meeting uh June 4th um 2024 it is now 5:37 Madame clerk roll call please mayor Des vice mayor s Mayan present councilman Galvin here councilwoman Timothy here councilman Charles present vice mayor foror to proceed thank you can we please stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance and it will be led by our very own Chief Sharice Gau good evening everyone if you could join me in the pledge 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 and then please remain standing we'll have our invocation by Fiola Dila our um Deputy Chief of Staff please join me father God we thank you for this wonderful day that you have created Lord God we thank you for your presence we thank you for the peace that bypasses all understanding tonight Lord God as the business of this meeting father let your glory shine let your wisdom shine and let us come in unity and Harmony in the name of Jesus Christ we pray amen amen thank you Mr attorney is the agenda set yes the agenda is set you may proceed Vice May okay um Madam clerk if you can go ahead and R tab a please tab a public hearing pursuance of section 18 of the city of North Miami Charter tab a is there a presentation no one one second please I'm sorry um actually Madam clerk if you could just go ahead and retab B tab b a propos i I apologize I apologize it should still be tab a and let me just start with my remark I apologize thank you sorry for the confusion guys good evening and thank you again for attending the special council meeting as you know on May 7th 2024 the city council adopted a preliminary resolution removing Rasha camo city manager the preliminary resolution stated the reasons for the removal of Miss K as city manager in accordance to section 18 of the city Charter Miss Carmo May request a name clearing P public hearing for the the sole purpose of refuting verbal or written response for her removal as a city manager tonight's hearing is not a hearing for Miss commo to challenge her removal as a city manager the decision to remove Miss kamo as city manager has been made already this decision was difficult but the majority of the city council as stated in our previous city council meeting believe it's time to move in a different direction as it relate to the city manager's position prior to today numerous efforts were made to resolve this matter in a mutual and agreeable way regrettably those effort have not been successful according accordingly we are here to consider the final adoption of this preliminary resolution to remove Miss camo as city manager as required by the city Charter I as to the order of business first Miss camo and her representative will have one hour to make a presentation and I believe one hour is sufficient time after completion of this presentation we will present permit public comments may I and I may call a recess before public comment to deal with an important Community matter since this is a name clearing hearing requested by Miss Carmo speakers should refrain from speaking negative comments about Miss car before allowing Miss camo to make her presentation I will move I will I will move to approve the final resolution removing Miss camo as City Manager for discussion purposes may I have a second second okay okay and I just like to address um public comments regarding public comments well when we get to that I'll go ahead and address it so miss camo or your representative tab b a proposed resolution of the mayor and City Council of the city of North Miami Florida pursuant to article 4 section 18 of the city Charter removing the city manager from office and providing uneffective date and all other purposes TP thank you I can speak now okay good thank you thank you good afternoon everyone um Rasha camo 266 Northwest 92nd Street thank you vice mayor for your opening statement because it it is actually the purpose of this public hear today um I'm not going to take an hour it's I'm going to take like 5 minutes um when I wanted to present um the attorney um apparently told us that um I couldn't present a PowerPoint or an audio or or anything like that so I'm I already have my statement um and I'd like the statements are it's for the record for the record I just just like to make it clear was uh was there I just ask you was there opportunity to submit the information ahead of time yes the your attorney wanted me to submit it three days in advance okay to today is not yeah but which is not normally what is done when we're presenting and other people have presented in front of the council before so I just wanted to present my facts now all I I'm that you have is for the April 9th statements that were made and the May 7th statements that were made exactly like you said Madam Vice man I'm sorry you just handed in something for the record I've not seen yeah I information she's going to can we take a recess then while you make copies because I'm guessing she's going to make reference to things that are there and no Noe done okay okay this is all sorts of super confusing how are you so let's let's let's go ahead and let the um hi my name is Eric Hernandez I represent Mrs camo um just to just to be clear I just want to be clear um what happened was that your City attorney uh that was representing you for this not Jeff Kazo it's a City attorney