##VIDEO ID:UtD1_TLfAlY## n [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] he [Music] [Music] for [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Laughter] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] he he [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] for [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] please take your seats the meeting is about to begin remember to speak into the microphone as this meeting is being recorded for public record please stand by we are going on air in 5 4 3 2 1 for today and we are all budget related I'm going to turn noar city clerk to make any uh necessary announcements thank you mayor during this hybrid commission meeting the city commission is physically present and the commission chamber at Miami Beach City Hall 1700 Convention Center Drive third floor the public May attend the meeting virtually however members of the public wish to attend the meeting or provide public comment in person may appear at the commission chamber to participate and provide comment virtually during the commission meeting the public may join the meeting by visiting the Zoom app on their smart device or on the web at zoom. us or by telephone at Eric code 305 2241 1968 305 2241 1968 the webinar ID is 813 928 576 71 pound again 813 928 576 71 pound members of the public wanting to speak virtually on an item during the meeting must click the raise hand icon if using the Zoom app or press Start n on the telephone to raise their hand um there are some addendum items that we need to make a determination at some point as to the addition to the agenda thank you so much before we get started on the first item I just want to thank my colleagues here and our city Administration there is a tremendous amount of work that goes into balancing a budget which is statutorily required by the state to balance our budgets as a city uh commission unlike the Federal government and a lot of work goes into doing that I'm also proud if you look at the budget items and I mentioned this last time that we are prioritizing Public Safety cleanliness really the issues that our residents are are impacted mostly by this is um by and large a a very good budget and I think something our residents can be proud of our resident feedback and surveys have told us what's important and this addresses that with um policing Sanitation educational initiatives um being responsive to our residents um so I I'm very proud of it it's a lot of substance you can go through it and see that there's a lot of substance we're trying to get rid of the the fluff items and um I'm proud of this budget for one and and everyone here who's helped put that together I do want to acknowledge our chair of the budget and finance uh committee meetings where a lot of this happens on a monthly basis in subcommittee um so take it away Joe thank you Mr Mayor and thank you to my colleagues and our staff uh we're coming to the accumulation of a long budget process that is one of the most important and consequential things that we are going to do as a collective body uh there's no greater responsibility for a local government than deciding uh where you're going to tax what you're going to tax and where those dollars are going to be allocated uh a local government we have no ability to raise money through any way other than taxing so any money that we spend is a result of taxes that are placed on either our businesses our residents so this is an incredibly Monumental task and uh as the mayor pointed out it really shows where the priorities of our city are and I for one I'm proud of the budget we're putting forward I'm proud of the work that my colleagues have done throughout the year I'm actually glad just in the past couple of days uh we've received uh dozens of emails uh some of us about the millage rates and even keeping the millage rates uh collectively as they are how could result in um you know high costs for some of our residents particularly those that are rent and why I'm glad that we received those emails is it really puts life into perspective that the decisions that we're making up here especially when it comes the finances and taxes have a direct impact on every single resident of our city and whether it be spending a dollar a million dollars or hundred million doll all of that should be taken with uh an incredible amount of gravity and consequence and uh I think collectively that's what we're doing and I look forward to doing that going forward so thank you Mr May I'll turn this over to you uh r7h sir r7h is refrain increasing parking rates to registered residents it is a resolution it's not every day you see uh all seven of us sponsor legislation and very quickly uh so we got a lot of emails basically uh a city commission back in uh 2009 I don't think anybody on this commission was actually active then if I'm I'm not mistaken uh passed uh basically a parking increase that would double for residents uh basically October 1st of this year we uh we quickly as you see uh sponsored all collectively this uh resolution to overturn that do I have a motion I motion is this a public common item it is not I make motion if you can reach out to us separately it would it would be appre because otherwise it it's going to start getting out I appreciate it Mitch though I make the motion a second a motion and a second from commissioner Suarez any discussion may we take the vote all in favor please say I it's unanimous 70 the item passes let's call r7g r7g is approved Public Safety appreciation day as additional holiday effective October 25th 202 for I'll turn this one over to our city manager Eric okay thank you very much Mr Mayor uh this particular item is something that comes on the heel of the state declaration uh of I believe it's um it's not Public Safety it's [Music] uh it's called law enforcement appreciation day um and then more recently the county has adopted a public safety appreciation day that is um recognized every year in May as a opportunity for the county to recognize all of their Public Safety professionals uh we were approached by our collective bargaining units our firefighters and police unions and they asked for consideration for incorporating this into their next round of contracts we felt that it was reasonable for us to be on parody with the county for the inclusion of this public safety appreciation day and we have as is generally the case we have recommended that if we're going to accept a new um holiday that we make that holiday uh Citywide so this particular item is being presented for your consideration ahead of the uh contracts being adopted because the current contract expires September 30th of this year and this proposed Public Safety appreciation day would be the fourth Friday of October which would effectively be October 25th of this year before we would have the opportunity to ratify the contracts on octo October 30th presented for your consideration and uh I hope your favorable recommendation any comments motions somebody want to move it or if not then we move on second I have a motion from vice mayor for is seconded by commissioner magazine if there's no discussion may we take the vote if so all in favor please say I I motion car any opposed no All Passes 70 r7g r5a yes sir R5 is an ordinance of the mayor and City Commission of the city of man Beach Florida by amending chapter one of the code of the city of Mani Beach entitled General Visions by amending section 1-15 entitled fee schedule by amending appendix a thereof to repeal automatic 5-year Consumer Price Index adjustment to parking rates and provide for repealer of ability codification and an effective date this is a first reading well it's sponsored by all seven of us anybody want to make the motion let's call the vote commissioner bot yes commissioner Suarez yes commissioner magazine yes vice mayor Fernandez yes commissioner Rosen Gonzalez yes commissioner Dominguez yes mayor Miner yes motion carry second reading public hearing is scheduled for October 30th that was item R5 uh r5h r58 sorry r7a r7a is a resolution of the mayor City Commissioner of the city of B Beach Florida adopting one to final ad the Loring millage of 5.85 22 Mills for fiscal year 2025 for General operating purposes which is N9 9 and 610 per more than the roll back rate of 53395 Ms and The Debt Service milit rate of 0.295 n Ms this is a second reading public hearing it is item r7a got a motion I'll second if there's no discussion on r7a I have a motion by commissioner fernande vice mayor Fernandez seconded by the mayor all in favor please say I I any opposed wait I had something that I wanted to say I mean this all went so quickly it's on the final budget correct um PJ can you please pull up my Pres presentation first and foremost I congratulate everyone on this budget a few things were said at the last meeting I need to clarify this before we move on um and it's not in the spirit of making our meeting a circus it's in the spirit of basically clearing my name because I was very upset and a gas at some of the things that were said and actually um Mr Mayor you actually requested this so um there were some things said said about the tickets and travel budget which I feel like is going to become some sort of issue in the future so very calmly I'd like to just move forward P can you go to the next slide please was very upset over not getting any kind of answer about my ticket the next slide please can you play that PJ please what happened to it we move on so anyway I was