##VIDEO ID:L_vRLOuBgNU## hey doing horsie we get our smiling faces in there living color nice thanks thanks for pulling in okay better reversal appreciate you coming up [Music] five trail oh that's the guy from the well all you have to do is just it thank God just let's get started as he started too dangerous for our churches sure what time you want to me I'll be at 8:15 now is production inherent okay okay thank you real nice nice let's call the meeting to order this meeting of the City Council City homestead Monday the 6th of December 2004 this evening we'll have the invocation that pastor Travis Johnson of the homestead Church of God followed by the police Explorer as the Pledge of Allegiance is the police exposure if not we'll have the Pledge of Allegiance my vice mayor bill would you all please stand let's all bow our heads please dear Heavenly Father we thank you for the privilege that we have to meet freely and discuss business of the city father we thank you for leadership that you've ordained god I thank you for every person that's interested in the city father interested in the way that they live in their communities father we thank you for the privilege that we have to worship you freely father in our churches and in this community father I pray that you bless our business here today that wisdom be applied to decisions that are to be made god I pray that you touch the lives of our leaders you'd bless them and prosper them father we thank you for a community that's growing and prosperous and beautiful for our children for our families got our pretty to continue to keep your hand a favor and blessing on us Lord and bless the rest of our time here today Lord in Jesus name we pray amen please join me as we pledged to our flag I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all rule comedically mrs. Bell here miss garner here mister Hadj dear mr. laws no ear mr. Porter dear mrs. rothman here mayor Warren here additions deletions deferrals not marry none special presentations presentation certificate appreciation to the Florida City Razorback football team vice mayor Bell [Applause] so I have the coach here from the flow city Razorbacks please come up I'm gonna go ahead and name read off your name so I realized once they're not here and I'm gonna hand them all to you once again the Florida City Razorbacks are on their way to the Nationals in Orlando Florida the all these boys all of about a hundred and fifteen pounds Pee Wee's are champions once again in their division they won the Pop Warner sectionals and the regionals in their honor way so if any of you have any questions about why are we recognizing the flora city Razorbacks I we just let you like to let you know that about 50% of these kids live in Homestead and even if they didn't so what it's for the kids so I'd like to recognize them now and I'll also write to recognize right now Robert Collins the assistant coach and I'm gonna go ahead and call out these kids names just to let you know and I'm gonna give you all the certificates and you can bring them back to them so I couldn't be with us tonight huh we have coach Anton Hall Anthony Bragg's is the assistant coach Todd Spade is the assistant coach Corey McDowell Milton Clark Roger Hall Terry Edwards Georgia Williams well um the journey coaches as you have kids not sure that was just the coaches just in case these kids watch it I like for them to hear their names we have Travis Lovejoy Henry Smith Brian Moore Demetrius Jackson Roundtree Dmitri Taylor Derek kitchen Wesley Brady Tavares dancer Jovan Anderson Alex Brady Sukhoi some blur the manual miser Herbert waters Russian Lee Michael Goodman William Miller jr. - queen Bryant serene Cochran Joelle harps Jacobo Glee Henry Haynes coderre screen Frederick's Wayne Deonte Thomas Trichet LZ I think I've butchered these names too badly this time you'll let me know later right we have Marquis Davis Eugene Scott - Darius divert I'm on love Witherspoon Ricky Williams of good Ricky Williams yes I do hold it against him Daniele Santo Octavius Jackson and those are on Florida City Razorbacks and let's give him a hand okay they wanted me unless you know that they're short $500 and they're leaving tomorrow so if anybody wants to dig into their pockets tonight let us know let him know thank you so much Thank You vice America next is the presentation of apply it to Home Depot Councilwoman woman yes thank you several months ago when the city began hurricane preparedness and relief efforts we needed to obtain a freezer for use by the police department the city had no additional freezers to use and rentals were simply not an option a parks and recs department namely Evelyn DeVito in an effort to assist contacted Home Depot to ask if they possibly had a floor model or one that was partially damaged that they could loan to the city Home Depot's response was that we have nothing like that to loan you but we can give you a brand new one without hesitation and in an effort to come to the aid of our Police Department Home Depot donated a new freezer which was essential in allowing officers to spend the many hours and safeguarding and helping the citizens of Florida tonight we wish to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to Home Depot and accepting the plaque for this some wonderful store is Carlos early who's with the human relations department correct a human resource department it's with great honor that I present to you this plaque and it reads an appreciation to Home Depot for your generous contributions and assistance to the victims of Hurricane Charley Frances Ivan and Jeanne December 6 2004 mayor and council city of homestead thank you thank you just quickly we like to say thank you to everybody involved in this and we're proud to be part of the members of this great community which I live in also so thank you very much and uh to display in our entrance and we were there buying our new thing so again thank you so much Thank You Councilwoman Worman consider general the most affordable them both man move our vice mayor billed as a second second second by Councilman Hodge any comments all in favor say aye opposed public hearing ordinance land use items mr. attorney please be advised that the following items on the agenda are quasi judicial in nature if you wish to comment upon any of these items please indicate the item number you would like to address when the announcement regarding the quasi-judicial item is made an opportunity for person to speak on each item will be made after after the applicant and staff have made their presentations on each item while testimony including public testimony and evidence we made under oath or affirmation additionally each person who gives testimony may be subject to cross-examination if you do not wish to be cross-examined or sworn your testimony will be given its due wait the general public will not be permitted to cross-examine witnesses but the public may request the counsel to ask questions of staff or witnesses on their behalf the full agenda packet on each item is hereby entered into the record persons representing organizations must present must present evidence of their authority to speak for the organization further details of the quasi judicial procedures may be obtained from the clerk accordance with code section 2 - 591 any lobbyists must register before addressing the council on any of the following items at this time council members must disclose any ex parte communications concerning