but Hans aut he sent us a letter explaining that in order for us to be able to use the audio visual in here or present a PowerPoint in here we had to provide everything three days ahead of time okay and um three we had to provide it three days ahead of time um that's not the usual course of things here but you know that that's fine we're not presenting it on on your equipment and we've presented uh well Mrs camo has presented what she wants to present which is a letter and the PowerPoint that she would have presented in addition to um a recording right an audio recording Sunshine of a of a particular Sunshine meeting and she'll run do you want to run through that no what what date is the sunshine Mee August 31st County on the C of an August 31st Sunshine meeting in front of the CRA to refute some statements that were made at the last at the last hearing okay and um anything else and with that we thank you so I'm super confused wait wait I'm wait yeah yeah no I'm I'm I just don't know what's going on here are we hearing a presentation or we no we're not here the presentation is what's been entered into the public record and we'll also send an email copy Mrs cim will send an email copy to your attorney and because it wasn't provided ahead of time so that we can review it Norm typically we we receive presentation prior to council or prior to the meeting so we have normally we don't though we have tons of people make presentations I'm sorry one second one second guys um Let me let me let me I have the the floor now um the I believe that we all received an email as I know I was copied on that email um and email came into my box as this meeting started literally so I I haven't had I haven't been presented with anything that's why I'm Excuse me no one one second before I'm not saying yes go ahead um all right let me do this um Mr attorney I'm talking to you Jeff cazo when was that do you know what date was that sent uh this was an email hold on that was just sent to me hold on uh apparently apparently there was an email sent on May 24th uh from uh Mr which date May May 24th May 24th okay um max did you have an objection to the time frame did you tell them that you couldn't meet that time frame and did you counter with another time frame in terms of presenting the doc the objection was that when when did you make that objection in I talked to Mr Kazo before he sent me the letter I didn't I mean Mr Otona before sorry before he sent me the letter when he sent you the letter did you respond and said that you were not that you needed more time or would no you're you're misunderstanding the the nature of my objection the objection is that we don't have to at this typee of hearing and and my understanding of how it works so let me back up for a second so I sent out an an email some correspondents to Mr ronat asking and this is a non-issue by the way just just so you understand but I sent out an email to Mr Mr aona asking if there are any particular rules or procedures he proceeded to send me out correspondence that there weren't any rules or procedures or anything like that okay I asked that's what came back in response to that I said said listen we're going to probably need uh to use your audio visual for maybe a presentation that she may like to make over there and he said that you can't do that unless you present it to uh the city commission and to the clerk's office three days ahead of time which again is contrary to what he just previously said which there are no rules and also to the tradition as I understand it as to how the commission works that you don't have to do that which is fine okay and what we're doing now is we're simply pres Mrs camo simply presented what the letter she wanted to put in she presented uh what she wanted to say with her Powerpoint and the audio recording that was previously mentioned that's fine then thank you so much I just wanted to make sure on the record that there was notification that there was an opportunity to um to go back and forth and and that's that's all but thank you so kindly so is there anything else are you is there anything else that you'd like to are you and M let me let me just check but I don't think so let me check and I'll let thank you so kindly Madame vice mayor while we're working or while we're waiting can I see what the heck is being present copies are going to be presented to us can we have can I have a chance to review that before we adjourn this meeting so it's really about her hearing as a councilman I have a vote I have a voice I'm I'm trying to tolerate an extremely extraordinary set of circumstances where our City attorney is not giving us direct advice on this but we've got a co- City attorney who's giving us advice are they here that being said if there are if there is information that is perent to tonight's presentation so while wait I think I have the right to review at least have it in front of me no problem we're all going to get a copy of it you will have an opportunity to say what you'd like to say in the meantime let me have our co-counsel um clarify some point um Mr Hans aut thank you good evening Hans aut of aut law uh I'm here at special counsel I'm not co- City attorney Jeff coso is City attorney I've been asked to basically assist the city and