told that I could not attend and it's not in the spirit of making our meeting a circus it's in the spirit of basically clearing my name because I was very upset and aass at some of the things that were said and actually um Mr Mayor you actually requested this so um this isn't what the there something said about tickets and Trav which I feel like is going to become some sort of issue in the future so very confident what's going on SL please it's very I was told that I not attend Jewish Community Services event it was $ the next slide pleas can you play that we're having some technical difficulties so everybody could be patient because I put a lot of work into um this presentation we move on so anyway I was told that I could not attend and it's not in the spirit of making our meeting a circus it's in a spirit of basically clearing my name because I was very upset and a gas at some of the things that were said and actually um Mr Mayor you actually requested this PJ this is not what my presentation says this is not what my PowerPoint says if you'd like to hook into my computer so that we can go with my version of the PowerPoint that's fine but whatever is happening here um it's comical because this is not what I said can can until they fix the whatever presentation can we move on to our to the next item please no I I like this is very important to me and I don't I mean I spent a lot of time I don't understand it's basically pushing play that's what we pardon the interruption but um this is what we receive it was not altered in any form well you know what then I can play mine right here and if that um if that's better um I'll just play it on mine and then we can move through the slides differently here is actually what was said let's play this so anyway I was told that I could not attend this Jewish Community Services event it was $50 per ticket um I think we had a whole actually we have a whole thread you can go back and you can check it we have it in black and white um why don't you bring it up as a slide why don't you bring it up as an okay so the mayor asked me to bring it up as a slide can I please have my PowerPoint presentation up again and I'll do the AV myself if it's not working for for RAV which I find a little just okay so after this what I wanted to prove was that our office was given the runaround because I was told by the mayor that it wasn't true and to come up with some slides can we go to the next slide please first the mayor's office sent us this about the fact that our salaries are to purchase these tickets could you go to the next slide and then we received we kept reaching out to the mayor's office we were bounced around to the administration um every we kept like the the finance bounced us over to you know back to the mayor's office so we ended up in the legal department because I wanted to explain to everybody why this legislation came about in the first place could we please have the next slide did that anation okay so the administration sent us to the legal department um there's an extensive email chain to prove it I wanted to show this because I remember that Jason couldn't remember any of these emails there are many of them and I'm not blaming anybody for this I just want everybody to understand that the legislation that I created was because I couldn't get an answer from the administration I couldn't get an answer from uh from the mayor's office so I had no recourse but to finally get a solution by creating the resolution which by the way we voted for unanimously next slide should I go to my own is this going to work this time or should I just can we please have the next SL okay here we go I many charity events that I do not seek reimburse I don't even know what this JCS thing is but I pay out of my own pocket because and I'm not wealthy I am not a wealthy person okay so you said right there Mr Mayor can we have the next slide kind of framing me as though I'm looking to pay for tickets whereas you're not but when I went in and I did a public records request um you actually did have the city pay for many tickets and as did I and I don't think that any of us should be embarrassed about supporting nonprofits in our community but it's very disingenuous or cynical to tell everybody that you pay for all these tickets yourself when in reality uh the city is purchasing tickets for you just like they purchased for me and everyone else sure there was the conference of Mayors which was expensive and Tallahasse day days was an additional 1500 so additional 500 so yeah I think you know I think that there were a couple thousand dollars in tickets but there's nothing wrong with that I don't think we need to shame other with it shame each other with it and I think that um moving forward this shouldn't be a conversation anymore and I just had to excuse me for a second he never attended the US Conference of Mayors I'll I'll correct the thank you okay well I mean I got a public record request there was a credit card there was a charge why am I being interrupted by your Chief of Staff that's what I'd like to know okay so let let's move on when as I did this research okay here's another one can you go to the next slide it's really not effective I'm very upset that my AV isn't working but it's working on my PowerPoint so the bottom line is by the way let let's mention the taxpayers page for your trip to bosel Switzerland that I approved okay this I found very um offensive simply because uh the mayor insisted that can I have the next slide please then I got accused of going to boso where I was actually working and um what mayor Miner failed to disclose which was another disingenuous comment was that he sent his chief of staff who actually spent more money than I did at Basel 5,184 versus 4,188 by the way I went as an ambassador an elected official can you go to the next slide please um our bosel as we know um this is from the city's website but you can find it on bosel in several news articles has A4 to $500 million impact annually um so there is nothing wrong with any of us attending our buzzle I do not want anyone in the future to be concerned about an attack regarding our bosle and frankly the entire uh discussion about AR bosle and why you sent the chief of staff in the first place was because you wanted to send a video message to our welcoming luncheon with fosil and fosil actually said to you no we don't do that and you were so upset about that that you chose to send your Chief of Staff which was I don't care I I don't mind that you sent your Chief of Staff but to accuse me when you yourself sent a representative I just think that that's not mayoral could we have the next slide please and then here's the part that I feel is very germine to the entire conversation which is a 35% increase in the budget of the office and may mayor and commissioner primarily and staff that serve the mayor um I'm not going several items that I pass with the ticket and travel legislation with 75,000 I believe there was an additional um 105,000 for stien increases and there were but the but there is but what we do know and what my research showed is that six employees were added to the office of the mayor and commission that report directly to you no no other mayor um has needed to have that amount of staff and I think your staff is great and wonderful but you have swollen our budget and I think that that's a conversation that we need to have and I might entally vote against the budget because of it because there really was no extensive conversation and I finally last minute got the numbers on um the Entourage if if be on the the Entourage regarding um the numbers um of the car and the photographer and the security that you go around with and the Sergeant at Arms um under Dan gelber that cost was roughly $34,000 and I don't have this on the PowerPoint because it I literally got it uh last minute just so that all of you know under Jan galbert from November 28th 2022 to September 22nd 2023 the amount spent was 36437 Mr Mayor under your tenure that amount is tripled to $92,200 ticket or a simple uh legislation so that I don't get bounced around from one department or another and then get accused for actually going on a diplomatic um Mission which might be difficult uh for you Mr Mayor to understand when you yourself sent an emissary uh which spent more money than I did what I would like is an apology and after that I would like us to get down to business as a group I would like to be able to get along with you I don't want to feel like I am a Target um I'm extending an olive branch why because I think we have a lot of work in need to get done and by the way had had I done something like that to you you would have been so Furious um and right now I can actually thank you for finally number one not interrupting me for allowing me to speak and for opening up our microphone system I think that overall as a body we've done a lot of good work we have seen tremendous changes in the city we are seeing a cleaner safer city um you know we thank goodness we are blessed with property increases that allow us to continue to offer all of these supplemental items uh for the residents of Mii Beach and I think you'll see that whether it's programming or Capital Improvements you're going to see a more beautiful city um I don't want a circus I don't want this meeting to turn into a circus I feel at this point like I have cleared my name uh using numbers and facts and um and you know if anybody else would like to discuss the swollen budget