##VIDEO ID:NMoTDjR50zg## e for for [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] there [Music] e thank you good morning I'd like to welcome everybody to the Tuesday September 10th 2024 City commission meeting special welcome to all of you who are here today thank you for being with us especially one of my favorite Mayors and not my favorite mayor mayor Dorothy Thompson thank you for being here with us as always it's a pleasure to have you uh I'd like to remind everybody this is an opportunity to engage in a conversation you can either do it in person as many of you who are here you can do it over the phone uh you can do it over Zoom there's many different opportunities you can send us an email the important part about it is engagement so welcome to the City of Coral Gables I'd like to welcome Pastor Rick and Tina Romero from Generation Church thank you for being with us good morning thank you you all uh like Mr Mayor said Thank you for having us we're honored to be here before you my wife and I here Pastor Generation Church at ponelo middle school and it's an honor to lead this uh morning in prayer we can all just bow our heads father we just thank you this morning Lord for this great opportunity to be together I thank you Jesus for what you're doing here in the City of Coral Gables I thank you for our mayor I thank you for his family Lord I pray you continue to lead him and guide him Lord in strategy and wisdom God and favor I think thank you for every commissioner thank you for every representative here God and I just pray Lord that you continue to bless this city that you continue to guide us Lord that you continue to strengthen us make us better Lord continue to grant us favor God strengthen our schools strengthen God our our police stations Our firehouses God just the provision that is over this place Lord so that Coral Gables can continue to be a Beacon of Hope and a beacon of prosperity for the rest of our city and our state God Have Your Way in this meeting today Lord grant us unity and peace and let us continue Lord to work together to strive towards all that you have in store Lord in your name we pray amen amen amen thank you Pastor Romero uh we send our best wishes to your congregation and your worshippers it's always an honor and a privilege to have you here and we look forward to seeing you again thank you and God bless my friend um commissioner CER would you please lead us in the pledge absolutely I pledge Ali to the flag of the United United States of America stand One Nation God indivisible with liy and justice for all moving on to presentation and protocol documents item a A2 presentation our Proclamation declaring September 17th through the 23rd 2024 as Constitution weak and Coral Gables mayor please join us it is always a pleasure to have you here especially when we talk about Constitution week I love your outfit by the way red white and blue amazing thank you very much but indeed it's my honor I'm always happy to see you all again I'm not always here for your commission meetings but I'm watching I'm watching you from home so uh I know all the hard work that you all do and it's it's a pleasure to be here in person if only for a moment I want to introduce the lady to my left here who is the vice Regent of cor cor gab chapter D I'm myself a been a member of the cor chapter of D for I think it's 5 55 years right now and it's um it's always been a pleasure to come for this Proclamation doing this for year after year but it's always very very meaningful despite the fact that it is repetitive but it's so meaningful and later on in the month and like uh they have a a uh reception and dinner someplace where all the chapters from from the county come and come conate and um they display their proclamations and we're I'm always very proud of our proclamation of cor Gables being there with all the other cities and from the state governments and the national as well so uh you've been there on those every single year and again this year I'd like to introduce Mary turo who's the vice Regent you want to speak a few words good morning good morning everyone I just want to say thank you on behalf of the Cor Gables Daughters of the American Revolution our chapter has been in existence here in qual Gables almost as long as the city so we're nearing our 100th birthday as well and um in the last gosh dozens of years this this government body has provided the proclamation for our constitution lunch that we do have annually that includes men and women um from our organizations both s c uh d and c which is the children of the American Revolution and all their guests families and friends so I hope in future years all of you will consider joining us at some point for one of our lunch uh to celebrate the most important document um in our founding thank you thank you very much mayor so before I read the proclamation um I want to say thank you once again for all your hard work both of you and send our best wishes to everyone that's involved whereas on September 17 7 1787 in order to secure the blessings of Liberty for themselves and and their posterity our founding fathers ordained established and signed the Constitution of the United States a unique and pricess document which has afforded the people of our great nation with certain privileges El lenal rights and responsibilities of American citizenship and whereas because it is the of the utmost importance that all citizens understand the provisions and principles embedded in this prices document our constitution in order to effectively support preserve and defend it against all any and all unwarranted intrusions that the independence which is guaranteed to American citizens whether by birth or naturalization should be celebrated and whereas on this 237th anniversary memorializing the sighting of our constitution the cor chapter of the daughter of the American Revolution a society of women Patriots dedicated to the preservation of this priceis Heritage proudly joins us as we celebrate Constitution week and this invaluable Legacy left Us by our founding fathers whose wisdom and remarkable Vision made possible the creation and preservation of the historic document and whereas emphasizing citizens responsibilities for protecting and defending the Constitution and encouraging the study of those historical events which led to the framing of the constitution in 1787 are only two of the reasons why the Daughters of the American Revolution petitioned Congress in 1955 to set aside September 17th to the 23rd annually for for the observance of constitution week now therefore iin L as mayor of the City of Coral gaes along with the members of our city commission to hereby proclaim the week of September 17 through the 23rd 2024 as Constitution week in the City of Coral Gables thank you thank you very much let's take a photo than conratulations what see support moving on to item eth three congratulations to the city of Co Gables for being named best city to live in in Miami New Times oh I have the wrong I have it broken down in correct I had it as A3 but A2 it is that's it I just thought it was your need for glasses that's no not this time not this time I'm I still need the glasses but uh but it's I had the wrong uh the wrong numbering good morning belis Perez with the econom Development Department uh Miami New Times has an annual best of series and um this year they added a new category best city to live in and we're really excited that we won the award on our first uh try and so we brought Christy Canard the senior executive director for Miami New Times here to tell us why Coral Gables I think we all know why but she can give us a little bit of background so christe hello my name is Christy Canard and on behalf of Miami New Times I congratulate the City of Coral Gable to me when the we have two ways that you win this issue and it's something we've been doing over 35 years this was the first year where we kind of listened to what the the community was asking for and they asked that in the reader Choice segment we add best city to live in and I was actually scared because I have an affinity for The Gables but myi Shores was really running hard on on this so again I think it means a lot and it's a credit to all of you for for doing all that you're doing to make the strides and um you know make the City of Coral Gables a must see so I I want to thank you for you know doing the contest it was a pleasure to be there with you for you know the unveiling of the award and I think it it speaks volumes not only of what our staff does but also the businesses themselves because it's like a fabric we all work together and um it's it's quite a team teamwork is Is What It Takes and great event thank you for doing it it helps Propel us to keep going forward well thank you for attending but again um you've got the readers and the community's heart so that that means more than editorial picks every day thank you for the recognition as always it's a pleasure perfect let's take a [Music] photo go for the the repeat next back to back championship [Music] I will break you all up moving on to item A3 congratulations to procurement Department winner of the 2024 achievement of Excellence award by the National procuran Institute Madam director good morning good morning Diana Gomez Finance director so this prestigious award is earned by organizations that demonstrate excellence in areas of the procurement profession that focus on Innovation professionalism productivity e-procurement and Leadership um the qualification process is designed to encourage procurement professionals to go beyond minimum requirements and to recognize Innovative programs and solutions that exemplify outstanding achievements the award is not the the award not only focuses on practical documented work but also recognizes leadership and contributions that further Advance the public procurement profession it should be noted that in 2024 only 198 applicants Nationwide were successful in achieving the status of excellence and that this is the third year that the city was awarded this achievement under the leadership of the chief procurement officer Celeste Walker hman this award is recognized as a premier award in the public procur M um profession so please join me in congratulating Celeste and her team um for this achievement well [Applause] done great work great work congratulations thank you thank you I just want to say congratulations to my team it's truly a team effort um I couldn't do it without them and um this is a testament to hard work um and diligence to what we do and we're proud of that so so again I want to say thank you so come on show the award show the award everybody wants to see it great job great job thank you and this is my assistant chief of care officer this is Tanya Donan well thank you for everything you do it's not an easy task no it's not you have to always be crossing your te's and dotting your eyes and we appreciate everything you do on behalf of the city because at the end of the day through procurement you protect a lot of the city's assets so thank you thank you for everything you do thank appreciate that let's take a photo [Music] yep joining the [Music] dark you know is working yes7 James Jones Jones passed away yesterday I know so if they're going to work with Mel fast moving on to item A4 presentation of a certificate appreciation to the cor Gables fire department for their assistance and training a delegation of firefighters from kahen Columbia a sister city of cor gaes chief uh good morning again um so in 1957 uh kahena Colombia became the the cor's first sister city and despite the change in leadership and staff along the way um at all levels the relationship has always remained strong uh but unlike the cultural exchanges that we have engaged in in the past the latest interaction will um will have a meaningful long-term impact on the residents and visitors of kahena last month a delegation of eight firefighters from caha came to Coral gaes to train with our firefighters um it was a comprehensive training tailored to their needs and I want to thank uh Chief Dear Rosa deputy chief Gil Hernandez Lieutenant Ishmael Roy Lieutenant Lou Fardo and firefighter Jonathan Korea he's on vacation he's not here right now but um for spending one week training these individuals um we are all very busy and I really appreciate the Goodwill and the effort that they put um to get this delegation the training that they needed and um I also want to say that from our shop it took a lot of time to put this to plan this letia pz did a great job she's not here she's on vacation as well but I want to turn it over to the chief because thank you we do the the front end but they really pulled it off Chief good morning so I'd like to thank the mayor and the commissioner for first allowing us and entrusting us to uh participate in programs like this I'd like to thank belis and her staff uh as she said she did the heavy lifting by the time they got to us really it was the easy part uh I've I often come in front of you and before you and state that our motto is committed to our community and that is definitely always the case and we live by that modotto whether it be within the confines of the City of Coral Gables throughout our state or definitely internationally we put a lot of emphasis on resources and training and the development of our people and it's always great to see when we can give back and when um not only does that knowledge and skills and abilities benefit our residents and the health and safety of our firefighters but also those of our sister communities um the folks that participate ated in this i title them as ambassadors wherever you place them and whatever task you ask of them uh they deliver in folds and they always represent our fire department brand and that of our city in an exceptional manner so thank you to everyone who participated from our staff in hosting and welcoming these uh firefighters from Cartana here thank you Chief thank you thank you very much good morning uh once again just as our fire chief mentioned we want to take the time to thank you all our city officials and I want to personally thank our Administration for allowing Captain Fardo myself to teach our brothers our Colombian firefighter Brothers it was an amazing experience we got to see how they operate on a day-to-day basis and we got to give them some tools they can take back to help save lives in their in their country so we truly look forward to the future opportunities to possibly train together and grow together as a relationship so thank you thank you anyone else well thank you for spreading goodwill that's a good thing and it's it's a beautiful thing that where you can you know spread and share all the techniques and everything you've learned over the years and everything that we in the city appreciate and that you go out there every single day and keep us safe uh you know a lot of these a lot of these um foreign countries don't have the resources that we that we have especially when you talk about training and Technology but more important training and standards and the fact that you can go out there and and partake and take a week off I know you know a lot of you took up time of your own personal time off uh to you know to spread uh this information and give these people the tools to go back to k k is a beautiful place U beautiful people who I know that will will will truly be blessed from everything that you've taught them so so thank you for taking the time I have a a few certificates of recognition I have two of them that I'll give out today and then please give give the last one to Jonathan Cora and we'll take a picture and I appreciate again all of your hard work thank you so much thank take a picture one okay [Music] [Music] we here to stay our way moving on to item A5 congratulations to detective khid Taha recipient of the City of Coral Gables detective of the quarter for the second quarter of 2024 Chief good morning morning mayor Commissioners how are you nice to see you good morning uh with the mayor's permission I'd probably like to do all three before we do the photos that way we can rotate out because we're going to recognize some of our uh off officers that show exactly what we do every day officer Taha if you'll join me at the other Podium today the police department is here to recognize the detective for the second quarter in 2024 detective Taha was nominated by his Sergeant Brad baina of the criminal investigations division he's recommended officer Taha be considered for the detective of the second quarter because of his exemplary investigative skills and hard work and in clearing new numerous cases to the tune of about eight cases for this quarter uh I will give you a synopsis of some of those things that he has been able to uh solve through his work and his partnership with other agencies as well as with other detectives uh with th of those eight cases the first one was a residential burglary case in the northern part of the city interestingly on this when he actually identified the individuals through use of DNA which came back years later the individual who committed the burglary a few years ago was currently in prison for murder uh that was another person that was this charge was added to that as well shoplifting as you know is something that affects not just consumers but also our residents and he made several arrests throughout this quarter whether it be the 1500 Block of Douglas San Lorenzo in two cases and through his persistance was able to identify the offenders uh who had not been their first time obviously and worked along with side with the Miami Dade Police Department to identify that individual and have her taken into custody uh a cell phone s the 305 uh University Drive again once again not just because you have an assigned case but when you're in the area he actually responded was able to use our CCTV system actually identify the individual and place that person in custody who was also out on a felony bond for Narcotics arrest the other cases that another theft at Target and once again he was able to apprehend some of our porch Pirates as we affectionately not so much refer to them using an alpr hit along the the 1500 Block of Coral Way and he was able to identify the offender and arrest them in a followup and the last one was a theft of structure uh from legal access was somebody who uh was a roomate and decided to try an upscan with a TV and uh after his interview uh when they ident ified the individual they were able to not only to recover the TV but charge the person accordingly as evidenced above detective k k taha's exemplary work ethic and dedication to the C Gable Police Department makes him most deserving for the detective of the second quarter with that detective high was detective Taha is an asset to the criminal investigations ofis specifically the property crimes unit and for that we present the detective of the second quarter to officer detective Taha [Applause] good morning good morning thank you mayor City commission city manager Chief and Senior staff for having me here today I also want to thank the award selection committee um my sergeant Sergeant Brad baina for the nomination and the members of my unit um this award um is a culmination of teamwork um it wasn't myself not only other agencies but my own unit um which helped me with different things of video area canvases and even going to pick up some of these offenders that we've had to pick up so I want to thank them um I also want to thank my family my wife and my son that are here even though he's not feeling all that well um because they've always supported me and always um pushed me um to go and do what I want to do in this department so I want to thank everybody for that congratulations at this point I like to have officer Bianca Torres join me at the podium morning excuse me what did I say oh Bianca Rivera I'm sorry I was looking who actually nominated you Bianca did Casey Rivera was nominated by Officer Bianca Torres that's my best friend but I know it's her best friend if I was going to convince her if I was going to confuse you with anybody it was her I that's a good one that's a good one uh again this is like supervising your own children now you see that I get I get this at work too there is no there is no respect when you're the boss when it's your daughter anyway we're here to talk about officer Casey Rivera and the work that she did on May 19th in 2024 uh at approximately 8:00 at night uh an individual a resident actually watched a few other juveniles attack an individual and steal their bike uh officer Rivera was not the one that was dispatched but again and the teamwork that we see in this Police Department was able to respond to the area on her own and start looking for the individuals that ran from the area she observed the individual uh in about the 1500 Block of Douglas Road right on the border of what we call the Douglas Miami side uh when she started to follow the individual the individual split up took off officer Rivera was able to actually catch up with one of them while the other one split again the teamwork in this department is something that I Marvel at sometimes and one of these one of these events actually took place when this happened because she actually was able to notify both the victim identify that was not the person that took the bike uh officer delion uh who was also one of our bike Patrol officers I believe was down in the downtown area identified the individual from the description that was put out and subsequently that individual was taken in brought back for a lineup and taken into custody for the actual theft of the two now the best part about this teamwork is also we work with the city of Miami this crime actually occurred on the other side of Douglas Road since that's where the witness from our side was seeing but we were able to arrest both the individuals and turn them over and the City of Miami actually filed the charges on them because of her work and her constant diligent work that she does every day when she comes in she was she was awarded the officer of the month for May 2024 good morning I want to begin by thanking the mayor and the commissioner for recognizing hard work doesn't go on notice I would like to thank my chief for allowing me to be part of the cor GBL family and supporting uh press within our officers I'd like to thank my Charlie Shi supervisors for always entrusting their officers always showing great leadership and allowing great work I'd like to thank one of my closest friends we got mixed up with officer B Torres for the nomination and for being the perfect backup always happy to have you my crew lastly I'd like to thank God for allowing me to put this uniform on every day and keeping me safe serving the city beautiful is always an honor thank you and have a blessed day thank you and finally for our officer of the month not to be confused with Bianca or Casey is Officer ausen uh again fresh from the midnight shift so he's the one that patrols the streets in the middle of the night you want to know who's out looking out for us when the lights are out and everybody's asleep it's guys like him on June 5th 2024 at about 3:22 a.m. units were dispatched to the area of 600 block of kadaga to a construction site referenc a disturbance inside the area people were heard laughing making noise officer Ren was very quick to have other units surround the area which we call a perimeter because of his quick work his quick action and his coordination uh we were able to secure the area at which point an individual walked out later identified um as the subject that was inside and previously taken into custody for shoplifting incidents along South Dixie Highway and the area of Lun Road and ply on Boulevard the individuals actually could not explain why they were there they had no legal reason to be there detectives again in the teamwork detective James and Diaz actually responded to interview the individuals and once a thorough investigation was completed the F the charges were for trespassing in that sign in that area because of this work and what he does every night for the midnight shift and for all of us that sleep at night peacefully he was awarded officer of the month for June 2024 thank you chief good morning mayor good morning commission I'd like to thank my nominator Sergeant Martis for this uh making this possible also the uh award selection committee um I'd also like to thank my fellow officers and supervisors that were there that night um and the detectives as well that helped us with the investigation um most importantly I'd just like to thank my family who couldn't be here today um and that's all thank you so Chief before we take a quick picture I think you mentioned something that um i' be remiss if I didn't if I didn't follow up with the three individuals that are here before us how long have you been on the force for 5 years almost Years sir sir Taha sir how many years youve been on the force 11 so this is not only the present but this is the future of this department and we're blessed to have an incredible team behind them uh teaching teaching them the way and I want to thank all of you uh for the hard work that you do on behalf of our city um there isn't one time that I'm not up here that that myself the commission doesn't doesn't acknowledge the work of the police department and I've said it before and I'll continue to say it especially in your case I'm not sure what hours that you work but he the chief wanted to make sure he imprinted in us that you're the midnight shift uh the work that you do all the hard work that you do that extra moment that you take to you know acknowledge maybe a situation that is out of the norm uh that deserves attention is what allows us to sleep at night uh the three of you all of you up there are the standard in this community so I want to thank you for your hard work and your continued diligence on behalf of the residents in the business Community here so thank you very much thank you thank you sir much than me congratulations okay when you see the two of them you can't [Music] one one two [Music] are Mr clerk we don't have any approval of minutes correct um public comment first speak by way before we move into public comment there's one item to defer f11 at the wishes of the sponsor yes sir uh first Speaker today in public comments Miss Maria Cruz good morning Mrs Maria Cruz 1446 7even Miller Road what a nice nice nice presentation this morning it's very nice to see our people getting recognized and since it's such a beautiful day in the City of Coral Gables let us remember that this is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it I think uh maybe we need to remember that we're here for good things sometimes not so good things but after all we should be very happy that we get to be here and live here thank you Carlos Carter good morning sir for the record uh Carlos Carta 715 Anastasia Avenue uh mayor vice mayor Commissioners staff um I stand here today uh as a constituent a neighbor and from any of you a friend uh to share a few things that are top of mine with my neighbors once again Somerset Academy located at 724 Anastasia Avenue failed to meet its annual obligation under a legal settlement agreement with me our neighbors and the builtmore neighborhood association continuing a pattern of negative behavior since the city has decided to review Somerset expansion application without even asking if they have met met with the neighbors I promise you that this will open up a path for Gulliver Riviera Day School St Phillips Santa Teresita to come and ask for an expansion I encourage you here to let academica and Somerset know that this expansion doesn't belong in the bore neighborhood the city has had a practice of offering highdensity building permits without considering the urgent need for schools in areas like downtown Coral Gables is not just a miss opportunity for education but also for our businesses that desperately need more foot traffic you need to make this a high priority don't do the easy thing be bold think big work with academica and Somerset to build a stateof the art school in the downtown area leave a legacy not a scar in our neighborhood thank you for your time look forward to meeting with each of you but I wanted to bring that to your attention thank you sir thank you see you thank you Jackson Holmes your Holmes thank you very much um I was reading through the uh hearing notes on the assessment uh uh commission meeting you're going to have Thursday uh at 3:00 and I was alarmed to see an item saying Miracle Mile assessment District which for me could be a resurrection of the uh massively pro-development business improvement district um so it was suggested to Me Maybe it's not uh maybe it's just collecting old streetscape debts but our very kind and considerate Finance director Blanca Gomez says she's not sure but but it may be about resurrecting the business improvement district to talk with uh uh our development director belis Perez I spoke with her and uh she wasn't really sure so she's going to send me an email uh but it uh obviously creates the alarm that um the business improvement district which which basically let them sue me for SL they stole a half a million dollars belonging to the city and to the taxpayers of the business Improvement they stole uh maybe trying to get back in the game uh and they're massively Pro development uh they've tried to raise the height of Miracle Mile uh a woman told me she was fired as a as a business improvement district director because she wouldn't go along with that so they fired her um so I raised this concern I don't know what the answer is and I think I I I uh it's very frightening to me I lose sleep over it thank you thank you sir Mr clerk that's it Mr Mayor thank you very much moving on to consent agenda before the vote adop the consent agenda is taken is there anyone who wishes additional discussion or review of any item on the consent agenda I entertain a motion I'll move it a second all in favor I I thank you moving on to item E1 E1 is an ordinance of the city commission providing for text amendments to the city of cor Gables official zoning code Article 15 notices section 15-12 notice to require notice to all properties along the Mahi Canal regardless of distance for any new mixed use and multif family developments on the Mahi Canal providing for repeater provision severability clause codification and providing for an effective date this is a public hearing item do we have a staff presentation do we have any there have been no changes since first reading I don't know if the if the um planning official is gonna has anything to add but there's been no changes okay I'll move it I'll second uh before taking a vote I have a member of the public requesting to speak on the item Mr Mayor yes sir Mrs Mar Cruz Mrs Maria Cruz for 19 47 Miller Road told you it was a good day in the city of CRA this is long overdue everybody who lives by the Mahi canel should know what's going on there because the manatees need their support thank you clerk vice mayor Anderson yes commissioner Castro yes commissioner Fernandez yes commissioner Mendez yes mayor lgo yes moving on to item E2 e2's in norance of the city commission amending the code of the City of Coral Gables Florida Chapter 2 entitled that Administration article 3 boards commissions committees division one generally by amending section 2- 52 qualification and appointment of members in order to offer members of City boards reduced Fitness membership fees at the Coral Gables war memorial Youth Center providing for repeat provision severability clause codification and providing for an effective date this is a public hearing item mayor and Commissioners it's my pleasure to formally introduce to to everyone our new assistant City attorney you've all met him Clifford Friedman we're very happy and thrilled that he's a part of our team he brings a wealth of experience and he'll be presenting the next three items thank you madam City attorney uh the item before you today is an amendment to the city's code regarding pass policies sponsored by commissioner Menendez uh which as the City attorney stated would expand the past policy to offer a reduced rate on Fitness memberships at the Coral Gables war memorial Youth Center yeah this uh item uh came about because uh several I mean actually over several years uh residents have uh who have served on our city boards have said they're not necessarily golfers and they don't necessarily play tennis especially those that are a little bit older I guess like me um and but they were interested in maintaining their health and staying in shape and they thought uh they asked if there was a way for the city to look into the possibility of giving them a a a discount so that they can participate at the youth center and and maintain their health through through the fitness center so we had a meeting with the administration uh Fred was brought in that did the analysis and this is something that the administration it's my understanding is very comfortable with and I think it's something that'll go a long way uh to uh thanking those folks that serve on City boards and helping our community stay healthy at the same time so mayor yes uh I agree that staying active is something that we should try to promote uh everyone to do and you know this uh membership would be a great way to entice folks that are you know needing to work out in air conditioning to be able to do so um at our great facilities and bring in other family members as well yeah at the same time so um I'm in favor as well I mean you moved it yeah I'll move second second okay yeah I think our colleagues want to say something yeah one thing I wanted to to add uh both of you spearheaded uh a project prior to my being on the commission we had a sunshine meeting regarding the potential of offering board members uh the option of choosing the benefits that were currently offered or the parking option uh in order to entice our board members to frequent our Central business district and the businesses in our CBD uh I know that that never uh Reach the the level of the commission um I have asked staff to start looking uh into that possibility uh if there is an appetite to consider that to bring it up possibly at the next commission meeting uh so that board members have the three different options that they can choose from you don't choose all three you would choose one of the three uh just to ensure that if that is something that will entice our our board members to come and frequent uh our downtown area it would be parking streets street parking uh and one of the thing one of the concerns had been brought up by the uh parking director at that meeting was overnight parking what I've asked staff is to consider the option of only daytime parking uh no overnight parking uh privilege um so if there is an appetite for that um I'd like to to bring that back at the next commission meeting yeah I'd like to St talk with staff about you know the cost of that I mean I think uh what commissioner Mendez has proposed here is consistent with the spirit of everything else that we've tried to promote our residents to engage in and that is you know staying active whether it be golfs or swimming at the Venetian pool Etc we have to look at that and the other aspect of you know street parking is um that's the most expensive parking out there so uh the parking in the garage is usually the the least expensive of the two I think um if I'm not mistaken some years ago before the Great Recession um board members had a plethora of benefit uh thank ways of thanking them for serving on the on City boards and as we went through economic downturns the city started cutting back on a lot of those benefits obviously for economic reasons so you know I think now is the time to little by little start exploring what it is that those folks that serve on City boards really find appealing because I think as the vice mayor said we want more people to serve on City boards um you know I served on a on the parks and recck for eight years I think it was and sometimes you have some of the same people do it but it'd be nice to reach into the community and get folks that are maybe not normally engaged to be more engaged and serve so if we can find creative ways obviously the Administration has to make an assessment but you know let's let's look at things and if some options don't work at the time so be it but you know I think it's good to be open to suggestions and ideas and delve deep into them yeah I am on board with this with this um discount just to be clear it's 50% right yes yeah and are we also going to consider is this just for the appointee or is this for the family or currently it's for the appointee but I know there's legislation following that expands the benefit to from an individual to family members I don't know if it ties into the fitness center but I know the mayor has an item as well yeah this as as currently written this would allow the appointee to opt into one of the fitness membership so whether it's a single single senior two person two person senior or three person they would receive the 50% discount okay so it's included within the group the group discount correct depending on what they opt into okay thank you so just a quick Point um I have no issues with this as long as it's the board member if it was to be a family for example you'd have a family of five they could all use the facility I think the facilities would become a little overcrowded depending on I think we have close to 300 or so uh individuals serving on different boards which is amazing and I hope that more do serve but I think the second part which this is not my legislation but I think the second part which is important is is what the vice mayor mentioned is is about getting people engaged in health and wellness the continued the continued interest in getting people to get out there and get healthier in one form or another in regards to the parking I'm more than willing to study it uh um from the last time I checked it was about a half a million dollar cost to the city which is a pretty significant number um from what I heard um I could be wrong um if you're going to offer anything it could be you know parking not on the street because it is the most expensive parking that we have here in the city so I look forward to having that conversation when it comes okay commissioner Castro yes commissioner Fernandez yes commissioner mandez yes vice mayor Anderson yes mayor loo yes moving on to item E3 E3 is ordance of the city commission amending the code of the City of Coral Gable Florida Chapter 2 entitled that Administration article 3 boards commissions committees division one generally by amending section 2- 52 qualification and appointment of members in order to expand the benefits offered to members of City boards providing for repeated provision severability clause codification and providing for an effective date good morning mayor vice mayor and Commissioners again Cliff Freedman assistant City attorney uh the item before you today is an ordinance sponsored by mayor logo to EXP and the city's pass policy to extend certain City recreation facility benefits free of charge to the spouse domestic partner and uh immediate family members living with the board member or Committee Member member who are under the age of 17 um and that would enable them to access the tennis facilities and the pool facilities but uh leaves aside the golf facilities so just a touch base on what we're discussing on E2 for example E2 when you talk about a facility like the gym is a daily use facility you know people play golf unless you're retired unless you're fortunate enough to not have to go to work they play golf maybe once a week on weekends if possible where most people are weakend warriors you go to the Venetian pool once a week that's what I when I talk to Residents and people who live in our community I say I go once a week I go once a month um and that's the reason why I brought this forward because it doesn't really impact the facility when you talk about a gym there's gym that gets used three four five six times a week when you go from one member to having maybe four or five members in a family using it while it's great for health and wellness there's a significant impact on everyone else that's using the gym around you so those are things to consider uh when when expanding it when applying this legislation to for example the gym also for example like golf you know there's a golf benefit for for certain members uh for all the members excuse me I don't play golf I've never played golf but if we were allowed now to everybody to use the golf facility I think it would become pretty pretty strenous in regards to Granada and the billmore be be pretty difficult to get a tea time um so those are just things that I put out there for consideration this is a simple one you know I had two um members who serve at the will of the Commission in the city they went to vene they were not in town their significant other went to the Venetian pool with their kids to use it and they told them that the actual member had to be there um so it's a pretty simple um opportunity just to help and say thank you uh you know to Because by the way the family is allowed when the member's there so there's really no difference it's actually a less of an impact the families already allowed to visit the venician pool together um so it's an opportunity to consider and to give back a little bit to the employees who may not be able to be there for one reason or another not employee excuse me to the members who serve on different boards mayor I I think it makes perfect sense you know it you could get around the rule sometimes by bringing your family in and then leaving early but um why go through you know red tape and this is a