any of the agenda items at this time the clerk will swear in any persons who wish to testify in any quasar just like standing raise your right hand please do you swear affirm to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God thank you may be seated mr. mayor the first item is a resolution of the city of Homestead Florida granting preliminary plat and site plan approval for pod B Carol's place 252 multifamily units on approximately fourteen point four eight acres of land in the Oasis Planned Unit development located south of the C 103 canal approximately southwest 140 second Avenue to the homestead extension of the Florida Turnpike as legally described in Exhibit A and providing for an effective date [Applause] any initial comments from Council just one there I know we've discussed this PUD before the Oasis beauty I just wanted to point out once again that the whole HUD is 122 units less than it was approved for so I like that any other comments this is a public hearing any comments from the audience I'll open the public hearing any comments from the audience any comments vice mayor bill thank you I'm Charles I would like you to explain how because because we've discussed this and there seems to be a little bit of confusion on this overall when you look at this first of all you look at you look at number one it when you do your math that averages out to be about 17 units to the acre those four and then when you do the second the second um pas de it works out to be four four point one four units to the acre so these are averaged they're actually added together than average in overall because this is future sited the future use is low residential so I want you to explain how this equates to low esidential the overall land use is low-density residential in any area of our of our city you can rezone to PUD this is a planing of development as rezoning the master plan for residential growth it has to be the same as predominantly the same as the underlying land use which is low-density residential so they cannot create more than six units to the acre over the entire area which you're not you have some pods like the one that will come behind this when it's at four you have some of lower densities you also have lakes you have a seven-acre school site in this PUD and you have Tod lots and things like that so when you average out the entire property parcel and the number of units total it's less than six units to the acre well you'll have some pods that higher density you'll have some and lower density much the same way the villages of Homestead DRI was developed under the same principle you have some sectors like the townhouses or condos that are higher in density and you'll have some areas with like East Lake or others that have have lower density to them and it's overall it should equal six units or less per acre and that's what this does thank you and have you have all the questions been answered because I know there was some open-ended yeah and and if you'll the the site plan that you have should be the newer one that shows the crosswalks dumpsters and Cheney parking and the trees and all of that and this one you know we got a ton a lot in this one as well and a little bit more green space and we've seen another so I think it's quite nice thank you what's an air rec center in this one yes there is there's a lot rec center on a pretty good you know pretty good stretch of land and there's some some more open space around the lakes and on the ends of buildings that we haven't seen in the past it gives it more of an open feel plus it also backs up to a to the C 103 Canal to the north side of it so you'll see you'll have that kind of open area out there as well thank you any other questions any other any comment any comments from the audience any comments of not going to fish you to close the public hearing any final comment from Council anything mr. Williams Tim Williams Williams agricultural enterprises love it too I think Charlson proud your city staff summed it up pretty well a few items you may be interested in the sales price for these units starting at 150,000 and going up to 170 and the square footage the minimum square footage is 1154 square feet going up to thirteen twenty so I think Charles summed it up it's a great project thank you thank you sir Roy Coleman we never had a mess you know move on mr. Porter's a second second by the vice mayor roll call madam clerk mr. Hodge yes mr. Porter yes mrs. Waldman yes mrs. Bell yes miss goner yes mayor Warren yes our next item is a resolution of the city of Homestead Florida granting preliminary plant and site plan approval for pod e Carmen's place 88 single family units in approximately twenty one point four acres of land in the Oasis Planned Unit development located south of the C 103 canal from approximately southwest 140 second Avenue to the homestead extension of the Florida Turnpike is legally described in Exhibit A and providing for an effective date is there motion for approval moved by Councilwoman Waldman second by Councilman Porter any initial comments from Council if not I'll open the public hearing any comments from the audience any comments from the audience I would just like to say this is probably one of the best project I've seen and all of the ones that we have reprove we have approved and are rejected this is probably one of the best I am I think it's the first class development from home state any other any comments from be honest if not I'll close the public hearing any final comments from Council roll call madam clerk mr. Porter yes mrs. Waldman yes mrs. Bell yes miss Garner yes mr. Hodge yes mayor Warren yes next we have a final order of the city of Homestead Florida granting a certificate of use to allow a package liquor store within Waterstone Plaza located on the southwest corner of to Southwest 288 Street Biscayne Drive and South West 137th Avenue Tallahassee Road is legally described in Exhibit A and providing for an effective date is their motion for approval mobile by Councilman for is a second second second by Councilwoman Garner any initial comments from Council just one question mr. Porter this is just like what we see in the public shopping center where you have a package store in and along the strip mall now that that is correct it's it's like what you would see next to sadhana's there's a liquor store there there's one next to Publix same same scenario package store next to a shopping center and obviously one of the questions in the planning and zoning was drinking on premises obviously that's not gonna be an issue it's not that is not legal it is not legal and it's all been addressed correct yes and and of course all of us shopping center is responsible for their own security but of course our police department is always available to take care of any problems we we hope that there will not be any and the owner has the shortest that you will do is best to to ensure that there is not the consumption on the premises as you know all of these locations have to be posted at state law that there's no consumption on the premises or in front of it people are supposed to buy their beer wine liquor and take it home and do what they will well it knows consumption on premises historically in the in the malls like in in the strip centers like you see the public strip center that has not been an issue that's correct okay thank you thank you Mary thank you my support this is a public hearing any comments from the audience