good men but GOD but to try
to be a person that tries, that
is a life worth living.
I'm not going to talk about
dave's career.
I'm going to talk about the
impact he made with many people
that called me and told me how
he led them to christ.
Not by forcing them, not by
citing bible verses like I do
but simply by being a good man.
That's a legacy for his kids.
That's legacy for this world.
And as a man, that's the type
of legacy I would love to leave
when I get a chance to go to
christ.
there's a story in the bible
about stephen.
He's very young.
He's only mentioned for like 2
chapters, act six and act
seven.
And he makes one of the
greatest speeches sharing the
gospel.
And in the crowd right before
he passes is a man named saul
who later becomes paul.
Writes about 60% of the new
testament and brings both jews
and gentiles and romans to
christ.
2 chapters.
That's impact.
Dave had impact.
We feel you, we love you.
And we will forever be grateful
for his sacrifice, thank you.
>>chair: thank you commissioner
and with that commissioner
gonzalez would you move the
item.
>>commissioner gonzalez: so
moved.
>>chair: second by commissioner
steinberg, you want to
cosponsor as well?
The entire dais are cosponsors.
You guys can prime this one
too.
With that all in favor signify
by saying aye.
Opposed, nay. Show the item
past and street naming approved
by unanimous vote.
With that, I'll have the
attorney move into the rest of
the five is but I want to thank
both for being present, I know
the drive is not easy to come
up town but it's very
meaningful that you all drove
down here so I appreciate it
and if I'm able to catch a
couple minutes if I could step
aside to say goodbye to you
before you leave.
Work your way towards the back
or start, you could stay
whatever you guys want we will
be moving on.
Thank you guys, GOD bless you
all and I'm glad you guys made
it.
MADAM Attorney, should I do
public hearing for the rest of
the fives at this time.
>> would you like me to read
all the titles?
MR. Chair, 5a substitute
relating to hospital mandatory
payments amending article 4 and
chapter 18 revising definitions
authorizing electronic delivery
of documents, recognizing
waivers granted by the center
for medicaid services expanding
scope of medicaid supplemental
payment programs revising
addition review authorizing
payment plans, authorizing
suspension or termination of
payments by resolution making
technical and conforming
changes and providing
severability and an effective
date and supplement, 5b bruce
issuance by capital trust
authority of its revenue bonds
in an amount not to exceed $155
million for the benefit of bh
wellness foundation southern
wins hospital, southern wins
hospital llc and 4225 llc to
fund a plan to finance which
includes acquisition of sinai
wins hospital, 5d declares
counties a surplus to include
such properties authorizing
conveyance to habitat for
humanity of greater miami and
lead equity development
incorporated for the purpose of
developing affordable housing
to be sold to low low or
moderate income households.
funny e substitute relates to
county procurement implementing
in whole or part multiple
recommendations for the final
report of the special task
force to reduce inefficiencies
in procurement relating to bid
protest amending section 2 b
84
of the code, directing the
mayor or designee to create or
maintain and update a
centralized portal for use in
the protest process, in
coordination with the clerk of
court, requiring a report
report providing severability,
inclusion in and exclusion from
the code, and an effective
date.
5f substitute relates to county
procurement implementing in
whole or part recommendations
from the final report of the
special task force to reduce
inefficiencies in procurement
relating to small business and
local preference requirements
amending sections to-8.1.1,
two-8.1.1.2 relating to small
business architecture and
engineering program
requirements, small business
enterprise service program
requirements, small business
enterprise goods program
requirements local business
preference, locally
headquartered business
preference, local preference
eligibility and verification,
small business remedies and
related procurement policies
erecting and authorizing the
mayor to make conforming
changes and providing providing
severability, inclusion in and
exclusion from the code, and an
effective date.
5g implements recommendations
from the final report of a
special task force to reduce
inefficiencies in procurement
amending 211 of the code
relating to the conflict of
interest and code of ethics
ordinance, to-eight relating
to fair subcontracting
processes, section 28.1.1 of
the code relating to the small
business enterprise services
program section 28.1.1.2 of the
code relating to the small
business enterprise goods
program, section 2-8.1 of the
code relating to bids from
related parties and section 10
-30.2 of the code relating to
bids precluded from related
parties repealing resolution
are 63-14 requiring certain
due diligence affidavits in
procurement, providing
severability, inclusion in and
exclusion from the code, and an
effective date and requiring a
report, 5h substitute relates
to multiple recommendations
from the final report of the
special task force to reduce
inefficiencies in procurement
amending section 2-11.1 of
the code of miami-dade county
relating to the cone of silence
to permit closed recorded oral
presentations in competitive
procurements consistent with
exemption in florida law
amending and plummeting orders
three-34 and three-39
establishing requirements for
competitive selection committee
appointments, composition
scoring training and conflict
checks creating large lawyer
employer category relating to
evaluation scoring and
acquisition and providing
providing severability,
inclusion in and exclusion from
the code, and an effective date
5I as a resolution amending
resolution are 795 tend to
revise the co-designation of
that portion of the nation away
from east san marino island and
west rivo alto island and
supplement, 5k establishes a
special taxing district in the
county bounded on the north by
theoretical southwest 325
street on the east by southwest
194 avenue and on the south by
southwest 328 street lucy
street and on the west by
southwest 197 avenue richard
road known and described as
harmony homes multipurpose
maintenance and street lighting
special tasking district and
affiant identifying services to
be provided and provide for the
installation of streetlights,
approving a street lighting
agreement with florida power
and light and authorizing mayor
or designee to execute the
agreement waiving revolutions
of our one 3006 and providing
exclusion from the code and an
effective date and 8k1 approves
a preliminary assessment role
for the district, 5l grants
sunset opportunities and sunset
c1 llc for establish on of a
community bounded district on
the north side harriet tubman
highway and on the south by
south 58th avenue sunset drive
creating and establishing
downtown so me community
development district inviting
name powers and duties
providing description of
boundaries, providing initial
members of the board of
supervisors, accepting
proffered declaration of
restrictive covenants,
providing severability,
inclusion in and exclusion from
the code, and an effective
date.
Five and approves 6301
southwest. 27th street, a
resolution approving the waiver
of plat of claudio ortiz garcia
and giselle betancourt, 5p is a
resolution approving the waiver
plat of mosaic andres gonzales,
5q approves the waiver of plat
of alliance northwest 60th
street llc.
Five are approves the plat of
lions trail subdivision, 5s
approves the plat of west palm
villas, five you is a
resolution approving the plat
of sunset oaks south, 5v
approves the plat rumasa
subdivision, 5x designates that
portion of southwest 132 second
avenue between 104th street and
south colusa club drive, I'm
sorry, we did that, 1483
approves as a governmental
facility development of certain
new facilities for an
integrated correctional campus
at 7000 northwest. 41st street
and in compliance with section
33-303 of the code subject to
certain conditions, those are
your public hearing items.
>> public hearing is open, we
have to that have signed up for
quasijudicial items 5m and 5s,
swear in josc
and sir j to the
clerk, swear in those
witnesses.
>>> do you solemnly swear or
affirm the testimony you are
about to give is the truth
whole truth and nothing but the
truth so help you GOD, thank
you you MAY be seated.
>> if I call your name please
approach the podium and line up
in the order your name is
called, give us your name and
address and you will have one
minute, MR. Jared simon,
jennifer harrison, tom carney,
eddie arroyo, michelle vargas,
nina trachtenberg.
[Reading names] Please state
your name, you will have one
minute.
>>public speaker: jared simon,
3900 crawford avenue in coconut
grove and I'm a jewish resident
of miami-dade born and raised.
I believe my tax dollars should
be kept safe and working to
benefit my community and I also
believe in democracy, I hoped
these were values we shared a
few minutes ago you voted
unanimously to allow the county
to invest 5% of its portfolio
of local tax dollars in the
underrated debt of the israeli
government.
An extremely controversial
choice.
Take a look at the 700 comments
on the miami herald article
that came out yesterday and you
didn't even allow public
comment before voting.
You didn't even discuss it,
many of you are not even
listening to me right now.
Your constituents do not want
their tax dollars on thing the
functions of the israeli
government, they want their
taxes working for them in this
county.
You are here to serve the
public, you seem to forget it.
>> next speaker please state
your name and address.
Chambers, chambers.
Hank you
for those of you joining us for
the first time, we don't
applaud, we raise our hands and
support, thumbs down if we
don't support but we don't
allow applause.
Your name address and the item
you are speaking on and I will
remind you we are here on
public hearing items, 4b is
listed for you a lot of you as
the item you are speaking on
but it is not and I repeat 4b
is not, the israeli bonds item.
F you start your commentary
regarding the israeli bonds
item that already passed, 11a
you will not be permitted to
speak, that item has already
passed, keep your commentary
limited to the item you are
honest to speak on which is
item 4b.
> 024 cortez street, 33134
here to address item 4b.
Hile
I would need information about
this item before I could give
my full support it appears to
be an excellent example of
miami-dade county investing its
money in the local bonds that
serve the community.
Rather than the risk risky
liquid bonds of a foreign
government in a volatile region
of the world.
Following hamas heinous attack
OCTOBER 7 mayor, increased the
counties investment to
demonstrate its support for the
people of israel.
I respectfully request this
commission to demonstrate their
support for the people of
palestine in future investments
decisions.
>> next speaker, name and
address and you will have one
minute.
>> eddie arroyo, 33127 and died
in district 5 here to speak on
senator garcias county
investment policy.
>> that item has already
passed, it's 11a2, you signed
up to speak on 5b, 11a2 has
already passed.
>>public speaker: I still want
to speak on the item that has
passed as well.
>> that's not how it works
here, the public hearing on the
item has been opened and closed
which that instruction was
given to you downstairs, you
need to the item you registered
for, we almost follow the same
rules, item 5b is what you
registered to speak on, please
proceed with 5b.
>>public speaker: I do not
approve of this policy and I
think it is reprehensible that
the public is forbidden from
speaking even though it's
passed, I want to put that on
the record and I find it
reprehensible.
>> to our sergeants, we will
have to order in the chambers.
If you are standing in the back
I need you to find a seat.
I need you to find a seat now.
Lease find a seat within the
chamber.
Hese keep order in
our chambers and please be
respectful of everyone.
Are you wrapping up, are you
finished?
>> before we move forward.
>> commissioner, can you please
ask to be recognized.
>>commissioner hardemon: we can
be asked to follow procedures
of this board but we are not
doing that, we're not going to
stand here and allow anyone to
be intimidated on this day us
and I don't care what you're
talking about, what subject it
is you don't like, what you
care for or don't care for.
what we are not going to stand
for or people who want to make
anyone in this room feel
uncomfortable about where they
are which they are in this
place, if you make people
unsafe you will be removed
immediately.
Immediately, we don't care what
GOD you serve, who your child
is or not, we don't care if
you're the mayor or
commissioner, whoever you are,
if you try to intimidate
someone on this day us, in this
crowd, in this place you will
be removed from this space and
if you don't understand that,
please try us.
>> thank you commissioner
hardemon, I don't think it was
caught on the microphones but
someone spoke out of turn
without registering and I
couldn't agree more.
We will have to order in our
chambers, welcome back MR.
CHAIRMAN.
>>chair: go ahead.
>>public speaker: I wanted have
time to speak about that
particular israeli bond that
has been passed.
>>chair: you already spoke,
thank you.
>> I want to speak also to the
egregious nature and fiscal
misappropriation of agenda item
11a2 that you unanimously
passed.
Ou clearly don't have
the fiscal responsibility to
pass item 5b, they should be
used for miami-dade county.
>>chair: we need to speak on
items on public hearing right
now.
So thank you so much.
I stepped out for 2 seconds and
I caught the tail end of
commissioner hardemon's
comments and commissioner cohen
higgins and they are right,
we've got to stay on subject.
Let's stay on the agenda, guys.
Let's be courteous and
respectful of the people that
drove all the way down here to
speak on the items on the
agenda following the rules and
following what they are
supposed to do.
>>public speaker: rochelle
vargas, 21st street district 5,
item 4b on bonds and
investment.
I'm here to speak about just
asking the board to consider
how policies are amended and
written for bonds and
investments.
Especially as your duty is to
protect taxpayer funds.
Keep them liquid and to protect
our taxpayer money and
prioritize this taxpayer money
and its liquidity over the rate
of return.
Ith bonds, always
want to remind you all we work
in miami dade county, we work
with and enjoy miami-dade
county and we should keep bonds
local, keep our investments
local.
There are many things right now
being cut in the county budget
that will benefit the local
community instead of investing
in foreign governments, thank
you.
>>public speaker: my name is
mina trachtenberg, northwest
15th street, florida statutes
and the investment policy
itself specifically state their
top priority is the safety of
public funds and liquidity of
public funds above all else yet
the resolution achieves the
opposite of that opening the
door to the purchase of high
risk even jump quality bonds of
a foreign entity which is the
only foreign government miami
is invested in, items like
resolution 5b or a resolution
of how we can handle public
funds, please divest from
apartheid.
>>public speaker: 1617
southwest. 1/33 street here to
speak on item 5b, miami's
investment portfolio, the
county finds itself in a budget
crisis and instead of figuring
out how we can best afford the
services essential for the
residence of miami-dade county
the commission has passed an
item that would allow for
further investment in a foreign
country, investments that
should have ended long ago.
This decision puts another
county-
>chair: that's not what this
item is.
Ma'am,
>>public speaker: 2141 south
terrace on item 5b, I'll speak
be speaking to the investments,
item 5b exists within the
confines of a budget crisis as
well as a genocide against
palestinians in gaza backed by
the united states.
>>chair: we are going to do
something.
They are not listening so
sergeants, if they continue
just escort them.
Ask them to kindly exit the
chamber.
>>public speaker: esteemed
commissioners and mayor, I'm
now concerned because I'm a
palestinian resident here and
I'm already worried I'm going
to be escorted out just for
being palestinian.
I came here to get information
on 5b.
>>chair: you have to follow the
order and speak on the item, if
you speak on 5b, if you're
going to speak on 5b, you can
speak for your entire minute.
>>public speaker: I wanted to
thank the pastor gave this
lovely christian right at the
beginning of the commission
hearing when he said I think
it's about the humility of
listening.
Our tax dollars pay for this
building, it pays for all your
salaries.
And in that case I will say
that 11a2 is an absolute
disgrace.
>>chair: sergeants.
They want their minutes of
fame.
>>public speaker: james
fishback, 177 southwest. Orange
avenue.
I assure you I am not here to
talk about israel, I'm not here
to talk about the fact this
commission this morning voted
unanimously to give $450
million to the israeli
government.
Am not here to
talk about the fact this
commission has struggled to pay
the deputies in this county,
the teachers in this county
while the fact the commission
unanimously voted to give $450
million of money to israel, I
assure you I am not talking
about that today because I
don't want to be escorted out
by these great men in uniform.
What this is about simply is
who do you serve?
Do you serve the people of
hialeah?
do you serve the people of
aventura or tel aviv?
Do you serve the people of the
city or jerusalem?
This money should be invested
in this community, it should be
invested in miami-dade county.
>>public speaker: the people
here deserve better.
>>public speaker: america
first!
America first!
>>commissioner gilbert: MR.
CHAIRMAN.
>>chair: you are recognized
commissioner gilbert.
>>commissioner gilbert: senator
garcia, we should probably take
a moment to address a couple of
things.
First of all when people say
things like america first, the
very first amendment in the
constitution allowed us to
speak so that's what we allow
and it allows you to petition
your government, that's why we
have procedures but when
commissioner hardemon spoke he
spoke the way he did because at
times we are so involved with
what we believe, we don't
understand there are folks on
the other side who believe
something different.
We can disagree.
Civilly.
E need to disagree
civilly.
That conversation can be had,
the discussion can be had but
it has to be had in a civil
manner.
Because when civil discourse
breaks down we are no longer
america.
We can't be all america first
at the same time when it is to
shout everybody else down.
This meeting has to operate in
a way that allows all of us to
discuss items, hear
information, make decisions and
exist afterwards as a
community.
That includes information
that's correct.
Our board today didn't vote to
give any money to anyone?
We said investment criteria.
So without regard to the
soundbite you might want to
generate with your social media
latform, that's not what
happened.
We need to be clear about those
things because we can have
different opinions but facts
are facts.
The vote didn't give money to
anyone, it didn't buy anything,
we established criteria and
changed percentage and while I
appreciate everyone's opinion,
it is important you disagree
civilly.
Because I know I speak for my
colleagues when I say no one on
this board intends to let this
meeting evolve into anything
remotely similar to some of the
stuff we see online.
That won't be here in
miami-dade county so we should
all just probably called down.
Thank you MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>chair: senator garcia.
>>senator garcia: we don't want
to belabor it and the item
already past and there was
opportunity to testify on this
item given to the public and I
understand we are using another
item to testify but I want to
be clear what this is, the
reality is they passed a new
regulatory scheme for
investments, we are following
state law based on what was
passed.
i have a hold on a lot of these
state requirements
implementations which therefore
that's why we're sponsoring
this.
When we look at investments we
tried to tell the public we
should not be investing in one
fund or another fund, the
county has $9 billion.
Our pension is invested in the
frs.
We use these investments to
make sure we have a greater set
of money in the bank account so
we can fund our police and
firefighters and fund the
operation of governments as
well.
So to call out and say just for
soundbites I agree with you
commissioner oliver gilbert.
Let's get stick to the facts
and say what this is and what
this isn't.
The reality is we are running
these investments and I want to
make sure what we have here
working with the clerk gives
more flexibility and more
liquidity to some of our
investments.
It doesn't mandate us doing one
thing.
It gives a clerk and our
investment personnel of
flexibility to pick the best
return on heels for this
community and that's all this
does, thank you MR. Chair.
>>vice chair mcghee: senator
let me take my hat off because
everyone knows this was already
made public knowledge and
individuals had the knowledge
that we discussed today at this
particular meeting and I agree
with my colleagues, to take
this particular item to make a
political position to do what i
believe is an active engagement
to click is in my humble
opinion one of the most
disgraceful things we can do so
you continuously stand by what
you believe and this board is
standing with you and the
reality is they had issues with
this before they would have
made their position known early
on so thank you so much.
>>commissioner bermudez: ditto
to all the comments of my
colleagues to make sure these
meetings are run efficiently
the right way and obviously
america was based on respecting
other people's opinions even
when we disagree with you but
for thursday night because
everybody's going to be back
that we are all taxpayers, all
of us are taxpayers of miami
dade county sometimes I think
individuals that come to see us
forget we pay taxes.
Unless one of you served in the
military and had an exemption
you pay property taxes to so if
you don't let me know because
that's incredible but the
suffering that everybody feels
in this community we feel and
I'm saying this because
thursday night while
everybody's home watching T.V.
Or we are getting into college
football season we will be on a
from 6:00 P.M. Until one in the
morning and we had a number of
people say I'm a taxpayer and I
hope we remind them we are
taxpayers two.
>>chair: the first 10 were
called.
I've got geneva class, [Reading
names] You MAY approach the
well, say your name and address
and you have a minute to speak
and as you wait list, please
stay on topic.
>>public speaker: my name is
rachel, 1865 79th street
causeway.
I want to point out that the
display was from someone not
called and was not registered
to speak.
His name was not called by the
chair, I believe he's also
running for public office and I
don't think anyone wants to be
associated with that kind of
heinous display.
I want to comment on hospitals.
I think they are a great thing
for public investment of our
taxpayer dollars and as the
commissioners said you all are
taxpayers, we are taxpayers
investing in hospitals, that's
the kind of things bonds can
fund, municipal bonds can fund
roads, these are the things we
want to be investing in common
you further things.
Want to be investing in so I
want to ask the question who is
calling your offices, what are
they asking for and if you
think when people are asking
you and this time when people
are struggling and can't afford
to live hear what are the kinds
of things positively and want
you to invest in both with the
pensions that we want the money
we invest to make money, of
course we want that.
We can do that ethically,
financially responsibly.
We can do that so I want
everyone to reflect on what
your constituents want you to
invest in and I know it's not
foreign governments.
>>public speaker: peace be with
you all, my address is 18810
northwest 78 way.
My family has lived and paid
taxes in miami-dade county the
last 50 years.
I'm also an alumni of fiu and
an active member at the islamic
center of greater miami glad to
be back here at the annual
budget meeting and we have
always made our positions
clear.
We have shown up, this isn't
the first time we've spoke on
5b, bonds and investments.
And I agree with the beautiful
prayer made earlier today that
the decisions you make today
should bring peace to all the
miami-dade residents here today
and our neighbors.
We are not sleepless to know
the investments being made by
this commission are $151
million of our taxpayers are
going to israeli bonds which
are funding a genocide in gaza
and you want to talk facts on
the investment end of it, this
is not a sound bite, it's a bad
investment.
>>chair: appreciate it.
Go ahead.
>>public speaker: good morning,
my name is sebastian gill, a
high school junior and my
address is protected from
disclosure.
I'm here in support of item 5d
which can transfer certain
county owned properties for $10
to habitat for humanity greater
miami and delete equity
development to build affordable
homes for lower income and
moderate income families.
As a high school student I'm
not buying a house today but my
generation will live with the
housing decisions you make
today.
I support using public lands
for affordable homeownership a
$10 transfer should come with a
clear public return.
Homes built on a clear timeline
and kept affordable for the
people this program is meant to
serve.
Because the resolution also
waives normal property transfer
procedures I asked the board to
ensure strong deadlines, clear
affordability requirements and
real accountability.
I don't want to live with my
parents until I'm 30 years old
so please support item 5d so
for years from now we can see
real homes built for real
people, thank you.
>>commissioner gilbert: thank
you MR. Gill.
>>chair: sebastian gill.
I have dorothy brown.
[Reading names] You are
recognized.
>>public speaker: thank you
chair and mayor, I'm here on
items 5b, 5x, 5g and 5h, I'm
against all of those yet I know
you stripped the task force but
I wish you appointed small
business advocates such as
myself, 4649 northwest. Second
avenue miami florida.
I believe as a small business
advocate we've been advocating
for decades for positive change
for small businesses which
included increasing the limited
revenues for trade contractors
from 5 million to 10 million,
same thing for general
contractors from 10 million to
50 million but now with the
strict recommendation is
increasing it from 250 up to 8
million.