of the office of the mayor and commission I welcome you to comment yes so so um first of all I want to apologize to our residents that I even need to spend time on this but I'm going to have to I and um I I as you acknowledged I let you speak and I'm G to have to unfortunately I do have to refute literally everything that was just said so if you go back and watch that meeting that the commissioner just showed you'll see that I was accused multiple times of having the city pay for a ticket to Jewish community services and not approving the commissioners first of all in theory that would be my right but I didn't do that I actually went to the event and paid for the ticket myself I paid for that ticket and by the way the commissioner made I believe was with amendments and the city can correct me 16 or 17 public records requests relating to the information she just shared with you on the PowerPoint including multiple requests on his Jewish Community Services because apparently when the city said they didn't have any record of it because I didn't ask for the money I paid for it and my own credit card which I have the proof of that as well so but but think about that 16 or 17 public records requests that is a lot of time that the city Administration needs to spend in looking and reviewing that requires city clerk City attorney that requires the CFO that is a lot of City time that you just saw put into that PowerPoint I didn't want to have to bring up Art Basel I I brought it up because I was accused at the meeting of of accepting of accepting a city uh payment uh for for this Jewish Community Services when I disapproved it and as commissioner Fernandez said very well last time our budget now our budget is a little higher because our commission approved it but our budget was very low in the mayor and and uh when when we inherited it from the past mayor I brought up the art basle because the commissioner based on what I'm being told I don't know this firsthand but what I was told is that mayor LaVine and mayor gilber disapproved your trips osle and I approved it so you're giving me a hard time about a $100 ticket to Jewish Community Services when art BOS I'm glad you went that's why I approved it obviously I wanted you to go you requested it um but but I I didn't understand why I was getting such a hard time of $100 ticket which by the way again I paid for uh of my own money that I was just pointing out that I wasn't disapproving everything that you were asking for but um anyway us Conference of Mayors by the way I did not unfortunately there was a conflict I did not attend that that is a membership fee that would be a complete embarrassment to the city of May beach if we were not members of the conference of Mayors literally every middle size city is a is a member of that Miami Beach needs to be that is a membership fee so that's $6,000 number that you threw there that is a membership fee that we pay annually uh for that I I did not attend that that conference I will also point out we're talking about yes I did add some positions to our May and commission's office by the way I will actually say to you residents I am very proud of that the reason we did that is I made the determination having been a commissioner for four years that there was there was more responsiveness that the mayor and Commissioner's Office could do that was not being done that needed to be done that our residents expected to be done and by the way you've probably heard it too I've had residents tell me they've lived there for 2530 years they've never had a mayor's office as responses of our office yes and it does cost some money but every is working you know everybody everybody's working and by the way it was a motion it was a it was a resolution from another commissioner we actually gave everyone here the ability to uh increase their staff so you all have the ability to add a second Aid all those six positions by the way are not directly reporting to me I mean technically everyone in the mayor's office reports to me but I do not and you know I don't even talk to most of the AIDS unless I see them and say Hello uh technically I think technically they report to me and they're under under they're under my budget but they don't report report to me um I will also add that there were a couple items that I voted no to that has significantly added to our city budget we as a body voted to increase the salaries and the expenses of this commission I voted no I voted no we last commission we voted to increase the shorten the amount of time that it takes to get a pension I voted no by the way that could have impacted me because you need F you needed five years before and I was running for mayor and I didn't know I was going to win obviously I'm not prophetic and I would not have gotten a if I lost that race but yet I voted no so there are increased expenses that I have voted no to by the way on the detail I will say this I don't know what the numbers are I I didn't have a chance I didn't even I didn't even know those numbers but I could tell you two things one I go to many events where there are I don't want to mention names but there are mayors of our surrounding that there is no detail with me I go solo and I've actually had those mayors and their lead detail tell me mayor you are making a major mistake you're putting yourself in Jeopardy you are a Target you're a very high-profile and I am very outspoken on certain issues that we could all know about I've actually had people put their hands on me I've actually had been threatened so it's I it's hard for me that I even have to justify the use of it but I don't again the I'll I'll take your word for it the numbers I don't even know but I could tell you that I do not I could technically have a detail 24/7 I do not I barely I use it mostly when I'm in large crowds and I also need to go place to place very quickly because at the beginning when I first became mayor I actually did not use it as much and unfortunately I was I was getting late to events because it's it takes time you got to get through and there's parking issues and I was literally driving myself but uh again even today though I was just at an event recently and the lead detail of a mayor that you all know the name told me mayor you're making a big mistake you're putting yourself and your city in Jeopardy by you not having a detail with you when you're walking here alone anybody else have anything else to say I I do I'm I'm actually I'm next in the queue okay that's fine that's fine I'm next in the queue thank you and while I'm speaking um I appreciate commissioner Rosen Gonzalez uh you being given the opportunity to respond to things that uh you felt were unfairly directed your way Mr Mayor I'm glad that you had the opportunity to respond in kind I'd like to make a motion move on to our next item we have a billion dollar budget that's uh being passed uh I want to take seriously the olive branch that was offered that we attend to the people's business we aired some things out and I do hope that we can all move forward as a collective body the number one feedback that I've received from residents is how happy they are not only the services provided but the leadership example we've collectively all set and I say we remain on that track so I hope I have support from my colleagues I second the motion thank you oh I get to rebut very quickly actually some things were said that would not true let me let me just one line I I let me speak I did attend oural under EXC me let me speak I look I I understand I'm in line to speak iation again and again and again so this is what this is how a commission is broken I want everyone to see that okay like this is this is a circus I didn't sign up for this okay I I went I knocked on over 5,000 doors I spent my own money on my campaign I didn't do I didn't sign up and went through all that hell to be on something like this and you know I I think it's clear here that there is a political campaigning going up here and I don't appreciate that I have a really good relationship with all of my colleagues including commissioner Gonzalez but I find it very offensive when there is campaigning going on on on live television in front of the world when we're dealing with a billion doll budget and we're bickering over I don't know maybe a couple thousand dollars when when when when I when I looked at the the data you know what my my expenditures were zero [Music] zero okay and I hope I hope that every colleague up here including commissioner Gonzalez has the same tenacity and same accounting Acumen when it comes to other items that we're going to be discussing today so I don't want this to come into a circus I want to get down to business I didn't sign up for a a a kangaroo commission and I want to make clear that I'm not going to stand for this this if if we are going to continue to have these meetings where there's campaigning going on yeah I I things are going to change and it's not going to be good because we are not going to sit up here and and entangle each other we're here to do business if you want a campaign you do it outside these Chambers let's call the vote so this is to move on if so we could do that by acclamation yep so it's uh so we're going back to item r7a for the record that was a public hearing I saw no one in Zoom I see no one in the audience therefore we're going to take the vote again all in favor of r7a please say i i r r7a passes 70 let's call r7b r7b is a resolution of the mayor City Commission