great way to show the appreciation for the the work that people do question is there any limitations to the size of family I don't is your legislation the limitation would be on the immediate family members living with the board member so so we're a family of 12 that's fine that under as currently written yes as long as those folks are registered with the uh in the uh the community recreation system Rec track yeah okay yeah um I agree I think that it is a benefit and as I mentioned last time I think our board members are giving up of their time with their families a lot of times to to serve on boards um if they're already getting the benefit uh if the family member or the board member is there I I see this as a as a smooth transition um I think I liken it to the uh the parking option uh um there is a cost to this um it isn't like it's it doesn't have a cost what is the admission currently at Venetian pool the admission at venician pool there's a different there's a different perhaps staff can give that information commission I don't think they're here I see right what's a the price of admission at Venetian pool I don't I think great um the residents $5 a uh well non-residents is much more resident yeah resident it's um the top of my head I think it's between oh Fred right here bre six and eight oh sorry 675 um for adults and 575 for children right and we do have days when Venetian pool is pretty much sold out too we do especially in the summer in the weekends um when it's quite um busy in the hot hotter months yeah I mean I have no problem with it I just want to make sure on the record we do state there could be an impact on on the service that is currently being provided Fred quick question I'm a member serving on the Planning and Zoning Board and I go to the venician pool down and I take my family does my family get it for free currently no um currently it's uh the board member um that we um allow in um we had not had family um privileges for board members at any of those facilities whether it was the pool golf tennis how often do would you say that somebody uses a Venetian pool a board member yeah would you say just on average would you say um I don't think it's it's it's it's a very large amount um would you say maybe once a month a little bit more than that maybe a couple couple uses and in the hot in the hot months a little bit more out of 300 members we have 30 boards 30 plus boards how many board members do you think use it I wouldn't be able to tell you but maybe maybe on a on the high end maybe 30 or 40 I would think if that I mean we we don't get that much okay but I guess the question that I have is we we were told that this was a benefit that was offered to to family members if the board member was there so that's not the case it it was always for the board member um the for family m members that wasn't part of the the old ordinance um it was only for the board member well the two individuals that I spoke to that called me about this issue they told me that when they're present when they're present and they're not working on the weekends that their their families are allotting for free that could be something with our staff trying to be nice to the resident of the board member um they might have let them in that's what I've been told that's why I brought up something that doesn't make that doesn't make much sense you're allowing somebody if you think about it you're allowing somebody's children and their significant other in for free when that person's there but then when that other person's there if they bring their car they said no they said the member has to be present for the family to come in well that that is probably a staff error to be honest with you mayor would you be open to putting a cap of four mom dad and you know what I'm willing to do which is great so that later when we have the when we have the parking conversation there's no conflict of eror I'm willing to scratch it completely because if I was misled and I was told that residents were able to come free even though it's only you're saying 30 residents a month that use it you know let's say that you bring your residents in and it's let's say a family of five I don't have a family of five but let's say you do the average is what three and a half four four people in a family I don't have the the sensus data yeah I think the numbers are um you know you're talking about instead of maybe an additional 120 people a year you know depending a month excuse me how many times they come a month yeah when you talk about parking for example you're talking about a person when you park in the downtown it's 7 days the week it's parking it's it's a significant number when you're talking about a $5 entrance imagine our parking in the downtown is you know you spend two hours in the in the downtown you already spend more than you do in the entrance in ventian pool um depending on where you depending on where you park and the time that you park and I want to be correct on that front so I don't have an issue removing my legislation if it's if it's an issue that that my colleagues are not happy with I'd like to comment if mayor if if if I may uh I have no issue with uh um expanding the benishan pool benefit to family members I think um if we can identify what immediate family entails and provide some finer detail I think everybody be more comfortable this is first reading I'm I was ready to vote Yes and we can come back between first and second reading with more details uh I mean just because I mean think about it if a board member has free access to the venician pool and he has three kids that doesn't mean he's not going to go to the venan pool because the three kids don't get in free they're just going to pay and you're still going to have the family in there so I don't think the impact is necessarily going to be as great they may go to the Venetian pool more often but I'm all for about expanding benefits to immediate family so mayor I'm comfortable with doing the first reading and letting staff come back with details to see how that would work if I mean it's your call but well we do have some wording already that would kind of mirror what we do with the employees which is you know it has an age qualification and they have to be living in the same household and so there's no problem extending that that would actually kind of give it a uniformity because we already do it with employees so we can do that um so you offer that service to employees and their family members yes it's and that they're up to the you know up to adult age and they have to be in the household so what I'd like to would like for you to do for me can and I'm going to defer this it's important I'd like for you to come back and tell me thinking about M I'd like for you if you can through the manager uh research how many how many individuals we should have their names right or when they swipe how many individuals that are on boards go to Venetian pool okay and we'll take their number we'll say okay if they're coming twice a week like I you told me before there's an individual who I don't think is on a board but they swim in the morning ofan pool okay you know they swim three or four times a week yeah they do so they swim but I don't think that's the majority I think that's a very finite minority maybe less than five correct because I've been there I walked through that area all the time um so what I think what I think is an opportunity is just take a look at it and you tell me how many how many the board members are using that that service we have the actual information there okay and then we can calculate okay if they're coming twice a week and they have three three members what would be the loss of Revenue if it's if it's three family members you're talking about under $20 are we willing to make that sacrifice instead of making that revenue and if we're not then I don't have a problem you know moving on from it it's no big deal mayor yes so um I agree with commissioner mandez I was prepared to move and you know vote on this today this is the least respect that we should be able to give to our board members not everybody plays golf I'm not I'm not a golfer either and for as often as you get to go in there with your children and most people don't have large families today anyway I just don't I think to me to me I think personally I mean it's an issue that we should have all the information okay um as a sponsor item and and I think this is such a such a minuscule item there's just way too much discussion on it in my opinion if there's this much discussion on it we shouldn't have a vote on it today so Mr clerk I'm deferring the item and um to come back one staff through the manager through the manager I'll provid information by the way um to my colleagues on the commission I have an item at 10:30 it was my error um it was my error um in not not submitting it to the agenda I thought it was I thought I had submitted it but I had made an error it's a positive thing that I think the city and my colleagues will be very excited about it's something I've been working on for about a year uh and I'm happy that we have some of the people who showed up we're missing one person who come and I'm just asking for you to indulge me with 5 minutes so I can educate you about what we're doing and hopefully get your support on the item that'll be at 10:30 we're waiting for one more person which item it's not on the agenda it's a pocket item item E4 e4s in ordinance of the city commission amending the code of the City of Coral Gables Florida Chapter 74 entitled traffic and vehicles Article 1 in general by amending section 741 definition and article three stopping standing and parking division 2 parking meters and parking areas by amending section 74-84 signage and other requirements in order to comply with recent changes to Florida law governing Vehicles parking on private property Florida statute section 75.0 75 providing for repeated Provisions severability clause codification and providing for an effective date this is a public hearing item good morning again mayor vice mayor commissioners as the City attorney stated uh this is an item that would amend the city's current parking regulations regarding signing to bring it in line with recent changes to Florida law governing uh private parking facilities and so there are additional requirements as it relates to signage what's on that signage uh additionally uh the imposition of a 15-minute grace period for folks who enter a parking facility but do not park um and a couple other a couple other items so bringing our code in line with those recent changes to state law and also making sure that our code um extends to apply to all privately owned parking facilities as it stands now it applies to privately owned metered surface parking lots so this would bring garages into the fold as well so when uh a car is going into a a private parking lot that does not have a a little guard house and it's open they have they still have a 15-minute period grace period yeah I would I would defer to staff on any enforcement questions but under under the state law and under the code as written there is or as proposed is a grace period of 15 minutes as long as you do not park okay I'll move it second okay Mr commissioner Fernandez yes commissioner Mendez yes vice mayor Anderson yes commissioner Castro yes mayor loo yes uh let's move on to we don't have any board any board and committee items um city clerk item J1 U Mr Mayor before you today you have uh for your approval the certification of the results of the uh item we place on the primary election of August 20th it was the results for the uh little Gables annexation and I needed a motion to approve the results of the city clerk I'll move it now second commissioner Menendez yeah yes vice mayor Anderson yes commissioner Castro yes commissioner Fernandez yes mayor logo yes thank you okay moving on jump a little bit out of order here trying to find things that won't take more than 10 minutes F9 should be short okay moving on to item F10 my item that way I can control the the amount of time give everybody the time that they need um discussion regarding the possibility of a centennial Venetian pool concert celebrating our Centennial I've been working on this for the last few months I had the pleasure of um meeting with certain individuals who some of them are here I'd like to have come on up come on up don't be shy come on up come on up [Laughter] to be young I was not prepared to talk but how do yall uh for the past couple of Jubilee celebrations that the city has done uh most recently the 90th anniversary in the 75th and so on uh and even when Mr mer himself man sitting right above you uh when he first created the Venetian pool one of the highlights of the opening day he brought in I don't remember the name of the top of my head but he was the king of jazz one of the biggest jazz singers of of the time came over and he performed uh so my idea is for the Centennial to do this again to drain the pool and host a concert and I've been working with Elaine who is the director of Orchestra Miami and we brought forth a little proposal for you all so hopefully you agree and I met with a couple of you recently and you all seem enthusiastic so hopefully you your vote reflects that and that's it thank you sir so what we've been working on for I think it's been what like three or four mon months since we've been we've been meeting on this issue is the opportunity to have a centennial concert and and bring back something special that we've always celebrated here in the city of cor especially with the latest repairs of Venetian pool and everything that we're working on I think we're going to be able to catch it in its Splendor um this is something that again we're working you know it's just in support and I want to make sure the commission is in support of it uh we'll raise money privately and we'll be able to to handle this issue but I think it will be another event happening dur our during our Centennial that'll hearken back to the days of George Merck and I think it's a beautiful thing um I'll be providing with you a little bit more details via memo I'm going to be meeting uh with the group next week I'll be asking them to meet with you and have conversations so you're brought up to speed in regards to how we're handling this along with meeting hopefully Mary snow uh we can engage um you know her great organization and hopefully the chamber and any any other organizations that want to engage here in the city to put together something that again not only sells out but pays the proper tribute to the City of Coral Gables well thank you mayor for bringing this up and you know I've been speaking to individuals as well to U you know figure out some of the more technical items that we can cover you know with staff you know how do you get individuals down into the pool how do you protect the surface of the pool make a VIP section where you know individuals with disability can also participate um but not you know run the risks necessary to get down to the the pool bottom as well so I I think there's a great way to make this happen and have a wonderful celebration this is something that um I was I had discussed with residents before I even got elected this is something that I know there's a great appetite for and I would completely support it I would I would love to see a little more like the fiscal impact um that this but this is definitely something that I know the residents want and I've also had meetings with Mr Gonzalez uh and um I it's something I've been in contact with Martha panting and with the manager about the potential Logistics I know we are undergoing the renovations at Venetian pool and I guess timing is the biggest question mark there whether we'll be complete before uh the concert comes about um but I think it's something that has been done historically I think the last time was at the 90th anniversary of this of the city in 2016 uh it's definitely something that that should be should be done so I don't even going to make a motion but since there's so much enthusias amongst my colleagues like you and I have talked about this is will be privately funded I've committed myself to raising money uh for for for this event I hope that my colleagues will join in uh along with all the members here who are who are listening today who have an interest in in music who have an interest in Centennial and because I think this will potentially be the true blue Centennial uh celebration the sense of that again it's in line with many things that have happened in other in other celebrations here in the city so I welcome everyone to help me engage to raise private funds to make sure this is successful and in line with everything we've done for the city so I know there's not a Madam City attorney I'd like to see if we can have a motion I make a I would like to make a motion in support of this so that we can go out and you know raise the necessary funds privately to make sure that this is actually successful I'll second that so it's a motion and support of of the city undertaking this effort and that my colleagues helped me raise the money in the private sector along with anyone else who' like to engage and also have City staff you know align align in regards to making sure that it works for the Venetian pool while the event is a great idea we need to make sure that everything is aligned properly okay we have a motion a second Mr clerk Mr Mayor I have members of the public requesting to speak on the item perfect first Speaker Mrs Maria Cruz my questions have been answered okay uh second speaker Mr Mayor is going to be on Zoom I believe is to be caria carbonel miss carbonel good morning good morning everyone morning can you hear me good morning thank you for being here um yes I just want to give uh 100% support to this initiative um I serve on the board of Orchestra Miami I have been very involved with elain raldi who's the founder of the orchestra um you know very very high quality um Symphony um but I also as a president of the historic preservation Association will definitely be also involved in sponsoring at some level um some of this um this concert so um you know I want to thank the mayor for being so open to it I haven't been meeting with the mayor but I know others have and I've sort of been working in the background so but um again I think this is um an absolute tradition um and from the very beginning the Venetian pool has always been there for celebrations and um I was at the 90th my husband and I were at the 90th anniversary at the pool and it was just magnificent and um I think the hundredth is just um it's just fitting I mean where else will we have it so anyway just want to thank everyone thank you for supporting this um and I look forward very very much to this event happening thank you thank you I just want to add for historical purposes I think the singer back in the day was r valy some of you may know who I'm referring to Mr clerk but I may be wrong but he was very popular back then vice mayor Anderson yes commissioner Castro yes commissioner Fernandez yes commissioner Mendez yes mayor logo yes um okay even better item F3 vice mayor Anderson okay this is uh go ahead and you can read it F3 is a resolution of the city commission directing City staff to explore additional notice options with the city's Arts advisory panel and cultural development board when the city's acquiring and inst installing new works of art utilizing the city's art fund I brought this item so that um our our boards you in the um thought process can explore ways of providing uh public notice where a location for a piece of public art is and we're talking about our our City's art uh for our city arts fund um I'd like the boards to consider it whether we just post the property so people can um email comments in I think the Board needs to hear the comments uh before it arrives here uh because it may influence one way or another um which uh selection that they make so not trying to drag things out but I think the boards can um evaluate this and bring it back to us um uh at some time in the future um Madam vice mayor I think this is a great uh piece of legislation um I had meetings with staff this week regarding um private art as well that we had discussed last uh commission meeting um and U the suggestion that came from staff at the time was for the city to go through this process try to figure out what works best for us and then implement the same steps on um developer art going forward so be happy to Second this uh this motion of yours right I had the same discussions and decided to deal with the city's public artart first and have the the board's weigh in okay Mr clerk do you have any comments yes Mr Mayor uh speaker Mrs Maria Cruz good morning again Maria Cruz Mrs Maria Cruz 1447 Miller Road I think this is a wonderful piece of legislation I think is long overdue let the people that live nearby um talk about what their art is that's coming in before you all decide what to put there I think that's wonderful thank you that's it Mr Mayor okay can do you have a motion and a second second I'm sorry it was already it was already you have a motion and a second commissioner Castro yes commissioner Fernandez yes commissioner Mendez yes vice mayor Anderson yes mayor loo yes thank you before we move on to another item uh first off thank you for the commission for entertaining a pocket item I don't bring up many of these I can't remember the last time I have I made an error in putting this and not putting this item on the agenda I thought I had done it but I had misstepped uh this is an item which I think again is going to be well received I'd like to introduce our friend Mr Prescott from the builtmore uh Willie Romeo an architect who lives in the city of cor whose business is now in the city of cor and our friends uh Mary snow from the cor Community Foundation I ask you to please join us so about a year ago I received a phone call from Willie with an idea and I had the privilege of having uh breakfast with Mr Prescott and Willie uh to talk about an opportunity here in the City of Coral Gables um as we honor as we honor our police and firefighters uh every single day uh one of the things that Willie had Willie's idea was why don't we put together an organization again funded by private sector dollars funded by donations and I'll be making a donation in my personal capacity uh to this organization which again will be funded will be created it's already been created and will have its money uh within the cor Community Foundation and the name of the is called Leaf the intent of leaf the law enforcement and firefighter appreciation day and Willie will give a little bit more color is something to highlight and to support law enforcement you know firefighters individuals who serve our community those individuals that number one potentially pay the ultimate sacrifice with her life number two those individuals that are hurt that that require time off will provide supplemental income supplemental support additional training additional education additional materials to make sure their jobs are done as safely as possible but it's an opportunity again for the private sector which doesn't exist now to show their gratitude when we started working on this a year ago and it was at the at Will's leadership we brought in the cor Community Foundation it's something that um we've kept very tight knit I know that there's been conversations with the vice mayor also about about engaging uh in this front um but I think it's an opportunity to really show the gratitude for the people who serve us and like we say and like we say uh in in the private sector you know putting your money your mouth is um I think the the ability to go out there and raise money and do something which is which is going to benefit these individuals who need it most uh in a position where again maybe their supplemental income fall short as a result of an issue that they're having this is where this organization will step in and the important thing about this is that this organization will also hold a yearly Gala which is something that I have my mayor's Gala and I also have by the way Shameless plug but I ask you to come uh next uh November we're doing the wine auction again for fourth year for fourth year last year we rais $150,000 for scholarships um this is going to do the same thing it's going to be a yearly reminder of what Leaf is all about and what our law enforcement and our firefighters are facing every single day here in the city most people interact with law enforcement and firefighters maybe I don't have the exact stats but it's probably once every four five six years I mean if you get a driving ticket if you have to call the firefighters God forbid you have you have an issue in your house you have a fire you have a loved one that you know has some health issues but at the end of the day you really don't understand what's happening on a dayto day you don't understand what they're going through so I want to thank Willie Tom your father kind always forget him uh our friends at the cor GES Community Foundation for taking the lead on this allowing me to be a part of it I've committed personally and Willie will talk a little bit more about our move our future efforts moving forward how the Commissioners can personally donate how we can raise money and what our plans are to really show the firefighters and the police officers how much we appreciate their effort in their in their time of need Willie thank you for being here thank you Mr Mayor M vice vice mayor and members of the commission I believe a couple of months ago I sent you a letter basically summarizing what the mayor just U alluded to our our goal is to set up a vehicle a financing vehicle where we can set up an endowment fund that will be managed by the coral gaes Community Foundation under the leadership of their president CEO Mary snow and their staff Jessica calura where we will initiate this effort first with an event on January 9th 2025 um to commemorate to celebrate what the men and women in your inform do for us every day from the First Responders to law enforcement we all owee a great thatb gratitude to what they do every day from the morning that they wake up to the moment that they go to bed um this is our way to say thank you um no better way than to set up a vehicle that will surpass us that we know we can become the safety net for those that lose their lives in the line of duty or that become disabled or to support their families with scholarships or maybe provide something that within the operating budget just didn't make it that year but it's important for them to have that they know that they can call marage snow and say this is our need and we can be there to step in and provide that is our goal this is to be done with private monies we really did not come to ask you for a private donation we came here to ask you for two things number one to Proclaim January 9th 2025 law enforcement and firefighter Appreciation Day in the city of Carl Gables and number two for all of you including the city manager and the City attorney and the city clerk and of course our fire chief and chief de R Roa who's not here to save the date and to join us that day already um Kevin Cara commissioner in day county has agreed to serve as our Master of Ceremonies and we will be also reaching out at the state and federal level to also have friends of Coral Gables join us on that day it'll be a memorable event it'll be a lunch event it'll be quick and out it will be short on speeches but heavy on emotion so with that I I want to turn over to Tom Prescott Mr buildmore Hotel who opened his his arms his heart his facility to us and I usly Mary's here also to say a few words Tom oh my goodness good morning all I'm just here fully in support it's our honor to be associated with this event and in Partnership always with the city in that regard I don't know about short remarks by the chief over there when we get to the day but it's a it's a really great opportunity for us to celebrate just as Willie said and as the mayor pointed out so we're honored to be part of that Mary I would say the same thing on behalf of the Coral Gable Community Foundation our staff and our board of directors were happy to support this wonderful effort Willie bero was our founding chairman of the board so so happy to continue to work with him 33 years later and um support our police and fire thank you so one of the things that I wanted to mention and I I forgot to mention it when I gave the preamble to our conversation today um I remember when I spoke with the chief and we had one of our police officers who was injured in an accident and I went to visit that police officer at Jackson and at that point I was having we were having these conversations about how to properly find a vehicle uh to do things and we thought about using public funds and then we said you know what let's not even use the public funds anymore because it's just gets too hairy let's raise the money privately like what we do with the foundation um I that left U an imprint on me seeing that officer uh in the position that he was I had the pleasure of meeting his wife that day and I spoke to the chief um you know I haven't shared I haven't shared that conversation publicly that I can remember but that is the moment where I think Leaf will step in and well obviously we're not going to be paying off people's mortgages uh but we'll be able to be provide a relief where police officers firefighters they have sick pay they have injury pay they have all different types of mechanisms but there's opportunities where we can offer a little bit of just relief you know if it's buying groceries if it's making sure that you know certain minor things are taken care of until that police officer comes back to work or a firefighter comes back to work and is and is back on their feet uh those are things that again go a long way when you talk about retention when you talk about you know making sure that these people stay here that we give everything to the police and to the fire Fighters you know in their in their you know in their toolbox so that when people want to work here in the city of cor gaes they feel listen we have the best not we have the best uh residents the best opportunity to work here but we also have people who take care of us so I just want to thank Willie um obviously Mr Prescott our friends of the the foundation but I want to thank Willie I had the pleasure of working for Willie for four years uh in between college and grad school I learned a lot from Willie uh Willie was a conent professional Willie was was a gentleman uh always uh he taught me a lot about discipline he taught me taught me a lot about respecting this country loving this country you're a patriot uh you know working with you dayto day was one of the great privileges of my life and this is not the first time I say it I've said it many many times and for you to call me a year ago and say and and say I want to take you to breakfast and I want to have a conversation I need your help to do something of this magnitude um you know warms my heart because you have faith and trust that I will deliver and I'll do everything in my power uh to make like we've done with the gala like we've done with the wine auction to make sure that we don't let down our police and firefighters so thank you for that my friend appreciate that here if I may comment real quick uh I think this is wonderful uh long overdue glad it's coming to fruition I ask that you consider broadening the scope of those that we look to help because we all know that there are a lot of retirees they're now in their 70s and 80s that when they retire ired the benefits weren't perhaps as as uh wonderful as perhaps they were better than they are now and they're struggling and these are folks that are seniors and if you know in the discussions how this evolves if you all can keep those retirees in mind because I'm sure there are a few out there that could really use some assistance like the mayor said not pay a mortgage but maybe pay for grocery bills and things like that that's all I ask so mayor vice mayor um this is an amazing idea and M Mr bero it's uh I know it was your your brainchild and I've had a long uh uh career practicing both criminal and civil law and developed relationships with various law enforcement officers and seen the tragedies when someone loses their life and the family is left you know not only emotionally harmed but financially because how how are your children going to go through college how is that tuition going to be paid and this is a wonderful uh idea to help fill that Gap because it does exist and I think it would help the family feel the love because um when Community comes together and helps support it shows that we truly appreciate what their loved ones have done and for those who are wearing uniform now know that we have their back so thank you very much for bringing this forward yeah this is very close to my heart and I thank you for coming and presenting this Mr ber I wanted to thank you for um coming up with this great idea um I think this embodies what Coral Gables is a community that's willing to give back to those who have served it uh and I appreciate the fact that you're bringing this forward and you're seeing it through uh I appreciate Mary's help and and Tom's the and the foundation um I appreciate the fact that you're bringing it to our attention as a commission I'd be happy to make a motion to uh designate January 9th as a leaf day in Coral Gables uh and I I know we had tried to schedule a meeting unfortunately my grandfather got sick and we had to uh push it back but let's meet in the coming days to see how I can personally assist uh in this effort as well I'll second if I if I may I've been working on this for Willie I would have the honor especially as having working to make the motion on this then I'll second you know um also with that being said we have a motion a second I committed to buying a table at the event I continue to work I hope that you put together a board I would love to serve on the board um you know and help you in an effort to get as many many sponsors as possible in the private sector and I look forward to my colleagues also engaging in that I think it's important cuz like we said this is a standard the elected officials should be engaging in this and personally saying thank you to the police officers and to the firefighters this is a way to to really really really make a difference to put make to make your money help those people that are in most need so we have a motion in a second idea mayor thank you Mr Mayor I have members are the public requesting to speak on the item perfect first Speaker Mrs Mur Cruz Mrs Maria Cruz 1447 Miller Road coming from somebody who's always always has been praising and thanking both police and fire uh employees coming from somebody who has had to fight to have a sign in front of my house thanking the officers I have a serious objection not about the plan not about the idea about the fact that this was dropped without being an agenda item when there are people waiting for other items that is what's wrong the process we need to to respect people's time and I'm sorry they knew to come at 10:30 and I'm very grateful that they did but guess what there were other people here waiting for items that are going to follow this is not right there shouldn't be emotion there should be this should be brought up as an as an agenda item is a shoe in everybody's happy with it but it should not be discussed when we do not know that it's coming we believe in it I have a thousand support for it but the process is the process and we do have Robert rules to follow and I'm once again the day will come when we do do things the right way nothing about the idea I think the idea is marvelous I think it's long long overdue I have no objections to that but we need to respect the people that take time to be here to expect to talk about other items and for something to Dr be dropped in I object to having even a a motion because this was not on the agenda M next speaker is Robert ruano Mr R good morning good morning Robert Rono 1544 Mercy Avenue uh I just want to say uh this is a wonderful idea I'm a big fan of uh law enforcement and firefighters and I've never met Mr Romeo but I see him as Mr Grand Prix Miami Grand Prix because you brought it to us thank you very much um but I would like to say um there is other ways that we can celebrate firefighters and respect them and law enforcement first is give them a good Fair contract second never celebrate September 11th keep it as a day of remembrance and do not celebrate a day like that so thank you very much thank you sir that's it Mr Mayor thank you anything else we have a motion in a second commissioner Fernandez yes commissioner Mendez yes vice mayor Anderson yes commissioner Castro yes mayor logo yes thank you very much I appreciate all of you is there who can take a photograph can great is thank thank you and my second life moving on to item F4 F4 is a resolution of the city commission directing City staff to work with bordering local governments to commit to provide notice of live local act projects within 1,000 ft of another local government's perimeter sir how are you morning mayor vice mayor Commissioners vice mayor would you like to speak on this yes I'll I'll make I'll make it brief um while we don't have the ability as a commission to weigh in on live local act projects I believe it would be helpful if we have the ability of our staff to be able to point out issues such as you know where traffic uh is and with drainage issues and other things that would impact our city uh as far as the uh live local act projects that come around us um you know because we'll have impa impacts on cut through traffic and trolley use and other aspects of our city so th this is a request a resolution to ask for the uh cooperation of other cities to uh be able to our staff to communicate with them think it's a great idea I have no issues I'll move it if uh anybody I'll has any questions okay commissioner Mendez yes vice mayor Anderson yes commissioner Castro yes commissioner Fernandez yes mayor logo yes moving on to F5 uh this discussion on City standards for residential light temperature uh Mr Bernal is is here and I know that our city staff has a um presentation to share with us this emanates out of the complaints I've been receiving from some residential um homeowners that are being uh impacted with uh blue lights or excessive light from other properties across the street whether it be another residential home or an apartment building or a commercial piece of property so this is the first step in the decision-making process um and I believe Jennifer has a presentation for us we're tracking her down she just stepped out she here for one to because there's a lot more to this than meets the eye and it's upon words it's loomin and Kelvin rating and spacing on the light bulbs and the distance um so I'm let our city staff give us a brief presentation and hopefully I'm hoping by the next time we can iron out the details and get it moving so some people can sleep at night that have been contacting me yes of course so Jennifer Garcia apping official So currently we have um a few regulations regarding lie elimination um in our zoning code um so any mixed use building has to comply with the dark sky standards um and as well as we have an article dedicated to ambient standards right now it's very minimal um so be great to be able to expand that um and also there's a section in the county uh code um that basically regulates uh parking lots and security lighting um for you know parking lots or other places that are public so I guess basic to explain things so there's lumens the the light that's being sent out from some kind of light source um that's measured by obviously lumens per square foot which is also one foot candle right now our zoning code regulates uh by foot candles what little regulations we have right now our zoning codes reg by foot candles um but it seems like there's a mix of lumens regulation as well as foot candles um looking at other cities of course another way to regulate light also is the cut off angle so as you can see that there's different ways to um Focus the light away from your neighboring property um as well as creating a lot of light depending on what kind of light you're trying to produce in a certain location um and then the temperature I think that's kind of the main topic we want to talk about today is that's measured by kelvins so on the very far left you have the warm light which a little bit more yellow um the 3,000 Kelvin is usually kind of the standard we kind of looking at other cities of what they've been doing um that's kind of soft light and then as it gets higher Kelvin rating it becomes more uh brighter lights um a little bit more um cold I guess so when you talk about lighting there's different kinds of lighting of course there's Lighting on private property that illuminates buildings or landscape or different features in a private property there's also Street lighting and hopefully we have public works here to talk about Street lighting if that comes up as a question and we look at other cities um Kan City Missouri they've been uh converting their Cobra head fixtures on their public rideways um to 3,000 LEDs um same thing for Los Angeles California um on offering 3,000 uh Kelvin in certain areas more residential areas and same thing with Austin as well they have uh 4,000 Kelvin installed but they have an optional of 3,000 as well as a higher Kelvin rating depending on the location of it in the city um this is also sent To Us by interested resident um there's a model lighting ordinance um that was developed between The Illuminating engineering Society um basically