any comments from the audience any comments if not I'll close the public hearing final comments from Council roll call madam clerk mr. Porter yes mrs. Waldman yes mrs. Bell no miss Garner yes mr. Hodge no mr. laws no yes mayor Warren yes we only legislative matters mr. Turney their resolution of the city of Homestead Florida approving the purchase of a loan from First National Bank of South Florida and taking him an assignment of loan documents approving that certain assignment of mortgage promissory notes and other collateral documents without recourse by First National Bank of South Florida including the city manager authorizing the city manager to execute and deliver the assignment authorizing the city manager and attorney to take all necessary action to effectuate the purchase of the loan with taking of an assignment of your own documents providing for an effective date I'll move in there I'll set I'm sorry I said that I bet I would like to ask the question been probably more by advice no bail second by Councilman Waldman this woman I'm a shy it's not any more of a statement than a question for those of you that don't know I I own a mortgage company it's called anyway it's a mortgage company and we buy mortgages all over the United States so I'm very familiar with this process and I can tell you that I want to personally think First National Bank for allowing us to purchase this because what are we getting 3.5% on our money now and you know this is written at 9% so this is an excellent excellent move for the city and that way we have a stake in the property now we don't have to go through hoops and dances to to do something if it should go into foreclosure so I just think it's an excellent move and and kudos to all of you that put it together Thank You vice mayor bill I'd like to echo councilman Councilwoman Waldman's comments this is a this is a no-brainer and I also am very thankful that the bank offered it to us first because this would have been snatched up and it gives us a much better bargaining position that now that we we will be in better position to have both a land in the building as well so absolutely in favor of this as well as a good income generator so it puts a smile on my face just ask a question with staff in the memo from Dan the purchase of the loan wearing a general fund account this is coming from your budget Rick right just come and go Sorento fun but that'll be alone to see re how does none of our city's purchasing the city not CRA is purchasing okay that mortgage question yeah I'm gonna just to clarify so basically the CRA would have the lease and the building and the city would have the actually the city will have the full property there that's not going to be owned by the sea all right so what's the art CRA is going to actually yeah that part to the the part that the CRA homes is going to be released to the city the CRA is has never owned the land it was always the city's latest we were just the operating part of the city that was handling it okay facilitator that's great okay that's all I had Matt I just thank you any other discussion we go all in favor say aye opposed second item is a resolution of the city city council of the city of Homestead Florida providing for ratification that collective bargaining agreement between the Dade County Police Benevolent Association in the city regarding the police lieutenants authorizing the city manager to sign the collective bargaining agreement on behalf the city in providing for an effective date move are by Smith now second by Councilwoman goner I just like to extend my appreciation was the manage of you and our negotiation team and certainly to the P Bay and the lieutenant's for working together for the betterment of this community and coming to this decision I think of this it was good for both parties thank you all for your hard work making this happen any other comments all in favor say aye aye proposed C is the resolution of the City Council the city of Homestead Florida authorized in the waiving of competitive bidding requirements and to process an emergency purchase order for repairs to pump station number 22 the downright engineering and developing corporation pursuant to city code section 2 4 1 3 a a one emergency purchases providing for an effective date move by Councilman Porter is the second second second mark Councilwoman Waldman asked a question question mr. Porter if if the competitive process if you went through the competitive process how long would it take the quality of goodness it would we'd either go through the bids we certainly wouldn't go through in our feet but to go to the bids we'd have to get three bids and then pick from that at the time there was a maintenance going on with the pump in it and it dropped and damaged the inside so it was the vendor who was there was already on site that could immediately jump in so that was one of the considerations Brian if you'd like to add to them mr. Porter be by a minimum of three months so so I guess what I'm getting at is you're asking for this to be expedited because three months to do the process it's already been done so I got started and done it that's what I was gonna say it it's it's a situation where you couldn't do without the pump being active or in order that's all thank you thank you for supporter any other comments all in favor say aye aye opposed [Applause] business from the city manager I have 990 thank you Miss America Horton mayor and council councillor Hodge yes sir Thank You mr. mayor and they have two items that we see in the agenda the first item is to request permission for road closure for the dr. Martin Luther King parade on June 15 2005 Marlene do you have any comments on that we've been working with mr. Willie Brown to effectuate very successful Martin Luther King parade on Saturday January 15th under the police department has been working on the route etc they'll be forming it in front of the landmark hotel and then proceeding down Flagler chrome 4th Street over to the park in Florida City Council for the second but councilman garner any discussion all in favor say aye aye opposed Thank You mr. mayor and number two is a proposal to place a motion to reconsider the November 15 resolution transmitting comprehensive plan amendments to this to the state for review here hearing public hearing 2004 - 20 2004 - 21 2004 - 22 and the city initiated of data comprehensive plan on the agenda of the December 20th a city council meeting and just real briefly I like to basically stay we we have gotten basically this was a resolution for the change of a comprehensive plan and this is a request where I request to include the text amendment for the Southwest master plan and and for basically for public information also it the text is not put in in the concrete and stone zoning I've heard there was convinced about about the zoning that we were we were trying to trying to get approved on others property basically what this is this will allow the man the master plan and it's basically the best way to explain it would be when when someone comes to us and we do a PUD within that PUD we are allowed to zone the commercial and residential within that PUD without having to resend it back to the state basically this is going to be what we call the PU in a planner urban neighborhood which allow us to do this on and within that plan urban neighborhood whether it's going to be residential or commercial or downtown mixed-use and once this is transmitted to