of the city of May Beach Florida adopting the final budgets for the general geod Debt Service City Center RDA at vorm taxes North Beach C at valorum taxes Enterprise internal service of special Revenue funds for fiscal year 2025 this is a second reading public hearing somebody want to move it I I'd like to uh speak on a few items um there was uh a few last minute requests for uh funding and and let me let me let me preface this with you know over the last I guess 48 Hours we've been having a slew of emails related to uh the increase in in taxes and and unfortunately the burden is going to fall on the rent ERS of Miami Beach and when you look at the data 3 fifths of the residents of Miami Beach are renters they're not homesteaded so they're not particularly uh safeguarded by a homestead exemption for example and so I think while we're on the topic of of looking at expenditures and and bloting a budget especially a recurring budget um I I have an issue with the the Miami new drama $200,000 increase in recurring costs okay um we had series of Finance meetings uh none of which was this $200,000 was requested and this is going to be a recurring cost right now the city we give $500,000 a year to Miami new drama it's a great program but uh at the very last minute there has been a a request to increase it by $200,000 without going through the typical process of of a of a finance committee hearings that amounts to a 40% increase and I understand that the state has has severely cut the cultural arts budget but when you look at the actual data the Miami new drama was only getting 3% of the State funding which amounts to I think $770,000 so you know I I I I find it funny that we're we're we have colleagues up here who are very concerned about certain spending yet you know we are allowing basically uh an organization to come in very last minute and ask for an additional $200,000 recurring which is going to be very hard to bring down meanwhile increasing the cost to our our renters which is essentially our Workforce you know this sets a really bad precedent you know there's nothing stopping another organization from coming in and asking for the same for the same benefit um you know a $200,000 increase in from our uh general fund is going to look you know that's how we get to a billion dollar budget yeah you know one of the things that I always campaigned on is that the money that we're going to spend we should really be going to only three things it's Public Safety it's quality of life and it's sanitation and you know considering that our our property values are trending lower and our Resort tax is trending significantly lower I mean I think we have to start really taking into consideration you know what we what where do we need to cut back on and I'm not saying we need to cut them off completely but I think when you come at the last minute and you try to push this through uh through either a consent agenda or uh right before the budget hearings I think that's that that's not the process okay so um I think we need to have a lot of fiscal caution on this okay um we are trending down our property taxes are trending down our Resort taxes are are trending down and we continue to spend spend spend and we also have you know Commissioners up here that have said we're not going to we we're not going to increase F we're not going to increase anything to Spur development you know that's how we H have a rich city we we're going to have V Properties to assess so that we can afford these amazing things that we we'd like so um I I think uh I I I I think we should take a caution on that we're going to be setting a really bad precedent if if we allow this and I I'd like to see what my colleagues have to say about that commissioner bot yeah I would actually like to call L arante to correct the record on that just because I think you might be conflating different things my recollection I do have a terrible memory which is why asking is that to be my external hard drive is that the new world uh excuse me the um Miami new drama ask came months ago and was an adjustment to um a contract in line with what other organizations are receiving and is um unless you're talking about something else but that that's my recollection uh good evening Mr Mayor Commissioners uh thank you commissioner bot the Miami new drama item came I believe at thank than you can you hear me now the Miami new drama item came I believe during our first uh no during our budget Workshop so it it did not go through FK it was heard it was I don't I don't even believe it was on the agenda um and then that's how it kind of came into this process so but it it came through the process in a in an acceptable way because that was the guidance I was given months and months and months ago if if I can I think it might be better to speak to it uh it was brought up in the July uh one of the July budget workshops on the operating budget it was brought up on on the floor um so it didn't go through um kind of the longer process where it would get a referral it would go to FK for discussion go back to commission to make a budget priority but as is uh does happen it happens at the uh Capital One we have in June the operating one in and even at the first hearing there are adjustments that are made up uh made at the floor were items that hadn't been heard at FK yet or hadn't uh been discussed at all yet can't can come up so it it that does happen and do the funding for this comes from Resort tax reserves uh no the the $200,000 additional recurring it was coming from the general general fund uh recurring taxes and do we have any information about how much money um Miami new drama generates for the city in terms of economic impact I'll leave that to as that we also have um can hear you Nick Richberg here from Miami new drama that can speak to that and they did do an economic impact study uh earlier this summer where they shared uh the total economic impact is about 10 million from The Colony theater and Nick if you can speak a little bit more to that sure Nick Richberg my me drama uh your point is very well taken commissioner um we're extremely cognizant of the sensitivity around the use of public funds especially when it comes to the Arts organizations of the city um as we said in the first uh budget hearing that it was heard at we take uh ownership of the timing of this it was very important for us to bring a fact-based approach to this request um specifically in the form of the economic impact study that we commissioned uh which showed what we already knew anecdotally which is that the activity at the colony generates uh a powerful economic driver for Lincoln Road in the city $1.2 million a year directly to the businesses of Lincoln Road $150,000 a year in parking and and uh and tourist taxes $5.3 million in direct Labor uh injection and a total of $10 million in economic impact to the city GDP that's a 1300% Roi on the newly recommended levels uh that came from the staff review of this when they were directed to review it uh from that St Lev study or was this a was this a study commissioned by the Miami new drama this is an independently commissioned economic impact study using the firm that the city uses uh Miami economic Associates which the city itself has used many times who paid for the who paid for the study Miami new drama did as as as is usually the case with organizations trying to make the case for increased funding so um we certainly take your point though on process it's something that we certainly would aim to incorporate uh in the future and future contract uh development and negotiations I hope that we can agree on the merits of the uh and the need for the uh and just and just to speak to that and look again I'm I'm not saying that it's not necessary but the fact that we didn't go through the regular process and we didn't have a robust discussion and then you know I I I am not uncomfortable with that and I'm not going to vote on this and and and and so um I think you know there's a certain process it's funny because what I've realized in government is that there really is a reason for everything and as cumbersome as it might be I I can I can appreciate it a lot more now especially when it comes to money because it's not our money it's our taxpayers money and I think we'd be setting a really bad precedent if if you come in at the last minute and ask for a 40% increase you're getting you're going to be getting $700,000 a year from taxpayers and whether your whether the study is Justified or not I I think when you go through uh sort of the Hail Mary approach on trying to get this passed that doesn't sit right with me because they really is no public input you know there really wasn't an opportunity for the public to weigh in I mean I I know like Mitch novic over there be he'd want to come in and and and and and talk about you know why how do we justify an extra $200,000 when we're already paying $500,000 so um and look I I I I don't want you to take this as a sign of disrespect I am doing my duty as an elected official I'm doing my due diligence and when I see that there's not really a uh there wasn't a for such a considerable amount of money we we we did not go through the the regular process for such an amount it doesn't sit right with me and um I I I I would like to see if my colleagues would agree to stick with the original um allocation of only $500,000 for for this for this uh line item if I could ask a question uh I think I heard correctly that this was budgeted