May 05, 2026 Commission Meeting

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

UH, THIS MORNING I WANNA BEGIN BY READING FROM THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS, UH, CHAPTER FOUR, WHERE THE LORD THROUGH THE APOSTLE PAUL WRITES, THEREFORE, I URGE YOU TO LIVE WORTHY OF THE CALLING THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED WITH ALL HUMILITY AND GENTLENESS, WITH PATIENCE BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE, MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT THROUGH THE BOND OF PEACE.

WOULD YOU PAIR WITH ME, FATHER IN HEAVEN? WE ARE SO THANKFUL THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US THIS DAY, AND THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US, LORD, THE OPPORTUNITY, LORD, TO GATHER FREELY IN THIS PLACE.

UH, LORD, I AM GRATEFUL LORD FOR THIS CITY AND FOR THE LEADERS WHO YOU HAVE BEEN, WHO HAVE IN HAVE YOU, WHO YOU HAVE ENTRUSTED TO SERVE IT GOD.

THANK YOU LORD, FOR THE RESPONSIBILITY, LORD, THAT, THAT THEY HOLD, UH, THANK YOU LORD FOR THE TASKS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN LORD TO LEAD.

AND LORD, I PRAY NOW HUMBLY, THAT WE WOULD ALL COME BEFORE YOU AND ASK FOR WISDOM.

LORD, YOU TELL US, LORD, THAT IF ANYBODY LACKS WISDOM, LORD, TO PRAY, TO ASK FOR WISDOM, AND YOU WOULD FREELY GIVE IT.

SO WE COME, LORD, ASKING FOR WISDOM FOR OUR LEADERS, WISDOM FOR OURSELVES, THAT AS THEY LEAD, LORD, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE CLARITY AND DISCERNMENT, THAT YOU WOULD ALSO GIVE THEM COURAGE AND STRENGTH, LORD, TO LEAD WITH INTEGRITY, TO LEAD THIS CITY, LORD, TO BE UNIFIED, TO HAVE PEACE.

LORD, I THANK YOU LORD FOR THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES.

LORD, I PRAY, LORD, THAT ONCE AGAIN, LORD, THAT THIS CITY WOULD BE MARKED BY PEACE AND UNITY.

LORD, HELP US ALL TO BE PEOPLE LORD, WHO CARE FOR EACH OTHER, LORD, WHO LOOK OUT FOR THE GOOD OF OTHERS, LORD, WHO LOVE EACH OTHER, LORD, AS YOU HAVE CALLED US TO LOVE.

AND GOD, WE PRAY NOW THAT YOU WOULD LEAD THIS COMMISSION MEETING MAY WHAT IS DISCUSSED AND DECIDED HERE TODAY, LORD, BRING GROWTH AND FLOURISHING TO THE CITY.

LORD, MAY PEOPLE BE BLESSED BY LIVING, BY SERVING, BY WORKING IN CORAL GABLES.

AND MAY YOU, GOD, BE GLORIFIED THROUGH IT ALL.

I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US, LORD, TO GATHER, TO GET TODAY, AND THIS I PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

AMEN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MUCH.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK ONE HERE ONCE AGAIN.

UH, WE HAVE A NEW, A NEW, UH, OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

AND I'D LIKE TO, AS WE CONTINUE THE TRADITION AT THE COMMISSION MEETING, WE TAKE TIME TO RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVE IN UNIFORM AND REFLECTING THE VERY BEST OF THE CITY.

BEAUTIFUL.

THIS MORNING, WE'RE PROUD TO WELCOME DAISY BAEZ, A DEDICATED VETERAN HEALTH HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL AND LONGTIME CORAL GABLES RESIDENT.

MS. BAEZ SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY AS A PREVENTIVE MEDICINE SPECIALIST WITH 115 MEDICAL BATTALION FIRST CALVARY DIVISION AT FORT HOOD, TEXAS.

DURING HER MILITARY SERVICE, SHE EARNED NUMEROUS HONORS, INCLUDING TWO ARMY COMMENDATION MEDALS, FOUR ARMY ACHIEVEMENT MEDALS, AND MULTIPLE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND DEPARTMENT OF ARMY CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT.

HER LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT WERE FURTHER RECOGNIZED WHEN SHE WAS NAMED FIRST CALORIE DIVISION SOLDIER OF THE QUARTER AND 15TH MEDICAL BATTALION SOLDIER OF THE MONTH.

FOLLOWING HER MILITARY SERVICE, MS. BAEZ BUILT A DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION IN SOUTH FLORIDA, AND HAS SPENT THE LAST DECADE LEADING HER OWN CORAL GABLES BASED HEALTHCARE CONSULTING FIRM.

HER COMMITMENT TO SERVICE CONTINUES LOCALLY AS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 98, WHERE SHE LEADS THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE AND ORGANIZES PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT VETERANS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

SHE ALSO HAS SERVED THE CITY THROUGH HER INVOLVEMENT WITH AMERIC HOUSE BOARD, MS. BIAS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR NATION, YOUR LEADERSHIP IN HEALTHCARE, IN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD, AND YOUR CONTINUED EDUCATION TO THE VETERAN COMMUNITY.

AT THIS TIME, I INVITE YOU TO PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

GOOD MORNING, MA'AM.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US.

HERE WE GO.

UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION

[00:05:01]

HAVE SOMETHING NEW THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT WE'RE WORKING ON HERE IN THE CITY AS WE CELEBRATE AMERICA'S SEMICON CENTENNIAL MOMENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. BAZ.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US TODAY.

NOW WE

[AMERICA'S SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL MOMENT]

I'D LIKE TO HAVE PON LEON MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT.

MICHAEL CONTINUES.

PLEASE JOIN US AS WE HONOR THE NATION'S SEMICON CENTENNIAL.

AS I MENTIONED, MARKING THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES IS PROUD TO INTRODUCE A NEW FEATURE AT OUR COMMISSION MEETINGS THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.

THIS MOMENT, WHICH WE'LL BE REPLACING OUR MERRICK MOMENT, REMINDS US THAT CITIES ARE THE CLOSEST FORM OF GOVERNMENT TO, TO THE PEOPLE AND WHERE THE PRINCIPLES OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY ARE FELT MOST DIRECTLY IN OUR DAILY LIVES.

THE STRENGTH OF OUR DEMOCRACY AND THE FUTURE OF THIS NATION REST WITH THE NEXT GENERATION.

THAT IS WHY AS PART OF AMERICA TWO 50 CELEBRATION, THE CITY LAUNCHED AN ESSAY CONTEST AT PONS MIDDLE DE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND CORAL GABLE SENIOR HIGH, INVITING STUDENTS TO REFLECT ON OUR NATION'S HISTORY, THEIR COMMUNITY, AND THEIR ROLE AS FUTURE CITIZENS AND LEADERS.

TODAY WE'RE PROUD TO FEATURE THE WINNING ESSAY BY NCE DELE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT, MICHAEL CINO, ENTITLED, REMEMBER THE PAST BUILD THE FUTURE, THANKS TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM FOR DEVELOPING PROJECTS THAT CELEBRATE AMERICA TWO 50 THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE MANAGER, THROUGH THE MANAGER, COULD WE EXPAND THIS PROJECT TO OTHER SCHOOLS LIKE CORAL GABLES PREP IN THE COMING YEAR? MICHAEL, IF YOU COULD SHARE WITH US YOUR ESSAY.

REMEMBER THE PAST BUILD THE FUTURE.

AS WE COMMEMORATE THE 250TH YEAR OF AMERICA'S HISTORY, WE ARE REMINDED OF HOW DEEPLY THE PAST SHAPES OUR IDENTITY EACH DAY IN OUR CORAL GABLES COMMUNITY.

WE PROUDLY CELEBRATE THIS MILESTONE BY ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO LEARN FROM OUR PAST AND LOOK AHEAD TOWARD OUR FUTURE.

EACH YEAR OFFERS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON OUR NATION'S FASCINATING STORY AND ADMIRE IT WITH GLOWING EYES.

THIS YEAR AT ELA MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE CELEBRATE A MILESTONE OF OUR OWN 100 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE.

AS A STUDENT AT THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL, I FIND THAT WE HAVE BEGUN GUIDING OUR FUTURE THROUGH OUR PROTECTED HISTORY.

WE PRIORITIZE INCLUSION ACROSS ALL ACADEMICS, CLUBS, AND ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP REGARDLESS OF RACE, GENDER, COLOR, OR ABILITY.

ALL THESE AMAZING FEATS HAVE BEEN DETERMINED THROUGH OUR GREAT HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE.

I'M ALSO GRATEFUL TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES, WHICH PRIORITIZES THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORY LANDMARKS SUCH AS BILTMORE, VCA, AND LATER MIRACLE MILE SHOWCASES THE CITY'S ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURES AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FROM THE EARLY TO THE MID 19 HUNDREDS.

BY MAINTAINING THESE SPACES, WE HONOR OUR EVOLUTION AND KEEP A STRONG, VALUABLE CONNECTION WITH OUR DISTANT YET ENCOURAGING HISTORY.

IN ESSENCE, OUR HISTORY HAS SHAPED US.

OUR COMMUNITY HAS PRESERVED OUR RICH HISTORY, AND WE ARE PROUD TO KEEP OUR LEGACY ALIVE.

BY PRESERVING OUR HISTORY AS WE ARE AND LOOKING BACK AT WHERE WE CAME FROM, WE CAN CONSTRUCT A FUTURE READY TO GUIDE UPCOMING GENERATIONS.

THANK YOU, MICHAEL.

DON'T GO TOO FAR.

MICHAEL, COME BACK UP.

THAT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE, MY FRIEND.

I HAVE TO CONGRATULATE YOU.

UH, YOUR ESSAY IS A THOUGHTFUL REMINDER THAT BY UNDERSTANDING OUR HISTORY, WE CAN HELP SHAPE A MUCH STRONGER FUTURE.

IT ALSO SPEAKS TO THE IMPORTANT ROLE YOUNG PEOPLE WILL PLAY IN CARRYING FORWARD THE VALUES OF OUR DEMOCRACY AND OUR NATION.

PLEASE COME FORWARD AS YOU ARE HERE, SO WE CAN PRESENT YOU WITH A FEW TOKENS OF APPRECIATION, EVEN WITH A BROKEN ARM.

WE WANNA PRESENT YOU WITH A CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION.

I'M GONNA READ INTO THE RECORD, AND ALSO A $250 GIFT CARD ON BEHALF OF THE CITY IN RECOGNITION OF YOU WINNING YOUR ESSAY AND YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO AMERICA TO 50 CELEBRATION.

SO LET ME READ THE CERTIFICATE INTO THE RECORD.

AS THE UNITED STATES MARKS ITS 250TH ANNIVERSARY, AND POLIO MIDDLE SCHOOL CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE.

THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES PROUDLY PRESENTS MICHAEL GINA WITH A CERTIFICATE APPRECIATION FOR HIS WINNING ESSAY.

REMEMBER THE PAST, BUILD THE FUTURE THROUGH THOUGHTFUL REFLECTION, OUR ON HISTORY COMMUNITY AND CIVIC PRIDE.

MICHAEL'S ESSAY HONORS THE PAST, WHILE INSPIRING FUTURE GENERATIONS TO HELP SHAPE A MUCH STRONGER TOMORROW.

MICHAEL, I'M VERY IMPRESSED BY YOU.

YOU DID EVERYTHING WITH GREAT POISE, EVEN WITH A BROKEN ARM.

YOU,

[00:10:01]

YOU DESERVE THIS AWARD.

YOU DESERVE THIS RECOGNITION, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE YOU HERE IN THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES.

FORWARD IN REGARDS TO PRESENTATIONS AND PROTOCOL DOCUMENTS, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO A 12, MR. MANAGER.

GOD BLESS YOU, MY FRIEND.

YOU TOO.

WE'RE GONNA SKIP AROUND A LITTLE BIT SO WE CAN GET SOME STAFF OUTTA HERE AND GET BACK TO WORK SERVING THE COMMUNITY.

SO AS WE MOVE

[A.-12. 26-1202 Congratulations to the Innovation and Technology Department recipient of the 2026 Smart 20 Award for "Transformative Work in Smart Cities" and their "Smart City Research Lab and Gables TechTank Incubator" initiatives.]

IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR IT TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT WHO HAS WON PROBABLY THEIR 1000 AWARD ALREADY.

UH, I THINK I'M GONNA HAVE TO DO A ROOM JUST FOR THEM.

UH, IT'S, IT'S A FANTASTIC TEAM AND, UH, WE HAVE HERE THE, UH, OUR IT DIRECTOR.

THANK YOU, SIR.

COLLABORATIONS WITH UNIVERSITY PRO PROFESSORS.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.

I'M VERY PROUD TODAY TO PRESENT THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR IT SMART CITY RESEARCH LABORATORY.

SO WE HAVE MEMBERS OF MY TEAM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE INTERNS FROM UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, FROM FIU AND FROM MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE.

SO I HAVE A PRESENTATION HERE, UH, BUT I DON'T HAVE TO .

SORRY.

OKAY, I GOT IT.

SORRY.

MY EYES ARE NOT THAT GOOD, MAN.

SO THESE ARE, UH, PHOTOS OF OUR TEAM IN ONE OF THOSE, UH, COHORTS THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE GET BETWEEN 20 AND 40 INTERESTS, AND OVER THE YEARS, OVER 200.

AND WE GET THEM KNOW FROM HIGH SCHOOL, UH, STEM SCHOOLS, UH, YOU KNOW, MAGNET ACADEMIES, AND ALSO WE GET THEM FROM UNDERGRAD, FROM GRADUATE PROGRAMS, SOMETIMES DOCTORAL CANDIDATES AND, UH, AND PHD FELLOWS, RESEARCHERS FROM FACULTY.

SO, UM, BASICALLY OUR PURPOSE REALLY IS TO DRIVE INNOVATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, REALLY TO IGNITE THE INNOVATION IN OUR ECOSYSTEM.

YOU KNOW, THE, OUR CITY, OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT ALSO, UH, SCHOOLS AT INDUSTRY AND AT BUSINESSES IN CORALS.

EVERYBODY BENEFITS FROM THIS EFFORT, AND THEY COLLABORATE ON REAL WORLD PROJECTS.

SO WE CHALLENGE THEM WHEN THEY COME TO WORK AT THE, AT THE LAB.

WE GIVE THEM REAL CHALLENGES, REAL, REAL WORK THAT THEY CAN, AT THE END OF THEIR INTERNSHIP, THEY EARN A MICRO-CREDENTIAL, SO THEY USE THAT TO GET A JOB.

BUT NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAD THEM TO CONNECT WITH BUSINESS AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.

SO SOMETIMES WE HAD THEM TO GET A JOB, ACTUALLY.

AND SO, UH, ALSO IN COLLABORATION WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, BEL KI PERI HELPS US ALSO TO CONNECT, UH, ALL THOSE, UH, TALENT, UH, THAT, UH, TALENT PIPELINE TO BUSINESSES IN CORAL GABLES, THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR TALENT IN CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGIES.

SO THAT'S ALSO, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING THROUGH GABLES TECH TANK.

THESE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF THE SPACE THAT WE HAVE.

SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS IN THE FACILITY AREA OF, UH, THE CITY WHERE WE HAVE, WE, WE USED TO HAVE THE, THE IT HEAD DESK AND GIS OFFICE.

WE STILL HAVE THEM, BUT WE, UH, TRY TO PREPARE AN AREA WHERE WE HAVE ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING BENCH.

WE HAVE A MAKER'S CORNER SO THEY CAN BUILD SENSORS AND 3D PRINTING.

WE HAVE AN AREA FOR AUGMENTED REALITY, SO THEY CAN WORK WITH A VR HEADSETS.

AND WE HAVE AREAS FOR SOFTWARE ENGINEERS TO DEVELOP CODING AND AREAS FOR GIS AND DIGITAL TWIN.

SO WE TRY TO ACCOMMODATE THE BEST WE CAN IN THAT SPACE.

WE GOT A VISIT FROM THE CITY MANAGER AND THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER RECENTLY, AND THEY PITCH THEIR PROJECTS.

WE ALSO, UH, PUSH THE STUDENTS TO, YOU KNOW, TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE COMFORT ZONE AND LEARN TO PITCH, LEARN WHAT IT IS TO GO AND PITCH AN IDEA TO, TO, TO A SHARK TANK I SAY, OR TO ENTREPRENEURS OR VCS OR HOW IT IS TO APPLY FOR A POSITION AND GO TO A JOB INTERVIEW.

SO WE ALSO HAVE THEM WITH THOSE KIND OF SKILLS

[00:15:01]

AS WELL.

SO WE RECEIVED THIS YEAR AN AWARD FROM, UH, AN INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR THIS EFFORT.

SO IT'S CALLED THE SMART 20 AWARD.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT THE CITY RECEIVES THIS RECOGNITION, BUT IN THE PAST WE DID IT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, FOR SMART DISTRICTS AND POLLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THIS YEAR IS VERY SPECIAL.

WE ARE GETTING IT FOR THE WORK OF OUR LAB AND OUR INTERNS.

WE ARE GETTING IT FOR THE PROGRAM, FOR THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

AND WE ARE TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE LAST YEAR WE DIDN'T COME HERE TO PRESENT TWO OTHER AWARDS THAT WE GOT FOR THE SAME EFFORT.

SO IN 2025, WE ALSO RECEIVED THE GEO GOV INNOVATION IN EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING AWARD FROM THE LARGEST GEOSPACIAL ORGANIZATION IN THE, IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.

AND ALSO, UH, WE GOT THE TECH TALENT PIPELINE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AWARD FROM OUR PEERS IN MIAMI, THE COUNTY WE GOT IT FROM MIAMI TECH WORKS FOR THE ECOSYSTEM HERE, AND THE INTELLIGENT COMMUNITY CERTIFICATION THAT THE CITY RECEIVED LAST YEAR.

UH, ONE OF THE SIX DIMENSIONS THAT WERE AWARDED WAS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, STEM AND TECH TALENT.

BUILT SOME PHOTOS HERE WHEN WE HAD AT THE COUNTRY CLUB, A BIG EVENT WITH ALL THE INTERNS TO PITCH THEIR PROJECTS TO UNIVERSITY AND COMPANIES.

THAT'S WHERE WE GOT THE AWARD LATER FROM MIAMI TECH.

AND THE SECOND PHOTO IS FROM THE RESEARCH TRIANGLE IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, WHERE WE GOT THE SMART 20 AWARD THIS YEAR.

AND WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO PRESENT THE WORK OF THE LAB.

THE SURF PHOTO IS IN FROM WASHINGTON DC AND OUR LAB MANAGER, MARK ABERT, UH, HE ALSO RECEIVED THE AWARD, THE, THE GEO GO AWARD AND SOME OF THE PROJECTS.

SO THIS IS A SIDEWALK SPEED VIOLATION SENSOR PROJECT.

AMAZING PROTOTYPE.

WE HAVE THE, THE ENGINEERING INTERN WHO DE DEVELOP IT, RESPONDING TO CONCERNS THAT WE HEAR FROM, FROM YOU, FROM THE COMMUNITY.

THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, THE VICE MAYOR HAS EXPRESSED THIS AS A NEED.

SO WE HAD A PROTOTYPE WORKING ALREADY, SO I'M GONNA PUT A LITTLE VIDEO.

IT'S VERY SMALL THERE.

BUT YOU SEE THE, THIS PROTOTYPE PRESENTED AT UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI AND THE FACULTY, THE PROFESSORS WERE IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK OF OUR INTERNS.

SO THIS IS AMAZING.

SO WE HAVE AN ELECTRONIC BOARD.

WE HAVE SOFTWARE THAT IS RUNNING, UH, FROM A COMPUTER, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A, AN ELECTRONIC DISPLAY.

SO WE'RE GONNA START BUILDING THE ENCLOSURE AND MAYBE START TESTING IT, UH, TO SEE IF WE CAN DO A PILOT ON MIRACLE MAYO.

A LOT OF INTERACTIVE AI AGENTS TODAY, CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY USING LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS.

AND OUR TEAM AT THE RESEARCH LAB HAS BUILT A LOT OF THOSE VOICE INTERACTIVE AGENTS THAT YOU CAN TALK TO THE AGENT AT A KIOSK, OR YOU CAN CALL A PHONE NUMBER, OR YOU CAN SIMPLY GO TO A CHATBOT ON A WEBSITE OR A MOBILE APP.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE THAT BRING EFFICIENCIES AND KNOWLEDGE THAT IS QUICKLY, UH, AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS AND ALSO FOR FOR EMPLOYEES ALSO TO CREATE AN IT TICKET.

TODAY, OUR HEAD DESK, WE USE THOSE, UH, TYPE OF SYSTEMS TOO.

THE BUSINESS CARDS THAT WE USED TO HAVE IN THE CITY, NOW THEY ARE ELECTRONICS.

NOW THEY ARE A NEAR FIELD CARD.

WE USED TO PAY A COMPANY AND THE COMPANY STOPPED PROVIDING THE SERVICE.

AND WE SAY, INSTEAD OF GETTING ANOTHER SERVICE THAT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE, WHY DON'T WE BUILD IT OURSELVES? BUT ALSO FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR EFFICIENCIES AND COST SAVINGS, WE BUILD TECHNOLOGIES LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, 3D PRINTING.

SO A LOT OF, SO YOU SEE THIS PHOTO HERE, HOW WE DO WHAT THEY CALL DIGITAL FABRICATION OR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TYPE OF PROJECTS.

SO WE BUILD OUR OWN ENCLOSURES.

ALSO, WE ARE ABLE TO BUILD NOT ONLY THE ENCLOSURES FOR THE PROTOTYPES, ANYTIME THAT WE NEED A PART OR MATERIAL LIKE A CALIPER COMPUTER STANDS, NOW WE CAN PRINT THEM.

SO IT'S ALSO ANOTHER EFFICIENCY AND ALSO FOR COST SAVINGS TOOL AND THREE OF THE YEAR.

THAT WAS A COOL PROJECT FOR STUDENTS LAST YEAR DURING THE CENTENNIAL.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE CRYPTO ASSETS AND NON FUNGIBLE TOKEN TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY, WE BUILT THE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE CITY TO HAVE THEIR OWN CRYPTO ASSETS AND TOKENS.

AND OUR STUDENTS AT THE LAB HELPED US TO BUILD SOME OF THOSE, UH, TOKENS FOR THE CITY TREES FOR A CONTEST IN COLLABORATION WITH, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR DINA DEBELL, AND, UM, COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR, MARTHA TINE AND HER TEAM.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD SOME OF THOSE COLLECTIONS DRONE SINCE, YOU KNOW, FIRE STATION FOUR IS AN EXAMPLE THAT HOW WE USE DRONE TECHNOLOGIES, UH, AT THE, AT THE LAB WITH SOME OF THE INTERNS TO CREATE THOSE BUILDING INFORMATION MODELS OF THE BUILDINGS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION USING DRONE TECHNOLOGY AND CONNECT THAT TO THE DIGITAL TWIN IN THE CITY.

AUGMENTED REALITY, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, VIRTUAL REALITY, MIXED REALITY, AUGMENTED REALITY PROJECTS WHERE WE USE, UH, SOFTWARE ENGINEERING, BUT ALSO HEADSETS LIKE THIS TO CREATE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES.

THIS ONE IN COLLABORATION WITH HISTORICAL RESOURCES AND CULTURAL ARTS INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE ARTS IN PUBLIC PLACES.

THE ARTISTS CAN CREATE ALSO AVATARS THAT EXPLAIN WHAT THE ART IS ABOUT.

SO IT IS VERY, VERY GOOD.

WE BRINGING ALSO THOSE TECHNOLOGIES AND WE TEST THEM AT THE LAB.

WE BRING THE LAB TO CONFERENCES RECENTLY TO UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI'S MASS CITY CONFERENCE.

ANOTHER WAY ALSO TO GET THE STUDENTS TO PITCH THEIR PROJECT TO PROFESSORS AND GATHER THEIR SKILLS.

AND WE ALSO HAVE RESEARCH

[00:20:01]

LIKE NOW WE HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING PROJECT AT A FACILITY WHERE WE HAVE SENSORS ON TREES AND WE ARE MEASURING THINGS LIKE STORMWATER AND HEAT ISLAND EFFECT WITH POLY WORKS.

WE BUILT A PORTAL FOR THE INTERNS.

IMAGINE LIKE A CAREER, LIKE A CAREER BUILDER TYPE OF PORTAL.

BUT FROM OUR CITY WHERE WE SHOWCASE THE TALENT OF ALL OUR INTERNS, AND WE, UH, THEY CAN PUT THEIR PROFILES THERE, WE SHOWCASE WHAT ARE THE SKILLS THAT THEY BUILD, WHAT ARE THE PROJECTS THAT THEY CREATED, THE MICRO CREDENTIALS, AND ALSO IF THEY ARE OPEN FOR WORK OR OPEN FOR INTERNSHIP.

AND THAT'S WHAT DIRECTOR PEREZ IS HELPING ME TO CONNECT THIS, UH, WITH THROUGH OUR NEW SALESFORCE B2B PLATFORM TO THE BUSINESSES IN CORAL GABLES.

SO THEY CAN COME HERE AND SEARCH FOR PROVEN TALENT, AMAZING TALENT.

I ENCOURAGE ALL THE BUSINESSES IN CORAL GABLES TO SEARCH FOR TALENT IN THIS POOL, UH, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AT A DIFFERENT ITEM.

WE'RE GONNA PRESENT A FUTURE LAB EXPANSION PLAN WHEN, UH, AFTER THE RENOVATION OF CITY HALL, WHEN SOME OFFICE PAGE NEXT DOOR IS GOING TO BE, UH, AVAILABLE.

WE COULD THINK ON AN EXPANSION FOR THE LAB WHEN WE CAN HAVE THOSE AREAS THAT I SHOWED YOU THAT WE ARE HAVE ALL TOGETHER TO GROW AND EXPAND TO A ROBOTICS LAB AND AI AND DATA LAB TO HAVE AN INCUBATOR OFFICE POTENTIALLY GENERATING REVENUE.

BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO AT THE LAB, OTHER CITIES WANTS US TO HELP THEM BUILD.

AND ALSO BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY BEING IN THE CORAL JS AREA, WE CAN CONNECT THE DOTS WITH BUSINESSES THAT CAN COME HERE AND WE CAN PROVIDE SERVICES TOO, YOU KNOW.

SO I WOULD LIKE JUST TO FINISH, WE HAVE, UH, OUR LAB MANAGER, MARK AVA, HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB OVER MANY YEARS, HELPING TO BUILD THIS TALENT, COACHING THE INTERNS, COLLABORATING WITH THE UNIVERSITIES.

I WANT HIM, UH, MARK ABLE TO INTRODUCE HIS TEAM AND ALSO SOME OF THE INTERNS THAT ARE HERE.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, THE COMMISSION CITY MANAGER, MARK ABERT, GIS MANAGER, INTERN COORDINATOR FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.

SO I'M SO PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS ON THEIR BEHALF BECAUSE THEY ARE REALLY, WOULD'VE MADE THE LABORATORY GO THESE MANY YEARS.

STARTED OFF SMALL, IT'S NOW QUITE LARGE.

I'VE GOT MY LAB ASSISTANTS, IF YOU WILL, THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY, AND, UH, ARIAS, UH, JAVIER FERNANDEZ, UH, ANTHONY CABRERA AND MUKTAR RUMA, A LATE EDITION WHO WAS AN INTERN INITIALLY.

SO THE CITY IS HIRING ITS OWN INTERNS NOW, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR SOME TIME.

MUKTAR CAME TO US FROM MIAMI-DADE, AND NOW HE'S AN EMPLOYEE, A PROUD EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES.

MANY OF THE INTERNS, WHICH WAY SHOULD I FACE TO GET YOU COORDINATED? UH, FIRST UP WE'VE GOT ANTONELLA TSO.