The other thing we have been
advocating for is positive
changes in the construction
industry for small businesses
where we don't have any rights
anymore.
We can have contracts taken
from us by general contractors,
we also have been advocating
for payment for decades through
various administration
including software, that has
not happened and in the local
preferences where you have
small businesses that are micro
small businesses where they MAY
only have the owner and one
employee now that
recommendation is saying they
have to have a minimum of three
employees.
Ask you to not
move forward with this, we
should have had input with
small businesses in thank you.
>>public speaker: brenda
bettencourt, I am referencing 5
eat to reduce inefficiencies in
procurement.
Something we need to make sure
is when we apply to be a
provider or to ask for an sb
for the county, sometimes it's
too many steps to follow.
I have applied from the
provider as a primary care and
we've been trying, the system
doesn't work.
You go to check what is what
you need and the system doesn't
work.
You call and sometimes you get
somebody who answers the phone
but most of the time you don't
get an answer.
You do events of procurement
.You bring other cities or
other departments it's not
actually a procurement when you
need as a small business as an
organization.
So is this new legislature
actually going to work?
100% I am for the person before
me, you need small businesses
to be part of that committee to
understand what we have to go
through for us to apply, thank
you.
>> ralph ferrera, 7520 south
railroad miami and we are also
certified small business
enterprise having been quoted
in miami-dade county and I
respectfully express our strong
opposition to items 5f, g and h
which is scheduled for second
reading today.
The proposed elimination of the
firm level commitments and
small business advisory boards
would significantly reduce
opportunities and protections
for small businesses.
These measures have long
insured accountability,
meaningful participation and a
voice for the small business
community and counties
procurement process, finally we
know no certified small
business representative served
on the task force that
developed these
recommendations.
Changes of this magnitude would
include input from the
businesses most directly
affected by it.
We respectfully urge the board
of county commissioners, the
mayor to reject this ordinance
on second reading and engage
the small business community in
any future reform efforts.
>>chair: anyone speaking in the
same line, anyone speaking in
the same line make sure you all
read the substitute item
because I've removed everything
referencing, anything that is
against or not in favor of
small businesses, that's been
removed from the item so make
sure you read the latest
version of the item.
Because I don't think you would
be up here asking for us to
oppose it if you saw this item
and it makes no reference to
the a lot of the things you
guys have mentioned.
But ma'am.
>>public speaker: I am with js
door installations, a certified
small business specialty
contractor.
And I support making the county
procurement faster and more
efficient but I am concerned
the file 26 1351 eliminates the
small business advisory board.
And the small business project
review functions.
For a large county construction
project our specialty trade
might be a small percentage of
the total contract but that
percentage can represent a
significant opportunity for a
local small business, an
opportunity that creates local
jobs and keeps dollars in our
community.
For these projects go to the
market someone needs to ask are
there qualified miami-dade
certified small businesses
capable of doing this work?
An we create a fair
opportunity for them to
compete?
If the current process is
inefficient please improve it,
consolidated it, established
deadlines we had used
technology and hold the process
accountable.
>> rick brooks, waterford
district drive miami florida.
I am a proud graduate of
miami-dade county small
business program so I'm here to
speak in favor of maintaining
the small business advisory
board as well as hearing some
of their other concerns, these
substitutes did address some of
the issues but there are still
issues pending.
I want to applaud you all for
the substitute that removed
strict recommendation 33 and
35.
Those affect locally
headquartered businesses like
myself and that's it, thank you
very much.
>>public speaker: good morning,
armando rodriguez and I support
your principal to incentivized
headquarters in district 7 in
miami-dade county.
I have not created any changes
but I want to make sure you
understand what is happening.
I'm here to oppose f, g and h,
these organizations have a
negative impact on our goals,
eliminating their commitment in
dissolving a small business
advisory board and opening
locally business benefits to
nonlocal firms.
That will overpower our local
businesses.
This was composed entirely for
non-fee representatives I have
strict protections from local
maintenance.
Not a single local business
representative was invited to
participate despite the county
being a local business.
That is placing a conflict of
interest where recommendations
can-
>>chair: thank you sir, ma'am.
>>public speaker: my name is
maria and I live at 2271
southwest. 122nd court and I'm
here to speak on behalf of of
that small business community
because this particular
ordinance is very detrimental
to us, particularly the part
where it eliminates basically
the locally headquartered part
of the ordinance and also it
reduces the participation of
small business to a specified
number but it doesn't give any
leeway and lastly I want to
talk about the issue where if
you have less than three
employees you don't count it as
being at all which is
detrimental to me because I
have less then three employees
and that's just an operation.
You need to think about whether
you're trying to help the
community or help large
businesses from some other area
of the country, thank you.
>>chair: thank you, sir.
>>public speaker: I'm a
principal with maduro group.
A PRESIDENT Of miami county
9935 northwest. 28th terrace.
I'm here to speak in support of
the sbe and locally
headquartered business
community.
I don't know if you know about
the majority of the employment
in miami-dade county is medium
to small sized firms.
So that strict committee
recommendations that impact
sbe's as well as the locally
headquartered business are
effective in destroying your
locally headquartered
businesses.
Why would you do that?
It's a question I asked you
please consider.
Why are we making the
requirements harder for
companies that are already
headquartered, chose to be
headquartered in miami-dade
county and creating a more
accessible pathway for firms
headquartered elsewhere.
You are one of the major
counties in the nation, you
want to attract big companies
to become locally headquartered
here, this is the big game and
if this as it is stands today
it will destroy your local
headquartered businesses as
well and is your sbe's.
As well as the production
capacity of your system.
>>public speaker: good morning
staff, my name is franco
antonio, regional director for
engineering.
I want to talk to you about a
locally headquartered firms and
respectfully ask you to reject
recommendations 16, 25, 33,
3435 and 37, thank you and I'm
an engineer.
The small business cannot
survive on 10 or 15% number
one, number two the locally
headquarters are a bridge for
small businesses, I used to be
a small business and when you
are small business
undergraduate nobody wants to
work with you anymore because
the big companies compete in
the little ones don't want you
to compete so there's a little
sized where the locally
headquartered was created and
that's a bridge to go from a
small business to a midsized
business and hopefully in the
future grow into a large
business.
And I'm an engineer so I've got
to do the numbers rip current
locally headquartered ordinance
we have in place works perfect.
Let me tell you how it works,
it's perfect, whoever did it
did and excellent job.
It's 55% for the large
companies, they only have to
give to the local and small
55%.
Small companies 25% and locally
headquartered 20 and it's
perfect, everybody works and we
grow local headquarters, thank
you.
>>chair: MR. Zach,
>>public speaker: 235 north
miami avenue on behalf of my
client jen moore and
associates.
Janet moore was my first client
in my business and I've been
representing him since we
started.
And I'm proud to represent them
for that time.
Hey started
their business in south florida
miami-dade and broward county.
Hey had an atr in miami-dade
county for the entirety of the
time and existed and there very
proud to have started in your
small business program and
graduated from it.
What I encourage you to do if
you look at all these changes
and not only these changes but
your current ordinances on the
books, some of them need to be
changed to really think about
whether or not they actually
increase efficiency in the
procurement process, I submit
they don't.
They probably invite preemption
from the state.
And the people you are leaving
behind are the ones that
started their businesses here.
Graduate from the program as
you intend them to do as they
are supposed to do and then
grow.
>>chair: thank you.
Ll right.
I have let me see, this is
tricky because a lot of them
tried to sign up twice.
Deborah swain.
Did I already call alejandra?
Angel.
[Reading names]
>>public speaker: deborah
swain, pages business addresses
20625 southwest. 32nd avenue
and I'm here to speak on three
different items, 5f, 5g and 5h
and I wonder if I need to do
them all at the same time or
can I continue?
I'll be as brief as possible
risk with respect to the entire
process that came up with the
recommendations from the strict
committee to reduce
inefficiency in procurements,
as you heard there were no sbe
firms and no locally
headquartered firms represented
on the task force but however
many recommendations are on the
back of those particular types
of firms here.
I want to address
recommendation number nine for
example, elimination of firm
level commitments eliminates
protections in place to
individual firms in the event
they failed to honor their
commitments to these firms,
there is no consequence.
My recommendation is to
eliminate it and work with the
small business community to
come up with a way to address
this, recommendation number 10
eliminates the process for
establishing small business
goals reading this a standard
was put in place I understand
from staff it was intended to
be a minimum, can I go to the
next item.
>chair: that was your time,
thank you.
>>public speaker: my name is
juan presley, northeast 26th
terrace and I'm the owner of an
sp firm and today I'm speaking
as a chairperson with the sbe
architectural engineering
applied board.
This board consists of has been
in existence for five years and
consists of 14 members,
presently there's three same
architects, for practicing
engineers and one fiu engineer
professional we have successful
rated advanced sounding boards
sbe issues and recommendation,
solutions to spd spd prepares
outreach certifications and
unit utilization as we advised
people on those reports.
On our last board meeting JULY
29 I'd like to point out about
the certified directory.
There are a total of 247.
>>chair: your minute is up.
The clock is they are, you are
over by 15 seconds.
Sir, hello.
>>public speaker: good morning,
mayor, distinguished
commissioners, my name is
angel, I'm a humble architect.
Will abide by the rules
today just in case, thank you
to our officers for our
service, I'd like to keep
things simple, that's the way
I've been since I've been a
young man, since I had dark
hair in those days.
Y office
is at 1236-year-old southwest
132nd court and this weekend
I'm a grandfather of one little
boy but this weekend I was told
both my daughters are pregnant
with two little girls a month
apart.
I've got to tell you, the
reason I'm here to talk about
these small business
administration or enterprise
deals is because you're going
to need more milk in the house.
A lot of you have seen me
around.
I am as a small business
architect here in the county
for 55 years, second generation
architect and I am the
architect of the westchester
library health and wellness
center which commissioner
rodriguez was there on the
grand opening and architect of
the james e scott restoration,
tremendous project,
commissioner hardemon was
there.
Ery emotional, fire
station 71 which mayor cava was
there.
I thought you were following
the rules, you'd better say
thank you, you got us excited.
We will be making a difference.
>>public speaker: I am a high
school senior and cofounder of
miami-dade commission watch and
my address is protected from
disclosure, here to support
item 5f, 5f improves
accountability for small and
big businesses like across the
county, for example the county
has the ability to audit if a
company is local, expanding the
process for companies across
the county but one rule is
missing, 5f deletes the line
that reserves contracts over
250,004 small businesses, the
introduction says a new rule
will replace it but lacks a
clear deadline and since 2024
the county doesn't publish any
of those awards so my ask is
simple, codify it and accounted
but put a deadline in the
ordinance in the same matter
today's public hearings provide
transparency and accountability
to local governments I ask you
uphold counties to the same
standards, thank you for your
time and please listen to the
words of your residence, thank
you.
>>commissioner gilbert: point
of order.
The point of order is I want
everybody to be quiet.
He was speaking and making some
great points and there's a lot
of conversations.
I know we haven't seen each
other in a wild, calm down so
we can pay attention to the
speakers, thank you.
>>chair: ma'am.
>>public speaker: thank you
commissioners, mayor kava, my
address is 1431 ne. 201st
terrace miami florida and I'm
the owner of grimes consulting
and sbe certified firm in
miami-dade county and I issued
a statement summary for your
review, you should have in
front of you.
Our ask is simple.
On this item we urge you to
defer it and require a public
small business analysis,
efficiency matters and I
support that but so does
injuring local businesses have
meaningful access to county
contracts.
Before changing these
protections small business
owners need to understand who
benefits, who loses opportunity
and how accountability will be
maintained.
Do not consider 5f until the
county releases a small
business impact analysis and
hold meaningful consultations
with affected businesses.
thank you.
>>chair: thank you ma'am.
I've got mark drummond.
Mark and marianna.
Josc
[Reading names] Those are my
last 4. Mark drummond, sir.
>>public speaker: mark drummond
, we are a certified small
business in the county.
We want to express our strong
opposition to the proposed
ordinance impacting amd forms.
I've publicly spoken about it,
5g.
I think it would be detrimental
to small business.
While it's presented the
measure to improve procurement
efficiency and many of its
provisions will have the
opposite effect creating
significant disadvantages for
local small businesses while
disproportionately benefiting
large multinational
organizations, most concerning
is those changes appear to
undermine decades of successful
small business participation on
county projects.
It's particularly worrisome of
the composition of the task
force.
Not a single member of the
246th certified amd small
businesses or on that committee
and only three of its four key
members currently represent amd
firms.
We hope you would consider this
and vote to eliminate those
provisions.
>>public speaker: good morning
everyone, delta consultants, I
am a small business owner in
miami-dade county.
Home address is 4841 northwest.
First avenue and I come here to
second basically I think my
colleagues have mentioned the
small business community and a
and the world in this county.
It's extremely important.
Not only to develop the local
workforce but also it helps
keep and maintains and
accessibility to the county for
local firms that are
knowledgeable of the issues
within miami-dade county
itself, more than any other
company that can come from
outside of the local county.
We as the sp community together
months ago a letter to all of
you that was sent out and
signed by over 100 firms.
I urge you to look into those
letters and read it carefully.
This was sent back in MARCH 11
it was signed by over 100
firms.
Today I asked we both know or
at least defer items 5f, 5g and
5h.
These items should not pass
without meaningful impact from
the sp community.
>>.
>>public speaker: josc process
here for item 5m.
This is a plot waiver.
This is started three years
ago, the first time the public
gets to hear about it read
every time I've asked about it
and I've knocked on all the
doors as some of you I'm proud
to see you in front of this
dais and I'm proud you are up
here and I thank you for your
service because I know this is
difficult but I've knocked on
doors and nobody wants this
development and this
development is basically a
condo association in the middle
of a single-family own
community, they say it's two
duplexes but these units are up
or $1.85 million each townhome.
On the corner of 63rd avenue
and 27th street, this is total
villains, this is total terrace
as we like to call it
eastchester.
This is a single-family home
community over 100 years old
built by veterans.
We would ask that you keep it
single-family.
I am so happy all of you voted
against this plot waiver in
JULY.
The gentleman asked what is
proverbial but with this board
and go ahead and continued
building until it's off, thank
you for being on time.
>> survey palm beach speaking
about the blue nest
developments, obviously lunesta
has developed a lot of areas
around here, wild florida
growth has a lot of concerns
but massive builds, whatever it
is, blue nest is at the core of
that but not the only one.
It's unfortunate there is
limited opportunity to speak on
the elements like this,
furthermore item of kelly
tractor as we talked about for
the eighth time but technically
we are not allowed to talk on
it but it's a huge development
in the everglades and
functioning everglades.
We have clean water over there,
it cleans herons, gators, all
that beautiful wildlife and
kelly tractor is going on the
wrong side of the urban
development boundary item
should never have been
considered because it's on the
wrong side of the boundary
should have been look on the
other side where you have
permitted development and
residential dense housing and
not just put the wild
everglades at risk of rural
areas and it must not happen as
bc wild florida develop it
should not be approved today,
thank you.
>chair: your name.
>>public speaker: I registered
but for some reason I wasn't
called.
>>chair: did I call sean?
You can approach as well.
>public speaker: CHAIRMAN,
mayor and as I said my name is
andrea's, 5875 77th terrace in
south miami.
I am also a member of
leadership miami class xlviii,
I came to miami to earn my
masters degree at fiu so I've
been part of the community, I
settled my roots here and not
experienced what these
humidities have done from my
growth and that's why I
recognizemaking a long-term
impact for some of the large
companies is a benefit for the
community and I am one example
of those, I contributed back
and I continue to do it so I
support the large local
designation and I ask you to do
the same, thank you.
>>chair: thank you, sir.
>> sean lozano, I reside at
9160 royal palm boulevard and
is speaking about 5h, financial
equity is the equivalent of
financial responsibility and as
a former police officer I'd
like to remind this commission
and people of dade county of
the 210 disaster which was the
improper invocation of
financial urgency.
It cost first responders
thousands if not hundreds of
thousands in benefit and income
and they are still picking up
the pieces of that today and I
urge this powerful commission
to do more than platitudes,
something I would say all the
time I would hear politicians
say we back the blue but how do
you back the blue red the
commissioners on this council
and that the blue by taking
action to invest locally in the
best of us which is our first
responders men and women in
blue and red and those who will
do what others cannot.
>>chair: those are the names I
have, anybody that I did not
call their name?
So public hearing is now
closed.
Does anyone wish to bifurcate
any items?
Commissioner cohen higgins,
which ones.
>>commissioner cohen higgins: I
bifurcate 5d for a motion.
If the attorneys can please
read my motion on 5d.
>>chair: I was going to but
give me a second.
Any, commissioner regalado.
>>commissioner regalado: there
was a request at the beginning
of the meeting to bifurcate
some of the fives so if we can
have the attorneys repeat that,
specifically I think we've
divided all the procurement
ones up so we can go through
them one by one.
>> I had request to bifurcate
5d just now by commissioner
cohen higgins, 5f substitute,
5g substitute, 5h substitute,
5m, 5p, 5u so those would be
the ones that are bifurcated.
5m, the five are bifurcated, 5m
as in mary, and 5u.
>> that is just to vote no.
>> I have 5m and I like to
speak on.
So commissioner gilbert moves
5p and youth, seconded by
commissioner higgins, clerk
please call the gold.
Please call the roll on 5p and
5u.
>>senator garcia: no.
>>commissioner hardemon:
>>commissioner lopez: motion
passes 11 to 1.
>>chair: I will entertain a
motion on the remainder of the
items not bifurcated.
We have a motion by
commissioner cohen higgins.
>> I thought 5e.
Those were all bifurcated MADAM
Attorney, were they not?
>> I read those as bifurcated.
>> I said the non-bifurcated
items so we have a motion,
second by commissioner gilbert.
A clerk please call the roll.
>> senator garcia.
Commissioner gilbert.
Motion passes unanimously.
>>chair: you are recognized on
5d.
>>commissioner cohen higgins: I
want to recognize the young man
that came, the 11th grader
sebastian gill, thank you for
your testimony in support of 5d
and I want to reassure the
young man who did an excellent
job that 5d does have strong
deadlines and accountability in
accordance to offering some
real affordable homeownership
opportunities in district 8 so
thank you to the young man MR.
Sebastian gill to the attorney
can you read my motion on 5d.
>> moved to amend agenda item
5d to remove the property
currently bearing folio number
1078 1200706 40 from
consideration for conveyance
habitat for humanity of greater
miami and of florida not for
profit and delete all
references to such folio to the
end of the item and make any
necessary conforming changes.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
there are other folios, they
requested removal of this
particular parcel which became
difficult for them to construct
on so they requested this
particular folio you removed
from consideration, thank you
MR. Chair.
>>chair: seconded by
commissioner gilbert, roll
call.
Ll in favor signify by
saying aye, opposed, nay. Show
the item past.
Ommissioner on
5 and.
>> is came to my attention in
APRIL at which time I requested
a deferral because I got a lot
of feedback.
I went myself by this
neighborhood schenley park, I'm
familiar with his neighborhood
and when I found out it was a
proposal were two duplexes on
these small parcels of land it
didn't make sense or conform to
the neighborhood so I asked for
a deferral we could figure out
what we could do and in doing
my research I found out where
along the line there was an
ordinance change that allowed
this type of use to be done
administratively and basically
doesn't give us any
jurisdiction over the matter so
I want to ask the county
attorneys can you explain why I
keep being told this has to
pass and I have a few
questions, can we defer it
today and if not, why and what
is the appropriate cause for
denial.
>> class items under florida
law must be approved unless
there is evidence showing they
don't comply with the criteria
in the statutes and this is
pursuant to florida supreme
court decision this is
quasijudicial so that limits
how many times it will be
deferred.
>> what is the proper evidence.
>> evidence showing it doesn't
comply with the criteria in
chapter 28 of the county code.
And I defer to our er to
explain those technical
criteria but they relate to
public improvements and
dedications of right-of-way.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
can we have our er expand?
>> good morning commissioners.
For this plan generally for a
plat the rules relate to the
subdivision of land sold
confirm the size of the
property meets code and confirm
the utilities are in place.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
I'm asking these questions
because we have a resident
who's against this and I've
received numerous phone calls
and emails against this plat.
I wanted the resident to
understand I have been the last
couple of months trying to
figure out how we can do right
by them.
My question to the attorneys is
what happens today if we vote
this down?
>> that could be grounds for an
appeal of the board's decision.
It could be the applicant or
anyone else who has appeared at
this hearing and objected.
>> the 11th judicial circuit
appellate division.
>>.
>>commissioner cohen higgins: I
am not comfortable with this
and hearing our residents are
against this I know I've spoken
on this before as this item has
come up, shelby park is
entirely single-family homes.
Although the designs proposed
are beautiful I don't think
they conform with the
neighborhood I am okay with it
going through the process and I
would motion to deny it.
>> there is a motion and there
is a second.
So motion and a second to deny,
you are recognized.
>> thank you MR. Chair, I think
I raise an interesting issue
because nowhere in the item has
anyone the administration, the
attorneys articulated this very
important piece of information
shared with us on the
microphone.
I.E. This is not a
discretionary item for us to
vote up or down, we're saying
if it needs statutory
requirements we are mandated by
law to approve this.
I'm not sure why that critical
information is not included in
the item because our residents
read these items, they organize
the petitioner office as they
should do and we are here to
reflect the voices of our
residents which is what the
district is trying to do so
this puts us in an awkward
position and I don't understand
why that level of critical
information is not included in
an item like this.
Why are we learning of this
requirement at this juncture.
The final hearing to the
attorneys.
>> happy to work with you and
menstruation moving forward to
ensure approval for items like
this.
>>commissioner cohen higgins: I
don't know that needs to be a
policy decision or an item,
that's just the level of
transparency our residents
deserve so they can understand
what the position we're in and
the discretion we have or don't
have which is applicable in
this instance, I support the
district commissioner and her
decision to say this is not
conforming with the
neighborhood or appropriate in
the neighborhood, I'm not sure
where it takes us legally and
it's not advisable for us to
have conversations on the
microphone but if the
commissioner doesn't support it
I don't either.