and then it's recurring it is it's an amendment to the management agreement so would there be the ability to essentially maybe this is the question for the CFO to bifurcate that where we approve this as a one-time funding and you know absent robust public discussion we bring back the recurring nature of that uh through the more robust process going through the fur committee and things like that so essentially could we bifurcate it where we do onetime uh allocation and then for uh you know to go forward on a recurring basis it goes through a more robust process I think you have two ways of attacking this this is listed as a recurring uh this is just from the budget perspective the commission will have on the October 30th agenda the actual contract which would need to be ex you know approved by commission and then executed that would allow for that payment to happen uh so if there's interest this could be moved from a recurring to a one time for FY 25 and then there would have to be a discussion at the October 30th commission that the you know the contract Amendment terms would have to be uh amended to have it for one year or something along those lines if I can just make some comments uh on this go ahead clarification I'm sorry could could you just could you just um explain other over the years other um um examples of items that were handled this way because my understanding was the only reason this didn't go through the normal process was because the study was coming a few days later and we were going to run out of time to have any conversation about it and so I can't believe that this and I know for a fact that this year we've had other items come to the floor in a less conventional but appropriate way to do this my understanding is that um there are I don't remember if the the budget meetings are public I think they are um this is a an adjustment that has been should have been done a couple of years ago but hasn't been to keep up with the costs and you know we have a lot of items and I and I share your concern about um you know maybe things that we can defer or instead of getting four of whatever we can get two this year and get two next year but this this is a this is how how a business can plan to move forward so to do it as a one-time um item because the timing didn't coincide between what they were trying to accomplish and what our schedule was and so we brought it forward as in a what I was given guidance on is a perfectly acceptable way to bring this forward in May I think it was May or June whenever the the budget retreat was which means we've had months to talk about it I'm I'm just not sure why of all the many things that we are trying to do here collectively to make this a better City this is a relatively small uh impact when there are others that you know we're talking about hiring three um neighborhood officers which I think we all agree is a great idea and and maybe we hire one this year and one next year and one that the year after you know so if you could address that I would appreciate it no problem commissioner yeah this how this came up was from what my recollection was during the uh one of the July uh budget workshops it was brought up in the floor but it as you said is absolutely not a unicorn this is not a an unusual circumstance uh this happens every year at every step along the process where there are items that uh some sometimes there are items that have gotten referrals and they're waiting to be hearded FK but the timing is running out and commissioner might say hey I have an item that's at firk it hasn't been heard yet I really this is important and they make their case at any stage along the process the commissioner you know through as at the end of the day remember the budget is the most important policy document of the commission has the ability and the power to come up with an idea on the floor and say I know this hasn't been heard before through a committee process or such but I believe in this and this is an important thing to me and this is why and you just need a couple of other Commissioners to have that majority to have that added at the end of the day and and if if I may um you know I think when my colleague said you know we were waiting for the study clearly the study wasn't done by staff and it's not really our responsibility to to ask you to have the study in an appropriate time for a finance hearing so you know perhaps that was a foresight and that was just an that was an unfortunate set of events I I don't know if the the testing company or the the company that you hired um had difficulties and giving it in on time but it's not our responsibility to make ensure that you have it on time uh for for the regular process and again this is yes we you know there was a comment that is is a small amount of money $200,000 is still a lot of money to a lot of people I mean you know this is how we get to a billion doll budget by adding $100,000 here $200,000 here $300,000 here through our operating budget which is recurring because once we once we give it it's going to be impossible to take away you know once once once once that's given it it's almost impossible to to cut back and so uh you know I mean you see it at the state right now everyone is up in arms because they they cut State funding and if we ever did that everyone would be up in arms so you know I'd rather have the uncomfortable conversation now than later and be at a disadvantage and you know I I I'm going to stand firm I think if we're going to do the right thing for our taxpayers you know we need to make sure that we follow the process and and so look um I'm okay with a one time and making it not recurring uh and then you know perhaps the year after that we can have more of a robust discussion on um um on on the viability of the extra $200,000 but you know I'm I'm a no on just having this recurring cost especially when it didn't go through the process and and look I I understand Jason has said that this is this is sort of not a unicorn but this is my first rodeo and if this is how things are done I was just okay that's news to me so um I I think uh I think we just got to be a little bit more cautious with taxpayer money thank you commissioner um I'm just going to make a a few comments you know this is one of those things when we as a city are defining what we don't want to be and what we do want to be um you know Miami new drama is is perhaps one of the more notable the more known um artistic institutions that we have in in Miami Beach the promotions that you guys uh do uh throughout the region is so is so important and you guys are presenting worldclass Productions uh and at Miami new drama this is this is investing in more of what we want to be in our city um Mr CFO correct me if I'm wrong um this was discussed and recommended by the firk uh budget briefing of July 12 is that correct correct and Mr manager is the city Administration recommending uh this funding so the city Administration is recommending this funding as part of the final budget adoption for fiscal year 25 okay so I'm going to follow the recommendation of the finance committee I'm going to follow the recommendation of the city manager and the city Administration as as proposed on the budget regarding this and separately I'm going to follow the recommendation of what I'm hearing from the community the community wants to support arts and culture the community wants to step away from a different type of nightlife that has plagued our city in in the past and to step away from that we need to invest in what in what is the the the type of program we want to see and let's not forget the fact that this supports in addition to that the operations and the maintenance of a city-owned facility it's not that this is going just to a private organization with a privately owned facility these public tax dollars are going to administer to maintain and to program a public facility which we as a city have asked them to program on our behalf and so I see there being a legitimate and a necessary public purpose here to continue supporting this type of of positive programming which does enhance us you listen to uh public radio you hear the advertisement for and you hear Miami Beach mentioned in public radio you open uh the Spanish newspapers you see Miami Beach promoted in the Spanish newspapers because of Miami new drama you put on the Spanish news you see promotion for Miami Beach thanks to Miami new drama and you listen to our residents and our residents suppored so I'm proud to support it commissioner Rosen Gonzalez um I love Miami new drama and I attend the theater regularly but more importantly it's an anchor at a time when Lincoln Road doesn't have a lot of anchors I don't know what the 700,000 that we're going to be giving I don't know what percentage that is if your overall operating budget do you have that about 133% it's about 133% um until you know the renovations of Lincoln Road are the Capital Improvements are finished um you know I I don't see this as being um anything but positive for the community we need to support the theater you've seen the um increase uh in you know inflation and the cost like rising and I understand it I understand it I mean we have an increased this have we been have we ever increased it before and we initially gave it when in 2017 or 2016 yes when the budget of the company was $1.5 Million since then since 2019 operation costs of the facility have increased 56% our investment in in programming and operating the facility