SHE'S WORKING OUT OF MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE.

SHE'S AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER AND SHE'S WORKING ON A FLOODING SENSOR WHERE WE CAN, UH, STATION SMALL IOT, UH, DEVICES IN AREAS THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE CONTINUAL PONDING, LET'S SAY.

WE WANT MEASURE IT, WE WANNA BE AWARE OF IT, WE WANNA ANTICIPATE IT.

IT'LL REPORT ON THAT.

WORKING WITH, UH, ELIZABETH, UH, LUA FROM MIAMI-DADE AS WELL, WORKING ON DASHBOARDS FOR THE CITY.

UH, WE KNOW THIAGO, WE SAW HIM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO HERE FROM SUSTAINABILITY, UH, WHO WAS A GRADUATE INTERN FROM, UH, FROM OUR CITY.

HE'S NOW WORKING IN NORTH FORT LAUDERDALE.

IS THAT CORRECT? CITY OF CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE BY MISTAKE.

SAMANTHA TIMMONS FROM MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE, WHO DID THE WORK ON THE SPEED SENSOR WE JUST SAW A MINUTE AGO, AS WELL AS SANTIAGO CHAHEEN FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI.

HE'S WORKING ON, UH, THE DASHBOARD USING, UTILIZING THE WEATHER STATIONS THAT WE HAVE AT FIRE STATION THREE AND HERE AT THIS STATION TO MAKE A DASHBOARD THAT REFLECTS WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A BUNCH OF NUMBERS AND FIGURES, IT'S ACTUALLY THE VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE HEAT, UH, THAT MAY BE OCCURRING AND THE NEED TO GET SHADE AND WATER AND HYDRATE AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S GONNA RAIN OR WHAT THE PRECIPITATION AND THE CLOUDINESS MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

DID I MISS ANYBODY, ANYBODY HIDING SOMEWHERE THAT I DIDN'T GET TO? WELL, THAT'S THE TEAM AT THE MOMENT.

JUST YESTERDAY, WE HAD TWO NEW COHORTS.

START WITH THE CITY, ONE FROM FIU, THE SPRINT, THE BREAKTHROUGH SPRINT INTERNSHIP, UH, COHORT FIVE INDIVIDUALS.

THEY'RE WORKING ON A BUNCH OF NEW PROJECTS AS WELL.

AND THEN TWO GENTLEMEN FROM THE NIST RAMPS PROGRAM, UH, SPONSORED BY PROFESSOR ALEX PONS AT THE, AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY.

AND THEN THOSE WERE JUST THE, THE SEVEN THAT WE ANTICIPATED.

THERE WERE ALL THE, ALSO THREE OTHER INTERNS THAT STARTED YESTERDAY AS WELL.

I AM SO PLEASED AT WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GENERATE THE INTEREST AND THE FLOW OF, OF INTERNS WHO WANT TO COME TO US.

I GET COLD CALLS FROM THEM, HR GETS COLD CALLS FROM THEM.

WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE THERE UNTIL THEY MAKE THEMSELVES KNOWN.

OTHERWISE, WE HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH THE UNIVERSITIES WHO HELP US CONDUCT THESE INTERNS THROUGH, BUT WORD OF MOUTH IS SPREADING AND WE'RE BEING VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL.

RECORDING IN PROGRESS.

AND THANK YOU FOR SUPPORT, SIR.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

I KNOW YOU, THIS HAS BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE FOR YOU AND OBVIOUSLY FOR YOUR ENTIRE TEAM, TRULY.

AND, UH, WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS LAYING SEEDS FOR THE FUTURE, WHICH ARE GONNA BEAR

[00:25:01]

A LOT OF FRUIT.

UH, THESE ARE VERY TALENTED INDIVIDUALS AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THAT WORK.

THEY'RE WORKING FOR THE CITY.

SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US.

AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR AWARDS.

I MEAN, YOU NEVER CEASE TO, TO STOP AND, YOU KNOW, TO IMPRESS US BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST, YOU KEEP WINNING.

YOU KEEP WINNING, AND THERE ISN'T, YOU KNOW, THERE ISN'T A TIME WHERE I DON'T SPEAK WITH ANOTHER CITY AND THEY SPEAK ABOUT OUR IT TEAM AND WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS DOING AND HOW BASICALLY YOU, YOU'RE LEADING AND EVERYBODY'S FOLLOWING, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.

I MEAN, I TALKED TO THE COUNTY, I TALKED TO OTHER CITIES, THEY JUST RANT AND RAVE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS DOING AND HOW GENEROUS YOU ARE, BY THE WAY, THEY TALK ABOUT YOUR GENEROSITY.

SOMETHING THAT I, I, I'VE MENTIONED TO THE MANAGER AND I WENT TO MEET WITH YOU THE OTHER DAY TO TALK ABOUT THE POSSIBLE LAB WE WALKED ASIDE.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

I'M, I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT BEHIND IT.

UM, YOU KNOW, THIS SETS US APART FROM EVERYBODY ELSE.

THIS IS ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RAIN SENSORS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FLOODING SENSORS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT WILL TRULY PAY, PAY, PAY DIVIDENDS.

BUT WHEN I MENTIONED ABOUT THE GENEROSITY, YOU MEET WITH OTHER CITIES, YOU SIT WITH OTHER DIRECTORS, YOU SIT WITH OTHER STAFF, UH, NOT ONLY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT YOU SIT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR WITH THEM AND YOU HELP THEM, YOU KNOW, GET STARTED OR, YOU KNOW, REACH NEW HEIGHTS.

AND AGAIN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE ONLY AS GOOD AS OUR NEIGHBORS IS GOOD.

SO WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS AMAZING.

UH, AND I CONGRATULATE YOU ON THAT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S TRULY A PASSION PROJECT FOR YOU.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

RAMA'S LEADERSHIP IS PRECIOUS TO US.

NOW LISTEN, WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE ALL OF YOU.

MUNDO IS SPECIAL INDIVIDUAL.

YOU'RE THE MAYOR.

SPECIAL.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, ANYTIME THAT YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE ON, YOU GUYS TAKE IT ON AND YOU GET IT DONE.

UM, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT, UH, I WANTED TO GET DONE WHEN WE DID OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS, UH, HERE IN, UH, WHEN I WAS A COMMISSIONER, WAS A TRACKER.

SO THAT WE KNEW WHERE SANTA WAS AND PEOPLE WEREN'T JUST SITTING OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSE FOR THREE OR FOUR HOURS.

AND WHAT A PERFECT PROJECT YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO DELIVER THIS YEAR, WHERE YOU WERE ABLE TO SEE WHERE SANTA WAS JUST TWO SECONDS AWAY FROM WHERE HE ACTUALLY WAS.

UH, IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

I GOT A GREAT RESPONSE FROM RESIDENTS ON THAT PROJECT.

THAT WAS ANNA, THE WORK THAT YOU DID, YOU WERE ON SITE THAT DAY TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS WORKING.

THANK YOU FOR THE DEDICATION YOUR TEAM HAD.

UH, I STARTED, UH, MY CAREER AS AN INTERN.

UH, MY SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.

I STARTED AN INTERNSHIP WITH CONGRESSWOMAN ROSS LAYTON.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE METEOROLOGY PRO, UH, UH, PROJECT.

I ALSO DID A PRO A PROGRAM WITH UNIVISION 23 AND JOHN MORALES.

AND I EVEN GOT TO DO THE WEATHER ON A FRIDAY NIGHT AT CHANNEL 23.

AND I REALIZED THAT WASN'T THE CAREER PATH I WANTED TO GO.

BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNSHIPS IS YOU'RE ABLE TO GET AND DEVELOP THAT EXPERIENCE, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ALL DEVELOPING HERE, AND THAT'S AN INITIATIVE NOT EVERYBODY TAKES.

SO I WANT TO CONGRATULATE E EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.

'CAUSE YOU COULD JUST VERY EASILY BE OUT THERE HAVING FUN WITH YOUR FRIENDS, ENJOYING YOUR TIME OFF.

BUT YOU'RE HERE AT THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES TAKING YOUR TIME TO LEARN THE TRADE, TO PERFECT AND TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WE HAVE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE HELPING US IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THROUGH THE MAYOR, YES.

UM, I'M GONNA DOVETAIL ON THAT A LITTLE BIT.

AND SOME OF THE ADVICE I'VE ALWAYS GIVEN YOUNG PEOPLE IS TO TRY TO GET AN INTERNSHIP OR JOB IN AN AREA WHERE THEY WANNA EVENTUALLY END UP.

AND AS AN INTERN, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE SOMETIMES GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU MAY NOT EVER GET FOR YEARS AFTER YOU START A, A REAL JOB, SO TO SPEAK.

BUT, UH, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ALL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, I COME UP WITH IDEAS AND ONE OF 'EM WAS TO TRY TO ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY ON THE MILE, BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE ON SCOOTERS AND BIKES KNOCKING PEDESTRIANS OVER.

AND, UH, THE ANSWER TO MY REQUEST INITIALLY WAS IT DIDN'T EXIST.

THE SENSE TYPE OF SENSOR TO DETECT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SPEED OF WALKING VERSUS THE SPEED OF OTHER TYPES OF MOBILITY JUST DIDN'T EXIST.

BUT NOW YOU HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE TO ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY IN SOME OF THESE VERY DENSE CORRIDORS AND, AND GET THESE VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, THESE OTHER MODALITIES WHERE THEY BELONG AND BIKE LANES, ET CETERA.

BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.

I HAVE THE HONOR OF RECOGNIZE SOMEONE WHOSE DEDICATION HELPED BRING OUR CENTENNIAL TO LIFE IN A MEANINGFUL AND LASTING WAY.

UH, SO MOVING ON TO TIME SERVED ITEM NINE 30 A ONE.

UH, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP JOHN MEYER.

PLEASE DO TAKE A PHOTO.

[00:30:02]

[A.-1. 26-1483 Presentation of Certificate of Appreciation: Lucy Lopez - For Permit Processing Notes Dayron Garcia - For Permit Processing Notes Joanne Meagher - For Merrick Moments (Sponsored by Mayor Lago)]

RAMIR TOOK, TOOK WHAT BEGAN AS A SIMPLE IDEA, THE MERRICK MOMENT, AND TURNED IT INTO ONE OF THE MOST THOUGHTFUL AND ENRICHING ELEMENTS OF OUR COMMISSION MEETINGS OVER THE PAST YEAR.

THROUGH HER LEADERSHIP AND THE WORK OF THE MERRICK HOUSE VOLUNTEERS, WE WERE GIVEN A DEEPER APPRECIATION FOR THE, FOR THE HISTORY VISION.

AND PEOPLE WHO SHAPED CORAL GABLES MEETING AFTER MEETING THESE MOMENTS REMINDED US THAT OUR CITY'S STORY IS NOT JUST FOUND IN BOOKS, BUT IN THE PASSION AND COMMITMENT OF THOSE WHO PRESERVE AND SHARE IT.

IT WAS TRULY A PERFECT CENTENNIAL PROJECT, ONE THAT EDUCATED, INSPIRED, AND CONNECTED US ALL ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COMMISSION AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION, YOUR TIME, AND YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO HONORING OUR PAST.

IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT THIS CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION TO JOANNE IN RECOGNITION OF THE RECOGNITION OF ONE YEAR OF MERRICK MOMENT AND THE LASTING IMPACT IT HAD ON OUR CITY.

OH, PLEASE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? YOU GUYS SAY A FEW WORDS, YOU HAVE A LONG AGENDA.

NO, SO I WON'T TAKE ANY TIME.

THIS IS MORE, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

NO, YOU'RE VERY IMPORTANT.

YOU WERE, YOU, I WAS SURPRISED TO BE RECOGNIZED, UM, AT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, AND I'M VERY SURPRISED AND HONORED TO BE RECOGNIZED AT THIS MONTH.

WHAT IS GOOD, WHAT CAN BE BETTER, AND WHAT IS BROKEN? THESE INDIVIDUALS NOT ONLY SAT DOWN AND HAD CONVERSATIONS, BUT THEY PUT TOGETHER POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS, REAL BREAKDOWNS.

WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE YOU IN THE CITY.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO, AND YOU DO IT, I MEAN, WITH AN AMAZING GRACE.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MAY WE TAKE A PHOTO.

SO AS WE CONTINUE WITH ITEM A ONE, WHICH IS TIME SERVED FOR NINE 30, I WANT TO CALL UP, UH, THREE INDIVIDUALS, UH, DAYRON, MANIX, AND LUCY TO PLEASE JOIN US AS I HOPE EVERYBODY'S HERE.

I THINK I SEE TWO OUTTA THE THREE.

LET ME TELL YOU WHY THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS ARE HERE TODAY.

SO, AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE REVAMPING THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MANAGER AND HIS TEAM, OUR ENTIRE, UH, PERMITTING DEPARTMENT.

WE DID A STUDY, UH, USING A CITY OF CORAL GABLES, RESIDENT AND COMPANY GEORGE OZ.

AND THE, THE FINDINGS WERE DELIVERED TO THE CITY MANAGER.

AND NOW WE'RE DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH IN THE COMMUNITY AS WE ROLL OUT OUR EFFORTS TO COMPLETELY REVAMP THE PROCESS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REQUESTED THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT WAS, WE NEED TO GET INPUT FROM PEOPLE WHO USE THE SYSTEM AT A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL, NOT JUST RESIDENTS WHO ARE INPUTTING THEIR OWN PERSONAL PERMITS.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE IN AND OUTTA THE SYSTEM EVERY SINGLE DAY.

SO I CHALLENGED, UH, THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HERE, UM, TO DO ME A FAVOR AND GIVE ME THEIR PERSPECTIVE IN REGARDS TO THE PERMITTING PROCESS, THEIR PERMIT, EXPE EXPEDITERS, UH, WHO WORK IN THE CITY AND HAVE A REAL GRASP AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS.

AND WHEN I SAY THAT I WANTED HONESTY,

[00:35:01]

AND THAT WAS PROVIDED IN A MEMO TO THE MANAGER AND TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMISSION AND MEMORIALIZED WHERE I HAVE ALL MY MEMOS.

I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR DOING THIS BECAUSE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE BETTER.

WE WANT TO HEAR WHERE WE CAN BE BETTER.

WE DON'T JUST WANT TO HEAR WHAT'S GOOD FOR US TO HEAR.

OH, YOU GUYS ARE GREAT.

THE PERMITTING SYSTEM'S THE BEST.

CORAL GABLES IS THE BEST.

THAT'S NOT GONNA HELP US ACHIEVE HIGHER GOALS AND ACHIEVE HIGHER LEVELS OF EFFICIENCY AND SERVICE, UH, FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

SO IN CLOSING, I WANT TO THANK YOU.

I KNOW THAT MANIC COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, UM, FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD, BECAUSE HIS WIFE OBVIOUSLY IS RECOVERING FROM CANCER AND, UH, THEY'VE HAD A LONG BATTLE AHEAD OF THEM.

BUT HE STILL TOOK TIME.

HE TOOK TIME TO ENGAGE, HE TOOK TIME TO PUT TOGETHER A PAMPHLET, A BREAKDOWN, A PRESENTATION, BECAUSE THE THREE OF YOU TRULY IMPRESSED ME IN HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT THE CITY.

SOME OF YOU'RE RESIDENTS, SOME OF YOU'RE NOT RESIDENTS, BUT ALL OF YOU DO BUSINESS HERE IN THE CITY, ALONG WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO HELPING US IMPROVE US, BE BETTER.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY WORDS, YOU KNOW, PLEASE, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR BEFORE WE, BEFORE I GIVE YOU THE CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION.

THANK YOU, LUCY.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION.

IT REALLY MEANS A LOT.

AND MOREOVER, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS LISTENING AND TAKING THE TIME NOT ONLY TO ADDRESS MY CONCERNS AS AN AVID USER, BUT IN TURN TO ASSIST THE CONCERNS OF THE HOMEOWNERS, UM, WHICH I REPRESENT, UH, AND THROUGH THEIR PERMITTING PROCESS.

AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A SMALL MOMENT TO WISH MY MOM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WHO SHE'S LOVE IT WATCHING FROM HOME.

AND THIS RECOGNITION MEANS A LOT BECAUSE SHE'S ALWAYS INSTILLED THE IMPORTANCE OF HARD WORK.

UM, SO THANK YOU.

SURE.

A TWO, A PRESENTATION ON PROCLAMATION DECLARING MAY 3RD THROUGH THE NINTH NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK AND CORAL GABLES.

GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING COMMISSION.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT MY NOTES THAT WERE PROVIDED, UH, WERE TO BETTER THE DEPARTMENT.

UM, AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, I USED TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES.

SO IT HOLDS A DEAR PLACE IN MY HEART.

EVERYTHING I DO HERE, AND I SAY IN MY COMMENTS AND MY FEEDBACK IS ALL TO BETTER THE DEPARTMENT, NOT TO BETTER MYSELF, UH, HELP THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHAT I'VE DONE NOW, UH, IN THE CITY FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

SO, SO I WANT TO THANK BOTH OF YOU AND MADDOX, WHO'S NOT HERE.

UH, YOU TOOK A LOT OF TIME, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MEMO THAT I PUT TOGETHER, MINUS JUST ONE PAGE, BUT THEY PUT TOGETHER PROBABLY OVER 30 PAGES OF INSIGHT, GUIDANCE, IDEAS.

SOME OF THEM WE'RE GONNA IMPLEMENT.

SOME OF THEM ARE GONNA BE DIFFICULT, UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO THE BEST WE CAN BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE GOING THROUGH A PROCESS THAT IS GONNA BE COSTLY, BUT AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I BELIEVE IT'S GONNA BE EFFECTIVE.

UM, AND IT'S GONNA REALLY CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE DO BUSINESS.

AND I DON'T WANT IT JUST TO BE TALK.

I WANT IT TO ACTUALLY BE SOMETHING THAT'S DELIVERABLE AND THAT WE BRING FORWARD.

SO IF ANYBODY HERE, IF ANYBODY HERE HAS ANY IDEAS IN REGARDS TO PERMITTING, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

THE GENTLEMAN THAT'S STANDING HERE, RIGHT HERE, A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN HE WAS WORKING AT THE CITY, CAME TO SEE ME IN OFFICE HOURS.

AND I'VE NEVER SAID THIS PUBLICLY, BUT I'LL SAY IT HERE, HE'S HERE WITH US.

HE CAME TO SEE ME ONE DAY IN OFFICE HOURS TO SEE ME, AND HE SAYS, I HAVE AN IDEA.

THE IDEA IS, WHY DON'T WE START MAYBE DOING IN-HOME PERMITTING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED, ELDERLY, VETERANS, PEOPLE THAT JUST CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE CITY FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, AND WE CAN BE GROUNDBREAKING AND DO SOMETHING REVOLUTIONARY.

I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WE'D BE DOING OVER 300 IN-HOME PERMITS A YEAR FOR SMALL THINGS, PAINT PERMITS, GARAGES, WINDOWS, ROOFS, KITCHENS, BATHROOM REPAIRS.

AND I'VE TALKED TO VERY ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS, PEOPLE WHO ARE SINGLE PARENTS, UH, PEOPLE WHO, WHO ARE DISABLED FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, AND THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS MADE THEIR LIFE EASIER.

AND THAT'S WHAT SETS CORAL GABLES APART.

AND DAYRON CAME UP WITH THAT IDEA.

SO THESE ARE THE TYPE OF IDEAS THAT COME TO US DURING OFFICE HOURS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING FOR 13 YEARS, BROUGHT TO US BY BUSINESS OWNERS, BY PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN THE CITY, AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN SEEING THE CITY BE THE BEST THAT IT POSSIBLY CAN.

SO THAT WAS THE INTENT OF WHAT I PUT TOGETHER.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH ME FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS TO GET THIS DONE.

BECAUSE EVEN IF WE TAKE ONE IDEA FROM WHAT THE THREE OF YOU DID, WE'LL BE BETTER.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

CAN WE TAKE A PHOTO

[00:40:59]

MOVING ON TO ITEM

[A.-2. 26-1448 Presentation of a Proclamation declaring May 3-9, 2026 as "National Travel and Tourism Week" in Coral Gables.]

OBVIOUSLY YOU CELEBRATE YOUR CENTENNIAL.

UM, WOW.

SO I'M FOLLOWING AMAZING POETRY AND PERMITTING, WHICH I THINK IS ACTUALLY PERFECT BECAUSE ONE TALKED ABOUT REMEMBERING THE PAST AND BUILDING ON THE FUTURE, AND PART OF THAT FUTURE IS BECOMING MORE EFFICIENT FROM A CITY'S PERSPECTIVE AND HOW YOU PERMIT.

AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE FOUNDATION OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES, THE CITY, BEAUTIFUL GEORGE MERRICK DIVISIONARY, BUT ALWAYS LOOKING INTO THE, INTO THE, INTO THE FUTURE AS WELL.

SO AGAIN, I'M ALANDO ADO.

I'M THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR THE GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

UH, I'VE BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU IN YOUR, YOUR OLD PLACE, HOPING TO GET BACK INTO YOUR NEW PLACE AT SOME, BUT THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

AND I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE RICHARD GIBBS.

IT IS NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK.

UM, TRAVEL AND TOURISM AND TOURISM IN GENERAL TOUCHES EVERY COMMUNITY IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, INCLUDING CORAL GABLES.

YOU KNOW, CORAL GABLES IS CELEBRATING MANY THINGS.

UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE AMERICAS SEMI QUINCENTENNIAL KIND OF TOUGH TO SAY.

UM, VENETIAN POOL REOPEN, LOTS OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN THE CITY.

BEAUTIFUL.

IN FACT, ON JUNE 3RD, WE'RE GONNA BE AT THE BILTMORE HOTEL, WHICH IS CELEBRATING A CENTENNIAL, UH, AT OUR BIANNUAL STATE OF THE INDUSTRY.

YOU'RE ALL INVITED, I BELIEVE WE'RE GETTING SOME MESSAGES FROM YOU TO WELCOME.

THE GROUP OF 600 OF OUR INDUSTRY WILL BE THERE LISTENING TO HOW TOURISM IS BENEFITING THE RESIDENTS OF CORAL GABLES AND OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.

UM, ANOTHER THING WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT IS THE BUSINESSES.

WE WORK EXTENSIVELY WITH YOUR SMALL BUSINESSES.

WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH GEORGE FROM YOUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND OBVIOUSLY WE HAD A GREAT ONE WITH MARK, GOD REST HIS SOUL.

AND THAT IS A VIBRANT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A, A, A VIBRANT FABRIC OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES.

IT ITS SMALL BUSINESSES THAT BY THE WAY, ARE FOR THE RESIDENTS FIRST AND FOREMOST, BUT THEY ALSO WELCOME A LOT OF VISITORS.

UH, SOME OF THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES ARE ONES THAT WE SHOWCASE IN OUR CULINARY PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT'S MIAMI SPICE, UH, WE BROUGHT THE MICHELIN PROGRAM HERE.

I THINK RESTAURANTS IS ONE OF THE MANY AMAZING, AMAZING ATTRIBUTES OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES AND SOMETHING THAT WE PROMOTE EVERY DAY.

WE'VE COLLABORATED WITH YOUR CORAL GABLES MUSEUM AND ESTABLISHING A VISITOR CENTER.

AND YES, VISITOR CENTERS ARE STILL VALUABLE.

PEOPLE LIKE TO WALK IN, GET THAT BROCHURE, ESPECIALLY THOSE INTERNATIONAL VISITORS THAT DON'T HAVE THOSE CHEAP, UH, DATA PLANS.

BUT YOU HAVE MORE THAN 12 HOTELS, MORE THAN 2000 HOTEL ROOMS. THEY EMPLOY A LOT OF FOLKS.

THEY GENERATE RATE, A LOT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT.

ONE OF THOSE HOTELS YOU SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF.

THE HIGHER CORAL GABLES HAS THE HIGHEST ACHIEVEMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY OF ANY HOTEL IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.

UH, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IS, IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES.

UM, SO AGAIN, AS I CLOSE OUT, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR BEING ONE OF THE, WHAT I WOULD CALL THE CORE CITIES OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY WHEN IT COMES TO TOURISM.

UH, YOU'RE HOME TO SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS, NOT JUST RESIDENTS, SMALL BUSINESSES.

OBVIOUSLY THE INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR OF CORAL GABLES WITH, WITH ITS CONSULAR CORE IS ANOTHER FACET THAT WE CELEBRATE.

AND AS WE PREPARE FOR FIFA WORLD CUP, YOU'RE ALSO HOME TO, OF COURSE, FIFA ON THE HOST COMMITTEE, WHICH ARE OUR DEAR PARTNERS.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING A PARTNER WITH, UH, THE GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR YOUR RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT THAT TOURISM IS A CRITICAL INDUSTRY FOR THE CITY.

IT SUPPORTS RESIDENT QUALITY OF LIFE, AND IT MILKS AND IT MAKES CORAL GABLES THE AMAZING CITY THAT IT IS.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

OH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

AND, UH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I'LL JUST BEGIN BY READING IN THE PRO PROCLAMATION.

FLORIDIANS TO WORK IN 2025.

WHEREAS THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY IS ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF EVERY INDUSTRY AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CRITICAL PART OF FLORIDA'S AND THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES ECONOMY, DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE.

AND WHEREAS TRAVEL IS AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE FOR FLORIDA AND EVERY DESTINATION ACROSS THE STATE, GENERATING $133 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT AND PUTTING MORE THAN 1.8 MILLION

[00:45:01]

AND WHEREAS TOURISM SPENDING SUPPORTS VIBRANT AND SAFE COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING THE CITY, BEAUTIFUL AND ACROSS FLORIDA, BY GENERATING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN STATE AND LOCAL TAX REVENUE TO SUPPORT ESSENTIAL SERVICES SUCH AS EDUCATION, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND MORE.

AND WHEREAS ACCORDING TO THE GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION IN VISITORS BUREAU, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, WELCOME MORE THAN 28 MILLION VISITORS GENERATING APPROXIMATELY $21 BILLION IN VISITOR SPENDING AND SUPPORTING OVER 200,000 LOCAL JOBS REINFORCING TOURISM AS ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY'S LEADING ECONOMIC DRIVERS.

AND WHEREAS TOURISM CONTRIBUTES TO THE SUCCESS OF ALL INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING MANUFACTURING, AGRICULTURE, DEFENSE, HEALTHCARE, AND MORE BY DRIVING SALES, GROWTH, INNOVATION, EDUCATION AND OPERATIONS THAT POWER OUR ECONOMY, OUR NATION, OUR STATE, AND THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES.

AND WHEREAS FLORIDA'S TOURISM INDUSTRY CANNOT BE GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE AND REMAINS ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP DESTINATIONS WITHOUT MAXIMIZING GROWTH IN LEISURE BUSINESS AND INTERNATIONAL INBOUND VISITORS THROUGH TOURISM PROMOTION.

AND WHEREAS TRAVEL IS AN ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY, AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE THAT GROWING TOURISM LEADS TO ECONOMIC GROWTH BENEFITS BUSINESSES FOSTERS MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND CONNECTS THE NATION.

NOW, THEREFORE, I VINCE LAGO AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES, ALONG WITH THE MEMBERS OF OUR CITY COMMISSION DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY THREE THROUGH 9, 20 26 AS NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK IN CORAL GABLES.

ON A PROCLAMATION DECLARING MAY 5TH, 2026 ON SEATTLE TELO DAY IN CORAL GABLES BELLIES.

WE ON TO ITEM A THREE, A PRESENTATION

[A.-3. 26-1505 Presentation of a Proclamation declaring May 5, 2026 as “Cielo Tejido Day” in Coral Gables.]

PLEASE JOIN US.