>> I wanted to add I've been
working with the county
attorneys on legislation that
would change this in the future
so that it would come to us so
we can have jurisdiction for
these types of flats.
I'm working on already for the
county attorney's office
because to me it was offensive
to find out about this just on
the agenda and to be told
there's nothing you can do
about this, it has to go
forward when all these
residents are not okay with it
and it doesn't with the
neighbor.
>>chair: thank you,
commissioner regalado.
>>commissioner regalado: thank
you MR. Chair. I have questions
in terms of compliance and I
agree with my colleagues, i
don't want to get into a whole
conversation about our rules
and quasijudicial but in terms
of another deferral or a
denial, are we limited in the
number of deferrals since the
maker has mentioned that she's
working on something?
And if so can we leave it
because it's our rule.
If there is a limitation on
federal can we waive our rule
to defer it again as she
continues to work on an item
instead of a denial that would
trigger court action?
>> there is no limitation in
this board's procedures
limiting the number of
procedures.
>>commissioner regalado: just
putting that out there since
you're working on something, it
will come up again and again
but you could defer it for a
period of time depending on
what you're working on and then
it's not foreclosed completely,
it's still difficult but not
foreclosed.
>> I'd be happy to entertain a
motion to defer and I want to
add my staff brought up to me
and I did notice because I
drive by there all the time
these developers have already
begun construction, they've
begun laying the foundation for
this property and without
knowing if they were going to
get an approval or not.
That is astounding.
It is terrible we are basically
bound by this and we have no
say.
That speaks volumes of what the
expectations are for these
applications, they are assuming
we are going to approve it.
>> have these two second
approval.
>>chair: commissioner bermudez.
>>commissioner bermudez: I'm
going to support the county but
I am a little bit, actually I'm
very confused.
A lot of times and we got a
friend to your right that says
no to every plat.
A lot of times that plat is
just administrative.
How did we get here to
something that changes the
community and changes the
makeup of the community, how
did we get to the plat before
we got to a decision on that.
I'd like to know how that
happened.
Did this get through before or
what's the reasoning there?
>> commissioner the zoning was
previously approved for this
property.
>>commissioner bermudez: when
was it?
>> I defer to rer on that.
>> this property is in a
neighborhood that's zoned re-1
but this application came
through which allows for a
duplex on the property.
>>commissioner bermudez: so it
was approved administratively.
In general I think as we move
forward and I'm in support of
commissioner milian orbis but
there are plaques who are just
plat and truthfully there is
not much we can do about it but
the reality is they are just
plats, there's others like this
one that are apparently was
approved administratively but
the commissioner of the
district I'm sure were not
aware until it got in front of
us.
When you work on the policy if
anything pops up like that the
administration and director
should at the very least let
the commissioner know when it's
in the process so I'll leave my
piece at that one and support
you.
>>chair: commissioner hardemon.
>>commissioner hardemon: is
this in an unincorporated area
and I don't know if you are
aware of this but when I was
serving as the city of miami
commissioner we about the
county so the county made
changes long before any of us
were on the dais but they made
changes where in the
unincorporated areas it allowed
for the development of duplexes
and the single-family zoned
areas which sounds like that's
exactly what this is.
Although they are a program
that's transferred, etc. But
that was a big thing to have
been done especially in areas
where you have communities that
look for a way where most
people would like to stay sort
of as natural as possible.
The single-family zoned areas
probably are the most
protective space we have in
miami-dade county, most of our
lots are 5000 feetb2, you have
single zoned areas much larger
and people want to make changes
to that and it involves lots of
discussion when you intensify
the use of single-family zoned
areas where you have 5000 feetb2
and you allow for cafc
or
whatever new terminology that's
been made you intensify use,
more people, more parking, etc.
So if we are to consider for
instance what you're going
through right now we probably
should consider the law that we
have on the books right now
that makes those types of
changes because I can tell you
for instance in my district we
have a lot of vacant
single-family zoned lots.
And many of those spots we give
to people to develop so they
are going to intensify those
communities and sometimes in
these neighborhoods people
don't have voices.
Certainly when those things
were passed I had no voice in
the matter, I wasn't a resident
of those unincorporated areas
and the commission at the time
was all for what was happening.
T didn't change necessarily,
we didn't get a bunch of houses
built but when we did get
houses built they were duplexes
and now it's a different
experience for the people
living there so there's a space
for all types of development,
there's a space for duplexes
and tall buildings and short
buildings.
And no buildings at all but if
we don't, if this matters to
all of us we should probably
reconsider the entirety of the
ordinance we have in place that
allows this to occur naturally
and by right.
>>chair: commissioner gilbert.
>>commissioner gilbert: thank
you MR. Chair. This is not as
simple for me and I'll support
the district commissioner but
let's just be mindful that the
housing affordability problem
that essentially occurs because
of supply and demand didn't
happen overnight.
It's single determinations so
if we stand by the principle
that neighborhoods should never
change in character and
anything that's a change to the
character shouldn't be built,
then we lock ourselves into an
affordability quagmire that's
very difficult to overcome.
So I think that's why I
promoted the rtc density and
high faa ours on our major
corridors because ultimately we
have to increase supply.
So these policies were put in
place so that with some degree
of certainty people could buy
properties of a certain size in
a certain area and instead of
building one house, not build
an apartment but build 2,
that's why the policies were
put in place and I'm not
defending the policy is perfect
I understand why it exists yet
if this board wants to be in
the business of saying hey,,
we're going to say that policy
doesn't exist, okay, we can do
that but let me suggest those
are the types of decisions that
makes tallahassee come in with
stuff like live local.
Those are the types of
decisions because ultimately we
are safeguarding what was and
we are foreclosing our self
from what can be.
What in isolation this duplex,
I'm okay with, you know the
district better than I do and
I'll see to that.
But understand the gravity of
the aggregated effect of the
decisions we make as this body
because people who came here
before us made decisions just
like this.
So I'm always cognizant of
decisions we make that are just
like this because we are a
different board than prior
commissions but to the extent
we make decisions that allow,
and kind of require us to
maintain whatever is and what
isn't can't become then we are
perpetuating a problem created
by someone else.
So if we need to have a
conversation about what our
plan is for housing overall
than
.
If we want to reinvest in some
people have complied with the
rtc, others have not.
The rtz is a great way to
protect wetlands and stuff out
west and it's a great way to
protect the sanctity of our
single-family homes because we
are building along commercial
corridors but let me suggest we
can't have it both ways.
We are going to allow and
require density and high faa
are along those corridors along
all of the county not just the
unincorporated parts, the
cities also or at some point
that urban sprawl will spill
out into our pristine
agricultural areas and into
single-family homes but
somewhere supply has to be met
or this becomes, further
becomes a community that people
cannot afford to live in.
We are a tourism-based economy
fueled by small businesses.
People don't make a lot of
money.
We need more supply.
Thank you.
>>chair: I have the vice chair
and senator garcia.
>>vice chair mcghee: if I'm
hearing the commissioners
position if I'm hearing this
correctly two things happen.
A decision was made 1 and
number two notice was never
given to her to have input and
i'm wondering to the county
attorney as relates to her
issue because it seems it would
now apply or has always applied
to all the commission districts
especially when we are making
the intent to honor the wishes
of a particular commissioner or
petitioner district.
Is there a way where we can
mandate notice to be given to
the particular commissioner of
that district whenever there's
an administrative decision as
relates to this particular type
of item?
>> as commissioner milian orbis
mentioned she has legislation
that would require notice for
workforce housing density bonus
applications.
>>vice chair mcghee: if I heard
you correctly these are
important enough where it has
to go through based upon state
law.
>> that is for plat items, not
for the density workforce.
>> thank you MR. CHAIRMAN and
commissioner milian orbis thank
you for bringing this item and
I agree with your stance and
positioning and I understand
the argument we have about
ensuring that the community is
changing and we need more
workforce housing or more
housing in general but the
reality is we have to be
careful how we proceed with
some of these items.
Seeing what commissioner milian
orbis brought to us will
really, does not go along with
the integrity of that community
itself, it's not along a rapid
transit zone.
It doesn't go along with some
of the rules we have as relates
to housing, this is why we have
to be careful, commissioner
gilbert on how we proceed
forward.
Not too long ago we passed an
ordinance allowing for in the
law corridors in unincorporated
dade and we talked about this
and this could be a problem
because we're going to add more
people into these single-family
residence communities that we
all cherish.
So that is an issue we went
through and I still think it
was the wrong policy for us but
when we have those policies in
one area this is what it
affects in other areas and this
is why we have to be careful
how we do this and I'm all
about density along the rapid
transit zone and I think we
should encourage that but we
have to take a pause when we
look at our residential
communities and we do need to
speak up and voice it because I
get growth happens, we have to
have responsible growth but at
what expense are we going to
now start saying, not saying
this issue is doing that or any
else are saying that.
But we have to try to protect,
have some conservative ideals
and values when it comes to
properties, we should do our
best to protect some of these
neighborhoods, some of these
neighborhoods are the fabric
and existence of our people so
I was happy to seconded, to not
only defer it but to deny the
item but I understand the
policy that exists here right
now but I still stand by my
second and we will let the
courts decide.
>>commissioner milian orbis:
I'm happy to do the deferral as
i'm working on the legislation
and I would request it to the
second meeting in OCTOBER to
allow time to work on that and
to commissioner gilberts, what
he just said I agree we need to
work on the affordability
process 100% but these are not
affordable homes, these are
million-dollar duplexes so I
don't know that we are helping
anybody in this case.
We are not helping a first-time
family buying a hold because
nobody can afford that.
This is a different situation
but I agree and I do think we
need to look at it overall in
general and fix this, thank you
MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>chair: we are going to be
deferring it so you are
withdrawing your motion and
making a motion to defer to
know date certain, second
OCTOBER meeting seconded by
commissioner regalado so on the
deferral.
>>commissioner regalado: I want
to add really quick since he is
working on the item and we have
sunshine issues and I'm glad
she brought up the point these
are not affordable.
And it 761 of the situations
we're seeing as buying
single-family homes and buying
duplexes that are
multi-million-dollar duplexes,
not affordable homes.
I live in the pines, in a
single-family home surrounded
by duplexes for the same reason
and I don't know if she's been
invaded by the sugar cubes like
I have been but that's the
deal.
The other thing I would say is
when we look at this to
consider for comp plan purposes
that you look at the adjacent
properties and the one across.
What we are seeing is if you
have a series of duplexes and
your adding another duplex then
that MAY be a buffer of
duplexes as you go from our 1
to something more substantial
but if you have an area where
you only have single-family
homes and now you're buying a
single-family home and tearing
it down and using this to put a
duplex there you have
substantially changed the
character of that block so
similar to what you do for live
local which is you looked at
both sides live local should
look across the street that's a
story for another day.
I think a comp plan change that
has you looking at what is
adjacent and what is across in
terms of the change would
alleviate some of the concerns.
As we comply in a way that is
aligned with the states
requirement to provide more
affordability.
>>chair: commissioner lopez.
>>commissioner lopez: I want to
applaud commissioner milian
orbis because in my district
you'll see all these duplexes
in the middle of these old
characteristic neighborhoods in
district 5 and they are so out
of character and you're right,
they are over $1 million.
I called to see because there
was a group of duplexes for
sale in my district and they
where a million, 4 and it was
shocking because I said first
of all their out of character,
they are two stories, not just
duplexes that look like
single-family homes read they
are literally buildings that
have somewhat destroyed not
only the character of the block
but the character of the
neighborhood so I'm so
grateful.
I remember this item thinking
how did we not know this
beforehand and I know you did
not know that and that's why
you were forced to defer it but
I'm grateful for your
leadership taking on this
project because in fact it has
really impacted district 5
which is some of the oldest
neighborhoods in the city of
miami so thank you for that.
>>commissioner milian orbis: to
the attorneys are they doing
work on the property already
and if so this is deferred
until mid OCTOBER.
I'm not sure they are doing the
construction appropriately but
what I don't want especially if
that skips appealed is for them
to incur expenses and then come
back to us and have an issue
created there getting to these
details so is it appropriate
for them to have begun
construction on this property,
that's question number one.
>> construction has started but
they're required to enter into
a hold harmless with the
county, they are tentative at
the plat stage.
>> can we enforce that so
further construction does not
commence to preserve the status
quo.
>>commissioner bermudez: my
point was going to be the same
as commissioner cohen higgins
but moving forward the fact
that someone start construction
without a final decision
knowingly approved by this body
is, and I know it's permitted,
we need to look at that and
also make sure these things
don't happen so I'm hoping you
guys review it and finally I'm
going to do a plug for what I
said earlier on this dais talk
about affordable housing, we
need to talk about your
affordable housing boundary
from aventura to florida city
and let us have everybody stop
getting us testimony that isn't
accurate.
>>chair: we have a motion to
defer, second.
All in favor of the deferral
signify by saying aye.
Opposed, nay. Show the item
deferred until the mid OCTOBER
meeting.
So now I'm going to take up
together if anybody needs to
split afterwards for voting
purposes we can and I'm going
to take together the strict
task force items which is 5f,
5f and 5h substitute.
At the appropriate time to make
it easier I've heard all of the
concerns and discussions of
those that came up to speak.
And so at the appropriate time
I'll ask the attorneys to guide
me so I can bifurcate or remove
5f, number nine, 10, 11 which
will essentially fix the few
concerns that were spoken
about.
I had already removed prior to
today in the substitute but we
will go ahead and remove nine,
10 and 11 from item 5f and work
on that with the sp community
and bring it back as a separate
item.
But when we created the task
force, the special task force
year to reduce inefficiencies
and procurement or strip as we
call it back in MAY 2025, the
goal was to take a hard look at
our procurement system and
identify opportunities to
improve, develop practical
solutions that make the process
more efficient, transparent,
competitive and accountable and
after months of work and many
meetings this task force had
with public hearing to come
from the public as well the
task force has completed its
charge and it delivered to my
office 59 final recommendations
that provides this board with a
roadmap for meaningful
procurement reform, something
that has not been done in
years.
We've touched procurement
throughout the years but not in
a holistic overall reform.
Most importantly these 59
recommendations when applied
into law and is passed will be
measured.
It will have a measurable
impact on the procurement
timeline.
Currently the estimated
procurement process takes 349
days.
That's the average and as we
know sometimes it goes way over
that number, rarely does it go
beyond 349 days is a
conservative average number.
By implementing these items
that came out of strip that
will bring it down and reduce
it to somewhere between 120 to
100 50 days, that's over 60%
reduction in time savings and
as we discussed before when the
strip committee was passed time
reduction also means taxpayers
save money, costs stay of the
original price, it does not
continue to raise.
Unless change orders, less
price adjustments.
It maintains transparency,
competition and accountability.
I want to thank every member of
the task force for their time,
expertise and dedication.
I know some people mentioned
there was sbe on there, there
was a locally headquartered
companies on their.
I know for a fact there were
three locally headquartered
companies but at least three
that I remember.
But I want to commend them for
striking a balanced work
product.
Demanding professionalism,
professional schedules and
professional recommendations
and it's difficult when you're
there and you work for a
company and it's hard to be
unbiased but I think they did a
decent job at doing that, every
member and I want to give a
special thanks to our
CHAIRWOMAN Diana mendez who is
here today I believe, thank you
for chairing the committee and
I have some members of the
committee present so I want to
specifically thank those that
made it out today.
I have aaron, let me see, I
have my list here.
I have aaron, thank you for
being here.
I see rudy from afar, thank you
for being here.
Anyone else from the committee
here?
Thank you for coming out today
and thank you for having
served.
I know all your time and those
of the committee are very
impressed yet you still make it
to the committee and make it
happened and I had faith in
you, MADAM Mayor.
>>mayor cava: I wanted to add
we thank the staff members I
will wait.
>>chair: I want to take a
moment and thank namita, are
you here, I'm sure you are.
Thank you as well because I
know even for yourself it was
difficult and challenging to
deal with all the committee
members, striking a balance
between of course the
administrations priorities with
some of the recommendations and
honestly I could not think more
highly of you after this strip
has concluded so thank you for
being honest, being balanced
and neutral in your work.
I appreciate you and of course
your entire team, to the
mayor's point all the staff
that worked on this including
staff at the office of the
chair and the bcc that was
involved from thea to jasmine
to christina and I know I'm
missing a few but thank you all
that played a role in this.
These recommendations will help
create clear timelines, reduce
unnecessary delays and
bureaucracy, increase
transparency and
accountability, make the
process easier and more
predictable for businesses,
make it easier for businesses
to do business with miami-dade
county and at the same time I
have heard as mentioned
directly from the small
business community I've spoken
to them prior to today's
meeting and received several
calls and emails and heard them
come up to the podium so as I
said I will be removing from 5f
those three numbers that sbe's.
i want to bring that back once
we can connect with them and
engage some of the strip
committee members to assist
with that and reengage on that
but I want to make sure we
finalize a complete package of
procurement reform.
I've always talked about this,
many of us say this, something
you here often but small
businesses are the backbone of
our community and I believe
that as a small business owner
myself so the last thing I want
to do is change anything in the
item that has any unintended
consequences so we will
continue working on it but I
want to make sure we pass the
stuff that does not affect it
because we can get to work
right away, save time right
away and cut down on the
timeline and I.E. Start saving
taxpayer dollars right away.
Our reforms should never
unintentionally create barriers
that make it harder for small
businesses to succeed and
that's what I want to work on
it carefully.
These recommendations are an
important first step towards a
clear and more user-friendly
procurement manual, one that
provides better guidance, make
those easier to understand and
gives business greater clarity
about working with the county.
This is about more than
changing a process on paper,
it's about saving time reducing
bureaucracy increasing
accountability and making
miami-dade county easier to do
business with you and I look
forward to work with my
colleagues and share the next
steps in the months ahead.
with that I'd like to call up
first CHAIRWOMAN Diana mendez
to share a few remarks about
the task force and its final
report and if you wanted to be
recognized of course we can
recognize you as well.
MADAM CHAIRWOMAN collects good
morning commissioners, diana
mendez at the government
contracts group and for the
past year I've had the honor of
chairing the special task force
to reduce inefficiencies in
procurement and also I'm part
of the association model
procurement revision so both
projects have been very
important for me the past year,
bringing knowledge from the
nation to miami-dade county and
likewise bringing the
experience of miami-dade county
to the water procurement
community.
So following the mandate given
to us by this board, and the
resolution that of course was
sponsored by CHAIRMAN Anthony
rodriguez, for about a year the
task force on average twice a
month to learn from each other,
collaborate from each other and
of course from staff to
recommend changes to the
counties procurement process
that enhanced the efficiency
without sacrificing the
fairness and transparency which
is the ultimate goal of any
public procurement framework.
That requires as the chair
mentioned a lot of balance.
As you can see from the task
force members who are here
today, our task force members
come from many different
industries.
We have members that came from
the development industry,
procurement attorneys with
decades of experience in
procurement, consultants and of
course members of the
architects and engineering
community, some of which have
grown from being small
businesses to large businesses
today.
And while we had many different
views and a lot of disagreement
there is something I know we
all share and that is an
appreciation for the importance
that procurement has in
everything our county does.
From staff to industry we all
understand how important that
is and for that reason we are
very thankful to you CHAIRMAN
Rodriguez for creating this
initiative, to mayor cava for
sharing all the resources you
are able to give us, the
knowledge that staff was able
to provide us, director namita
and staff were there each way
of the process and their
dedication and concern for
improving the county
procurement process was visible
and its visible not only
through all the accolades that
are procurement department
receives from national
organizations but it was
visible to us throughout this
procurement even in times when
we disagreed.
The recommendations you will
find in our report, many of
which were included in the
items sponsored by the chair
were the result of a careful
examination of each phase of
the procurement process.
That means that we studied
issues that go beyond
architectural engineers items
or small businesses and we had
really went from each, we
studied each part of the
procurement process.
We analyzed how this focus
develops, that's a part that
sometimes is not as visible but
it's one of the important parts
because it's the foundation of
the whole procurement.
So we studied the scope,
studied the evaluations
process, what improvements we
can make all the way through
how we look at the issues that
came up through at issues that
came up in procurement as well
as improvements we can make to
the award process and beyond
which is the performance of
vendors and contractors during
their contract years with the
county.
So with that we hope you will
find these recommendations
useful and I'm happy to answer
any questions any of the
commissioners MAY have about
this process, not an mayor
anyone please use us as a
resource and we are happy to
provide our knowledge and
resource, thank you.
>> I alluded to it earlier but
I will reiterate all the
members here from strikeforce
are included in this comment
and some not here as well but
one of my biggest fears that
want to make sure my team kept
tabs on is that at no time many
of the strip committee members
would put their personal
interests before that of the
county and I will tell you not
just because they've told me,
because of hearsay but I've
seen it first hand in the item
that's in here.
But all these committee members
and the vast majority of them
supported recommendations out
of strip that were unfavorable
to their organizations.
But they all agreed it was the
right thing to do for the
county as a whole so I thank
you and I think everyone has as
much faith in you all as
perhaps we did over here and
those that were nominated, some
of you but you guys did an
excellent job so thank you for
doing that twice a month and
next time well spent on what's
been an important issue so
thank you MADAM CHAIRMAN.
>> thank you to you for taking
on this ambitious task,
certainly something I will be
for the benefit of not only our
administration, the
commissioners and the public in
facilitating the process.
As you think the members to
acknowledge it was a tremendous
amount of work, they took it on
diligently, our staffs
expertise very critical to the
process and especially to the
CHAIRWOMAN.
Facilitated with grace and
great skill.
To get to the finish line.
I want to thank you as well for
acknowledging some of the items
that need to be considered
further.
I do want to also
acknowledge some of the items
were already underway
administratively through our
staffs efforts and the staff is
eager to proceed to turn all
these into a single volume if
you will that will make it easy
leave, readily accessible to
everyone to understand the
myriad rules that we do have.
Overall this will save us time,
save us money and lead to
better outcomes so thank you
very much MR. Chair.
>>chair: I guess two or three
members bifurcated items but
start I'll entertain a motion
on the, all the items.
>> I move 5 feet through 5h.
And its substitute in the
removal of 5f, 910 and 11.
>>chair: motion, second by
commissioner orbis.
Commissioner, I'm going to go
to you last.