the state of Florida then we don't have to go back to the state of Florida to make those changes we can make it right here on this Dyess so actually this is very important piece to go up to Babel to implement the Southwest master plan and and to move forward with that and and this is the request to to consider a motion to to make that amendment to get the text to the state of Florida so that we can move forward when the master plan comes forward to us that emotion offered by a councilman Garner's a second mr. second second by Councilman Porter questions question ASDA what's the delay factor here I know aren't there only certain times of year that you can file these packages and are we are we putting at a disadvantage what we've argue the extensive package we already submitted I don't miss for laws or members of council I don't believe we'll see a significant delay I mean we're looking at a couple of weeks here and with the holidays I doubt DCA would have reviewed it before the first that year anyway you know by the time we submit this will be about three weeks after what we'd originally submitted and during these holidays in DCA short-staffed I don't know that we would get that quick of an overview I mean they're they're obligated to give us an overview in five days just to give us a completeness but other than that they're full review I don't think you'll see a difference that I'm biased is is ultimately if the motion some sorry motion to reconsider is passed we're gonna withdraw what we filed in order to amend it to tackle on the textual amendment yes Southwest master plan there's no other way to accomplish that by just transmitting an amendment after the fact we have to withdraw what's already been submitted if we want to get it in before the first of the year yes if not we would have to wait for the transmittal after the first year but we're allowed to transmittals a year on tax changes and large-scale amendments this will be our second one for this year we had a tax change in the spring this will be our this will be our second one for the year we can fit this one in if not we would have to wait until after the first of the year and do it separately and the tax change that is what's on our special call agenda yeah this this actually has a map changes with it as well to designate the Southwest area as a plan unit neighborhood and give that designation to go along with the tax change okay thank you thank you very good thank you miss Lovett any other comings all in favor say aye propose anything else mr. Hodge that's it mr. mayor thank you thank you sir Oh mr. laws now Thank You mr. mayor well first I'd like to thank a compliment everyone and every entity who was involved in putting together the tree lighting celebration and lost her Park last Friday night that was probably the best one that that we've had you know the decorations on the bandshell the bleachers that were brought in on beg borrow or steal from the county however we got them it was great to have them as to the whole event was wonderful mother nature cooperated there was a little coolness in the air and you know as I said that night that's one of those many positive things that sets us apart from the rest of South Florida as a separate distinct and unique community not just a place to sleep at night but a real community and my hats off to everyone who was involved in that also as to the relocation of City Hall along announce that we have received the updated survey on this site we are awaiting appraisal probably another 10 days to two weeks mr. manager at least I we hopefully we might be by the end of this week of beginning in next week a little luck we could have a one just one thing on the in reviewing that survey they mislabeled the Amoco property is not being owned by us so we've got to go back and fix that but otherwise that we're hoping by no layer in the middle of next week okay we're a game breaker and as for the acquisition of the new site the the offer has gone out certainly we wouldn't expect within this short timeframe to have a response to an unsolicited offer but I'm hopeful that by December 20th when we next meet at a regular council meeting we will have a response I don't know to venture what kind of response but I hope that hopeful that the manager and I can come back in at least report there's been a response and we'll have a better idea of where we're going from there now in the interest of having probably the shortest council meeting I've seen in the last three years that will conclude my business mayor thank you and I would ask you to do two things one is at probably the next council meeting the CEO Deborah give us an update on the park of Commerce and you mentioned the laws in the park the we need to take a look at doing something to the the bandshell just really need some more if we could get our grant writers involved and see if there's any funds out there to put some money on that thing and and do something with it it's it was beautifully decorated but I just think we need to it's deteriorating there in some areas in that building and it's gonna be our showcase downtown I think some good work of taking place there but we need to we need to put some resources there to make it look even better thank you I know you'd had those concerns Friday night I shared them with mr. thoughts today and if you haven't had a chance to speak with him on some some events that are very timely with with concerns I would encourage the two of you to get together and and look at some issues good Thank You mr. Lanza mr. Porter I like I guess along that same line could you take a look at the benches that are along the tree line there it looks like there some of them are sunk in or falling apart or something on the just I just noticed it today but I guess the main issue that I hate to keep beating up up on the same issue over and over again but today there were two accidents at the intersection that we've been talking to the county about a stop sign or a four-way stop and my knowledge no one was killed so I don't know if they looked at it yet or not but it's getting to be a little bit embarrassing to have to stand up here in front of their constituents and continuously tell them that the consideration of the county is still know I spoke to the chief today I got a call from mr. Taylor who is not here at the moment and said I'm standing here and there's cars everywhere so the chief has the the reports on the accidents there was another accident down the street over the weekend that was a rollover to considerably more damaging but this is a residential neighborhood this is not eighth Street or Campbell Drive or anything this is just this is a residential neighborhood so again mr. manager I will lean on you and the chief and ask for the harshest possible whatever we have that we can do in and including getting our own traffic consultants to go over there and do an analysis of that and send forward something to the county that that will let them please do a complete 180 on this intersection you know there's been some very damaging statements made by the county in that neighborhood that shouldn't have been made by by someone from the county I know the the mayor had mentioned something about speaking to Commissioner Moss about this maybe that's where we are now I don't know but the vice mayor has had issues that have been turned down that same issue is turned down by myself and other council members before and we shouldn't have to kill