WHAT I TOLD THE COUNCIL GENERAL WAS VERY SIMPLE, WAS THAT, UH, I WENT AND SPOKE TO SOME OF THE BARS AND RESTAURANTS WHEN WE WERE THERE WHEN WE CUT THE RIBBON, UH, FOR THE INSTALLATION, AND THEY WERE ECSTATIC, UH, ABOUT, ABOUT THE INSTALLATION.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.

UM, CI TERO IS A VIBRANT PUBLIC ART, UH, INSTALLATION ON DRAW THE PLAZA.

AND WHILE WE LOVE THE COLOR, WE LOVE EVEN MORE THE STORY BEHIND IT.

SO EVERY CROCHET DISC THAT IS, UM, INSTALLED HAS BEEN MADE BY ONE OF 200 WOMEN FROM JALISCO, MEXICO, WHICH ARE PART OF THIS COLLECTIVE.

UM, THEY ARE USING THEIR SKILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION IN ORDER TO CREATE SOME INCOME FOR THEMSELVES AND BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.

SO THAT'S REALLY A FEELING OF EMPOWERMENT THAT CAN BE TRANSFORMATIVE FOR THESE WOMEN.

SO FAR, THE RESPONSE FOR THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.

WE HAD GIRALDA LIVE, WHICH WAS THE PICTURES THAT ARE YOU'RE SEEING THERE.

WE INTRODUCED IT ON THE DAY THAT WE HAD GIRALDA LIVE.

WE HAD 53, A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE FROM SIX TO MIDNIGHT.

SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG NUMBER FOR US.

GERALDA PLAZA, TYPICALLY GERALDA LIVE TYPICALLY HAS BETWEEN 3,400 TO 3,600 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE EVERY FIRST FRIDAY.

SO, UM, THAT WAS WONDERFUL.

UM, WE'RE SEEING, OBVIOUSLY, INCREASED FOOT TRAFFIC.

IT'S SUPPORTING OUR BUSINESSES AND IT'S ENERGIZING.

THE DOWNTOWN MIRACLE MILE LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.

UM, THIS INITIATIVE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT OF THE CONSULATE OF MEXICO AND THE CONSUL GENERAL LIO ESON AND HIS AMAZING TEAM.

UM, A GARCIA RAMOS, THE DIRECTOR OF THE CON OF THE CONSULATE CULTURAL INSTITUTE, AND TERE, THE CULTURAL INSTITUTE ASSISTANT, WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH THE ARTIST AND OUR STAFF, BORIS LAZO AND HAMLET, UH, GARCIA, WORKING ALL NIGHT UNTIL 6:00 AM EVERY NIGHT IN ORDER TO MEET OUR DEADLINE.

SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

AND LETTI FROM OUR OFFICE, LETES ALSO HELPED WITH THE COORDINATION, SO IT WAS A TEAM EFFORT.

AND SO WITH THAT, MAY I TURN IT OVER FOR THE PROCLAMATION?

[00:50:33]

JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, THIS IS GONNA BE GOING ON FOR SIX MONTHS.

YOU HAVE THREE MONTHS INSTALLATION OF CIELO TEJ, AND THEN YOU HAVE THREE MONTHS OF THE UMBRELLAS, UH, A DIFFERENT ITERATION.

SO ALKIS LETTI, THEIR TEAM, HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB.

THE CONSUL GENERAL, UH, MEXICAN CONSULATE.

WE ARE BEYOND BLESSED, BEYOND GRATEFUL TO HAVE THEM HERE IN THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES.

THEY ARE AT EVERY SINGLE EVENT THEY DO.

THE S THEY TE THEY TAKE SUCH PRIDE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE PART OF THE CORAL GABLES COMMUNITY.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU GRA EXPRESS IMPORTANT INSTITUTION SIGN AND VICE MAYOR, DO YOU HAVE A PROCLAMATION? THE, I'VE GOT IT ACTUALLY.

MR. OH, YOU HAVE IT.

GO AHEAD.

WELL, I WANTED TO SAY, TO BORROW AND JUMP ONTO WHAT YOUR REMARKS WERE AND BEKI.

I HAD, UH, CONS GENERAL, I HAD THE MOST AMAZING TIME MYSELF ON FRIDAY NIGHT BECAUSE I HAD THE GREAT PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO BE ABLE TO HAVE DINNER WITH MY FAMILY ON GIRALDA.

IN WHAT HAS BEEN IN MY MEMORY, THE, THE MOST, UM, ENERGETIC WELL ATTENDED, IT LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING I WAS, UH, UNAWARE COULD BE DONE ON GIRALDA.

AND I THINK IT HAD EVERYTHING TO DO WITH, YET WITH CIELO TEVO RIGHT THERE, THAT WAS JUST SO MUCH ENERGY.

CORAL GABLES WAS SHOWCASED IF YOU WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE THERE FOR THE, FOR THE EVENT.

BUT YOU, UH, YOU, YOU, YOU STILL DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.

LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, IT'S GONNA BE GOING ON FOR SIX MONTHS, BUT IT IS SOMETHING TO SEE.

SO I CELEBRATE YOU BELLIES TO CELEBRATE YOU.

COUNCIL GENERAL, I CELEBRATE CORAL GABLES EVERY DAY, BUT IT

[00:55:01]

WAS SOMETHING AMAZING ON FRIDAY NIGHT, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

SO WITH NO FURTHER ADO, WHEREAS THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES HAS LONG CHAMPION, THE ARTS IS A CORNERSTONE OF COMMUNITY LIFE.

AND IN THAT SPIRIT CONTINUALLY SEEKS BOLD, BEAUTIFUL, AND BOUNDARY PUSHING INITIATIVES THAT BRING OUR STREETS, PARKS, AND PUBLIC SPACES ALIVE WITH CREATIVITY, MEANING, AND CONNECTION.

AND WHEREAS CIELO TEDO, A WOVEN SKY IS A BREATHTAKING LARGE SCALE INSTALLATION BROUGHT TO LIFE BY THE REMARKABLE WOMEN ARTISANS OF A COMMUNITY IN JALISCO, MEXICO, WHO HAVE TRANSFORMED THE CENTURIES OLD CRAFT TRADITION INTO A SOARING SKY FILLING EXPRESSION OF CULTURE, PRIDE, AND COLLECTIVE POWER.

A REMINDER THAT ART MADE BY HAND CARRIES THE HEARTBEAT OF THE PEOPLE WHO MADE IT.

AND WHEREAS CIELO TE IS MORE THAN A WORK OF ART, IT IS A BRIDGE BETWEEN PEOPLE'S AND PLACES WEAVING TOGETHER THE STORIES, SKILLS, AND SPIRITS OF ITS CREATORS WITH THE CURIOSITY AND THE WARMTH OF THE CORAL GABLES COMMUNITY.

PROVING ONCE AGAIN THAT GREAT ART TRANSCENDS BORDERS AND SPEAKS A LANGUAGE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS.

AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES EXTENDS ITS HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO THE CONSULATE OF MEXICO, WHOSE DEDICATED PARTNERSHIP AND TIRELESS BEHIND THE SCENES EFFORTS MADE IT POSSIBLE TO BRING CI TEJ FROM THE HIGHLANDS OF JCO TO THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITY, A COLLABORATION THAT REFLECTS THE DEEP AND ENDURING FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO CULTURES.

AND WHERE CIELO TEDO STANDS AS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF HOW CULTURAL INVESTMENT PAYS DIVIDENDS FAR BEYOND THE CANVAS, ENERGIZING LOCAL BUSINESSES, ATTRACTING VISITORS, AND REINFORCING CORAL GABLES WELL EARNED REPUTATION AS A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION WHERE ART, COMMERCE, AND COMMUNITY THRIVE SIDE BY SIDE.

NOW, THEREFORE, IVANS LAGO AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COMMISSION DO HERE HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY FIVE, CINCO 2026 AS CIELO THE DAY IN CORAL GABLES, YOU THE MAYOR? YES.

UM, SO THE CORAL GABLES TO OUR STAFF, UH, INCREDIBLE WORK, UH, MAKING THIS HAPPEN.

MANAGER, UH, BELKA, YOUR ENTIRE TEAM LETICIA, UH, FOR, FOR MAKING THIS A REALITY.

AND WE'D BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T THANK COMMISSIONER CASTRO, WHO CONTINUED TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR TWO YEARS TO MAKE SURE WE DELIVERED ON BRINGING SOMETHING THAT MADE SENSE, UH, TO, UH, GERARDO ONCE AGAIN.

TAKE A PHOTO.

NO, OF COURSE NOT.

MOVING ON TO ITEM A FOUR, EXCUSE ME.

ITEM A FOUR PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION DECLARING MAY 6TH, 2026, AS THE VILLAGERS DAY IN CORAL GABLES.

WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION AVAILABLE.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY PRESENT EXCEPT YES, AVAILABLE? MR. MAYOR? EXCUSE ME.

OR I CAN TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE OH, OF COURSE.

I NEED THE PICTURE.

I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE A PHOTO.

AS LONG AS YOU ACCEPT

[01:00:01]

RESPONSIBILITY.

SO LET'S DO A TAKE TWO ON

[A.-4. 26-1392 Presentation of a Proclamation declaring May 6, 2026 as "The Villagers Day" in Coral Gables.]

A FOUR GO.

WELCOME BACK ING COMMISSIONERS.

WELCOME BACK.

THE POSITION OF PRESIDENT OF THE VILLAGERS IS A FULL-TIME UNPAID JOB.

IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THE WOMAN WHO BROUGHT THE VILLAGERS THROUGH THEIR 60TH YEAR WITH GRACE, CREATIVITY AND A WHOLE LOT OF HARD WORK PRESIDENT GINA GUILFORD.

GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

MAYOR LAGO, VICE MAYOR, LIGHT ANDERSON AND ESTEEM COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS GINA GUILFORD AND I AM PRESIDENT OF THE VILLAGERS.

THE VILLAGERS HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF MIAMI-DADE HISTORIC SITES SINCE 1966.

WHEN OUR MEMBERS WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN SAVING THE DOUGLAS ENTRANCE, THE DOUGLAS ENTRANCE WAS SLATED TO BE DEMOLISHED TO MAKE FAYE FOR A GROCERY STORE.

IMAGINE ONE OF THE FOUR BEAUTIFUL ENTRANCES IN THE GABLES DEMOLISHED FOR A GROCERY STORE.

OUR GROUP IS AWARDED OVER $1.7 MILLION IN GRANTS AND OVER 200 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR, TO FURTHER OUR CAUSE.

WE BELIEVE THAT THE CONSERVATION OF LANDMARKS AND HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS IS ESSENTIAL BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND CULTURALLY.

IN FACT, THE VILLAGERS FOUNDED THE DADE HERITAGE TRUST IN 1972.

AN EXAMPLE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATIONS AND ECONOMIC IMPACT IS TOURISM.

THE NUMBER TWO REASON PEOPLE TRAVEL IS TO EXPERIENCE HISTORY.

AND DESPITE WHAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HAS A LONG, RICH, AND DIVERSE HISTORY.

VISITORS LOVE THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS OF CORAL GABLES WITH THEIR TREELINE STREETS, HISTORIC HOMES, AS WELL AS VISITING THE BILTMORE VENETIAN POOL AND THE MERRICK HOUSE.

THE VILLAGERS HAVE AWARDED OVER $160,000 IN GRANTS THIS YEAR TO MANY WORTHWHILE PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE MERRICK HOUSE, PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, CORAL GABLES WOMEN'S CLUB, CORAL GABLES, PREP ACADEMY, AND SANCTUARY FOR THE ARTS.

THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THE VILLAGERS AND ORGANIZATION COMPLETELY RUN BY VOLUNTEERS FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH AND FOR DECLARING MAY 6TH, THE VILLAGERS DAY IN CORAL GABLES, THE MAYOR.

UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU, OF COURSE, WE WOULD'VE LOST SOME TRUE AND UNIQUE GEMS IN OUR, IN OUR HISTORY HERE, AND IT DOES MAKE IT SPECIAL.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION INTO THE RECORD.

WHEREAS THE MIAMI VILLAGERS INC.

HAS DISTINGUISHED CIVIC AND PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 1966 IN CORAL GI HILLS, FLORIDA, MAKING IT THE OLDEST HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORGANIZATION IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.

FUELED SOLELY BY THE EFFORT EFFORTS OF ITS 180 PLUS ALL VOLUNTEER MEMBERS.

AND WHEREAS THE MIAMI VILLAGERS WAS BORN IN 1966 WHEN A DETERMINED GROUP OF LIKE-MINDED WOMEN BANDED TOGETHER TO SAVE CORAL GABLE'S, ICONIC DOUGLAS ENTRANCE FROM DEMOLITION.

AND BUILDING UPON THAT EARLY SUCCESS WENT ON TO CHAMPION THE PRESERVATION OF OUR OTHER ENDANGERED LANDMARKS, INCLUDING THE SKY'S CASINO ON THE MOUND, THE BILTMORE HOTEL, AND THE 1995 THROUGH 1998 RESTORATION OF THE CAPE FLORIDA LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS COTTAGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FRIENDS OF THE FLORIDA PARKS AND THE FLORIDA PARKS SERVICE.

AND WHEREAS OVER THE COURSE OF 60 YEARS, THE MIAMI VILLAGERS HAS AWARDED MORE THAN 275 GRANTS TO OVER 90 LOCAL ENDANGERED SITES AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TIRELESSLY THROUGH GRANTS

[01:05:01]

EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE CULTURAL AND ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTIES HISTORIC SITES AND NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND WHEREAS IN 1972, THE MIAMI VILLAGERS CREATED THE DADE HERITAGE TRUST AND FUNDED, AND PARTICIPATED IN ITS FIRST HISTORIC SURVEY, WHICH IDENTIFIED MORE THAN 875 SITES OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE, A FOUNDATIONAL STUDY THAT HAS BEEN THE BACKBONE FOR SAVING COUNTLESS PLACES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN LOST, AND HAS FURTHER ASSISTED IN EFFORTS TO PLACE LOCAL PROPERTIES ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.

AND WHEREAS THE MOMMY VILLAGERS HAS INVESTED IN THE FUTURE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION BY AWARDING MORE THAN 200 SCHOLARSHIPS TO FLORIDA BASED UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, FOCUSED ON ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION, ENSURING THAT THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE VITAL TO OUR SHARED HERITAGE ARE CARRIED FORWARD FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

WHEREAS THE MIAMI VILLAGERS HAS DEMONSTRATED AN ENDURING COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, MOST NOTABLY BY RAPIDLY RELEASING EMERGENCY FUNDS FOLLOWING HURRICANE IRMA TO HELP CLEAN AND SECURE AND STABILIZE HISTORIC SITES THROUGHOUT MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.

AND WHEREAS MIAMI VILLAGERS NOW PROUDLY CELEBRATE THEIR 60TH ANNIVERSARY, A MILESTONE THAT REFLECTS SIX DECADES OF TENUOUS, UH, TENACIOUS, RATHER CONSISTENT AND SELFLESS VOLUNTEER SERVICE ON BEHALF OF EVERY UNIQUE THREAD OF RICH CULTURAL PATCHWORK OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.

NOW, THEREFORE, I AND SGO AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES, ALONG WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COMMISSION WHO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 6TH, 2026 AS THE VILLAGERS DAY IN CORAL GABLES.

SO READY FOR A PHOTO? LET'S DO IT.

A FIVE, PRESENTATION OR PROCLAMATION, DECLARING MAY, 2026 AS HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH IN THE CITY.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

MOVING ON TO ITEM

[A.-5. 26-1390 Presentation of a Proclamation declaring May 2026 as "Historic Preservation Month" in Coral Gables.]

BEAUTIFUL.

UM, COULD WE HAVE BOARD MEMBERS KELLY SLID AND MICHAEL MAXWELL ALSO.

MARLON, PLEASE JOIN US.

MAD VICE MAYOR.

SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF MEMBERS HERE.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT DAY.

UM, AND WHILE YOU'RE WALKING UP, I CAN READ THE PROCLAMATION INTO THE RECORD.

WHEREAS NATIONAL TRU, THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION HAS DECLARED THE MONTH OF MAY AS NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH.

AND WHEREAS THE THEME FOR THE 2026 IS HARNESSING THE POWER OF PLACE, FOCUSING ON HOW HISTORIC PRESERVATION STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES, SUPPORTS A HEALTHIER PLANET AND FOSTERS MORE CONNECTED SOCIETY.

AND WHEREAS THIS YEAR'S THEME ALIGNS WITH A NATION'S 250 ANNIVERSARY, HIGHLIGHTING THE VITAL ROLE THAT HISTORIC PLACES PLAY IN FOSTERING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN CONNECTING AMERICANS TO THE STORIES, STRUGGLES AND ACHIEVEMENTS THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR SHARED IDENTITY.

AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES HAS ESTABLISHED A HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAM TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE CONSIDERABLE HISTORIC AND CULTURAL LEGACIES OF OUR CITY, BEAUTIFUL AND REMAIN STEADFAST IN ITS COMMITMENT TO HONORING THE PLACES THAT DEFINE OUR UNIQUE CHARACTER AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT.

UH, NOW THEREFORE, IVAN ALGO AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF COOL GABLES, ALONG WITH MEMBERS OF CITY COMMISSION DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY, 2026 AS NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH IN CORAL GABLES.

[01:10:05]

DOES ANYONE FROM THE GROUP WANNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION? GOOD MORNING.

MORNING AND APPRENTICE PRESERVATION OFFICER.

UH, I DID WANNA JUST EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR THE PROCLAMATION.

I THINK THIS WAS A REQUEST FROM THE CHINESE VILLAGE AND ALSO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION OF CORAL GABLES.

UM, IN RELATION TO THE PRESERVATION MONTH, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD HAS ALSO REQUESTED TO MAKE A PRESENTATION ON THE STATE OF PRESERVATION IN CORAL GABLES.

AND WE ALSO HAVE THE MEMBERS OF OUR PINEWOOD ADVISORY BOARD HERE TO MAKE ANOTHER PRESENTATION ON THE PRESERVATION EFFORTS MADE AT PINEWOOD ADVISORY AT THE PINEWOOD CEMETERY SALT.

SO I, THERE'S ALSO A SECOND PROCLAMATION YEP.

I HAVE HERE.

AND THIS IS FOR THE CHINESE VILLAGE.

SO IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN READ IT INTO THE RECORD NOW, AND THEN YOU CAN DO YOUR, YOUR TALK.

AND WE COULD ALSO DO THE PINEWOOD CEMETERY ONE ALSO, I THINK.

YEAH, I WOULD.

AND WITH PINEWOOD, DO WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION ON THAT ONE? THERE WAS ONE NOT, THERE'S A PRESENTATION BY THE BOARD.

FOR PINEWOOD.

SO IF THEY WANNA COME UP, YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAND UP HERE TOO.

WANNA COME UP WHILE YOU'RE COMING UP? I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS THE CITY OF OF CORAL GABLES, CHINESE VILLAGE STANDS AS ONE OF THE MOST ARCHITECTURALLY DISTINCTIVE NEIGHBORHOODS IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

NESTLED ALONG RIVIERA DRIVE BEHIND THE LOW STUCCO WALL WERE CHERISH CLUSTER OF HOMES ADORNED WITH CURVED CERAMIC ROOF TILES, LATTICE BALCONIES IN THE UNMISTAKABLE SILHOUETTE OF THE CLASSICAL CHINESE ARCHITECTURE.

GRACE IS ONE OF CORAL GABLE'S MOST TRANQUIL STREETS.

AND WHEREAS THE CHINESE VILLAGE WAS DESIGNED IN 1926 BY THE RENOWNED ARCHITECT, HENRY KILLIAN MURPHY, WHOSE VISIONARY DESIGN DREW INSPIRATION FROM THE IMPERIAL ARCHITECTURE OF BEIJING, CREATING AN ENCLAVE THAT EVOKES THE INTIMACY OF A CLASSICAL HHU ONG UN, UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE FOUND IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.

AND WHEREAS THE YEAR 2026 MARX, A CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF HENRY KILLS MURPHY'S LANDMARK CHINESE VILLAGE, A MILESTONE THAT INVITES THE RESIDENTS OF CORAL GABLES AND VISITORS ALIKE TO REFLECT UPON AND CELEBRATE A CENTURY OF EXTRAORDINARY ARCHITECTURAL TREASURE.

AND WHEREAS THE CHINESE VILLAGE REPRESENTS THE FOREST SITE AND CULTURAL AMBITION OF CORAL GABLES FOUNDER GEORGE MERRICK, WHO ENVISIONED A CITY BEAUTIFUL, ENRICHED BY THE ARCHITECTURAL TREND, TRANS TRADITIONS AND GREAT, AND WORLD'S GREAT CIVILIZATIONS, AND WHOSE LEGACY CONTINUES TO DEFINE THE CHARACTER AND IDENTITY OF OUR CITY.

WHEREAS IT IS FITTING IN PROPER THAT THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES HONOR THIS UNIQUE AND IRREPLACEABLE HISTORIC LANDMARK AND RECOGNIZE ITS ENDURING CONTRIBUTION TO THE CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ARCHITECTURAL ARCHEOLOGICAL, UH, LEGACY OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THEY NOW, THEREFORE, IVAN SLOGO IS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COMMISSION TO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 3RD, 2026 AS CHINESE VILLAGE DAY IN CORAL GABLES.

SO I HAD THE PLEASURE OF VISITING, UH, ONE OF THE UNITS THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND, UH, I WILL ALLOW P TO GIVE A RECAP ON THAT AND I WON'T DO IT.

BUT IT WAS QUITE A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO GO INSIDE THE FCI THE BUILDING AND SEE JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL AND HEAR THE SPECIAL TALK THAT WAS DONE ON, UH, THIS PAST SUNDAY.

THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING THIS TEAM.

VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THERE.

SORRY, I LIKE TO SAY MICROPHONE.

I CAN YOU, CAN YOU COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE? TO THE MIC? THANK YOU.

UM, THIS WAS, UH, VERY SPECIAL BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, IT WAS A CENTENNIAL OF THE CHINESE VILLAGE, BUT NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY ONE OF OUR MOST AMAZING LANDMARKS IN THE WORLD.

AND THAT WAS SAID BY THE EXPERT WHO IS A SCHOLAR ON HENRY KILLER MURPHY, AND HE CAME RIGHT FROM YALE.

WE BROUGHT HIM DOWN AND HE HAD A, A WONDERFUL LECTURE ON SUNDAY.

UM, SO I REALLY, UH, THANK THE CITY, THE COMMISSION FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.

AND, UM, AND AGAIN, MR. MAXWELL WAS THERE AND, UH, WE, WE ALL REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS LANDMARK.

AND SOMETIMES WE JUST MISS IT WHILE WE'RE DRIVING BY.

BUT IT WAS AMAZING THAT PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE FOR DECADES HAD NEVER BEEN INSIDE.

SO IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT.

THE PRESENTATION NEXT AND THEN WE'LL TAKE PICTURES.

YOU WANNA DO

[A.-6. 26-1395 Presentation by the Historic Preservation Board on the State of Historic Preservation in Coral Gables.]

[01:15:07]

DO I HAVE TO HIT IT? OKAY.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS KELLY SHIELD AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.

MAY IS NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH, AND THIS YEAR'S THEME IS ALL PEOPLE ARE CREATED EQUAL AND CELEBRATES HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS AND LANDMARKS THAT TELL THE FULL AMERICAN STORY.

PLACES THAT REMIND US OF HOW FAR WE'VE COME AND HOW FAR WE STILL HAVE TO GO.

THANK YOU TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION STAFF.

YOU CANNOT GET MORE COMMUNITY CENTERED AND ENGAGED THAN THIS DEDICATED TEAM DIRECTOR ANNA PER KARA KS, ELIZABETH GOEN, AMANDA LA VASSER, EVE BON, AND GAY BUNDI RANT.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS PART OF CORAL GABLE'S HERITAGE AND PART OF THE DNA OF OUR CITY.

FROM THE BEGINNING, GEORGE MERRICK PLANNED A COMMUNITY, INCORPORATING CITY BEAUTIFUL AND GARDEN CITY DESIGN PRINCIPLES.

METICULOUS ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO THE DESIGN OF LAMPPOSTS, LANDSCAPING, AND EVEN THE COLOR OF OUR CORAL SIDEWALKS A CENTURY LATER.

IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT EMPHASIS ON THE THOUGHTFUL PLANNING OF THE CITY.

IN 1972, CORAL GABLES WAS AN EARLY ADOPTER OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCES, ALMOST A DECADE AHEAD OF MIAMI'S PRESERVATION MOVEMENT IN THE 1980S.

THE BENEFITS OF OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND BOARD ARE NOT LIMITED TO SAVING PLACES.

THE POLICIES STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMY BY STABILIZING AND IMPROVING PROPERTY VALUES AND MAKING SURE THAT NEW BUILDINGS ARE HARMONIOUS WITH THE HISTORIC PLAN OF THE CITY.

SOME OF THE ANNUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE INCLUDE 14 PROPERTIES ADDED TO THE REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, A HUNDRED SIGNIFICANT DETERMINATION LETTERS, 185 CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS TO APPROVE ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND 300 INSPECTIONS.

THE CHOICE TO LIVE OR WORK IN CORAL GABLES IS MORE THAN A REAL ESTATE DEAL.

IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN OUR HISTORY, IDENTITY, AND WAY OF LIFE.

RESIDENTS OF CORAL GABLES EMBRACE LIVING AMONG BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED HOMES, PRESERVED DISTRICTS, AND LANDMARK SURROUNDINGS.

IT IS THE COLLECTIVE LIVING HISTORY THAT HAS REACHED A HUNDRED YEARS AND SHOULD BE KEPT CURRENT AND LOOK FORWARDS, NOT BACKWARDS.

THE GOAL SHOULD BE TO EXTEND A BUILDING'S USEFULNESS RATHER THAN FREEZING THEM IN TIME.

BUT PRESERVATION ISN'T LIMITED TO THE 1920S AND PRESERVING ONLY MEDITERRANEAN STYLE BUILDINGS GENERALLY TO BE DEEMED HISTORIC PROPERTIES MUST BE AT LEAST 50 YEARS OLD.

SO THIS MOVES THE MARK FROM HISTORIC PRESERVATION FORWARD FROM THE 1920S TO THE MID 1970S.

THIS MARKER MAY BEGIN WITH THE MEDITERRANEAN STYLE, BUT IT MOVES TO ART DECO MID-CENTURY, MODERN AND INTO BRUTALIST SECTOR STYLES.

WHAT IS A HISTORIC DISTRICT? A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT IS AN ENTIRE AREA, A GROUP OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES DEEMED SIGNIFICANT TO THE CITY'S CULTURAL FABRIC THAT ARE PROTECTED BY PUBLIC REVIEW.

THEREFORE, HOMES IN THESE DESIGNATED DISTRICTS HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROTECTIONS AND OVERSIGHT AS OUR HISTORIC SITES AND LANDMARKS.

CORAL GABLES IS HOME TO 13 DESIGNATED HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN SEVEN UNIQUE VILLAGES THAT ARE EXAMPLES OF THE CITY'S VISION.

THESE DISTRICTS REPRESENT A RANGE OF STYLES, PERIODS, AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES.

AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF HOW CORAL GABLES HAS INVESTED IN THE CITY'S HISTORY IS THE SMALL PHOTO ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT.

THIS IS H GEORGE FINK'S HOME, OFFICE, AND STUDIO.

10 YEARS AGO IN 2016, THE CITY SAW A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESERVE THIS SIGNIFICANT BUILDING.

THEY PURCHASED THE PROPERTY FOR 2.6 MILLION, AND NOW HOUSES THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

THE APARTMENT BUILDING ON TOP IS ANOTHER RARE OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE A SIGNIFICANT BUILDING.

IT IS A 19 25 4 UNIT APARTMENT, AND THEY MAY BE ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF GEORGE FINK'S CRAFTSMANSHIP AS A CITY PROPERTY.