Happy to go first but I don't
want you to jump back in later,
it's your decision.
I want to start with you then,
commissioner lopez.
>> I want to thank you first of
all for hearing some of the
concerns, certainly this
committee did an amazing job
and it's undertaking anything
like this isn't always fixed
one time and I love that you're
going to continue to work
particularly with my small
businesses and in district 5
small businesses are not only
the foundation but I profiled
them every week.
I tried to find a small
business because government
shouldn't be an event to small
businesses, it should be a
motivating small businesses not
only to begin but to grow.
I want to thank you for the
removal of nine, 10, 11, 33,
3435 and 37, great job that
those are things that I have a
lot of concerns about and I
want to thank you for your
leadership on that but I do
want my small businesses to
know I will continue to work
with them in this commission
because it's the one thing I
want to do and have emphasized
since I became commissioner.
my support for small businesses
is a high priority in district
5 so I'm looking forward to
continuing to work with you but
this is the start of many good
things to come so thank you.
>>chair: on this side,
commissioner.
>>commissioner gilbert: I guess
15h could we delete the
requirement to drop the lowest
selection committee score from
procurement.
Because that's one of the
things that in case you're
with.
>>chair: if the director could
come up.
Can you address.
>> through the chair,
commissioner the yes, the
requirement to draw the low
score for architecture
engineering solicitations is no
longer the requirement so we
won't be dropping if this
passes, the reason being is as
a part of the efficiency we are
reducing the number of members
from 5 to 3. Up to $20 million
so if you drop the scores the
lowest there would be only two
people whose scores would be
counted.
And still we are going to do
the variation study of if the
scores deviate by 30% people
have to justify on the record.
So I think the safeguards are
in place to not to do that.
>>commissioner gilbert: you
said this but the answer is no
it has not been deleted.
So removal from the item.
I have an issue with that, plus
it's one of the things I think
we put in recently.
Because previously those
procurements, sometimes they
are extraordinary outliers.
not to say that anyone would do
it on purpose.
But sometimes people are taking
a score on purpose so there's a
reason we put that in.
So I wouldn't want to
disapprove of that and also on
the sunset small business
enterprise advisory board I'll
keep looking at that later but
it's my understanding that's
the board that sets the goals.
>> that's the board that sets
periodically, they just look at
how small businesses are doing,
what can they do differently to
give suggestions and ideas.
>>commissioner gilbert: who
would do that if they didn't do
it.
>> the german has withdrawn
that requirement but absent
that what we committed was we
will still need with industry
leaders, whoever does this
every month, every two months,
one meeting for any, one
meeting for construction to get
their ideas and feedback and
continue to work
collaboratively to implement
those.
>>commissioner gilbert: I'm
fine with that and I appreciate
you all being willing to meet
the reason why we have systems
and a lot of things.
That's not required with the
benevolence of administration.
So I would think that it's kind
of difficult to value our small
businesses that we actually
talk to them and they meet so I
think those are challenging
things to say together but
those are my observations MR.
CHAIRMAN.
I understand reducing the
amount of people.
I don't know reducing them is
the right move either but to
the extent, having been here
for a while you can see people
with scores life let's give
examples of 80, 80, 21.
That's just kind of crazy.
So that's why we put that in
there so I think that's
probably something that needs
to be addressed.
>>chair: when we went over
something that's something I
addressed.
The reason we added that in I
do understand it is reducing
from five members to three so
it's two numbers and that's why
they wanted to account for 3 so
in theory I agree with dropping
the last or lowest score but
bringing it down to three
members it's challenging to
drop one of them.
>>commissioner gilbert: what if
you have an outlier?
>> the current safeguard is we
do the average scores and if
somebody scores 33% or more
deviated from the average score
we ask that committee member to
either explain what the
rationale is and have a
discussion and sometimes they
MAY realize I made a mistake or
MAY say we keep it but the
deviation analysis is done for
all committee members.
>>commissioner gilbert: if
that's the option then I'd
rather stay with five members
because were saying if there is
an outlier we ask them about it
and they can't explain it, they
can stick to that score.
But it takes a lot to submit
these proposals.
So the reason why it's in
their, like you don't want
those scores that are
significantly below to be
counted because that one person
can tank somebody's entire
submittal.
And the reason why it exists is
because we saw it happening.
That's why that was in there.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
MADAME CHAIRWOMAN, diana.
I know the specific portion
past 8 to 0. Can you walk us
through why we're we were
reducing it and the second
piece was reduced but the
reason for the objection is
it's so hard to get.
>> that's right MR. Chair.
It takes a lot to assemble an
evaluation committee.
Sometimes it's the little
procedural things nobody thinks
of that takes so much time but
they do and I see it all the
time, making public records
request and it's trying to
schedule one meeting because
everything of course needs to
be done under the sunshine so
we selected it based on that
certain thresholds for larger
contracts but you still have
the five-member committee, for
smaller contracts we concluded
that a three panel committee
would suffice.
But that entailed MR. Chair as
you mentioned we couldn't drop
the lowest score at that point
because then at that point the
selected proposer would be
selected based on the scores of
only 2 evaluation committee
members which defeats the whole
purpose of having one third
evaluation committee member
there.
>>chair: are we only if it's if
it's one there for the five as
well?
And probably namita should stay
at one podium, this is a big
package so we're going to have
a lot of questions.
>> the requirement is getting
eliminated from all
procurements.
Regardless of the threshold.
>>chair: would you feel
comfortable to remove it from
the smaller procurements, add
it back to the small
procurements but keep it off
from the bigger ones and have
five numbers.
>>commissioner gilbert: I was
interested in what you said
because you said we could
remove it, you'd be dropping
the third one and you couldn't
just have it based on the 2 but
even in that scenario if it
were larger you'd be dropping
the 50 it would still be
happening just on 4, still an
average of those scores so that
in and of itself it was a fake
company that it was some
unfairness, it really didn't
actually change anything.
It's still significant and let
me add those small contracts
small procurements are really
big to small businesses.
It's small in comparison to our
multibillion-dollar budget.
But not to them.
That would make me more
comfortable.
I think probably I'm okay with
that average, dropping it and
taking the average of 2.
I'm okay with that because what
we're saying is this person was
way out of line and in some
instances they dropped the
highest and the lowest.
In some instances that's what
happens in procurement, you
require more people so that's
different.
I understand the scheduling,
also if what we're saying is we
make this accommodation because
it difficult to get people in
place and together I understand
that.
Let me suggest to the
ministration since that time
these are the times you would
do a procurement.
You block these times off, they
worked here for us.
Show up, it's part of your job.
This is where you report to
them.
This is where you report, this
is what you do today.
That's not that complicated.
I did at miami gardens.
If you're going to be here
you're going to do this and
whatever your normal duty is
this is your normal duty today
but to rewrite the system based
on the calendar availability
it's almost something we should
be hesitant to admit in public.
>>chair: can't we amend, it's a
lot more than just their
calendar.
It's qualifications, and then
that adds time to procurement
so that's how we are able to
reduce, that MAY not be the 60%
reducing but that's 5%.
It all adds up, a lot of little
things we're changing at up to
the 60% time reduction.
So that's why we need to bring
it down to the three member
evaluation committee.
Small procurement and I agree,
they are big procurements but
smaller in the grand scheme of
all the contracts.
So I agree with both sides.
It's a question of can we maybe
drop it to commissioner
gilbert's point, drop it if
it's only that 33% that we
discussed.
>> we could do that.
>> instead of having them
explain, just drop it at least
if it goes over 33.
>> if your score is beyond the
33% deviation, yes that could
be a recommendation.
And that would be standard
practice across all
procurements I guess,
regardless of the dollar value.
>>commissioner gilbert: that is
substantially better and I want
us to remember we are looking
at categories here and some
things like what I've noticed
about one of our procurements
right now is there shouldn't be
that type of deviation in
certain categories so for
instance if you have the price
is a category.
The cost is a category.
So if you are the cheapest then
you get all the points, if you
are the next cheapest you get
less points but you shouldn't
have people getting the same
amount of points for instance
for cost because the other
stuff is also a category like
experience and quality, all
that stuff is also a category
but if you can factor all those
things into whether this costs
more because we think it's
better than the other
categories you're counting that
twice.
So the fact that there is that
type of deviation, I say that
to mean it's relative to where
the points deviated.
Because some things are just
numbers.
It's just it should be if you
charge $100 and think you are
confident in submittal and you
charge $100 and that's the
cheapest price and you get all
those points the next person
charges $105.
Those things can be
standardized, there should be
deviation.
Those are things we should look
at.
As for 33% how did you come up
with that number, I would be
substantially more comfortable
with 25%.
I'm thinking I break everything
into dollars because I don't
have a lot of money so 75,
that's 25, 50 $75.
I'm saying if something is on
dollar and someone else is
saying that it's 45, 55, 65
$0.70 under.
Those deviations are way out of
range.
And so I just want to be
mindful because I know what's
going to happen and GOD willing
I won't be here when it
happens.
But there's going to be a small
business that's harmed by this
process.
And they're going to come here
and complain about these bids
and we're going to feel very
sympathetic because it's going
to affect their business and
it's a decision we are making
right now.
This decision will live on
beyond this moment, it will be
something written in paper but
something written in somebody's
bank account.
Or their mortgage payment.
And it's going to exist in
different ways so I would be
more comfortable with 25%.
>>chair: I'm good with doing
that, for the three members you
keep it for the three unless
it's over, you're suggesting
25% is your reason.
so the committee claps to
clarify 20% over and below is
that the intention.
>> I have to check back, I
think it's low scores but
deviation could be offered
lower usually is on the lower
side but I have to check back.
>> if it's over 25% deviation
and is not counted.
Go ahead.
>> to clarify this was an
amendment to recommendation 16
so what I have down here is
keep eliminating dropping low
scores except if the lowest
score deviates 25% or more
average score for all committee
members.
That's the recommendation
currently over 65, then that we
are changing the recommendation
to keep and drop the lowest
score except the score deviates
25% or more.
>>chair: senator garcia.
>>senator garcia: thank you MR.
Chair. And by the way I
appreciate what you're doing
here.
I'm just throwing that out to
thank you for bringing up some
of those and resolving some of
those issues that are
outstanding that will go a long
way to help our small
businesses, I have one more
question if I MAY and it has to
do with the startup businesses.
E have moved, we went from,
we should not have a
requirement on timing staff
members for startup businesses.
When you have started
businesses especially since we
talked about engineering and
architecture firms, that's
usually one employee, is there
a rationale for that, can we
look into that as well because
when we are the neck right now
of startups.
Inviting private investors to
come up here and usually most
of these startups are 1 or two
employees, help me with that
rationale.
>> through the chair, senator
we did not change any
requirements to be a small
business from one employee or
two employees are three
employees, there is no
requirement.
Like you have to have three
employees to certify a small
business.
The three employee requirement
has been the long-standing
policy to get local preference.
And if you want to qualify for
local preference you have to
have three employees, that was
the policy adopted eight or 10
years ago by the board but if
you're a small business you
don't have to do that either.
You need three employees to be
local preference so that
requirement has not changed.
>>chair: I am becoming more
confused right now so for,
let's talk about local
preference.
The definition of the small
business is what?
>> there is a dollar threshold
for your business income, gross
income and you don't need
employees.
There is a confusion in
industry, their thinking we are
changing the requirement to be
a small business.
We did not so the requirement
stays as is, you can have one
employee or your owner
yourself.
>>senator garcia: that's for
the small business and now for
local preference, local
preference what is it?
Claps to qualify for local
preference you have to have a
business tax receipt issued by
miami-dade counties tax
collector's office and you have
to have three employees.
If you are a small business
already you don't need that
three employees.
>>senator garcia: you can
qualify as a small business and
local.
That's fair, I think that
addresses my concerns and I'm
fairly comfortable.
Hank you
for what you are doing.
>>chair: commissioner steinberg
.
>>commissioner steinberg:
clarification on the local
preference, generally speaking
we have a core eligibility
issue and we know one of them
is supporting local jobs, so
what are we doing to advance
belief because we have two
different versions of this
relief, can you please give me
some clarification.
Claps to qualify for local
preference or enhance
encouraging business with the
local company?
Commissioner, I think in 2016,
20 17th this board or the prior
board adopted changes to the
local preference program which
changed the requirement to have
one employee to a three
employees you have to have a
local business tax receipt and
contribute to the local economy
in miami-dade by either renting
or by renting office space so
you have to have local
preference but in addition to
that there's locally
headquartered programs where if
you are nerve center business
is in miami-dade county then
you also get additional
preference whether regardless
of the type of procurement and
in certain architecture
engineering procurements there
are more, if you subcontract
with a locally headquartered
firm you are eligible for more
points as a scoring criteria
and in addition we have
invested under the mayor a lot
of resources in creating
training programs through our
vendor academy we launched
under the mayor in 2023 to give
local companies and small
companies resources they need
to do business with miami-dade
county other it's we do
registration boot camps,
walking in through different
classes, free classes.
English, spanish and creole,
we've created a youtube
training program so they can
watch their own time and we
have opened offices in the
south.
We go there and also cater to
the businesses himself so there
are efforts we are coming up
with and recently we also
launched the comprehensive
small and local business
development program which there
are departments in the county
have benefits or the they
offered to small local
companies so we are
incorporating that there is a
single resource or single
document for any small and
local company to see what kind
of benefits they could get from
the county in addition to doing
business with the county.
>>chair: vice chair, did you
have anything?
>>vice chair mcghee: let me say
to both of you thank you so
much.
It's obvious the work that went
into this produced a great
product where we can hang our
hats on it and appreciate the
system even more and to the
administration thank you for
making sure this is something
that again would right the
ship, get us where we need to
be as relates to procurement
and thank you for your
leadership in pushing us
forward.
Have a few
concerns, I'd like to address
but address it technically,
each line by line and I would
issue some statements and asked
for clarity as I make my
position.
The first thing that strikes me
the most is the fact that you
all have been working on this
for over a year.
Meeting twice a month, giving
up your time, your quality time
with your family and just wing
time in.
What bothers me the most though
is the fact that there were
substitutes filed on these
items.
At the very last minute.
And when you look at the
substitutes as they work file
as it pertains to each one of
the items, these are no small
items to overlook.
It takes time to flesh it out
to see how is it going to
affect this or that.
I would have preferably
requested, and I'm I haven't
said yet but I think I will, I
would prefer to defer these
items to give me an opportunity
to really meet with
stakeholders to see if in fact
this is what they had bargained
for or they are willing to
bargain for.
What I heard from those podiums
earlier, I didn't hear them say
they had a comfort level with
the substitutes.
What I heard was that they
needed more time to review the
substitute so they could make
an informed decision about the
proposed changes that they just
received midnight.
Including your self.
I was prepared to vote one way
based on the original waivers
because I had it all lined up,
we had it.
But it just strikes me as odd
to receive these substitutes,
midnight on something that is
so huge that's going to change
the trajectory of business and
procurement in miami-dade
county, it strikes me and
forces me to ask the question
why not simply the furthest to
the next meeting so we can have
time to flesh out the issues we
heard from that podium.
And I'm wondering and asking
this question MISS Mendez, is
there a reason why we should
actually move forward right now
as opposed to waiting till the
next meeting to give those of
us who are entrenched and
really supportive of small
businesses, is there a reason
why we can't wait until the
next meeting so we can flesh
out these things and meet with
the stakeholders, will
something got lost in the fray,
will there be a cost that we
must bear if we were to just
simply push this to the next
meeting, just asking that one
question.
>>chair: I think that's for
diana.
>vice chair mcghee: whoever
wants to answer the question
but if you want to that would
be great.
>>chair: you can't wait until
next meeting because this is
real people's money we are
talking about, taxpayers money
we are talking about and then
the only thing that was removed
is those substitutes is a
removal of anything pertaining
to small business, nothing was
changed so the same item about
a week ago you have before you
today was just removed, nothing
was changed.
There were no games so you've
embedded it's true then you
have it all, the numbers called
out were just extracted from
the items so here we have it,
senator garcia often brings
that point up in the other
items in it makes sense, things
are dramatically changed.
It was just removed from the
item to further elaborate on
discussions on what they spoke
about at the podium today but I
see no reason it cannot wait
another month.
The reason that it skipped
committee is because we are
having this discussion amongst
the entire board.
And I want the entire board to
discuss it and there were in
excess of 20 to 25 meetings
held at any time, they were
sunshine meetings at any
commissioner could have taken
time if they had an interest in
showing up and spoken to the
committee at that time.
>>vice chair mcghee: appreciate
my position not to say there
was funny business going on
behind the scenes or someone at
a position that would benefit
another person.
My position has always been the
same and it will be the same,
it's really about transparency
at this point because at the
end of the day we prepared, we
were briefed but at the last
minute we feel as if things
were injected into a
conversation and it forced
those to come to the podium
without adequately being
prepared with the new changes
so you're asking not you but we
are asking individuals who MAY
or MAY not be affected to
on-the-fly look at this with
the lens of you know, whether
it's the corridor work or
whether it hurts the business
or whether or not it moves the
agenda forward away it is, I'm
simply asking the question if
we've already waited a year and
to wait an additional 20 days,
would it really cost that much
money to give comfort to the
people who came to the podium
who raised the concerns that
there MAY be something there
that they need to understand
and let's be clear, I am an
attorney.
By trade.
That's what I do, I read
documents quickly, I get to the
point, identify the issues, do
the analysis and do the
conclusion but we are talking
about small business for who
are as equally intelligent as
we are but they're asking for
more time so they can make sure
what they're reading is what
they're reading because if they
have an issue with it and we
work for them we are simply
saying give them more time to
read it, just defer till the
next meeting and if that's not
something the board wishes to
do I'm okay but I want to make
sure I put this on the record
and I will be voting no on all
these items, the ones that have
had the substitute applied to
it at the very last minute
because I do not believe that
the good faith I can hang my
vote on something that very
well MAY screw over the small
businesses down the road
because this has not been
properly invented and I do
believe there is a world where
small businesses are going to
be screwed because we rushed
this at the last minute when in
fact we could have easily
postponed it for one month to
give everybody a comfort level
so they can meet with folks and
get their issues out of the
way.
So those are my positions on
the record MR. CHAIRMAN so is
nothing against you, nothing to
suggest something funny went
behind the scenes, it's simply
saying you don't, we don't drop
this amount of change at
midnight on and tell us it's
okay, these are the things we
want to remove without knowing
whether or not it's going to
affect monetarily those small
businesses who are the
backbones of our community so
those are my positions for the
record so thank you to the
ladies and the administration
and to you MR. CHAIRMAN, you
did a great job and that's a
lot of work that you all did on
this project and again I take
my hat off to you.
>> commissioner.
>> thank you MR. Chair, I want
to be brief in my remarks and
thanking you for your
leadership on this.
I was running my first campaign
and I think the business
communities loudest complaint
was procurement.
We need to get procurement in
order in miami dade county and
when the ambassador and my
friend forever commissioner
cabrera was here we took a stab
at it and this is an issue
we've dealt with for a very
long time and I'm very grateful
to you MR. Chair and your
leadership in putting together
such a comprehensive approach.
I'm grateful to our
administration, if you've not
seen namita binder of the
procurement ordinances that we
have passed as a board that she
and her team are required to
follow then every procurement
it would blow you away.
The binder is about this being
and I know the task force
tackle that and hopefully it
will substantially reduce that
binder making things more
streamlined and efficient and
hopefully finding more
businesses to do business with
miami-dade county and I want to
thank the task force members.
Meeting twice a month for 12
months is not a small ask.
I know a number of board
members are parents, have young
children in school, some lives
out of the county so you're not
doing this for compensation,
you're doing this because you
care and I'm grateful for you
investing that much time to
sit, govern, chair meetings and
volunteer your time to get to
the point where we are today.
t is greatly appreciated so
thank you for that and
regarding the small business
concerns I'm grateful for the
efforts made to remove
provisions our community said
where a concern.
That's the fair thing to do and
if there is an amended item I
look forward to that but this
needs to pass today so we can
get the ball rolling.
Appreciate the savings of
dollars are community will pass
on to our residents and
appreciate the reduction in
procurement time, 60% is not a
small number so congratulations
to all of you and I'm happy to
support the item, thank you MR.
Chair.
>>chair: commissioner milian
orbis.
>>commissioner milian orbis:
thank you MR. Chair. I
obviously agree with the task
force recommendations.
You've worked diligently the
past year on hopefully fixing
our procurement system.
E get
so many complaints, one of
those we've received as
commissioners and I'm glad we
were able to address those, I'm
glad we were able to assist
them so thank you for moving
this forward.
>>chair: commissioner bermudez.
>>commissioner bermudez: I have
a lot to say, let me start by
thanking you because your
efforts are efforts that I
think a number of us share but
you all shared which is to make
things more efficient in the
county not only for the large
businesses but small businesses
and I applaud your effort and
thank you for even though i
agree with the vice chair but I
don't like things being dropped
at 11 o'clock I appreciate the
fact you've taken steps to
clarify some of those things
and it's appreciate.
But effectiveness and
efficiency we've always shared
that and I applaud you as chair
for trying to move us in that
direction.
Not always as we had somebody
here earlier was a candidate
for lieutenant governor and
used the words nobody wants to
repeat, nobody was removed so
don't worry about it.
I probably want to support the
others and I'll tell you why.
When you were kind enough to
create the committee, namita
which by the way is an
improvement, she said 72 days
was the average and now it's 39
so it's a bit of an increase.
He also pointed out there
were 177 to 179 ordinances that
they tried to make the changes.
To decrease it to fewer
ordinances so it would be more
effective.
Increasing transparency and
decreasing bureaucracy and
being more efficient is always
something that is very very
important but looking at 5g in
particular, transparency is a
word used by many people.
Accountability is used by many
people especially in politics.
We are removing the collusion
portion.
From our ordinance.
So what type of message do we
send to the public, the
citizens at large and small
business we remove the
collusion portion?
Of the ordinance?
And don't think I didn't catch
it namita because I did, it's
not on the recommendations
because it wasn't a
recommendation and thank you to
the committee, appreciate the
work all you did.
We have a small business owner
to my left and I know bills
isn't a small business but we
are appreciative but the
collusion portion, removing
that bids precluded from
related parties.