someone that's just the bottom line we shouldn't have to kill someone down here to get a stop sign how much is a stop sign cost $20 yeah it would be very inexpensive to put up actually and we have they have requested a list of accidents at that location we've sent those scented those accents to them Julio's been talking with them we're going to send these next two up and see if this is enough to push them into to taking action and we can also go the other route what happens if we put one up Richard Burton can we erect a stop sign there what is safe to the people at City homestead and that we have to go to court with hair on it that ultimate would have to do with the poet at the county the county Home Rule Charter preempts that authority you have no authority to pull one up if you pull one up and someone gets hurt there and then we start to take on responsibility clearly it's really a County I I had an opportunity to Jeff to talk briefly with the mayor when he was here mayor new mayor of Dade County we probably need to draft a letter to commission of morals and see see the mayor on that letter and follow up with probably scheduling a meeting with him to see whether we can get get some movement from the county level but he was very interested in concern as the writers the county have rejected us so many times because typically when a community insists that it need one that they they pretty much cooperate so let's get a letter to Commissioner Morrison to manage and I will follow meeting with moss and the mayor if necessary and see what happens well mayor let me just say that that a while back on 6th Avenue and Mallory in the southwest area we had been requesting some consideration at that intersection and had been told by the county that we didn't need it it didn't justify it there was an accident that killed six people at that intersection and they went from no stop sign to a red light so the issue is it's as simple as that issue that we shouldn't have to have someone be desperately hurt in order to justify this I just I just can't see it and and mayor I appreciate anything you can do with the Commissioner mr. managed or anything that you can do there's a gentleman back here that the the cars end up in his yard on a regular basis so it's important it's it's very important so we shouldn't have to go another meeting and have someone from the crowd have to come up and say they had another accident that same intersection so that's all I have mayor thank you for supporter will follow up on it thank you very much Thank You councilman Waldman yes Thank You mayor I think it was last Monday night we had our workshop for to unveil our our parks and recs master plan and that went very well it's going to be brought to the committee to hold next week and hopefully it'll be we'll have a much shorter power presentation for the audience but I think it's beautiful and I'm very very proud of it I also wanted to announce mayor that Washington lobbyists gave us good news this week that we have a hundred and twenty-five thousand dollar grant for the actually it's not sure it's a grant or not was it a grant Marlene it's from the Omnibus appropriations bill okay it's $125,000 on earmark for the senior citizens center and many people including my mother and mother I know you'll be watching this she called me yesterday when are you gonna start fixing up that senior centers you know she said she was really upset with me so she wanted to know when we were gonna start how much money we had so I'm going to tell you we have with 125,000 dollars we have eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars now that we'll be putting into the senior citizens center and we're hoping we have a grant pending of an additional three hundred and fifty thousand which would bring us up to a million two so we can do great things with a million two so seniors I promise you we're going to start on it very soon very very soon and very happy to announce that mayor that that's all money that's come from somewhere else I also wanted to say that I agree with the tree-lighting Friday night it was a great experience I ended up staying there to about nine o'clock does the musical talent was terrific and the got the five guys sing in gospel they just they rock the house so I mean that was just wonderful and haven't had an opportunity yet to meet the do new director for Main Street but I think that that would be nice Steve if we could bring her to a council meeting and and introduce her publicly I think that's very important she did a really good job and I know you did too you worked hand in hand with her we had our own tree lighting last Monday night I thought it was beautiful and I want to publicly think the rainbow Christian singers for coming as they do for me every year very very much appreciated it breakfast with Santa let me just give you a little information on this it's December 18th at 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Harris field barn pavilion the event is for children 10 and under and it's five dollars per child this includes a pancake and sausage breakfast face-painting they make their and take home a ceramic ornament they have they're going to have a snow play area hmm pictures with Santa and the parents are welcome and they can come to and enjoy breakfast for three dollars each so pre-registration is required space is limited to the first 200 children and two adults per family so to register come by the parks and recs department or could they just call and register over the phone Marlene or Kurt could they do that as well okay so do that that's gonna be a lot of fun I think and to have snow and homestead that's something I've got a lot of stuff going on here just let me look and see what my next thing is I want to thank the public I want to thank everyone for coming to our angel tree reception for the little angel foundation for those of you that did go it was absolutely wonderful we gave out fourteen thousand dollars that night to families that needed help I know Vic was there and Kurt was there I'm Steve Linda Norman so I appreciate it so much and it just touches your heart to see these children which it would give it to children with special needs physically and mentally challenged children and not only do we give out $14,000 we raise fourteen thousand dollars in two hours that night so thank you to the community and our angels thank you very very much I had an opportunity Saturday morning to do our annual trail riding in the villages of Homestead we the trail riders of South Florida they come out and bring their horses and they decorate not only themselves but they decorate the horses and it's just a beautiful experience we do this in conjunction with Ed bow with SOS and the citizens of the villages of Homestead they actually came out of their houses and gave us over there's about 220 toys this year and that all goes to the toy drive the little angels donated $1,000 to SOS this year for toys as well and I'm hoping I don't know if there's anything in the box back there now come on people come on come on come on bring a toy to City Hall Sharon just told me we haven't had any toys not one toy has anybody brought please an unwrapped unwrapped new toy if you see the faces of these children that these toys are handed out to it just breaks your heart so please do that and and if you can't bring it here bring them to the police station cause somebody will come pick them up we'll do whatever it takes to get in there