IT COULD BE REPURPOSED AS THE GABLE HOUSE TO HOST CITY GUESTS, HOLD RECEPTIONS, AND HAVE MEETINGS.

CITY INVESTMENTS IN HISTORIC BUILDINGS CAN BE FUNDED IN A MULTIPLE OF WAYS, INCLUDING HISTORICS TAX CREDITS OF 25%, THE SALE OF TRANSFERABLE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, TDRS, STATE

[01:20:01]

OF FLORIDA HISTORIC PRESERVATION GROUP GRANTS, FUNDS FROM PREVIOUS SALES OF TDRS AND RENTAL INCOME IN REGARD TO TDRS, WHAT THE CITY NEEDS NOW ARE MORE SENDING ZONES FROM THE NORTH GABLES AND RECE RECEIVING ZONES IN AREAS DESIGNATED FOR HIGHER DENSITIES.

PRESERVATION AND PROGRESS ARE NOT OPPOSITES.

WE DO NOT HAVE TO VOTE BETWEEN PRESERVATION OR DEVELOPMENT, WHICH SHOULD STRIVE TO INTEGRATE THE TWO.

ENSURING NEW CONSTRUCTION IS HARMONIOUS WITH THE ORIGINAL PLAN OF THE CITY.

IN FACT, OUR CITY'S FO FOUNDER, GEORGE MERRICK, IS ONE OF THE FINEST DEVELOPERS OF HIS TIME.

CREATING A CITY WITH AN OUTSTANDING ARCHITECTURAL PAST THAT HAS BEEN CARRIED THROUGH FOR A HUNDRED YEARS, OUR COMMUNITY CAN ACCOMMODATE CHANGE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROTECT THE CHARACTER, CULTURE AND VALUE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.

THE BOARD IS COMPRISED OF MEMBERS WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN NOT ONLY HISTORIC PRESERVATION, BUT ALSO INCLUDES REAL ESTATE ATTORNEYS, CONTRACTORS, ARCHITECTS, AND HISTORIC HOMEOWNER.

THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME CHAIR, MICHAEL MAXWELL, VICE CHAIR MICHELLE DUNNE, ANNA ALVAREZ, MARLON E CAER, CAESAR GAR GARCIA PONDS, MARGARET ROLANDO, ALEX SILVA, AND DONNA SPAIN.

I WOULD LIKE TO END WITH THIS REMINDER.

A CITY'S HISTORY IS NOT ERASED ALL AT ONCE.

IT HAS LOST ONE BUILDING AT A TIME.

WE HAVE ONE MORE PRESENTATION ON THE PINEWOOD CEMETERY.

WE HAVE CHAIR JOHN SWAIN HERE.

GOOD MORNING, SIR, THROUGH THE MAYOR.

I I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PRESENTATION.

UM, FIRST OFF, THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS WAS PRETTY IN DEPTH.

UH, I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU ALL, UH, PUT INTO THIS, THESE, UH, APPOINTMENTS.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT A BOARD WHERE YOU JUST SIT THERE AND YOU DISCUSS SOMETHING.

YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU COME TO EVERY BOARD MEETING AND BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES.

THE APARTMENT BUILDING THAT YOU BROUGHT UP.

WHAT IS THE STORY WITH THAT? UM, AND ARE YOU LOOKING FOR COMMISSION ACTION ON THIS? IS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING? I JUST WANTED TO GET MORE INFORMATION.

I'LL DEFER TO OUR CHAIR, MR. MAXWELL.

THANK YOU MS. SHIELD.

MICHAEL MAXWELL.

MR. FERNANDEZ.

UM, THE DEPARTMENT JUST SOLD THE OTHER DAY.

I BROUGHT IT TO THE COMMISSION, I BELIEVE IN JANUARY, AND RECOMMENDED THAT, YOU KNOW, ON AN INFORMAL BASIS.

I HAD SPOKEN WITH THE MAYOR ABOUT IT PREVIOUSLY.

I DON'T BELIEVE ANY ACTION WAS TAKEN ON IT.

UM, BUT IT HAS SOLD.

UH, I'LL BE TALKING TO THE OWNER PROBABLY AND SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.

THE OTHER PART OF THE SITE, AND BY THE WAY, THE WHOLE THING WAS $2.4 MILLION.

AND, UH, THE OTHER SITE IS A PARK THAT WE COULD REALLY USE UP IN THE NORTH.

SO, AND A PLACE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE VERY MANY, THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST BUILDINGS.

AND THE CITY NEEDS TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT TO PURCHASE THINGS ON AN OPPORTUNISTIC BASIS, WHETHER YOU KEEP IT IN INVENTORY OR NOT, BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU CAN GUARANTEE THAT YOU'RE GONNA SAVE THINGS.

THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE HAVE A GREAT NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WHO CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO LIVE AT OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THEY SERVE US.

YOU KNOW, MOST CITIES AND MANY TODAY, PARTICULARLY IN SOUTH FLORIDA, ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF BUYING PARTICULAR PROPERTIES AND HOUSING THEIR EMPLOYEES AND OFFERING THEM AT GREAT RATE.

THERE ARE OTHER HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN THE NORTH IN PARTICULAR THAT THIS COULD BE DONE.

AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO THE CITY THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO IT.

AND, AND TO LOOK AT THIS AS A WAY, NOT ONLY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT TO PROVIDE EXAMPLES FOR ALL THE DEVELOPERS AROUND, AS MS. SHIELD SAID, WE HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS OF FINANCING THINGS.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS NOT SOMETHING THAT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY UNLESS YOU DECIDE YOU WANNA MAKE IT DO THAT.

IT, IT'S A NORMAL CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.

IT TAKES SPECIALISTS TO DO IT, AND IT TAKES GOOD THOUGHT.

BUT WE CAN SAVE A LOT OF WHAT WE HAVE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO THE TROUBLE TO CREATE A WHOLE TDR PROGRAM AND HAVE TDRS.

WE NEED TO HAVE PLACES WHERE WE CAN PUT THOSE AND WE NEED TO HAVE PLACES WHERE WE CAN TAKE THEM.

WE ALSO NEED TO SHOW PEOPLE, ACTUALLY SHOW THEM HOW THINGS CAN BE DONE.

BECAUSE WITHOUT EDUCATION, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY GET VERY FAR.

AND IT'S THAT DEMONSTRATED POSITIVE ACTION OF SHOWING SOMEONE I CAN DO THIS AND YOU CAN TOO.

THIS IS HOW WE ENDED UP SAVING THINGS.

IT'S HOW THE DOUGLASS ENTRANCE GOT SAVED.

IT'S HOW THE WATER TOWER GOT SAVED.

IT'S HOW MOST OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE HAVE BEEN SAVED AND PRESERVED.

SO WE THANK ALL OF YOU HERE ON THE COMMISSION TODAY FOR YOUR GENEROUS EFFORTS AND TIME AND MOREOVER FOR YOUR FUTURE CONSIDERATION TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME UP

[01:25:01]

TO CONTINUE TO PRESERVE OUR CITY.

BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE COME TO CORAL GABLES TO SEE.

NOT JUST THE TREES, NOT JUST THE VENETIAN POOL.

IT'S THE ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT.

AND IF WE'RE WE ALLOW THAT TO GO HIGH RISE EVERYWHERE, THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE CITY THAT WE HAVE TODAY.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WELL, I THANK THE BOARD FOR, FOR WORKING ON THIS AND IF THERE'S ANY FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES THAT, THAT, UH, THAT COME TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION, UH, I'D APPRECIATE IF YOU CAN BRING IT TO OUR ATTENTION AS, AS A COMMISSION.

UH, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION AND WHETHER FINANCIALLY WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO DO SOMETHING.

UM, BUT I, I AT LEAST WOULD LIKE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD AS WELL, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUMP ON SOMETHING, IF AN OPPORTUNITY DOES COME UP.

UH, I KNOW YOU ALL ARE EXPERTS IN THIS AREA.

WE ARE NOT.

UH, BUT WE DO APPRECIATE WHEN YOU BRING THESE ITEMS TO OUR ATTENTION AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE ACT ON SOMETHING.

SO, THANK YOU.

SO SINCE YOU INVOKED ME, ME, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS, MR. MAXWELL.

MR. MAXWELL DID BRING THIS TO MY ATTENTION.

UM, LET'S GO BACK IN HISTORY.

WE, I THINK IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

WE HAD A CONVERSATION WHEN YOU BROUGHT THE PROPERTY TO ME.

WE WERE LOOKING FOR FUNDING.

I WILL REMIND YOU, ELIA IS VERY AWARE OF IT.

I WORKED WITH HER, UH, TO GET OVER $2 MILLION FOR THE WHITE WEIGHT LIGHTS THAT WERE GONNA BE USED FOR ART.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THAT WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE FINK STUDIO IN THE PRESENTATION, WHICH WAS VERY NICE, YOU FAILED TO MENTION THAT I FOUND THE PROPERTY AS A RESULT OF A RESIDENT WHO LIVES IN COCO PLUM, WHO WAS A REALTOR.

AND BEFORE THEY LISTED IT, I BROUGHT IT TO KATHY SWANSON AND WE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY.

AND WE ALSO, UM, UH, IN REGARDS TO WHAT'S HAPPENING AT CITY HALL, UH, THIS HAPPENED UNDER MY WATCH AS MAYOR.

IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR DECADES, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN DONE.

AND IT IS MOVING FORWARD.

MR. MANAGER, WHEN DO YOU MOVE OUT? THEY MOVE OUT THIS WEEK.

LET'S GO BACK TO YOUR COMMENTS.

IF YOU WATCH THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, THERE WAS A BREAK, UH, BEFORE PUBLIX RECEIVED THEIR APPROVAL.

THERE WAS A MINOR TWEAK THAT THEY REQUESTED, UH, IN REGARDS TO THEIR, UH, TO THEIR APPROVAL AS A RESULT OF A FLOOD ELEVATION ISSUE THAT THEY HAD.

UH, WE STEPPED OUT OF THE COMMISSION MEETING.

I MET WITH THE OWNERS OF PUBLIX AND I NEGOTIATED THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE $1.4 MILLION IN TDRS.

AND WHAT I DID AT THAT MOMENT, I ALLOCATED THOSE FUNDS DIRECTLY TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

THEY COULD HAVE GONE TO TREES, THEY COULD HAVE GONE TO VENETIAN POOL, THEY COULD HAVE GONE TO ART, BUT THEY WENT TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

$1.4 MILLION.

NOW, WE CAN'T BUY EVERY PROPERTY, TRUST ME, I WANNA SALVAGE EVERY SINGLE PROPERTY.

BUT WE WILL WORK WITH THAT PROPERTY OWNER TO MAKE SURE THAT PROPERTY IS, IS RESTORED TO ITS BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL SELF.

AND IT IS AN ASSET.

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU.

BUT THERE IS A PARK SPACE A FEW BLOCKS AWAY, AND IT'S CALLED PHILLIPS PARKS, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR LARGEST PARKS IN OUR INVENTORY.

BUT DO I WISH WE COULD HAVE BOUGHT THAT FOURPLEX? YOU'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT.

WE SAT DOWN, WE REVIEWED IT.

BUT AT THE CURRENT MOMENT, DUE TO, DUE TO THE POSSIBLE IMPACTS THAT WE'RE FACING FROM TALLAHASSEE, WE HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHETHER WE BOUGHT ANOTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR MONEY.

YOU CAN'T USE PARKS TO BUY THAT PROPERTY.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO RESERVES OR YOU HAVE TO HAVE EXCESS MONEY.

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ALMOST $2.5 MILLION TO BUY THAT PROPERTY.

SO I AGREE WITH YOU, MR. MAXWELL.

IT'S AN AMAZING PROPERTY.

BUT I'M GIVING YOU EXAMPLES WHERE MYSELF ALLOWING MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION HAVE BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO ENSURE THAT WE SAVE THINGS LIKE THE WHITE WEIGHT LIGHTS, WHERE WE USE ART FUNDS, UH, TO BASICALLY RENOVATE THEM.

WE'VE ALSO DONE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH CITY HALL AND WHAT WE'RE ALSO DOING WITH THE FINK STUDIO, WHICH TURNED OUT INCREDIBLY WELL AFTER, NOT AFTER BEING IN PRIVATE HANDS FOR 60 YEARS.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PROPERTIES, AND WE ARE IN A SITUATION LIKE WE ARE NOW, WHERE WE HAVE $1.4 MILLION FROM PUBLIX.

AND I WANT TO REP MENTION PUBLIX, PUBLIX, PUBLIX.

'CAUSE I GAVE THEM MY WORD THAT I WOULD SAY PUBLIX EVERY TIME.

'CAUSE THEY'RE GIVING US $1.4 MILLION IN TDRS, WHICH WILL BE SOLD IN THE UPPER OPEN MARKET.

AND USED, AS I DETAILED, WHEN WE HAVE MADE THE APPROVAL FOR THE NEW PUBLIX, THAT IT WILL BE USED FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR ART, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR LAND, WHICH I'M A BIG FAN OF PARKS, BUT IT WAS, I DESIGNATED IT FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

SO WE CAN TALK A LOT ABOUT WHAT WE COULD HAVE DONE, WE SHOULD HAVE DONE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

BUT THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING.

SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO MEET WITH ME, I'M AVAILABLE TO MEET WITH YOU AS I ALWAYS AM, AND WE CAN FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

BUT LET'S WORK TOGETHER.

COLLEGIALLY, I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO FIND ANSWERS.

'CAUSE NOW WE HAVE $1.4 MILLION.

DO YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE USE THAT MONEY OR RESTORING THE WATER TOWER, WHICH IS GONNA BE SIGNIFICANTLY COSTLY.

DO YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE USE THAT FOR THE GONDOLA BUILDING, WHICH YOU ALREADY HAVE FUNDING? THERE'S A LOT OF NEED IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION, BUT AT LEAST WE HAVE THIS $1.4 MILLION TO USE.

NOW, MAYOR, I YES SIR, ABSOLUTELY CONGRATULATE YOU ON OBTAINING THOSE FUNDS.

THAT IS A WONDERFUL THING.

AND YOU'RE TO BE COMMENDED AND PUBLIX IS TO BE PUBLICLY COMMENDED PUBLIX.

SO, UH, THIS IS A PUBLIX, PUBLIX PUBLIC.

THIS, THIS IS A, A PUBLIC, PUBLIC COMMENDATION.

AND YOU KNOW, I COMMEND YOU HIGHLY.

[01:30:01]

UH, I KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND THIS ON THE WATER TOWER BECAUSE THE MONEY WAS ALREADY ALLOCATED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

UM, I BELIEVE THE STATE IS PROVIDING THE RECONSTRUCTION AND RELOCATION OF THE GONDOLA BUILDING.

AND SO I'M REALLY HOPING THAT YOU'LL TAKE THIS AND PERHAPS LEVERAGE IT WITH OTHER FINANCING, YOU KNOW, TO DO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

AND AS ALWAYS, MAYOR, I AM VERY PLEASED TO MEET WITH YOU AS I HAVE PREVIOUSLY IN YOUR OFFICE, AS YOU'RE ALWAYS GRACIOUS.

AND LET ME ALSO TOUCH ALL THE COMMISSION TOUCH ON THAT POINT.

UH, WHEN WE DID FUND THE GOLE BUILDING AND WE DID FUND, UM, THE WATER TOWER, THAT WAS LIKE YOU SAID, YOUR WORDS NOT MINE, YEARS AGO.

TODAY.

TODAY YOU WILL SEE.

HOPEFULLY MY COLLEAGUES WILL SUPPORT ME AND WE CAN SPEAK ABOUT IT HERE.

I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO STAY.

I WROTE A MEMO WHERE THERE, WHERE WE FUNDED ORIGINALLY THE CORAL GABLE CINEMA YEARS AGO.

WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF STARTING THAT PROJECT.

THAT IS A PEP PROJECT FOR MINE THAT I'M A BIG FAN OF.

BUT WE HAVE TO COME BACK NOW AND GIVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF ADDITIONAL MONEY.

WHY? BECAUSE THE CONSTRUCTION, THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS HAVE SPIRALED OUTTA CONTROL SINCE WE DID IT FOUR YEARS AGO.

SO EVERYTHING IS GOING UP, EVERYTHING HAS GONE UP.

IT'S OUT OF OUR CONTROL SOMETIMES.

BUT AT LEAST WE HAVE THE $1.4 MILLION FROM PUBLIX .

MAYBE, MAYBE THEY'LL BE GENEROUS AND GIVE US MORE.

BUT DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH, MAYOR.

I MEAN, PUBLIX IS REALLY WONDERFUL.

THERE YOU GO.

WE'RE THRILLED THAT PUBLIX HAS DONATED THESE TDRS PUBLICLY.

YEP.

AND I HOPE THEY CAME WITH A REALLY GOOD ORDER OF FRIED CHICKEN.

YES, YES.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION, SUSTAINABILITY, PARKS, CULTURE.

THANK YOU TO ALL, AND I'M VERY UNGRATEFUL FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

ALL OF YOU, ALL OF YOU DO AMAZING WORK IN THE CITY.

WE'RE BEYOND ON MANY DIFFERENT FRONTS.

WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.

THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

LET'S, UM, I'M THROUGH THE MAYOR.

I'LL DOVETAIL TOO.

I MEAN, BECAUSE THE, THE FUNDING SHORT FOR FALLS FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION DON'T END WITH THE CITY HALL BECAUSE WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, FUNDING THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO THERE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROJECT GETS DONE.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE AS LINE ITEMS CONTINUING MAINTENANCE FOR, YOU KNOW, THE CORAL GABLES MUSEUM.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY OTHER STRUCTURES AROUND THAT WE HAVE EVEN THE F STUDIO, BECAUSE IF YOU JUST CAN'T IGNORE IT, JUST BECAUSE YOU DID THE RESTORATION DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE GONNA GONNA HAVE TO UPKEEP THE RESTORATION.

THERE ARE GONNA BE CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS. SO WE JUST HA CAN'T OVEREXTEND OURSELVES, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME WHERE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TALLAHASSEE IS GOING, BUT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THROUGH OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT, THAT THESE GEMS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY ARE WELL PRESERVED.

AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, CODE ENFORCEMENT IS OBSERVING AND WATCHING AND NOT ALLOWING SOMETHING TO SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS, LIKE HAS, HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS ON THE BOARD.

UH, WE DO APPRECIATE IT.

18, UH, 18, UH, 1906, I CAN'T READ IT FROM HERE.

YES, SIR.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CLARIFY THAT, UH, GONDOLA BUILDING IS LESS THAN A 50% MATCH.

CITY'S PUTTING THE OTHER 50% AND WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE A BOND ISSUE FOR OVER $30 MILLION FOR THE RESTORATION OF CITY HALL.

SO IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL, UH, UH, MONEY THAT THE CITY'S IS PUTTING TOWARDS HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

ALRIGHT, LET'S TAKE A PHOTO.

DON'T HAVE THE PINEWOOD CEMETERY.

[A.-7. 26-1502 Presentation by the Pinewood Cemetery Advisory Board on The Pinewood Cemetery, a historic landmark.]

HI, I'M, I'M, UH, JOHN SWAIN.

I'M THE, THE, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE PINEWOOD CEMETERY ADVISORY BOARD MIC.

I, CAN YOU HEAR ME? Y YOU ARE A LITTLE TALLER THAN YOUR PRIOR SPEAKERS.

OH, OKAY.

, WE HAVE ROBERTA NEWAY AND JIM BERLIN, ALSO BOARD MEMBERS SOMEWHERE.

I HAVE A PRESENTATION.

ALRIGHT, SO I'M, WHAT I'M GONNA DO, I'M JUST GONNA DO A BRIEF HISTORY FOR ANYONE WHO'S NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CEMETERY.

VERY BRIEF.

AND THEN I'M GONNA GO ON TO, UH, OUR, OUR CURRENT EVENTS, WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.

SO THE, THE CEMETERY WAS, UH, IN 1896, ADAM RICHARDS, HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST, UH, HOMESTEADERS IN THAT, IN THE AREA AROUND THE PINEWOOD CEMETERY.

UH, HE, HE, UH, FIRST HOMESTEAD AT ABOUT 1872, I THINK IT WAS.

BUT THE, THAT AREA WAS GROWING.

SO THEY NEEDED A, THAT THEY NEEDED A SCHOOL AND THEY NEEDED A CEMETERY.

SO IN 1896, ADAM RICHARD NEEDED ONE ACRE OF LAND ON THE CORNER OF SUNSET, WHICH WAS IN LARKINS ROAD.

AND, AND IRWIN FOR A SCHOOLHOUSE.

UH, THE SCHOOLHOUSE STILL EXISTS.

IT WAS, IT'S MOVED FROM THERE.

AND IT'S NOW AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SUNSET ELEMENTARY.

IF YOU EVER WANT TO GO SEE WHAT SCHOOLHOUSE LOOKS LIKE, THAT'S WHERE IT IS.

SO THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, 1897, UH, ADAM RICHARDS DEEDS, ONE ACRE OF LAND SOUTH OF THAT FOR THE CEMETERY.

AND, UH, THERE WERE THREE TRUSTEES, WILSON LARKINS, ARTHUR LANG, AND ARTHUR KINGSLEY, UH, IN THE, THE CEMETERY SOLD OUT FAIRLY QUICKLY.

SO IN, UH,

[01:35:01]

, HARLEY STOUT, ADAM'S NEPHEW, DEEDS, THREE MORE ACRES.

SO WHAT WE HAVE NOW, IT IS KIND OF HARD TO SEE ON THIS, BUT, UH, THE, IT, THE, THE CEMETERY PLOT IS, IS FOUR ACRES, UM, NOT FAR FROM COCOA PLUM CIRCLE.

YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE LITTLE, LITTLE MAP THERE.

UH, AND THE FUNNY THING ABOUT IT IS IT, IT'S SO HIDDEN.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW IT'S THERE.

THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW IT EXISTS.

SO ONE OF OUR THINGS, BY THE WAY, IS TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE MORE WELL KNOWN.

SO IN THE EARLY HISTORY THERE, THERE WERE, THERE, THERE'S SOMEWHERE AROUND 200 BURIALS IN THE CEMETERY.

THE, THE RECORD KEEPING'S NOT GREAT.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW MANY, A LOT, THERE'S A LOT OF BABIES AND A LOT OF CHILDREN BURIED THERE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE UNKNOWN.

UM, THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S PEOPLE BURIED THERE FROM COCONUT GROVE, CARL GABLES LARKIN, WHICH EVENTUALLY BECAME SOUTH MIAMI CUTLER, THE REDLANDS, IT WAS THE ONLY CEMETERY IN, IN THAT AREA.

AND SO A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN THAT, THAT WHOLE AREA WERE, WERE, UH, UH, BURIED THERE.

UH, AND BY THE 1920S, THERE WERE OTHER CEMETERIES HAD THAT HAD OPENED UP THAT WERE, UH, MORE FORMAL CEMETERIES.

UM, AND THE, THE SALES STARTED TO SLOW DOWN.

UH, NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE BOUGHT PRO BROUGHT PLOTS AT THE, THE PINEWOOD CEMETERY.

UH, AND REALLY BY THE TWENTIES, THAT HAD REALLY SLOWED DOWN.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF BURIALS AFTER THAT.

UH, LAST OFFICIAL BURIAL WAS 1944, AND THE CEMETERY WAS BASICALLY ABANDONED.

SO THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT REALLY SHAPED THE CEMETERY, WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

ONE, IT WAS NOT A MANAGED CEMETERY.

YOU JUST BOUGHT YOUR PLOT AND DID WHATEVER YOU WANT TO IT.

THERE WAS NO MAINTENANCE, NO, NO ANYTHING.

SO PEOPLE WOULD CLEAR THEIR LOTS.

AND THEN EVENTUALLY THEY ALL MOVED ON AND, AND THE CEMETERY WAS BASICALLY ABANDONED.

AND SO THAT OPENED THE DOOR FOR THESE, THESE INVASIVE TREES TO COME IN AND TAKE OVER, WHICH I'LL GET TO IN A SECOND.

AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE, THE VANDALISM WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE CEMETERY.

MOST OF THE HEADSTONES HAVE BEEN, UH, DAMAGED, DESTROYED, OR STOLEN.

UM, AND, AND, AND THESE TWO EVENTS REALLY SHAPE WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, WHICH IS A, A MASSIVE INVASIVE TREES, UH, IN BURIAL SITES WITH NO BROKEN, WITH BROKEN OR MISSING HEADSTONES.

SO, A LITTLE FURTHER ALONG IN THE HISTORY, IN 1983, UH, FORMER MAYOR, UH, DOROTHY THOMPSON, SHE ASKED KERRY LYLES TO COME IN, UH, AND, AND DO SOME RESEARCH ON THE PINEWOOD CEMETERY.

UH, SHE HAD NEVER SEEN THE CEMETERY BEFORE.

UH, SHE WENT, SHE WENT THERE, UH, WITH MAYOR AND SHE WOUND UP WORKING ON IT FOR 15 YEARS.

AND, UH, 2008 SHE WROTE A BOOK, UH, WHICH I CALL THE PINEWOOD BIBLE.

IT'S AN AMAZING RESOURCE OF THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BURIED THERE.

UH, AND ANNA HAS, UH, COPIES, IF ANYBODY DOESN'T HAVE OUR COPY ALREADY, I'M SURE SHE'LL GIVE YOU ONE.

SO, CURRENT EVENTS, BY THE WAY, ON CURRENT EVENTS, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE, HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE, IN THE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING LATELY.

UM, MOST NOTABLY MATT ANDERSON FROM SUSTAINABILITY HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN IT.

DINA BELL, LOU ALLEN FROM GREEN BAY SPAN MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE.

AND OF COURSE, ANNA PER AND HER TEAM, UH, HAVE ALL BEEN VERY, UH, VERY ACTIVE IN THE, IN THE RESTORATION PROJECT.

SO IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SEE HERE, BUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO YOU WENT IN THE CEMETERY AND IT WAS JUST COMPLETELY OVERRUN, UH, WITH MOSTLY, UH, OYSTER PLANTS AND SNAKE PLANTS.

AND, AND WE'VE HAD SIX VOLUNTEER CLEANUPS SO FAR.

WE WILL HAVE MORE.

AND WE'VE TAKEN OVER 22,000 POUNDS OF INVASIVE PLANTS OUT OF THE CEMETERY.

THAT'S A LOT.

AND IT'S REALLY HELPED CLEAR UP THE CEMETERY.

SO A TREE SURVEY WAS DONE, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THEY IDENTIFIED OVER 770 TREES.

UH, AND A LOT OF THOSE ARE INVASIVE.

AND, AND THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IN THE CEMETERY RIGHT NOW ARE THE SEVEN.

THERE'S 70, UH, LARGE, UH, AUSTRALIAN PINES IN THE CEMETERY.

THEY'RE HUGE.

IF YOU GO TO GOOGLE EARTH AND YOU DO A, YOU LOOK OVER THE CEMETERY, YOU CAN SEE WHERE ALL THE AUSTRALIAN PINES ARE.

'CAUSE THEY'RE TOWERING OVER EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO IT'S GONNA BE A BIG JOB TO TAKE THESE OUT.

WE'RE GONNA GET 'EM OUT, BUT IT'S GONNA BE A BIG JOB.

YOU CAN'T JUST GO IN AND CHOP 'EM DOWN.

'CAUSE THEN YOU'RE GONNA DESTROY, UH, THE, THE REMAINING GRAVES OF WHAT'S LEFT OVER.

SO YOU BASICALLY HAVE TO GO FROM THE TOP AND START TAKING IT DOWN FROM THE TOP.

AND THEN WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO THE TRUNK, SOME OF THE TRUNKS ARE IN EXISTING GRAVES.

YOU CAN'T JUST GRIND THEM DOWN TO NOTHING.

YOU HAVE TO RESPECT,

[01:40:01]

UH, WHAT'S LEFT OF THE GRAVE.