the company that not company but the organization um that has a lot of say as far as how illumination and lighting um is regulated and as well as a dark sky Association which is kind of the nonprofit organization that really is emphasizing um warmer lighting appropriate lighting and not to have too much uh light pollution so in that uh model um Li ordinance they have have different um charts that um give advice as far as how to regulate lighting depending on the location single family or multif family versus um more downtown commercial areas so um there are a lot of different points that are uh we've been able to find in different cities as far as um how they regulate light such as with this city commission want to designate certain areas and regularly light theirs a single family or would you want to look at Citywide as far as how to regulate light that way um is 3,000 Kelvin the appropriate um cool light that we want to have is it too yellow is it too white um there's different ways that we can go through these different points um if you want to as far as the B would like to do this um other than that uh let's see um also the cut off angle I think is probably very important as far as M family and uh residential districts because that way you're allowed to kind of f that directional light and not have to um affect your neighbor um let's see the opaque shielding I think our code kind of already has um as far as not affecting your a bu neighbor um there's diing options for non-residential buildings as far as in the evening after hours um dimming it or or turning off certain light poles that are in the surface parking lot or or on the building premises um and of course enforcements also something we need talk about as well when we move forward with this ordinance um of course the exemptions we cannot exempt we have to exempt um you know for safety reasons um f dot um streets and um holiday light pictures of course um so this will not be regulating those kinds of light that we need to have in our city um this is really just for Citywide residential streets or Residential Properties so I'm going to share with you some of the details of what I observed and the call that I had received um right now we don't regulate the Kelvin rating on on the light um and Mr Bernal our resident physicist had provided me a lot of information about um Kelvin ridings and lumens and distances of light bulbs and so forth so if you really want to get into weeds he's your man to talk to about this but what he was telling me is that 3,000 Kelvin is the bulb that you can get um most readily or the lighting fixture because these are LEDs uh that's what's commercially available and that is what most of the other communities are doing uh the call that I had gotten from a resident was something in a probably the 5,000 Kelvin 4,000 to 5,000 Kelvin rating our code again doesn't touch that and in order to try to resolve the issue I mean we just go out and measure light candles and it complied The Next Step was to tilt the fixture down which then just made it reflect against the building and bounce back to the resident's home even more um the other comments that I've received is you know like for buildings that you know before we really started evaluating this is uh redundancy of light if you have the light on on the um building itself such as a town home and then you have poles on the on the sidewalk now we have light shining in there's ways that we can um and have staff determine if there's enough light without the light poles uh to avoid those obstructions on the street if we require uh the lights to be controlled automatically to go on and off during the day and last was the distance between the lights and uh the way it was described to me by a certain person who's an architect is the ring of fire on top of the plaza it's not the color of the light the color of the light's fine it's the number of bulbs or the intensity of the bulbs or the lumens on the bulbs so it could be you know turn tun down a little bit so it gives more definition and highlight to the building as opposed to you know obscuring it with too much light so those are some of the thoughts and I'm hoping perhaps we can have something in draft form for the next commission meeting uh for our my colleagues to consider and weigh in on so that we can move this forward and resolve the problems that we have for some of our residents in the city perfect okay anything else that's it wanted to give you an introduction before you know drafting okay Mr Mayor before you move on I have a member of the public request to speak on the item okay perfect Mr Enrique Bernal Dr Bernal is always great to see you thank you for joining us he's a great teacher trust me I've I've spent many many of days listening and spending time with Mr berau good morning mayor and Commissioners it's a pleasure to be here again sir we need you to use a mic though because some of us don't hear as well he yes sir okay uh I'm enri Vernal 718 Valencia aveno uh and uh I'm here to support uh the vice mayor's proposal and to extend that proposal uh far beyond residential uh I I I moved here from Massachusetts in 2012 when we were already using LED bulbs in Massachusetts where they were uh fi financed by the state as a way to reduce energy consumption and I landed in uh in ponon Boulevard at 1607 P Boulevard uh living there uh and found just this pleora of lights that you drive you crazy all these AR lamps and the landscaping and then uh got in the board of directors of that uh Association we started to switch to the compact fluorescent lamp lamps uh and soon found out that uh half of our balls were blue and half were uh Pink because our maintenance person would just go to Home Depot and grab them uh not understanding colors right so I I started a project I converted the entire building to LEDs uh and uh then I worked with mayor Lago who was promoting LED conversion back in 2017 16 or something like that too early it uh FPL was not ready to make that offering right so you know if I have been you know evolving trying to keep track of this thing because I think that you know light pollution is one of the uh bad things about our society if you look at a world map what you see is the the entire Peninsula Florida is so polluted with light that we cannot really enjoy nights anymore not only that blue lights interfere with the sleep cycle of humans they interfere with the migration patterns of birds uh you know and there is no reason for us to be exposed to that when we have a choice so I'm I'm saying beyond the residential area where it is clear that the blue lights interfere with with our sleep and our resting uh the whole city should have a detail ordinance uh you know lighting has dramatically changed economically and it will be used more and more as an architectural feature because the cost of lighting is now 20% of what it used to be uh if you had a 60 wat light bulb before uh you know you use 60 wats now you can get the same amount of light from a 12 wat LED bulb and the other thing is that that incandescent light bu lasted one year these things last at least 10 years so from maintenance point of view they're very attractive now it's time now to consider us an architectural engineering element and that's what this Illuminating engineering Society has done provided us a model ordinance that is very suitable for the city because it's by zoning it's detailed by zoning and it could be easily adapted by the city to provide us guidance for everybody and one thing that I'd like to tell you as I close is you know we have all been talking in the last six years about massing and Architects are now and the city is very very attuned with the idea that we need to control the massing of the structures well we now have a problem with massing of the lights and and it is exacerbated by the taller buildings that we have because that light intrudes not just in the next block it goes on forever so you know it's it's a consideration wom take I I'm frankly extremely worried about what lighting we're going to have in the codina building which is going to be the highest structure in the city and I bet nobody has really reviewed that so I urge you please uh support the city staff and vice mayor Anderson in helping us get that next step of you know trying to maintain our Mediterranean architecture in a pleasant environment rather than one who we overwhelmed by lights thank you thank you doctor as always for your Insight and guidance and commitment to the city thank you so much I met with a lot of people in the city and I'll tell you one thing every time I meet with the doctor he's Beyond prepared and I learned something so we're going to take a f minute break and when we come back uh we want to take H1 I think there's people who are who are here for that along with on the phone so we'll take a 5 minute break [Music] [Music] for for e for for Mr clerk recording in progress good morning we're back moving on to item H1 K said we had several people on zoom and also I know we had some guests here also for the H1 update on a Hamra Circle sidewalk Hermes Melissa you guys are you're up and Dina Jo where she's coming up thank you good good morning Mr Mayor Commissioners believe up there it is so we put together a very brief presentation just to just kind of go over the the process that we went through and you know hopefully get a direction from the commission how to move forward so ballots were mailed out at the request of the commission two options were presented two options what happened to my option the third option so so if you recall we had a conversation at the last commission meeting that where this was Rabat we had an entire we had a discussion where we showed the location of the sidewalk behind the trees and how the only feasible way to do that would be to remove all those treets and that was a presentation that we brought to commission um I forgot the date exactly uh was it March was it may and uh we actually added a couple of slides to this commission that we that we had on that uh last commission meeting but I went through a very detailed um you know uh discussion about the issue about putting the sidewalk in their ear I mean we can do it but the trees need to go there's no other way about it yeah but I I the agreement was that we were going to present the third option right and then we only presented two options in the ballot um I mean if if I mean that commissioner if I may honestly I don't recall that we were going to do three options for this particular project so I do not recall it but let me if I may just to clear it up Mr clerk can you provide the commission with uh a public record in regards to the video and see if a third option will supposed to be provided yes sir and you can provide at the end of the meeting thank you and one of the slides here it they will include a couple of slides that we added because you know we started getting some feedback over the weekend and and and after we we uploaded that as to the discussion that we had at the last commission meeting where that third option was discussed and you know maybe were mistaken but we were on the understanding that that wasn't it's not really viable um again unless we're willing to remove all those trees and that's really the the way forward I was there when the arborist was there at no point did the arborist said say that all the trees had to go down if the sidewalk what they what they said is there's some trees you had to put the sidewalk on the front but at no point did they say you have to take down all the trees to put the sidewalk was option two that was corre so so so we when we sent to the commun was two options so one one of the options that we sent was the one that the sidewalk is all the way on the sidewalk right and the other show was the one that meandered around where it was feasible to put on the back it was put on the back and where it was Fe to put the front it would put the front the other option that was discussed was the Fe ability to put an all in the rear and that was the one that without the removal of significant number of those trees that was not feasible so but the two options that we sent to the community was one that is in the back the front in the back and the front and it use moves around based on precisely that discussion with the ERS so just to highlight what Hermes was talking about see option two is where we meandered and we actually put it behind the trees where we could um but there were some places that we had to bring It Forward because of ADA um we were not going to be able to meet the slopes that we needed because of this tree the the tree roots that were coming out of the ground and also proximity the proximity of the trees excuse me mayor if I may uh may I suggest that we just do the presentation and then we can actually go into the details of what is different or not from from those and then we'll look into that option three go ahead okay so two options were presented and they were balloted option one was the one that we had discussed which is the one with the curb all throughout and then option two is where we tried to put it at the RightWay line where we could but if there were any issues with tree roots we put it to the front and that's one of the things that we're talking about right so for example that location of one option is to cut those roots off which at that point the tree needs to be removed the other option is to Bridge Over except that now you're looking about a drop about roughly 10 Ines between the back of the sidewalk and and the rear now in some other locations like the next slide over that route we don't have sufficient space to Bridge Over the route and then as we come down into the driveway approach then we will not be meeting 8 requirements um so so those are the challenges of putting the sidewalk in the rear given the size of the the trees and the location of them um so but we did try the two options that we were it was our understanding that we're asked to do and we ended up doing once on the front and the other one where we basically Meander around them to the best that we co and that's what we sent to the community uh for a vote if if we aired on that um I you know let me let finish your sure so basically when you have um a tree route just as this one we have certain requirements that have to be met for Ada you cannot be over 1 in 12 or 8.33% so when you see that the tree roots sticking out like this not only do you have to put 4 in of concrete on top of it you have to put a base so what we did was we had a surveyor go out and take spot elevations on all these tree routs to tell us what the elevation was and what the elev was on the driveway and then we basically figured out what the slopes would be and um at these locations we wouldn't be able to meet Ada if we went to the back so those were the locations that for option two we brought it to the front so the ballots were mailed out to the five Property Owners four were received all of them were in favor of option one which is the one with the curb and um two of them said that they would like to keep the trees there were a couple of trees that the original operators had recommended that get removed mostly because they were considered to be import shape um and when we sent the ballot out we included that suggestion um those the a couple of the residents said we want the trees to stay we will have to see doing construction where there when you start assuming we proceed with the work when we start digging that we found any structural roots and we may need to remove it anyways or given the fact that the tree is in full shape because at the end of the day anytime you do any any of this work near a tree there will be some kind of an impact right if the tree is already into some kind of a uh in a poor condition does a high probability that it will continue to uh you know get get worse more rapidly we can always observe it so our response to those two requests will be that we'll have to see during construction when we start digging what we find mind and we will probably have to monitor them moving forward uh and if we see a more rapid um decline of those trees that they may still need to be removed anyways it's something that we couldn't uh tell you for sure right now that they could stay or not but we can try um but we do know at the locations where we were where we were proposing it to be where the asphalt pavement is the tree roots there obviously not at the surface because they had to grow either out or under the pavement the base and everything right the the the challenge with that location is that you know your typical payment you have a 12 in of compacted subbase 8 in of lime rock base and then you have the asphalt on top so you have about 2 feet of really hard compacted material so the tree has to find its way in the aerial ler system which in this case it will be along the side on the rear um so so you know those are those are the challenges um with with locating a sidewalk at this location so staff's recommendation based on the ballot that was Reed is that we proceed with option one and um if if you keep going and and see we have we don't have anything else it sorry when we put it back we killed the presentation so so there a little bit of discrepancy between the between the the one that we posted these two slides we added after the I I'm so sorry I keep I keep going there you go these are the slides that we added from the one that we posted on the on the um um on the commission we added those lights over the weekend just to so staff's recommendation is based on the ballots so so we were given our understanding we were given to we were given to uh two tasks find the path that it will limit the impact to the trees and ask the residents what their opinion is and I believe we have done that at the end of the day the decision is belongs to the board um so that that's so it is our opinion that the location where we have the Lesser impact of the trees will be by the street and that's also is the location that the people that we pulled that's what we like to see a sidewalk can you put so as much as I do love the trees I think what comes first is safety pedestrian safety our residents more than where Where the Sidewalk is going to be and I believe that on the curb it's not the safest um place to put the sidewalk the prefer location under regular circumstance on the residential you absolutely will be to put it against the proper line in the rear that that will absolutely will be the preferred location for the sidewalks in a res residential neighborhood the condition of having a curb on a sidewalk next to a driveling does exist throughout it exists in San Maru it exists throughout uh downtown it's not as common a residential areas Sanam Maru is probably the closest location that will more closely mimic the condition uh where you have a somewhat of a similar situation so it placing the loc the sidewalk by the meets all appliable uning standards there's nothing unsafe about it but absolutely it would be preferable to put on the rear um if that was a possibility I mean you're putting one right next to right next to the street it's almost the same as walking basically on the street and this commission brought up and I think we voted on Vision zero and and how important pedestrian safety is for us and I I don't I just feel like this is not meshing it's not we're it it it meet all applicable engineering standards there there's nothing particularly unsafe about it I mean it's a sidewalk next to a curb that happens that exists throughout the entire County you know will be per from the back absolutely 100% so um I know that U Dena is available to answer some of the questions on the tree roots but before you really rock and roll on the tree roots I wanted to address with you the the speed limit in the area see if we can slow it down even further a block before the bridge you know so you're not just getting the sign uh what is it that 20 mil hour at the bridge we BR the the bridge has a 20 M hour um that is a um M I'm sorry the yellow signs are the warning signs they're not enforcable per se um but um the and I think we recently uh put 25 M hour spill limit on the corridor also so alra circle south of Coral Way is 25 M hour and then as part of this project we're also planning on installing medians to help even slow it down even further um directly on on the approaches to the bridge so there's different things that we're looking at replacing that 20 mph under the bridge with 15 may may be feasible right I mean um that's uh that that may be uh as a warning I I think people would Cy logically feel that 15 indicates if you go faster than that it's going to be dangerous so they'll probably go 20 that's something that we can definitely work on it it will necessarily be enforceable um the the warning yellow signs are not enforceable only the the white uh spill liit signs are enforceable right but you know and and and by the same token ID like to add that on the first block specifically that's really it's no Tre root issue that will cause the sidewalk to be plac in the rear so yeah it's a strictly a preference by the voting property owner so just for so I'm going to deal with what we referring to here now is the first block being the one closest to the bridge the bridge correct okay and um before today's meeting I talked to you a little bit about um moving the sidewalk back on that spot reaching a happy medium somewhere uh to where it's a you have some Gap away from the street but also providing some curbing to kind of Corral the vehicles away from the bridge itself there is more space there than some of the others so either option will be workable I couldn't give you exact details how much wider we can make the sidewalk it may well be that as we get closer to some of the trees we might need to shrink it a little bit uh we're probably going to have to do that throughout that entire run regardless right um You you won't see like consistent sidewalk you know as you get closer to the tree you may need to shrink to the bare minimum for ada8 um again the 3 situation is what makes this area complicated you know I mean if the desire of the commission is that we remove the trees and plant them later then that's a whole that's a whole different discussion right um so but but you know this is this is the best we can do unfortunately given the constraints that we're dealing with well the U run and walk path down on Old Cutler runs into the same situation on a much busier Street where they had to put up some Curbing and you do have the run and walk path right next to the traffic on on Lun but it's asphalt right the path in ult is asphalt I believe yes it is asphalt but it's still more flexible and you see the condition that is in it's uh is actually because of the trees and the location the number of lights that I've lost on my bicycle are reflective of how many how bad the condition is of that path but yes I mean it it does get closer but if we bring down the speed limit in area and put a median in there and I'm praying that maybe by next time we have the speed radar sign available um well the the agreement was approved by Miami dat County the interlocal for the speed feedback signs speed feedback okay that would be another location that would go potentially right because I you know I was out there yesterday and the traffic moves fast and we need to do what we can to to slow it down by dropping the speed limit putting the signs up putting in um medians in between to kind of pinch that traffic down to where it slows down because people right now are walking on on the street and it's incredibly dangerous and everybody wants us to do something not to be kicking this can down the road I don't think we're going to be a ever make everybody happy it's impossible on this particular case to make everybody happy but it's going to be safer in my opinion so to our esteemed landscape architect arborist I would like you to um Enlighten us about the condition of the roots and on these trees and uh whether or not any of them can be cut and still maintain the health and stability of the trees going forward hi Dina Bell from greens space so a lot of these trees are very large and mature black olives mhm um the the further you get away from a tree's trunk and possibly cut root the better our breast guidelines have um minimum distances you are to cut Roots we don't really know that until we start pulling the soil away and seeing the roots below but just basically the option that meanders is um obviously the one that was come up with that's best for the trees that's why we came up with that layout um so with that said it's really tough to to decide which exact Roots can be cut until we actually get out there and start removing soil but as Melissa said the sidewalks um on the back side close to the property line are going to be going over very large tree roots so there's going to be a minimum probably of 6 in height on top of the tree roots when you have the base and the 4in sidewalk so there's going to be some up and down movement over the tree roots to protect them underneath and in some areas it it creates a problem with the Ada Ada the slopes of the sidewalk having to go up and over tree routs it's not possible when you're getting next to a driveway because then the walkways got to slope down to meet the driveway and it's a hill a hill that's too slow uh too steep for the wheelchair that's the issue right I went back out yesterday to refresh my my memory and we we talked about the first block but the last block I think is the most challenging of them all it has the the thickest route that appears to you know be a structural route uh going underneath the driveway and it it's not lifting the driveway so it's it's it is going down in there so if you cut that it would appear to me to be uh a substantial route and it's too close to the trunk to be taken out at least from my experience um on those things and then it goes straight down to the driveway and then in the next house to the to the north as well you have if it was if the sidewalk was put back further from from The Edge um along the property line it's a very steep piece of property and then getting down to the grade level again would be difficult so um um I think we're going to have to use a combination of tools that we have in our toolbx to be able to slow the traffic down and make it safer for pedestrians as well as uh everyone using the street or or the U the sidewalk areas to derse through the through that area I've biked through there I've walked through there I've run through there I'm very very familiar with it and I I do think that the sidewalk is going to be a tremendous Improvement and I'm hoping we can move this forward I want to share my thoughts um I guess the the instructions were to analyze the impact to the trees we should have asked what's the impact of safety of pedestrians um if I'm not mistaken very recently a car drove into the canal a block or so away from what we're talking about drove into the canal so so no matter what measures we take that's a Winding Road and it's not safe I've lived 100 feet or so from leun Road for 47 years and when my wife and I had our first child 23 years ago we made it a family policy we would not ever ever go on the sidewalk on the June Road to G the library to the youth center we take the long way home uh for safety uh in Disney World some years ago there was a car that hit the curb elevated and it went airborne and it killed uh members of a family having the sidewalk and I know we have it in other areas and the by the way the reason why we have it in Lun Road Lun Road was a two lane road originally one going north one going east and as South Florida grew they expanded the road that's why it's right next to the property lines the sidewalks doesn't mean it's safe so I'm very hesitant to do anything in support if we are putting pestan at risk having them right next to the road when the road is winding a car we've mentioned before cars have hit the bridge imagine if the car hits a bridge instead of a bridge it hits a person and yet we are are the ones who vote to put them In Harm's Way so those are the obstacles that we're going to have to overcome for me to be comfortable I I have some comments but I'd like to reserve them until after we hear from uh public comment can I real quick the presentation is for option one or option two so staff and myself we any directions at the end if we're going to option one option two or just start from scratch uh on this issue that we put a lot of effort and time into it and I truly appreciate all the time and effort and it truly shows and I think that maybe we didn't give at least I didn't give the right direction or very persistent direction to safety is number one yeah we love trees Coral Gables is about trees but safety and life is number one and I don't think these options reflected 100% Mr clerk public comment Robert ruano good morning good morning oh good afternoon right is it good morning still I don't know um wow so much to say but before I I I do go into what I would say say I would like to say that that commissioner Castro had asked for a report and I had a meeting with the manager last month with his staff and they agreed well they said first that their directive was to develop a sidewalk originally that was that was at least impactful to the trees right and I don't know if you heard it right but he said under the road you've got about 2 feet of compacted soil so the least impactful to trees anywhere in this city is probably going to be on the street right so that's the first mistake so they they did a plan with 100% against the street and then they sent it to the arborist and they said what's the impact on the trees and so the arborist is saying well in this condition this is this impact or no impact or whatever they never said they never did a plan that said this is the sidewalk that we usually do which is the safest which safest which is in the Florida green book which says the sidewalks new sidewalks should be placed as far as from the roadway as practical okay that's the green book that they use the engineers use but they chose not to they chose to design it against the road then they went to the Arbors and said what's the impact on the trees so that's the first floor right I'll move on with what I had to say good morning again mayor Vice Mayors and Commissioners I'm here today because I care about our city and I wanted to remain the city beautiful but also because I want it to be a safe City where everyone can walk without fear of getting run over by a car in fact you say you also want this because you f passed a vision zero resolution in April thanks to commissioner uh vice mayor Anderson which said in part the quote the vision zero program is a systematic approach to implemented implementing proven safety countermeasures and policies that focus on safer people safer roads to that end I would like to remind you why this proposed sidewalk configuration is a terrible idea and you should vote against it once and for all in this particular case the city has in an unprecedented move one they did not do on University Drive By the way which has new wonderful sidewalks behind uh the trees in many cases um they ask residents not if they want a sidewalk in front of their home but where they would like it they did this not because it was required by the code or city resolution but because the mayor offered residents that option now unsurprisingly four residents four just four want a sidewalk against the road with a curb on beautiful winding and historic alimer Circle why do they want this well you have to ask them that but one thing is clear it's not about the impact of the trees in fact in some cases where trees are failing and recommend mended for removal making more space for sidewalks they still want the sidewalk on the street making it a less safe place to push a stroller or walk as I said according to the Florida greenbook the guide for building safe roads new sidewalks should be placed as far as a roadway possible the proposed location in front of large trees makes no sense as a pedestrian on the proposed sidewalk will be directly in the path of a car that might jump the curb additionally this location is in direct contrast to the city's implementation of vision zal policy the city choosing a less safe option only because some people want it not surprisingly we have asked City staff staff which an which option of a sidewalk is safer and you saw it today today they didn't say necessarily which one's safer against the road or behind the tree and they refuse to answer that but I would ask them which is safer they'll probably have to tell us after today behind the tree another concern is that the cost of sidewalk with curbs and gutters are sign signicantly more expensive that without a curb they haven't talked about that also the new design will require a change in drainage that will be more expensive than if it was against the property line didn't we just have a conversation about infrastructure needs but not enough money I'd also like to remind you the next year The Gables will be celebrating 100 years if we really want to honor George Merrick and the city he created we should respect his vision merik relied on two movements in founding Coral Gables a city beautiful and Garden City both of these promoted wide green boulevards Treeline streets and plazas if you were to approve this project the visual impact of curbs in front of just five houses on one side of the road will have a detrimental impact on the peel of the road forever changing changing alhambra's historic and green character not to mention with a curb and a concrete divider in the middle not to mention the RightWay is line is much farther back than the trees but last but not least you should vote against this recommendation because of the predent it will set first you truly have no requirement to ask even if the residents want a sidewalk this is basic life safety infrastructure that does not need to go to a vote in fact in 2018 and the mayor will remember because he was here and he voted for it the city commission declared alhamra a collector road that did not have to go through that process even if the city did have to ask by providing two plans and then not including Commission Castro's requested plan behind the trees the city is still influencing the outcome as they know that these residents would likely pick a bigger yard than a safer sidewalk in fact another safer option is already on the table and approved by an arborist option two but it's not being recommended by residents or the administration thank you for your time today I urge you to please think about the hundreds if not thousands of residents that walk or bike in this area monthly and consider if their ability to move around our city safely is less important than four 1 2 3 four people mayor new city residents and what your their yard to look remain looking as big as it can without any regard to the safety of the community thank you you that's it Mr Mayor commissioner um commissioner Castro like you I thought there was going to be a third option presented I was under that impression I'll I'll go back and and look at the minutes uh to see but I was under the impression that we were um we have received numerous Communications over the last few weeks um regarding this uh issue um and it is an issue that like you said Mr manager staff has uh invested a lot of time in trying to find a uh a plan that works um I think everybody here has mentioned safety as one of the priorities and it's a difficult decision for me cuz like vice mayor Anderson protecting our tree canopy is a priority that I have always said but there was one email in particular that really made me think uh Jessica Keller sent an email asking whether I would walk there with my child and a sidewalk on a curb is not a sidewalk I would walk on with my child and I mentioned that when we did the walk through that a couple of times I was at a couple of those Sunshine meetings the rate of speed of traffic is incredible on that block it's not even about walking I don't feel safe driving an alham in my golf cart because of the rate of speed the cars drive through and I know we're working on traffic calming measures and and that kind of thing but on my block we have traffic calming and you still see cars that fly over those speed humps landing on the other side and you can hear them hitting the ground because they're not slowing down they have a mission to get to wherever they're going and they're going to continue to go as fast as they can and this is a sidewalk that would not just be on the curb this is the curb that will set the curve of the curvature of the road because the road will curve on this sidewalk so just putting the safety of our residents is a priority for me I would not be able to support a sidewalk that's on the curve uh it's just not something I can I can sign on to thank you so I'm going to I'm going to follow up on a couple things because I what I was speaking to staff about here today was a combination of things and and part of the things that you're not I should say are not being highlighted is the fact that the sloping requirements for Ada um would make it best if in some of these locations that the sidewalk is uh closer to the street if speeds are brought down if we have the traffic calming you know if it if it has the speed reductions that we do in some of the areas around the University where we have lots of students going through and appropriate um uh enforcement there to where we have it down to 15 to 20 M an hour it's a safer condition yes there's a couple of trees that are in in not as good a condition um if it was my ballot in my choice uh I would probably had deferred to taking the ones are in poor condition out as we get closer to the bridge I think curbing is necessary absolutely necessary to prevent those cars from going into the canal to prevent the cars from hitting the bridge just like where you have a bridge support uh you have the bumpers around the support for the bridge the curbing will help steer people in and help slow cars down I see that on Corners uh in every area in our city residential wise that where if you have the curbing added to the corners it helps control where the cars go and are not just driving up and over and through the grass and through someone's yard to to uh be able to get to their destination so in the first block to the South a combination can be done where you Meander the sidewalk between the trees add the curbing to to help slow down the vehicles and steer them away from the bridge and all the way down to the corner of that lot and Meander it not necessarily and we put up the diagram so I think that'll be easier for you to explain with the diagram on screen okay can you blow that up bigger cuz that's mhm one day we're going to get screens on our di yes M so the first block is the one on the top correct that's the closest to the bridge correct yes you see where that there's an angle where that going around to one tree I think that's one of the trees 14 isn't that one of the ones that's in poor condition yes that that's that's out of all of them I think it's the one that's in the worst condition it was listed as poor condition but there was no recommendation to remove in the arbor report when we were walking out there it it looked like it was not a great candidate to keep okay um so for that for that reason and the fact that this is probably where you know you're going to have the greatest encounters with vehicles I'd prefer to move the sidewalk back and get the people onto the pedestrian bridge there um the median uh in between is going to work just like we have the medians that go around University of Miami to help slow down that traffic I am old enough to remember what it was like you know before sidewalks before anybody you know restricting the speeds because I used to jog around that University every day during with my RC training so lots lots of memories there so my my suggestion is in that first block you do have curbing but you allow for the drainage if you allow some slits in there just like the the county does long red Road and stuff you allow the water to flow into the Swale areas so you don't have the high expense of of the drainage and then we have very great looking trees along the way that are healthy are robust and the last thing you want to be doing to these residents and taking the trees away when I went door too and asked the residents what they wanted at Salvador park for the dog park uh although staff had written you know for tree removal because they presumed that people didn't want the black olive trees they wanted them they want the shade they don't want to lose the canopy and every single one of those trees was healthy um so uh do know I think it's tree number at least here it's tree number six the house number is 3400 do you recall that tree I do the two that they're they're in poor condition as per the arbor report they're safe they're there but they're not the best looking trees so the design takes into account like is this tree spectacular enough to work around in this position or is it one that's poor condition not the best of tree could it be sacrificed to put the sidewalk where you want yes those were the two that were colored yellow vice mayor I have a question for you if you don't mind before you skip if a different kind of tree was planted there would it make more sense with without the root system that those trees have I know that's your area that you you know have a great deal of knowledge if a different type of tree was planted there basically they wouldn't lose a tree but they wouldn't have the root system that would expand to the point that it's creating challenges well the issue is that they existing very mature trees they're probably 75y old trees that's the