I want to also mention that their seminal theater is having a Dickens Christmas and it's going to be this Wednesday night December 8th from 7 to 9 p.m. at Main Street Cafe $25 you can dress up in Victorian attire if you choose and if I don't sell these tickets Linda Fagan is going to kill me so it's a it's a true Dickens Christmas they have all kinds of entertainment they're gonna have tours of the seminal theater $25 come out and have a good time let me see if I got everything last but not least of course I want to compliment Vice Mayor Bell she is the Athena Award winner for the city of Homestead I we now share a sisterhood I've happen to have won that award in the year 2000 and it's a great honor and it's a privilege and Linda you should be very proud of yourself congratulations Thank You mayor Thank You Councilwoman woman Councilwoman garner let's get a nice very nice I thought you were just saving the best for their today I I took a walking tour of Flagler Avenue and it was a lunchtime lecture series and it was very fascinating and I would encourage every anybody to participate the lunchtime lecture series you don't realize how rich in history this city is and that was really great and then raced from there to the street naming ceremony for Jerry Underwood who was very active in the agricultural community and that was also a very nice event and I would echo councilman Porter's comments about what it takes to get anything done with this County which brings me to the EF VD and tomorrow we are all did you like that little caveat little entree right into that we're all headed there as many people as possible we're going to the County Commission chambers tomorrow morning for a 9:30 a.m. Commission committee meeting and this is a do-or-die meeting it either it either goes or it's gone it's really a going going gone so hopefully the commissioners the house will let it go out of committee and let it go at least let it go for a vote before the full commission and that's simply all we're asking at this point and when when our attorney Richard said that you know this is County in a County Home Rule Charter and it's it's the job of the county to put the signs and it's also the job of the county and the school board to build schools but when they don't do what they have to do what they should do we need to do it and so we're trying to be very proactive again and there was an article in the neighbors section on the on the EF PD which with some positive and negative comments on the EF BD and Councilman laws in our wrote a very very good article on the EF BD for less for this month's home town to be an article so please read it I've also done a complete explanation to the News Leader a little while back explaining it and it's really quite simple and if anything has any further questions on it and quite frankly the arguments against it just that they really they're really bare no wait they hold no water but you know there always has to be people that are opposed to something and what's ironic I always like if you're going to be a post and have the solution for us have an answer for us but there are no other solutions and so you know just hopefully anybody who can come in the community please please participate I know we hoping as many people on council can attend as possible I also wanted to say that at the little angels reception which was really really nice I got to see Brittany do Levitch who was a little girl who had the brain aneurysm and she is doing so well and she was a and I've known her and her family through homeschooling in the homeschooling Network and so she's doing really really well but it can reoccur again at any time so please keep her in your prayers one more thing December 17th 18th and 19th 7:30 p.m. at the Harris Field Barden pavilion our church and another Church in the community is presenting journey to the manger free of charge to the entire community it's a dramatic musical to musical drama on Christmas at Harris Field and we're looking forward to as a matter of fact one of our city's finest police officers Vaughn grant he's our he's our music leader along with Allen caves who teaches at Coral Reef and is also very active in the community so it looks to be a very good presentation come and bring your families and also I'm very very grateful that we've gone through PBA negotiations and very happy that I think you know from what I hear it came it went very very well and I'm very happy about that I also wanted to personally thank chief role for attending to some of my knees and questions from different members in the community on the east side thank you for your answers for these people in the community I really appreciate it and that's it mayor thank you Thank You vice mayor let me just reinforce eyes to the council how critical it is that we show up in numbers tomorrow morning at 9:30 and I know some of you may have conflicts but getting the ear through that committee is critical we would have to start all back over if we don't get it done and that's very very important so if your schedule allows you we would like to go there with the United Front so if all seven of us can be there tomorrow it will show certainly unity but show that we are all behind this effort and encourage the committee to move it forward so if you could be there in the morning we'd really appreciate it councilman Gardner Thank You mayor I'm pleased to report that Keys Gate charter school now has school zone signs it's only been what eight months thank you to public works and development services for helping me out and all the residents who made their complaints thank you supporting me the mayor's Youth Council will be meeting next Monday the 13th at 7 p.m. and as mrs. Waldman talked about the breakfast with Santa they will be volunteering there and look for them in their reading angles and those polos are courtesy of mo from LUMO print and I'll continue thanking mo publicly and if anyone else wants to sponsor the team go ahead and send us some money and I'll say your name - that's it Mary thank you Thank You councilman Gardner and I have just a few items one is the ratification of the appointment of Webb and Bill chambers and mr. Koo DeLeon to the homestead Housing Authority's Board is there motion vice mayor bill second by Councilman Porter in the comments all in favor say aye aye holds and I would also ask Richie that we could take a look at the existing ordinance dealing with the board to see whether we could expand the birth to seven members because I know chairman Alger are requested the appointment of two individuals that I think we're highly of and if there's a way we can add them to the board I'd like to see that happen I had an opportunity last week through mr. Steve Sapp to meet with a Chinese delegation from Xu Rong China they were here at City Hall and last week I think it was Tuesday evening of Wednesday and the gentleman name is mayor Lou Wong youth who was the mayor of the city of Shu Wong and they are here to work without farmers apparently there's some technique that the Chinese uses and their vegetable crop that allow them to say grow tomatoes twelve months out of the year in China where we can't do that here and they are willing to extend or help us implement this technique and this mayor represent about 1.5 men people live in a city and they have the largest vegetable crops in the world and I just want to mention to the council of course the mayor said that we all are welcome to a city on