Really?
If you're going to talk the
talk you've got to walk the
walk.
This department needs to be
changed.
Namita is a wonderful lady, the
administration has done a great
job but as many times as we say
it doesn't mean anything you do
the right job because at this
point my concern which is
whether you are large or small,
that we do things right.
The CHAIRWOMAN And many of
those members which by the way
they should be, they should
talk the talk, they should
really walk the walk after they
talk the talk.
We are sending the message and
I'm going to leave it with this
because I'm going to vote no on
the last three but I will
support you on the first one.
I think 20 days does not make a
difference.
20 days gives the opportunity
to all these people that spoke
on behalf of small businesses
and by the way the gentleman
who got a little bit emotional,
it's a second-generation small
business in miami-dade county,
needs an architect and I
thought senator garcia talks
about those startups, that's
great, we can get startups but
let's get people that can start
their own law firms, people
that construct their own
businesses going.
I have a problem with really
truthful like a problem with
the lack of transparency and
accountability on the issues
that make it more transparent
and accountable and he's not
sitting there now but I know
he's listening.
Commissioner soon to be
congressman gilbert, I'm going
to MISS Him.
I'm going to MISS Him a lot
because he's one of the guys I
count on that always checks
those details with the
administration.
Because we get told in the six
months later nothing has
happened but he's the one guy I
can count on that will say wait
a minute, did this happen, you
said this so I'm going to MISS
You because when you're gone
and I know the gentleman who
replaces you is a wonderful guy
but your zealousness to make
sure when the administration
talks the talk they should walk
the walk.
Has always been important to
this commission.
So oliver, I hope it's not just
a matter of you're going to
have other problems but I hope
that this commission if we keep
on using this term is
effective, and yes, if it can
be reduced I'm fine but we have
to monitor that whether in the
public it looks like it's going
to pass or whether there is an
extension, it's going to pass
eventually but I would like to
make sure we monitor this,
really monitor this.
i can't now that oliver is
going either that or I'm going
to have to get a cost and sit
in my office over here and it's
crazy so I want to make sure
these things get done and the
removal of section 2 11, I
don't think it's a good thing.
It sends the wrong message to
all the businesses, small
medium and large that the game
is, I don't know.
Everybody understands there's a
process and I've always been
confused.
All I want is fairness and
clarity.
The world is not perfect.
It isn't, not everybody's fair
but this is not just about us
as a commission, it's about the
administration.
We saw earlier today the
commission of a district could
have been facing tremendous
backlash and that just popped
up.
So I'm going to vote no on the
three others, I applaud you
again and don't take it
personally love the things I
said but I applaud the fact you
at least were willing to tackle
this subject, it's an important
subject and it just so happens
I'm not going to do three of
the items.
>>chair: you need to do
something?
>>commissioner gonzalez: if I
can remove cosponsorship 8 k5.
>>chair: anyone else?
Hardemon, are you getting?
I mean,
>>commissioner hardemon: you
know we can talk.
>>chair: I'm trying to say if
raquel speaks first and you say
something that triggers her
she's going to want to speak
twice.
>>commissioner hardemon: that's
how this works, we each other
and say what we believe, we
don't create a game and call
the player.
>>commissioner regalado: thank
you to my colleagues, I wish
glad some of my concerns were
mentioned and I'm going to
start with the easy stuff.
In 5g there is one of the
recommendations is to develop a
standard ground lease
agreement.
I would like this to have
parity with what we did for
hud.
What we did is we said where
going to have a standard ground
lease and when you apply
whatever you don't object to
you are barred from objecting
to it.
So I think you should add that
on here because that's really
when we study why broward and
other places do it faster it's
because we have a template,
whatever you disagree with in
that template if you do not
submit your objection when you
submit your response, you are
foreclosed from bringing it up
during negotiations so that
would be my recommendation for
parity with what we do in
affordable housing so
everything kind of lines up the
same way.
We spent a lot of time doing
that so I don't know, you are
cool with that, that's an easy
one.
The other one I wanted to
mention unfortunately I can
never forget and item.
I appreciated the five day
objection period.
And the changes to the
objection period.
But I can think off the top of
my head of seven procurements
where there was not an
objection.
Yet when it came to the board
of county commissioners we were
inundated with letters drafted
exactly like objections.
So I think we need to draw a
hard line here because what we
MAY be doing is incentivizing
people to not object and then
send a letter and turn us into
the selection committee.
It's happened too many times
and I did watch by the way,
they were fascinating, a lot of
the points that were made were
great points but this was not
tackled because it's not
something you all see, it's
something we see.
So I don't know if you want to
deal with that now, I have
suggestions.
I think again
similar to what I'm saying
about the contracts, if there
has to be a determination, if
you send a letter when this
comes to the board and there is
a determination that whatever
arguments you are making could
help make an objection those
arguments should be stricken
when it is presented to the
board because you're choosing
not to go down one path so you
can take a second bite at the
apple or worse you know both
and all we are doing is delete
relitigating the objection and
complicating things more.
I think if we are going to draw
a line that it should cover
everything and not create
unintended consequences by
incentivizing people not to
object.
>>chair: I agree, how do we?
>>commissioner regalado: how we
effectuate would be when we get
a letter, when the agenda item
publishes we get the letters.
When we get the letters they
are made part of the record
here and usually passed out.
What I would say is, and
usually procurements is copied.
When they get those letters
then they have to give it to
our legal department and they
have to say these arguments
could have been.
An objection to the
procurement.
O those
arguments are taken out because
you had your chance to object.
And you didn't object and your
placing those objections in a
correspondence so you can have
a second bite at the apple
here.
In the same way when we
function because I judicially
that things are stricken then
that should be stricken.
That would be my legal advice.
>>chair: do you see an issue
with that?
>> it sounds fair but the whole
idea is the further you advance
into the process the more
entrenched you are into the
process so the idea of creating
another level of an objection
is precisely to do that, if
there's anything that needs to
be changed about the process
that staff and the
administration have the
opportunity to do so before it
is another year before it comes
here for you.
>>chair: you're saying
specifically just to arguments
that could have been.
>>commissioner regalado: things
that should have been, what
could have fallen within an
objection to that procurement
which now they are relitigating
in correspondence to the lord
of county commissioners instead
of officially filing an
objection or they did file an
objection, it was rejected and
now we are bringing it up
again.
>>chair: I'm fine with it, but
let's say we implement that,
they send us the letter.
We it becomes part of the
record, we give it to the
attorney.
They say what you just said
that it could have been
objective.
What happens after that because
as commissioners you can still
bring it up, they still kind of
accomplish.
>>commissioner regalado: yes
but on the record it will be
said this argument could have
been part of an official
objection and they chose not to
do that.
If we still want to go down
that rabbit hole we can but at
least there is on the record a
statement that they chose to
not use the vehicle provided to
them by our procurement.
>>chair: I don't see an issue
with it.
>> as mayor you reserve the
right to listen to it but you
acknowledge it was something I
could have been cured in an
earlier portion of the board
was given the opportunity at
that time.
>>chair: it doesn't change the
outcome on our end at least but
I'm fine with it because it
doesn't change what the
committee puts on the record
and they could have objected.
>>commissioner regalado: what
I'm saying is I think the
restrictions we are placing on
objections, I don't want people
to then send letters as a
because I objection.
I'm trying to hold everyone to
that rule and I think this
allows us then to look at those
arguments in the context of not
choosing to object.
>>chair: she still has the
floor.
>>commissioner gilbert: I
follow what you say
commissioner regalado but the
CHAIRMAN's point is well taken
because you're saying that
would just be cosmetic because
we could still always consider
and any other thing would be a
limitation on our ability to
take whatever comes into
purview into making our
decisions and we have that
discretion unless it's because
I judicial.
I think it's just cosmetic.
>>commissioner regalado: it's a
clarification on the record
because I can think of three
times it's happened where we
put our attorneys in a
difficult spot because then we
asked the question could this
have been an objection?
If it's already comes to us
with the determination saying
they didn't file an objection
or they did file an objection
and what's in this letter is a
repeat of that objection or
they could have filed, maybe
they mentioned five things,
they could have filed
objections for 1, 2 and three
they didn't and now four and
five that would have fallen
outside the scope, we can
consider all of it but at least
the record is clear as to their
decision to not file an
objection to be held to the
existing standard and if we
want to then step into that
space we do so knowingly
without turning it into a
commissioner has to ask the
question in order to have that
clarified.
>>commissioner gilbert: but
that's why it's cosmetic
because it doesn't actually
change anything, that's almost
the definition of cosmetic.
It doesn't change anything so
what they can say.
>>commissioner regalado: I hope
it does incentivizing them.
>>commissioner gilbert: so it's
lipgloss and not lipstick, I
don't get that but you accepted
it, let's roll.
>>chair: commissioner bermudez
to that point.
>>commissioner bermudez: I
agree with commissioner
gilbert, it's totally cosmetic
because some of the people on
that committee do this all the
time, we get a letter and an
elective decision was taken by
the committee and they might
lose a procurement here and
then they come in front of us,
I have no problem with it.
My only suggestion would be
since I believe legally they
still have the ability to bring
it in front of us whether we
like it or not it's up to us to
say you didn't follow the rules
and what I suggest is we also
add some language the county
attorney's office has to put a
line or a copy of it is in an
instance that they did not
appeal x, y, and z here.
But put it in writing because
we all know how the game is
played, they didn't get it,
they hired ex-, x lobby sauce
and tries to change the
decision.
If we are clear at the very
least we do it as a body and
accepted because you have a
right to come in front of us.
But I want the attorneys to add
least put it in writing.
>>commissioner regalado: this
would allow us to quantify it
and if people keep doing it we
can do something about it
because right now it's kind of
left to our memory to remember
how many times it's happened
because it's not something we
considered.
Next one.
To commissioner gilbert's point
about deviations, one of the
things I was hoping to find
here and I didn't find was more
accountability in terms of
change orders.
I would separate change orders
into 2 buckets.
Change orders as a result of a
change in scope which don't
concern me because that is a
department driven change order
versus change orders that you
didn't really know the market.
And now you're coming back.
Guess somewhere in the middle
there is change orders as a
result of time.
This board has already dealt
with that him and the majority
of our contracts saying if
there is a delay and a change
in pricing of materials or
labor we will add that to the
price so we've already done
that in the majority of our
departments so that doesn't
concern me nor does the scope
because sometimes the scope
changes and you get a scope
change order but in the case of
change orders that are, their
nature is derived from their
inability to quote the price
correctly, I think that there
should be an accounting of that
in our procurement system when
you look at these deviations.
I don't think you should look
at the deviations of that
contract, I think there should
be some information provided
regarding is this a serial
change order situation and
namita you and I have talked
about the serial change orders.
There are some people this is
their mo.
I would suggest as we look at
dropping the lowest we also
have some information about the
change order history of the
people that are being right
because if it's a scope thing
we change the scope, if it's a
time thing we've already dealt
with it but if this is a
situation in which you are
consistently underpricing in
order to hit us with change
orders this is the time to deal
with that and not later in the
process.
>>chair: namita, how can we
address that?
>> when the selection committee
is scoring you want them to
have information about the
change order history for each
of the companies?
>>commissioner regalado: when
we look at dropping the lowest,
I think that's when you should
look at change order history.
I'm happy to include it also as
a selection committee but they
will say that's different.
If you include it in the
selection committees decision
making regarding that, it might
be prejudicial but as you
decide to drop folks, that's
something you might want to
consider and definitely
something the board should have
access to as we look at those
decisions.
>>chair: can we lower our
voices, it's getting louder in
the background.
Guys in the back,
commissioners, staff.
Go ahead.
>> I'll have to look how we can
implement this, I don't want to
commit because collecting that
information means if there's 10
companies I have to collect
that information from
departments monitoring those
contracts and come back to
either selection committee so
it could be adding more time.
I'm happy to work with you
separately apart from the items
to incorporate how we make sure
the change orders are only as a
result of the county changes
and things like that but not
vendor driven.
>>commissioner regalado: I
would say maybe go back five
years and just look at the
vendor driven and when it comes
to the board, not as part of
the selection process but when
it comes to the board because
that's when the rubber meets
the road.
I don't want to jam up the
selection committee process but
that's information we need to
make a final determination.
If it's a serial change because
we are the ones that have to
approve the change order not
the selection committee claps
that could be done.
>>commissioner regalado: thank
you, now to the board a complex
one.
So one of the things we've
talked about that are part of
this is how we make up the
selection committee and I've
talked about this before.
Selection committees were
created by this board over two
decades ago when there was an
administration that did not
trust staff and over the years
we now have selection
committees made up of staff.
So the interesting, how the
pendulum has moved is very
interesting.
One of these changes changes
the makeup and I think that
there's been a lot of concerns
about the makeup of selection
committee in terms of their
expertise.
I appreciate that but at the
same time as someone who gets
frustrated when you're waiting
for something to get through a
department because the human
who has to approve it is on a
selection committee and another
selection committee and as a
result of the vacation time we
give them there are situations
in which the humans that are
supposed to be at their desk
are gone for a long time.
One of the things I discussed
that obviously we couldn't do
because of strip with namita
and staff was instead of
randomly picking individuals to
serve on the selection
committees and giving them
vacation time for it and having
them go out and come back,
tracking it and people are gone
for a long time as a result of
this process, consider having
the department select a group
of people that are there
selection committee people.
These are there experts and to
commissioner gilbert's point,
it is their job to show up.
And their workload is adjusted
as a result of that.
And we eliminate this vacation
time nonsense because it's not
working out for us.
Although only thing giving them
more vacation time is doing is
incentivizing a small group of
people to participate in
selection committees and they
go on vacation.
I would rather have a group of
people that we know are going
to be spending time in
selection committees and we
adjust their work accordingly
so I don't have something
sitting on their desk for five
months as we wait for them to
return.
And I think that we are losing
not winning on this vacation
time thing.
I would, we tried it.
Don't
think it's necessarily working.
We have people showing up at
selection committees saying I
didn't read this or have the
chance to read it, that happens
all the time.
So I think we need to really
look at who's serving on these
selection committees, let the
department pick the people best
suited for this.
Create a pool, remove the
vacation time situation and
adjust their work accordingly
so if they are not available to
do that work it can be given to
someone else and we don't have
to wait two or three months to
get something signed.
>>chair: we addressed this to
some level, which everyone,
this was talked about.
>> the selection committee
process has been revamped since
we last discussed and part of
the consideration as we
developed an ai tool that's
looking into the expertise of
the county.
We dumped the scope of work in
that ai tool that takes the
names of the people who have
expertise and takes into
account if they are serving on
another selection committee,
they are active county
employees and if they have done
the training so the workload
balance, there was a time when
people are getting appointed
multiple selection committees
so that has been addressed and
if I'm serving into selection
committees I'm not going to be
put in one third one because we
are trying to balance their
regular work with the selection
committee so that process, I
used to receive a lot of
complaints but now it has
smoothed over I haven't heard
any complaints where people are
saying I'm overdone on this
because we are spreading the
work on all departments plus
department directors are
recommending names for the
committee so let's say if it's
a five person selection
committee three people are
recommended by departments and
we try to find sometimes four
but trying to find the
remaining expertise from other
county departments so the
process is working much better
ever since we implemented the
ai tool and taken into account
their workload.
>>commissioner regalado: but
what about the vacation time
and cost of that and the loss
of that employee for that?
>> we were struggling with the
participation but I think it's
an incentive because people are
reading these proposals either
during their work or they keep
taking home there are five
proposals, eight proposals.
If you ask me I have no choice
but to take them home and read
them on the weekend so this is
to incentivize people, you do
get one day whether it's five
proposal rates, it has changed
the mindset that there's
something in return.
I think it's working.
>>commissioner regalado: but
namita, to my point we have
cases where people are walking
in saying they haven't even
read the executive summary,
that is a thing.
We get complaints about it all
the time it's not a new
complaint, is an ongoing
complaint and I appreciate the
directors are now participating
in the selection but it's
challenging for us to know that
they are not there desk.
There getting vacation time and
say they are not prepared or
they haven't read.
>>chair: instance we should
keep record in the person that
says they cannot read or review
the information should never be
part of one again for sure
because they said it on the
record.
They said it and it's recorded
so I agree with at least
keeping record but the other
thing what I would suggest on
the rest of it is let this play
out for a couple months, see if
it works a lot of these things
we MAY not need to revisit but
it's changed a little bit,
let's see what works now and if
not we revisit it.
>>commissioner regalado: there
certain departments we need
these people to approve these
so they need to get back to
their desk read the procurement
part is important but so is the
everyday work of miami dade
county and when you combine all
these things it gets a little
complex.
I hope, I think this idea of
reporting back on this and
saying how it's working is a
good idea.
I think having the directors
participate, having some
accountability and making sure
someone is not overly
participating in selection
committees because some of the
complaints I got is the same
people not reading, not knowing
but racking up all the vacation
time and disappearing so I'm
glad the ai or however we are
doing will try to curtail that
but I think the board should
also be aware of the reporting
on this in case we need to
course correct.
That's it.
>>chair: any other discussions?
Commissioner steinberg said she
wants double, you want to time
commissioner regalado?
I know there was a motion
already.
To move them all but I think I
don't know, I will take them up
separately.
Okay, go ahead commissioner
steinberg.
>>commissioner steinberg: I
think it's very important since
we are making some changes
today we get a lot of feedback
and I appreciate some of the
amendments that this does come
back in some form of a further
update.
I don't know if you feel six
months or a year is enough time
so we can incorporate and
fine-tune to make sure we are
cognizant of everything we are
doing so we can try to
eliminate as many unintended
consequences as possible so I
make that into a recommendation
or amendment into what we do.
>>chair: commissioner cohen
higgins.
>>commissioner cohen higgins: I
move 5e and any amendments.
>>chair: seconded by
commissioner gonzalez.
>>commissioner regalado:
commissioner steinberg made a
good point, we need a report,
are we running it staff through
all of them?
I'm happy to second her
friendly amendment.
>>chair: what did you suggest?
Procurement takes a bit so I
think that the 12 month mark
and just because procurement
takes a bit so at 12 months we
need namita a report and make
the adjustments as needed so as
amended for all of them with
the reporting so there is a
motion which was it?
Seconded by commissioner
gonzalez.
So item 5e substitute,
>>chair: likely amendment on
the floor.
>> amend 5e to require
disclosure of whether a
protester objected to issues
raised during a procurement
process.
>>chair: yes, okay, call the
roll.
>>commissioner gilbert:
>>commissioner gilbert: this is
a cosmetic change, yes.
>>commissioner gonzalez: for.
>>commissioner hardemon:
>>commissioner lopez:
>>commissioner milian orbis:
>>commissioner regalado: yes,
and it's data, not cosmetic.
>>commissioner gilbert:
lipgloss.
>>commissioner steinberg:
>>commissioner bermudez:
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
>>senator garcia:
>>vice chair mcghee:
>>chair: I vote yes.
>> motion passes unanimously.
>>chair: commissioner cohen
higgins.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
5f and any agreed-upon
amendments.
>>chair: second by commissioner
lopez, want to be the
amendments?
Want to read the amendments.
>> amended to remove
implementation recommendations
910 and 11, currently sections
12 and three of the item were
amended to amend the
corresponding code provisions
implementing those
recommendations.
They also have reporting
requirements.
>>chair: please call the roll.
>>commissioner gonzalez: for.
>>commissioner hardemon:
>>commissioner lopez: yes.
>>commissioner milian orbis:
>>commissioner regalado: yes.
>>commissioner steinberg:
>>commissioner bermudez: no.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
for.
>>senator garcia:
>>commissioner gilbert: yes.
>>vice chair mcghee: no.
>>chair: yes.
>> motion passes 1010 2.
>> we move 5g substitute and
agreed-upon amendments.
>> amend section 1 to require
applicants for the leasing of
county owned property to object
to terms of the counties
standard ground lease where the
applicant has foreclosed
releasing objections during
negotiation and adding a
one-year requirement.
>>chair: clerk please call the
roll, moved and seconded by
commissioner regalado.
>>commissioner hardemon:
against.
>>commissioner lopez: yes.
>>commissioner milian orbis:
>>commissioner regalado: yes.
>>commissioner steinberg:
>>commissioner bermudez:
english no, spanish no, no.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
>>senator garcia:
>>commissioner gilbert: yes.
>>vice chair mcghee: no.
>>chair: yes.
>> motion passes 8 to 4.
>> move 5h substitute and any
agreed-upon amendments.
>>chair: seconded by gonzalez.
>> eliminating dropping the
lowest score, keep that
recommendation a set if the
lowest score deviates 25% or
more from the average score
awarded this score shall be
dropped, also having a
reporting requirement within a
year.
>>commissioner regalado: we
talked about providing
information to the board
regarding change orders in this
one when it comes to the board.
>> it was directed to staff to
approve the agenda to include
it in the agenda.
>>chair: clerk please call the
roll.
>>commissioner lopez: yes.
>>commissioner milian orbis:
>>commissioner regalado: yes.
>>commissioner steinberg:
>>commissioner bermudez: no.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
for.
>>senator garcia:
>>commissioner gilbert: yes.
>>commissioner gonzalez: for.
>>commissioner hardemon:
>>vice chair mcghee: yes.
>>chair: yes.
>> motion passes 9 to 3.
>>chair: is that concluding our
public hearing items?
MADAM Attorney or MR. Attorney
if you can read now second
reading items.
>> you'd like for me to read
them all?
>>chair: yes please if you have
any bifurcation requests you
can read those as well.
>> seven a relates two for hire
motor vehicles amending 3183
and 304 of the code revising
provisions relating to the
temporary permanent removal of
chauffeurs from the ambassador
cab program providing
eligibility requirements
providing conditions under
which chauffeurs removed from
the ambassador cab program MAY
regain eligibility to apply to
operate and ambassador cab,
making technical and conforming
changes providing separability
inclusion in the code and an
effective date, 7b relates to
rules of procedure amending
section 2-one revising
requirements related to
notification provided by the
mayor's designee to all
district commissioners of
matters originating with the
administration providing
separability inclusion in the
code and an effective date, 7c
relates to passenger motor
carrier vehicles amending
section 31 102 and 31 107 of
the code revising vehicle age
requirements for certain
passenger motor vehicles
amending definitions making
technical and conforming
changes providing separability
inclusion in the code and an
effective date.