SO IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A CHORE TO GET THESE OUT.

BUT WE WILL.

SO ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE, THE, UH, THE, THE PINES GIVE YOU AN IDEA HOW BIG THEY ARE.

AND THEN, UH, UH, FIU LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE CLASS HAD A, A SCHOOL PROJECT IN 2024.

UH, WE GAVE 'EM A, A TOUR OF THE CEMETERY, AND THEN THEY CAME BACK AND PRESENTED THEIR IDEAS TO US IN, UH, DECEMBER, 2024 BOARD MEETING.

IT WAS, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

WHAT ALL THE, I THINK THERE WAS LIKE SEVEN SEVEN OF THESE, THESE BOARDS.

OKAY, SO APRIL 25TH OF THIS YEAR, WE HAD PIONEER DAY AT THE CEMETERY.

IT'S THE FIRST ONE THAT WAS DONE SINCE 2019.

A VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT.

WE HAD A GOOD TIME.

OVER 30 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE EVENT.

WE HAD, UH, MAYOR DOROTHY THOMPSON WAS A KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

UH, AS I SAID BEFORE, SHE WAS, SHE'S BEEN VERY INTER UH, INVOLVED IN THE CEMETERY SINCE THE, THE EIGHTIES.

SO SHE HAD SOME VERY INSIGHTFUL THINGS TO SAY.

AND THERE WAS SEVERAL DESCENDANTS OF EARLY PIONEER, UH, FAMILIES THAT WERE BURIED THERE.

AND THAT, THAT'S THE, THE WALKER FAMILY OVER THERE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.

AND ONE OF THE, THE, THE SMALL CHILDREN THAT WAS BURIED THERE IS ATHELIA WALKER.

AND SHE HAD A TWIN.

AND THE TWIN SURVIVED.

WELL, THAT'S THE TWIN.

THAT'S MIRIAM.

SHE CAME.

SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALLY TOUCHING TO ME THAT, THAT, UH, UH, THAT THEY, THEY WERE COMING AND THEY WERE ALSO, THEY WERE, UH, UH, AND, UH, THEY'RE, UH, RELATED TO THE PENN FAMILY, WHO'S ANOTHER PROMINENT, UH, PIONEER IN THIS AREA.

SO OUR NEXT STEPS, THE, THE OVERRIDING GOAL OR THEME OF THE CEMETERY IS TO CREATE A RESTORATION PLAN TO RESTORE THE CEMETERY BACK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO ITS ORIGINAL STATE.

SO THE, THE PINEWOOD BOARD IS, IS WORKING ON A, A, A LIST.

UH, AND WE'LL, IT, IT'S ALMOST DONE.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, A FINALIZE AT OUR LAST MEETING.

WE'RE GONNA TURN THAT OVER TO ANNA AND PROJECT TEAM.

UH, THEY'RE GONNA DEVELOP A PLAN, A TIMELINE, UH, AND AND A BUDGET.

THEY'RE GONNA GIVE IT BACK TO US FOR REVIEW.

AND THE WORK ON THE CEMETERY IS GOING TO START.

I'M, I WANT TO, UH, SO, SO, SO THE, THE RESTORATION OF THE, WHOOP, LEMME BACK UP.

HOW DO I BACK UP HERE? OH, WAY I GO.

THE RESTORATION OF THE CEMETERY HAS, HAS, HAS REALLY ALREADY STARTED ALL OF THE THINGS, THE CURRENT EVENTS THAT I'VE GONE THROUGH ARE ALL PART OF THE RESTORATION PROCESS.

AND, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO MORE OF THAT.

BUT THAT'S THE MINOR, THE MINOR PART OF IT.

ONCE WE GET THE, UH, GET, GET A PLAN AND A TIMELINE AND A, AND A FIRM IDEA OF EXACTLY WHAT THE ROADMAP IS GONNA BE FOR THE, THE RESTORATION OF THE CEMETERY, THEN THE, THE REAL, REAL WORK WILL BEGIN.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

I'VE BEEN OUT THERE SEVERAL TIMES AND IT'S, UH, IT'S A HEAVY LIFT.

OH, BY THE WAY, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO TAKE A TOUR, A LITTLE MORE DETAIL THAN THIS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE 'EM TO THE CEMETERY.

I CAN SPEND HOURS THERE WITH YOU.

SO BE CAREFUL.

I ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS TO TAKE THAT TOUR.

YES, THROUGH THE MAYOR.

SO, THANK YOU JOHN.

AND I'M ONE OF THE PRIVILEGED FEW, UM, I HOPE I'M ONE OF THE PRIVILEGED MANY, UH, WHO HAVE, UH, PARTAKEN IN ONE OF YOUR TOURS OF, UH, PINEWOOD.

AND WE'VE COVERED, I THINK ALMOST EVERY SQUARE FOOT OF THAT PLACE, PRETTY MUCH AND, UH, 'CAUSE JOHN SERIOUS, WHEN HE SAYS HE'S GONNA GIVE YOU A TOUR, RIGHT.

SO JOHN IS PART OF THE RESTORATION PLAN.

IT'S BEING, UM, DEVELOPED.

UM, BECAUSE I'M CERTAINLY NOT AN EXPERT AND YOU ARE, WOULD ANY OF THAT RE REQUIRE ACTUALLY MOVING, UH, THE, THE TURD, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE PLOTS? OR IS IT ALL JUST SURFACE? UM, BECAUSE THOSE, THOSE AUSTRALIAN PINES ARE, ARE, ARE BIG AND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT DISTURBING THOSE WHO ARE BURIED THERE.

I MEAN, HOW DOES THAT WORK? WELL, THE AUSTRALIAN PINES HAVE ALREADY DISTURBED A LOT OF IT.

SO ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IN THAT IS HOW DO WE RESTORE WHAT THE AUSTRALIAN PINES HAVE DAMAGED BACK TO WHAT THEY USED TO BE? SO, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE JUST HAVE TO WORK ON.

THERE'S, WE DON'T HAVE A CLEAR, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SOME OF 'EM ARE PRETTY EASY.

THERE'S A, A TREE THAT'S THAT'S, THAT'S POPPED THAT'S CRACKED ONE, UH, GRAVE IN HALF.

SO THAT'LL BE EASY.

WE TAKE THE TREE OUT, WE PUT BACK DOWN.

THERE'S OTHER ONES WHERE THE, THE, THE TREES HAVE JUST COMPLETELY DESTROYED.

THERE'S NOTHING LEFT.

BUT YOU CAN SEE LITTLE PIECES OF CONCRETE.

WHAT DO WE DO WITH THOSE? WE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW, BUT THE, THE, THE THEME OF THE SYM, THE RESTORATION IS TO RESTORE IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO ITS ORIGINAL STATE.

SO WE DON'T WANT 'EM, WE DON'T WANNA MOVE ANYBODY FROM, FROM WHERE THEY WERE.

WE WANNA LEAVE 'EM WHERE THEY ARE.

WELL, LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU WORKING WITH ANNA AND THE, AND THE CITY, UM, AND COMING UP WITH A, A GREAT PLAN BECAUSE IT'S REALLY SOMETHING TO SEE.

[01:45:01]

GOOD.

SO, THROUGH THE MAYOR, AND NOT TO BELABOR IT, I'VE BEEN OUT THERE A FEW TIMES WITH THE CLEANUPS.

I ALSO WAS OUT THERE THIS PAST SATURDAY AND MAYOR THOMPSON DID A MAGNIFICENT JOB SHE DID OF, UH, TELLING US THE HISTORY OF THAT.

AND I KNOW THAT DINA AND HER CREW ARE GONNA DO THE VERY BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PINES COME DOWN ON A SAFE MANNER, NOT TO DESTROY ANYTHING MORE.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

THIS IS A, AN AMAZING PIECE OF HISTORY FOR OUR CITY.

IT'S A GROUP PROJECT.

MOVING ON TO ITEM A EIGHT, UH, PRESENTATION ON OUR PROCLAMATION DECLARING APRIL 12TH THROUGH THE 18TH, 2026 AS NATIONAL PUBLIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS WEEK IN CORAL GABLES.

MARLENE, READY FOR SOME PHOTOS? YES.

AH, WE HAVE MORE HISTORY.

NO.

ONE, ONE TRAIT THAT MANY PRESERVATIONISTS SHARE IS THEY HAVE A HARD TIME THROWING THINGS AWAY.

AND WHEN THEY DO THROW THEM AWAY, THEY OFTEN PUT THEM ON MY FRONT PORCH.

SO, UH, I ONE DAY HAD A STACK OF OLD MAGAZINES AND I PULLED THIS ONE OUT THIS MORNING AND I'M PASSING IT ON TO YOU.

IT'S 2004.

IT'S, UH, FLORIDA HISTORY AND ARTS MAGAZINE AND IT HAS CORAL GABLE CITY HALL ON THE COVER.

SO IT'S ALL YOURS NOW.

YOU'VE BEEN THERE, HAVEN'T YOU? HUH? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.

ALRIGHT, WE ARE

[A.-8. 26-1496 Presentation of a Proclamation declaring April 12-18, 2026 as "National Public Telecommunications Week" in Coral Gables.]

CHIEF WE HAVE CHIEF.

CHIEF STEPPED OUT FOR A BIT.

IT'S ALL GOOD.

WE GOT THE CHIEF RIGHT HERE.

ITEMS AND ONE FIREFIGHTER ITEM.

GET EVERYBODY UP HERE.

DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO BE A MUCH LONGER OR NO? YOU WANT ME TO TAKE SOMEBODY ELSE DOWN? HE SHOULD BE HERE ANY SECOND, SIR.

ALRIGHT, PERFECT.

WE'LL WAIT FOR THE LAST TWO.

WE HAVE TWO MORE POLICE

[A.-9. 26-1493 Presentation of a Proclamation declaring May 11-17, 2026, as “National Police Week” in Coral Gables.]

OH, THE CHIEF IS HERE.

I WOULD NEVER START WITHOUT YOU.

MORNING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, MR. MANAGER.

UM, AS YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY MANY TIMES, UH, IN FRONT OF THIS BODY, IN FRONT OF THIS CITY, OUR FIRST LINE OF PUBLIC SAFETY COMES FROM THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT ANSWER THE PHONES TWENTY FOUR SEVEN.

UH, THEY ARE THE VOICE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

WHEN REALITY STRIKES CLOSE TO HOME TO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS, INCLUDING OUR VISITORS, THEY ARE ABLE TO ANSWER THE CALL DISPATCH, THE UNITS, DISPATCH, FIRE THAT SAVES LIVES.

THEY ARE THE MOST INTEGRAL PART, AS I SAY, THEY ARE THE BRAIN OF OUR OPERATIONS IN PUBLIC SAFETY

[01:50:01]

HERE TODAY OR LAST MONTH.

WE ACTUALLY HONORED THOSE MEN AND WOMEN THAT SIT HERE AND WAITING FOR THE PHONE TO RING.

I HAVE SAID THIS OFTEN, AND I WILL SAY IT AGAIN.

MOST POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING INTO BEFORE THEY GET THERE, UNLESS THEY COME UP ACROSS, UP ACROSS SOMETHING SPONTANEOUSLY EVERY TIME.

ONE OF OUR DISPATCHERS, OUR COMMUNICATIONS OPERATORS, I SHOULD SAY, PUSH THAT BUTTON.

THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S ON THE OTHER END OF THAT PHONE.

THEY DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A MOTHER TRYING TO REVIVE A CHILD, A CHILD TRYING TO REVIVE A PARENT, AND SOMEBODY WHO'S THE VICTIM OF A CRIME.

THEY ANSWER IT WITH AN UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT OF PROFESSIONALISM.

AND ONCE THEY HANG UP, THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THERE.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT SITUATION AFTERWARDS? AND THE NEXT PHONE CALL THAT COMES IS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

THEY ARE, AS I SAID, AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE, AND THE DELIVERANCE OF EXCELLENCE THAT WE DO EVERY DAY.

I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THIS DEPARTMENT, THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THEIR MANAGER, AMY DIAZ AND MAJOR, UH, DAVID LEMON, WHO STANDS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, UH, WE ARE ON TRACK ALONG WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL TO BECOME A TRIPLE ACCREDITED, UH, SITUATION.

AND WE ARE ON OUR WAY THROUGH THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS TO RECOGNIZE THE PERFECTION AND THE EXCELLENCE THAT WE DO EVERY DAY.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL FOR THE PROCLAMATION.

I BELIEVE THERE'S A PROCLAMATION COMING.

WE HAVE THE ONE FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE ONE ALSO FOR, UM, NATIONAL POLICE WEEK.

ALSO.

YOU WANT ME TO ROLL INTO BOTH OF THEM? LET'S ROLL INTO IT.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, A EIGHT IS A PRESENTATION OR PROCLAMATION DECLARING NATIONAL PUBLIC COMMUNIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS WEEK COMMUNICATIONS.

UM, ALONG WITH THAT, AS WE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT WE WOULD TAKE IS THE RECOGNITION OF OUR POLICE MEMORIAL WEEK.

UH, IN MAY.

UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, ONE OF OUR OFFICERS WHO WAS WITH US FOR FIVE YEARS AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY MURDERED IN THE LINE OF DUTY LAST NOVEMBER, UH, WE REALIZED HOW IT FITS CLOSE TO HOME.

AND THAT THERE ARE 10 NAMES ON THE OUTSIDE MEMORIAL WALL THAT WE ARE GOING TO HONOR ON THURSDAY AT THREE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON HERE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

UH, MOST OF THE SURVIVING MEMBERS, BUT ALSO THE POLICE OFFICERS, UH, THAT COME IN EVERY DAY, LEAVE THEIR FAMILIES AND KNOW WHAT'S EXACTLY IN OR NOT, DOESN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S IN FRONT OF THEM FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.

I WOULD SUBMIT TO ANY OTHER CITY JURISDICTION THROUGHOUT MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND MOST OF THE COUNTRY AT CORAL GABLES DOES IT DIFFERENTLY AND BETTER IN SO MANY OTHER WAYS.

UH, THEY LEAVE THEIR FAMILIES, THEY COME IN HERE AND THEY SERVE THE RESIDENTS IN A WAY THAT MOST DEPARTMENTS DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO OR DON'T HAVE THE, UM, MANTRA TO DO THAT WE ARE A PROUD DEPARTMENT.

WE ARE PROUD OF OUR ACCREDITATIONS, WE ARE PROUD OF OUR OFFICERS.

WE ARE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE HIRED AND FOUND 37 NEW LAST YEAR OFFICERS THAT ARE TRYING TO HIT THE STREETS NOW AND KNOWING WHAT OUR CULTURE MEANS.

SO, UH, WE ARE A GRATEFUL DEPARTMENT.

WE ARE A VERY PROUD DEPARTMENT, AND WE CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT LEGACY WITH THE SENIOR OFFICERS THAT ARE HERE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS, OUR VISITORS ALIKE, GOING INTO THESE, UH, STRESSFUL SITUATIONS THAT HAVE CHANGED, WHETHER IT HAPPENS SOMEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

IT ALSO HAPPENS HERE IN CORAL GABLES.

AND WE HAVE ALWAYS ANSWERED THE BELL, SO TO SPEAK, TO USE A FIRE EUPHEMISM.

BUT WE ARE HERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT NINE ONE ONE CALL TO DELIVER EXCELLENCE EVERY DAY.

AND THAT IS THROUGH THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT WE HONOR HERE THIS MONTH AND THE, THE MEMORIES OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT WITH US ANYMORE.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

UM, CHIEF, UM, THAT LEADERSHIP STARTS WITH YOU.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AS WELL BECAUSE YOU SET THE TONE FOR THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENT, YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE COMMAND STAFF, UH, AND DOWN TO AN OFFICER.

EVERYBODY BELIEVES THAT THIS IS THEIR PRIORITY.

THEY WEAR THAT BADGE WITH PRIDE, THEY HAVE THAT PATCH ON THEIR SLEEVE AND THEY'RE PROUD TO WORK FOR CORAL GABLES.

UM, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO TO SET THAT TONE FOR THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENT AND FOR THE CITY.

UH, YOU TALK TO RESIDENTS IN CORAL GABLES, THE ONE, THE TWO THINGS THAT THEY'RE MOST PROUD OF ARE POLICE AND FIRE.

AND THAT'S THANKS TO THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, WHEREAS THE WEEK OF APRIL 12TH THROUGH THE 18TH HAS BEEN DECLARED AS NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATIONS WEEK, A WEEK OF AWARENESS AND RECOGNITION, ALONG WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THOSE HIGHLY TRAINED TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONALS WHO PROVIDE VITAL 9 1 1 EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE SERVICES TO THOSE CALLERS IN NEED EVERYWHERE.

AND WHEREAS DAILY PEOPLE OF EVERY AGE GROUP ACROSS OUR NATION DEPEND UPON THE TIMELY RESPONSE OF SKILLED AND COMMITTED PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATIONS OPERATORS.

THESE OPERATORS SAVED

[01:55:01]

COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF LIVES WITH THEIR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO EMERGENCY CALLS, THE DISPATCHING OF EMERGENCY PROFESSIONALS AND EQUIPMENT, ALL WHILE PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED MORAL SUPPORT TO THOSE RESIDENTS AND OTHERS ALIKE IN DISTRESS.

WHEREAS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TELECOMMUNICATIONS CENTER THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, A COMMUNICATIONS OPERATOR OF THE YEAR IS NOMINATED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL TO BE HONORED AND AWARDED DURING SPECIAL CEREMONIES AND APPRECIATION DAYS, WHICH ARE HELD DURING THIS SPECIAL WEEK.

NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE CITY COMMISSION DO HEREBY PROUDLY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 12TH THROUGH THE 18TH NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATIONS WEEK IN CORAL GABLES.

ALSO GONNA READ INTO THE RECORD THE PROCLAMATIONS FOR POLICE WEEK, WHEREAS THE WEEK OF MAY 11TH THROUGH THE 17TH, 2026 HAS BEEN DECLARED AS NATIONAL POLICE WEEK A WEEK TO HONOR THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE OF THOSE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY WHILE PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES AND SAFEGUARDING OUR DEMOCRACY.

AND WHEREAS THERE ARE MORE THAN 800,000 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SERVING IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING THE DEDICATED MEMBERS OF THE CORAL GABLES POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND WHEREAS SINCE THE FIRST RECORDED DEATH IN 1786, THERE ARE CURRENTLY MORE THAN 24,000 LAW ENFORCEMENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THE UNITED STATES WHO HAVE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY, INCLUDING 10 MEMBERS OF THE CORAL GABLES POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND WHEREAS THE NAME OF THESE DEDICATED POLICE SERVANTS ARE ENGRAVED ON THE WALLS OF THE NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON DC AND WHEREAS MAY 15TH IS DESIGNATED AS PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY IN HONOR OF ALL FALLEN OFFICERS AND IN THEIR FA FAMILIES AND US FLAGS SHOULD BE FLOWN AT HALF STAFF.

AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES PAYS SOLEMN TRIBUTE TO THE OFFICERS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY.

AND WE OFFER OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THOSE FAMILIES, FRIENDS, AND COLLEAGUES.

NOW, THEREFORE, I VINCE LAGO AS THE MAYOR OF CORAL GABLES, ALONG WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COMMISSION, WHO HEREBY PROUDLY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF MAY 11TH THROUGH THE 17TH 2026 AS NATIONAL POLICE WEEK IN CORAL GABLES.

[A.-10. 26-1361 Congratulations to Driver Engineer Kristina Bolanos, recipient of the City of Coral Gables “Firefighter of the Month Award,” for the month of May 2026.]

TO DRIVER ENGINEER CHRISTINA ANOS, RECIPIENT OF THE CITY CORAL GABLES FIREFIGHTER, THE MONTH AWARD FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, 2026.

CHIEF, GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMISSION, UM, WITH US TODAY.

I PRESENT TO YOU OUR FIREFIGHTER OF THE MONTH.

UH, CHRISTINA BENOS TRA HER TRADITIONAL OR SPECIFIC, UH, AREA OF OPERATION IS TO BE A DRIVER ENGINEER AND AN OPERATOR OF OUR FIRE TRUCKS.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, SHE HAS TAKEN ON, UH, COUNTLESS OTHER PRODUCT PROJECTS SUCH AS THE DOCUMENTATION FOR OUR ACCREDITATION, ENHANCING OUR LOGISTICS AND PROCUREMENT PROCESSES, AND TAKING ON THE FIRST EVER ACCREDITATION OF OUR EMS SYSTEMS THAT'LL, UH, BE COMING NOW IN THE SUMMER.

[02:00:01]

SO FOR ALL HER EXTRA PROJECTS AND SENSE OF OWNERSHIP, FOR THE BENEFIT AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, SHE IS OUR FIREFIGHTER OF THE MONTH.

CONGRATULATIONS.

SHE TRULY ENJOYS PUBLIC SPEAKING, SO WE ASKED HER TO BE BRIEF , YOU'RE ON.

THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR.

UM, I'M VERY GLAD TO WORK FOR THE BEST FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTRY.

UM, AND I PERSONALLY WANNA THANK CHIEF DELAROSA, UM, JUST LIKE OUR CHIEF ALWAYS EMPHASIZES TO OWN IT.

UM, THIS WAS MY CHANCE TO OWN IT.

OF ALL THE PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS, UH, FOR ME.

A 11.

THIS IS THE HIGHLIGHT

[A.-11. 26-1271 Congratulations to Officer Alexander Rodriguez, recipient of the 2025 Robert DeKorte Memorial Award.]

AND I WANNA, UH, THANK EVERYONE WHO STUCK AROUND FOR THIS ONE.

I KNOW IT'S BEEN A, A LONG MORNING SO FAR.

UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO OFFICER ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ, RECIPIENT OF THE 2025 ROBERT DEUR MEMORIAL AWARD.

I WANNA FIRST RECOGNIZE THE OTHER TWO NOMINEES THAT WERE UP FOR THIS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, CITY MANAGER, CHIEF, AND EVERYONE ELSE IN ATTENDANCE AS PRESIDENT OF THE CORAL GABLES FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE LODGE.

NUMBER SEVEN.

IT'S TRULY AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU ALL TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF OUR OFFICERS, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE WEIGHT BEHIND THIS AWARD THAT HE'S RECEIVING.

UH, THE ROBERT DEUR MEMORIAL AWARD IS NOT JUST ANOTHER COMMENDATION, IT'S NAMED AFTER A MAN WHO REPRESENTS THE VERY BEST OF OUR PROFESSION.

THAT MAN IS OFFICER ROBERT DEUR FROM THIS HERE CITY OF CORAL GABLE, I'M SORRY, OFFICER DEUR WAS A VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

HAVING SERVED DURING WORLD WAR II BEFORE DEDICATING HIS LIFE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

HE SERVED THIS COMMUNITY FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES, QUIETLY, PROFESSIONALLY, AND COURAGEOUSLY.

ON JANUARY 21ST, 1972, OFFICER DE COURT RESPONDED TO WHAT ANY OFFICER IN HERE WILL TELL YOU IS THE MOST ROUTINE CALL AN ALARM CALL AT A LIQUOR STORE.

BUT THESE SAME OFFICERS WILL ALSO TELL YOU THAT ANY CALL IS NOT ROUTINE IN POLICE WORK.

WHEN HE ARRIVED, HE IMMEDIATELY ENCOUNTERED TWO ARMED SUSPECTS.

THE SUSPECTS OPEN FIRE STRIKING OFFICER DECO IN THE CHEST.

OFFICER DECO WAS ABLE TO FIGHT WITH THEM AND GRAB THEM AND HOLD THEM UNTIL HIS BACKUP OFFICERS ARRIVED.

AND AT THAT TIME, THE OFFICER, I MEAN, THE SUBJECTS BROKE FREE AND THE OFFICERS THAT WERE BACKING UP TO, TO ASSIST HIM SAW THEM AND BEGAN FLEEING AFTER THE, THE SUBJECTS.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT OFFICER DEUR HAD BEEN SHOT, BUT OFFICER DEUR ALONE SHOT AND BLEEDING IN AN ATTEMPT TO SAVE HIS LIFE, GOT UP AND WENT TO HIS CAR AND TRIED TO DRIVE HIMSELF TO THE HOSPITAL.

HE MADE IT ABOUT A HALF A MILE BEFORE CRASHING OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

SADLY, THAT WOULD BE OFFICER DECO'S LAST CALL.

HE GAVE HIS LIFE THAT DAY, NOT JUST IN THE LINE OF DUTY, NOT JUST TO SAVE HIS OWN, BUT IN DEFENSE OF OTHERS.

THAT'S WHAT THIS AWARD REPRESENTS.

IT'S NOT ABOUT A SINGLE ARREST, IT'S NOT ABOUT A SINGLE CASE OR A SINGLE MOMENT.

IT'S ABOUT THE TOTALITY OF AN OFFICER, THEIR COURAGE, THEIR CHARACTER, THEIR COMMITMENT TO OTHERS, AND THE WAY THEY CARRY THEMSELVES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

THIS BRINGS US TO OFFICER ALEX RODRIGUEZ.

BUT BEFORE I FORMALLY HONOR HIM,

[02:05:01]

THE FIRST IS CHRIS CHALLENGER, AND YOU MAY KNOW HIM AS BEING THE PREVIOUS FOP PRESIDENT, UH, BUT HE DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB PROMOTING THE SISTERHOOD AND BROTHERHOOD OF THIS ORGANIZATION.

ONE OF THE, UH, MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THIS AWARD REPRESENTS, AND IT DID NOT GO UNNOTICED BY THE MEMBERSHIP.

AND THE SECOND, UH, NOMINEE WAS OFFICER ROBBIE THOMPSON.

YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THAT NAME BECAUSE HIS MOTHER WAS THE PREVIOUS MAYOR HERE, DOROTHY THOMPSON.

THAT'S NOT WHY HE WAS NOMINATED.

HE WAS NOMINATED BECAUSE HE PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN STOPPING A HUMAN TRAFFICKING RING THAT OCCURRED HERE IN JANUARY OF 2025.

THAT EVENT PUT CORAL GABLES ON THE MAP IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT.

AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE MY MOM CALLED ME FROM NEW JERSEY AND SAID, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CORAL GABLES? UH, ROBBIE THOMPSON WAS HAPPENING NOW ONTO THE RECIPIENT OF THE 2025 ROBERT DE COURT MEMORIAL AWARD.

OFFICER ALEX RODRIGUEZ, AS NOTED IN HIS NOMINATION SUBMITTED BY OFFICER CHALLENGER, OFFICER RODRIGUEZ EMBODIES THIS AWARD, UH, AND WHAT IT STANDS FOR, THE WHOLE PACKAGE DURING THE 2025 YEAR.

HE'S DEMONSTRATED A LEVEL OF VERSATILITY, PROFESSIONALISM THAT SET HIM APART.

IN JULY OF 2025, HE RESPONDED TO A STOLEN VEHICLE CALL, BUT HE DIDN'T JUST WRITE A STOLEN VEHICLE REPORT.

HE TOOK INITIATIVE THROUGH PROACTIVE POLICE WORK.

HE LOCATED THE STOLEN VEHICLE OUTSIDE OF OUR JURISDICTION, CONDUCTED SURVEILLANCE, AND ULTIMATELY APPREHENDED THE OFFENDER WHO WAS ALSO IN POSSESSION OF NARCOTICS.

THAT KIND OF DRIVE IS NOT TAUGHT, IT'S JUST WHO HE IS.

IN AUGUST OF 2025, DURING, DURING A DANGEROUS VEHICLE PURSUIT INVOLVING SUBJECTS DRIVING THE WRONG WAY ON US, ONE OFFICER RODRIGUEZ REMAINED CALM UNDER PRESSURE.

HE COMMUNICATED, CLEARLY COORDINATED THE RESOURCES HE NEEDED, AND HELPED BRING THE CHAOTIC AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION UNDER CONTROL, ANOTHER STELLAR PERFORMANCE.