the 20th of April of next year they have a world we are the world they have a world vegetable fair there and Xu Rong and certainly have extended an invitation I said well of you all pay for it I'm sure some of the councilmen together but it was a fascinating meeting and I'll just pass around something and of course he left a very nice gift I just wanted to share that with you but it was a very interesting meeting but they have this unique technique and Steve SAP was excited about it because he was saying that if we can implement this technique that they will certainly they could certainly compete with the Mexican import of tomatoes and other vegetable in United States and probably increase their production 5-10 times there's a professor FIU that was is the liaison and what we're hoping to do what the farmers are hoping to do is to get a research grant from the state and the people Republic of China is willing to match that grant to bring somebody farmers here to teach our farmers how to do this so it was very interesting meeting for about two hours but I was excited about it and very eloquent charismatic mayor from Siwon I was he was very nice let me also say mr. Porter on the coke code enforcement initiative the presentation you made a couple of weeks ago I would ask that you take a look at it the manager gave me a way of probably funding this thing if we we met out with the with the with the contract negotiation we should have some monies available to probably implement that did you take a look at that again and probably get what Elena and the manager if there's money left from the negotiation we made that could be a way of funding the request from the chief and captain Chong with the code enforcement we need to move on it and I'll ask you all to do that we'll call that meeting right now mr. manager tomorrow and the other thing I'm just chief and mr. manager I know chief IV years ago with major Hebert mill and there was some other in the department we had up and I'm just throwing this out I'm not asking you to do it but I'm asking you to get with the council report I would like for you all to take a look at it a second time and that is the reimplementation of the SWAT program that you had two years ago and I have a reason for saying it and I'll share that with the manager and the chief at some point but but some response units some specialized unit in the department even if is not smart and I say that because I'm I know in many occasions we've asked for assistant from the County they've not shown up and we had an incident today to be to be honest with you so I just think that if I can be called with with major haver email and chief Iver and others that it was one of the top SWAT program in the state of Florida and well-respected the point that we were training other agencies and I would ask mr. Porter you would just take a look at it and it was not cost prohibitive see how we could probably phase it in at some point and that's all I have this evening again I too would like to join my thanks to councilman Waldman for the tree lighting the city tree lighting program and something too mr. Shriver in the Main Street group for just doing a first-class job with the tree lighting downtown it was a lot of people there we just need to do we need to do more of that in Homestead it was the first class on program mr. Shriver thank you very much mr. Porter I forgot I apologize mayor but I've noticed there's a lot of extra Metro Dade bus traffic in the community and it's got I mean I'm not a hundred percent sure but it's got to be from the people's transportation plan and the additional half penny sales tax dollar but I'm not sure that many people in the community may know what's going on the services that are being provided I know in the villages of Homestead I've never seen of public transportation bus come through there but now on a regular basis they are so if it's a service that's being provided and no one really knows about it maybe we need to take or I'm sure the county has done some sort of a position to try to advertise this but I've never seen anything so maybe could staff someone staff take a look at and see if there's a mechanism or some information out there that we could find out if they're gonna run these buses through the neighborhoods at least someone that might need them would at least like to know what they're doing because I haven't seen very much ridership on the on the buses but I've seen a lot of additional buses that have never been there before I may be the only one I don't know up and down in the villages I know they put up a lot of beautiful bus stops and I have now seen buses moving through there so if you don't like buses in the neighborhood they're there if you want to ride one it'd be nice if you knew where it was going so I just like to see if we could find out what what mechanism is out there to tell people about it thank you Miss Porter thank you public comments are welcome at this time any public comments yes sir give us your name and address for the record yes my name is Reverend Wilfredo ser Rivera and I'm a resident of 15:11 northeast 11th Street oh yeah you know I am one of these people that made a good choice and that good choice was to move to a beautiful place like homestead after living for many years in series like Camden New Jersey where I was involved with the community Cleveland Ohio I was a chaplain with the police department and the city of Chicago where I lived for 20 years and I was also involved with the community really it is a great pleasure to be here and I want to say good evening to all of you mr. mayor members of the council and the community because when I moved to this city I you know I heard so many bad comments about it I really to this day are really proud that I made a choice to move here with my family I got three grandchildren and today it was the only day to be honest with you that I feel really scared because the Enable came to me from across the street and told me that not many years ago somebody did get killed right on the yard where I purchased my house 15:11 office 11th Street and I was a little disturbed by the comment made by the neighbor that someone from I get this department I wrote a letter to mr. or rather that I spoke to the Office of Public Works Department Cassie Cathy Sorensen and they sent me this letter stating that they were going to consider issue in the four-way stop on 15:11 Street first of all we I'm here I do not have any community members here with me yet let me tell you something I already between Saturday and today a hot spot into at least 15 of them they are all pretty upset as I am NOT with you they are happy because they understand that they there is no as I heard Authority in the city of home stable let me tell you one thing you might not have authority but you have power and the novelist the people that elected you to those chambers to these chambers those are the same people that do elect people I most and Cathy and they both so they will be hearing from me tomorrow because today I think I hit the pinnacle when I heard about that death because they unfortunately comment that was made to my neighbor was although you know that it takes at least three people to die before they consider a stop sign I held a from a second person and I cannot swear that this is the truth but from listening to all the members in the community they say yeah I heard that before like you have somebody to say it to six people in one