7e is an ordinance relating to
fire prevention amending
chapter 14 of the code,
updating title, amending
definitions, changing
requirements for an owner
statement, amending procedures
for reveals of fire code
violations, providing for the
recording of consent agreements
and notices of violation,
requiring building owners and
occupants notify the chief
official for correction of
certain violations, authorizing
the chief fire official to
order disconnection of
utilities and structures,
upending fire code violations
under specific circumstances,
making technical amendments to
the fire prevention code
updating the fire alarm
ordinance providing for the
sale of exempt fireworks in
accordance with section 791.04
of the statutes, providing for
the designation and posting to
identify structures sharing a
street address updating
requirements for submittal and
review of emergency action
plans, providing for the
testing of lighting equipment,
providing for the reporting of
required maintenance activities
for fire protection systems,
fighting for the installation
of emergency power systems and
installation of water supply
for firefighting outside the
urban development boundary,
making technical and conforming
changes amending section 8 ml
and vote imposing civil
penalties and providing
separability inclusion in the
code and an effective date and
7 a supplements, 7f relates to
the comprehensive development
master plan providing
disposition of application see
dmv 2113 located west of
northwest 137 avenue and sr 836
interchange and north side of
theoretical northwest 6th
street filed by kelly tractor
in the MAY 2023 cycle to amend
the counties comprehensive
development master plan
providing separability
exclusion from the code and an
effective date and supplements
1, 2 and 3.
Those are your second reading
items and I have a request to
bifurcate items 7e and did
supplements as well as 7a.
Then the only requests are 7e
and 7f.
>>chair: do I have a motion on
the remainder of non-bifurcated
items, second by gonzalez,
clerk please call the roll.
>>commissioner milian orbis:
>>commissioner regalado:
>>commissioner steinberg:
>>commissioner bermudez:
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
for.
>>senator garcia:
>>commissioner gilbert: yes.
>>commissioner gonzalez: for.
>>commissioner hardemon:
>>commissioner lopez: yes.
>>vice chair mcghee:
>>chair: I vote yes.
>> motion passes unanimously.
>>commissioner gilbert: show me
as cosponsor on 7a.
>>chair: 7e was bifurcated by
commissioner lopez.
You are recognized.
>>commissioner lopez: thank you
MR. Chair. I have an issue with
the supplement that removes the
proposed recordkeeping
requirement that was intended
to ensure certain fireworks
sales are being conducted in
accordance with the florida
statute, I was in the house
when we decided it was
important to ensure
accountability because we have
exemptions of the types of
fireworks that can be sold and
it's only through recordkeeping
we can keep people accountable
so I'd like to, I can't vote on
the item if they don't replace
the record-keeping document
which is the big accountability
provision.
>>chair: commissioner gonzalez.
>>commissioner gonzalez: first
to the county attorney's office
there's an amendment or
something you need to add.
>> commissioner gonzalez as an
amendment and he moves to amend
agenda item 7e to this item and
adopt agenda item 7e as
amended.
>>commissioner gonzalez: to
commissioner lopez, I don't
disagree, I think you're right
thank you for bringing it up.
The reason we took it out
initially, we had extensive
conversations with fire along
with the county attorney's
office and they can explain it
better than I but it seems
there might be a preemptive
issue here it seems like it
might arise litigation because
of some clarity that's needed
in the statute.
That's the reason we took it
out, I don't disagree with you
and I be happy to put it back
in but I'm told it could cause
possible litigation, that's
what I've been told.
I'm sure they can explain
further.
>> we've been together with the
fire department in
conversations with different
stakeholders on this issue.
The statute is less then clear
about what the department as in
this particular area, 99% of
this ordinance is unrelated to
fireworks, it's local fire code
so this is just one piece where
as of today I don't want to get
into the different litigation
strategies but the only two
things the statute is clear
about number one it's law
enforcement tasked with
enforcing statute, number two
you can use not a model of
clarity but we want to be clear
what the regulatory authority
is.
We differ to the warm-up to
talk about this issue but
that's where we are on the
legality.
>> I can't imagine asking
someone to keep records of
their litigation, that is what
the legislative intent was.
It's all because we have
exemptions of certain types of
fireworks that can be sold so
in order for us to understand
whether or not they are going
to do the right thing
record-keeping is the thing so
I disagree wholeheartedly with
the county attorney's
perception or the fire
department's perception.
i know what the legislature
meant and I believe asking
someone to keep records so we
can ensure they are selling the
appropriate fireworks and not
those that are illegal
shouldn't arise to any kind of
mitigation and if that were the
case we have to get rid of all
record-keeping for anyone,
that's absurd in my opinion.
>>chair: so what are we doing
here, you want to say it for
all the commissioners.
>>commissioner gonzalez: I'm
happy to work with fire in the
county attorney's office to
figure out because she makes a
valid point she was in
tallahassee when this was
getting done.
But per the conversation we had
I will move it as is, would
love to work with commissioner
lopez office to make sure we
remedy the record-keeping at
some point.
>>chair: clerk please call the
roll.
>>chair: we don't have a quorum
.
>>chair: second by commissioner
cohen higgins, call the roll,
commissioner hardemon.
>>commissioner hardemon: is the
amendment accepted?
But they are required to do it
right now, they are required to
keep records now.
>>chair: you MAY, yes, just
answer.
>> there is no requirement
under state law for companies
selling under this exemption to
keep any records at all.
Relating to this.
>> how are you removing it
then?
>>commissioner hardemon: I will
allow commissioner lopez to
engage further because as I
understand if they are allowed
now and I have an issue with
keeping the record because in
the district I represent we
have a lot of things that go
bang in the middle of the night
that cause great injury to
people.
And we have a proliferation of
tenants that are put up and
they sell what is deemed to be
fireworks or explosive devices.
So it's a mystery for me as an
individual and the people who
live in the community to have
to deal with this especially
having these illegal things
that go bang in the night if
that's your technical
definition but people use them
in ways in which they are
deleterious to our community
because they throw them at
houses, cars and things of that
nature.
If we knew where they were
buying them from or we knew
people selling these things
that go bang in the middle of
the night if they kept proper
record we checked those records
because I was told the fire
department checks but if they
are checking it doesn't really
do us any good.
This part of it really concerns
me.
I too share the same sentiment
that MISS Lopez shares and I
want to have that added to
this.
>>chair: commissioner steinberg
.
>>commissioner steinberg: I
understand this is 1% of the
overall item, however I don't
know that it's, I haven't heard
we are absolutely preempted or
required.
i haven't heard that.
Would
say we keep it in their.
And you know, let them figure
it out.
But what is tallahassee going
to do, I'm asking for
record-keeping.
>>commissioner gonzalez: can I
be recognized?
I'm not opposed to it.
I mean, I would like to leave
it in but I'm deferring to the
county attorney's office.
>>commissioner regalado: if I
could proffer a solution we all
agree is not expressed but
that's their legal opinion so
I'd tell you to leave it in.
You could maintain or enhance
reporting unless expressly
prohibited by existing state
law.
And then your good.
Because if it's expressly
prohibited by state law, but
give yourself the flexibility
of being able to do that.
>>chair: cho it amended and I
will call commissioner lopez.
Seconded, it was already
seconded I guess.
>>commissioner bermudez: I
agree with the amendment and
also commissioner lopez.
>> we are including it with the
caveat as long as it's allowed
by the state.
For as long as it's legal.
>>commissioner regalado: as
long as it's not expressly
prohibited, it has to be
expressly prohibited.
>>commissioner bermudez: the
governor and his buddies can do
a lot of things so I've got to
make sure it's expressly stated
here that it allowed, we have a
former state representative
here and if she feels
comfortable I will be more than
happy to support it I have the
same concerns as commissioner
hardemon and that commissioner
lopez had which is if it's not
there, okay, that's fine but
just to be clear because it
comes to tallahassee doesn't
make it right.
>>chair: clerk please call the
roll.
No, no.
Hold on, it's gilbert.
>>commissioner gilbert: I'm
curious because when this issue
was put to me earlier I asked
the attorney about that vary
solution and the attorney's
office I think had a problem
with that as a solution.
Because it wasn't that
difficult to get to.
So I asked about that solution
and they had a problem so I
want to make sure we are clear
and I don't know whether part
of the language they read
didn't say if there was
preempted but we are being told
we are preempting so is there a
general preemption with regard
to fireworks or what is the
preemption?
There is preemptive language
somewhere.
Where is the preemptive
language because I'm pretty
sure they're not just making it
up.
>> there is language, if I MAY.
Nytime that we take action
or we put something in code
there is risk.
Here is no
express preemption on this in
our opinion, there is language
in the statute that says a
county or municipality cannot
directly interfere with the
city on fireworks, that is in
statute, whether record-keeping
falls into that relation is an
open question.
>>commissioner gilbert: thank
you commissioner lopez.
Hat's
not a preemption.
That's not a preemption to
record-keeping.
This sale is not a preemption,
that shouldn't be acknowledged
so I think we can hand it back
in.
>>chair: clerk call the roll.
As excluded.
Clerk call the roll please.
>>commissioner regalado:
>>commissioner steinberg:
>>commissioner bermudez: as
amended as commissioner
steinberg said.
>>commissioner lopez:
>>senator garcia: aye.
>>commissioner gilbert:
>>commissioner gonzalez:
>>commissioner hardemon: for as
amended.
>>commissioner lopez:
>>commissioner milian orbis:
>>vice chair mcghee: yes, as
included according to nikki
steinberg.
>>chair: I vote yes.
>> motion passes unanimously.
>>commissioner bermudez: can I
release, my question about
square footage was answered, we
will talk about that later.
>>commissioner regalado: I
would like to release 2.
>>chair: are you guys leaving
or something?
So 7f.
Does the director need to read
anything?
Anything needs to be read on
the record?
Public hearing has already been
had.
Motion to approve, all right, i
have a motion.
Motion to reset, hold on.
>> I want to clarify, I have a
tooth fusing stat.
>>chair: what do you want to do
first?
>> I defer to commissioner
bermudez.
>>chair: there is a motion to
move the item, gilbert
seconded.
Commissioner steinberg.
>>commissioner steinberg: I was
saying at the conclusion of
this item I would like to be
recognized.
>> my understanding is it's a
motion to approve the staff
report and changes reference
with exceptions for covenant.
And standard conditions that
the applicant would be prepared
to submit the executed covenant
and sufficient opinion of
title.
Any necessary rejoinders within
seven days of the application.
>>chair: that's one motion for
the supplements.
All right, so it's been moved,
it's been seconded.
T
commissioner.
>>commissioner regalado: I want
to clarify a few things with
staff because we've made
changes to the application and
get something on the record so
I want to thank everyone that
came out and has reached out to
talk about this, I want to
thank the applicant in its
current form it is best in
class in terms of wetland
protection and for the folks
who have spoken against this I
want to say concern is not
conservation.
Talking about preserving
wetlands and actually
preserving wetlands are two
very different things.
The covenant does the second
one and that's why
uncomfortable supporting it
today.
It puts 80 acres of wetlands
into public ownership on any
new program permanently with
the money to maintain it and it
does it on the record with an
enforceable instrument only
this board can change.
The designation based on the
wetland protection is a wish
and a parcel with an owner,
maintenance plan in perpetuity
and funding mechanism is a
management plan and that's what
we need here is a management
plan.
This land is not christine,
commissioner cohen higgins has
told us time and again, part of
it is under covenant, city and
privately held with no public
assets and no dedicated
maintenance dollars, the rest
is being torn up by atvs every
weekend and nobody is
accountable for the damage
being done.
Last time we talked about this
we had so many people speak on
it and I wanted to give an
example that drives home what
condition this land is in.
So I offer to you the exempt
item, bird island is a
cautionary tale.
Nobody disputes it deserves
protection, and it's being this
void anyway by jet skis because
protection without funding and
enforcement is dust a talking
point and not preservation.
What this application does
after our amendments I think is
very important to highlight.
We are talking about 63 acres
preserved on site, right of way
does not count towards it, if a
road or expressly eats into it
we have to add acreage on the
property.
Of these 21 acres are preserved
off-site and when we talked
about mitigation credits we
changed it so it would be
within miami-dade county and
this doesn't end up somewhere
else, conveyance is important
in terms of the program and at
no cost to the county because
it comes with maintenance in
perpetuity.
I don't think moving forward we
have should have conversations
about wetlands without
including ownership of these
wetlands and if there's
anything we've learned time and
again that a covenant is just
that, something someone can
overturn but the ownership is
something that is
transformative and a standard
we should move forward.
One of the things included on
here that is important is a
conveyance.
This is not a promise but
something we will hold them to
before they open their doors.
We have a funding mechanism
that funds maintenance and we
know we have issues with eo, I
look forward to that
conversation.
We're going to maintain it in
its natural state free of any
exotic vegetation under the
maintenance plan or er would
approve that.
We have illegally a
conservation easement
requirement for the
preservation area pursuant to
section 204.06 of florida
statute and the preservation
area is carved out for district
boundaries.
We've also dealt with the
possibility of it being an
archaeological site and
confirmed that there's going to
be no physical alterations to
that piece that was one of the
requirements I think was
mindful and this is the first
time we approved a wildlife
underpass, I think it's very
thoughtful.
We spent a lot of time figuring
out how to do it but I think
moving forward it's something
we will be able to require in
future applications and you can
check that out in exhibit e.
The offset acreage goes first
to the north trail basin second
to the tribe basin, priority
order keeps the land under
lease.
We've talked so much about this
and with this ownership we can
go to the government and talk
about this and not just wish
the federal government will
give us money.
O one of the
things we also talked about is
not exporting our mitigation
anywhere else.
We have a signed and sealed
master plan, threatened and
endangered species survey
before any permit or
development order were
reviewed.
The full site plan review for
the property in all phases
before any new permits which I
think is important and no
commercial vehicle restored
within 25 feet of wetlands.
There is no residential units
except for one unit for
maintenance and security and
the ratio is.5.
the covenant runs with the land
for 30 years auto renewing and
it can only but be modified by
this board and the county can
pull permits if it is violated,
that addresses a lot of the
concerns we have as to what's
happened not in this
application what other
applications and beyond the
environmental protections we
will also add some very
thoughtful protections for our
county for all our residents
and I'm proud of the workforce
training including neuro-
divergent students and
emergency access to heavy
equipment is a game changer.
I was in broward talking with
some folks and they had an
issue with this, broward wanted
to know why miami-dade was
going to have better access to
kelly but during a declared
emergency miami-dade county
gets access and first priority
access to the tractors, not
their contractors, not their
vendors, miami dade county,
this is heavy equipment on the
ground the day after a storm
this is something that will be
important as we deal with
natural disasters.
The last thing is there is
another property in one of the
additions that's mindful given
what has happened to this board
in recent history in terms of
ownership of parcels that MAY
meet our expansion, before
listing the current
headquarters which is 41 x 24
acres plus the 9.43 acres
adjacent to the parcel,
miami-dade county mayor will be
giving notice at 120 days and
copying for the listing, that's
important what's happened to us
that we are also modifying this
to include if that property
does move forward miami-dade
county has the ability to
purchase that first.
So I think all these changes
have dramatically changed this
application and I hope everyone
will consider what staff has to
say and how different it was
from what was first proposed
but I'm happy to support it.
>>chair: clerk, please call the
roll.
>>commissioner steinberg: no.
>>commissioner bermudez: yes.
>>commissioner cohen higgins: I
vote no.
>>senator garcia:
>>commissioner gilbert: yes.
>>commissioner gonzalez: for.
>>commissioner hardemon:
>>commissioner lopez: no.
>>commissioner milian orbis:
>>commissioner regalado: yes.
>>commissioner bastien: yes.
>>chair: yes.
>> motion passes 9 3.
>>chair: congratulations, you
MAY be recognized.
>>commissioner steinberg: I
have a motion I would like the
attorney to read into the
record and it's not just
general funds.
>>chair: redraw motion onto the
record.
>> commissioner steinberg moves
to direct the county mayor's
designee to conduct a wetlands
study to accomplish the
following goals, one quantify
and qualify wetland values, to
evaluate the efficacy of
regulations intended to protect
wetland systems, analyze the
value of functions including
but not limited to ecosystem
aquifer recharge, water supply
and flood mitigation among
others as well as whether
particular geographic areas MAY
be needed to carry out any
particular benefit or function
or where those instructions are
to a greater extent based on
wetlands as a whole and make
recommendations related to
regulatory provisions in the
policy/proprietary steps to
retain wetlands needed to
ensure long-term wetland values
are sustained including but not
limited to those values.
The county mayor's directed to
develop a scope of services and
pursue funding for such
resources other than general
fund such as federal or state
grants or other funding
sources, after completion
county mayor or designee shall
prepare a written report and
recommendations pursuant to
rule 506j and leave the
completed report on an agenda
of the full board.
>>chair: second by the vice
chair, commissioner bermudez.
>>commissioner bermudez: I
don't want to channel my inner
mickey steinberg as this was
proposed by her but the bottom
line is don't we know where the
wetlands are or do we not
known, is it in cdmp, can the
administration enlighten me?
Okay, let's see class through
the chair we will have our part
er director answer this but I
want to say it's not just where
they are, it's the quality of
the wetlands and the importance
of maintaining them adequately
so they will xplain.
>>commissioner bermudez: if I
MAY I'm going to try to treat
you guys, do we know where the
wetlands are?
>> there are maps and surveys
that through the development
process are reassessed and
updated.
There are existing maps.
>>chair: that is a yes.
>>commissioner bermudez: you
provide maps to the 13 people
on this days?
My second question would be
while I have great faith in
both of you and in the mayor, I
would like this to be fair and
not just cited to the people
that MAY be followers of the
environmental world.
As such, I believe especially
if you're talking about valuing
the wetlands that you need to
bring in other sectors of this
community that can also be a
part of this process because
what I would not like to see is
a committee of individuals made
up of individuals looking at it
from one perspective, not
taking into account other
aspects that MAY impact this
county so my question would be
do you have any ideas or are we
leaving it up for the mayor who
will decide who will be on this
board?
Oliver will tell you the
answer, go ahead.
>> they asked me to bring this
forward.
Believe rer, if
you're up there.
>> it would be too bring back a
scope contracted with a
university entity.
As part of our evaluations,
there would be a public
involvement component and
consultations with affected
industries, stakeholders so we
can certainly be sure that is
included in the draft scope
brought before you.
>>commissioner bermudez: are
you telling me the scope will
include all interested parties,
not just one sector of the
community that MAY have an
opinion, as I saw on the prior
item that MAY have an opinion
that's already set in stone
while we are working at the
wetlands, is that a common
refrain on the record today?
>> it would be modeled after
the agricultural study which
included outreach to industry
and stakeholders and of course
whatever the process is in
terms of the results will come
before you and there is always
further opportunity for that as
well.
>>commissioner bermudez: I'll
be supportive of commissioner
steinberg motion because I feel
comfortable I have an answer,
that this will include all the
parties that could be impacted
and concerned, the only other
thing I would say is when you
have those maps could you give
it to 13 AUGUST members of this
body, 12 AUGUST members and one
individual.
>>chair: now he's got all the
parties, it is officially a
party.
>>commissioner gilbert: at the
risk of being a sidekick here,
they are going to take all
input and it's going to come
back and say exactly what you
think it's going to say.
This is going to be written by
termites so I want to be clear,
I know what's about to happen
here.
This is one of those times I
can see it.
And it's completely fine.
That's what's going to happen.
But it's going to happen.
You are trying to guard against
it and by the record I believe
you.
I actually believe you.
This is not to cast aspersions
on your honesty, you want to
include everybody and what's
going to come that is the
opinion that we already know
they have.
>>chair: I agree but why do you
need a motion, do you have the
authority to do this?
>>mayor cava: through the chair
I'd like to go back to this
agricultural study that took
the board's request to do a
significant study.
We do believe we have the funds
within our proprietary
departments so we won't have to
draw from the general fund,
that's our intention.
By the way it's information for
you, it doesn't dictate your
decisions.
Just like the agricultural
report which took many years
because it didn't move forward,
it provides you a backdrop so
when you're making decisions
you have the information.
>>chair: I would ask to do a
friendly amendment now that the
mayor said something to trigger
it to make sure it is 100%
covered, the cost of
proprietary funds.
At the time when we are already
crunching pennies because we're
doing the budget to go to a
study that I mean, we know what
the outcome is going to be so I
don't want to pay as a taxpayer
something that I know isn't
going to be said.
>>commissioner steinberg:
specific to the motion no
general funds will be used
towards this and attaining any
federal and state grants as
well for the offset of any
additional costs.
>>chair: as long as that the
case, I'm good, commissioner
gonzalez.
>>commissioner gonzalez: to see
if we can get both commissioner
gilbert and commissioner
bermudez on board I don't know
if this can be a friendly
amendment but what if we made
it so the commission had input
on who does the study?
Because the administration
wants to study, once the study
to move forward then perhaps
everybody can be sufficiently
happy with the fact that
everybody's included class the
scope will come before you
through the interlocal
agreement so you will be able
to review it.
>>commissioner gonzalez: that's
not what I'm talking about, I'm
talking about the entity
because you cited universities
so the actual entity, if we
could have a final say as to
who does that it could be fiu,
university of miami, it could
be berkley, 1000 different
people with 1000 different
universities but if we could
have a say as to who does it,
perhaps more folks would be on
board.
>>chair: commissioner regalado,
I'm sorry.
>>commissioner regalado: I
think it's a good item.
My only concern is whenever we
do, first of all all love each
dermites but when we do this we
don't take into consideration
ownership so I'm all for a
valuation but at the heart of
our problem is holmes so I
think we make these decisions
on other people's property and
i think it needs to the
ownership.
And it also needs to the cost
for restoring the wetlands.
Because we know that's going to
be one of the navy issues.
I'm happy to do an audit so we
can figure out where the
wetlands are.
I'm sure when we get to the
scope we will talk about its
basins and its importance to
the basins but who does it
belong to, how is it being
used, what is the current
condition and what is the cost
of restoring it because these
are all factors I think we have
to discuss and I actually think
it would be good for the board
to see that a lot of what is,
from the common plan
perspective wetlands is not in
good shape and needs to be
restored.