finalizing uh obviously the uh termination process with the city manager uh and I have been in contact by email uh throughout with uh Miss uh Kamar councel on the on documents time frame you know uh uh that they needed in terms of time uh documents uh for my practice the best practice that I have if if someone want to use a a government uh audio system uh without knowing what they will present I want to look at it to make sure it's not slanderous make sure it is uh uh a document that is within uh perview of the commission that it could review by the public so I gave Mr camo attorney uh sufficient time to provide me with those documents and alternatively I say look if you can't and you don't you can bring those documents to the city commission and give them the opportunity review you could you know and that's something and I've been practicing local government law for over 25 years and I know uh generally I have always asked through uh anyone who wants to put forth videos presentations PowerPoint you need to let us look at it first and if there's no objectional material you could present it so never had the opportunity to review the materials but alternatively I gave them the alternative come here give it to the commission commission review it make it part of the record it's fine so that's what occurred Madam V mayor can we open up public comment while we wait for um the copies to be received by everyone I have a quick question though through through you madam vice mayor to the city attorney Mr Kazo Mr Kazo do you agree with Mr ot's stated uh laying out of how information should be presented three days in actually I do um had I been the person um doing this I would have wanted to see you as an attorney you're not going to go in with opposing counsil not knowing what they have beforehand that's what discover is about um so I would have asked for the same thing but again they they were given the alternative if you don't want to use the audio you can bring in the hard copies so I would have probably done the same thank you m Madam v may I could yes thank you go ahead is somebody making copies just just in response to uh to the council to the council member that's why we asked originally what are the rules for this and what the processes for this procedure and what we were told was that there was no witnesses there was no subpoenas there was it was only a name clearing hearing where she got the opportunity to say what she wanted or not say what she wanted so there's no Discovery per se in this kind of hearing at all um and I you know I've also been practicing about 24 years and many years in local government laws I was an assistant County attorney for years and a federal prosecutor for years so I have a pretty good idea and i' and I've been to these Council meetings before so I've seen that they haven't done that in the past but be that as it may it's a mood point it's a procedural Point we've provided what Mrs camo has provided what she wants to provide in terms of her rebuttal and name clearing and but you do understand why I'm really oh I understand I understand you're not making any case for yourself right now I I understand you've been called and you're just saying here's some papers which still I guess we need to get a new copy machine because we still don't have copies yet um you're making no presentation at all that so I'm super confused I came here tonight expecting to hear Mrs kamo's I I I I understand but that's Mrs kamo's decision not my decision right not the council's decision and you know in in in fairness to Mr aona he told me he told me exactly that which is listen if you don't want to present it three days ahead of time come here with whatever documents you have and you can present it at at at the meeting which is what she chose to do Madame vice mayor while the commission the community is coming forward I'm going to go walk out there and find where these copies are and going to make them myself because it's taking a little long one second please and what I'm going to do is if the attorney is done I'm going to go ahead and open um public hearing thank you so kindly so public hearing is is now open but regarding public hearing um I'd like to remind the public that all remarks should be addressed to the city council as a body and not any member or Mrs camo members of the public will be allowed 2 minutes to make public remarks if you spoke on a previous special meeting on May 7th you can just state that the comment you should AC you should that comment should be accepted as your comment tonight for record purposes um cumulative repetitive comment should just should be avoided to ensure that all members of the public are provided an opportunity to speak and if a prior speaker expresses a sentiment or opinion that you state just state your name and record your name on the record and state that you are in agreement with this prior speaker so and as as as as you in accordance with the rules in the quum any any person's making disruptive or slanderous remarks shall become bous will will be addressed by city council and refus to stop may be requested to leave the meeting and so public hearing is now open so there are two mics you can go ahead if anyone wants to speak you have two minutes to do that you you so this