issue so that's why the root system is expanded to that so if that that were to be removed and a new tree planted you might be looking at a smaller species that's not going to have the mature canopy if you're trying to get well an oak would give you the same issue 50 years from now okay but if you're looking for trees that are not going to pop up the sidewalks in the future you would use a smaller tree perhaps again it's aure canopy as I recall the discussions back when bike lanes were being discussed in this area one of the number one issues for these residents in that area and I do think we need to listen to Residents just like we try to listen to residents on many issues that we've you know like we've taken ballots and so forth because they want to keep this tree canopy they absolutely do and they were opposed to to bike Lanes I know there's always the the optimum that we can achieve I know that one time someone wanted to put protected bike Lanes we just don't have the space okay I would love to have protected bike Lanes I absolutely would love to have protected bike lanes because there's been times I've slapped cars to keep them from running into me okay and that's that's without even a painted line but we have to work within the confines of what we have here in a built City if we drop the speed limit and enforce the speed limit and put in the detours that are necessary to bring that speed down right now you have what 24 ft of asphalt it varies 23 to 24 it depends where you are it's not consistent okay this is like the indd 500 and my husband back when he was a young man on sovia was one of those folks that got a 50 mph ticket on sovia now we have the median in the middle and when you have mature canopy people are not going to speed as much because they feel that it's more residential so if we pinch the lanes and we bring it down in an appropriate manner um then it helps so looking at the diagram um for tree number six I think it is um if the sidewalk is put behind that tree can the tree be saved the the issue there like for example the first tree the one that's closer to intersection has very exposed roots but it's far away from the dryway what what ends up happening with that tree is that it's really close to D we ended up having the problems with the ADA Slope as you get across so for example the bridge adjacent to I mean the the roots adjacent to 3416 are are very exposed there a potential for us to go over we will have to really Mound that significantly uh but it's doable once you close into the driveway approach that's when there's an issue yeah the driveway was a non-starter right uh there's just no way so so you you just cannot make the the run back down um at the ADA compliance slope right because the way the the yard is mounded itself the yard itself is much higher than than the driveway um so what we're looking for is Direction you know whatever the desire of the commission is will a little a little while ago the vice mayor mentioned University Drive and University Drive between Segovia and Bird Road has true trees with expansive root systems and yet the sidewalks there are against the property lines not along the road so University Drive we actually managed to meander the sidewalker on the trees generally speaking the TR University were not for the most part as big as this and we actually remove quite a number of trees they're not of this size and age um but we ended up removing several trees University and uh we mitigated for all of them and that was actually part of the university project we actually did remove several trees I couldn't tell you a top of my head how many but there were not trees unless they were in really bad shape there were not trees of these size um and age um so and and there's something I like to correct on the record in the the discussions of the original Hamra bike Lanes we had a map that incorrectly showed this portion of a hambur circle as a collector collector trees are collectors the the classification of uh streets is done by the state a Hambra circle is not a collector south of corway it never was we just had a map that has some incorrect information that at the time we didn't realize it until later so you just want to make that clear so we may I add something just to to the two points you made there I was going to wait till later but I'm happy you brought that up we brought that up before here on the DI it's not the first time we correct the issue about the collector Street um the second thing um is the issue that commissioner manand is brought up I live right next to University I drive University every day there is no Tree in that area that I'm aware of that is not invasive that is not over 25 30 years old there's no massive oak trees there there's no massive black olives like you have in Al hambro what you did have was some large Benjamin Benjamin FAS yeah the invasive that were removed which were removed which removed and you have another one on the corner of blue Road Blue Road University which is going to hinder hinder the installation of the sidewalk there which we're planning on the whole commission is in favor of that that's going to have to be taken out i' I've stopped there to see how we can jog around and see if we can save it but I don't think we're going to be able to save it and that's going to affect the canopy on on on the uh the beautiful canopy that we have on the bridge there so there was no there was no massive specimen trees you can go that you can drive down University now and you'll see some oak trees there but you won't see anything of the magnitude like you see I believe we remove at least one or two Oaks that were rather large but they went very poap as well on that on that line of thought between Segovia and Bird Road that stretch of University what are the trees that create this canopy that at night you can't even see the light b s go yeah I'm trying to picture it you come from the youth center of the library those are bions BS banon trees those are massive bions or like a house massive banion trees those those have been there longer than you and I have lived oh those are those bions yes okay those are which have been known to topple and hurricanes and stuff one at the church of little FL a few years ago got in October completely I remember okay yeah generally the Benjamin F Benjamine are the ones that go over the banion you know with their massive root systems and I should say anchoring mhm um I won't use the word Shoring poles but uh anchoring they're not likely to go over if you allow the roots to go down which those have okay I'm in favor of moving this project forward we cannot afford to continue to kick this can down the road I went out there last night and people are begging for a sidewalk and they want us to make a decision and I do think think we can Meander this the sidewalk uh I do think there you know because of the amount of canopy perhaps on one one or two of these trees that are smaller and in porest condition um can be removed to be able to keep the the sidewalk back as much as possible but it's impossible to save this canopy by putting all these sidewalks at the property line and that's the last thing this this community wants it's very hot there um uh without these these trees not only will it be hot it'll impact values and the trees himself helps slow down traffic we need to listen to the residents uh I understand that some people said it was just four people but people were walking from around the corner and saying please we need a sidewalk to expect people to to have strollers going down the street and but you can't you know do in The Yards themselves because of the root systems that are well established on these trees we need to stop kicking the can down the road to take some action and provide staff Direction and I'd respect the you know opinion of our our landscape architect as to which one of these trees um should be saved and and which ones uh are so close to you know being in in deteriorated condition can be sacrificed well commission I don't think we have a support to move forward in any form so I think that the project is incredibly important we're missing two blocks of sidewalk there but we don't have the support we have the support of the residents that want it a certain way uh but not some other individuals that are that are involved um one of the things also that I think that I recommend you know moving forward just so people can come a little bit more accustomed to it they understand it I live in front of sanato I live at right there between sanato and Rino so I live in an area there's a lot of traffic there's a lot of U you know cars coming in and out and there is a curb there maybe if certain people go and see it they become a little more more used to it they see the ins and outs of how it works they spend a 30 minutes 15 minutes understanding the traffic patterns at 4:00 5:00 in the morning uh you have a lot of people coming in out of University of Miami you have people going to Riviera Country Club you have people going to the church you have people going to University of Miami you people going to doctor's hospital there is a massive curve there m there is a massive but also to do it justice there also our circles there that's slow traffic down it's important let's be fair um but for example on on the area the run on compos doesn't have a doesn't have a circle and that area is going to have also more sidewalks God willing when we when we start the parking lot so there there really there isn't there isn't um there isn't support I I think it's great whether the sidewalks are on the curb whether the sidewalks are pressed against the house whichever way we do this at the end of the day I think it's critical just like when you talk about blue Road talk about University talk about what we've been mentioning about Granada I think it's really important to finally get these sidewalks done in one form or another I don't have any issues with the sidewalks in front of my house they're great you know people use them they're constantly being used by University of Miami students by families by young kids um and there's a lot of traffic I'd ask anybody um outside of maybe where commissioner Mendez lives to find me an area that has more traffic than where I live it's pretty it's pretty um pretty hectic 24 hours a day in that area so um I think there was another individual that wanted to speak uh yes Mr Mayor um so I actually have a couple of speaker on zooms now Matilda cesi is the name yes hello everybody Matilda can you hear me yes yes ma'am how are you okay I am the owner of 3400 alhamra Circle you guys were just talking about the house I'm one of the residents that uh will be affected by by the decision you all make today uh we moved about a year ago we have a six-year-old daughter the safety of my child is more important than anything else in this world making the decision to go with Choice one was not a selfish one based on anything other than safety but I think before we have any sort of discussion I think we have to go back to number one and the number one is figuring out how we can slow down traffic on alhamra we can talk about sidewalks all day long but if we do not take care of the way the traffic pattern is currently being handled on alhamra Circle there's nothing else that will will better the situation for myself or any other resident walking down the street um we are in the corner of alhamra and trino and I cannot even let my daughter outside the house because there's traffic coming from both ends o of the street so I think when we're talking about this issue I think the main concern and the main decision that needs to be made is how do we slow down traffic on alhamra and I I don't recall if any ofone mentioned speed bumps or anything else that aside from narrowing the road which I think should be the number one decision that should be made today um in terms of the sidewalk positioning we all voted for number one uh the four homes again it wasn't a decision made on the size of my yard it was the decision based on safety um tree number six was there was a lot of talk about its Health we conducted a separate report that we paid for and our report results are very much different from what you guys have shared in terms of the health of the tree um I don't know if that's going to be considered or not but I think before any other decision is made I think we all need to discuss ways in which we can narrow the street and slow down traffic um and without doing that I think the the sidewalk is going to have little to no effect because if if cars are still going 50 60 60 miles an hour down that street um the chances of our accidents are very very high whether there's a sidewalk or not thank you thank you very much and if I may the and and this is something I would like to get further direction of the commission the the island that you see on the area it's it's not really necessarily related to the sidewalk that was part of the traffic calming attempt I just want to make sure that there's no objection for it regardless of whether the Salk is move forward that there's no objection for that portion to continue um unfortunately speed tables or kushes are not really an option here because you cannot put them on a curve um so the only options that we've kind of thought at this location would be that uh median separator to create a kind of like a visual break to force people to slow down and there's also the potential of adding the um speed fact Signs Now that we have that inter local um with the um County there a potential for putting them a dislocation as well um so thank you do do you feel like you have sufficient Direction uh no at the moment we haven't really been told how to move forward so so do you mind if I do you mind if I listen to the rest of public comments I think there was other person was there yeah I have one more speaker Mr Mayor uh Roland Rodriguez M Rodriguez thank you for being here with us good morning morning Roland Rodriguez 3310 or hamur Circle uh like Matilda just St stated of course safety is of the biggest concern to us I I've heard a lot of mention that uh everybody walks this area has walked it well I walk and run it at least five to six times a day so safety is a concern to us and like Matilda said it's not an issue of the size of the yard safety is our concerned um and we've also heard about the sidewalk curb not not being safe uh well I also run along Bird Road I I run along Miller and there's sidewalk with curb so um I guess I can't I wouldn't be able to run those erors because they're not safe so it doesn't make any sense um having a curb with a sidewalk is is uh inadequate condition so and and in either case option one or option two uh you could see in front my my home um because of the size of the tree and because of the slope and because of the Ada on the roots behind the tree either option puts a sidewalk in front of the tree anyways so there's there's got to be a curb and gutter based on both options um now when we were presented the valet we we've gone through this multiple commission meetings um we also had a sunshine meeting uh we would then presented a ballot and in the ballot it pretty much much says uh should the city receive more than 50% of the ballots in favor either option one or two the city will proceed with the sidewalk option that receives the most votes so we keep K kicking the can around and and we want the sidewalk um and if we were hoping as residents that due diligence was performed before we were presented these options I mean uh otherwise we're just wasting our time choosing an option if it's not going to move forward anyways um I caught the last part of Mr Ronald's speech um indicating that it's only for residents um we shouldn't listen to four of the whole Community but he's very Lively in his opinion as well so um we should also have a very strong opinion living in this area um as a civil engineer I've done multiple projects infrastructure projects throughout the state and I can guarantee you that public opinion of both residents and commercial property owners is heavily taken into account before a decision is made on on the approach of best approach of these projects and then all options are weighed in with resident and Commercial Property Owners uh opinions so again um I I ask that this this project move forward uh quickly we want the sidewalks um we've gone through several commission meetings I've attended several in person we've had the sunshine meeting we're then presented with two options uh thinking okay this is it uh it's stated very clearly in the ballot we're going to move forward and now we continue to go back and forth so um that's my opinion on on the matter and again I I I we hope as residents and there's four residents in in the area that we've become um accustomed to talking about this item uh every day as we walk through this area and we want the sidewalk um also the last pushing the sidewalk into the front of the tree we would hope also decreases the width of the lanes um and thereby uh decrease the speed that goes through there uh both in the mornings and in the afternoons and that's all I got thank you thank you sir commissioner mayor uh sorry I have a couple more speakers now okay I'm sorry thought next speaker sarin g hi I'm Sarah coni and I'm at 228 alesio Avenue um I know that uh a lot of the uh every well a lot of people are mentioning um the the the speed of the cars in alhamra circle and I know this is not totally on point but I just wanted to say that we whatever is on alham Hamra Circle we have worse on leun I I still want to uh focus on uh you know in our neighborhood we would like there to be a Slowdown on leun um I know that we're waiting for the road safety audit report from the um from the fdot I still think that we ought to try to impress upon them that we really need to make that road safer um slow down the traffic you know and none of the items that you're mentioning the trees and and and all that that doesn't really exist on leun uh so Lun is just it's like the Indianapolis 500 and I know uh that commissioner Menendez himself has mentioned in this conversation that he would never let his kids go anywhere near leun and this is it's been a long time um that road is going through a neighborhood there are houses on either side of that road throughout uh Coral Gables I think it would behoove us to make that road safer to slow down the traffic on that road uh I'd appreciate it if we could keep the pressure on fdot um and uh and I know that there are a lot of residents that live in the area um that have the same feelings that I do although they haven't been quite so vocal um and I appreciate you're taking the time to hear my comment thank you thank you mayor next I have Nicole Puerto yes a question good uh we have Nicole querto is the next one is she um on she is unmuted yes ma'am okay good morning good afternoon excuse me hello yes ma'am okay thank you sorry about that I had to switch um thank you so much um so this is Nicole Puerto I'm at 3430 I'll ham circle on the corner of alhamra and salvatier we are a family of five we have three children um my oldest is 10 years old my youngest is five I'm in agreement with Roland and Matilda that the biggest concern we have is traffic calming uh prior to living on o Hamra Circle we lived on University Drive and our house was on the corner so the back our back of our house was on algaringo and we would walk endlessly with our kids we cannot do that at this time on on our street because of the traffic um our kids love the canal we try to cross to alhamra court from our home and it's a Fight for Your Life Crossing so any any traffic calming measures we are supportive of as neighbors we have also been supportive of the sidewalk we went through the process we attended the sunshine meeting when given the option we all were in agreement that option one was our preference I don't understand now while there are other options on the table we have been supportive of the process and we thought this was a done deal based on on um the vote that we had earlier this year so we are happy to help in whatever way we can but we're doing what what's being asked of us and we would hope that because of that this is our street that that our opinions are taken into consider ation so thank you Mr Mayor I have one more speaker in person darel Gonzalez Mr Gonzalez thank you for being here welcome back I just want to highlight the importance of the trees uh the city's founder uh created this gorgeous City beautiful that we know this Garden City uh Mr Merrick hired uh Frank button the city the state's first landscape architect to really highlight the focus on trees so if sidewalks which I think we can all agree are an incredibly important issue if we bring sidewalks we should maintain as many of the trees as possible and try to meander our way through it I know that ADA is a really big concern but try to keep the trees that's it thank you sir thank you that's it Mr Mayor thank you so mayor you got a question mayor I uh you know I agree that we need to maintain the trees and for many reasons and I do know that it is effective also for traffic calming purposes this is a unique situation where we have complete ballots in favor of an option uh I mean I added um putting some curbing down near the the bridge to avoid the concerns with speeding as far as Lun road is concern U Miss Ki I live a block away I walk across there to get to my office to Publix all the time it's been a mission of mine to do something with Lun Road for well over 20 years with prior administrations and now we finally have fdot taking action their first area of focus has been near the high school and in that area they've lowered the speed limit and they're going through the remediations necessary to get there their next section will be the section that you're talking out about the section where both commissioner Mendez and I live um you know just a minute's walk away or less uh we are keeping the pressure on fdot and fdot is following through now um it's unfortunately you have to run for office to be able to get some of this stuff done but I don't think we should be kicking the can down the road on Life Safety on alhamra Circle we shouldn't be ignoring What the residents have voted for staff has made recommendations based upon what is safe for that area we are able to lower the speed limits there unlike what we can do on Lun road we can install medians there unlike what we can do as far as narrowing this the amount of asphalt that we have on Lun Road and I can tell you from experience that the sovia median um has significantly reduced the speeding on sovia nothing is going to be perfect because there's always going to be someone whether it's on Country KB pra or at other streets that uh drives improperly drives drunk we're never going to be perfect but if we add the the safety features that we need to add the speed radar signs add the the median in there like they did around University Miami that requires the vehicles to meander there it naturally will slow them down to ignore what these residents want is a disservice to our community to ignore the What the residents want here now we'll send a message to Residents throughout our city that we're going to ignore what they want I've made it a practice of mine to go door too to ask residents what they want on their street because we need to respect what they want and I think we need to respect this now so with that I'll move this this item forward with the comments that I've already made yeah I'm I'm very sorry I won't be able to support this I feel like if I support this I'm responsible for having some blood in my hands and I will not be responsible for this if I have some say in it um I had did request a third option I hope that if this nobody seconds this motion or it goes through we can work on that third option and the most important thing to me is safety may add something just one second I'm going to second the motion just so we can have further discussion you had a you had yeah thank you mayor um the one common denominator even from the folks calling in on Zoom even from folks here that commented and I think from every single elected official is the common denominator of safety we're talking about sidewalks and there different options maybe a third option but everyone's concern primary concern is the safe and the speed of the cars on that portion of a Hamber Circle um I've seen people drive on our bike lanes because they think it's part of the road people are Reckless and I'm talking all over craw Gables um with regards to the opinion the vote of the folks that live right there we are taking you into consideration absolutely but the safety of all pedestrians that use that sidewalk because it won't be exclusively to the people that live immediately in that area it's everyone who uses that road for the next 20 30 40 50 years we have to take their safety into consideration I'm of the opinion we're putting the cart before the horse because I think we should ask you all to come back to us with safety measures things that the vice mayor mentioned I think signage is good but signage if you're going to be Reckless you're going to be Reckless I think there has to be physical impediments to letting people be Reckless speeding and driving in in that area I would like the administration come back we can do these safety measures do these take these steps to make alhamra circle safer that area safer slow down traffic like the very nice um woman spoke I think one of the first people about her concerns if you can come up with viable things that can be done I'm more than happy to reconsider my position with regards to the options that were laid before us but it's hard to vote on something and then say later we're going to take these steps we don't even know what those steps are to make it safer it's putting the cart before the horse I would love for you all to come up these are the things we can do to make it safer then I'd be more than happy to reconsider the sidewalk options and I think uh commissioner Menendez you you're absolutely correct the comments that we heard are um our biggest concern is traffic coming that her lady said she doesn't even allow her child out of the house this sidewalk isn't going to fix that problem if it's on the curb um the biggest concern these residents have is traffic calming and that needs to be a priority as far as the median we've seen traffic circles they're on Venicia and people drive right over them they don't go around them drive right over those those uh traffic circles um or cut through City and people are taking advantage of that um I don't I agree with commissioner Mendez there has to be options presented as to how we can slow traffic down but I think putting a sidewalk next to the road is a recipe for disaster and it's not going to fix the problem it's going to create new problems and like I said before I'm going to base this on what is the safest option for the people that are using the sidewalk putting it on the curb on a street where people are driving 40 or 50 miles an hour regardless of what traffic cing you put in there they're still going to be driving in that rate of speed is not an option for me all ask a question of Staff when you're done just want to answer some things really quick so again there's not support for this but I just want to put a few things on the record we'll take a vote now we have already existing approved plans for traffic cing for this area correct the traffic caling that we were looking for this area was those median separators which it's not part of the preapproved uh slate that the county provided us that requires for us to go back to the county and get the blessing because the design will change slightly whether depending on the location of the sidewalk we've submitted that for the county to review on comments but we cannot really we haven't been able to submit a county a full complete set of drawings um because it's predicated up onto you know are we doing a sidewalk are we not doing a sidewalk and where's the sidewalk going to go the reason and you answer my question the reason why I want to mention that is because the next thing we'll receive is 30 emails from residents saying we want traffic caling traffic calming has already been considered for this area and it's going to be installed in this area is it is there do we have do we have money in the budget already Yes okay correct so so that goes to show you hold on let me just finish so that goes to show you that there that this has been that traffic compy has been planned for well over a year two years this commiss four years thank you Robert so four years so to say up here that there's we got to work on traffic calming no no there's traffic calming but let's let's let's let's talk about it the road is terrible like you get all the emails right why haven't we replace a road why would we spend good money on something that we'd have to later tear out to put traffic calming so the whole point was to do sidewalks wherever the sidewalks go traffic calming and roads all at one time to save money but to say that traffic calming is a priority that we need to start working on now it's not true true we've been working on for 4 years we've held off because we were we've been talking about where these sidewalks go so if we don't have if we don't have the approval for for the sidewalks that's perfectly fine we take that vote we move on and we address it later in one form or another or that that area doesn't get sidewalks I wish it did I think it's I think it's a benefit for the community and when people say to me you know Vince why do you why why do you talk about curbs I go because I live it I see it in front of me every day when I step out of my house or I get home I see the curb I see people walking I see people running I see people taking their children I see people on bikes you know I see little little kids with bikes all my neighborhood is full of young kids and they use that bike to go into um to enjoy um they go through it so I have experience on a sidewalk that has that has a curb you can't tell me it's going to be a blood bath when I know it's not going to be a blood bath and I Melissa's smiling because it's not it is a it is a proper it is a proper safety and engineer ing option that can be used here now if we don't want to allow it that's a different story it's allowed by the standards so moving on you know we've talked about this at nause and we have a long we have a long commission agenda to address we can address this later we've been talking about it for four years we've been talking about traffic coming we've been talking about the asphalt but I want to put it on the record traffic coming has been addressed it's there we're Going Back in Forth of the county it's budgeted that street should not be re asphalted until we address it and we've been talking about sidewalks for years and years and years if you want to re asphalt and you want to move on with with the traffic coming that's perfectly fine let's do it fine there's no sidewalks that get installed I believe that sidewalks in one form or another should be should be should be installed in this area and we talk about listening to the residents let's listen to the residents all the time I won't I won't move in One Direction or another because the residents don't want it we have a pretty much unanimous position here where residents want it the residents that are most affected in this area but if that's not the will of the commission it's perfectly fine we move on Madame vice mayor you wanted to say something yeah I again I was just going to go over the traffic cing that has been built into this project and I think it's been very thoughtful of what's been done uh we've been working on uh the speed detection Signs Now for over a year they're now approved so those can be put in there too statistics show that over 80% of the drivers that see that those signs are flashing because are exceeding the speed limit slow down so those can be put in there as well the addition of the curbing that I suggested around the bridge was to avoid exactly what you complained about about someone going into the to the uh the Water um I made the motion because I think it's time to stop kicking this can down the road and ignoring what's necessary for Public Safety I've used sidewalks to go you uh in tighter areas such as on Granada or around Santa Maro near the um university while riding my bike when the traffic is is moving through there right now the traffic is unimpeded by anything uh we need to lower the speed limit we need to put the speed radar signs in the the median dividers do work okay because it gives that visual cue that the that the street is narrower and it helps separate the driver uh avoids head-on collisions and and slows things down but we have a motion we have a section second let go ahead real quick vice mayor Hermes what traffic caling measures have been approved and what is the timetable to have them installed in that area so so it hasn't been approved the traffic climbing measure that we were working on was the median that you see on the on on the plants it's very schematic what you see here it it basically creates a kind of like a separator to to divert the driver's attention and make sure that they can you know as as they approach the bridge and that's what we were looking to install it has not been approved U even though we've sent several iterations to the county because the overall the final set of drawings the sidewalk will impact it now if the desire is not to move forward sidewalk there's nothing to keep us from continuing to now go over the county and finalize the drawings without any sidewalks and getting that moved forward so these efforts by the city to get the county to approve traffic caling measures were were in were created the initiative because of the sidewalks that area was always something that was brought to our attention that it was necessary we're talking about putting that kind of a medium before and after the bridge and and you know the curve makes a little bit of a a difficult place for traffic calming um so but when we go to the county right the sidewalk it will just you know you when I put the side if you put the sidewalk against the back of the property doesn't matter right but if you're going to put it against the roadway it's all Blends into uh the county wanted to see that so but whether whether the discussion on sidewalks and and I understand it's been going on for a while regardless of let's say we never had discussions on sidewalks the city was going to appro approach the county about correct trff safy in that area correct yes okay and and another thing it's also like for example reducing the asso width you know that tends to slow people down as well so that was something else that we were potentially looking at um cuz ultimately theay isn't really bad chap think what you described we have on Granada when you go from Bird Road towards um blue Road when you approach the bridge there's a correct right obviously every location is different because of the geometer of the road but something along those L what you see in the plant right now is a very close uh what it will look like obviously again that's not the final design you have to need finalized but we could go ahead and proceed with that uh something of that to that effect regardless of whether before the sidewalk or not thank you let let me offer some clarity nobody on this commission is opposed to not to having sidewalks I think everybody here wants a sidewalk and they just want it to be a safe sidewalk so just to clear the air there can I ask you a quick question before we vote just a simple question just for the record please I think it's important if we install if we move in this direction not saying we move in another direction we put the sidewalks behind the trees right if we install the sidewalks as proposed as balloted for four out of the five I want to be correct four out of the five residents approved it is this a safe engineered approved object objective it will be in accordance with all applicable engineering standards but it's but I'm asking it's safe just like the University of Miami correct has the University of Miami has it all the way around the campus how how in a residential neighborhood where thousands of people use every day I want to make sure because again whether we move One Direction or not it's perfectly fine hopefully I think it's important to connect two two blocks of sidewalks to a bridge an area that has a lot of traffic but I don't want to scare people out so when you work on a design you you have a pet of things right there's there's an option that is preferable yeah of course and then you have all the options that are feasible given the constraints constraints right and the constraints could be many whatever correct so obviously the preferable option will be absolutely to put it against the uh against the sidewalk against the back of the property what would be the safest option oh no absolutely put it back against the sidewalk will be the absolutely uh ideal option 100% behind the trees 100% right but it wouldn't be behind the trees it will be through removing some of those trees the safer option is not against the road it will be correct the preferable safer option will be we we can play with it all day we can say safer versus safest when you when they lay down away from the road miles of sidewalks at um spend the decision was put it in an area where it may not the safest but it's still safe correct is it still safe yes or no yes okay it's still safe and we're able to save some trees we're able to have more green space we're able to do certain things and it again at the end of day it worked out well in this case we don't have the votes we're still going to take a vote on it but at the end of the day we live the fight another day and we move on we will proceed with whatever option the commission decides to our job is to provide to you what are the you know your option is you know one option has these are the consequences that option it's these are the other on so um all we're looking for his direction thank you Mr Mr cler we have a motion on a second vice mayor Anderson yes commissioner Castro no commissioner Fernandez uh for the reasons that I stated earlier uh I don't think this is the safest option no commissioner Mendez safety concerns no at this time mayor logo yes it is a safe option as stated by staff in front of us and on the record thank you for everyone who came today I appreciate staff's work with over the last few years again we will deliver something in the future hopefully at least we start with traffic calming and reass the air I would like to make a motion um directing staff to present the third option that should have been presented at the time which would be the safest option for pedestrians we can do that okay perfect I'll second that can we do can you do me a favor also with that motion can we also we have to present that to the residence correct that will be your choice we don't have to that be your choice the option I think we should present to the res that that's one I'm I'm I'm always for residents and and hearing their their input but we need to separate two things that are very important what they want and their safety and I think safety comes first well can we can I may I ask you a question MH right agree safety first but when you you have you should present to the residents we're going to knock down certain trees in their in their neighborhood correct we do we do should do that and again they should have some say on that I if someone came to me and told me Vince we to knocked on the two o oak trees in front of your front yard I'd say Let's find let's find a way to see if we can avoid that cuz I really enjoy those oak trees it's a beautiful site um I again I think it brings our property values up I think it savs a ton of electricity uh my property and I think it's something that again it's just what our City's defined on you know our canopy it's one of our many many defining you know defining characteristics so I don't have a problem going to the third option or a fourth option or a fifth option or a sixth option but at the end of the day we also got to show where the trees are going to be cut down and what going to happen so so we can come back if that's the desire of the commission we can go back with option we can we can bring it to your attention and then maybe and then maybe at that time you can make the choice of you know again over looking for direction how quickly can you come back with that um what is the option that we are looking for basic clarification basically while they're looking for that can I can I make a because just some observations is we'll look for the third option again don't call it but we'll look for the third option and we'll move forward in trying to uh enhance the reduction of of speeding in that area uh aside of whatever happens to uh the sidewalk issue but what do that and if we can't find option three we'll get together maybe try to develop what other option three would be but it we need to bring it to a land I'm going to I'm going to amend my motion a second my motion is going to be instructing staff to present the third option and continue with traffic calming on the premise that the sidewalk will not be adjacent to the road and and we can come back the second Mee of October if that's okay with you all okay I have a quick question Dina do we provide notice when we um take off a tree yes when we do a tree removal permit we post the permit on the tree for public viewing for at least 2 weeks however if the tree is larger than 16 in diameter trunk which most of these are it comes to you the commission first before we proceed to even post the tree removal permit so there there you go mayor logo I think that really