corner to die before they consider a stop sign and I don't believe like I said I grandchildren I'm sure the many of you are grandparents like I am and I don't think none of you and none of you guarantee that would like to be the first deaf for them to consider a stop sign of 50 11 nor face 11 streets so I'm here to really ask you with all my heart and most of you a favor you know you are a console with a lot of Palawan as I said you may not have authority when mr. porett and I'm so thankful to him because he did responded to me real quick when I call his office and I was healing so funny that he has a his home phone because I remember in Chicago and other places that I being it doesn't work that way you have to go through a lot of people before you talk to important people like you so again I really that really makes me really know as I am to be arrested in a homestead and I say this with all my heart I could have chose I could chose in any other place but we chose homestead we loved it we liked it my wife and I and the family they live here with us we want to make it our permanent home auntie their Lord decides otherwise so again I really wanna encourage all thank you thank you for I see that mr. Porter do have your support but I hope that if any resolution get some of this council chamber to the economic commissioner that I have the full support of all of you because like I said that I want to close with that you may not have the authority over then but you have taken all of the people are one of those and the other 15 that I spoke to this week that are willing to write for a petition called public meetings and invite those officers I do not think that would be necessary after I came here tonight so I want to thank you all good night to Overland we look forward for you know better things to happen on 11th Street thank you thank you very much [Applause] any other comments from the public my name is Mary Collins and I live at two to six nine South East 27th right Center gate right outside the Charter School and I stand tonight to thank miss Gardner and the city staff for getting those signs our bet was we'd have them by Thanksgiving well that kind of went by the window if we do have them by Christmas and they are there but one thing I would like very much for the city and the the the council as well as the employees we still have a problem on palm whether the school wants to admit it or others there is parents that are actually stopping in the middle of the road on palm picking up their children instead of doing it right in front of the school so we need to look at maybe extending the 15 mile an hour speed sign or figuring out a way to put no stopping signs or something and enforcing them on pom because we're looking for a major accident with the more construction that we have on pom these kids are it's just an accident waiting to happen with the parents just nonchalant stopping wherever but I do want to thank you and yes it's a lot quicker than the city of Homestead that it would have been in Dade County and thank you thank you any other comments good evening I'm ed Powell and I mean I'm Mary's neighbor we share palm drive together two things I haven't heard any mention about the terrific weekend we had called race weekend to me there were a hundred thousand people and I live pretty close to that racetrack and other than a couple of little hours maybe Friday night trying to get home the rest of the weekend with a little bit of planning when when you're going the opposite direction of the traffic flow you can get in and out pretty easy and I want to compliment the the police the people that actually set up the flow patterns we got in we got out two days without any trouble with a little bit of planning and Sunday night returning on Palm Drive as all the traffic was coming out we came to Kingman and they saw our little resident sign on the MIDI mirror in immediate least that they stopped traffic led us in and we were home so that worked very well I think for a little bit of inconvenience people who live in keys gate if you plan your couple of days it's worth it and you can work around that traffic situation and I think it worked pretty nicely the last item mr. Lesnar had commented about the kind of the growth that need a little for sale signs that had kind of sprouted up around homestead and particularly coming off find a Campbell off the Turnpike you'd have these little signs up that you know two little wires and a flap reason they say this unit for sale and though seem to have disappeared and whether you're actively you know going after those developments that's that a responsible you know Westbrook had all kinds of advertisements I don't see those anymore so hopefully the city is doing a diligent job of going after those and removing those signs that's all I have thank you thank you sir John Burgess southeast thirtieth Drive 655 just one other thing with the school zone over there that we have and I've called the police officers attention to it that are they're working in the morning and I understand that they're volunteering and they're not getting paid so they're not really enforcing anything but you have two lanes that come down on Kingman and in front of the school the parents have taken upon themselves to turn from both lanes into the school so if you're trying to get through there in the morning you can't I've called over and talked to a female lieutenant I can't recall her name right now twice she's put me onto a traffic officer and nothing's been done about it so I just want to say that although a school zone has been put in and that's great there still needs to be a lot of work done over in that area Thanks thank you because I'm gonna say that the issues that are brought up about some one part chief the issues that are when someone parks in the middle of palm drive that's an enforcement issue and and you know obviously some of the other issues out in that area or enforcement issues so obviously there's concerns out there so from an enforcement side of the issue we need to take a look at that because I agree palm drive is not a place to stop in the middle the road and most of those areas where they're stopping they're cutting you're coming out of a turn so can we we'll bring that up in the next meeting I know you and I talked about having a meeting in the next few days so those are enforcement issues that we need to take a look at no no and myself but that's what I'm saying you're the chief and those are enforcement issues and we'll definitely take a look at that new guy mr. right councilmembers just two people have mentioned the school and the parking traveling for the record Steve Scheiber 47 North Chrome we are working with the school met with the principal and in donating a right-of-way that will allow more stacking as you come into the property instead of having the exit off of an only entrance on Kingman you'll be able to go in and out from Palm as well so you'll have a lot of stacking lane that you can go internal to the property that should solve the problem but we're still working on that we'd like to be able to do that over Christmas holiday over the Christmas break we've been asked to do it quickly if we're going to do it and we're gonna actually pay for the road as well so there should be some relief from that good Thank You mr. Sarver any other comments from the public any other comments from the public if not thank you all very much for coming meeting adjourned [Applause]