That's one of the problems
we're having here in terms of
the disconnect is there is not
a complete understanding of the
quality of the wetlands and the
money that needs to be put
towards restoring them and how
do we preserve them because
that's the other piece.
So I'm happy to support
commissioner steinberg I think
you should the ownership and
restoration cost.
And I appreciate proprietary
but I don't want it to come
from the award so as long as
because it's under proprietary,
as long as that's not happening
I'm good and while we're at
this why don't we consider
financing mechanisms and other
options to purchasing,
maintaining.
Because what's the point of the
study if it's going to tell us
we have these grandiose plans
for other people's property?
If we have a plan they are
valuable to us that proffer us
some ideas as to how we could
purchase them, how we could
covenant them and maintain them
because that's the second
conversation we don't have and
what I don't want is to pay
money for a study and it gets
put on some shelf and we MAY or
MAY not refer to it so that
would be another friendly
amendment in terms of the
financing and purchasing of it.
>>chair: commissioner cohen
higgins.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
when was the last time we did a
wetlands study in miami-dade
county collects I'm not aware
we've done one.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
this whole idea came to me one
time when I was talking about a
project, I don't think it was
this project and I was told our
lead on contamination that it
would be helpful to have a
wetlands study that is how the
idea did not even have to do
with this particular
application and that it just
helps to inform us in our
decision-making.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
considering we haven't had one
done in the recent history are
not sure why there's so much
pushback on getting information
reports on the current status
of wetlands in miami-dade
county.
We are flanked by the
everglades and biscayne bay,
these decisions affect our
drinking water and flooding in
our county of which many
residents complain all the time
yet we continue to pay and
pave.
I would like to see a wetlands
study done so we can have the
information since we haven't
done one in sense forever to
add least have a starting point
on what these wetlands are,
where they are and we can make
a firm decision so I'm happy to
support it commissioner.
>>chair: my district needs new
haven, it has potholes
everywhere.
>>commissioner cohen higgins:
that's why we passed the
improvement ordinance, thank
you so much.
>>chair: yes bermudez, second
bite at the apple.
>>commissioner bermudez: I'm
going to vote for it and accept
for the fact I do think we have
everybody incorporated in this
process, there are proprietary
rights, we need to also include
them and the final one because
everything here is political,
do them dermites or dermians?
I was watching a taxi episode
saying are they delaware or
delawarites?
Let me know.
>>chair: we have a second, as
amended, make sure we are using
proprietary funds, all in favor
signify by saying aye.
Opposed, nay. Show the item
past.
Are we in the pulled items at
this time?
>> there are a few releases.
>> we will take the releases in
a second, I'm going to call 84
and 85 together if possible, it
was released by d 13 but I
still have the 12th.
So then you already got out of.
>> I have a possible conflict
on 85.
i want to excuse myself.
Okay, so separate from the
cosponsorship.
Got you.
So we will take a separate but
discuss them together.
Commissioner.
>> I'm not going to discuss 85.
>>commissioner bermudez: I will
save the time, I support both
items.
He only thing I'd like
to do is don't do this county
when somebody admits to doing
something we must have a
tracking mechanism.
His
administration are all the ones
I know one of you is involved
where a future administration
this needs to be monitored as
we move forward.
Because that's the only thing
I'll say, that was all my
statements and I'm in support.
>>chair: 804 moved by
commissioner cohen higgins,
seconded by commissioner lopez,
all in favor say aye.
Opposed, nay. You can be
excused now.
>>commissioner gonzalez: I'm
going to read this for the
record, although I have
discussed it with the county
attorney's office and they do
not believe there is a conflict
of interest I am recusing
myself on this item in an
abundance of caution, I MAY
have conflict of interest
regarding 85, I'm in business
with a possible affiliate and
that is the counties proposed
tenant, item 8a5 would
authorize the county to enter
into a lease agreement and in
an abundance of caution to
avoid any appearance I will be
abstaining from voting on this
matter and removing myself from
the chambers when the matter is
discussed.
>>chair: commissioner cohen
higgins moves, second by
commissioner gilbert, all in
favor signify by saying aye.
Opposed, nay. Show 8a5 past and
commissioner gonzalez can
reenter the chamber.
Now, MR. Attorney you can see
what was released.
>> commissioners and bermudez
released 8p1, regalado releases
8p5 and cosponsor on 11a4.
>> co-prime.
>>commissioner regalado: thank
you, I accept.
>>commissioner bermudez: was
that 3a1 and 2?
What were the releases again,
please?
>> commissioner bermudez and
milian orbis released 8p1 and
regalado released 8n5.
>> second, all in favor, all
against, show the item passes,
next MADAM Attorney we are at
3a1.
>> district 13 you are pulling
first.
>>senator garcia: this is the
naming of a street and just for
the record for everyone's
information again what I said
earlier a lot of these I have a
state hold so these
designations will come through
our office.
>> were we on 3a1 or 3a2.
>>senator garcia: 3a1 so this
is celia cruz, and enduring
symbol of strength and coming
together for the community.
Her voice broke barriers and
her legacy remains a beacon of
what it meant to lead with
artistry, authenticity and
heart.
Her trademark phrase became an
empowering cultural system
symbol with the afro-cuban
identity.
MR. CHAIRMAN that is the
resolution passed by the
florida state legislature and
is before you on this road
designation designating celia
cruz away of 103rd street.
>>vice chair mcghee: do we have
a second?
All right.
>>commissioner bermudez: the
discussion we can have.
>>vice chair mcghee: you want
to coprime or cosponsor?
MADAM Attorney are you getting
an entire day us, all of us for
both of them.
Is that correct for everyone?
It's okay.
And so we are going to call
them at the same time, 3a1 and
3a2.
Let's push 3a1, all in favor.
Give me one second.
Seeing the motion the
resolution was moved do we have
a second, all in favor.
All against.
That item moves and passes.
> I had a statement by the
celia cruz estate they asked me
to read.
On behalf of the celia cruz
estate I extend our deepest
gratitude to senator rizzo and
the legislature, city of
hialeah CHAIRMAN Anthony
rodriguez and every member of
the miami-dade board of county
commissioners for honoring
celia cruz with the designation
of celia cruz way, this for all
who cherish her legacy, hialeah
south florida represent the
heart of the community cuban
exile experience and embrace
her with great love, this last
thing on earth celebrate not
only her artistic achievements
but the joy pride and
perseverance she represented
for hispanic and african
heritage communities.
We are grateful to everyone who
MAY distribute possible.
This is on behalf of omar the
deal, thank you so much MR.
Chair.
>>vice chair mcghee: would you
like to file that with the
clerk of court, thank you,
heading over to 3a2.
>>commissioner milian orbis:
thank you, so this is a code
designation form and obviously
MR. Reyes left a tremendous
legacy, he was a fierce
advocate for the community and
literally left us while still
fighting for his community, he
was loved by all his family
was, is very special to me, to
my family myself and I saw his
son here earlier, I don't know
if easier but he is a dear
friend this street closing
designation is so well-deserved
and I am so delighted it is in
district 6. In my research I
found out all things that come
from tallahassee that
commissioner garcia has a hold
on everything that comes into
tallahassee and it was
concerning because I was a
little concerned that a code
designation in district 6 was
handed over to another
commissioner but nonetheless
honored to work on this.
It is literally down the street
from my district office and I
did file legislation to make
sure this doesn't occur anymore
because it should go to the
district commissioner when we
are doing it, he's a big part
of our community so thank you
and with that I would love to
be part of this, so thank you
so much MR. Chair.
>>vice chair mcghee: we also
see district 12 you pull this
along with district 13.
>commissioner bermudez: I
don't know if many is here but
MR. Reyes was an example of,
there's a lot of good people in
politics, ultimately included
but was very unique in that he
called it the way it is.
If you was with you he tell you
he was always an honest man.
That's all he's done for any
ulterior reasons for this one
is in my opinion even before he
was an elected official he was
a fair guy and I also
understand and I'm going to
support it, like I said
hopefully we can co-prime it
but it is her district and is
important and we have similar
feelings on holds.
Because to me I'm surprised
because I even doubt the
constitutionality of multiple
holes but either way that's the
rules, I didn't set them.
I think it's important that and
again, a lot of good things
come out of tallahassee,
senator garcia being one of
them.
But through tallahassee.
But I do think it's important
that we deal with things in the
proper way.
>>chair: give me a second, you
okay?
>> I wanted to ask if you can
clarify and let us know
specifically that the hold that
everything that comes out of
tallahassee goes to one
commissioner and it has to go
to that commissioner even if
it's in her district.
>> senator garcia has a hold on
implementing language locally
for bills that come from
tallahassee, that's required
for your rules.
I know you have a legislative
request to modify in this
particular case.
>>vice chair mcghee: thank you,
commissioner regalado.
>>commissioner regalado: I will
agree with commissioner celia
cruz, that being said I talked
to manny and the family about
it and we are also excited, he
so deserving of it, such a
wonderful man but street
naming's and my district are
very delicate.
So I really think that
upholding the rule that we get
to decide even when it's a
tallahassee decision would be
best because we are the ones
that have to deal with
neighbors and the blowback,
this one is not controversial
at all, it's fantastic and I
don't think anyone disagree but
I've had some in my district
and I've had to take names off
streets in my district and
there's been pushback on
certain requests.
On this one not to be
territorial but we are the ones
that have to deal with it, we
are the ones best suited to
make a decision regarding
naming.
So I'm happy to support this
one, I hope we all get invited
so we can celebrate with his
family I think in terms of all
hold that's that broad, at some
point you draft and you no
longer have the hold if it's
every single implementing that
never ends, that's the gift
that keeps giving.
normally we have to be more
detailed in our legislative
request so I hope we can get to
that at some point because it
MAY intersect with other
legislative requests.
>>vice chair mcghee:
commissioner gilbert.
>>commissioner gilbert: I want
to echo everybody's sentiment
on manolo reyes, he drove
through district 1 once or
twice.
But he was a good guy.
Good public servants,
definitely worthy and we get
invited to the street naming I
would appreciate it so thank
you for allowing me to be
whatever it is but definitely
it's do so that's one thing in
the second thing is I know the
county attorney said that
there's a hold on this but I
think that decision probably
needs to be something that
comes from the chair because
when something is that broad
where the hold never gets
exhausted, so typically it's a
legislative hold, we call it a
hold but it's a drafting
request.
So there's no way to ever draft
out of this.
So it literally is an infinity
door.
So I don't know if this fits
within our structure in a way
that the rule actually
contemplates.
And I think some of the holes
are overbroad and senator
garcia actually doing this puts
a finer point on it but it
needs to be a way because it's
not a hold.
You're not holding it, your
drafting.
So we use them as holds but
they are meant to be used as
drafting so if you can't draft
your way out of it then it
might not fit within us, it's
something you ought to look at
after JANUARY.
>> commissioner lopez.
>>commissioner lopez: I want to
say manolo reyes was probably
one of the consonant elected
officials, I won't even call
him a politician, his beloved
in district 5 which he shared
with me as well not only when I
was steakhouse member for
district 13 but I did not get a
chance to work with him as a
county commissioner because he
passed away but I have to say
that I'm grateful that there
would be any effort to
celebrate and honor this
incredible man.
So much has been said about
him.
He is the one who came to my
office in tallahassee to remind
me when I was doing housing
that the ami in little havana
was not the same as in her
field and he had a vision
around policy that was lost
amongst many of us and that
created for me the ability to
look into something we've
discussed now recently with
commissioner bastien's
leadership on the ami report
that she's requested so this
was a man that cared deeply.
There are still his campaign
signs in my district as I
walked up the houses and have
not and they said there never
taking it down because of the
impact he made on the community
and in particular areas he
represented so thank you so
much, I guess renc
but
certainly commissioner celia
cruz, I know how deeply
impacted your district was and
how close it is.
I could not agree more.
These street meetings happen in
our districts and asked
commissioner regalado said we
are the ones that have to deal
with the community who wants to
be involved and if we are not
involved the commission outside
the district where the naming
will take place is leading the
charge.
It seems a bit of a disconnect
but I feel certain we can
clarify all this so everybody's
district is at least respected
these are the things that are
that deep in the community.
>>vice chair mcghee: thank you
senator garcia, I saw your
hand.
>>senator garcia: thank you
CHAIRMAN And I want to tell you
something that manolo reyes was
an amazing individual.
Ll of
us in the hispanic community
knew who he was, he was someone
who stood up for what was right
and he worked within the rules,
he's not someone that when he
made a decision or he took a
vote you knew where that vote
was coming from and it was
coming from a place of honesty
integrity and making sure he
stood up for his community.
He was a man I admired and
respected just like all of us
here and when we talk about a
person that was a voice for the
voiceless, that was manolo
reyes.
He stood up for all those that
did not have a voice, did not
care about the color of their
skin, where you came from,
where you lived or the amount
of money you had, that's what
made him an amazing public
servant and he 41 every time we
would take votes in the county
commission he would come so I
admired him for the positions
he took in the city of miami,
he took some strong positions
against the powers to be and he
really always spoke his mind
and did not care to be on the
side of those with money and
power.
You always stood on the side of
the people in the city of miami
was so grateful to have him.
And one of the biggest lessons
he left with me and you for
this many times before, doesn't
matter who gets the credit.
It just matters that it gets
done and if you rule with
integrity and respect and it
doesn't matter so to manolo
reyes and his family wherever
you are thank you for your
service to this community.
You're definitely missed and
commissioner, know that this
did not come from any nefarious
place, it came by following the
rules in this county commission
established and I look forward
to you leading the charge and
making sure we get this because
it's not in my district, this
is exactly where he is.
Thank you MR. CHAIRMAN and
thank you commissioners for
allowing me this opportunity.
>>.
>> I believe he died around 80
years old so he lived a very
full life there are many people
who knew him for a long time.
For he turned 80 years old.
I was not one of those
individuals that had the
pleasure of knowing him in his
younger years but it was
awesome to hear his friends
from then describe him.
I know, we should live for our
friends that told us stories
for us and allow our friends do
tell terrible stories of us to
keep us honest.
You have to add a little bit of
truth and fiction when you tell
stories of your friends but one
thing I remember perfectly
clear because I was serving on
the city of miami at the time
he was elected is he chose his
office and he chose his office
he had to do some renovations.
So when he goes to do the
renovations he's tearing down
walls inside of the office.
And in miami when you start
ripping down walls sometimes
you find money, sometimes you
find rodents.
You find quite a number of
things but this much of the
time there were newspapers
stuffed into the wall.
So as he's going through all
the newspapers stuffed into the
wall one of the articles
written in the newspaper was
about him running for office.
So if you know him you know he
ran many times for his
positions.
An event like my uncle roy he
finally won.
O he was in
office for a long time, we were
discussing him as he was this
perennial lifelong elected
official.
He was not that.
But he worked hard to get where
he was.
And I think with how he got to
where he was, he used his time
to advocate for people that and
for people for people that
where a little unkind.
So he was a great person to
work with, you did great things
during this time but I think
largely the thing people
remember most about him is not
necessarily the highlight of
his public service it was
really how he was family, when
you look at the way his family
looked on him, I think that's
the best legacy you could ever
have so many of us choose to do
things differently, like I
would have done things
differently if I work in
manolo's choose.
But what I would wish for my
life is what manolo reyes had
which is a family that loved
him dearly no matter what
decisions you made so I know
the people who lost him, or
family to manolo smile when
they think about his life over
the time they had.
So this is befitting of someone
who lived a good life.
So as someone who served within
I went to say at times we
agreed, at times we disagree
but always walking on the right
path.
>> commissioner cohen higgins.
>>.
>>commissioner bermudez:
commissioner gilbert
enlightened us on the definite
vision of a hold, I'd like to
make sure we can have that
discussion based on that the
second thing MR. CHAIRMAN I
like to be the first guy to
declare a hold on all holds but
commissioner gilbert
subsequently to generate 2027.
>> do you want the county
attorney to answer the first
question.
>> I think he made a very valid
point but the second one I'm
serious.
I was the first.
>> can we get someone to move
the item amended supplement,
second.
Do we have a second?
All in favor.
All against.
Show that item passes, next
item up is 8a3, commissioner
from district 7 you pulled this
item.
>>commissioner regalado: I
wanted the director to ed, I'm
glad we are finally getting to
the jet fuel storage.
Ralph has been working on it
for some time but I believe
it's worth a quick mentioned.
>>vice chair mcghee: is there a
specific question or do you
want tim to give an overview of
this item.
>>commissioner regalado: we
don't have to get into
redundancy but just a general
overview in terms of how it
gets us closer to compliance
from an infrastructure
perspective.
>> last year we processed 4.3
billion gallons of jet fuel at
mia which is a record year for
us and we currently function 3
and a half days of reserve so
if something goes wrong with
the port everglades pipeline we
go on reserves for however long
that takes.
We have nine tanks which help
us maintain those reserves and
this project does all those
nine tanks yield a 12 billion
capacity in storage under this
project does phase one of the
two-phase project, it adds an
additional 4 million gallon
tank that will increase our
capacity by 4 million gallons
the following thing phase 2
will add 2 4 million tanks
which is 8 million total when
you add it up it will double
our storage capacity, phase 1
and phase 2 which goes a long
way towards us maintaining our
reserves and increasing our
fuel capacity which we
desperately need and we can't
talk about the redundancy
because that's on other
projects but this as an
important project because of
the amount of fuel we are
processing every year.
>>commissioner regalado: there
was going to be a piece of the
vic so that's why this item is
different because the bank
wasn't able to do this piece
and we've received an item that
dissolved the electrical and
all this other stuff so this
was the missing component in
terms of infrastructure so
thank you ralph.
>>commissioner gonzalez: it
moved by commissioner regalado
do we have a second, all in
favor you all against, show the
item passes, let's move to 8
g1, we're almost done, district
13 you pulled this item.
>> is a quick question, we
recently a couple months ago
passed this budget.
Because we were having budgets
coming to us, I want to ask a
question for the
administration, if we have what
is the status of the budgets.
We had a big sneeze back here.
>> through the chair george
fernandez office of management
and budget, yes we did hold two
training sessions for the cra
someone recently as last week
so that 2627 budgets will
indeed everything in the
resolution we've approved.
>> by then we will have them
all standardized, all the
details you asked for.
>> if not they will not be
placed on the agenda.
>> I approve the item.
> MR. Lopez.
>> I'll second it but I have a
question, does that include how
to create a budget narrative?
>> you've asked them to include
additional information in the
budget.
>> but have they been told how
to do a budget, do they
understand what a budget
narrative is, do they
understand when you're
explaining it such as let's
take travel and list every
travel you intend to make, what
the costs are for airfare,
hotels, taxis etc. Have they
learned that.
>> I don't know if it will be
that detailed but we did ask
for additional details on your
expenditures.
>> I would like very much for
someone to show me what a
budget narrative looks like.
If you think it's acceptable
because it's probably not going
to be acceptable to me.
> do you mind reaching out
and setting up an appointment,
does that work for you?
Show the item moved and
seconded by commissioner lopez,
all in favor signify by saying
aye.
All right, coming home to the
home stretch, item 11 a1
district 12.
Commissioner I believe you
pulled this item.
>> I'm supportive, I would like
to a resolution to be in
district 12 because we have a
lot of illegal dumping in
district 12 so I'd like to take
a look, if you're looking at
district 2 and district 12.
>>vice chair mcghee: it's
getting loud, we are almost
done.
Commissioner gonzales I do
believe this is your item.
Trends fives item?
>>commissioner gonzalez: I
coprime but she is the main
sponsor.
>>commissioner bermudez: I'm
glad it was cosponsored by
commissioner gonzalez because
on the other side it's my
district, we get encampments so
she's not here but I be
surprised if she was bothered
and if not I will bring one
next month.
>>vice chair mcghee: show the
item amended to include it will
get a nod from her office,
commissioner steinberg.
>>commissioner steinberg: I
bought out a lot of the
district to boundaries.
>>vice chair mcghee: include
commissioner steinberg in this
report, anyone else?
Maybe everybody.
Commissioner hardemon is
district also to be included,
anyone else needs to be
included, commissioner includes
her, does anyone else need to
be included.
>>commissioner regalado: I am
good but we will talk about
this on thursday.
>>chair:
>>vice chair mcghee: include
district 9 also.
Someone make a motion to
approve the item, second.
All in favor of the amended
version of this item signify by
saying aye.
show the item passes, 11a3, I
believe this was you
commissioner steinberg.
>>commissioner steinberg: we
did not discuss this at
committee thoroughly, we have
another item at that committee
meeting so as I had a chance to
further dive into this item I
think the intent is good and I
have a lot of concerns.
In my district particularly I
don't know that we can have a
blanket more intense use since
we already have a lot of
intensity in the district and I
know the level is very high but
I am concerned about what
pandora's box we are going to
be opening and what constitutes
this vertical ag use.
They could all be hydroponic in
the future, who knows and that
maybe a good thing or a bad
thing.
It's not necessarily regarding
that but there are a lot of
unknowns in this and I don't
know what the parameters will
be so I know we are asking them
to bring back something to our
cdmp and I want to know if we
can exclude my district because
I don't think we need to have
more intensity uses just
blanketed, that is something we
are concerned with number two,
who's going to decide the
parameters?
I don't know who can answer
that.
>>vice chair mcghee:
commissioner gonzalez, I
believe this is your item, are
you amenable to having her
district excluded and also
understanding what the second
question was, who falls to it.
>>commissioner gonzalez: I
would defer to the department,
do we have someone to speak on
this item as the request was
made by commissioner gonzalez.
>>commissioner steinberg: great
concept but I don't know how it
translates to reality.
>>mayor cava: through the chair
we are looking for the our er
director MISS Gomez.
>> let's, commissioner.
>>commissioner regalado:,again
I would like to be excluded, I
read the item also with some
concern from a price point a
few of us might already be
excluded.
But that being said I don't
think it's compatible with the
uses I have in my district.
I will say also when reading
the item I have concerns about
kind of the intersection of the
state law on this.
Like, what is ag for the state
and designation by the property
appraiser.