completes your you're concerned that the residents wouldn't have been noticed or they're not talking we don't say notices individual property owner be clear so let me let me let me let me just give you a little background I wrote the law that she talking about so you know the I would like for residents to know when you're about to cut down large specimen trees like that again the sidewalk can go all the way in the back against the property line that's perfectly fine I don't have an issue with it I don't I just think that when you start cutting trees down you're going to cut down some pretty massive specimen trees you'd want to have the input of the residents on that front especially when they're healthy trees they're healthy trees that are not injured if you tell me it's a unhealthy tree that has an issue and you want to mark it and then you can wait that time and people will come out and say listen let me explain to you why the trees unhealthy you show them the report but you're cutting out a tree I think of this magnitude I think we should notify them it's my opinion and I believe but I know but I but I know that law you're talking about because I wrote it yeah exactly so so we do notify them can I just clarify though the the the item doesn't come to commission automatically it's um the information is provided to the commission just so we're clear an individual commissioner to put on the agenda the way it works we we send it to your attention if by the next commission meeting uh no one of the commission deci decided to take up the item then we deem that as approved and we move forward it's a twoe process correct it's a twoe process right if there's no objection by the commission to remove a tree then we will process the permit and post the permit card actually on the tree a bright pink card wrapped in plastic and leave it there for really a minimum of two weeks sometimes longer you know and give people people plenty of time to see the removal proposal so so on that same ban remember the um point sry where the city had it posted and it was for the purposes of the park and I received complaints uh from residents and you were going out to revisit it because the tree was posted and you know these tree this tree canopy is near and dear the heart of these residents so uh we can't place every body um out of Harm's Way all the time because even cars will go you know into uh a person's property but I can tell you before I had curbing on my corner I had people going through my yard all the time which is why I recommended having curbing in that last block as you approach the bridge to create create a uh directional buffer from people going into the water uh or hitting the bridge or hitting the pedestrians on the sidewalk and Meandering the sidewalk in that area so um we've taken our vote you have a motion to uh go ahead I I will second that one as well and let's uh let's move forward okay yes commissioner Fernandez yes commissioner Mendez yes vice mayor Anderson yes mayor yes moving on to F1 thank you staff as always vice mayor want me to read it in which one are you on F1 F1 F1 F1 is a resolution of the city commission promoting fiscal resilience and directing the city manager to include in the proposed budget for fiscal year 2425 certain revisions from the budget estimate including allocating certain funding toward the assessment drawings and plans for structural repairs at City Hall this was one I uh deferred I'll vote on the last time around because um I felt that the level of discussion had gone beyond the parameters what the intent was for uh the item itself um this is for fiscal resilience I felt I owed it to you all to explain my position better uh so that you could make a more informed decision I had the pleasure of listening to uh justice keni Brown Jackson this past um [Music] weekend my Spanish is not that good but anyway moving forward I had the opportunity to listen to Justice Jackson about and she spoke to us um this past Saturday morning about uh collective decision making and in order to be able to collectively make a decision you have to have a good understanding of the reasoning behind a position that's being taken um I'm going to encourage you all to try to um work together and understand that when an item is brought there is some thought process that goes through it and instead of going backwards and addressing opportunities that repairs to City Hall could have been done in the past to move forward because that's the only way we're going to be able to resolve problems together I've moved to for physical resilience to bring $835,000 7887 into City's Halls funds be able to get the architectural drawings done and the engineering drawings done I know some some folks had wanted to you know do financing on this option I don't think that that's wise to do at this point because first you have to understand the scope of the work you don't go out and get a loan for a h house to build it until you have your architectural drawings done because you don't know the scope of the work that needs to be done I'm going to walk you through the resolution and go one by one so you understand that this these decisions were not done in a vacuum these decisions weren't done merely for the purpose of finding money but these decisions would have been applicable even if we didn't have issues with City Hall uh that need to be addressed and have been uh kicked down the road and I don't want to have them kicked down the road any further spoke to the chief about you know the necessity for two fulltime versus one fulltime and one part-time uh cic monitor individual for this first coming year um the chief was in agreement that uh we could proceed with one and we can address whether or not we need two full-time in the future person that sits in front of a computer screen can only do it for so long you see that at TSA uh where you rotate people off because your ability to detect things de diminishes over a period of time after you've been staring at the screen and he was in in full agreement that we can go with one fulltime and in one part time for that position as well the same um analysis was done on the Code Enforcement issue um and some of the things that I looked at as far as Code Enforcement Officers on part-time versus full-time when some of the um concerns were brought up that it's hard to fill the positions is where have you advertised it because I know when I was going to college that was you know some of these jobs I would have died for public has no problems filling their their part-time positions and these are great uh opportunities for people to take that first step into our city on a part-time basis and that way we serve not only the employee that comes in on a part-time basis with a fantastic opportunity to build a career here but we do what's in the best interest of our residents in keeping down the costs uh of our budget so the code enforcement manager I put a lot of thought into that I agree that we need you know a second position there let's see how well we do with um having two managers at the wheel and then next year if we still need more code enforcement after we have this I think would be a much better basis to analyze whether that the needs are are true truly needed and let's do a better job of offering these part-time positions to to students to to people that you know don't have time to to work a full-time job Solid Waste has similar issues we desperately needed you know I should say definitely needed an additional CDL driver reason being is um some people are not being able to take off for vacation and that's the position in which that um is the most acute at so CDL Drivers serve two purposes it's not just driving the trucks it's a management job as well and they're responsible for looking after their other employees out there that are you know going door to door to get the uh in the yards to get the bags of of garbage um we can fulfill shortages with you know the temporary workers as we have for decades we actually have fewer homes that we're servicing now than we have had in the past if you take into account the single family homes that are no longer sing single family homes in the craft section and the plaza alone you can see that there's been a significant reduction there that's all going to be Waste Management servicing there so for this year we need to be watching the budget carefully not growing our employee headcount too too much uh as far as um the employees that have issues with heat stroke uh being someone that had heat stroke when I was young being someone that that does endurance training and is out in the heat all day and I've had my blood work done the day after I can tell you that it's more than just hydration sodium levels other things like that uh management can look at to improve how we um utilize our employees and uh the temporary workers are a very effective very costeffective way to provide the same level of service for our residents in our city uh going forward part working enforcement had um similar analysis as to other part-time positions that we need to be um marketing better uh and I'll touch upon for instance the sign shot one of the questions I asked staff was have you compared Outsourcing this job to hiring the employee and the answer was there wasn't sufficient time to do so so uh and this is something it has come up in the past with prior commissions I've learned and uh because of that uh they determined too that it was not necessary to have uh a another employee there it's an out out sourceable position and we can save our residents some some money I also put in some cuts for some other things that you know while they would be beautiful to have uh such as you know the laser show I think it's it's something um that together if someone wants to uh find sponsors for some of these events that uh we can bring to the city but not burden the taxpayers with it and put our priorities first on what we need to do with City Hall here and in getting the um engineering and Architectural drawings done and then evaluate how we're going to pay for it after we have an approximate price tag on that um um I'm not going to go through the rest of them because I think it's just um patently obvious uh what it what the purpose of this is U but I am going to talk to you briefly about um the structural Integrity of City Hall we spent a lot of time last time talking about the structural Integrity of City Hall um and I took my husband down to um this hospital and I take him down to Basin Palmer and I'm going into the parking garages loaded with cars and there are Shoring poles in It's Not Unusual to see Shoring poles where uh construction and Rehabilitation of structures needs to be done whether it's a 100-year-old building or or buildings that are much younger that are down at Jack near Jackson Memorial Hospital or Baptist hospital so I Would S Suggest going forward that before we make a conclusion that something drastic needs to be done that we uh speak to staff and make decisions based upon the best advice that we can receive from the experts that we have on hand I'm used to working with experts because I have to do so in every single one of my cases there's a different issue and in every single case because I just don't do one type of law so I'm used to going from tape experts to structural experts to you know even drug testing down to um patent law so I've done a wide range of things and I am used to utilizing experts in order to make the best decision possible uh for my clients going forward our clients here are the residents and I think that we can do what's in the best interest of the residents by moving forward on the architectural drawings putting the funding into City Hall um and then we have a figure that uh for the total rehab City Hall we can revisit how we pay for it at that time um so I'd like to move this forward we need a vote on this I deferred it last time we all spoke a lot about it last time and I'd like to take a vote I'm ready to vote I think we need a motion in a second you want to Second it I have a second okay is there any public comment Mr yes sir Mr Mayor M Mur Cruz Mrs Maria Cruz 1447 Miller Road I strongly object to um the suggestions that um what has been proposed during the budget estimate is are not necessary I think this item should have been brought during the budget discussion not at this time I think that uh we you all requested the directors to come back with their need needs they got back all the fat they came back with needs and I'm sorry but we could have had the drawings the assessment the plans for the repairs of City Hall had this been done instead of moving money calling this the city hall complex so that we could do our our wonderful idea on 427 building and spending all the money there and keep spending money there because there still not everything is fixed I'm sorry this is not the appropriate time to talk about this U Mr Mayor I have a speaker on Zoom but I'm not able to get their last name so I'm going to go ahead and unmute them I have John C on Zoom yes sir H good afternoon I had to unmute myself uh good afternoon John caller 440 Sevilla Avenue uh Mr Mayor Miss vice mayor council persons and staff first I want to compliment you for providing the com a comprehensive set of attachments for this item as I went through it I was impressed with the thoroughness and the uh explanations for the changes that Miss Anderson has proposed uh I would like to uh agree that this should be presented uh for vote for the council and you have our personal thanks to each and every one of you for all you do for our city thank you very much for the time thank you okay that's it Mr Mayor thank you sir so we have a motion a second is there any other public comment excuse me any other comments from the commission yes yes [Music] um I work very closely or I'm informed because I talk to the employees of the Departments when um Mr rohas or the city manager got got hired I think maybe a month or two after I wrote him an email which I'm going to go ahead and if Billy if you can put it up and I'm sorry for not giving you heads up yes ma'am but um uh if C TV could put up my zoom yes go this email was April 8th and this was regarding solid waste and their new needs and why they were so crucial to them at that moment what was necessary for that department was four solid waste workers and four operators there hadn't been an increase in the 10 in 10 years meanwhile our our city kept on growing if you keep on scrolling down a little more um there's also concerns about routes exceeding 800 houses being too large resulting in Ono stress on our employ some potential risk on under health and safety and if you keep on going down can or is the next page give me a second and this is back in April there was an the the the next page of the the email there we go okay uh are okay our workers are walking between 10 to 15 miles per day while pushing carts which has led to instances of exhaustion and medical emergencies in the past that's something that now in what are we in um September we're still we're still facing while B Harbor may be the closest in service with operational Dynamics similar to ours they have fewer than 5,000 homes last Friday the absence of two sanitation workers and two operators over overtime payments to existing staff highlighting the urgency and increasing our Workforce therefore I kindly request an update on the status of solid waste new needs request this is something that I've been addressing since April and now what we're requ now the what I mean the suggestion is that we're only going to have one solid waste new new new employee I am this this doesn't meet the the requirements at all this is something that we've been addressing for quite a while so I think this is very detrimental when it comes to Solid Waste okay so may I respond mayor we have temporary workers which will come in fresher is one of the analysis now when you're talking about pushing Parts there are some proposals I've started talking to staff about that would eliminate that strain if any of you have ever had the opportunity to push a wheelbarrow or push a wheelchair with somebody in it and with their weight in it you understand the Dynamics of how difficult that is there are ways that we can improve our service and reduce the injuries for employees but that is something that's going to be a separate issue um as we look at at how to improve our Solid Waste Service uh and reduce the stress on the employees keeping in mind that we are servicing fewer homes than we did before I think it's it's time for us to look at ways to reduce the stress on the employees not merely by hiring more employees and understanding the dynamic of what happens when you know um and I've had experience with unions before it is of course the desire of every employee to have the part-time workers or the temporary workers come in full-time for multiple reasons you know they're friends or union dues will be greater but I think we have to take a methodical approach and not you know all of a sudden now we need six employees you know four underground and two drivers let's add one let aing zero let's move forward let's look for a better way to do business you know I'll just give you a hypothetical if you're not having to push the weight of the cart and you have a cart that had and they are out there on the market now that are um electric battery assist wheelbarrows Etc that employee is going to have a tremendous reduction in stress but the feasibility of that is something we need to be discussing internally here before we move forward how is it that that for decades upon decades we've serviced more homes and now that we have reduced homes it's now a greater issue I know temperatures are up but we can bring in more temporary workers to to make it uh you know a fresh crew coming in to give these these employees a break I've looked at the truck logs I noticed the number of hours they're working per day they're in at 700 they're back by noon or or 1:00 um they're being paid for 10 uh hours every day they work 2 days and then they're off and then they work two days so there's a rest day in between the city has functioned for a long period of time uh under these circumstances I'm not against in increasing headcount where we need to increase headcount but it hasn't been shown to me that headcount increase is the answer to the uh question right now on heat exhaustion uh for folks uh because as I said before there was a management issue to it and there is also things that we can do to make the job not as strenuous yeah so so as yourself I've worked very closely as well with the assistant director for solid waste and I I brought up the point that you said about temporary workers and part-time workers that definitely will not work for that department and my original suggestion was four workers and and four and four and after speaking to the assistant city manager I know that we kind kind of came into agreement that it's a lot to to increase Aid employees so I think the recommendation from Mr parus was two and two now we keep on facing the same addressing the same thing about about the budget and now we're only down to one I think we need to stay at two and two and that would be my suggestion for for Paula and for finance maybe you can consider um the T and two that we were originally talking about for solid waste commissioner Castro first of all thank you very much for the support that you always give to our Public Works and sanitation folks obviously from my perspective we would want 40 headcount increase especially in sanitation where the work is is hot and heavy but at the end of the day we have to look at the over budget and we have to look at what can we live with and what are the areas that we need to research to make uh the work of Sanitation more viable easier for our employees so when we had a choice of and a discussion which position was most critical to us we said it was the uh supervisor that we really needed uh could we use another uh sanitation worker absolutely abolutely but one of the things that we've spoken about uh internally with uh my staff is to look at other cities possibly do a pilot project in a particular area changing the way we do sanitation pickup How We Do waste How We Do Recycling and try it as a test to see if number one we can be more efficient number two we can reduce our expenses but uh uh clearly if if the will of the commission is to give us more people great we'll we'll take them because we could use them but uh at the present the recommendations that the vice mayor made are recommendations that we can put into into place that will at least alleviate some of the backlog that we have and some of the the work that we have but again I do appreciate the fact that you're always looking out for sanitation folks anything else Mr clerk commissioner commissioner Fernandez no commissioner Mendez no vice mayor Anderson yes commissioner Castro no mayor loo yes all right we will take aill 20 minute break we back at 1:30 for a Time certain which is item F5 recording stopped ex we have a meeting we have a meeting at two no we got cancel they're recording it for [Music] [Music] for for [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] e [Music] e [Music] e e [Music] [Music] e for for e for [Music] [Music] e for [Music] [Music] [Music] for [Music] moving on to E5 E5 is in ordinance of the city commission designating Patriot dat as an official City day of remembrance and amending chapter 1 General provision section 1-2 definitions and rules of construction of the city code to designate patri dat as an official City Holiday providing for severability Clause repealer provision codification and providing for an effective dat um thank you mayor um some background I think it's no secret to anybody that on September 11th 2001 was one of the darkest days in our nation's history and in that Darkness a beautiful and powerful light broke through the light emanated from the men and women who sacrificed their lives to save others the light also emanated when our country came together as one to confront the evil Unleashed and hellbent and Destroy not only our country but our Collective spirit that is why I believe we should take this time to officially remember the day remember our nation's pain remember the sacrifice and honor those Heroes many of them First Responders that not only saved lives but also helped save the day and helped save our nation and that is why I present to my colleagues on the city commission to our residents our community at large legislation naming September 11th Patriot Day a day of remembrance but also an official day along with Veterans Day Memorial Day and Independence Day an official holiday of the City of Coral Gables so uh do you have any public comment or you want to address the commission first um I I did have you know some comments because I did go back and look at the history of efforts that were made uh by George W bush back in 2002 to make 911 a national holiday um history indicates that sadly because of the cost to taxpayers of $818 million at the time and federal tax dollars it was deemed too much more recently the New York City Commission on more than one occasion and and just this past September passed a resolution urging Congress the United States Congress to declare September 11th a national holiday there are several events in memorials plan to commemorate September 11th and uh throughout our country and I do think that you know we should pass a resolution to urge again the United States Congress to make this a national holiday the events that have unfolded on September 11th unfolded in New York City unfolded in Washington DC unfolded in Pennsylvania but reverberated throughout our country I remember exactly where I was standing as I'm sure every single person in here that day remembered where you were standing this is much bigger than the City of Coral Gables I also looked up some of the things that the you know the national government is doing and I I asked our our esteemed clerk to bring up for you and I have paper copies for you some of the things that the the government federal government does and recommends that we do on September 11th in addition to honoring the Fallen those who sacrificed uh their lives they suggest that September 11th as a day of remembrance and service service from ourselves service from each one of our us um to donate our time our talent and or our treasure to help out those who should be remembered whether it be in the spirit of what was presented earlier here today uh leaf for law enforcement and first uh of of you know responders or as um shown here this National Park Service commemorations and celebrations where even locally here you can do things to give back to the community and in honor of and in respect for for those um who gave the ultimate s sacrifices and was exposed to the the various uh contaminants that existed at the sites um where the Twin Towers went down those who gave their lives in Pennsylvania uh with the plane crashing there as well as into the Pentagon itself I think it's imperative that the federal government take this step if we bring um make it a a a holiday in Coral Gables it's we're a small piece of the puzzle we need to take a bigger piece just like we have urge the United States Congress to take steps in the past to do things for this country that they should be doing let's be bold let's stand forth and urge the United States Congress once and for all recognize September 11th is a day of remembrance and Service as well as being a holiday throughout this entire country because every United State citizen every resident that lives here anyone who knew somebody or has Humanity in him cares about what happened on that day and it should never again occur we need to remember we reme need to never forget and we need to give back to to our community in remembrance on this day um so I uh would like to make a motion that we urge the United States Congress to recognize September 11th as a holiday throughout this entire country um I was I was already working for a member of Congress on 911 and like you madam vice mayor I remember where I was standing at that moment and I was not in Washington I was at our district office um the uncertainty that the moment had for our country was palpable um nobody knew where the next attack was going to come or if there was a next attack coming um Capitol Hill Police gave a directive for all of our offices to be shut down immediately uh we had to do an assessment of all vehicles parked around our perimeter to ensure that there were no bombs cuz there were threats that uh local offices would be bombed um members of Congress we couldn't get a hold of our boss for about two hours um it was a scary time for our country I remember I was sitting in my office my dad called me my dad never called me during the day but the concern that he had that day somebody who I had never seen scared before was something that really touched me and it still touches me today 2,977 people lost their lives because other people disagreed with their way of thinking think about that 1,469 others that's the number we have confirmed have lost their lives since due to related illnesses over 10,000 are currently dealing with with ailments because of what they suffered that day I have no problem kicking the ball to Congress for Congress to act but we have an opportunity to lead today and set a standard across the country and say you know what in Coral Gables we're honoring the people who lost their lives that day we're going to have our day of remembrance we're going to have Patriots Day in the City of Coral Gables and we're going to encourage the residents of coral Gables to give back to the community on this day I have no problem voting to ask Congress to act but I think that should come with an attached resolution that Coral Gables has dedicated cor uh September 11th as a holiday in the City of Coral Gables in remembrance for what happened that day one of the most touching ceremonies that we are able to participate in every year is her 911 ceremony at the fire headquarters and I will never forget the speech given by my predecessor vice mayor Mike Mena and his connection to 911 it touched all of us it touched each and every one of us and you know we can attach a price tag we can blame anything for not calling it a n a holiday here in our city but this is something that is right and I think it's something that we should do Mr clerk open the public comment yes sir first speaker is Mrs Maria Cruz Mrs Maria Cruz 1447 Miller Road um what can I say this is long overdue this has should have been done years ago and I'm glad that you brought it up and I think the least we can do is push it through make it happen and then be able to say we did it instead of we waited for others to do it before we T the AL it is the right thing to do let's do it I don't even think anybody should have second thoughts about it I think it's time it's long overdue make it happen Mr clerk John O'Brien John O'Brien president South Florida Council of firefighters mailing address 8000 Northwest 21st Street I do not stand here because of one individual and his words it is not his name that matters the names that will always matter are the 343 firefighters that gave their lives that day the 343 you know what traits are expected of firefighters bravery calmness in the chaos and yes a little crazy to run into danger you know what traits are expected of an elected official representing tens of thousands professionalism taxed and most importantly respectful anyone who knows a firefighter knows that there's one word that makes us uncomfortable when it's directed our way and that's Heroes we see ourselves as Ordinary People placed in extraordinary circumstances and often times that means giving someone a fighting chance to live but those 343 they are heroes and not I nor the other firefighters in this room will allow anyone to pretend otherwise in a town full of secrets the mayor has kept it no secret as to how he feels about firefighters but this isn't about a group you dislike this isn't even about your confusion with historical significance in our country this is about honoring and respecting the 343 we lost see they didn't do it for The Monuments or thank yous they didn't do it for the media coverage the votes or the self-promotion like many other jobs require those 343 they sacrificed in the name of service and the least that can be given by you is either respect or silence Mr clerk Charles branck good afternoon Commissioners and Mr Mayor I would like to first thank you all for having me speak today or allowing me to speak today my name is Charles brok I am retired Coral Gables firefighter uh of over 30 years um I'm also one of two Coral Gables firefighters that was sent to New York part of the FEMA Urban search and rescue team Chief Dan Thornhill was also with me another Coral Gables firefighter so I want you to know that we we did represent Coral Gables did represent in New York for this let me get to the point I would like to throw out some numbers some that have already been mentioned here 2009 177 72 343 the first number is that's how many people died on 9/11 2,977 due to terrorist act on this country 72 is the number of police officers who died that day 343 the number of my fellow firefighters who gave their lives to try to save lives because that's what we do now Mr Mayor I saw the video where you made some comments about 911 you said this is not an exact quote but close enough I think 911 is not a national holiday it's not a state holiday and you can check with the the clerk make sure I want to make this point perception tone maybe arrogance that's how it came across and that's where I as someone who lives with the memories of what I did and what I saw and the health issues that come with the members of Florida task force number two I take offense to your comments now I'm sure you didn't mean it the way I and fellow firefighters took it but now you and your fellow Commissioners are able to fix this you now have the unique opportunity to make 911 a recognized day in the City of Coral Gables don't wait for other parts of the government to do this be the first and watch it spread we remember the days like December 7th 1941 and 9/11 because it's the right thing to do thank you for your com thank you for your time thank you sir Mr clerk next next speaker is going to be on Zoom Mr Mayor uh it's going to be Edward Kelly good afternoon Commissioners thank you for having me and allowing me a few words to say at this commission meeting my name is Edward Kelly I'm the general president of the international assoc Association of firefighters representing 350,000 paid professional firefighters and EMS workers throughout North America and Beyond I'd especially like to thank Council commissioner sorry commissioner Menendez for spearheading this ordinance uh it's a very worthwhile Endeavor I'd also like to thank uh president Perez and the members of coral Gable's local 1210 for making sure that their voices are heard um you know 23 years ago today close to 3,000 innocent Americans went to bed expecting an a normal day of work the next day and were met with absolute vicious hatred and death those attacks played out in New York City in Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon but make no mistake about it the intended target was Coral Gables in every other city in town in the United States on that day many of our fellow Americans who who were killed that day left behind families to mourn children that lost their parents parents that lost their children spouses that lost their significant other but everyone in this world knew that the world changed that day every American knew that that which was was now different as my brothers who came spoke before me mentioned 343 members of the fire department of the city of New York sacrificed their lives heroically and what was the single greatest rescue effort in the history of the world also one fire patrol member Keith Roma another I F member lost his life heroically that day saving others and since that time 36 the FDNY members and Counting have succumbed to World Trade Center related illnesses I will tell you that the hatred and the misguided devotion that drove those murders that day still exists today and the answer to that hate is to never forget the love that was put on full display by those who sacrificed their lives saving others that day so I ask the good Commission of Coral Gables to lead the way lead the way in this country ensure that 911 is forever Remembered in Coral Gables thank you thank you Mr clerk next speaker Nick staco we can come around and good afternoon Commissioners my name is Nick sto and I am the President of the Tampa firefighters Union probably representing over 750 uniformed firefighters and paramedics in Tampa Florida I'm speaking today to offer our full support for the proposed ordinance recogniz ing September 11th Patriots Day as an official City Holiday This Day holds profound significance for firefighters and First Responders Across the Nation it's a day that honors the selfless sacrifice of those who gave their lives and it serves as a reminder of the bravery and dedication we bring to our jobs every day to hear that the importance of 911 was recently diminished in Coral Gables by mayor Vince logo was deeply disappointing especially given the connection firefighters have to that day we commend commissioner Menendez for proposing this ordinance and standing with First Responders recognizing Patriots Day as a paid holiday reflects the respect and honor the day deserves it also sends a clear message to the nation and its firefighters both in Coral Gables and across the state that their contributions and sacrifices are never forgotten I encourage the commission to adopt this ordinance and we stand with the men and women of coral GES who support this important initiative I yield my time thank you thank you Mr next speaker Neil De Jesus good morning morning mayor and Commissioners thank you for your time thank you for allowing me to speak this morning my name is Neil De Jesus and I am a proud past member of the cor Gable's fire department I'm a former fire chief City Commissioner and city manager thank you commissioner Menendez for sponsoring this ordinance and thank you Commissioners Castro and Fernandez for your continued support mayor logo and vice mayor Anderson I encourage you to put your political differences aside and support this ordinance unanimously I sat in those commission Chambers on Tuesday Morning September 11th 2001 when I received a page from our communication supervisor that a plane had just Struck One of the towers by the time I stepped out to gather additional information and confer with members of Command Staff the second plane had struck the South Tower as well I walked back into the chambers approached the side of the deis and advised the city manager of this tragic event the manager interrupted the meeting and advised the commission of the news there was an immediate somberness throughout that room and even some tears but let me assure you there was clearly no smiling as there was no reason to smile not on that day 23 years ago and not today mayor after watching the August 27th 2004 commission meeting specifically item f13 I felt compelled to go back and watch the entire meeting to ensure I understood the full context for which you brought and made such an insensitive statement your comments came across as ignorant and arrogant while December 11th is in fact not a national holiday it was a joint resolution approved December 18th 2001 the Congress designated September 11th as a year as Patriot Day and by public law 111-113 approved on April 21st the Congress has requested the observation of September 11th as an annually recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance regardless of that fact nearly 3,000 people murdered that day including 2574 civilians 343 firefighters 23 NYPD and 37 Port Authority officers who rushed in to save those innocent Souls the remains of 1,117 souls were never found leaving loved ones without closure those numbers are astonishing and in a war that followed we lost nearly 2400 US troops since 911 2001 the number of post 911 related death for First Responders has surpassed the deaths on that tragic day Ironically in spite of your obvious distain for the City of Coral Gable's police officers and firefighters those Brave when men and women who serve the city beautiful would still do the same for you and your family with that said mayor the families of those that were murdered will not be smiling on 911 anyone who loves this great country and what we stand for will not be smiling on 911 the brave military and First Responders who protect and serve will not be smiling on 911 and you sir should not be smiling on 911 however you should attend the 911 ceremony and stand in solemn remembrance of those who were murdered and those who made the ultimate sacrifice I will be in attendance I would love to meet you but I will not be smiling in closing mayor Lago I encourage you to issue an apology for those hurtful words to the families survivors and the men and women who serve in this Brave occupation thank you all for your time that's it Mr Mayor anyone else from the commission I'm just going to follow up because I seems there's a misunderstanding here I want to make a resolution to push Congress to make this a holiday because we need to go beyond our borders this should have been done couple decades ago roughly speaking and that you know still to this day it's not just having it a holiday in the city of cor Gables is not sending the message that we need to send that we should never ever forget the suffering that's happened and still continues to happen because of that day it's a solemn period it's not a period for celebration it should be a a day of service which is why I shared the materials that I did today for people to participate I'd like to take a vote on a resolution first and then we can make a motion on the ordinance with with all due respect mayor I sincerely demand an apology to not only Coral Gables but to the rest of the country Mr clerk we have anything anybody else on on not at this time Mr Mayor trying to get on since um I don't know Mary you have what with all due respect I ask that we pass we vote on my item and we do as commissioner Fernandez said if it's the will of the commission and I'm in total support sending a resolution to Congress but we attach our legislation to it oh no I I have no objection attaching our legislation to it but because a resolution is one vote right but there is no attachment unless we vote on this one first so I would prefer if you don't mind it's my item I'm going to make a motion to uh approve the ordinance if there's a second let me know second so are you withdrawing your motion vice mayor we're going to vote on the ordinance first I will defer to allow the ordinance to be voted on first out of respect for commissioner mandez's request thank you vice mayor and I'm sorry who second it I did okay thank you commissioner Mendez yes vice mayor Anderson yes commissioner Castro yes commissioner Fernandez yes mayor L yes and I move again to bring a resolution to the United States Congress to urge them to make uh 911 a national holiday for all the United States I'll second vice mayor Anderson yes commissioner Castro yes commissioner Fernandez yes commissioner Menendez yes mayor lle yes any further comments The Good the order well I'm going to make some comments in my opinion it's profoundly important that we remember and honor the significance of September 11th I've been to every September 11th event that the city's had here I've also visited the September 11th Memorial in New York I did this past weekend when I was there for work recently a statement I made was taken out of context I want