is public hearing so you can just come to the hearing you'll have two minutes to ask your question thank you so kindly or to State your state M Judy Brown 1100 Northwest 120 terrorists in the beginning uh vice mayor you said that we were going to hear the what was being said and then we would get an opportunity to speak so you're not going to give us that opportunity to hear or it's not that I'm not give you an opportunity to well I'll let you speak and then I'll go ahead well no I'm saying that's what you said in the beginning ini that we were to whatever is going to be presented that was going to be presented first and then the public was going to come after that now you're saying she chose not to present but to pass out the the the documents correct and she and I have given Apple opportunity and they decided that they're going to just give us the documents and they're not going to speak so it's only for you guys not us it's for you guys actually it's for it's for her and you guys to speak okay so they we the documents were just submitted to us to review so Scott went to go get you know whatever copies are being made for the council to review public hearing is now open for the public to come forth so Mrs Kim has decided not to present anything she had the opportunity to clear her name to opportunity to present what facts or evidence that she wanted to she stated no public hearing is now open and after public hearing we will vote so we don't get a chance to see what you all see once the documents are handed to you all you guys can or you can request it via public records request like right now the documents we're all seeing it at the same time I I will stay here myself after this meeting is adjourned to make as many copies as the public would want and I will hand them out as of right now I get it as of right now that's not what we're talking about we're waiting for your points of view I have not seen said information can I can I make a clarification sure um again because I I didn't set out these rules but here's here's what we if you look at your agenda there are two items being considered tonight okay tab a is the public hearing pursu it to uh section 18 of the city of North Miami Charter that the public does not have participate with that that's just miss K's opportunity to come up and speak and and have her name clearing hearing tab B is the proposed resolution of the mayor and city council to remove uh um Miss camo that's the only that's the public comment so the so for the public what you're commenting on is not what was going to be presented what you're commenting on is the resolution that's what you're being you're commenting on because the public does not have a part A Part to play in the tab B section in the tab a section sorry so let me allow public hearing to be closed first and I'll bring you back in okay so public hearing is still open public hearing is go ahead Claudia there's no one after Claudia after Claudia public hearing will be closed Claudia passed me the 13504 Northeast 23rd place I'm going to be honest I'm so disappointed in the past I've been disappointed several times wanting to quit the board saying why the hell am I spending time going to City events advocating for the city telling my neighbors even recently Sunday at the woman's Wellness event somebody goes oh you work for the city I go no I don't they're like I see you everywhere A lot of people actually think I work for the city cuz I do believe in community and doing good for the community but stuff like this gets me so upset that I'm like why bother like I should listen to my mom and focus on cleaning my room losing weight like why give so much time to you guys if you guys I'm sitting here and I'm looking this is not Justice I mean come on you're acting like she's a stranger like we don't know her she worked for the city for so many years so much and you guys cannot give her the opportunity to present today I understand the three days thing but in the past you guys have sit there just getting on videos and agendas for the first time and no big deal and somebody that again I consider her like one of our owns a Community member cuz she was with the RCA for or whatever it's called for a long time you guys are treating her I'm like again it's like come on Humanity this is somebody we know it's not somebody that you hired for a year and you don't like it's somebody that used to work with the city and did a great job and and again I went to one of the events from the city what did they say women supporting woman you got to be a grownup and you cannot you can work with somebody that you don't like you have to do what is correct you got to be you know I don't know how to express it but if I don't like you but I still know I have to show up to work I have co-workers I don't really like I don't we have different point of views but I still do my work every day cuz first of all I'm getting paid and two where I work is members it's Healthcare so I got to do what's best for the people that going to my job and you guys are acting like you don't care about the community I'm like so disappoint I really want to say I resigned from the boards not I'm going to do anything but Scott point I'm a person of my word I told Scott I will be a board member