have increased 300% and the operating agreement the management agreement has increased 0% so I mean I'm fine with this we own this we own it in the sense that we own this theater on Lincoln Road we have a great relationship with Miami new drama this is the first time that they've ever come forward and asked for an increase they hopefully over time um they will generate oh you know more Revenue maybe you won't even need the subsidy at some point in time but for right now I'm willing to support the $200,000 additional recurring commissioner Dominguez thank you uh I too I'm willing to support I think that Miami new drama and Miami Beach does an excellent job you're an anchor there's new construction space that's coming you and I met several weeks back you had the whole deck and went through why uh this was something that was necessary um and I'm happy to support it commissioner bot can you tell us how many um how often it is for a regional theater to have a show created locally open on Broadway it's never happened from the state of Florida so and has it ever happened in the city of Miami Beach no and is it happening now uh yes a Wonderful World which was created and premiered at the colony theater is opening on Broadway on November 11th and in the program it will state that it was born at the colony theater in Miami Beach so for a commission um that is very unified in Shifting The Narrative of what Miami Beach is to include and incorporate and Encompass a broader range of things and which gets um earned media for things that are not our fault per se Bad actors doing crappy things and you know not making good decisions as we would say to our kids to get this amount of of earned media about a show opening on Broadway Broadway that was generated on Lincoln Road is it's immeasurable it is it is a far greater return on investment than I think you said 1300% 1 sorry 1300% um and to commissioner Rosen Gonzalez's point hopefully in the next several years we can actually you know decrease our our endowment of you because you won't need it anymore right so um I don't know if we need to make a motion on this line item or what what happens if we have a line item veto power but I would say I I respectfully hear what you're saying I got you I got you boo um and it's a good conversation but maybe not not on this particular and again I'm I'm you know I just I I think I just want the taxpayers to be involved and I think they I there should have been a longer discussion I'm just doing my due diligence you know I've been to Colony I I I saw the the play where it was um I think it was yes yeah and it was great I mean I it's a it's a great venue um it's lovely but I'm just doing my due diligence due diligence as an elected official and and and and and I don't feel comfortable at least not standing up and saying hey look you know we should be going through a process I'm okay with a one-time payment and then having you come next year going through the regular process and saying okay we would like to continue this $200,000 I mean are you willing to do that are are you okay with something like that we would like the recurring uh subsidy uh the management agreement is due for Renewal and renegotiation in two years time anyway and we'll beginning be beginning that process in January with staff but we would ask for the staff recommended $200,000 annual subsidy recurring please commissioner Fernandez thank you Mr Mayor vice mayor thank you Mr Mayor um and so let me ask you uh Nick um how many events uh does Miami new drama organize a year in the facility as per the contract sure um we're projected to have 175 uh active uh Nights At The Colony compared to uh before Miami drama took over the colony it was active roughly 40 to 50 nights per year and and that's that's about how many events those are active nights I know I know at one point the management agreement I think those are those are performances that take place in the evening those are performances so so let's see here that's uh let's see that's about $4,000 of performance how much uh is that Eric I don't know let's see here 700,000 divided by$ 175 yeah $4,000 all right let's take into consideration everything that we're asking Miami new drama to do with that money operational and administrative Services we're asking them to acquire Services equipment supplies maintenance of the of the property personnel management we're asking them to do Collections and building in addition to maintenance of of of the building long-term capital repairs repairing of of the AC of the roof uh electrical elevator this is all stuff that that Miami new drama has to do also tied to this money it's not just producing uh 175 nights and it's not just marketing and elevating the image of the city of Miami beach but with this $700,000 they're also maintaining a facility during doing repairs making sure that the building is properly staffed and equipped and so and so we just you know we just need to be mindful of that um is if you know I don't know if everyone has spoken on this from Mr Mayor I'm done with with my part um and you know again this is recommended by our city manager recommended by fer during the budget process and I feel comfortable at the manager recommending it yeah so my two cents uh first of I want to commend commissioner s it's not the first time you've actually brought up um a line item and I'm sure people can appreciate these budgets are quite lengthy um there's a lot going on and um you're you're a steward for our fiscal responsibility so I appreciate that you're pointing it out I do think I mean I I also appreciate what you're saying Jason it happens that things come up uh like that um it's not the best practice though I think we'd all admit that's uh there's a better way to do it and sometimes by the way it's it's it's not us even though it seems like it's coming from us obviously we get institutions reaching out to us we're trying to do what's right um but it's not best practices and I don't and I think we need to make that clear so we try to have a robust conversation discussion um we'll see we'll see what this body it seems like the recurring has the votes I I probably lean toward not recurring um so we could have a more robust discussion but um we'll see where it falls I mean I if I may mayor uh absent a motion to to amend the budget on that it would it would stand unless there's uh other items to uh bring up I'd like to make a motion to have the my new drama get a onetime $200,000 uh payment and then the next fiscal year we can have it as a a longer discussion for the taxpayers to discuss a recurring item I I'll second may I just ask you a question for clarification commissioner bot um Nick you said that the your contracts up in two years anyhow and so this is all up for renegotiation with plenty of time correct I there has been public input at the budget meeting in July it it came up no there was no that was a workshop it but it was a public meeting and there was a it came to firk and um did you come to FK yes the July budget Workshop is considered a firk meeting that's why it's led by the chair correct but that's not the normal process for an increase in the in the in the general fund budget I I've said my piece I'm not going to relitigate but I think it's Ros Gonzalez do we have a motion for so we have to vote on non-recurring correct yes okay so why don't we take that vote and see where that lands and what I can say to you if this passes right it's not my intention to not have this recurring I'll vote for it now and I'll actually make a referral to fera here right away uh so we can establish it as a recurring item so it's not my intention to have this as a oneandone thing I do think there's something to be said to having a robust discussion so uh if I vote for a one time that's not saying that is my finite capacity right it's saying let's get this in I understand that this process was bit uh different because um of the timing however my support for this is likely going to be ongoing um this will just give us the opportunity to have this as a recurring line item uh with a more robust firk process understood and by the way I I didn't preface it but thank you for all the work you do that my my statement is more of a process issue than the incredible work that you and your organization do so uh thank you for that and I my guess is I I think I'll support it too going forward but just for now that's that's what I feel Mr Mayor I just need to understand something I'm so sorry um so before we vote because process is is very important and I just want to be very respectful of the process and and and the Optics of something being brought last minute uh the consideration that all these things should be given because it is the taxpayers dollars and we have to be very mindful of that to Miami new drama what is the impact of this being a recurring vote today or a one-time vote today how does it affect your operations well I think as commissioner bot mentioned um organizations like ours budget uh and forecast far out into the future right we employ uh many many people to operate the colony theater those those expenses as I mentioned were the ones that have risen 56% um it just hampers our ability to plan to sign uh long-term contracts we're currently uh negotiating contracts 2 3 years out planning what events and Productions will take place at the theater two and 3 years out and even and even further than that so uh it does make that more difficult okay so I just for so for us this