to make sure that you understand taken out of context all of you that sent me text messages Billy mallister David David Paris all of you that sent me comments on social media please understand this is all politics all politics in an effort to smear my name I made was taken out of context implying that I did not view September 11th as a national holiday if you play the entire clip you will see commissioner Fernandez is telling me that we shouldn't have the clock dedication which is a simple clock in downtown because September 11th is a national holiday I stood up I went to the clerk and I said I didn't know is it a national holiday if it is a national holiday I agree we shouldn't have anything on a national holiday he told me it was not a national holiday I brought it before the commission I said September 11th is not a national holiday we're doing it at 6:00 at night the remembrance is at 8:45 like we've done year after year I'm a believer that those those terrorists who came to this country and killed over 3,000 people want us to shelter at home want us to not go out want us to make sure that we don't continue to live our lives and I won't do that to clarify my point that September 11th should not be celebrated as a holiday but solemnly observed the city remains operational on this day reflecting that it's not a time for celebration but for Collective remembrance my intention has always been to move forward with a ceremony that appropriately honors our city and all those who have served like we do every September 11th like I go to Every September 11th to pay respect to the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice and who went into that building with many of them knowing that they would not come out I'm pleased that we found a new date for the clock the individuals who graciously helped me with this clock that we worked on for two years said Vince let's just move it half of the team can't be there it's not a big deal we'll move it to another day I said perfect we'll move it to another day it's the following day ensuring that our annual celebration remains intact this event is dedicated to honoring not only those who endured the the horrific attacks but also the brave souls who sacrificed their lives their families who continue mourning those individuals who were lost upholding their legacy is a responsibility we take seriously and I remain committed to ensuring their courage and the impact of that day are never forgotten unfortunately like I mentioned before this is yet another attempt to attack me as mayor by focusing on semantics rather than the true intent behind my words instead of being distracted by such tactics I urge all of you every single person let's come together tomorrow to honor the memories of those who were killed those families that were affected forever as a result of the terrorist attacks on 911 as they deserve our full respect and dedication if any of you were here before and you question my loyalty to police and fire when I don't agree with Union contracts or when I do agree with Union contracts my record is clear over $100 million in infrastructure new infrastructure all new fire stations record record-breaking Union contracts and in today's Commission meeting I worked on a project for one year with other local local residents you can look it up called The Leaf program law enforcement and firefighting day in the city where we will have an event in January where we will raise money for firefighters and police officers in our community who were affected in one form or another either they passed away in service they were they were H in service and we are here to help their families make sure they can make it by so at the end of the day I have the utmost respect for the hard work your efforts and 911 I have no issues were being a national holiday my response was clear and was in response to commissioner Fernandez in regards to whether we should have a ceremony that day or not remember we have we have days in history in this country where many Americans tragically died from Pearl Harbor to Oklahoma City where hundreds if not thousands of people died do you take those days off or do you remember them forever we honor their lives we honor their sacrifices but it's very easy to try to smear me and try to destroy me over a comment that's a comment that's taken out of context but please don't come here and tell me that I don't respect you please don't because I have the utmost respect for you we may have disagreements at the end of the day but I do respect you your efforts and everyone that was lost on 911 Mr clerk yes sir thank you very much we'll move on to item F2 was this your apology I don't have I don't feel like I have to apologize let's move on okay we have a vote already are we we have we take an additional vote no sir all right no then we're moving on to item F2 F2 is a resolution of the city commissioning accepting the appointments of Commissioners and staff to serve as members of the 20242 Florida League of cities legislative policy committees and authorizing those Commissioners and staff members to advocate for the city's legislative priorities my colleagues uh that have um received appointments um I'm bringing this item forward so they'll be recognized for the rest of the um for the residents to be aware the the positions that we'll be serving in does anybody uh uh else want to make any comment I I know that I'm excited about going on to the legislative Pol policies committee to try to make some different in difference in our um Statewide policies and protect home rule and all the things that are near and dear to the um the residents of our city I I am extremely very very excited about the committee that I I was appointed to it has to do with development Code Compliance code enforcement and um I think this is something if not one of the biggest issues we Face here in coral gaes and I'm so happy to be able to represent our city in the state I think it's it's great that our City's going to be represented not just by the three of us but also we have Fernando who will also be sitting on a board and Chelsea who will also be sitting on a board so we will be represented in each Committee of the Florida League of cities I think one of the most important meetings we had in Tallahassee when we were last up there was with the league of cities uh discussing home rule I think that is one of the largest issues that that is affecting municipalities like us throughout the state uh we will now have a seat at the table to have the conversation with other municipalities and find ways to uh address these issues with uh the legislature uh and try to defend our home rule uh from an active standpoint uh so I thank Fernando Chelsea and then the two of you for also offering to S these boards I think uh this will be wor uh work that will be uh well worth it for for all of us to be doing we can hope and pray it does exactly exactly you good yes sir that's all right man looking forward to it item F6 need ation I'll move it I'll second Mr Mayor before uh taking a vote I have a member of the public requesting to speak on the item of course Maria Magdalena estan good afternoon good afternoon uh mayor and commissioner thank you so much uh my name is mar mdala tan 21 mad I have a question for you you know that my fight has been against the United Nations sustainable development which is totally unsustainable and the uh things that are happening with in the city and the country and I am absolutely Pro uh endorsing the holiday for the 911 but we also have to realize the dangers that we are facing right now and I would like to address those issues now in reference to this uh Florida League of Nations I believe that that is part of the National League of Nations am I right or wrong it's League it's League of cities it's League of Florida of Nations is part of League of cities leue of cities cities these are the cities putting together our Collective efforts to right but there's a national uh body am I right or wrong because I just saw this at the last minute so that's why I would like to be uh you know like I I know the the league of cities is absolutely let's say Lefty and I don't know whether this is uh linked to that no no it's what it is is we have issues in common with other cities where we need to they do I mean the national also does no this is nothing to do okay so who can who can I sit down with so I can kind of uh we're we're not the the City of Coral Gables is not a member of the National League of cities I checked that this not we are not okay this is the Florida League of cities and the point of this is to try to intervene in legislation that will affect the resident of Coral Gables that's what that's what our work in the Florida League of cities and that's the point of of the league of cities so I I I think that she uh um the vice mayor said something about addressing the Congress for the 911 I would like also to see if you do something because i' I've been trying to reach out to uh Representatives Senators there's a summit of the future by the United Nations this September they are already um um uh getting together so it's a meeting uh and we are going to lose our sovereignty as a country as a nation and I wonder if you would like to address that too because this is extremely important also I would like to know if because I missed the uh the morning uh open comments can I talk about climate change go ahead yeah thank you okay so I have I'm doing a a kind of a trying to do like a movement across the cities and it's um it's called climate change 40 plus years of failed predictions now everything that we're going through as a nation as the world is based on climate change CO2 is a pollutant no it's not so I'm asking if you would uh be because uh M Mr Mayor very graciously said you can ask the uh the Commissioners if they want to go ahead with it I would like to have a debate an open debate public debate on the climate change issue I I have topof thee line scientist so you know it's the city saying yes this is extremely extremely dangerous based on a lie okay we're losing everything uh I put out a a little video I'm going to send it to you at 15 minutes I'm sorry but uh it's called again for uh climate change 40 plus years of fail predictions it's extremely important that we look into that because this September we might not have a nation a republic after those days if the United States sign into this so I would like you to look into this this is Extreme extremely dangerous and I thank you so much so wait a minute wait a minute would you be willing to vote on on the uh debate today or should we put it in there as I told you I would love to have a debate okay I've made I've made efforts to see if we can put something together I need the help of my colleagues on the commission okay can you vote on it yes we can instruct the administration to sit down with you to find a yeah I I would like to hear the a little more detail on dates parameters location but I mean it's either yes the debate or no the debate you see what I'm saying I mean I have everything for you believe me who so there there's when who would when where there's more things to just saying yes or no why why because we need to know time we need to know place we need to know venue we need that's up to you you you you you decide this is the city of K G taking the first step saying we have residents that say we are wasting so much money on something that is baseless and I can prove it 40 years not one prediction has come through just give me one so what we could do is that we can instruct Administration to tr sit down with you and see if how much it is who's going to be there the Vue the time how it works and then bring it back to commission and we can vote on it but right now there's nothing to really vote on a debate where when so what I'm hearing is that the commission perhaps will take it under consideration and maybe meet individually with the manager and then give any feedback to the manager in that way right right I so what is the next step you're going to be but you would you would agree that you are okay with the debate right you'll meet with the manager the the the exchange of okay we have other people we have other scientists I have Noel price uh scientist I mean you you tell me and I'm going to have them here so whenever you tell me I think we're always in fate of good good debate huh good good debate that talks points on both sides and makes conclusions okay but I'm will I'm willing to vote on I've been trying to work on it with you for some time if you want to I my colleagues want you to meet with the manager then you can meet with the manager come up with the game plan and they can bring it back okay but I just wanted to know are you you know are you we collectively instruct we collectively if I'm not mistaken instruct the city manager's office to sit down with no no problem details no problem I'm going to send you my my little video and please look into the summit of the future thank you very much okay thank you right so are we done with public comment on it yeah pending motion I think hold on one Mr clerk we're done with public comment yes sir all right we have a pending motion correct yes sir all right commissioner Castro yes commissioner Fernandez yes commissioner Menendez yes vice mayor Anderson yes mayor loo yes moving on to F7 good more way streetcape M F6 is something I think both of us have been working on we skipped F6 we come back to we come back to it talking about trees and flowers and stuff like that is is a nice change of pace yeah so the reason I asked for this to be on the on the agenda um I know we've been pending uh the next step on built moreway streetscape what's going to be happening I know that um the consensus seem to be from residents they wanted the the the shade trees uh so just wanted to see where we are right now uh what the next step is uh because I think this will have to be part of the the budget in October so just want to make sure we're we're ready to to hit the ground running so so we currently have $250,000 a sign uh 250 3ish uh for the sign um for improvements in that Corridor and what we've been working negotiating with one of our consultant in the pool was to work on the simplest um you know easiest actionable one which is basically the concept of you have 12T sidewalks there the idea was to create trippets maybe 6 by8 6x6 whatever the the landscaper folks and then plant it will have to be medium siiz trees you don't have no space to plant larger trees and and you know unfortunately we couldn't reach an agreement with a consultant we fill the price was too much and we're moving on and we're trying to get a you know pricing with someone else um there were other discussion about other things possibly on that Corridor but I think for right now at least the we were working towards um just the Landscaping uh element of it um if you desire to do anything else beyond that we're more than happy to take the commission's direction I'm sorry if I may add the idea was unfortunately like I said we couldn't reach an agreement with this consultant we should probably have a preliminary sort of drawings towards the end of the year year but it's usually not a good idea for us to have a community meeting in December because people out of town so probably sometime in January we can probably have a conversation with the community with something preliminary to show and and get their feedback so I'm going to bring you up to speed of the work that I had been doing with some of the residents and and uh our team and when we said that they had $253,000 to do the next presentation community meeting it was along the same vein of the type of community meeting they had in the past I said I think it's pretty clear What the residents want they went you know sidewalk hole cut in and trees installed so the decision was made instead of using it just for presentation purposes to get an actual design plan going and we've had some preliminary discussions about uh species of trees that could work out um the resident that was in the meeting loved that that particular tree and because we're only dealing with condominium units um my thoughts were let's get the plan together let's share it with them they can and their board at least preview it and then we can gather those residents that live on that street and let them make a decision you know and have a discussion about the tree Choice location I mean we are constrained in front of the David Williams because of the parking garage underneath it but at least if we get 3/4 of it with shade trees we're going to be so much further ahead and we can deal with the structural issues of the David Williams Garage at a future point in time but get the trees in and they can start growing so yeah um one thing that I know I had discussed in the past I don't think it's ever uh happened have we been discussing with Dr fely regarding um our tree canopy and suggestions that he may have I I have to Dina I'm sorry I did meet I know we had asked we had asked for that I don't know if that ever happened hi so um Dr fely the regarding trees on built marway we talked about a diversity not just using Live Oaks um and the proposal of that Hermes was talking about with removing parts of the sidewalk to create Planters right is the idea using the current width of the sidewalk and creating removing Flags to create openings that's going to be a more medium siiz tree it's not going to be a large tree like an oak no it wouldn't be and we you know you posited for instance the uh yellow flowering tree Bia Bia AR arboria was one that we are looking at and that's from South America a native to South America so Dr fely's research is um pretty pretty much based on picking more um trees that are native to close to the equator and used to higher heat so that as temperatures rise they're more adapt to the hotter temperatures so yes we've looked into it right and and builtmore way in particular is going to be a very hot environment for any tree to be planted so it's critical at that point that we pick something that's used to a very difficult uh situation to grow in we have those yellow flowering trees as you pointed out down near the library between the library and the youth center um we have them on other locations underneath power lines uh so they're manageable and they don't get too extremely large and we can can um you know keep them contained so I would love to get this thing moving yeah timeline wise uh I mean I know that there's the issue of not being able to find the the proper contractor and pricing wise but I think January is a long ways away um and January then becomes March and then it becomes April and then we don't have a tree canopy on built moreway until you know 2029 so I what can we do to get this process moving quicker and get this project completed I mean this has been a work that the vice mayor has put a lot of time into uh and I know your team has put a lot of time into resident have been asking for for for a while I want this to to be top priority on getting this accomplished the the only funding we have a right now for Des sign and depending on there may be a little bit left over depending on U are we're going to add other features to this beside the trees or not uh there is no money currently available for construction for this um the issue that we've experienced in that coridor over several meetings that we've had is that there's sometimes not a cohesive agreement between the several folks in that area about what exactly they want at that location so I'm hoping that there's an agreement I would disagree I think like the vice mayor said they want shade right that's their top priority is let's have shade in this area you know and they don't want to lose parking spaces right so we just need to get this done so so we're moving forward with a concept and you know we can you know the consultant needs the time to to actually go ahead and come up with the designs go to the community um assuming there's no push back with what we're proposing for the commission I don't see why we couldn't have a set of drawings ready by the summer that would be very good um well be nice to have this summer this past summer exactly I would like to be walking under the shade trees now the the question is I guess the funding we don't have construction money Ava a for this so I'm going to ask you to provide the commission what it's going to take to do it m we field grow the trees so that they're ready to go you know or reserve some trees so they're ready to go um and what kind of money is necessary to get this job done cuz it's been at least two decades yeah the last number that you gave me was about between $4 and $800,000 has that changed ER for those two blogs yeah know roughly more or less at the end of the you know we we come up with an estimate based on the spacing but there also utilities and that's really the bulk of the work really that the consultant needs to do um may ask your question so ask your question yes sir so you think for $400,000 you can do all the bulb outs the asphalt can do all the utility work you can plant the trees you can do the curbing you can do the striping you can do all the work that's necessary the demolition soft cost of of the design of the design the permitting cost you think you can do all that for no no no no we're not touching the payment at all no no and the estim was somewhere like about it depends on how far it goes cuz remember we have the entire run of the um uh David Williams that we kind of touch so we figure somewhere between 4 $500 to maybe 800,000 but that's a strictly the sidewalk we're not touching the payment so ask you a question no ball no no change it's going to look you think it's going to look professional or you think it's going to look like a patch job what's your honest opinion I mean we have to put something together to show the community I mean I I I'm just asking you you know just saying I don't have a problem if that's the budget that's the budget but you think I would be impressed being in construction that that job can be done for $400,000 I don't see it well I don't see it but 4 to800 it's roughly the numbers that we were 4800 that's what we $400 to $800,000 a long that's a long that's a lot that's a lot of well I don't have plans I mean we don't have we need to get to the the details you need to do engineering you need to do geotechnical reports you need to you know hire an architect hire an engineer we have 250 that's in addition to the 250 that we currently have allocated for a private yeah I mean listen I'm if you can do it for 450 i' be great I would be ecstatic I mean Miss Cheryl Gold would be you know she would be jumping for joy it would probably be closer to the upper end then the lower end but again until we go through the process we need to Silver cells figure it out you need that cost sorry you need the cost of the silver cells aside from the cutting the cement and making and Excavating and so forth but you need to you going to have to put silver cells down for estimates were based on structural soil silver cells will increase the price significant High structural soil whatever de says make those trees grow pretty and keep them healthy and then we need an estimate on how many trees we can comfortably put in there and make the make the Tre the street beautiful mhm I I mean we can always come back and add other features I mean it needs repaved I mean that's on my wish list for Tallahassee the repaving there's a crosswalk that trafficing yeah a crosswalk that needs to be put in a traffic circle that could go in there's a lot of other improvements there's an area where you know we could add additional striping instead of having a lane air so it makes it easier for people are are parked in there to back out without getting you know rear ended you know lots of other things but if we start with the trees we can you know we've got the the biggest lift thing done and then hopefully we can bring back money from Tallahassee for the rest of this or at least to assist okay right thank you thank you very much moving on to f8 I would like to call things in order let's go back to 6 if we can yeah just finish fa and then we'll go back why do we continue deferring that item and skipping it Robert trules requires that we go in order on the agenda unless it commission Madam Madam Madam City attorney mam C attorney I've been going through the the agenda try to find things as quickly as possible to move around the agenda so we can get things done am I allowed as the chair of the meeting to to jump from item to item to item so um our our code doesn't specify exactly mayor that it needs to be in a certain order but you are presiding over the meetings and the practice has been that sometimes items are not taken necessarily in the exact order um so as as as the chair you can I think call different items thank you very much would that be following Robert's Rules so it's our code remember our our code has rules of procedure I don't know this has ever come up before this exact question so I can confirm whether a code addresses this exact issue that we have to go in the exact order I can do that however it's not about Robert's rules because Robert's Rules like is a gap filler in our code um and there's a gap here I I I need to review it because again I've never had this question come up that we have to go in the exact order because it's never been the practice of this board of this commission we'll get to it right now no big deal all right moving to F all right I'll make a motion to call up F6 I'll second that commissioner Fernandez yes commissioner mandez um yes vice mayor Anderson just say yes yeah I mean for the it's not been the practice of the board I I think we've wasted more time going back over this go ahead yes commissioner Castro yes mayor lck yes all right at six I would like to call up our assistant uh city manager um I had the opportunity of uh meeting Doug wood uh last week um I was here for office office hours and I saw staff outside of my office came outside to say hello and uh he happened to be there uh very nice gentleman very humble man um takes his business very seriously uh and he looked me in the eye he's like thank you for taking these concerns seriously um so I just want to know where we are uh what has happened since the last meeting uh I know that there are questions regarding photos that had been taken in the past locating where the issues are fig figuring out which ones had been addressed so can I I just put somebody on the record just be clear cuz I want I don't want to catch anybody up C I had a long extensive conversation with multiple Structural Engineers one of them being Doug wood yesterday in regards to this issue we covered the project in in serious extensive Manner and I have a background in in in engineering construction management and we had a very long conversation in regards to I don't want to catch anybody up C so commissioner fernan is not the only one that met with him we had a long conversation yesterday to discuss the issue so go ahead sir thank you very much thank you mayor loo vice mayor Anderson and honorable Commissioners uh Joe Gomez assistant city manager um the the report that was issued by Doug wood for the recertification the items that needed to be addressed that was on August of 26 and I think I spoke about that at the last commission meeting there were 16 specific items uh that were that were uh noted in that letter um I'm pleased to report that um 13 of those 16 items we going to begin repairs um as of tomorrow and those repairs will be completed by October the 2nd uh the remaining three items are are primarily due to the um the radio beam the Shoring that's required to do the repairs on the radio beam as well as the columns U outside of the commission Chambers those um we've already issued the purchase order to the Shoring contractor he has two weeks to come up with the shoring design which is going to essentially jack up the the the rate OB be while while that is completed that process will take about 3 to 4 months to complete those repairs Doug wood is already working on the plans for the repairs of the radio beam um um so that Shoring will will remain in about 3 to four months and that will essentially complete the 16 items that were raised uh by Doug W and his concerns I just would also like to uh update the commission that uh the for the assessment portion of it which is the RFQ that was put out uh that was the proposals were received last Friday we have five respondents uh to that proposal it's still under the cone of silence but that will be the next step which will lead us to the assessment the full assessment of what's needed to be done to rehabilitate the entire building and then provide a plan moving forward now um the 16 items on the list is that the list that we had 2022 and then again in 2023 yes sir that's correct so how many of them had actually been done prior to now um some some of the work was done um but there were items there were multiple items in each of those for example uh if you go through the list um there's several photos of items that that needed to be done so um the the work that remains to for those 13 items that'll start tomorrow and it's expected to be completed by October the 2nd okay um so that would comply with Mr Woods assessment that we can continue to work here operate here absolutely the the the building is structurally safe to to continue to occupy and and remain in place now as far as the the Shoring um that will take four months so we're talking probably January February until it's complete after that that that the work for that will uh complete the repairs of the radio beam and that's the primary reason for the Shoring which is two columns to support is for that because it's a curved beam which is untypical and needs that kind of Shoring so it's a technical question um applying pressure on the beams as they are right now are we causing more harm to the beams this building hold on hold on the mayor thinks it's funny yeah because I think I mean when we're talking about technical questions this is something that you don't ask this gentleman you know he's not he's not he's not the engineer on record and I think it's it also puts him in a tough position position and I'm sorry I'm I apologize for that for on his behalf I apologize no I apologize for you because you think everything is funny when people ask serious questions I'm not it's not a serious question is that you it is a serious question may may may no because I have the floor you're interrupting I'm not you ask me a question you say ask me if I was so going back to my question um the the the loads that this building is carrying right now this building was designed for way more loading as you know we at one time had the entire building department in this building here here with with uh people coming in every day to this building so the the fact that we've removed all that load because they're now at the 427 building down the street this building I mean in terms of the everyday people that are in this building it's not uh structurally affecting the the loads on this be correct but the loading that that you're talking about is not on this side where the beams are it's on that side of the building well it's in a different because the issues are over here there's nothing above us so the the that's being placed in on on those beams for the most part that's additional load is when there are meetings in this room commissioner I again with all due respect and I'm trying to be as respectful as I can the this building was designed to sustain a lot more loads than what you see here okay um so I I think it's the the reason for the Shoring the reason for the Shoring is because there are spalling cracks on that radio beam and for the safety of the workers as well as when the repairs when they start chipping away the concrete we want to be able to support because it's a very unique structure but uh other than that there there really is no other issue got it so we're we're good to continue to operate here yes sir now as far as the noise level once the Shoring begins uh the the Shoring is really it'll be a probably a couple of day operation to they're going to have to uh for example in in the um City manager's office between dcms uh office and the chief of staff's office that wall is going to probably have to be moved knocked down to be able to put one of the Shoring tables to put the the Shoring you're going to have to move seiling panels so they're going to have to relocate temporarily um at CIP next door same issue there's going to be an area where that second shoring takes place um after that it's really a lot of the work is ex exterior work and all that so I don't expect the noise level to be significant um but if it it becomes an issue we'll obviously we'll we'll take that into advisement and and and take appropriate measures right the actual work will take the full four months or is that part of the design part of that it's expected remember this is slow work because again it's an old building and as you chip away concrete and you look at spalls and all that it's sometimes it it it's slow moving work it's it's very manual work so now as far as the assessment um what is the time frame expected once we uh issue that we're currently um we just received the proposals once we review the proposals and make a recommendation to the commission on who to move forward with then we'll develop the the assessment schedule I suspect that the assessment is going to take anywhere from 3 to four months to do a complete full assessment of the building and what's required a lot of the information is already there it's historical because we've been we've been working on the building so that information will be made available to the team that wins uh the who who receives the contract and then after that they'll come up with a a plan of how to phase the the work got it if I may commissioner my intention is when they start doing the work in in our office on the first floor is to relocate either to the CMR or to the F building uh just so we don't have employees breathing the dust and all that that they're kicking up uh obviously we'll confer with anyone else that's on the first floor or even the second floor if they would like to relocate we will find office space for them uh we do have a drawing I'm not sure if the timing will be correct but we do have a drawing of the cottage behind if it's completed in time that if if the commission wanted they could uh have office space there to be close by the only other question is going to be is uh commissioner meetings and hearings uh whatever the will of the the commission is to hold those either here or at the CMR while the construction is being done you want to say something or can I respond may you want to respond first and then I'll do I'll do the tail end here resp I respond first off I want to congratulate you because as a professional you know it took a lot of guts to do what you just did right now and I commend you for that because you stood strong you led and you didn't and you weren you didn't allow yourself to be led into making a statement that was incorrect and that takes a lot that takes a lot of respect I you know I have a new found respect for you and I'm willing to say it on the Das because that took a lot of guts to do that now the third the third floor of the building has not changed the third floor of the building has been empty all the furniture been removed all the file cabinets have been removed you may have about three or four or five individuals working there that are part of Christina's staff but they're in and out of the office running all over this community addressing issues so we're pretty we're pretty the load has been taken off of the third floor the second floor maybe maybe during the day has six or seven people in it working here between the commission staff people cleaning uh you have Christina's office she's there she has one person working there oh let's St at 10 the first floor has is completely empty in regards to the finance and development services and all that so so this s this this was prepared for this moment if you look at if you look at the building next door in 427 the manager may not be aware of it but that building was prepared to have we could have meetings there or we could have meetings at the public safety building I don't care whatever you guys want to do fine with me if there's an issue of noise I don't have a I don't have a problem moving from here as I stated in the last in the last commission meeting we don't need to evacuate this building and I spoke to Douglas wood who's a very respected individual in this community and I had a conversation look Mr wood um these are the issues that we're facing he explained to me about the Spalding and the stone column and there was an area where they couldn't find you know if it had it had some sort of reinforcement if it didn't have reinforcement he goes this is very simple like the other structure Engineers that I spoke to you probably don't even need to have Shoring but Shoring is something that again is an added precaution look at the look at the look at the building look at the courthouse the courthouse is a massive structure made of stone has Shoring in the basement and it's that had Shoring in the basement for years until they fix it we want to be in that position obviously not but they've been budgeting they've been dealing with with issues that they're going out to vote to get support from the community in regards to doing a bond referend you know all these kind of things so this building was never never going to fall down okay does it need to be remodeled 110% 110% it needs to be remodeled and that money was in the budget in the 20123 budget it was $15 million it's there okay now when you look at when you look at when you look at the issue when you look at the issue the issue at hand the issue at hand is that you know we talked about Champlain towers and we talked about you know catastrophes like and all these things I got probably four or five phone calls from elderly residents telling me you know Vince this is a historic building how could we allow this to fall how could we allow this to fall you know we haven't done our due diligence in that we are we're working on it we're budgeting for it we're working on it we're going to get it done but this building is not falling we don't need to evacuate the building we're nowhere near what what happened in Champlain Towers this is not going to happen here and at the end of the day uh the previous manager who's a structural engineer when now work in the building in the first floor the building's going to collapse on him okay so I want to commend you again for your for for your strength and your comments and and not allowing yourself to be led into making a statement that's political when it shouldn't be political fin Madam Madam assistant director Madam director please come okay we had we've been budgeting for this project the long term for the for for the renovation of City Hall correct yes it is part of our priority projects funding plan and we all new about that we were briefed on that correct so yes we've been talking you can take you can speak freely we we've been talking about the renovation of city hall for many years and the uh the budget currently calls for adding a million dollars to the project in our priority projects plan which we'll see again on Thursday we're PL the plan was to do $6 million in fiscal year 26 uh because we're putting a million this year 4 million to Philips Park and then another 6 million for 27 commission takes it to a bond it's a completely different scenario do we not have money allocated in 2023 2022 in regards to city hall and then that money was reshuffled correct yes so there was funding originally allocated for city hall because the plan then changed to start 427 to can we stop there can I stop the I want to be clear to move remember I mentioned before we moved everybody out of the top floor to take pressure off the building you just can't move people and start and put him in other areas we built the building we moved everybody from the third floor into the 427 building so then we had Finance every Finance was on the first floor what did we do we waited to finish the parking garage right yes and we moved everybody adjacent to the public safety building we moved our entire finance department into the public into the into the uh new parking garage which just opened a few months ago correct we're in the public safety building but yes yes I'm sorry public I we moved HR yes we moved HR I no but I want I want I want to be I want to be appropriate CU I know it's going to be re so accurately we moved we moved HR out of the public safety building into the garage and then into the garage offices and finance was able to now move into the public city hall which is on the first floor now the entire first floor outside of the clerk and the city manager's office is now empty correct yes would you say that 75% of the first floor is empty uh I guess yes okay would you say 95% of the third floor is empty minus the minus the city attorney's office just the deputy city attorney's office yes right how many people would you four there's four people so we did this in steps and now we're moving forward to the to the next one which is attacking this in one form or another I'm all in favor I don't have an issue with getting the Shoring done by the way the Shoring the Shoring plans are going to take months let's be honest with ourselves you know this takes time it's going to take time you got to do an assessment of the building even though we did a walkthrough assessment it's not really the final assessment they're going to come back they're going to do multiple assessments here they're going to see everything they