There's a lot of different
things, I know when we were
working on agri-tourism we all
learned a lot about they wanted
to do like a high-rise with
fish, I don't know if you guys
rumor that there was a fish
high-rise in there.
We ended up taking out because
it was just what it was some of
this in terms of using height
so we actually took this out of
agri-tourism.
I want to make sure all these
pieces move together so that
when staff looks at this they
look at agri-tourism, the
property appraiser's definition
county state designation to
make sure whatever we are
agreeing to also matches up
with the regulations of
agriculture and specifically
agri-tourism because there's a
lot of ways it could go
sideways.
And if we are excluding
districts we will gladly bow
out of this one.
>> to clarify the actual
resolution says where
compatible.
With the surrounding areas.
And I'd still like to defer to
the department for the
explanation.
This was taken word for word
from the agricultural study,
this is specifically from the
agriculture study.
>> I'll move commissioner
gilbert while we are waiting
for lourdes to come to the
podium.
>>commissioner gilbert: I was
there with the commissioner and
the reason why is I don't know
that excluding is the answer
but if something is not
compatible it should say that
it's not compatible.
It is less compatible than
others.
If you start excluding
geographic areas, because
before they even do the study
we determined it's not
compatible.
Then you're saying to the rest
of us, they can only do it in
our areas.
So if me, I think it's probably
a better practice for us to
make them list the criteria and
say why, and I agree on the
beach and the gangways will be
incompatible but list these
things as practice and why they
become less compatible so we
get to see the information as
it's ranked against the rest of
the other districts.
>> thank you, so what you
missed is there were questions
as relates to exclusion and
compatibility and so what I
would do is turn the floor back
over to commissioner steinberg
so she can ask the question
directly.
>> so this item I know it's
about vertical agriculture.
I already have, we go district
by district, we don't have
sprawl and that's okay, we
balance all of that but in this
there could be more intense
uses that I have concerns about
and also who will be deciding
the parameters ultimately?
What is it you are comparing
with this item to bring back to
us because everything we read
whether it was in this
agriculture study, whether in
the memo was all very high
level.
So I don't know if the reality
of what we are trying to put
forward is going to translate
correctly.
>> it would ultimately come to
you for adoption, this is
directing us to do an analysis
and to make an evaluation so we
would prepare a report with our
findings that any changes would
come before you in the form of
comprehensive plan amendments.
So you would have full
information as to what
parameters are being
recommended, if there were any
geographic areas, all that
would come before you for
action.
>>.
>> I understand, so in terms of
the type of vertical, can you
give me an example because when
you're talking about
compatibility, where exactly,
obviously is not going to be
compatible in an area that does
not have vertical environments.
Or will it?
I'm trying to understand what
the vision is potentially.
>> I think in the ag study
there are some industrial
vertical farming operations
that I don't know that they
take in the whole here.
So it's one way of potentially
supporting proliferation of
agriculture in more compact
spaces which could be
compatible with different uses,
we have to look at is this
something that's more
appropriate in an industrial
area, could it be commercial
areas, that's the purpose of
the analysis.
>> vertical farming is
referenced to be a style of
growing usually done indoors
with many levels and it can go
as high or as low, it's just
not in the dirt.
Hydroponic is generally the
type of farming that occurs.
It is done now in an
agricultural area and the scale
is very expensive.
We've seen a lot of
proliferation of that through
the county and one thing to
understand is this will have
impacts with regard to state
statutes so that does
preemption if the jurisdiction
once the property becomes
agriculture.
>>commissioner steinberg: is
another concern I have because
once we zone areas for these
uses we can no longer generate
or curtail or have a say if the
function is still on the books.
So I wanted to again,
conceptually I get where you're
coming from.
I just have concerns about the
reality.
>> as it relates to sparing
your district, are you okay
with that now?
Kay.
Commissioner, was your question
answered,
>> I'm happy, if we're not
going to carve out good.
We will do it altogether.
I wanted to make sure this came
up when we were doing
agri-tourism and remember we
took it out.
So I just want to make sure
that when this comes back to
us, there's some analysis as to
all the different triggers.
So this compliance with the
state is this, to comply with
our rules and property
appraiser's designation says
this and potentially
agri-tourism just so we have
clarity because you'll remember
this was one of the things that
was thrown into the
agri-tourism that we had to
take out.
Would like it
separated into those buckets so
we know how it intersects with
all the existing agricultural
designations, that's all.
>>vice chair mcghee:
commissioner gonzalez would you
like to move the item?
>>commissioner gonzalez: just
to be sure you will include
that?
I will move the item.
>>vice chair mcghee: all in
favor, all against.
Hank you.
Item passes, the next item is
1184, I believe you pull that
item.
>>commissioner regalado: I just
have some questions.
When we look at our portfolio,
the iod should be doing this
already but when we look at our
portfolio I want to make sure
that if it's on the master plan
so for example water and sewer,
the fact that it is vacant does
not mean we don't have a plan.
That's my only issue with the
way it's written because we
have a tendency to say vacant
plan but it MAY be vacant.
We MAY be using it in three or
four years and it's part of our
expansion.
I think in the case of the
sheriff and I mention this to
the sheriff when she spoke
about her budget, we have an
oversaturation of sheriff
assets in that area.
I think we need to look at
geographically placing some of
these things in different parts
of the county just because that
is very far from my
unincorporated area and other
incorporated areas and while
there are opportunities there
particularly with land held by
solid waste, as long as there
is compensation to that
department because that's an
enterprise department where the
ratepayers are paying for those
assets so as long as there is
compensation I am fine and in
the case of solid waste water
and sewer is different because
of limitations but there should
be a consideration of other
areas in the county where some
of these things could be done.
I understand proximity is
important but we have an
oversaturation in certain areas
when it comes to public safety
and as traffic and congestion
gets more complex maybe it
would make sense to break this
up a little bit.
i did it at the school
district, I'm not saying
something I haven't already
done in terms of transportation
and policing, just so people
could respond better.
Everything from a bus depot to
policing so I would hope as
they do this, they look at all
parcel throughout miami-dade
county and not just continue to
concentrate in one geographic
area.
>> if we can get chief palmer
to clarify, I saw the mayor
raise her hand or their chiefs,
if they can address that we're
looking at the county as a
whole and not looking only at
doral.
>> thank you for the question
and your concerns commissioner.
What we do understand is this
is a report we would bring back
to this board on what
properties in miami-dade county
are available for purposes to
find by the sheriff.
Those would not only include
counties assisted properties
but anything else that MAY or
MAY not be available based on
the request she has made.
I do want to note if we were to
find something, build something
or create something for the
sheriff, even if it's
proprietary we pay them that
that money is coming from the
general fund to cover the
costs.
So our desire is always going
to be too leverage assets.
That we are already paying for
so we are not accruing new or
additional expenses so we meet
the needs of the sheriff so
they can continue and
proliferate their business.
>>commissioner gonzalez: to
clarify because commissioner
regalado pointed this out,
you're not looking at land
utilized right now via
miami-dade county and you're
not going to look at lamp
there's a plan for right now in
miami-dade county collects
through the chair, per the
resolution it is available so
we presume it's available.
>>vice chair mcghee:
commissioner hardemon.
>>commissioner hardemon:
property is owned by the
sheriff's office distinct among
dade county.
>> through the chair according
to amendment 10 sheriff is not
allowed to own real property.
The county owns any of the
properties that the sheriff is
currently utilizing.
>> so for instance this study
we are doing, who pays for the
study?
>> the county.
>> so the county charges me to
pay my facility like I want to
pave the office that county
charges me and I know the
sheriff charges us to utilize
the sergeant-at-arms, I think
so.
So is is within reason to
charge their sheriff's office
as well for the services we are
providing her?
>>mayor cava: through the
chair, it's all the same pot of
money because it's all comes
from the general fund.
We do include those things also
in our agreements with the
county and we do keep track of
those things they are part of
the budget.
>> I'm trying to conceptualize
what you're saying, there is a
budget, it's a pot.
and in the spot cover a it's a
certain way, give say for
instance certain departments or
offices like the sheriff's
office as a service of that pot
which means then we have less
percentage to use towards other
things.
So if we give the sheriff a
percentage of this time, and
then we say we're going to do
this but not charge you, it
costs money but not from their
sheriff's portion of the pie so
the sheriff's got a certain
percentage plus more because we
are not using her percentage so
there's less for other people
who have the, who don't have as
much.
Like when you say to me it's
all the same fund, but it's not
coming from her pocket so your
spending more of the funds that
we have.
This is all coming from the
same pot, is not charging me
because it's all coming from
the same pie.
We've already funded through
administration to do certain
things, why charge me from my
pie to reimburse you for your
reply so you get more.
I feel like as commissioner now
I'm getting the short end of
the stick because as the
sheriff raises, she's getting
branches on her stick.
That makes no sense.
You all don't get anything, I'm
okay with it but I want to make
sure we are on the same page.
If you want to make this free
that's fine, we can do that but
I want a general understanding
of when we decide to charge
people and not because I've
seen multiple instances where
certain entities that can
purport to pay don't pay.
The entities that can afford to
pay pay.
And it just shouldn't be that
way.
We should at least be more
transparent about how we are
going to go about doing this.
>>vice chair mcghee: I
understand click clearly, is
there a particular question.
>> I've already asked all the
charges.
>> to the administration
please, we're about to wrap it
up.
>> through the chair we do keep
track of the cost and expenses
for each department.
Including those that are
charged to commissioners.
Any expenses that are accrued
by the sheriff we track.
There are things that are in
their sheriff's budget like
there are things in the
commissioners budgets that we
then do a cost allocation
towards.
Here are often times
things, that have not been
budgeted and we make a decision
based on our financial
accounting principles on
whether or not that's something
we charged to the department or
is charged to the general fund,
funds are available to the
county to address expenses that
were not previously land so we
do keep track.
We keep track of the in-kind
contributions we make to the
sheriff's office.
We keep track of the expenses
incurred by the county for any
work we do for the
constitutional that's not
budgeted and we keep track of
course of whether or not they
are meeting the budget they
were assigned.
We do not have the authority to
say what they do with the money
they budgeted, they have
complete authority to use the
money they've been budgeted the
way they see fit.
If there's something overbudget
then we would accrue those
funds or apply those funds
according to where there is
money available to cover that
expense.
This is a report, many times we
are directed to do reports and
then we have to find the
resources to do the reports.
This does not require us to
make an expense outside of the
work it would cost us to do
this report.
>>vice chair mcghee:
commissioner gilbert is next,
unfollow you but I don't
believe the question was
answered away the post but
commissioner gilbert.
>>commissioner gilbert: I don't
think it was either but let me
say we can't decide when doing
reports and the human resource
function of what we do is extra
allocation.
I'm thinking back to the cra
meeting we talked about, I'm
going to ask the question of
those items anyway anymore like
yes so okay, if it is it is.
It's a human cost, if it's not
human cost it isn't but
independent of that this does
not apply because it is by a
vote this is happening.
The commission is sponsoring an
item that requires staff to do
a report, it's not something
that sheriff, it might be
something she wants but it's
not something she's having us
do.
So you're having us do it.
It's just like any other thing
we are having us do, she came
and said you all have the
ability to do reports on real
property in this property I
want you all to look at and she
asks us to do that.
Then yes, we probably have a
conversation about what we
should be paying but we are not
having that conversation.
This conversation though
reminds me of I think the item
of the cars when you invited
vehicles.
We go out and buy vehicles
sometimes we buy vehicles for
the sheriff's department also.
So we buy the vehicles for the
sheriff's department and the
sheriff's department doesn't
only vehicles in our general
bond offerings.
But we don't we work
necessarily allocating that
money as a part of the
sheriff's budget.
So I want to make sure we did
correct that, that we are now
so if there portion of that
vehicle by his $70 million,
that $70 million is included in
the number we say is in the
sheriff's budget because they
are exclusive users of the
vehicle so I want to make sure
we fix that first.
>> I'm not sure I understand
what you're asking us to fix
because if there is an expense
that sheriff has an expense
that is in their budget that's
accounted for in their budget.
>> I know it's an expense in
their budget but when we buy
vehicles we are accounting in
our budget so we were
accounting for it on our side
but it wasn't reflective of
money being used for them.
If we are doing something for
them and it might be a
difference between the
sheriff's budget is 900,000,900
70 million.
But that's 70 million I
understand it all comes from a
general fund but it needs to be
accurately reflected that's for
our law enforcement function.
>> absolutely, we are trying to
create as much transparency on
how funds are used to support
the sheriff that would be above
and beyond the money that's in
that budget and that is an
excellent example.
>>commissioner gilbert: I want
to make sure we're doing that
from a financial perspective, I
want to make sure when we
identify these real properties
we keep in mind you ought to be
indexing, much it costs us to
the best extent possible to
maintain, build because the
sheriff doesn't own real
property and the sheriff has a
checkbook written out of the
general fund so if we're going
to acquire property or even
transfer property there is a
value coming from proprietary
fund.
What is it going to take to
build it out, whatever it takes
we have to pay for it, whatever
it takes to ensure it or turn
electricity we have to do it so
that want to be a component of
everything so we understand if
we do these things eyes wide
open this is what it costs
because we are facing general
fund restrictions.
>> that's absolutely right and
the budgets that are approved
for each constitutional office
shows what they have control
overspending but to your point
there are expenses the county
occurs in support of each one
of them specifically that
sheriff when it comes to
property that is accounted for
on the county side of the books
book attributed to the sheriff
to fulfill their duties.
>>vice chair mcghee:
commissioner regalado then go
to commissioner gonzalez.
>>commissioner regalado: while
I appreciate your answer you
didn't answer my question
because I know how the game
works.
We are concerned about the
general fund.
The portfolio of solid waste,
there is a large part of that
portfolio that sits in
unincorporated miami-dade near
doral and clearly that
portfolio is in play which is
why my question was if you're
going to take property from an
enterprise fund, will you be
reimbursing that enterprise
fund and your answer was it's
all the same money.
It's not because that comes
from the trash cans and this is
why we had a consent decree in
water and sewer so that's why I
said we don't have to worry
about that in water and sewer
because if the government came
and told us to stop siphoning
money for the ratepayers,
they've yet to do that on the
solid waste side and I've been
trying to prevent it though I
want clarity and that I don't
have a problem with those solid
waste sites being included,
there just has to be a monetary
determination as to the use of
those properties.
i think that there's a lot of
other properties that right now
we have that we should consider
in terms of placement without
poisoning the well and saying
because it belongs to the
county and we could make money
another way and maybe we
shouldn't consider it, I think
we should consider the entire
portfolio because countywide,
even though it MAY cost us a
little bit more right now, the
placement of that outside of
the general area where it all
lives right now MAY be too the
benefit of the public in the
future.
I'm just saying, kionne needs a
response time like the rest of
us so let's be dynamic and
honest about the cost and let
us decide.
Trash in, trash out and if we
go in with this mindset of we
are so concerned about the
general fund we're not going to
come out with proper actions
and I want clarity on the solid
waste because solid waste is in
play, it's going to be the
formula that I predict is most
in play.
>>vice chair mcghee: do you
need answers to those questions
right now, do you answer those
questions so we can get this
out of the way.
>> the answer to your question
is yes, sir okay in that there
were proprietary properties
explored, we would have to pay
or reimburse appropriately
based on the value of that
land.
>>vice chair mcghee:
commissioner regalado does that
satisfy your request?
Commissioner gonzalez then
milian orbis.
>>commissioner gonzalez: I want
to thank commissioner regalado
because that's the broad
perspective here, the broad
perspective is to analyze all
the properties throughout
miami-dade county, not
specifically, to commissioner
gilbert's point specifically
for the sheriff's function but
really for a countywide
response time in public safety
benefit which is why we are
doing the study because for
example I concur with
commissioner regalado where a
primary section of what is
covered by the sheriff and
services countywide exists in
doral but to your point it's
for somebody from your district
or commissioner cohen higgins's
district or mickey's district
to make their way to doral.
By identifying these plots of
land we can begin to plan for
the future so that is the
overarching concept year.
>>chair: commissioner milian
orbis.
>>commissioner milian orbis: I
and obviously supportive of the
item, I asked to cosponsor it
and would you accept the
distinction is made in the
report that commissioner
regalado essay, the funding is
coming from so we can keep
share of those different
distinctions and parcels being
identified.
>>vice chair mcghee: did you
get that MR. Attorney?
Seeing no other questions
commissioner gonzalez would you
like to move the item?
Seeing it as moved and
seconded, all in favor, all
against.
Item passes.
>> we have a cosponsorship
request.
>>vice chair mcghee:
commissioner lopez, cosponsor,
thank you.
We have four items left ladies
and gentlemen we will be out of
here.
Two airports items, hp 283 we
have to call those
individually.
Because those are aviation
items for statute.
Do we have someone who wants to
move hp two.
Someone added, we have a motion
on the second, all in favor.
All against, item passes, hp
three we have a motion and it's
moved and seconded, all in
favor.
>>commissioner regalado: if I
could have a motion real quick,
we've already moved.
Motion for hp three, signify by
saying gay.
Against.
Item passes.
Your motion.
>>commissioner regalado: if not
I will read it.
Your there.
>> moved to direct the county
mayor or designee to organize a
charrette or similar planning
exercise for the portion of the
east kendall area located in
district 7 approximately bound
by southwest 88 street kendall
drive on the north, 120th
street on the south, southwest
97th avenue on the west and
dixie highway and estate road
826 on the east and in
accordance to land-use matters
these exercises should have
included an assessment of
infrastructure improvements
needed to the area for further
meetings for such exercises
shall not extend beyond a
formal duration shall be
permitted to be conducted
virtually in accordance with
all applicable law.
Ommissioner moves to direct
the county mayor or designee
after the completion of the
charrette or similar planning
exercises to prepare a written
report to recommendation
regarding after mentioned
directive place a completed
report on an agenda without
committee review within six
months of the effective date
pursuant to rule 5.0 6j of the
board's rules of procedure.
>> all in favor.
All against, item passes, last
two items, commissioner I
believe it's 14 a2 which is
your interlocal.
Do we have a second, all in
favor.
All against, joe this item
passes and that's the last one
on the agenda is 1484, that
belongs to commissioner
hardemon, catering renovation
seconded by commissioner colin
higgins, all in favor.
Joe this item passes, MR.
Attorney any other issues
before this board?
Any motions?
Motion, commissioner gilbert.
>>commissioner gilbert: county
attorney as to motions, commit
mayor turner to the commission
on enterprise and the third is
to convey real property in opa
locka to the county so we could
see if we can work with their
cra redevelopment, can be read
those motions.
>> moves that this board can
they stay on real property
within the city of opa locka to
miami-dade county for purpose
of redevelopment, to direct the
clerk to transmit a certified
copy of the resolution to the
governor, PRESIDENT Of the
senate house speaker and chair
and members of the legislative
mission, three direct the state
lobbyist to advocate for the
intergovernmental affairs to
include this item in a 2026
legislative package when it is
presented to the board.
>>vice chair mcghee: second,
can I have a second, second by
commissioner trent 25 regalado,
second motion, MADAM Attorney.
>>.
>>commissioner gilbert: I moved
to appoint jessica meyerson to
the committee on human rights,
>>vice chair mcghee: are there
motions set before this board.
You have one?
Senator garcia.
>> amend resolution are 3526
which was adopted by this for
JUNE 16 and women thing certain
state law changes to the rer be
scheduled to make the following
corrections to the influencing
order which was attached as
exhibit a to the resolution,
one a bottom number page 4 of
the b
42 include the provisions
of subsection 2c inadvertently
shown as deleted as a new
subsection and on the bottom of
page 10 amend subsection 6d to
add the word not so that
subsection 60 shall read work
with the canal right-of-way not
requiring hydraulic analysis
including analysis or
evaluation of impacts to canal
conveyance, staged velocity
storage, tail water conditions
or water surface elevations.
>>vice chair mcghee: do I have
a second?
>>commissioner bermudez: I will
second but
give me a written report.
>>vice chair mcghee: all in
favor, all against, item passes
and any other motions at this
particular time.
>>commissioner regalado: I have
an appointment.
>>vice chair mcghee: give me
one second.
>>mayor cava: I need to address
that last item.
As a reminder we like any
copies of amendments, it's
difficult for us to evaluate it
if we do not see it but I have
better news which is to thank
commissioner hardemon and lopez
who worked together to obtain
the funding to complete the
caleb center renovation.
Appointments.
>>commissioner regalado: I want
to appoint erin caesar to the
biscayne bay shoreline
development review.
>>commissioner cohen higgins: I
have appointments on the behalf
of CHAIRMAN Rodriguez, amending
our six 3226 relating to fiscal
year 2026 action plan funding
recommendations for funding
from the united states urban
development increase
recommendations on mdc 001 from
198 thousand $501 to $198,560.
Four miami-dade county housing
and urban development economic
development public facilities
and capital improvements, if I
read that correctly it's a
motion to correct a scriveners
error or a difference of a
whopping $50.
And I have another motion on
behalf of CHAIRMAN Rodriguez,
moves pursuant to rule 5.064 of
this board's rules of procedure
to extend indefinitely approval
period for all legislative
requests eligible for an
extension made by the CHAIRMAN
And I have exact same motion so
I make the same motion pursuant
to the same rule, thank you.
>>vice chair mcghee: do we have
a second, commissioner lopez
seconds the item.
Let me get through this motion
first, all in favor, all
against, motion is passed.
MADAM Attorney.
>> we have two more, pursuant
to rule 5.026 of the rules of
procedure vice CHAIRMAN Mcghee
and commissioner bermudez and
commissioner gilbert,
commissioner lopez,
commissioner cdmp moved to
extend indefinitely approval
period for all legislative
requests for axis extension
made by each group perspective
commissioner.
>>commissioner bermudez: I'm
sorry but everyone is included
in this one.
Motion to pass it.
>>vice chair mcghee: there are
actual rules, seeing the items
are moved do we have a second?
Second by commissioner lopez.
Ll against, show the item
passes.
Any other motions.
>> on commissioner gilberts
motion that would apply to both
the 26 and 2027 calendar years.
>>vice chair mcghee: thank you,
any other issues or business
before the board before we
adjourn.
Motion to adjourn.
Since