BUT WHAT TRULY AND ABSOLUTELY DEFINES HIM AND MAKES HIM MORE SO DESERVING OF THIS COURT AWARD IS WHAT HE DID ON SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2025, RESPONDING TO A SUICIDAL JUVENILE STANDING ON THE LEDGE OF A PARKING GARAGE.

OFFICER RODRIGUEZ SHOWED A DIFFERENT KIND OF COURAGE, NOT THE KIND WE SEE IN PURSUITS OR ARRESTS, BUT THE KIND THAT REQUIRES PATIENCE, EMPATHY, AND HUMANITY.

ALONGSIDE ANOTHER OFFICER, HE CONNECTED WITH THAT YOUNG MAN EARNED HIS TRUST AND ULTIMATELY SAVED HIS LIFE.

BECAUSE THE BADGE IS NOT JUST ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, IT'S ABOUT SERVICE.

IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING LIFE IN ALL FORMS, EVEN WHEN THOSE THREATS ARE NOT CRIMINAL OR RATHER EMOTIONAL.

OFFICER RODRIGUEZ HAS CONTINUED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT CONSISTENCY, EVEN HAVING EARNED AN ADDITIONAL LIFESAVING AWARD LATER IN THE YEAR AFTER THIS NOMINATION WAS SUBMITTED.

HE'S THE KIND OF O OFFICER THAT OTHERS RELY ON, THE KIND WHO STRENGTHENS MORALE, THE KIND WHO REPRESENTS THIS DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY THE RIGHT WAY EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND THAT'S WHY HE STANDS HERE TODAY DESERVING OF THIS HONOR.

OFFICER RODRIGUEZ, ON BEHALF OF THE CORAL GABLES, FOP LODGE NUMBER SEVEN AND IT'S MEMBERS, IT'S MY HONOR TO RECOGNIZE YOU AND AWARD YOU WITH THE 2025 MEMORIAL AWARD.

UH, FIRST OF ALL, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM FOR BEING HERE AND, UM, CELEBRATING THIS SPECIAL MOMENT WITH ME.

IT MEANS A LOT.

UM, I STATE LEADERS, UH, CHIEF ASSISTANT, CHIEF FELLOW COMMAND STAFF, UH, ESPECIALLY, UM, SERGEANT KRAMER, FOP PRESIDENT, WHO DOES A EXCELLENT JOB REPRESENTING US AND ALWAYS LOOKING AFTER OUR BEST INTERESTS.

UM, THIS AWARD IS, DOESN'T ONLY ONLY, UH, REFLECT MY PERFORMANCE.

THERE WERE ALSO OTHER OFFICERS INVOLVED IN EVERY SINGLE INCIDENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL THIS COULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT THEM.

SO THERE IS A LEVEL OF CREDIT THAT'S ALSO DUE FOR THEM, UH, JUST TO MAKE IT VERY SHORT AND SWEET AND NOT TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME.

UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THE BEST JOB THAT WE CAN AS A DEPARTMENT.

I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS DEPARTMENT IN GENERAL, WE PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL SERVICE THAT YOU WON'T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE.

AND WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA STRIVE TO DO OUR BEST AND CONTINUE DOING A GOOD JOB.

SO THANK YOU, SIR.

CONGRATULATIONS.

I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF INTERACTING WITH YOU ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.

[02:10:04]

YOU'RE A FIRST CLASS GUY, ALWAYS PUTTING THE CITY FIRST.

UH, TRULY IMPRESSIVE.

UH, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR YOUR COLLEAGUES, THE COMMAND STAFF, THE CHIEF OF THE UNION, WHO'S HERE.

UM, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR PICKING CORAL GABLES AND FOR CORAL GABLES PICKING YOU.

UH, EVERY TIME, EVERY TIME THAT YOU'RE OUT THERE, ALONG WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES, YOU RAISE THE BAR OF QUALITY OF SERVICE HERE IN THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES.

IT'S ALL ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE AND YOU PROVIDE THAT QUALITY OF LIFE.

YOU'RE WELL DESERVING OF THIS.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY IMPRESSED, VERY IMPRESSED, UH, BY YOUR BEHAVIOR, YOUR CONDUCT, THE WAY THAT YOU CARRY YOURSELF.

AND THAT'S WHAT CORAL GABLE STANDS FOR.

I WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU.

YOU'RE INCREDIBLY WELL DESERVING OF THIS.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

APPRECIATE IT.

AND GOD BLESS YOU, MY BROTHER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF HER B ONE? I'LL MOVE IT SECOND.

CHIEF, YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? NO.

ALRIGHT, WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE.

LET'S DO IT.

CAN I GET A

[B.-1. 26-1454 Regular City Commission Meeting of March 10, 2026.]

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

HOW MANY PUBLIC COMMENTS DO WE HAVE? TWO.

TWO.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK? GOOD IDEA.

ALRIGHT, WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT PLEASE.

WELCOME BACK.

THE LEASE ISN'T, YOU KNOW, MR. CLERK,

[C. PUBLIC COMMENTS]

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

UH, FIRST SPEAKER IS GOING TO BE MARIA CRUZ.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT VERY BRIEFLY, WELCOME.

I'M GONNA ASK EVERYONE WHO COMES UP TO STATE THEIR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH THE COMMISSION.

AS A REMINDER, THESE COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THOSE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA OR WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE CITY'S COMMISSION JURISDICTION.

IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS ON THE AGENDA RIGHT NOW, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU WILL NOT BE GIVEN AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AGAIN.

ONCE AN ITEM IS CALLED, ALL COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE.

WHEN THE THREE MINUTES IS UP, THE TIMER WILL BEEP.

I WILL ASK YOU TO PLEASE WRAP UP YOUR SENTENCE AND LEAVE THE PODIUM WHEN YOU'RE DONE.

THAT CAN BE USED TO RAISE SOME EMPLOYEES SALARIES WITHOUT HAVING TO ASK ANYONE.

MARIA CRUZ.

IT IS MRS. MARIA CRUZ.

1447 MILLER ROAD.

YES, THE PEOPLE SPOKE, THE COMMISSIONER'S SALARY INCREASES WAS THE TOP VOTE GETTER.

WE HEARD ABOUT HOW IT WAS DONE IN THE DARK, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

WELL, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE FINANCE CRISIS.

THE POLICE COULD ONLY GET 3.5%.

THE OTHER UNITS HAVE BEEN WARNED.

BUT THE POWERS OF BE DO NOT ASK ALL THE EMPLOYEES TO TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS.

WE HAVE A TOOL

[02:15:01]

AND WE DO IT, IT IS CALLED RECLASSIFICATION.

AND THIS IS HOW IT WORKS.

WE FIND AN EMPLOYEE THAT WE WANT TO REWARD FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND WE TWEAK THE POSITION TITLE.

IN THIS CASE, WE ADD A WORD DEPUTY BY ADDING THAT SIMPLE WORD.

THERE'S NO NEED TO ADVERTISE.

NO NEED TO INTERVIEW, BUT WE CAN NOW JUSTIFY A 10% SALARY INCREASE.

IS THE NEW POSITION DIFFERENT? NO.

WE TAKE, WE TWEAK THE JOB DESCRIPTION.

IS THE PERSON QUALIFIED? NO, BUT WE CAN ALWAYS PAY FOR THE PERSON TO TAKE CLASSES TO AT LEAST IMPROVE THE CREDENTIALS.

THEY WILL LOOK BETTER WHEN THEY DO THAT.

THEY TAKE CLASSES AND WE PAY FOR THEM.

WE KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE CASE.

HOW MANY MORE HAVE BEEN DONE QUIETLY IN THE DARK? WE WILL KNOW, BECAUSE I'M LOOKING.

WOW.

THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES.

NOW A NEW TITLE.

A DEPUTY FINANCE DIRECTOR.

THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME.

SEGAL.

UH, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, UH, MR. CLERK OR MR. CLERK? MR. CITY MANAGER, ALL OF YOU AT THE CITY.

HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST BECAUSE THEY'LL SAY THAT I HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

UH, MY NAME'S RISHI SEGEL.

I LIVE AT 4 39 MENORCA AVENUE.

UH, IN 37 DAYS, THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 KICKS OFF.

IT'S GONNA BE THE GREATEST SHOW THAT WE'VE EVER SEEN IN THE HISTORY OF SPORT.

NOT JUST SPORT, IT WILL BRING THE WORLD TOGETHER.

UH, FIFA HAS A SAYING THAT FOOTBALL UNITES THE WORLD, FOOTBALL, SOCCER, BUT WE ALL CALL IT FOOTBALL.

WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT FIFA THOUGH.

I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING A LITTLE SMALLER AND MORE LOCAL.

UH, LITTLE BECAUSE I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT KIDS AND LOCAL BECAUSE I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT SOCCER AT THE YOUTH CENTER.

UH, WHILE THE KIDS MAY BE LITTLE, THEIR DREAMS AREN'T, THEIR DREAMS ARE AS BIG AS WHAT YOU WILL SEE ON THIS STAGE THIS SUMMER.

UH, THEIR DREAMS WILL ALL START HERE IN CORAL GABLES.

IT'S HAPPENED FOR MY KIDS WHO'VE BEEN PLAYING IN THIS COMMUNITY, UH, FOR FIVE YEARS.

THREE YEARS AGO, THE CORAL GABLES SOCCER COMMUNITY LOST A TRUE GEM.

SOMEBODY WHO WAS A LEGEND.

SOMEBODY FRANKLY WHO I COULDN'T BELIEVE WE WERE SO LUCKY TO HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

COACH CHRIS BART WILLIAMS. COACH CHRIS WAS UNIQUE IN SOCCER IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE HE WAS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPMENT.

HE WAS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPMENT, HE WAS FOCUSED ON CONFIDENCE.

TRAGICALLY, HE PASSED AWAY JUST A DAY AFTER I SAW HIM ON THE FIELD AT THE YOUTH CENTER.

UH, WHY I'M HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE THE SOCCER AND AT THE YOUTH CENTER IS ABOUT TO GO AND, UH, UNDERGO A CHANGE.

SO WHEN COACH CHRIS PASSED THE CITY THROUGH FRED'S LEADERSHIP, UH, CARLOS BIARDO, CAT DIAZ, ORLANDO ROJAS, EVERYBODY WHO WORKS AT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DID A YEOMAN'S EFFORT TO KEEP SOCCER ALIVE.

AND I'M, AND WE WERE ALL INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THEM.

BUT SOCCER IN THIS COUNTRY IS BIGGER THAN SOMETHING THAT COULD BE MANAGED, UH, BY THE CITY.

SO THE CITY RAN AN RFP PROCESS THIS YEAR.

AND THE RESULTS OF THAT PROCESS WERE THAT THE, THE SELECTION COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY, UH, SELECTED ONE WINNER AND IT'S THE GENTLEMAN FROM PSG.

WHY I'M HERE IS, I'M URGING THE CITY, 'CAUSE YOU'LL HEAR THIS AT ITEM, I THINK H ONE LATER, WHICH I KNOW I'M NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK ON.

UH, THE, WE NEED TO GET MOVING ON.

THIS TRYOUTS FOR SOCCER ARE HAPPENING NOW.

UH, WE'RE GONNA LOSE MORE FAMILIES.

LAST YEAR WE LOST 50 FAMILIES FROM CORAL GABLES WHO ARE NOW PLAYING OUTSIDE THE GABLES.

THEY ALL WANT TO COME BACK.

AND EVERYBODY'S ASKING ME EVERY DAY, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THE CLUB? WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THE CLUB? WHEN ARE TRYOUTS HAPPENING? SO THE CITY MOVED, I THINK, AS FAST AS THEY COULD MOVE.

NOW WE REALLY NEED TO MOVE AND GET TRYOUTS ANNOUNCED AND GET THIS PROGRAM OFF TO THE RIGHT FOOT SO THAT OUR KIDS CAN STAY HERE, STAY IN OUR COMMUNITY, PLAY FOR CORAL GABLES WITH PRIDE, WHICH THEY ALL DO, SERVE THE COMMUNITY, SERVE OUR RESIDENTS, WHO, THANKFULLY THE, THE CLUB HAS AGREED TO HAVE A MAJORITY OF CORAL GABLE'S RESIDENTS ON EACH TEAM.

SO I JUST URGE YOU, I THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK AND ESPECIALLY VICE MAYOR AND, UH, AND CAROLINA STER, WHO DID A LOT OF EFFORT TO LISTEN TO ME AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY.

THANK YOU ALL.

IF I, IF I MAY ADD SOME CONTEXT TO YOUR COMMENT.

UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, MY TWO DAUGHTERS PLAY, PLAY, UH, TENNIS, UH, TENNIS, EXCUSE ME.

THEY PLAY SOCCER.

UH, THEY PLAY CLUB AND THEY PLAY FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL.

ONE OF 'EM PLAYS FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL.

THE YOUNGER ONE IS NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL YET.

UH, THEY ARE ALL IN WHEN IT COMES TO SOCCER.

SO I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

UH, IN AN EFFORT TO NEVER

[02:20:01]

THEY SAY I HAVE A COFFEE OF INTEREST IF I GO GET A CUP OF COFFEE.

YOU KNOW, UH, I'VE NEVER HAD, I'VE NEVER ALLOWED MY CHILDREN TO PLAY HERE IN THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES.

I'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH CAROLINA AND THE CITY MANAGER, THE A CM, AND I GIVE YOU MY WORD THAT CORAL GABLES FAMILIES ARE GONNA HAVE THE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT.

WE'RE NOT JUST GONNA SKIP THEM OVER FOR A BRAND NEW HIGH OCTANE MODEL.

YEAH, WE'RE GONNA BRING IN SOMETHING SPECIAL, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA FORGET WHAT MADE US SPECIAL.

AND THAT'S THE RESIDENTS.

BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SOCCER, TO ME, IT'S A HUGE PRIORITY.

MY CHILDREN, THAT'S THE ONLY SPORT THEY PLAY, AND THEY ARE FANATICS OF WHEN IT COMES TO SOCCER.

SO I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I KNOW WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.

'CAUSE I'VE ALSO BEEN RECEIVING THE PHONE CALLS FROM FRIENDS OF MINE WHO DON'T PLAY ON OUR BREAKER, ON OUR BREAKERS CLUB, WHICH IS OUTSIDE OF THE GABLES.

UM, BUT THEY'VE BEEN CALLING ME AND TELLING ME, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY.

WE ARE NOT MOVING FAST ENOUGH.

SO I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

AND I PROMISE YOU I'LL BE BACK IF IT DOESN'T WORK.

AND I'LL BE DOWN THEIR THROATS IF IT DOESN'T WORK.

'CAUSE I'M DEDICATED TO MAKING THIS I KNOW.

ARE PROGRAM WORK.

I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO THANK THE MAYOR.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK MR. SIGAL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BRING THIS ISSUE TO OUR ATTENTION.

SO WITHOUT YOU, YOU KNOW, IT MAY NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

SO, UM, IS THERE A SOLE IN THIS ROOM WHO IS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT FREE CUBA? UM, WHAT I WANT TO JUST RAISE TO YOUR CONSIDERATION IS THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING A CITY OF CORAL GABLES, UH, RESOLUTION PUBLIC STATEMENT.

UH, AS TO THE FOLLOWING, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WITH, UH, PRESIDENT TRUMP WITH, UH, SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO TO LIBERATE CUBA.

THEY STARTED THE WORK IN VENEZUELA.

IT'S POSSIBLE.

UM, I THINK THAT UNFORTUNATELY THIS WAR IN IRAN, UH, HAS TAKEN ALL OF OUR TROOPS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, THE WHOLE ARMY OR WHATEVER NAVY IS OVER THERE.

WHAT I WOULD URGE YOU TO CONSIDER IS A RESOLUTION OR STATEMENT TO SEND TO PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT PLEASE FREE CUBA.

NOW, IT DOESN'T NOT WORRY ABOUT IRAN.

PRIORITIES GIVE IRAN LESS PRIORITY THAN FREE IN CUBA.

HEAR E ONE REALLY QUICKLY SO THAT WE CAN JUST ADDRESS THAT AND SO THEY CAN CATCH YOUR FLIGHT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

UH, MOVING ON TO TIME.

CERTAIN ITEMS, F TWO AND F SEVEN.

BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION? HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT'LL TAKE MADAM CITY ATTORNEY OR STAFF TO JUST HEAR E ONE VERY QUICKLY? DOES THEY HAVE TO CATCH A FLIGHT OUT OF HERE? IS IT A BIG PRESENTATION BY, HAS THERE BEEN MULTIPLE CHANGES? I, I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD TAKE VERY LONG.

I, I DON'T KNOW IF THE OKAY.

CAN WE, PLANNING DIRECTOR IS HERE YET AND HERE IN THE ROOM, AND I DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT OF HER PRESENTATION.

JENNIFER, IS THERE A PLANNING DIRECTOR HERE? SHE'S PROBABLY RUNNING RIGHT IN BECAUSE SHE PROBABLY WASN'T EXPECTING IT TO BE CALLED RIGHT NOW.

NO WORRIES.

UM, LET US, UH, LET US

[E.-1. 24-7193 An Ordinance of the City Commission approving the vacation of a public alleyway pursuant to Zoning Code Article 14, “Process,” Section 14-211, “Abandonment and Vacations” and City Code Chapter 62, Article 8 “Vacation, abandonment and closure of streets, easements and alleys by private owners and the city; application process,” providing for the vacation of the forty-five (45) foot wide alley which is approximately one hundred twenty-five (125) feet in length lying between Tract A and Lots 27 through 31, Block 156, Riviera Section Part 8 (1250 S Dixie Highway), Coral Gables, Florida; providing for a repealer provision, severability clause, and providing for an effective date (Legal description on file). (02 11 26 PZB recommended approval, Vote: 5-0) Lobbyist: Laura Russo]

AND I APOLOGIZE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

I KNOW THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HEAR THIS A FEW MINUTES AGO.

E ONE IS IN OR OF THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVING THE VACATION OF A PUBLIC ALLEYWAY PURSUANT TO ZONING CODE ARTICLE 14, PROCESS SECTION 14 DASH TWO 11, ABANDONMENT AND VACATIONS AND CITY CODE CHAPTER 62, ARTICLE EIGHT, VACATION ABANDONMENT, ENCLOSURE OF STREETS, EASEMENTS, AND ALLEYS BY PRIVATE OWNERS IN THE CITY APPLICATION PROCESS, PROVIDING FOR THE VACATION OF THE 45 FOOT WIDE ALLEY, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 125 FEET IN LENGTH, LYING BETWEEN TRACK A AND LOTS 27 THROUGH 31 BLOCK, 1 56, REVIEW A SECTION, PART EIGHT, CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR REPEATED PROVISION SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

MADAM DIRECTOR, SORRY TO MAKE YOU RUN, BUT YOU GOT HERE VERY QUICKLY.

NO WORRIES.

WELL DONE, WELL DONE.

, SPRINTING IN HEELS.

THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN THERE'S BEEN NO CHANGES SINCE FIRST READING.

UH, THE SAME THREE CONDITIONS STILL APPLY.

PERFECT.

THEY HAVE UNTIL, UH, END OF THE, UM, MONTH TO WITHHOLD THE APPLICATION OF THE COUNTY.

UM, STILL BE IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE SITE PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED IN APRIL.

AND THEY HAVE TWO YEARS START, UM, CONSTRUCTION.

AND JUST TO CLARIFY THOUGH, THE EVIDENCE OF THE WITHDRAWAL NOTICE NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS TOMORROW, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.

VICE MAYOR.

FOR THE MAYOR? YES, MA.

IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN THERE, THE L REVERT OKAY.

TO THE CITY.

AWESOME.

I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON, UH, DISCUSSION.

SO THE APPLICANT WAS AVAILABLE.

MS. RUSSO, GOOD MORNING.

[02:25:04]

GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR.

MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION FOR THE RECORD.

LAURA RUSSO WITH OFFICES AT 2334 PON LEON BOULEVARD.

AND I AM HERE THIS MORNING ON BEHALF OF, UH, LCD ACQUISITIONS.

SO RUSSO, I HAD THE YES, OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH YOUR CLIENTS, UH, YESTERDAY.

AND, UH, WE HAD A DISCUSSION, UH, ABOUT A CONTRIBUTION FOR TOWARD TROLLEY SERVICE.

UM, IF, AND, AND WHEN IT DOES EXTEND OVER US ONE, I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM ON THAT AND SO THAT WE COULD INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF THE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL.

WELL, I WILL PASS THE MICROPHONE ALONG TO MY CLIENT SINCE I WAS NOT IN ATTENDANCE AT THAT MEETING.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WILLING TO CONSIDER.

UM, BUT, UH, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO COMMIT IT AT THIS TIME, BUT WE WILL CONSIDER IT INTERNALLY.

UM, SO I, ME, I'M GONNA ASK FOR SOME GUIDANCE FROM THE CITY MANAGER, HOW WE WOULD MANAGE THIS, BECAUSE, UH, THE PLAN IS TO, AND AS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, I HAVE A, AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, FULL SIGNAL PRIORITIZATION, WHICH WILL ALSO HELP OUT, UH, FIRE AND POLICE, BUT MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO, FOR THESE TROLLEYS TO CROSS US ONE AND TO BE ABLE TO SERVICE BUILDINGS LIKE YOURS, WHICH WOULD INEVITABLY SAVE MONEY, UH, FOR THE OPERATION OF THE BUILDING.

'CAUSE YOU WON'T NEED YOUR HOME SHOVEL SERVICE.

SO, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, COULD YOU PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THIS, UH, THROUGH THE MAYOR? YES, SIR.

UH, MAYBE THIS, MAYBE, UH, THIS IS, UM, DISAGREEMENT CAN, CAN BE STRUCTURED IF THE TROLLEY, IF THE, IF THE TROLLEY OCCURS, WE'RE LOOKING AT A, AT A TROLLEY SERVICE TO EXTEND TO OUR SOUTHERN PART OR SOUTHERN DOWNTOWN AND TO ALSO SOUTH MIAMI.

SO, UH, MAYBE THIS, THERE CAN BE SOME COMMITMENT AT, AT THAT TIME AND WE CAN STRUCTURE THE, THE AGREEMENT IF THE TROLLEY OCCURS.

YEAH, WE WOULD BE WILLING TO CONSIDER THAT.

SO I WOULD, I WOULD MOVE FOR ACCEPTANCE WITH DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE, UM, THE SERVICINGS OF THE TROLLEY TO THE BUILDING IF FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION, UH, WE HAD DISCUSSED IS, UH, IMPLEMENTED.

YOU HAVE A MOTION? DO YOU HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

AND, AND FOR THE RECORD, WHAT WE DISCUSSED WAS A $500,000 CONTRIBUTION TOWARD TROLLEY.

DOES IT COST $500,000 A PURCHASE OF TROLLEY? MADAM VICE MAYOR? EXCUSE ME.

MADAM, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY.

I, I'M SORRY.

I JUST NEED A CLARIFICATION WHAT THE MOTION IS.

IT'S A MOTION TO ACCEPT WITH DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER WITH DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE THE LANGUAGE FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, THE CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS A TROLLEY.

UM, IF IT IS EXTENDED OVER US, ONE IN SERVICES, THE BUILDING AREA.

HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.

WE DO.

COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ? YES.

WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

MR. MAYOR, THOSE A PUBLIC COMMENT.

VICE MAYOR ANDERSON? YES.

COMMISSIONER CASTRO.

COMMISSIONER LADA? YES.

MAYOR LAGO? YES.

OKAY, BUT YOU GUYS VOTED ON THAT MOTION, BUT YOU HAVEN'T VOTED ON THE, UM, E ONE ITEM THAT WAS A MOTION FOR ACCEPTANCE OF E ONE.

OH, WAS IT WITH CONDITIONS? ALL RIGHT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS THE MOTION TO HAVE THE CITY MANAGER DIRECT NO, NO, WITH CONDITIONS.

HOLD ON.

I, I, I UNDERSTOOD IT WAS THE MOTION TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER.

THAT WAS WHAT THE SECOND, I THINK WE NEED ANOTHER VOTE FOR E ONE.

NO.

UM, IT WAS THE MOTION TO ACCEPT E ONE WITH THOSE CONDITIONS.

WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE, WHY DON'T WE MAKE SURE THAT WE FOCUS AND WE HAVE EVERYTHING RUN THROUGH THE MAYOR THAT WAY THAT EVERYBODY CAN HAVE ALL, ALL THE DIRECTION THAT WE NEED SO WE DON'T MAKE MISTAKES.

MY UNDERSTANDING, AND THAT WAS PRETTY CLEAR, WAS THAT THAT WAS A MOTION WE HAD, WE HAD MADE AN FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AND WE HAD ADDED, ADDED ON TO THE LEGISLATION.

THERE WAS A MOTION AND THERE WAS A SECOND.

AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

THE CLERK READ THE RULE AND IT WAS UNANIMOUS.

MR. CLERK, DID YOU SEE IT ANY OTHER WAY? NO.

MR. MAYOR, BUT I BELIEVE YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY OR INTERPRETATION OF IT.

MAYOR, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS A MOTION TO APPROVE E ONE WITH ADDITIONAL DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER.

THAT'S PRETTY SIMPLE THROUGH THE MAYOR.

I WILL GO AHEAD AND REVERSE MY VOTE.

MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADVISE HOW SHE CAN DO THAT? SHE CAN CHANGE HER VOTE AT THIS TIME.

I UNDERSTAND, BUT RIGHT NOW, YES.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

ALRIGHT, MOVING ON.

ITEM

[F.-7. 26-1506 A Resolution of the City Commission recognizing the City’s longstanding relationship with the Granada Golf Association, Inc., Greenway Women’s Golf Association, Inc., and the Coral Gables Women’s Golf and Bridge Association, Inc.; authorizing the continued administrative reservation of certain tee time blocks for existing members of such associations, subject to applicable legal, operational, and financial requirements established by the City; and directing staff to work with the existing associations under those conditions. (Sponsored by Vice Mayor Anderson)]

F TWO AND F SEVEN.

BUT WE'RE GONNA START WITH ITEM F SEVEN FIRST PLEASE.

THANK YOU, MADAM VICE MAYOR, THAT'S YOUR ITEM.

I'LL READ IT INTO THE RECORD, WHICH BY THE WAY, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE A CO-SPONSOR OF THAT.

AND I REQUESTED THAT WITH, FROM THE CITY

[02:30:01]

ATTORNEY, UH, LAST WEEK.

BUT SHE SAID I HAD TO WAIT TO BE ON THE DAIS TO DO THAT.

IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED AT THE MEETING.

THANK YOU FOR CO-SPONSORSHIP.

SO, UM, F SEVEN IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION, RECOGNIZING THE CITY'S LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GRANADA GOLF ASSOCIATION, INC.

GREENWAY WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION INC.

AND THE CORAL GABLES WOMEN'S GOLF AND BRIDGE ASSOCIATION, INC.

AUTHORIZING THE CONTINUED ADMINISTRATIVE RESERVATION OF CERTAIN TEE TIME BLOCKS FOR EXISTING MEMBERS OF SUCH ASSOCIATIONS, SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LEGAL, OPERATIONAL, AND FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY AND DIRECTING STAFF TO WORK WITH THE EXISTING ASSOCIATIONS UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS.

VICE MAYOR.

UM, THIS RESOLUTION ADDRESSES ALL THREE ASSOCIATIONS RECOGNIZING AND, AND OUR LONG HISTORY WITH THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES.

UM, WE'VE DONE SOME AMENDMENTS SINCE THE PUBLICATION TO INCORPORATE, UH, SOME OF THE, THE CLARITY OF THE LANGUAGE THAT WE NEEDED, THAT IT DEALT WITH, NOT JUST EX EXISTING MEMBERS, BUT IT DEALT WITH THE EXISTING MEMBERSHIP LEVELS.