want to probably come at night probably do some do some night examination where they don't bother the employees and then they're going to come back they're going to present the Shoring plans that's going to go through permitting is it they're not plans are they plans or are they or are they um uh what do you call it uh uh submitt it's it's a Shoring submitt right okay I just want to make sure we speak correctly because and then and then say Oh Vince said it was a plan but it wasn't really it was a submitt so the submittals are sent into the city they're reviewed and then we come in and we actually install a Shoring okay I've done Shoring in a lot of projects a lot of projects it's not that complicated this building right now after having conversations doesn't need Shoring but we're going to take the extra precautions to make sure it's appropriate and that's the right thing to do this is an important building we don't want it to H anything to happen to it but we also don't want to scare people okay and there was steps here that we took we finished 427 we mov people there we finished you know we move people out of the public safety building we moved them to the new facility the the new garage and then we moved our finance department which is in City Hall to the public safety building and that's we've been doing it we was that Madam Madam director was that not a plan that we had in place to do yes or no yes as it was explained to me yes okay so that plan was in place to get that done and now we go to the next step which is finally getting the work done because we've depressurized the system we've taken all the load off the system we' taken the people out of here so I'm 110% behind my colleagues and doing what they need to do to get this done I just don't want to politicize and say that City Hall's falling down and the champagne towers and all that kind of stuff because it's not good for the community it sends a bad me I got calls from reporters who was asking if the building was falling and I said did you read Douglas Wood's actual engineering report I recommend you read it do a public records request on that so I think if collectively we can find a solution moving forward and I think that we can do a lot of good here it's going to take a lot of work I don't think Tallahasse is going to help us it's going to take budgeting it's going to take us finding money it's going to take next year saying there once we're done PHP Park and the budgeting for Phils Park and we're done with that money it's going to take Taking potentially a big portion of the money that we allocated for that project after we're done with that line item swinging it over here and we may have to push other things to the side mayor things that we all want to do so I don't see the money being there in the magnitude that we need to assess everything and City Hall so and by the way I have zero pet projects in the budget zero I will be asking for one thing for my colleagues to consider and it has to do with the youth center some baseball field stuff which is not even $100,000 so I'm I'm I want to work on finding a solution for City Hall to fund it let's move on let's fund this project and not fund it so the shing's there for 10 years because that's that would be embarrassing know and that by the way and tell me from tell me please tell me from being dramatic can that sh be there for 10 years because of how hard it's going to be to finance this project and find the money showing can be in place for a a long time and you know what happens people become comfortable and they leave it there and they leave it there and they leave it there then you walk by you're like why has that been there for 10 years so I think we need has a lot of work to do on this front and it's collectively we can do it but we can attack grants federal grants find things where we can find money but it's going to be a heavy heavy lift heavy lift we're in agreement on that and I think we have a commission that is entirely committed to getting this done so I think if you want to I don't want to I'm not even going to start countering anything that was said let's move forward on the positive and I'm I'm happy to hear that we're in on in uh there's a the plan in place to get the 13 of the 16 items the other three are related to the that'll take about three to four four months to complete okay so in essence by the time the assessment is done those 16 items should have been taken care of and will'll at least start uh be in the middle of the of the Shoring process as well okay so I I co-sponsored this for a couple reasons one I when I got the uh initial report I brought it to the historic preservation board to make sure that they're aware of what needs to be done for this building and that we focus on not only getting it done but having the appropriate funding in place hence why I brought the prior resolution to try to get this uh Focus for our commission on on the for our city I'm also going to ask that um you know when we have the Architects that that information be shared with the historic preservation board and our historic preservation department weigh in on you know the choices that are to be made because it's not always the cheapest individual that you want to choose you want to choose the one that's appropriate for doing the type of work that needs to be done here because we want it done right and we want it done right the first time um I'm not concerned about the Shoring poles I think my comments on the parking garages loaded with cars actively being used with Shoring poles on them you know vehicles that weigh 3,000 lbs a piece and you you know we're not putting that kind of load on these things and they're nowhere as as um I should say robust as this building by comparison um that I I I know that Douglas wood will have this building assured properly and it will be just um in perfect condition there now uh I do have a question following up on something the mayor uh mentioned uh Mr clerk we had talked about the use of a commission meeting in the uh community meeting room at 427 you said that wasn't an ideal location not 427 I can tell you um the CMR has been set up for over a year to be able to host City commission meetings so if I may just finish oh I didn't know you were finished you wer finished I wasn't finished I was just you stopped talking I I I went to look at my you know I breathe too so champagne Towers I mean I know the reference was made Hood okay you have when you don't follow engineering drawings for something in a way it's designed you're going to have a problem with the building when you don't follow the engineering drawings as they didn't on Champlain towers and then you don't maintain on top of it you have a double problem I think we're well informed here I question whether or not the owners of of of the units and champagne tires was were as well informed of the Peril that uh was facing them or they may have made a different choice and I hope that we continue to move forward here and not kick this can down the road any further all right um says I don't have much control of meeting can I go to f8 now Mr Mayor I have members of the public requesting to speak on this last item of course Mrs Maria Cruz Maria Cruz 1447 Mrs Maria Cruz 1447 Miller Road I'm a little confused um when Miss Suarez was asked how many people were in her office she said four we have four attorneys my office a split between two floors of city Hall I'm downstairs on the second floor or I'm on the six floor second floor and then we have the deputy City attorney upstairs with two other attorneys and the secretaries one assistant is upstairs and there's one assistant apply because when you said they asked and the answer was people and I'm counting people and I'm saying wait a second um so there is some people from the attorney's office in the third floor a total of four okay four in the third floor floor and four on this floor no how many on this floor currently two two which is one secretary in you a par go on me currently yes we have a vacancy par I'm sorry okay um I'm glad that this conversation was had because you know what I know that we're not Engineers architects in construction business but we care about this place and when things are not uh addressed and when people are not told we have issues and I know that some people know more than others some people more experts than others but I listen I listen carefully and I care to know okay and let me tell you I know that everybody knows about champ plane towers and I know some people knew people there I can name people that I knew there and I'm going to tell you if this conversation has had not been had publicly okay because that's what happened there they were told there was no urgency they could wait and look what happened and we cannot wait and I don't care who says what we need to know what's going on okay regardless of the expertise you know what I still can learn I know I'm old but I'm not stupid I'm not I'm sorry I know those are not proper terms but the way some of you talk is sounds as if the people are not um able to understand so we don't have to tell them well you do have to tell them because at the end of the game we're the ones that vote we're the ones that that pay for the stuff and I'm sorry but we need to know okay so thank you for bringing it up thank you for sticking to the guns and I find it very interesting that we thank people for telling the truth and stick into their guns but then we try to explain in case we didn't understand okay it's time for people that sit here to understand that those of us that are on the other side also have brains God gave us brains and we can think and we can understand what uh the employees what our directors and assistant directors are doing that we do not anybody to translate what are down so we can understand and let's begin by telling the truth because I'm going to tell you some things were said here today that were not true and I'll show you next time Mr clerk that's it Mr Mayor all right um any further discussion or can I move on to f8 okay um thank you mayor f8 um last meeting and we scheduled it for today's agenda to have a discussion uh led by uh Finance uh regarding financing options for the restoration of City Hall and other such projects um and I know I have Diana there and we spoke the other day and it was I thought a good idea to have operations also uh to put the financing options in context so I think we're going to get uh stereo today good afternoon yes good afternoon should would you like me to to proceed first yes thank okay thank you so um I I think the the discussion ensued about uh not only um the city hall uh restoration but other historical assets that the city has to be able to to do those improvements um and then we also talked about uh the possibility of of also the necessity to include uh sidewalks and streets as you know our needs far outweigh the available funding so in essence when you're a municipality that's 100 years old you're playing catchup in terms of sidewalks things that that are are are typically uh wear and tear over time so um if we were to have additional funding and infusional funding we could then provide more of these projects in a timely fashion and be able to bring us to the point where instead of playing catch up all the time we're kind of at a point where we now we've been able to to bring up the infrastructure to an acceptable level appreciate it no it's the way it was explain to me and I think you did a great job it's um a lot of our projects are spread out over multiple years that by the time we get there other projects that needed funding they sort of uh I think there's additional deterioration and the cost increases so it's sort of like a dog chasing its tail never you never quite get there you're always chasing absolutely one of our greatest assets which is our tree canopy is also one of the ones that reaks the most Havoc with our infrastructure because the tree roots over time will tear up the sidewalks and and things like that and that's part of the beauty of living in Coral Gables but it's something that we need to address so if we can address it in a more holistic fashion that would be better I appreciate it thank you so much good afternoon Diana Gomez Finance director so in discussing the um taking the time to like as you know we have the the five the well it's not really a fiveyear but a the capital PRI the capital priority project plan the priority Capital project plans that we started um in 2023 fiscal 23 where we started setting aside addition I uh revenues that came in um we started setting it aside and putting it we selected capital projects that were priority for the commission and so the idea was to try to fund those projects as we went along and and at the time it was decided not to go out to debt and so um so we have been doing that and for fiscal year 25 coming up now um the uh the last two projects on that listing are Philips Park which will be fully funded after the next years's uh the fiscal 25 and then cap and then City Hall and so however um in order to accumulate those funds um it would take several years before the total funds would be available to uh to do the construction of this of this or the renovation of this building so if it is determined that the funds are needed right away um and that waiting um to accumulate the funds is not in the best interest of the city then issuing a bond is the best mechanism to obtaining those funds um in the current market conditions uh bonds cheaper than bank loans um so we would issue we could issue um a special obligation Bond as opposed to a general obligation Bond so a general obligation bond is a type that you need to it's voted debt so you need to go out for a referendum and that takes at least a year to get that underway so that's not I'm not talking about General obligation bonds I'm talking about special re special obligation bonds or special revenue bonds um and that allows the city to use any legally available revenues um revenues without restrictions to pay for The Debt Service um so typically when we're going out to bond and we're thinking about what projects to do um we need to identify how much we need and for how long we want to take those bonds that debt out for so um as you know as that we as we've talked about throughout the budget process we've we've identified a little more than a little bit over $5 million per year for as available Revenue that we have been putting towards this um priority plan so um staff recommendation could be to allocate that $5 million the $5 million of that Revenue towards The Debt Service payments for this debt um $5 million for Debt Service will provide uh for 10year debt it would provide about $42.5 million of funds for 20-year debt it would um provide for $675 Million worth of debt and for 30-year debt it would provide about 84.5 million um worth of funds so um one a couple things to consider is that in tax rules r on bonds say that we need to spend about 85% of the proceeds within 3 years of issuing the debt so we have to make sure that we are timely in when we are taking out the debt um so one consideration and we have done in the past is to issue an intent reg an an intent resolution um in advance of the actual issuing of the debt this allows the city to spend available cash cash and fund balance and then reimburse ourselves with once we issue to that debt so it gives us time to do assessments and design without eating into the three-year spend down um project period um so while um you know right now the the the amounts that I had given that I mentioned before they're based on current market conditions um they were a a number runs that my financial adviser had or our financial adviser has had had done for me and it's based on issuing the debt now in October as an for example so obviously rates and things may change um but um you know right now interest rates are we believe that they're going to be coming down as the Federal Reserve is talking about lowering rates and things like that so um you know it it is unknown what rates would be in the future um so we we will not be able to secure rates until we actually take out the debt but again the intent resolution and the period in advance gives us time in order to be able to do some of that preliminary design work and then get reimbursed once we actually go out for debt once we know um but the intent resolution provides us a uh not to exceed a dollar amount and not to exceed time frame of debt so that is something that again the city has done in the past and it allows us to then start moving forward with projects and then we would the intention is that you know we committing the funds for the repayment of The Debt Service um therefore we can uh you know move forward knowing that we will be able to reimburse ourselves for all the um assessments and things uh and design work that is necessary I don't know if you have any questions or any thoughts I'll withhold Until the End uh any my colleagues want to ask any questions or uh I mean I think the the point here is the city's been looking for solutions for a while um I think we've all been frustrated over time I think residents been frustrated over time they don't understand that we do have these things you know these important items as priorities but it's a matter of getting there it's almost being on a treadmill and you never quite it says you ran 10 miles but you're still in the same spot um so um that's why I asked Diana to come up and talk about options that perhaps we haven't discussed recently and I think at least in my opinion they're viable viable options that should be uh considered so I I did have a couple of questions and it's been some time since we've talked about um Bond options and I'd like to you know follow up on this at a later point in time but as I recall we had talked about you know tranches of funds that could be taken out when the best timing is you know we do have an election coming up uh which typically has you know a posit positive effect after an election uh and opportunities for lower interest rates in the future um and I do believe the interest rates are going to be coming down but we also have to deal with capacity you know I know we mentioned sidewalks you know is a never ending treadmill of stuff to work but typically we've run into a problem of capacity how many contractors are available we don't have enough contractors so taking out debt on some something that we're not ready to spend on um is not always a wise way to to move on it especially since that's something that you know we TP typically can bring back some money on from from Tallahassee City Hall is clearly the priority the timing no I think would be dictated um by what comes back in a way of the engineering and Architectural um drawings and and when it would be ready to you know uh be shovel ready essentially uh do you have a sense of when that would be so um I don't um however um that was the what what I mentioned the intent resolution an intent resolution is just that it's an intention of the city commission to come back at a future date and issue the bonds in a future date however it identifies the um repayment uh Revenue that would pay off that um Debt Service and it kind of like sets that aside so that we know that that we're going to use that money for future Debt Service it allows us to do the studies and design in the current using available cash and or that Debt Service payment that um so let's argue that we decide not to go out to bond in a future time then at least I know that we have the revenue that we were setting aside for that Debt Service payment to pay off those the design work and everything that we had but in the meantime what we're doing is we're borrowing against ourselves knowing that we will be able to reimburse ourselves with the debt funds when we do take the debt out at a future point in time and just for context if we were to do 10-year debt as I mentioned $42.5 million is the maximum that we could with $5 million of repayment right now per my um financial advisor the interest rates would be the all-in interest rate would be about 3% that we would pay so rates are not terrible we are AAA rated um we will get the best rates you know Bond rates are much better than bank loan rates for us so um again that's just the current market conditions I agree with you that I believe that the rates are we have indication that rates are going to be coming down so they may even get a little bit better um even at the 30-year debt for example based on the number runs it's 4.16% for 30-year debt if we were to take it out so the interest rates are not horrible for the city right now um so but the idea is you're right not necessary if I take out if we go out to debt tomorrow or next week or next month or whenever the earliest week can go out my that clock of we have to spend 85% of it within 3 years that starts ticking so I agree that we should not start we should not take out the debt until we have all the design work and the assessments and all that done there is um no real time frame once we issue the intent resolution there is no time frame for us to be able to reimburse ourselves for design and Engineering type work so we can reimburse ourselves a year if we decide to go out the debt a year and a half from now we can still reimburse ourselves even though we spent it today or after the in resolution but we have money in city hall right now to do the design and Engineering work so um I'm not sure exactly how much we have in City Hall to do the I don't know how much I believe so because we've been setting aside some money into the project in addition to the phases that we've been doing we have about $800,000 available now which I've been speaking with operations to just monitor whether that covers what they need now that'll get them started um and in the budget estimate um that you'll see on Thursday we have about we're adding another 200 I'm going to call it 200,000 um to the budget just naturally before anything else changes um to City Hall so that'll give them about a million dollars to start some of that work obviously that's not going to take us very far for the structural but it'll allow them to get started so I'd ask you to be able to bring that information back to my colleagues before uh we make some uh votes on the budget the you know if we need you know an additional 400,000 or something to to to make get this stage over with because there's no point in going out for essentially a loan on something until you know what the entire project is going to cost and for that you need the architectural and Engineering drawings done first right so so there's two ways that we would approach that right so one way is as as we work with operations making sure if they if they need a couple $1,000 more to get that done um then we'll find it within other projects where we may come back and say we need to shift some priorities right City Hall is a priority um or if an intent resolution was passed then that would alleviate the the requirement for us to look in other places so just two op you yeah I'm not prepared to move forward on that today an intent resolution I'd like to sit down with the city manager and staff to drill down on the details further what I mean by today is before the million dollars runs out yeah I I really I really like your recommendation because not only are we waiting for 85% of those funds to to to to be well to be wasted or or to be used but we're also saving on interest when we have the money in house so I think the the option that you're giving commissioner mandz I I think it's it's a really good option so I have a question um I guess it's more logistical let's say you have $42 million that you can get January 1st where would that money be used what is shovel ready obviously City Hall is not we're still at least a year away before being able to undertake a a renovation after the assessment is complete but sidewalks we have about what $9 million of sidewalks that need to be done the the estimate that we have quantify it's about 5.6 okay we have and obviously the contract may increase in price so it's probably going to be more we know that there's all sidewalk that we don't know about that it's probably going to be larger than that um the bul of that money will be City Hall obviously as far as the the rest of the work it's you know if we're told that there's this influx coming of money coming then we can set help to have additional contractors that can do it if you tell me I'm going to get that money right away right now I could tell you I can't right but if the commission says we're going to give you you're going to have whatever $7 million to spend over the next three years on sidewalks U we could set up our and scale effort so that we can go ahead and and uh uh move forward and proceed with that how long do you think that scale up effort would take you before you can start actually using that money I per month maybe I have to go through get several contractors go through a procurement process get again go back to that January 1st that sounds if I start tomorrow I didn't hear four months 3 to four months yeah if if I start tomorrow if you start tomorrow right right so commissioner keep keep in mind that we're talking about not only City Hall we still have phase two of Venetian pool and of course the streets and sidewalks correct and we also have the coral gabl me Museum that has tons of work to be done oh that's another question I had for you um the reimbursement calculates into that 85% correct no so well yes and no so and it may be clear because maybe I I kind of get a sense that maybe something is not um I'm not being clear or something so again um the so for an intent resolution all that has to happen is the commission has to pass a resolution that will be drafted by Council to say you know so it's not going to happen today right we don't have that resolution um so that intent resolution says that the city commission agrees to issue x m up to x million worth of debt up to X many years of maturity for the following X number of projects doesn't have to be exactly specific and it could change so if you list five projects and you only work on three of them it's fine so it's just an idea that you have uh everything that what the intention for that bond that we're planning to issue will be and how we're going to plan on paying for it and so from that point of the intent resolution we have in theory a indefinite amount of time for which we could then take out the bonds and reimburse ourselves for design and Engineering type work we do have 18 months to reimburse ourselves for construction actual work performed so in theory you would use um available cash on hand to start some of that design work uh we would have to be able to have the cash available like I couldn't write a contract for all the $42 million unless I'm just going to reserve you know use against my fund balance which I would never recommend to do because I don't have that much available cash to move forward without actually taking out the bonds but in theory the um design engineering um maybe some prelim Ary work is in a reasonable amount that we could float it ourselves with available cash and then reimburse ourselves in a year or whenever we decide to take out the actual debt when we are like closer to shovel ready maybe having already done the procurements involved and have contractors ready and lined up and said okay now we need the cash so that we can actually move forward we are shovel ready we are going forward so that that's where um the intent resolution kind of puts those rules for lack of a better word into play so we know this is how we're going to pay it back we have committed These funds um for that purpose because again if it should be decided in the future that oh we're not going to go out the debt well then I still maybe I spent some money how am I going to pay for that so the debt the 5 million for in this example that I gave I would set that aside in in in a reserve to say I need I have that funds AA those funds available to pay myself back before I take out the debt should the debt not happen in the future right so that's kind of where I just want to make sure that that's very clear if you have any questions about that stuff yes so if I may does anybody have any other questions or any other statements i' like to make I'll Reserve towards the end another statement okay um it seems pretty obvious that my colleagues want to want to go out to for debt um I'm not a fan of debt I I I oppose um putting more debt on this city we haven't done it since I've been here here and I think that we need to be very careful um that's just my opinion I would request that my Commissioners if they're willing to do it um if you look if you study finances and you see what's going on right now in market trends they're expecting the next two years for for rates to go down they're hoping to see a potential you know quarter you know half basis point over the next 45 to 60 days maybe 90 days hopefully before the end of the year some people say it's election related some people say it's the market the market deems it appropriate um but I think over the next two years you're going to see potentially see rates drop by a point and a half and that's just pure speculation I don't have a crystal ball but I think that the more you wait the better that the better the better rate you're going to get that's number one number two through the ma through the manager I would request that the director speak to our bonding agencies and have a conversation if we go out to Market and we incur $42 Million worth of debt how would that potential affect our bonding our bonding rating for some that's not important for me it's important when you go to market and you go and get $42 million of debt you save some pretty significant money um that's number two um number three I think that we should all get um a report through the manager's office uh in regards to our sunsetting of debt I know that we have sunsetting debt that's coming in8 years or six years or something to that effect it was like 20 something million dollarss I think it was it was the first trunch was 20 million I think it's important to to get that number and and see what happens once we Sunset that that that debt which by the way our staff did an amazing job a few years ago in in getting all that debt and basically refinancing and and getting some seriously significant savings so I commend you and your department uh for doing that I think there's a lot of ways to do it and we've done it year over year over year it's we have to tighten our BT and we have to budget um I know that there's a lot of products that need to be done but I think going out to the market and getting for $42 million to me is a little risky and I think that we should number one wait to get better rates cuz rates are supposedly going to drop number two find out what what what could happen and we if we incur $42 million a debt from our bonding uh standpoint and also get get a summary update in regards to our debt that's just my opinion if I may um so one um the rates we would not lock in any rates until we actually go out to debt in a year or two years whenever we decide to do the debt so we're not locking in anything in today um one number two um I would never recommend or even mention it if I thought that it was going to affect us negatively with the bonding rating agencies so I have had those discussions not with the rating agencies directly because they're not going to tell me what will happen this that or the other but I have had those conversations with my financial advisor who says that as long as there is repayment debility the wherewith all to repay the debt um and it does not take our ratios to some extreme amount some extreme amount there is no concern from the rating agencies if I may I'll do respect is I have I the highest regard I've known you for before you even here at the city I would like that in writing if I could because at the end of day I don't want I don't want to I don't want to have an issue in the future saying hey we lost our rating uh we incurred debt and then no you know that was that was recommended by staff I just want to make sure that that markets will support will support that amount of debt sure because when I deal with my bonding company you know they're very clear with me you cannot you you know you will affect your bonding capacity will be affected whether it's an aggregate or or cumulative uh based on how much money you have in the bank you got to have more money in cash to be able to go out and get more bonding bonding capacity it's all about capacity cor you cannot overextend yourself so I'm just I'm just and I and I asked for it in writing and and my Bonding Agency uh provides that in writing as as a as a back stop as a back stop uh to my request um Diana and city manager taking everyone's comments into consideration their concerns into consideration what you and the ACM presented in terms of options I think taking everything into account um I think you need direction and I don't think anything's necessar Lo uh set in stone like you said but you need direction and I'm willing to make a motion to allow the administration to take the necessary steps to come back to the commission with the details with all the information but setting a site going forward that if everything does fall into place if all the questions are answered in a favorable way that perhaps one day sooner rather than later we can address City Hall we can address the Venetian pool we can't address sidewalks and streets uh not over a 10 15 20e period but in a short term which is what the residents want and I think in my heart we all would like to do so I'm going to make a motion just so that you all can move forward and prepare what you need to prepare and answer the questions that have been asked of you so my motion will be the city commission well Madam City attorney you have a question I just want to clarify is that to go as far as bringing back the intent resolution well once I read it oh my apologies the city commission hereby instructs the city Administration to bring back an intent resolution to issue debt for the city's historic structures and Citywide Street and sidewalk infrastructure and to set aside the $5 million assigned to the 5-year Capital funding program as the revenue for The Debt Service of this debt not to exceed a maturity of 15 years does that isn't is that enough information for you to be able to move forward so what I would do is I would ask my financial adviser to give me an estimate of what a 15-year with a $5 million repayment what the the the maximum dollar amount would be available um I'm assuming then the resolution would have a not to exceed that dollar number um with the 15-year Max and then it would L I guess it would need to list out which projects again not in detail detail but like if it's going to say City Hall Venetian pool XYZ you know and you know streets and sidewalks so it would have to list the intended projects um for the uh that that intent resolution would cover and then yes and then we would um that would be um sufficient for uh for us to move forward with this the idea that eventually there will be the the debt that would be issued and the and the and the revenue um assign to make the payments and this will get at least you all moving in a certain direction obviously coming back answering all the questions and there'll be other questions down the road and I just want to make sure everybody it's clear to everybody you know what the city will be taking on right and prior to actually issuing the Deb that's not the only time a resolution would have to come in front of the commission we would have to come in front of the commission with the actual resolution to actually issue the bonds and there's there is a process for which um typically getting um actually getting bond funds that processes about 3 months so you know we can't just turn around the next day and go get bonds we would have to go through the process um of issuing bonds and um and that is about a three month process so before we know that we okay we're ready to need the actual cash you know 3 months prior we would start the process of actually um doing the resolutions and the necessary things that have to happen in order to do that and so part of that is also meeting with the rating agencies when we're actually going to issue debt we do meet with the rating agencies and actually they rate our credit um at the time so every time we go out for new new money is what we call is we would we would then uh reach out to to two of the three because usually you only need one or two of them to actually rate a particular deal and so they would do go they would go through their due diligence process of asking all the questions and all the information that they need to do in order to rate that specific bond issue right so one thing to understand is that cities have an an in an initial credit rating like we have an underlying credit rating ours is AAA and then each bond issue has its own credit rating or any its own rating and so typically in the past um special obligation bonds even though we are AAA rated the special obligation bonds would be rated at able a not AAA just because that's just generally it's one notched before it's not General obligation bonds however I I noted recently that some of the rating agencies have gone to also allowing that AAA to go to the special obligation bonds and I believe not not too long ago we were actually one of our bonds were actually upgraded to AAA that was double a rated just because they've changed the way that they do their ratings um so um at that time that's when they would you know express any concerns and and actually rate US and actually talk to us and and and typically when you go out for new debt we get our our current rating gets usually reaffirmed or changed right there is always an option that I mean I'm not saying that it that it can't change I've always came come up here and I've always told if we start you know uh not um having a a uh fund balance Reserve if we're not making extra payments to the pension if we're not if we don't have stability in our bu buting process if we don't have flexibility those are the things that are going to affect negatively affect our credit rating so if all other things considered equal just the the mere fact of actually issuing additional debt for which we have the wherewithal to pay to actually Finance it um that would not necessarily uh cause a rating um there are other factors but again and I've told I've said it many times I don't know the factors they do not tell us if you do this you're rating will be increased or decreased I don't know that and I cannot tell you with any kind of certainty that if I make if I go if I make a right turn I'm not going to get a rating decrease or if I go make a left turn I'm going to make it you know I don't know and they do not tell us very clearly they will not give us that information however what I do know and as I have said it before on the record is also that when we started making all those significant strides to be more financially stable to set aside a fund balance Reserve policy to make an extra payment towards the towards the the the the funding of the pension unfunded liability things like that all I know is that at that point is when we were upgraded to a AAA so in my estimation in my professional opinion those are the types of things that they are looking for for the stability a financial stability and sustainability for years to come so if that is affected in different ways then that's where I believe in my discussions with my financial adviser have led me to believe that that's what would cause us to be um uh downgraded perhaps um so I made um so this is just one step of a multi-step process um and thank you for the you know explanation the details and like I said you know when if it passes you all come back with legislation but between now and then all hopefully all the questions can be answered so there's no lingering doubt so I I I made a motion any colleague wants to I seconded it okay so um I understand you know you you've made a um there was not a written resolution available on this uh not only for the the courtesy and the uh inform information for the the rest of this commission here but for the public as well this is a big decision I frankly I already said I think it's premature the historic reservation board I think needs to weigh in on this the necessity for drawing debt down now uh as as a means to an end to address this building is is not we're not ready okay you know I've been trying to uh get this focused on this for some time so in my view this is premature it should have been put on as a written resolution as opposed to a discussion item only they should come back with after an opportunity to sit down with staff as I've requested with the city manager with the finance director as a written resolution with the detail necessary in it be able to make an appropriate decision so for those reasons my my vote on it is no in in a very respectful manner I I believe that the the motion was to direct staff to come back right it's not it's not going into debt right now it is researching which is the best way to go about this and then they'll come back to the commission and then we'll vote on it we're not voting on on issuing a bond or or or acquiring debt right now as it is we're voting on them coming back to us with the best solution possible and I've asked for that to be deferred to the next commission meeting so that the necessary research can be done on this I think the the historic preservation Board needs to weigh in uh we need to look more into the timing of stuff we talked about capacity uh voting on um something at this point point in time when we don't have architectural drawings