is a very big decision in essence that we are making as to as to what we want to vote for Miami new drama to be able to continue doing if we really want true quality investment and high caliber Productions to come into Lincoln Road at a time when we are potentially going to lose the movie theater at a time when we have high vacancy uh rates on on Lincoln Road at a time when we are about to lose Yardhouse on the on the west side of of of Lincoln Road you know this is a big decision do we want to invest in being able to allow Miami new drama not to make decisions about today the onetime funding helps them through today but it's about the projection the projection of them being able to do those long-term meaningful commitments that will help Elevate an area of our city that needs that needs this injection uh at at at the moment to me that's important that is incredibly important because we can invest on artwork temporary art installations on Lincoln Road we can invest on on putting the big planter instead of the Jersey barriers on Lincoln Road we can invest on putting um putting the children's instruments on on Lincoln Road we can invest on lighting for Lincoln Road but if Lincoln Road is is empty and lacks energy and the most important thing that we need on Lincoln Road is Artistic energy when I hear people talk about Lincoln Road they talk of a Lincoln Road of the day they talk of a Lincoln Road when there was energy Creative Energy artistic energy that flooded people talk of art studios and small businesses people reminisce of those beautiful days of Lincoln Road and one of the few remaining entities that we have on Lincoln Road that does contribute to that Heyday of Lincoln Road and that can bring us in any moment back to imagining that renissance of Lincoln Road in the presence is Miami new drama and so and so true to I believe should be the future and the type of investment we should be making in our city and the direction that I want to see our city going in I am going to support the recurring uh funding and and Mr Mayor if I if I may respond because you know at the end of the day I'm this is sort of my item um and I look I'm not saying that we're not going to invest in the future I'm not going to I I just think that we should have a process especially for a considerable amount of money where there's public input and it's going through the right stages um and and let's be clear like this 40% increase is to keep the status quo okay Lincoln Road right now it it is is is not where it was and I don't think um you know giving an extra $200,000 recurring is going to either make or break Lincoln Road I think there's way more important things that we can do to Lincoln Road to really enhance Lincoln Road um but you know my my argument is if that was the case it would have already happened by now and this isn't this isn't an increase for enhanced I guess uh uh programming this is this is to keep us where this is to keep in line with inflation and and and the lack of years of of budget increases that that you would have needed I just don't feel comfortable doing it at the last minute without going through a process and I know we had it at a July Workshop where typically I don't think there is public input okay I don't think there is an opportunity for people to speak about this in fact if I remember correctly the first time this was brought up I was not at the budget Workshop I was on zoom in like Costa Rica uh and I was listening to this and and I I thought it was strange that this is all of a sudden coming up at a workshop where there is no public input so again I mean look um I I think I the intent as you can see from all of us here is to we want to keep it going okay but it's not our responsibility to make sure that you have a study done in time for a process that everyone should be be held to so um yeah I I think we have a motion in a second can I just say one thing M Gonzalez I would like to make a second motion for recurring funding following the vote on non-recurring do we have to vote on this okay so we have so we'll have two votes um and also I I would just like to point out what is that that you know this is a last minute discussion on an item that is $200,000 on a billion dollar budget my item was a discussion about a million dollars on a swollen a million dollars in a department so everything matters my voice matters your concerns or you know your concerns matter and I don't think that grandstanding for what I think are political purposes is is healthy for any of us so to chastise and basically uh make some of us feel like we're immature is also wrong and I'm sure you don't like what I'm doing to you right now and the only reason that I am saying this to you is based on what you said to me earlier and now I'm giving you an olive branch too look I think I I I'll make one comment uh I'm going to vote in favor of the recurring funding but I'm also going to be uh very cognizant of what my colleague has brought up and uh introduced legislation that if any item uh going forward is added on at a budget meeting it's going to require a 57th vote to be included in that budget that's good if I may just help to facilitate the the motion I believe on the floor was to Move It from recurring to one time I think if that vote fails then the second vote is is not is a moot point because it would just remain as a recurring so I think would be the appropriate time to have that vote cler yes thank you for that clarification Jason yeah because it's it's in the budget already as a it's already in the budget so I think now would be the appropriate time for the vote commissioner Suarez has a motion and I and I second let's take that vote so this is for one-time payment a yes is for one-time payment all in favor please say I I I anyone opposed I four opposed all the nose were five opposed two two in favor so on that item it'll remain as a recurring can we take the take the vote on the r7b yes sir it is a public hearing I see no one in Zoom I see no one where the public Mr May Eric uh I apologize um I just wanted to make sure that everyone was aware as we're approaching um Breast Cancer Awareness Month uh we did pass a resolution in June of 2023 to allocate $50,000 of non-recurring funding and to try to find recurring funding for La Liga Contra cancer they provide a mobile mamogram service um but for whatever reason it is not included in the budget and I just wanted to highlight that because I do think that they've serviced over a hundred residents here in the city um with mobile mamogram services and they provide cancer screenings and follow-up care and I do think that they are somebody that we may want to consider um incorporating on a non-recurring basis just to make sure that they stay active in the city with their mobile mammogram I'll make the motion got it that sounds very worthwhile But Eric if can you just explain I'm a little confused this like seems I'm sort of surprised so so I apologize um yeah tell give us a little bit of the backdrop how this came up this is something that um we identified between the last meeting and this meeting as um something that probably should have been included in the budget but was left out and I wanted to just highlight this because we don't want to lose this valuable service if we don't have funding to keep them actively involved in the city how much is it it's 50,000 non-recurring I mean this is this goes to my point of like okay fine I'm yeah it's a non-recurring yeah it's non-recurring it sounds like a great it just non recurring I guess the problem is I don't know about my colleagues like we speak to the admin I speak to you guys every day it's like I'm hearing about this now if and and if I may if I'm recognized yes thank you we passed legislation I think it was in 2022 uh to incorporate this $50,000 uh on a recurring basis um it didn't make it onto the budget um as a as a recurring item and it was Cod afterwards uh we do um we do on a very frequent basis the mobile mammograms and then they also provide the follow-up treatment free oncology and free total treatment for uh uninsured patients that we have in the city um and I think it was I think it was an oversight that I believe it was your item commissioner that was put on the agenda um I have a June 2023 date for onetime funding but referral to the committee to make it part of the fiscal year 24 budget because there was onetime funding still available it didn't get incorporated into the fiscal year 24 budget and so it didn't roll forward into 25 they've now run out of that one-time funding that they had from before and we just don't want to lose them as a partner in the city and I apologize for the for the the lateness of no and I'm sorry to clay out on it and I I I trust you so and it sounds like a great great cause I mean I don't think there's any question about that I just and this I'm really piggybacking on what commissioner Suarez sort of started off with we really need to avoid these situations because we get we get caught like sort of like and we do our research I know commissioner Suarez does it maybe he would have had a PowerPoint uh I hope and again you know if if I if I may for the mayor I I think one time recurring payments there's a oneoff I get it but you know again my issue is that when you have something recurring you're never going to be able to scale that back okay it's just it's it's it's just that's just the reality of the situation so um I'm okay I'm okay with it I I think you know that that act that