until November CU that's I committed so you guys committed to do what's best for the residents you're not doing that thank you thank you for your comment go ahead Gio hello everyone my good evening my name is Gio Darter 12500 Northeast 4th Avenue and various other addresses in North Miami longtime resident and someone to decide to come back and live in this community and support and nourish this community I just want to speak because I wasn't here earlier um when uh uh the firing went uh was uh presented um I'm very neutral in the sense of what people's decisions are but I do want to say that um U Miss kode at least in my opinion has worked diligently uh for the city and once she was uh with the CRA she actually was the one that introduced me to the CRA and then then went all the way through the process and then of course after that as city manager also was very uh uh focused very present and extremely thorough in her job I unfortunately U don't know why um that uh they came to to decide to um to terminate her I would love to know what the reasons were as I would want to know when if and ever that happened to any one of you I would want to know the information why because to this point it's it's all about facts and I I as a city uh resident would like to know why is someone that I I in my eyes thought was doing a great job just like many of you in my eyes are doing a fantastic job I would want to question ask and then fight for that information so just for the record I do want to say that I really respect and enjoyed having you and I hope that uh something works out of this as well as everyone on this Council thank you very much thank you public hearing is still open no go ahead Annie mcgomery go ahead Annie good evening everybody happy T Tuesday evening and my name is Annie Montgomery I live at 2082 Northeast 124th Street for many many years bu our home there 30 years ago and I am so disappointed with this board or this three three people here this chamber was filled to capacity on May 7th the outside was filled to capacity with everybody most I would say 95% of the people speaking in favor of our city manager this Council three people on the council thumbed their nose and said goodbye to each one of these residents that pay the taxes in this city and that you all represent you insulted your community and I just want everyone to know how I feel thank you thank you public hearing is open seeing none public hearing is closed Mr Hans uh Adam V vice mayor and uh members of the council in fact Miss kamore attorney just spoke to me indicated just for to clear the record that she basically made a presentation tonight but it's a written presentation and and the charter if you look at se section seven sections 18 it provide Miss K with the right to provide a written reply and request of public hearing so she has that right to submit written documents which she did tonight so in terms of her name clearing hearing she made a presentation and the presentation obviously is in writing and the city commission is is a public record you can publish it uh via the website uh uh through the city clerk office so the presentation was made and only obligation that this city this Council has is to provide her opportunity to come to this hearing and make a presentation and that has been achieved tonight and it's consistent with the charter okay is there anything you'd like to add Jeff CLE okay M Madam vice mayor go ahead you have the floor I just as we get ready to vote and adjourn I just want to State I still don't have a full copy of what was presented tonight um I I do have to say Miss K I wish You' had your folks make five copies as you handed it in because it puts me at a supreme disadvantage not only if not seeing it you know before but not even seeing it during so um we're g to do what we got to do but I'm I'm I'm very disappointed that there was not more but I it's too late now printing on the USB I don't know anything about a USB what's the USB the same information the same information on the USB I so I'm going to shut up here's my last 30 seconds on this rash I think you've been a fantastic city manager I'm sorry we're at this point I think my mic is on okay uh I I will project here's my last 30 seconds on this item Rashia you've been a great city manager I think it's really too bad that there was not uh more concern put into making sure that the evidence or whatever it is was made public whether stated at the microphone whether presented writing with copies ahead of time this is a very befuddling moment and uh Mii heral can quote me on that I'm being asked to vote on the dismissal of a manager who I like but the case for keeping her or why she's being fired or how we're clearing her name has not been made and um it's just quite odd thank you Miss vice mayor for your time all right um I think all of the comments have been made um there's a motion in a second I have a motion made by vice mayor as May irin to approve the item at tab B the motion was seconded by councilwoman Cassandra Timothy all in favor I I any opposed nay item passes with a 3-1 vote move to adjourn so Mo to adjourn made by councilman Galvin seconded by councilwoman Timothy all in favor I any opposed we areed we're Jed yeah motion carries with a 4 Z vot so it is now