or engineering drawings uh and looking into it it would not yield the information that you're looking for because we don't have the timing down okay so we have a motion and a second on the floor yes sir commissioner Fernandez yes commissioner Mendez yes vice mayor Anderson no commissioner Castro um I'm clarifying once again this is a motion to direct staff to come back with the best solution possible about bonds this is not about voting yes or no if we want to acquire debt so my understanding based on the Commissioners it's to come back with an intent resolution the intent resolution is stating that the city intends to go out to debt and therefore allows the city Administration to start borrowing against its available cash and it's setting aside identifying the um the revenue uh the $5 million that would otherwise go to the uh Capital project uh priority project plan for The Debt Service meaning setting it aside so it's in a sense it's saying this is we do intend to go out to bond when we actually take out the bond is yet to be determined but for these purposes we are planning to take out debt and therefore you are authorizing the city Administration to start spending against its available Reserve available cash available reserves in order to um to start the design and engineer in and assessment process for the projects which will uh be identified and I understand it's just City Hall venician pool streets and sidewalks is my understanding I hate to interrupt but sure when you bring that to the city commission as I said I want all questions answered I'm I don't expect at next meeting or the meeting thereafter I just want to start the ball rolling and when you do after answering and all the questions whatever new questions come along after you answer all those questions whatever you bring to the city commission has to be voted on then it's not automatically you present it and it moves forward there'll be a second another round of votes so this vote in my opinion unless I'm wrong please ex you know just because you bring intent resolution there may be questions there that at the end of the day the commission is not comfortable doesn't want to move forward so with the intent resolution gives the city Administration the permission to start spending because we have agreed as a city to move forward and take out debt in the future but we vote on that you vote on the intent resolution not what we're voting on today my point what's that that is not what we're voting on today that's not what we're voting on today I'm sorry yes I think that's where the confusion has come about I think you're the way you're explaining it that's what we're voting on today that's not I'm Sor we're voting on on laying the groundwork for potentially getting to that at an upcoming meeting if we know all we're hearing is you know the the rates will come down after the election we're getting closer to the election so we want to make sure that the option is on the table for this commission going forward and and we have that option available sure my understanding is that today's motion is just to direct staff to come back with an intent resolution correct at the time that we bring back that intent resolution that intent resolution needs to be voted on and if it passes then it instructs it gives staff the the per the permission to utilize available funds to move forward and then even after that point at some point in the future before we actually take out the debt we have to come back to the commission to say we are now ready to take out this debt are we going to do this and you know here are the market conditions at that point in time so on and so forth because you have to give us permission to move forward right it costs money for us to to go talk to rating agencies and to all do all this so we so there is that process as well so I'm sorry if I was being confusing with that that's not was not my intention we're in the middle of of a vote yep Mr CL Mission Castro my answer is yes mayor loo my answer is no let me tell you why very simple this is opening the door to putting ourselves in a position if you told me we're AC crewing 5 million 4 million 3 million I wouldn't have an issue it's a $42 million debt acement and it might even if we have a mechanism in place to repay it back I don't like that and the number so robust in regards to debt um if you would have told me that we would have paid off we would be sunsetting some debt this year it's perfectly fine at the end of the day uh I think it's a little a little bit too much for my appetite and I prefer to budget it over a 3 foure window and address these these main concern projects so but again I respect my colleagues but I think it's way too much debt to put on the city uh moving on to item F9 n um so I had a resident uh reach out to me regarding our um Centennial and finding a way to um I guess commemorate the homes that have also reached their Centennial I've been meeting with staff I've met with Martha bantine and with uh director perus uh regarding uh potential of adding a badge to our Historic Landmark plaques and historic homes when they reach uh their Centennial year we would obviously start with the homes that reach the Centennial with the city uh in 2025 um there's 534 homes I think was the number that that that I was given um and just wanted to inform the the commission that we're working on potentially um getting that done in the in the coming weeks uh leading up to the Centennial uh if you have any suggestions on how we can accomplish that or you know design or or the look please feel free to share them with uh with director peris or with Miss ptin have we spoken to the historic the Florida historic um Association or the board because I think there was granting H granting resources when it came to those PLS if they were registered I guess that's the historical resources they did say that there were some yes potential resources available for that so the state historic markers are different than what I think we're trying to pursue which would be something like a medallion that would be added to the properties that already have the historic designation that are celebrating their 100 years we could see if they have some sort of grant opportunities to maybe do that but that I know of they don't have anything that's specific to this yeah the other thing that was suggested was potentially working on um public relations campaign with e to help promote U historic designation of the homes that have yet to be designated uh leading up to the Centennial so I know director peris is working on that y thank you thank you all right uh moving on to item H2 I think it's the final item of the day good afternoon Diana Gomez Finance director so at the January 23rd 2023 commission oh no 2024 commission meeting I think it was I'm sorry um the the city commission directed an audit be conducted by the finance department um to review all Amazon PE card transactions for the city to determine if any misuse or violations of the program is existed um this item is to provide a final report related to that audit we have already provided the commission via email a copy of that final report for the remaining 16-month period from January 2022 to May 2023 the preliminary 8-month report was issued back in March of 2024 um the use of the Amazon platform awarded through the Omnia Partners Cooperative agreement provides value driven procurement and cost-saving solutions authorized um through the city's ability to access other official governmental entities contracts the contract is widely utilized not only by the city of cor Gables but by other municipalities including the city of Miami Beach and City of Miami and City of Miami to realize cost savings the corporate Amazon business uh Prime account offers a corporate discount and savings on all City purchases and the platform is utilized like any other city-wide contract in place to assist user uh user departments um and facilitate their needs associated with their daily operations while providing a convenient and readily available source of Supply so the Amazon transactions made by departmental users are reviewed by the departmental departmental directors and then by the procurement division of the finance department each month with a pecard Reconciliation process procurement specific Duties are to enforce and monitor the guidelines in place for the program while Department directors have the discretion and the ultimate responsibility for determining and approving the purchases that are necessary for them to conduct business and to maintain oper option for the respective departments so we performed a review of the Amazon transactions and found that no misuse of City funds have been identified it was noted that certain purchases were made to increase engagement and productivity in the workplace for employees and the public for example purchases of coffee water medical AIDS kitchen supplies office Decor Etc our review shows that all purchases were made in accordance with City and departmental past practices as well as policies in effect at the time and were approved by by the respective department head additionally it should be noted that there was a 12 $122,000 purchase of Amazon gift cards this purchase was made by the human resources department with the funds received from a health care provider which could only be utilized for the benefit of the city's wellness program the gift cards were secured and issued to employees as incentives and rewards for attending health and wellness events throughout the year so if there's any specific transaction or issue that you'd like to address or need additional information on um Finance and or the respective department is uh available to provide that information so what I'm hearing is basically that there could have been questionable transactions but they all fit into the policies and guidelines so what I'm also hearing is that maybe we need a clear more clear boundaries to what is permissible and what is not permissible from our department heads or whoever have has Peak cards so to answer to question ask a quick question to piggy back off that can you name some of those questionable so I never I didn't mention that there was questionable one purchases necessarily I did not say they were questionable purchases I just said that they were purchases so for instance one could argue that buying coffee and water for the staff is questionable I don't I don't believe that that to be the case but that's so I'm just saying that some of the purchases were made um were for things um such as coffee water medical AIDS kitchen supplies office core things like that but again they were allowable and are permissible against with within the the guidelines of the city's policies um regarding the policy that currently exists we had reviewed the policy with the new city manager um when he first came in and it was determined that the policy is sufficient as written it is it is it has the boundaries there was a change made having to do with um when we purchased food for meetings and things like that that needs to go through his office and make sure that his office is aware that those purchases are um cleared and approved by his office um but the policy itself of the use of the PE card and as well as any other any of the contracts available to the city it is very specific um Department directors do have discretion to determine what is needed to continue the operations of their respective functions so do you do you think that maybe we can guide or maybe have uh give department heads a better understanding of what is permissible not give give more of a clear definition because I I remember um Mrs Maria Cruz coming up here I'm naming a lot of things like um a wedding presents and um like kitchen stuff energy drinks a lot of other I can't remember I haven't Del into it I haven't looked at this really hasn't been my subject but could you agree with me that maybe we can work on a clear definition of what is permissible or not well we we do we do have things that are defined it says they're prohibited so then that leaves um the interpretation that the other things are permitted so for us to be able to monitor the actual program to say that we would be a little bit more stenine we would need more guidelines to say what would be on that list but when you start considering that that would be kind of hard to manage because it would be so exhaustive to say that an energy drink would be permitted but flavored water wouldn't so we wouldd have to get very specific and again that's up to the commission working with the city manager to do that but you would have to get into the weeds almost to get that specific um again if if that's what you guys do then that's what we'll monitor it against but I can only monitor it against what we actually have in place now and we don't get down to that infinite degree to say that those specific things are prohibited right now director can you put on the record what was the amount that any individual including a director was allowed to spend the total amount the cap before they can go they had to deal with the city manager what was the amount before well each transaction itself is $1,000 so they have to come through me for anything for $1,000 and then their total monthly spend is 15 and unless there's an insinuating circumstances where we need to have that um Extended then the city manager or the deputy city manager gives the authority to do that but for transactional purposes it's $1,000 so at no point could anybody go out there and spend over $1,000 without the approval of yourself and the manager correct well without approval of myself yeah so they come through our program you have to answer the manager yes correct but there was an instance where there was two transactions and I believe it was for an event and it was in um development services where a transaction was cut into two different pieces and it exceeded $1,000 okay so that's that's not actually um they had two different events where they had food with them and according to our small um purchase policy which is the SPO policy they have to um initiate get in competition so they have to get three quotes to prove that they are being competitively responsible for being able to get whatever goods or services they're asking for once they do that and they send that information to me and it's vetted that they actually follow that process then they're allowed to use the PE card as a payment method but they still have to follow the SPO process which means that they got quotes competitive quotes for that for anything that was over $1,000 so we can charge things over $1,000 if the proper procurement was done in advance and then they requested that the limit get lifted in order to push it through the the actual credit card will decline if it's over $1,000 without that special permission being granted so a lot of times we do need to pay pay for things with a credit card because and it happens to be over $1,000 so we make sure that the proper procurement was done in advance and then we ask that the lift that the the limit be lifted for that specific transaction it gets and and it's literally the department will contact procurement say can you you know here's my work here's the the quotes that I received can you lift the transaction they lift the transaction and as soon as a transaction goes through they come back and they close it the the the transaction list they put the controls back exactly so is that you can't overcharge if I if I may uh can you speak to the issue of the Amazon cards the gift cards for the health faires and so on because I think that's important to understand right so yeah so so again so they um the um the insurance the health insurance company provides the city with dollars for wellness programs and so the the human resources department they throw Wellness fairs and they have Wellness initiatives and so as incentives and rewards to employees to attend um when they have a you know a door prize or Raffles or if you participate in in four or more events you'll get a gift card it's an incentive and so then they um Human Resources tracks all the gift cards and they then will um for instance if you participate you have to actually sign the receipt of the gift card and you you know so it's it is tracked and monitored and so um the uh the idea is that is that to incentivize the employees um so one of the events that I can think of you know where red on for cancer awareness or something like that and so um everybody who wears red that day you know um submits in a sense in a raffle and then if you get selected you may get a a gift card a $25 $50 gift card to Amazon or whatever it was um and so it just it increases engagement with the employees and it's reimbursed by yes it's paid for spe 100% by the um by the healthcare uh provider they Pro they they reimbursed us for that purchase we would just provide them the receipts that we actually made the purchase and explain the program to them and then we um and they did reimburse us for that so it was not that was not done with City monies but it was done on the Amazon account so I'm just going to fill on because I did go for one of those healthc care screenings and you know you can look look at your face in the in the uh SK cancer skin cancer you you can freak out when you look at it about how many splotches you have on you and incentivizes you to then go see you know a dermatologist so to get people to go over there for the testing and get your blood pressure checked to get your blood work done you know sometimes you know you you make a little game out of it and it's all part of employe morale you know when you have things like this whether it be the lunches you know to collaborate with the team on how you can get things done more efficiently um all these things were normal and processed and used for really City purposes when you think that people are working during their lunchtime um getting together to collaborate how to do the job better how to smooth processes out so I you know I'm very pleased with the work that you've done and that we have it's pretty clear that nothing was out of line it was not approved um you know I I know that some folks found some expenditures unusual but when you understood the circumstances of the situation it was all Justified and reasonable so what gives me a little heartburn is when we say we're going to leave it to the discretion of the department directors or whoever holds the PE cards as much I do as I trust the directors I think it's easier to function in a department or an environment where there's clear guidelines right where you're not wondering oh is this going to be acceptable is this going to be a problem but you could work with complete faith that I'm doing the right thing and I feel that we can probably tie tight in a little bit close the gap and give them a better understanding of what is permissible and what is not I don't I feel that we could work on that just a little bit commissioner Castro I'll commit to you that we'll put some training not only for staff uh for the employees uh you know the initial line supervisors but also the directors as to just to go over the uh purchase policy and the peard policy I know we do it when we issue the we do it annually but I think a refresher would would not hurt thank you quick question so at the end of the month and I do this in my own business at the the month when the the employees submit their monthly reports and it's a line item for line item single every single expenditure does a directory that yes sir does the director does the director sign off on that yes sir does is it is it basically you know noted that on the following day this was reviewed every single expenditure was cleared by the director and this is the process that was happening before yes this is not a new process now correct so it was done paper but now we have um it's um automated in our um Erp system in in4 so the transactions come through and they have to be reconciled by the actual card holder so so they provide all of their reconciliation information the funding the attachments with the receipts and everything else and those are um reviewed mandatorily reviewed and approved by the director so they don't move to procurement to review until they're reviewed by the director so it's all done automatically and um through our Erp system so yes perfect and have you caught have you caught people but you know instead of like for example it's happened to me like I have my own personal debit card I have my credit card then I have my my business card um sometimes I've used my Aman Express versus using my business card because they're silver they're the same same brand you catch people say hey look I spent $150 on on my city card that has my city C I need to reimburse the city here's a check that is correct that has happened before some years ago but and then have you caught people who haven't caught it and been like oh I'm sorry you know I made the mistake yes okay I think there's actually a couple items in the report where it says that there was something that was was caught and and went back Mr clerk do you have any um um I know I didn't know you had anything to say no no I just I I have I have concerns about some of the items what I would like to do is sit down with both of you and the manager to go over them um I agree with commissioner Castro I think the maybe the process can be streamlined a little bit more where there's a little more clarity as to what can be done to address some of these issues but it's a 70-page document we're not going to go over it here now I want to have a sit down with with the two of you go over all of the questions that I have uh I've gone through about 55 pages I still have another 15 to go through um and I've marked quite a few that I that I want to go over um so that we can we can address them and really come up with a plan to ensure that there are no questionable things going forward and so then for that I'm just going to recommend that perhaps the department that actually made the purchase be also involved because we may not know more than what is written there um as to why they needed something and the report is broken up in a individ their Department if you may just this just for my edification through the through the manager we had protocols in place before the manager we have a new protocol in place as per a memo that was provided by the memo I think there was a difference of maybe one or two sentences in regards to how how the PE cards going to be addressed there wasn't many major differences in that memo and now there's going to be changes potentially made as a result of a commission review I would like for all three of those to be made public I want to see how extensive the changes are from our first peard policy to the second because from the first to the second they were minimal there wasn't there was am I correct or no right that's correct okay so they minimal changes there wasn't much much done that was different I read both of them very clearly I sat down I asked team I asked let's review this together what are the differences show me that so what are the differen that have been made to make this more stringent so now if commissioner Fernandez is going to is going to make an audit and it's going to it's going to address this issue I look forward to I just want to see the differences I want to be able to provide those differences so I can understand and then I would believe I believe through the manager that those differences should be disseminated to every single person who has a PE card sure been changes these are the three changes that were made these are the three changes one by the manager two by the commission three by the commission four by the commission 15 by the Comm 30 by the commission I don't care what it is my point is that these are the changes that were made send it to everybody because that's what we do in my office and so my understanding is that necessarily that this doesn't we're not necessarily changing the poly but if not working with departments and training to discuss you never know you may want I exactly so I'm not sure if it's going to be a specific item that wants to be removed and then yes that would then go onto the prohibited items list of the of the use of the PE card um as opposed to you know re uh reinforcing and training and and H and conducting an additional training um with the Department directors as well as with the peard users as was discussed a little bit before with through the manager okay changing the topic just a little bit the um the credit card fees were they addressed already as far as like if were paying with American Express who's paying fees so that yeah a different topic um so when when um individuals pay the city's a bill that with of the city I guess that's what you're talking about when somebody comes to pay a bill the city absorbs the credit card fees the city does not pass those fees on to the resident or the company or the customer customer the individual who is using a credit card to make the payments um since I have been here it has always been that has always been the way there has never been a a direction given to finance to look towards charging that fee back to the resident or to the business owner um so we absorb those fees as a cost of doing business okay and there's no limit for which somebody could charge you can pay your permit and get 4, points and they have yes they and so if the direction is to to change that we can work towards that it's not something that can happen overnight but we could then come back at some point to discuss you know what do we want to limit do we want to yeah that is that is something I have an appetite for I don't know if the commission does maybe address this because that's that's if we're looking for money that's where we can find money at the end of the day I think every single organization you do a credit card transaction for is charging the credit card fee um other municipalities don't always charge but some do some do some have yes for certain types of transactions not for not across the board we've had transactions in the tens of thousands of dollars where we've the city has lost close to $500,000 in credit card fees so not in any one transaction I believe there has there was at least one he said 500 th000 $500 to $1,000 in in credit card fees 5 I mean the the one the largest one that I had heard of recently was about $70,000 in credit C he saying $500 to no I heard 500,000 500 but if there have been to $70,000 substantial that's an entire salary that was how many sidewalks can we do with $7,000 agreed agreed and so again it has never been the direction um of since I have been here the opposite it has been no the city will absorb the credit card transaction fees again if there's a direction to go that way we can absolutely go that the way I'll be happy to make a motion direct for you to start working on a plan for charging the credit card fees and you everybody even to residents on their waste bill is it a certain dollar amount is at what point and so those are the considerations that have to be discussed and understood for us to move forward with that so what what is the appetite um so let's do this I'm going to I make a motion or I'll just ask you to come back with the different fees that we're charging and how much the city has absorbed over the last 12 months in credit card fees in each one of them and that'll give us a better idea of what action we should take right so so any so just for for the any bill that anyone wants to pay the city MH up to including parking right when you pay by phone there is a fee that's in there we absorb that um that the credit card merchant processing fees so um somebody paying their waste bill that is their they we absorb the fees somebody paying a permit somebody paying a false alarm Bill any anything that can be paid to the city there if they pay it with credit card has a fee has a merchant processing fee so anything can theoretically so there's no limit as to what it is so now it's right no no I can think that we've left on the table in credit card fees um so I think I looked at it I would want to say that it's a little bit a little bit under $2 million a year maybe U $1.6 million year we need to do something about that last the last transaction that we did was a $90,000 credit card fee that we paid so when it comes to permitting I think that's one of the Departments that would benefit economically from charging giving them the option at at least you could either pay with a check or if you want to pay the 3% or whatever the case is then you're more than able to do it absolutely so is it going to be for just for for residential bills as well should I look at it or should I look at everything so everything okay very good Mr Mr clerk Mr clerk yes Mr Mayor I know we have people waiting to speak so I just want to make sure we get everybody it's getting Mrs muia Cruz well she's coming up I just want to point out some things some things can be paid with a credit card and I mean with a debit card I should say or a bank account and some things can't so I think we need to segregate which ones and also have the capacity to give the resident notice when they're paying the bill that they will be charged this fee because I've already gotten contacted about you know fees being charged that were not disclosed you know when it when the resident was paying yeah my TA in Tennessee and in South Carolina both of them you can pay with credit card but the the credit card fees are assessed on top and it shows it and it shows it on the log it says you can pay with credit card zero I'm sorry with a check zero fee or it would be this this much fee if you pay with a credit card called a convenience fee it's with Mi County property but you but the notice is on the website and our problem is the notice here is not on the website now you don't have that option with uh paying for your parking if if I may we'll take it back we we'll look at it we'll do the numbers see what we can save uh my only other recommendation if the commission decides to go in the route of charging the residents the convenience fee or or the fees is that we give ample notice before we actually start charging that so that they don't show up expecting to pay with the credit card and find out well I'm not going to pay now because there's a fee so agreed I guess it's my turn yes Mrs Maria Cruz 1447 Miller Road I'm sorry I wanted to finish today with good news but there comes a point in time when we have to look and see how we try to avoid scandal in the City of Coral Gables let me tell you in 2011 2011 we had a PE card audit it was given to us at a budget meeting I don't remember when um I believe it was at the beginning of Miss Gomez's turn here because I think I remember she was the one that explained it this PR car audit has been only 13 years ago and I guess we filed it and we forgot several places in this PE card audit talks about the peard is supposed to be used to support a legitimate business purpose legitimate business purpose okay remember that I know that we would like to say we didn't find any improprieties is very good for the city not to find improprieties let me start by telling you and let me settle down because I'm going to be very nice that years ago there were no improprieties here except when some of us looked and we found an employee that was depositing City checks into her mother's bank account and I had to come to the commission because we did not want to touch that we did not want to press charges and charges were pressed and my understanding is that the person had to somehow a little bit at a time pay back the money and it was big money so we're talking here about using the PE card and you were giving some wrong information a minute ago when you were at when you the question was the the maximum was $11,000 per P card you all didn't think of asking how many PE cards are there there's a whole bunch of cars out there and each one of them has a limit of $1,000 and there was not two different events when I brought it up it was Havana Harry's One luncheon one luncheon one Christmas luncheon that they split the bill because listen if you're going to have a luncheon the main meal and the distur are B in the same restaurant or one bill I don't remember anybody anytime going to a restaurant and telling them to give me their deserts in a separate bill okay it's one bill yet two different PE cars were used two different PE cars because there was a limit that was wrong okay but let's move on to other stuff who authorize well I can tell you that some of the stuff that I brought up before and today I thought we were going to hear yes some things were done wrong and it won't happen again but we keep covering it up and that's why I'm here okay we had or still have I don't know the bad habit of letting the administrative assistance the people that we trust use our digital signature so my understanding is that some of the when when they say the director authorized and then somebody else authorized well you know what as much as I didn't like Miss Caba I doubt that she would have been part of this Shenanigans okay so whoever had access to her digital signature could have signed stuff seriously okay here we go okay I we talk about employee morale you know where I get the information I don't have a black ball I don't have a drone that checks I get information from Good employees that are upset that they are employees that were abusing the system and got caught by somebody and we uh had very important people telling this employee don't worry we'll tell you how to message so he looks good M Cruz M Cruz may I ask you for a favor please yes you've been speaking for over 5 minutes I'm sorry will you will you please will you please wrap up Sir could you please somebody give me more time because you know what I'm going to tell tell you what went wrong whether you want to hear or not okay good employees have left his City with Dro money on the table because they couldn't take it anymore because they saw the wrongdoing happening and they left okay explain that one because the morale means the people that are doing a good job should be recognized it doesn't mean the people that are abusing should be covered so they don't suffer okay because let me tell you let me tell you that's what's killing the morale in this building people that take advantage okay I would like to know I would like to know and I know we talk about little money but little money at big money and the people that pay taxes need to know why it was a good what's the word a legitimate business purpose in an office to have a burner and a soup poot I was told originally well you know they bring food and they have to warm it there were only two microwaves in that office usually people warm up people food in a microwave they don't bring a soup po I almost brought a Soup pot today to show you what a soup part means like it's not to warm up uh something for one person or three people is to make food let me tell you there were Architects that came to the bo of architect that call me to find out how come every time we go in that building you can smell cook food that's been cooked I said what do you mean food that's been cooked it looked like a restaurant because there's the person who optain all this who used her PE C to buy stuff okay was cooking there Miss Cruz okay I'm sorry Cruz I'm sorry Cruz uh celsious drinks Miss Cruz I'm asking you please I'm asking you been you've been speaking for over seven minutes that's okay I still have a few more they they explained that longer than that and they covered up a whole bunch of stuff we give everybody 3 minutes I'm I'm very I'm very lenient I'm very lent but I think it's time that we bring it for our Landing I'm sorry I need a few more minutes do you feel like two minutes would be enough minut I try to talk fast okay thank you whatever you guys say Celsius drinks you know why we bought celsus drinks you know why in that office some people has not everybody boyfriend would come in the morning sit in her office and they we share the celus drinks okay listen I'm being good I'm not mentioning the name don't don't don't go there CU I know the name okay um holiday celebrations by the bundles okay uh let me ask you something when the other departments and let me tell you I'm going to give credit to the gz the people from Finance say you know what if we want to have a birthday if we're going to have holiday you know what we all chip in and we pay no not in development services and not in public works they charge it on their PE card on the city PE cards the money that the taxpayers pay wedding presence most people in the world when somebody gets married they get together and they put money together no not in development services we bought and let me tell you if you want to know I can tell you what was bought to because it says that on the bill M Cruz thank you very much graduation M Cruz if I may if I may please we're we're we're entering 9 minutes you know what um Mr Mayor you started the meeting 10 minutes late you spoke let me tell you after every meeting every presentation and protocol and we waited and we waited and I've been here waiting since 8:00 so be respectful and allow me to finish I think she I think I think we we we going on 9 minutes here so I think it's done allow me to finish I you want to continue to make a point and stretch it you can the bottom line is the bottom line is we were told we were told there was a mistake the person putting in the the orders forgot and when she started buying for herself she didn't use her card that was the first answer that we got when we questioned it the money was never rained EMB bured so I guess that was not the truth the next one was the steamer was for paral recreation it was not because I asked Fred enough is enough stop covering up Miss uh abuse of taxpayers money and you know what if you all cannot come up with a way to find the mistakes I will make it public I will publish the list of what was bought with with taxpayers money and I can assure you that when people see what was bought they're not going to be happy if I may I I I think I think it's a I think it's a very good idea that you publish that list um Miss Madame vice mayor do you have anything good forther do you have anything else you'd like to add for the commission meeting yes uh and the clerk Mr Yia you have a poster to bring up we didn't have it available last time and you're ready yes ma'am cable TV should be putting it up okay come play pickle ball R McDonald Charities we're raising some money out at the builtmore um tennis courts they'll have some temporary tape down for pickle ball courts it's all about fun and doing a good cause uh Ronald McDonald does a wonderful job of taking care of uh families and children's and needs I know our esteemed clerk is playing and a few other members of the clerk's office I'm looking for somebody uh a little less uh aggressive on the pickle ball court if any of you want to join me I'll be your partner I'll be your partner I I'll I'll pay for a sponsorship pick which one you want and I'll do it with you okay all right so the magazines are out there to get more information on it and on the front of the magazine you also have a QR code to the Miami spice these are the um cor Gables restaurants so while it's running take advantage of it um looking forward to playing that's one of my favorite magazines you're on the back good commissioner Castro okay so I am having an employee luncheon on September 18th that is the little flyer you go you have to go ahead and register so I have an idea of how many employees I would I will have in um in the sandwich social also this is reminder September 12th first budget hearing residents are welcome to attend via Zoom or online yeah don't worry Gabby I was going to go ahead and post a little I was going to go ahead and put a little post that I had created but that's fine commissioner mandez just just came out my poster back to the movies um I'll probably show this the next meeting but I wanted to get a head start at the art Cinema for anyone 30 or for the at the art Cinema anyone 30 and older I'm showing the 1973 Best Picture award forward winner The Sting starring Robert Redford Paul Newman at won best director best screenplay uh best movie and Robert Redford was nominated for best uh actor and the song by Marvin hamlish called the Entertainer which is a piano piece that everybody will recognize is in it it's a great movie it's about two grifters that plot to uh con on a major mob boss and it's a wonderful very entertaining movie and uh you can get your free passes at play gables.com thank you can we go back to me for one second I'm also planning a game night and it was actually on your same day of your movie so I'll go ahead and plan it right after your movie so as soon as they're done with your movie they can go and play some games in the activity center that I'm going that I'm hosting and join forces movie you remind me I'll let them know that hey from here go there there you go and if cable TV could share my screen there you go first budget hearing very important commissioner Fernandez um just a reminder tomorrow we have our uh 911 uh ceremony at the police and fire headquarters uh for all those who want to attend uh be there around 8:30 a.m. right in front of the building uh it's a short ceremony but uh it's an important one for our city uh two items tomorrow like the commissioner said I look forward to seeing you once again at 8:45 at the public safety building as as we honor uh September 11th and all the fallen heroes and I welcome you on on the 12th to join us at 6:00 6:30 after the budget hearing whenever we finish at the clock on Miracle Mile dedicating to the city in the Centennial thank you God bless and have a wonderful evening we have the other for