AND, UH, IN SECTION FOUR, WE'VE, UH, ADDED THE LANGUAGE THAT THE FOLLOWING NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE REFERENCE ASSOCIATIONS, UH, ARE INCLUDED IN THEIR GRANADA GOLF.

UH, ASSOCIATION HAS 60 MEMBERS.

GREENWAY WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION HAS 55 MEMBERS.

AND, AND CORAL GABLES WOMEN GOLF AND BRIDGE ASSOCIATION HAS 35 MEMBERS.

AND AS I'VE EXPLAINED TO THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE CONTACTED ME FROM THE ASSOCIATIONS, THERE'S A REASON WHY THE NUMBERS ARE INCLUDED IN THERE.

IS IT, UH, PREVENTS SOMEONE FROM DOING SOMETHING LIKE ADDING A THOUSAND MEMBERS AND DEFEATING THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF THIS, WHICH IS TO PRESERVE YOUR TEE TIMES.

AND THAT'S WHAT I HEARD FROM ALL OF YOU AS TO THE PRIORITY WAS TO PRESERVE THE TEE TIMES AND WORK WITH THE CITY AS YOU ALWAYS HAVE WORKED WITH THE CITY.

YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS A GOLF TOURNAMENT, WE MASSAGE THE TIMES AROUND ACCORDINGLY.

IF THE THE COURSE NEEDS, UH, REPAIR YOU MASSAGE YOUR TIMES ACCORDINGLY.

UH, SO WITH THIS, I, I WILL MOVE IT AND, UH, HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE AND, UH, BRIGHTVIEW FIXING THE, UH, GOLF COURSE FOR YOU ALL.

BEFORE WE, BEFORE YOU SPEAK ON THAT, IS THERE WE HAVE A SECOND.

I'LL SECOND.

THE HIGHEST LEVEL POSSIBLE FOR, FOR OUR GREAT, UH, UH, GOLF COURSE.

NOW WE CAN HAVE CON NOW WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION.

I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT POINT, UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING, UH, WITH THE LADIES, UH, THIS PAST WEEK.

UH, IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT TIME.

THANK YOU FOR SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND REALLY EDUCATING, UH, US ON MANY DIFFERENT FRONTS.

I'VE KNOWN DON FINE FOR, I DON'T WANNA SAY HOW LONG, I THINK SHE'LL GET UPSET AT ME IF I SAY HOW LONG I'VE KNOWN HER, BUT WE BOTH HAVE SERVED ON A VERY, ON A BOARD, UH, FOR THE ARTS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS THAT'S OUTSIDE OF CORAL GABLES.

SO IT WAS TRULY A PLEASURE FOR DAWN TO BRING ALL THE LADIES AND REALLY HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION IN REGARDS TO, UH, WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, IN REGARDS TO, TO THE GRANADA GOLF COURSE.

UM, I'M IN, I'M IN ALIGNMENT AS I TOLD THEM THAT DAY, UH, WITH, WITH THE VICE MAYORS.

THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO, UH, CO-SPONSOR IT IF SHE WOULD ALLOW ME THE PRIVILEGE TO DO THAT.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND THERE'S SOME CONCERNS THAT I WANTED TO PUT ON RECORD THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH, WITH, WITH THE LADIES, BUT MORE TO DO WITH THE MANAGER AND FUTURE, FUTURE RUNNING OF, OF THIS PROJECT.

UM, STAFF HAS INFORMED ME THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST 20 GOLF TOURNAMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO COORDINATE, COORDINATE CERTAIN TIMES.

I THINK WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE COORDINATE WITH THE LADIES AND THE OTHER, AND THE OTHER, UH, GENTLEMAN, UH, IN REGARDS TO TEE TIMES, I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

UM, YOU KNOW, THIS AMOUNTS TO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S BENEFICIAL FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE GU GOLF COURSE.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'LL REAP SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS, UH, FOR THE GOLF COURSE AND MAKE IT EVEN MORE PROFITABLE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE THE SHELTERS FORTHCOMING.

WE HAVE THE TEE BOXES THAT ARE FORTHCOMING.

WE WE'RE GONNA, WE NOW HAVE BRIGHTVIEW, WHICH IS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, SO WE'RE GONNA ELEVATE THE QUALITY OF THE GRAN GOLF COURSE FOR EVERYONE.

AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD THING, AND I THINK WE SHOULD WORK ON THOSE GOLF TOURNAMENTS.

I THINK THAT ALSO THE RESOLUTION WILL ALLOW THE ASSOCIATE TO KEEP THEIR PREFERRED TEE TIMES, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT WHILE ALLOWING SOME FLEXIBILITY, FLEXIBILITY FOR SOME OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO TO ME, I'M IN, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS FRONT.

I THINK THE LADIES HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY FLEXIBLE.

I THINK THEIR, THEIR, THEIR ORGANIZATION HAS DONE A LOT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO ALONG WITH THE GENTLEMEN.

UM, AND I'M WILLING, I'M WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE TEE TIMES ISSUE AS LONG AS THEY WORK WITH THE MANAGER.

AND WE COME TO AN AGREEMENT, I THINK, WHICH IS CLEARLY DETAILED IN THIS, UH, IN THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION.

MR. MANAGER, THE MAYOR.

THANK, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FLEXIBLE TEE TIMES.

WE, WE WILL WORK WITH THE THREE ORGANIZATIONS, UH, AND AS THE VICE MAYOR SAID, UH, MAINTAINING THEIR CURRENT LEVELS OF MEMBERSHIP.

AND WE WILL WORK WITH THEM, UH, THROUGH THOSE TEE TIMES.

HOWEVER, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A GOLF TOURNAMENT, WE CAN HAVE A GOLF TOURNAMENT, AND WE HAVE A, WE'VE HAD GOLF TOURNAMENTS WHERE THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY WOULD LIKE TO BOOK THE, THE ENTIRE COUNTRY CLUB.

AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO SO.

SO WE WILL WORK WITH THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR ON THOSE TEE TIMES.

AND I'M SURE THEY WOULD WANNA WORK WITH US TO MAINTAIN THE, THE, UH,

[02:35:01]

IT'S A, IT'S A GOLF COURSE THAT'S VERY CENTRALLY LOCATED, HAS, HAS TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PARKING AND HAS HIGH SECURITY BECAUSE IT'S WITHIN CORAL GABLE.

SO I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR, FOR THE RE ON GOLF COURSE IF WE WORK TOGETHER.

YES, COMMISSIONER? YEAH.

I WANNA SAY NUMBER ONE, CONGRATULATIONS.

BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO THE SPONSOR IS AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU HAD SUCH A STRONG STANCE YOU DIDN'T WANT THIS TO GO THROUGH, AND NOW YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND.

I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ABOUT WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I HAVE TO SAY, VICE MAYOR, CONGRATULATIONS.

YOU SAW THIS THROUGH.

I AM GOING TO WITHDRAW MY RESOLUTION AND I'M GONNA ASK HER IF I COULD PLEASE CO-SPONSOR THIS.

CERTAINLY, I CON TRIED TO CONSOLIDATE, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T, I I FELT THAT IT WAS JUST TOO MANY RESOLUTIONS.

SO YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS, THIS IS RIGHT DIRECTION GUYS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS.

SO I'M, I'M SO HAPPY THAT COMMISSIONER CASTRO AGREES, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S READ THE FULL RESOLUTION.

THIS STILL DOESN'T INCLUDE THE .

THAT'S WHY I KNOW WHY MANY OF YOU'RE LAUGHING BECAUSE I DON'T THINK SHE REALIZES THAT, THAT THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE THE UNLIMITED GOLF.

THE $900 OF UNLIMITED GOLF IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RESOLUTION.

WAS MADAM VICE MAYOR.

EXCUSE ME ONE SECOND.

MADAM VICE MAYOR IS, AM I CORRECT OR NO? NO, YOU'RE CORRECT.

AND YOU KNOW, THE, THE LADIES CAME IN AND SPOKE TO ME AND THAT IS NOT WHAT THEY WANTED.

UH, THE GGA CAME IN AND SPOKE TO ME, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY WANTED.

WHAT THEY WANTED WAS THE PRESERVATION OF THE ABILITY TO GET TOGETHER.

IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY, IT'S ABOUT SOCIALIZATION, IT'S ABOUT BEING TOGETHER.

UH, YOU HAVE SOME MEMBERS THAT HAVE POOR EYESIGHT AND IT'S IMP IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THEY HAVE SOME TIME TOGETHER TO UM, BE ABLE TO GOLF.

'CAUSE THERE IS AN EPIDEMIC OF LONELINESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND, AND THIS IS A VEHICLE BY WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE HELP RESOLVE A LOT OF THAT.

AND I'M GLAD WE'RE ABLE TO.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR, AS YOU KNOW, I DON'T GOLF 'CAUSE I'M NOT AWARE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

BUT YOU TOOK THE TIME JUST LIKE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COME IN AND EDUCATE US.

SO LIKE, I WAS SO, LIKE I WAS SAYING WAS THE THING, IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT IT ON THE RECORD.

UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WAS NEVER IN OPPOSITION AS I SPOKE TO DON WHEN SHE CAME IN AND, AND SAID ABOUT THE TEE TIMES IS NOT AN ISSUE FOR ME.

UM, WHAT THE ISSUE WAS FOR ME WAS THE FACT THAT, AND YOU MADE IT VERY CLEAR.

YOU PAY THE FEES, YOU PAY THEM, YOU PAY THE FEES, THEY'RE ALL SHAKING THEIR HEAD.

SO BEFORE IT COMES OUT IN THE GAZETTE SAYING THAT I FLIPPED, I NEVER FLIPPED.

I'M STILL IN OPPOSITION OF $900 BEING, AND EVERYBODY'S SHAKING THEIR HEAD BECAUSE THEY AGREE 900 FOR UNLIMITED GOLF IS JUST WAY TOO MUCH WEAR AND TEAR ON THE, ON THE FACILITY.

SO I HAVE NOT CHANGED.

THIS DOES NOT HAVE UNLIMITED GOLF ON IT.

UH, WE ARE DEALING WITH THAT ISSUE TODAY AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE THE TOUGH DECISIONS.

BUT IN REGARDS TO WHAT WE DISCUSSED ABOUT ALLOWING FOR THOSE TEE TIMES TO SAY, I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THAT, AS LONG AS THERE'S FLEXIBILITY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME OF THOSE TOURNAMENTS, WHICH I THINK WILL BENEFIT EVERYONE.

MAYOR.

SO THANK MAYOR YOU VERY MUCH.

THE MAYOR THROUGH THE MAYOR.

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I THINK THE ONE WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND AND DIDN'T READ THE RESOLUTIONS WAS YOU, THE TEE TIME WAS A DIFFERENT RESOLUTION AND THE MEMBERSHIP IS A DIFFERENT RESOLUTION.

SO NO, I WENT VERY, VERY CAREFULLY THROUGH VICE MAYOR'S, UM, RESOLUTION AND I AM COMMENDING HER FOR IT.

I READ THE LANGUAGE.

I DON'T THINK YOU DID.

IF I MAY, IF I MAY, WE'RE DONE.

WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

WE, BECAUSE WE HAVE NO CHOICE, YOU HAVE TO PUT THINGS ON THE RECORD.

UM, NUMBER ONE, THIS IS VERY SIMPLE.

IT'S VERY SIMPLE.

THIS RESOLUTION DOES NOT ADDRESS $900 UNLIMITED GOLF.

THAT'S WHY I'M IN FAVOR OF, IT'S WHY I'M IN FAVOR OF IT.

IT DOES NOT ADDRESS UNLIMITED GOLF.

WE'RE NOT ALLOWING FOR UNLIMITED GOLF UNLESS MY COLLEAGUES WANNA VOTE ON IT.

THEY CAN VOTE ON IT THEMSELVES.

BUT THE REASON WHY I'M IN SUPPORT IS LEGISLATION IS BECAUSE IT FOSTERS THE RELATIONSHIPS IN REGARDS TO THE TEE TIMES FOR THE CLUBS, FOR THE LADIES CLUBS WITHOUT A PROBLEM.

AND FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S CLUBS.

I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT AT ALL.

BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE UNLIMITED GOLF SCHOOL.

YOU CAN SKIN IT ANY ANY WAY YOU WANT THAT, BUT YOU JUST, YOU JUST REMOVED ALL OF YOUR, YOU JUST REMOVED A FEW SECONDS AGO ALL OF YOUR LEGISLATION, WHICH I THINK YOU WANT TO, MAY BRING BACK BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY DEAL WITH UNLIMITED GOLF.

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO FACE THAT.

SO I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM BRINGING IT BACK.

IF YOU'D LIKE, JUST LIKE YOU MADE AN ERROR ON THE PREVIOUS VOTING, YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT VOTE BACK ALSO.

BUT WE CAN ADDRESS IT RIGHT NOW.

BUT I'M NOT VOTING IN FAVOR.

I'M UNLIMITED GOLF.

I WILL WORK WITH THE 80 OR SO MEMBERS WHO HAVE UNLIMITED GOLF TO FIND A NUMBER THAT IS APPROPRIATE.

WHERE THE, WHERE WE'RE NOT LOSING MONEY.

I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE.

BUT I THINK THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO BE THOUGHTFUL.

WE JUST CAN'T HAVE UNLIMITED GOLF FOR 80 SOMETHING INDIVIDUALS WHILE OTHER PEOPLE ARE PAYING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY.

SO THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S MY ONLY POINT.

IT'S VERY SIMPLE AND I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE ON.

WE HAVE A LOT, WE HAVE A LONG AGENDA THROUGH THE MAYOR.

ONCE AGAIN THROUGH THE MAYOR.

I THINK WE'RE A LITTLE CONFUSED HERE.

THE ITEM YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS ITEM F FIVE.

WE'LL APPROACH THE ITEM WHEN THE TIME COMES.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROTECTED TEE TIMES.

LET'S NOT CONFUSE PEOPLE.

CONGRATULATIONS

[02:40:01]

EXCUSE ME ONE SECOND MR. CLERK, PLEASE ROLL BACK THE TAPE FROM COMMISSIONER CASTRO, WHICH SAYS SHE REMOVES ALL OF HER LIGHT, ALL OF HER, ALL OF HER GOLF, GOLF ITEMS. IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING CONFUSED, IT'S THE FACTS.

YOU'VE, YOU ASKED TO REMOVE ALL YOUR ITEMS. YOU DIDN'T WANT TO, YOU DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE YOUR ITEMS. 'CAUSE YOU THOUGHT THAT THIS ALSO HAD THE $900.

IT DOES NOT HAVE THE $900 UNLIMITED.

MAYOR, I THINK WE JUST NEED CLARIFICATION FROM THE COMMISSIONER.

WHICH ITEM ARE YOU WITHDRAWING? YOU SAID YOU WITHDRAW YOUR RESOLUTION.

SO WHICH ITEM? THE, THE TEE TIME ONE.

IT IS FI BELIEVE IT'S F THREE.

SO F THREE THINK THAT'S, SO WE'LL BE HERE F FIVE AND I WILL VOTE NO ON THAT.

SO MOVING ON.

WE HAVE COMMISSIONER.

GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.

UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.

SO I'M LOOKING AT THE RESOLUTION.

MADAM VICE MAYOR.

I DON'T THINK THAT THE UPDATED RESOLUTION IS ON THE PORTAL.

UH, 'CAUSE IT STILL SEEMS TO BE OKAY.

YOU HAVE IT? YES, THIS WAS DONE JUSTICE.

JUST, OKAY.

ALRIGHT, PERFECT.

BECAUSE I, I HAVE ONE QUESTION.

I HAVE THE PENCIL OUT HERE.

I HAVE ONE QUESTION REGARDING THE LANGUAGE, WHICH IS A BIT CONFUSING TO ME.

'CAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS THEY HAD WAS THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY LOCKED IN THEIR CURRENT DAY TEE TIME ALLOTMENTS.

AND I GUESS MAYBE THAT PART IS A LITTLE VAGUE ON THIS 'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND IF, IF WE HAVE TOURNAMENTS AND THAT KIND OF THING.

I UNDERSTAND THE TOURNAMENTS, BUT IS THERE A WAY TO FORMALIZE THE AGREEMENT SO THAT WE'RE NOT BACK HERE IN TWO OR THREE MONTHS WITH THIS ITEM COMING BACK? BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT ON, ON THE DAYS OF THE TEE TIMES.

I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE GIVE THEM, THEY'VE BEEN HERE TWICE ALREADY.

WE GIVE THEM A SOLUTION TODAY THAT AVOIDS ANY UNCERTAINTY GOING FORWARD UNLESS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A TOURNAMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE WORKED THROUGH.

SO THROUGH THE MAYOR, YES.

I HAVE SPENT TIME ON THE PHONE.

I'VE SPENT TIME MEETING IN PERSON WITH ALL THREE GROUPS.

AND THEY HAVE BEEN FLEXIBLE IN THE PAST WITH STAFF.

THEY'VE AGREED TO BE FLEXIBLE IN THE FUTURE AND HAVING SOMETHING IRONCLAD AND THEY THERE AS A SPECIFIC TEE TIME WILL NOT WORK EVEN IN THE PAST, BASED UPON THE HISTORY OF WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

THERE ARE TIMES THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THE COURSE.

THERE'S TIMES WHEN THERE'S GOLF TOURNAMENTS COMING IN MAY, THEY MAY WANNA PARTICIPATE IN A GOLF TOURNAMENT, BUT, BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOME FLEXIBILITY AND THERE'S TIMES THAT THEY GIVE BACK TWO TIMES.

BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'T SHOW UP.

THEY'VE HAD A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR STAFF AND THE IDEA WAS NOT TO HANDCUFF EITHER THE GROUPS OR STAFF AND BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.

'CAUSE THEY HAVE A, A PROTOCOL AND I DON'T REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS 72 HOURS OR 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE THAT THEY WOULD RELEASE THE TEE TIMES SO THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC COULD ALSO USE THE TEE TIMES IF SOMEBODY COULDN'T COME IN.

AND IT PROBABLY HAPPENS MORE IN THE SUMMER WHEN IT'S VERY HOT.

I COULD BE WRONG OR IT'S RAINING, BUT I DIDN'T WANT BE SO TIGHT IN THE LANGUAGE THAT IT HANDCUFFS ALL THE PARTIES HERE.

SO I, I THINK THAT THEY'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.

AND IF IT DOESN'T WORK, I'M ALL EARS.

EXCUSE ME.

NO SOLUTION IS PICTURE PERFECT, I THINK THIS IS AS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET TO ONE.

YES, WE HAVE A, A, A COUNTRY CLUB, WHICH PART OF IT IS GOLF AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING SUCH AS TOURNAMENTS.

THERE'S, THERE'S PLAY IN THE WINTER PLAY IN THE SUMMER.

THERE'S A, THERE'S A NUMBER OF ISSUES THERE THAT, THAT, UH, AFFECT TEE TIMES.

WE WILL WORK WITH THESE GROUPS TO, TO EFFECTIVELY WORK, WORK ON, ON, ON, ON TEE TIMES THAT, THAT ARE, THAT, THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE FOR THE GROUP AND FOR THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO PAY ABOUT 1.3 MILLION TO $1.4 MILLION TO MAINTAIN THE, THE, UH, GOLF COURSE.

AND THAT'S WHY WE GOT BRIGHTVIEW TO REALLY HAVE A HIGH-END, HIGH-END GOLF COURSE.

AND, AND THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE FLEXIBILITY FROM ALL OF US AND, AND, AND WORKING WITH THE COUNTRY CLUB AND WORKING WITH, WITH, WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND WORKING THROUGH ALL THE VARIATIONS THAT THAT OCCUR AS YOU'RE PLAYING GOLF O THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THROUGH THE MAYOR.

IF I, IF I MAY JUST THE COMMISSIONER AL I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING THEN.

I JUST WANTED TO FINISH MY NO, I THOUGHT YOU WERE DONE AND FINISH, FINISH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

NO, I JUST, JUST YOU DIDN'T FINISH, I JUST FINISH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THEN IF YOU WANTED TO.

NO, UM, SO I GUESS THAT CLARIFIES IT FOR ME.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE BOTH GROUPS ARE OKAY WITH THE RESOLUTION AS IS.

IF THAT'S THE CASE.

UH, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION.

COMMISSIONER LADA, DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS? WELL, JUST BRIEFLY THAT IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THIS IS AS PROPOSED AND AS ADOPTED, YOU KNOW, AN ELEGANT EXIT, UM, AN ELEGANT RESOLUTION BECAUSE IT JUST, IT PROVIDES THESE THREE ORGANIZATIONS WITH PRIORITY CONTINUATION, UH, IN A, IN A REASONABLE AND SUSTAINABLE WAY GOING FORWARD.

BE MINDFUL OF, UH, THE EXPENSE, UH, IN MAINTAINING THE COURSE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE TOURNAMENTS WHICH ARE SO NEEDED, UM, FOR THE CITY OR THE, UH, FOR THE, THE CONTINUED VITALITY OF THE, UH, OF THE COUNTRY CLUB AND ESPECIALLY ITS GOLF.

AND I, I THINK THAT, UH, WHILE

[02:45:01]

SO.

UM, MR. CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, MR. MAYOR.

ALRIGHT, PERFECT.

LET'S HEAR THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

FIRST SPEAKER, DONNA FAILS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEAK IT AND YOU'RE HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME, I'LL, OKAY.

PERFECT.

MONICA HANNER.

WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON.

GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR.

MY NAME IS MONICA HANNER AND I AM THE CO-PRESIDENT OF GREENWAY WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION.

ON BEHALF OF THE CORONA WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATIONS, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, CARE AND CONSIDERATION YOU'VE GIVEN TO PROTECTING OUR TEE TIMES AND SUPPORTING THE CONTINUED EXISTENCE OF OUR CLUBS.

YOUR ACTIONS MATTER DEEPLY TO US AND TO THE MANY WOMEN AND SENIORS WHOSE LIVES ARE ENRICHED BY WHAT THESE ASSOCIATIONS PROVIDE.

FOR DECADES, OUR CLUBS HAVE BEEN MORE THAN A PLACE TO PLAY TO PLAY GOLF.

THERE ARE COMMUNITIES, THEY ARE SUPPORT SYSTEMS. THERE ARE SPACES WHERE FRIENDSHIPS AND ARE FORMED WHERE NEWCOMERS FEEL WELCOMED AND WHERE LONGSTANDING MEMBERS REMAIN ACTIVE, ENGAGED, AND CONNECTED.

THE PHYSICAL BENEFITS OF REGULAR PLAY ARE CLEAR MOBILITY, STRENGTH, AND OVERALL HEALTH.

AND EQUALLY IMPORTANT ARE THE SOCIAL BENEFITS, COMPANIONSHIP, PURPOSE, AND MENTAL WELLBEING.

THE TEE TIMES ARE NOT JUST A SCHEDULING MATTER FOR US.

THEY ARE THE FOUNDATION THAT ALLOWS THESE COMMUNITIES TO EXIST.

AND WITHOUT PROTECTED TEA TIMES, OUR ASSOCIATIONS CANNOT SURVIVE.

AND OVER TIME THEY WOULD FADE AWAY, TAKING AWAY A MULTI-DECADE TRADITION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND SUPPORT.

THEREFORE, COMMISSIONERS, MAYOR, AND VICE MAYOR, UM, YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT PROTECTS MORE THAN THE TEE TIMES.

IT PROTECTS ACCESS, INCLUSION AND A VITAL NETWORK FOR WOMEN AND SENIORS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE THANK YOU FOR STANDING WITH US AND OUR FUTURE MEMBERS IN PRESERVING WHAT HAS BEEN BUILT.

SO IT MAY CONTINUE TO SERVE GENERATIONS TO COME.

THAT'S IT, MR. MAYOR.

ALRIGHT, WE'LL CLOSE.

SO WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A MOTION.

I'LL MOVE IT.

I'LL SECOND.

SORRY MR. MAYOR, WE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND ALREADY.

I KNOW.

COMMISSIONER CASTRO? YES.

WE, WE HAVE DOUBLE AMOUNT.

COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ? YES.

COMMISSIONER LARA? YES.

[F.-2. 26-1402 A Resolution of the City Commission directing staff to explore a league-based discount structure comparable to that of other golf facilities. (Sponsored by Commissioner Castro)]

NOW I THINK WE WANT TO HEAR THE OTHER ITEM THAT DEALS WITH THE $900 UNLIMITED IS THE F FIVE.

SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF ITEMS, MAYOR, THAT WE'RE OFF.

I JUST WANNA GET IT CORRECT.

SO WHICH IS THE ONE, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT WE'RE GONNA HEAR NEXT.

SO SHE, SO THERE'S, SHE DEFERRED, SHE REMOVED SOME AND NOW, SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT F THREE HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.

WE ALSO HAVE F TWO, F FOUR, F FIVE THAT RELATE TO, UM, GOLF.

SO WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO, COMMISSIONER? SO WE CAN HEAR 'EM TOGETHER SINCE WE HAVE THE INDIVIDUALS HERE? YES.

SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND START WITH F TWO.

IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE.

THIS IS, SHOULD I READ IT INTO THE RECORD? COMMISSIONER DO.

SO, SO F TWO IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSIONER DIRECTING STAFF TO EXPLORE A LEAGUE BASED DISCOUNT STRUCTURE COMPARABLE TO THAT OF OTHER GOLF FACILITIES.

THERE'S NO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THIS RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS JUST AN EXPLORATION ASKING ADMINISTRATION TO JUST GO AHEAD AND DO SOME RESEARCH TO COMPARABLE GOLF, OTHER GOLF COURSES TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING OTHER LEAGUE UM, OTHER LEAGUES AND COME BACK WITH THAT RESEARCH.

THAT'S BASICALLY IT.

I'LL MOVE IT.

MR. MANAGER, QUICK QUESTION.

UM, WHERE DO WE STAND? OR MADAM A CM OR MR. DCM, WHERE DO WE STAND CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW IN COMPARABLE TO OTHER LEAGUES? UH, IN REGARDS TO OUR FEE STRUCTURE? MAYOR, UH, UH, MAY I ANSWER? YES, OF COURSE.

THAT'S, I I OPENED THE TO YES.

THANK YOU VERY.

WE HAVE THREE, THREE ASSOCIATIONS THAT, THAT ARE, ARE CURRENTLY USING THAT AS KIND OF A LEAGUE TYPE TYPE SYSTEM.

SO WE, WE UH, WE, WE DID A, A VERY GOOD STUDY AS FAR AS AS AS FAR I WANNA, I WANNA TAKE A STEP BACK AND I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU.

THIS F TWO IS ASKING FOR A STUDY, BUT YOU ALREADY DID A STUDY.

YES, WE, WE LOOKED AT, AT, WELL AT, AT OUR COST STRUCTURE.

WE LOOK AT, UH, THE, THE, THE CURRENT ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE THERE AND, AND, AND, AND WE FEEL THAT, UH, THAT THAT REALLY FITS THE NEED OF, OF, UH, OF OUR CURRENT COURSE.

UH, WE, WE, UM, NOW HAVE, HAVE, HAVE HIRED BRIGHTVIEW TO EXPAND THIS COURSE.

I THINK IT'S, IT WILL BE A FANTASTIC COURSE WITHIN SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR.

WE ARE, WE ARE, UH, PROVIDING, UH, BRAND NEW SHELTERS AND

[02:50:01]

AND, UH, I I, I THINK THAT WE HAVE, UH, A, A A, UM, I THINK OUR POSITION REALLY, UH, UH, DOESN'T REALLY NEED A LEAK SYSTEM.

WE JUST, WE JUST CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE, UH, LEAGUES AT, AT LOWER COST BECAUSE OUR COSTS ARE ACTUALLY WHAT WE NEED TO, UH, TO RUN THE CO THE GOLF COURSE EFFECTIVELY.

UH, WE ARE LIMITING, UH, ROUNDS TO 50,000 ROUNDS AND, UH, AT $30 TO 1.5 MILLION.