that goes to you know saving lives and I'm I'm I'm totally on board with that uh because God forbid we didn't pass that and they didn't come here and someone God forbid passed away because they didn't get a screening on time I I I'm not going to be able to live with myself so um I'm okay with that but again like the mayor said if there is an item talk to us okay you know I I this sort of like literally the last second that we're going to vote on this budget you're bringing this up I I think that's that's unprofessional my my apologies call a vote this if I made this it'll be a vote then as amended which for that one item so this is I had a motion from commissioner Fernandez to add the $50,000 can we do that by acclamation yes okay or the actual item I only had a motion from commissioner Fernandez I don't have a second yet second so a second from commissioner Suarez it is a public hearing again no one in Zoom no one in the audience on R 7B all in favor as amended please say I I motion carries 70 it was item r7b r7c r7c we are recessing the city commission meeting and convening as a board of directors of the Normandy Shores local government neighborhood improvement district r7c is a resolution of the board of directors of the Normandy Shores local government neighborhood improvement district adopting the final ad theore and millage rate of 0.778 night Mills for fiscal year 2025 for the Normandy Shores local government neighborhood improvement district which is 5 and 410 more than the roll back rate of 0.738 7 Mills this is a second reading public he hearing it is item r7c no change from the first public hearing I'm sorry no change from the first public hearing okay do we have a motion it is a public hearing I see no one in zoom and I see no one in the audience requesting to speak on r7c if there's no discussion may may I call the vote Yes all in favor of r7c please say I I I hear no one oppose item is approved r7c 70 r7d it is a resolution of the board of directors of the Normandy Shores local government neighborhood improvement district adopting the final operating budget for fiscal year 2025 it is a second reading public hearing r7d no change from the first public hearing vice mayor you moving it I'll move the I'll second this is a public hearing I see no one in zoom and I see no one in the public wishing to speak if there's no discussion all in favor please say I I hearing no one opposed the item is approved 70 r7d we are now concluding the meeting of the board of directors of the Normandy Shores local government neighborhood improvement district and reconvening as a city commission r7e r7e is a resolution of the mayor and City Commission of the city of Mi Beach Florida adopting the final Capital Improvement plan for fiscal years 2025 through 2029 adopting the adopting the city of M Beach final capital budget for fiscal year 2020 5 there is a second reading public hearing it's item r7e no change from the first public hearing vice mayor you're moving it I'll second this is a public hearing there's no one in the audience no one in Zoom requesting to speak if there's no discussion ple uh please say I if you're in favor of r7e I hearing no opposition item r7e is adopted R uh 70 r7f r7f is a resolution of the mayor and City Commission of the city of Mi Beach Florida adopting the final operating budget for the North Beach community redevelopment area for fiscal year 2025 this is a joint City commission and North North Beach community redevelopment agency item r7f any changes well this is the first time you're hearing the North Beach uh C budget it's increased by 573 th000 how much 573 and that's primarily because of the incremental revenues from um Miami day County and the C's budget What's the total budget it's $2.5 million commissioner bot so the increase in the budget is generated by success yes it's not asking for more money that is correct and the um it's the first time we're hearing it so does that mean we have an opportunity to do a little homework and ask some questions and then vote on it finally at a later date or this is the first time we're hearing it and one andone it's one and done yeah okay so you know we talk a lot about um bang for the buck and return on investment and um how small dollars thoughtfully invested um can significantly make change in neighborhoods we're talking about it in um on Lincoln Road not necessarily small dollars we're talking about about it potentially on uh Washington we're talking about it throughout the city in various Arts institutions and I can think of no better shining example of that principle put into practice than with the North Beach CRA and I'm I would like to um Rick Mr City attorney um bring to Commission in October the expansion of the CRA to include Parkview Island um which is a different thing but I I'm so proud of what this has done and will continue to do for North Beach and every time we get um a little bit anxious about this notion of investing in underserved neighborhoods I I want us all myself included to remember um and and hold this up as an example of the good that can be done um so Kudos and I would make a motion to support this I'll second the item and Mr Mayor if I may um commissioner I completely agree with you you said it beautifully and Parkview Island should be uh a part of the north beach CRA I had at one point requested legislation on that um but I'm happy to relinquish the sponsorship of that legislation to you because you've been a long time resident not only of North Beach but a longtime resident of uh Parkview Island and I know how much you care and love for that community and uh I'd be proud to relinquish the legislation to you Alex you're going to make me cry ah vice mayor Fernandez to you sorry your Royal Highness thank you take the vote sir so I have motion for commissioner b a second from vice mayor Fernandez all in favor of r7f please signal by saying I I I item passes 70 r7f call the Redevelopment agency items RDA 1 and two so we are res recessing as a city commission meeting reconvening as the RDA uh for the record commissioner Higgins is absent the first item is adopt final City Center RDA capital budget item one so this is the first time you're seeing the RDA Capital but it's a subset of the capital budget that you just approved so we're just taking out the RDA item specifically so you would have seen these projects prior I'll move the item I'll second if no discussion all in favor of RDA 1 please signal by saying I I I I motion carries 70 with one absent commissioner Higgins item two is adopt final City Center RDA operating budgets for fisal year 2025 RDA 2 I move the item I'll second if no discussion may I please signal by saying I if you're in approval of this item I I item passes 70 commissioner Higgins is absent we are reconvening as the uh City commission meeting May we go to the north beach C yes so we'll now we could we we're going to go now to the North Beach community redevelopment agency we have one item it is the joint item adopt final North Beach CRA operating budgets for 2025 it is North be c 1 this is the same budget you just adopted okay I'll move the item I'll second Motion in a second commissioner Steinberg is absent all in favor please say I I I motion is approved 701 absent and our last item r9a r9a is a referral to FK proposed utility cost relief program for tenants and Property Owners it was requested by commissioner Fernandez r9a thank you Mr Mayor uh this is an item I placed on the agenda um back I believe it was in 2020 um a resolution was passed triggering automatic increases in utility rates specifically water and seore rates I think this year went up I think it was 3.7% % uh went up and I think over the past 5 years it may have been 11% has gone up um you know all of this does get trickle down Property Owners trickle it down to tenants and and renters who lived on who live on fixed incomes and not just uh tenants and renters um it's it's seniors who age in place it's uh it's it's um it's individuals with homestead exceptions that are uh trying to stay living in our city and I'd like for us to uh consider at F the creation of a cost relief uh program to help uh these uh these landlords uh from pushing out their tenants with rent increases we shouldn't be passing that on to renters and we need to help our homesteaded uh homeowners continue living in our city so I want to move uh sending this item to FK I'll second Mr Mayor can I can I have a moment is a public comment it is done I'm sorry M okay call me afterwards though we'll talk I I think I heard the mayor say second the item so this is a referral all in favor please say I I I the item is referred there are no other items on the agenda this great meeting we've fulfilled our statutory obligations I want to thank all my colleagues um and our city Administration this is a budget that we should all be proud of we can all be proud of our residents can and should be proud of it by the way if you have any questions about our budget please please feel free to reach out to me to my colleagues to our city manager we're happy to uh to elaborate thank you all and Mr Mayor I just want to quickly again thank commissioner magazine who is the chair of the finance committee and his F first year as a City Commissioner did an incredible job uh leading this process and being oftentimes the adult in the room in the finance committee uh so just so proud to serve with you with you all very proud of that appointment yes have a good night God bless you tomorrow