IF WE GET WITHIN, WITHIN PROBABLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THAT, THEN WE CAN MAINTAIN THIS AS A VERY, VERY HIGH END COURSE.

SO WE'VE DONE WHAT WE NEED TO, TO HAVE A VERY, A VERY, UH, FINE COURSE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR AND FOR WHATEVER, UH, LEAGUE PLAY WE HAVE CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, HOW MUCH ARE WE LOSING RIGHT NOW IN THE GOLF COURSE? UH, MAYOR, WE, THIS, THIS, THIS ADDITIONAL MONIES WILL, WILL BE ABOUT $300,000.

SO MADAM A CM, UM, YOU DID THIS, IS, THIS IS THIS RESOLUTION IS ASKING FOR A STUDY.

YOU DID STUDIES ALREADY WHAT STUDIES, WHAT, WHAT STUDIES? I WANT ACTUALLY PUT IT ON THE RECORD BEFORE IT GETS PUBLISHED THAT WE DIDN'T DO STUDIES.

WHAT STUDIES DID YOU DO, DID YOUR STAFF DO TO GET THIS INFORMATION? TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE BEST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION BEFORE WE EVER MADE A DECISION? FIRST WE DID RESEARCH ON ALL THE PAST ASSOCIATIONS, THE HISTORY, RIGHT.

UH, BASICALLY THE ASSOCIATIONS, IF YOU WOULD INTERPRET THEM, ARE LIKE A SELF-PROPELLED LEAGUE.

MM-HMM .

UH, IN COMPARISON TO ALL OF OUR OTHER ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES AND SPORTS UNDER THE COMMUNITY RECREATION DEPARTMENT, THOSE LEAGUES ARE NORMALLY OVERSEEN BY THE DEPARTMENT STAFF.

SO WHETHER IT'S TENNIS LEAGUE, WHETHER IT'S UH, VOLLEYBALL, WHETHER IT'S BASKETBALL, THEY'RE NOT THROUGH ASSOCIATIONS OR INDEPENDENT LEAGUES.

THEY'RE STAFFED AND COORDINATED BY CITY STAFF.

SO THIS LEAGUE, IN PROTECTING THOSE THREE LEAGUES, I THINK IT'S ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR WITH THE LEAKS.

SO DO YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE FORWARD AND DO A LEAGUE BASED DISCOUNT STRUCTURE OR DO YOU OR DO YOU NO, YOU DON'T.

WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT.

JUST LIKE THE MANAGER SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REINVEST IN THE COURSE CONDITIONS WE HAVE, CAPITAL COSTS ARE NOT COVERED.

SO WE REALLY, WITH THE ASSESSMENT AND WHAT WAS PROVIDED BEFORE WHEN WE PRESENTED THE FEE INCREASES WAS AN ANTICIPATION OF COVERING THOSE COSTS.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING AFTER MEETING WITH THE LADIES WAS THAT THEY WANTED TO PROTECT THEIR TEE TIMES.

THEY WERE NOT DISCUSSING, THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY, THEY DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE THAT THEY JUST WANTED BEST.

AND THEY HAVE ALWAYS PAID.

AND THEY'VE ALWAYS PAID.

AND THAT THEY WANT THE BEST COURSE POSSIBLE.

THEY WANT WHAT WE WORKED ON WITH MR. ALEXANDER FOR A LONG TIME, WHICH WAS OBVIOUSLY THE SHELTERS THAT'S ON THE WAY.

BRIGHTVIEW IS ON THE WAY, YOU KNOW, ADDRESSING THE ELEVATION AND THE QUALITY OF THIS.

I'M NOT A GOLFER BY THE WAY.

I'VE NEVER PLAYED ONE ROUND OF GOLF IN MY LIFE, BUT I DO SEE THE VALUE OBVIOUSLY IN HAVING A BEAUTIFUL GOLF COURSE IN OUR BACKYARD.

SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE MANAGER AND THE A CM TELLING YOU NOW THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S THE WILL OF THE COMMISSION.

ONCE AGAIN, I'M GONNA CIRCLE BACK TO THE RESOLUTION.

THE RESOLUTION IS NOT ASKING FOR A DISCOUNT.

THE RESOLUTION IS ASKING FOR RESEARCH.

AND FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE CITY MANAGER AND FROM YOU, YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS RESEARCH WAS ALREADY DONE.

WE DID COMMS RIGHT ON EXTERNAL PARTIES.

THERE'S ACTUALLY FOR-PROFIT COMPANIES THAT RUN KIND OF AN ASSOCIATION, UH, DISCOUNT PROGRAM.

AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A FOR-PROFIT PROGRAM.

SO YOU CAN, THEY ADOPT MULTIPLE DIFFERENT GOLF COURSES IN SOUTH FLORIDA, YOU HAVE A DISCOUNT PROGRAM, BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY A FOR-PROFIT PROGRAM.

SO IT'S NOT MANAGED BY THE INDIVIDUAL GOLF COURSES.

UM, SO WE'VE DONE SOME BENCHMARKS.

WE PREDOMINANTLY FOCUSED ON BENCHMARKING THE MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURES AS WELL AS THE FEES IN COMPARISON.

SO EVEN WITH THE INCREASED FEES THAT WERE PRESENTED AND ADOPTED IN FRONT OF THIS COMMISSION, WE ARE STILL AT ONE OF THE LOWEST LEVEL FEES OF GOLF COURSES IN ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA.

SO IT'S STILL A VERY, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A HIGHER PERCENTAGE, IT'S VERY CONSERVATIVE WHEN WE LOOK ACROSS THE SPAN OF GOLF COURSES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

SO THE MAYOR ONE, ONE SECOND.

ONE SECOND.

SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ASK, UM, THE CITY MANAGER AND, AND, AND YOU TO PLEASE FOR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING, HAVE A FORMAL PRESENTATION OF THE RESEARCH THAT DID TAKE PLACE THROUGH THE MAYOR.

TO MAINTAIN THIS GOLF COURSE AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, WE CANNOT EXPLORE ANY FURTHER DISCOUNTS.

UH, THIS, THIS RESOLUTION CALLS FOR ITS STAFF TO EXPLORE A LEAGUE BASED DISCOUNT STRUCTURE.

UH, IT CALLS FOR, FOR A DISCOUNT.

THIS, THIS GOLF COURSE IS LIMITED BY THE EXPERTS.

I'M NOT A GOLFER EITHER, BUT BY THE EXPERTS OF 50,000 ROUNDS, 50,000 WITH OUR MINIMUM DISCOUNT WITH, WITH OUR, WITH OUR, UM, COST TO THE RESIDENTS OF $30 OR 1.5 MILLION.

IF WE, UH, QUITE DON'T MAKE THE 1.5 MILLION.

WE WE'RE ABOUT 1.4.

THIS GOLF COURSE ALLOW, IT COSTS ABOUT 1.3 MILLION TO $1.4 MILLION DOLLARS.

NOW

[02:55:01]

WE, THEY'RE JUST NOT THERE TO MAINTAIN THIS GOLF COURSE AT A HIGH LEVEL.

AND EVEN THE ASSOCIATIONS HAVE, HAVE, HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THIS FEE STRUCTURE.

SO, UH, THIS, THIS LEAGUE BASED, UH, DISCOUNT, UH, PROGRAM.

WE CAN'T AFFORD IT ON THIS GOLF COURSE 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE ROUNDS TO AFFORD SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

COMMISSIONER THROUGH THE MAYOR.

UM, SO THIS ALL COMES ABOUT FROM A CONVERSATION.

THE MANAGER, THE A CM AND I HAD A FEW MONTHS BACK AND THERE WAS A RESIDENT WHO WAS BRINGING ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH THE, WITH THE GOLF COURSE.

AND I ASKED THEM TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE WERE IN COMPARISON TO OTHER COURSES AND TRY TO WORK IT BACKWARDS.

WHERE DO WE NEED TO BE TO COVER OUR COSTS FOR THE GOLF COURSE? AND THAT'S HOW WE'VE GOTTEN TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

UM, LAST COMMISSION MEETING, UM, I BROUGHT UP A, UH, PROPOSAL AFTER AN HOUR AND A HALF CONVERSATION WITH THE, WITH THE, WITH STAFF.

UM, AND THE PROPOSAL WAS, RIGHT NOW WE ARE OFFERING A COUNTRY CLUB MEMBERSHIP WITH 30 ROUNDS OF GOLF AT $2,100 A YEAR.

AND THE BIGGEST COMPLAINT THAT WE RECEIVED WAS, WELL, WE ARE NOT GONNA USE THE BENEFITS OF THE COUNTRY CLUB, WE'RE JUST INTERESTED IN THE GOLF PORTION.

SO THE NUMBER THAT WE HAD COME UP WITH WAS $2,500 MEMBERSHIP FOR THE YEAR OR A HUNDRED ROUNDS OF GOLF.

THAT NUMBER COMES FROM THE DISCOUNTED RATE THAT WE ARE GIVING COUNTRY CLUB MEMBERS.

SO COUNTRY CLUB MEMBERS, IF THEY EXCEED THOSE 30 ROUNDS OR PAYING $25 A ROUND, SO IT WOULD BE A GOLF ONLY MEMBERSHIP SIMILAR TO WHAT'S OFFERED AT RIVIERA OR AT THE BILTMORE WHERE THEY HAVE GOLF ONLY MEMBERSHIPS.

AND THAT WAS THE PROPOSAL THAT I WANTED TO COME BACK WITH TODAY.

I THINK IT WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY, IT WOULD BE EXCLUSIVE TO THE CURRENT MEMBERS, UH, THE 86 MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP.

IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ROUNDS THAT THEY'RE PLAYING BECAUSE IT IS NOT AN UNLIMITED ROUND MODEL.

UH, IT IS LIMITED TO THE A HUNDRED ROUNDS.

AFTER THE A HUNDRED ROUNDS.

THEY'RE REQUIRED TO PAY THE FULL RESIDENT RATE.

SO THIS WOULD BE $2,500 FOR THE YEAR A HUNDRED ROUNDS OF GOLF.

IT WOULD BE A MEMBERSHIP.

AND, UM, ADDITIONAL ROUNDS WOULD BE AT THE STANDARD RATE.

IT WOULD ONLY APPLY TO THE CORAL GABLES RESIDENTS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP, WHICH I THINK IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 70 SOME FROM, FROM THE, THE INFORMATION THAT I RECEIVED.

SO IF I MAY, I JUST WANNA, I WANNA ADD ON TO THAT.

UM, I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THAT.

UM, BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT I'VE MET WITH MULTIPLE MEMBERS OF THE 86 AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO BE MEMBERS OF THE COUNTRY CLUB.

THEY DON'T WANNA PAY MORE.

BUT I, I TRIED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SKIM THE CAD AND SEE HOW WE COULD FIND DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO BRING DOWN THE PRESSURE.

I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, AND I AGREE WITH YOU.

YOU'RE TRYING TO GO FROM AN AVERAGE OF 1 97, WHICH IS IN THE DOCUMENT 197 AVERAGE ROUND.

AND WHEN THEY TELL YOU, OH, BUT LOOK AT WINTER HAVEN.

I DID LOOK AT WINTER HAVEN.

WINTER HAVEN IS ABOUT 30 SOMETHING ROUNDS, REMEMBER? SO IT'S A SIGNIFICANTLY, IT'S A SIX TIMES, SEVEN TIMES LESS USAGE IN REGARDS TO ROUNDS.

BUT THEY DO HAVE, THEY DO HAVE A, A, UM, A MEMBERSHIP, BUT THAT SINCE IT'S SO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED, IT ALLOWS FOR OTHERS WHO ARE MAKING UP THE DIFFERENCE TO, TO PLAY.

AND THEY MAKE IT UP ON THE DIFFERENCE.

WHEN YOU HAVE 197 AVERAGE ROUND USE, THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN BRING IT DOWN IS EITHER THROUGH ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS, WHICH I MET WITH, THERE'S SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS.

THERE'S A, THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL G***O WHO, UM, LEONARD, I THINK IT WAS HERE BEFORE.

AND I TOLD HIM, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT THE MANAGER WAS TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY JOINING IN AND HAVING A SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP WITH A COUNTRY CLUB.

AND YOU HAVE, I THINK IT WAS, I TOLD HIM 75 A HUNDRED, WHATEVER THE NUMBER WAS IN REGARDS TO ROUNDS DEDICATED FOR YOU.

HE SAYS, BUT I DON'T WANNA BE A MEMBER OF THE COUNTRY CLUB.

RIGHT.

SO I GET IT.

THIS PROPOSAL WAS THAT IT, IT WOULD NOT HAVE THE, THE COUNTRY CLUB COMPONENT.

IT WOULD BE STRICTLY FOR GOLF.

AND THEN, BECAUSE THAT WAY THEIR BIGGEST CONCERN IS WE DON'T WANNA PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE THROUGH THE MAYOR.

AND I GET IT, BUT JUST ONE LAST THING I'M DONE.

AND THEY SAID, WELL, THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY MORE THAN THAT 900.

SO I SAID, I, THAT YOU GOT MY BACK AGAINST THE WALL.

AND THAT, BY THE WAY, THAT CONVERSATION HAPPENED WITH MY ASSISTANT IN THE ROOM.

SO, UH, I, I SAID, I, I GO, LISTEN, I I I CAN'T, I CAN'T HELP YOU WITH THAT.

WE'VE GOTTA REDUCE THE PRESSURE ON, ON THE SYSTEM, NUMBER ONE, AND ALSO NOT LOSE MONEY.

I DON'T WANNA MAKE MONEY, BUT I DON'T WANNA LOSE MONEY.

MADAM VICE MAYOR.

THEY WANT THEIR TEE TIMES.

SO I'VE ALSO TALKED TO RESIDENTS THAT DON'T PLAY GOLF AND, UM, THEY DON'T APPRECIATE OUR CITY SUBSIDIZING GOLF WHEN THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR BILLS.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GIVE A DISCOUNT IF YOU RAISE A RATE, IT'S LIKE A SALE ON, ON STUFF THAT MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GETTING SOMETHING GREAT AND THEN YOU THEN YOU GET A DISCOUNT AND YOU'RE BACK WHERE YOU STARTED.

BUT I THINK GOING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO, UH, REMAIN FOCUSED ON WHAT IT IS, UH, THAT RESIDENTS HERE THAT PLAY GOLF WANT.

[03:00:01]

I ALSO, LAST COMMISSION MEETING DID A BROAD RESEARCH, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE WONDERFUL TOOLS NOW ON THE INTERNET.

THEY CAN DO IT.

AND ASIDE FROM THAT ONE GOLF COURSE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER INCOME COMES IN, IN A WAY OF, UM, MONIES FROM, FROM THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S ASSOCIATION FEES, WE HAVE THE BEST DEAL IN TOWN AND SOME OF THOSE FEES ARE LIKE $70 AROUND.

AND AS I RECOLLECT LOOKING UP.

SO $30 IS A VERY REASONABLE RATE.

WE'RE STILL UNDERWATER.

I DON'T THINK THAT RESIDENTS AT LARGE SHOULD BE SUBSIDIZING, YOU KNOW, THESE ACTIVITIES, UH, NECESSARILY BECAUSE IT'S A COST THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO PAY THEMSELVES 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THESE MEMBERS ARE WILLING TO PAY THEIR WAY AND, UH, TO HAVE A BETTER EXPERIENCE AT THE GOLF COURSE.

IT, IT NEEDS, IT NEEDS ATTENTION, IT NEEDS WORK.

IT'S GOTTEN DETERIORATED.

SO WE NEED TO BRING IN A PROFESSIONAL TO TAKE CARE OF THE GOLF COURSE THROUGH THE MAYOR.

SO, UM, I THINK F TWO SETTLED.

IF YOU GUYS COULD JUST COME BACK WITH A PRESENTATION OF THE RESEARCH YOU DID, THAT, THAT WOULD BE MORE THAN, THAN THAN BEAUTIFUL.

THE OTHER THING, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WAS REALLY RELATABLE TO ITEM F FIVE.

IF YOU WOULD MOVE YOUR ITEM, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SECOND IT.

UM, I THINK IT, IT IS SOMEWHAT COMPARABLE TO WHAT I HAD PROPOSED.

INSTEAD OF 2100, IT'LL BE 2,500 AND INSTEAD OF 156 ROUNDS PER YEAR, MAX IT WOULD BE A HUNDRED, WHICH I THINK IS A VERY HEALTHY, UM, COMPROMISE.

I'LL MOVE IT THROUGH THE MAYOR, I'LL AHEAD AND SECOND IT.

ONE SECOND.

HOLD ON.

WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ITEM ARE WE MOVING? I'M MOVING MY, MY PROPOSAL FOR THE $2,500, UH, MEMBERSHIP GOLF ONLY FOR A HUN MAXIMUM OF A HUNDRED ROUNDS PER YEAR, WHICH AT THE $25 PER ROUND RATE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE CHARGING MEMBERS FOR ADDITIONAL ROUNDS RIGHT NOW OF THE COUNTRY CLUB THROUGH, THROUGH THE MAYOR.

AND IT'S THROUGH THE MAYOR AS WELL.

SO WE'RE, I, I UNDERSTAND WE'RE STILL ON F TWO.

UM, I'VE BEEN PATIENTLY WAITING TO SAY SOMETHING BEFORE WE'RE MOVING ON TO ANOTHER ONE.

SO LET'S JUST FINISH WITH ONE.

I WOULD SUGGEST, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I, I AM A MEMBER OF THE RIVIERA, UH, UH, COUNTRY CLUB AND, AND NO COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, THERE'S NO SINGLE PAYMENT YOU MAKE TO BE A GOLF MEMBER, WHICH EXCLUDES YOUR ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ENTIRETY OF THE, UM, OF THE COUNTRY CLUB.

RIGHT? SO, I MEAN, TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU'RE USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE, IT'S NOT AVAILING.

OKAY? YOU, YOU, YOU DON'T PAY TO BE A GOLF MEMBER AND YOU CAN'T USE THE FACILITIES.

IT JUST DOESN'T EXIST.

UM, MOREOVER, COMMISSIONER CASTRO, IN LIGHT OF WHAT I'VE HEARD TO TRY AND MAKE THINGS A LITTLE BIT SIMPLER FOR EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND, RIGHT? YOU'VE HEARD FROM, UM, THE ASSISTANT, UH, CITY MANAGER, YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE CITY MANAGER THAT RUNNING IT AT ITS CURRENT RATE, WE ARE UNDERWATER OKAY.

WITH THE WAY THAT GOLF IS BEING RUN AT THE COR GABLES COUNTRY CLUB.

SO W WHY PURSUE, UH, IN YOUR RESOLUTION, ANY FURTHER RESEARCH OR DIRECTION TO THE CITY TO CREATE A, UH, A LEAGUE BASED DISCOUNT AT THE GRANADA GOLF COURSE WHEN WE'RE ALREADY RUNNING AT A DEFICIT? IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

I THINK WE'VE HEARD PLENTY ALREADY OF THAT.

MY SUGGESTION ACTUALLY WOULD BE THAT YOU WITHDRAW THE ITEM, UM, AND, AND WE CAN JUST MOVE ON THROUGH THE MAYOR.

ALL, ALL I'M ASKING IS THAT I WANNA SEE THE RESEARCH.

THAT'S IT.

I JUST WANNA SEE THE WORK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.

I'M ENTITLED AS A SITTING COMMISSIONER TO SEE THIS, THE WORK THE CITY IS DOING THROUGH THE MAYOR, THROUGH THE MAYOR.

AND I RESPECT, AND I WILL RESPECT YOUR RECOMMENDATION, BUT I WANNA SEE THE RESEARCH THROUGH THE MAYOR.

YES, SIR.

SO IS THAT, UH, THAT YOU'RE WITHDRAWING IT AND THEN YOU'LL BE PROVIDED THE, UH, THE, THE, I GUESS THE RESEARCH THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE.

YOU DON'T NEED TO DO THAT VIA RESOLUTION.

I'M JUST GIVING YOU A FRIENDLY SUGGESTION THAT I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA FIND SUPPORT BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE ANY COMMON SENSE ATTACHED TO IT AT THIS POINT.

BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY FIND, UH, THE RESEARCH BY SIMPLY ASKING THE, THE CITY MANAGER OR THE CITY MANAGER AT YOUR, AT YOUR PLEASURE.

BUT THIS, WITH, WITH RESPECT TO THIS RESOLUTION, I THINK IT'S ABUNDANTLY CLEAR.

IT SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN THROUGH, THROUGH THE MAYOR, THROUGH THE, YEAH, JUST ONE SECOND.

I THINK THAT THE COMMISSIONER OH, MAKES A GREAT, MAKES A VALID POINT.

SAME POINT I MADE BEFORE.

WE NEED TO MOVE ON.

WE HAVE A LONG AGENDA.

WE HAVE A LOT OF ITEMS INSTEAD OF GRANDSTANDING HERE AND GOING BACK AND FORTH AND TRYING TO GET POLITICAL SNIPPETS TO PUT ON BLOGS AND ALL THESE KIND OF THINGS, LET'S MOVE ON.

THE LADIES WHO ARE HERE, THE THREE ORGANIZATIONS GOT THEIR TEE TIMES.

WE WORKED ON IT, IT CAME AS A COMMISSION.

IT WAS PERFECTLY FINE.

YOU STOOD UP, YOU STARTED CLAPPING ABOUT, YOU THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE GONNA GET THE $900.

[03:05:01]

WASN'T THE CASE.

WE'RE MOVING ON FROM THAT.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS UNLIMITED, YOU JUST DON'T MAKE DECISIONS ON A COMMISSION FLOOR LIKE THAT.

YOU DON'T, YOU GO AND YOU WORK ON THE ISSUE.

YOU SIT DOWN WITH A MANAGER, YOU SIT DOWN WITH STAFF, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE GONNA BE THE EFFECTS OF 2500, 2200, 2100, 2000.

I DON'T BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE UNLIMITED GOLF.

IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE CITY, NOT GOOD FOR THE CITY.

IT PUT US IN THE POSITION WE'RE IN.

AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO CORRECT THAT.

JUST CORRECT IT.

THE LADIES HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING EXAMPLE OF THEY WALKED IN.

THE FIRST THING THEY SAID, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

WE JUST WANT TO HAVE OUR TEA TIMES.

LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU, WE DON'T WANT ANY DISCOUNTS.

WE JUST WANNA GO OUT THERE AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AND SUPPORT AND CELEBRATE THIS COMMUNITY.

I, I THINK THAT'S REFRESHING.

I LIKE THAT THEY TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

SO INSTEAD OF FIGHTING ABOUT WHETHER IT'S 2100, 2500 AND YOU KNOW, TRYING TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS HERE, WHICH ARE NOT GONNA HELP IN NOVEMBER, THEY'RE NOT GONNA HELP.

TRUST ME, IT'S NOT GONNA HELP AT ALL.

PEOPLE, PEOPLE HAVE, THERE'S A BODY OF WORK ALREADY HERE AS THE RESIDENTS ARE THE BODY OF WORK.

YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU GAVE 'EM A DISCOUNT ON, ON GOLF.

IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.

IF PEOPLE VOTE THAT WAY, THEN WE'RE IN REAL TROUBLE HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

OKAY, SO MY ADVICE TO YOU, I'VE BEEN HERE 13 YEARS, IS IF YOU WANT TO PRESENT SOMETHING, GO BACK, CRAFT THE INFORMATION.

TAKE COMMISSIONER LARA'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS SIT DOWN WITH STAFF, WORK OUT THROUGH ALL THE INFORMATION.

I SAT DOWN WITH STAFF, I LOOKED AT ALL THE INFORMATION, I SAT DOWN WITH THE LADIES, I SAT DOWN WITH THE GENTLEMAN.

I MADE MY DECISION BASED ON WHAT THE MANAGER, THE A CM AND THE DCM AND STAFF SHOWED ME.

AND THAT'S IT.

AND WE MOVE ON FROM HERE.

BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE WASTING TOO MUCH TIME.

WE HAVE A REALLY LONG AGENDA AND WE'RE SQUABBLING OVER ISSUES THAT AGAIN, ARE NOT IN BENEFIT OF THE CITY.

THROUGH THE MAYOR? YES.

SO COMMISSIONER LARA F TWO WAS KIND OF TABLED BY ME.

ALL I WAS ASKING WAS FOR SOME RESEARCH THAT SHOULD NOT BE COMING BACK.

I'M NOT EVEN GONNA DEFER IT.

I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT THE, THE WORK THIS CITY IS DOING.

NOW, MY SECOND POINT IS I DID SECOND A MOTION AND BY SECONDING THAT MOTION, I AM ALSO WITHDRAWING MY F FIVE, WHICH IS COMPARABLE TO THE MOTION.

I, I JUST SECOND, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, IN ANY OF THESE RESOLUTIONS, THERE WAS NEVER A PROPOSAL FOR UNLIMITED GOLF.

NUMBER TWO, THE PROPOSAL WAS NEVER FOR $900, IT WAS FOR $2,100.

THERE WAS GUARDRAILS.

IT WAS VERY METHODICAL AND THERE WAS A LOT OF RESEARCH PUT INTO THIS AS MUCH AS I COULD.

NOW, ONCE AGAIN, THERE'S A MOTION AND THERE'S A SECOND ON THE TABLE FOR COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ'S PROPOSAL.

ADAM, CITY ATTORNEY.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ITEM F TWO THAT WE'RE ON.

PLEASE, CAN YOU GIVE US GUIDANCE IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON A COMPLETELY SEPARATE RESOLUTION THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH F THANK YOU MADAM.

A CM, WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION? SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT F TWO IS BEING TABLED OR DEFERRED OR WITHDRAWN.

THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR THAT RESEARCH FROM THE CITY, UH, MANAGER'S OFFICE.

UM, SO THAT HAND, THAT TAKES CARE OF F TWO.

YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ HAS A PROPOSAL THAT IT APPEARS TO ME BE MORE RELATED TO F FIVE.

SO PERHAPS THAT COULD BE TAKEN UP WHEN WE DO F WHEN WE TAKE UP F FIVE.

THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET TO THE POINT THROUGH, THROUGH THE MAYOR THROUGH.

UH, I BELIEVE THAT WE DID AN EXTENSIVE PRESENTATION ON YES, WE DID AN EXTENSIVE PRESENTATION AT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING ON ITEM F TWO AND ON ALL THESE ITEMS, WE SIMPLY, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S NO MORE, THERE'S NO MORE RESEARCH.

IT'S BEEN DONE, IT'S BEEN COMPLETED, IT'S BEEN PRESENTED.

AND, UH, WE DO DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDING TO PROVIDE, UH, GOLF ONLY LEAGUES AND THINGS LIKE THIS.

SO IT, IT, WE, WE NEED TO, UH, BE ABLE TO KEEP THIS GOLF COURSE AT A HIGH LEVEL.

AND THAT REQUIRES, UH, 1.3 TO 1.5 MILLION.

AND WE, UH, CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE EXTENSIVE PLAY.

ONE THING IS, IS GOLF IS A GOLF MEMBERSHIP, UH, TO THE COUNTRY CLUB, WHICH PROVIDES OTHER BENEFITS TO THE COUNTRY CLUB.

AND THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY IT'S A, IT IS A $25 FEE FOR THAT.

AND WE DON'T EXPECT THAT EXTENSIVE USE.

IF YOU DO THIS, IT'LL BE EXTENSIVE USE AT $25.

THAT WILL ALSO PUT US PROBABLY BE BELOW WHAT IT WILL REQUIRE TO MAINTAIN THIS GOLF COURSE AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, WHICH IS AT A HIGH LEVEL, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

SO, UH, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, IS, IS PRICE IT AS, AS ECONOMICALLY AS WE COULD AND STILL, AND STILL MAINTAIN THE GOLF COURSE AT A, AT A HIGH LEVEL.

THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING MORE TO GIVE HERE.