City Commission - Regular Meeting

I'll tell the little back story on this one.

You know, we're very lucky, it was said earlier, you know, Marty's attorney said and commented dearly that said even though we've done growth and redevelopment, we still stayed as this little 4.4 square miles, and a real place to call home, so we run into each other a lot, and I had seen Chief Fucci at Bakey, at the opening, and we had a conversation, I asked him how things were going, and unbeknownst to me, he had said, well, he had just come back from Venezuela, and he told me the story of all the amazing rescue work that he had performed and juggling with his teams and the BSO team and the search and rescue teams. And it was so, I was so amazed. And on top of that, it was all during FIFA when everybody was juggling FIFA too. So I'm going to invite him to come down. And I believe you teed something up, pictures and stuff, or no? Yes, no? Okay, come on up. She's walking pretty slow.

Well, I don't know what she's got for me.

Do you want him to talk first?

Yes, please.

Okay. She goes around again. So, first of all, I don't want to read the proclamation yet, but if you wanted to say a few words about your experiences. Where do you begin?

Where do you begin? Madam Mayor, Vice Mayor? commissioners uh dr earl and city staff um it's been an honor to serve here it really truly has it's nice to be able to have conversations with elected officials on a personal level on a one-on-one to be able to have just a conversation without it being about something city matters you know how's your family how are the kids stuff like that um one of the things that's fantastic about being here is the ability to do that a and to be able to reach out to each of you individually or you reaching out to me and and having those those uh those conversations. But it wouldn't be possible without these people sitting behind me. And being honest with you, that without them, I wouldn't be here doing what I do for you guys. Because they do the hard work. I do the easy part. I get to talk to you guys. Talking is the easiest thing I have in my pocket. So when the conversation came up about Venezuela, It was, you know, it happened so quick. Obviously, everybody's heard the story and seen the media stories. And when you had asked, it just kind of came out that, oh, I just got back from Venezuela. And you went, what are you talking about? So when we were discussing it, you know, there's a lot of people that are involved. And this just happened to be a 79-person team that was deployed to Venezuela. And it happened very quickly. House Representative Omar Blanco made a few phone calls, also sent a letter to the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who, at his direction, activated and deployed Florida Task Force 1 and Florida Task Force 2, which the members that are here tonight are part of Florida Task Force 2, which was redesignated as USA 11 once we arrived in country because we were no longer part of the federal USAR system. We're now part of the national USAR system representing the United States. which was different for us because we don't always represent the United States. We represent Florida, we represent our cities that we come from, but in this case, we represented everybody from the United States. So part of our mission there was not just being a search and rescue team. It was also being ambassadors for our country and what we do and the diversity that we show when we show up. One of the interesting things is when we landed in Venezuela, one of the State Department people we were meeting with, she says, I'll have some interpreters for you shortly and then we'll get your submissions and get you guys out there. And I started laughing. I go, what are you talking about? It's an interpreter. I go, I got 79 of them with me. Everybody speaks Spanish down here. I said, they all speak Spanish. And she kind of chuckled, and she looked, and she's like, oh, my gosh, I didn't realize that. And it was one of those things that we were off to the races in very short order as soon as we got our equipment offloaded from the aircraft. But the work that was done down there was absolutely phenomenal, and I couldn't be prouder of the work being part of that. and I can't take credit for any of it because without them, I'm nobody, I'm nothing. So they truly do the legwork, and the people who are wearing blue tonight, you know, that's their uniform. They're on duty right now. I'm taking up their dinner time, so I'll make it briefer because I'm going to definitely owe them dessert or something.

Good. I'll buy dessert.

No, it was actually a fantastic mission, and we did some really great work. We saved a lot of animals also, so you guys would appreciate that. That's the short version of it.

Nice, thanks.

Do you want me to keep talking?

I can do the proclamation then. Okay, all right.

And then I'll have you invite the gentleman down.

It's whereas six members of BSO Fire Rescue were deployed to Venezuela as part of Florida Task Force 2 Urban Search and Rescue Team, an elite and highly specialized team recognized as one of only 28 federal urban search and rescue teams in the nation. Whereas Florida Task Force 2 has answered the call during some of the most significant disasters in recent history, including the Surfside building collapse, Hurricanes Helen, Milton, and Ian, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake. the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, and numerous other natural disasters throughout the years. Whereas Florida Task Force Two was specifically requested by the United States Department of State Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Florida House Representative Omar Blanco, resulting in the activation and deployment of 79-person team to support the search and rescue efforts in Venezuela, where South Florida maintains deep ties to Central and South American communities, and whereas Florida's Task Force 2 was deployed by military airlifts from South Florida to LaGuardia on the outskirts of LaGuerra. I'm saying it wrong, right? LaGuerra? I don't know, you'll correct me later, on the outskirts of Caracas where the team was re-designated U.S. 11 search and rescue team and worked during 11-day deployment to confront the vast complex scope of the disaster, performing multiple rescues and saving many animals from debris. And whereas most notable rescue was that of Hernan Gil, who was trapped in the third subfloor basement of a particular collapsed building until USA Team 11 search and rescue, together with the teams from Chile, Portugal, and additional United States teams worked 108 hours nonstop through concrete, steel, and debris to complete the rescue. The District Chief Herbst spent 38 consecutive hours on site helping lead these efforts, reflecting an extraordinary dedication, technical skill, knowledge, humility, and humanity. for all who served. Now, therefore, I, Joy Cooper, Mayor of the City of Hallandale Beach, Florida, on behalf of this entire City Commission, do hereby recognize and commend the six members of BSO Fire Rescue, who deployed with the Task Force Two, re-designated US 11 Search and Rescue for their extraordinary service, courage, technical expertise, and humanitarian efforts during search and rescue mission in Vezuela. BSO Fire Rescue, and Florida Task Force Two, Venezuela Search and Rescue Recognition Day today. And I humbly sign this and recognize you all for your service and great commitment to our nation, our community nation, but more importantly, for saving lives under such duress and hard work. Commend you, thank you, and God bless you every day. Thank you.

You good? Thank you, Chief Fucci, for that. It was roughly around 200 pictures. Oh, gosh.

I didn't look at them.

Yeah, so that's the reason why it was really difficult to pull up. But we're going to try to show as much as we can.

There's so few. I don't think it's going to work. May I just say something? Oh, wow. Well, we kind of got the idea. I just wanted to show some of the pictures and share some of the important Yes, and Commissioner Tom, and then I will recognize the gentleman.

Go ahead. Thank you. I just wanted to say that we are incredibly fortunate that you lead the fire department here in Hallandale Beach. You spoke like a true leader, taking any credit off of yourself. and recognizing your incredible team. And they say that not all heroes wear capes. And we have a room full of you guys. And I don't know if there are any ladies. I can't, I don't have my glasses on.

Yes, yes, she's here. Men and lady.

Thank you very, very much for what you did and what you do for our community. Very much appreciate it. Thank you.

FIRST RECOGNITION, FIRE CHIEF WILLIAM FUCHI. DISTRICT CHIEF HARRIS HENDEST. Captain Kevin Myers. Executive Officer Steve Hamlin. And not present this evening is Lieutenant Mark Ouellette and Driver Engineer James Dobson. I'm so sorry he couldn't be here this evening, but we'll make sure you get that. Wow. God bless you guys.

Thank you all so much.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much, and God bless you all. And thank you all for your service.

Thank you all of you so much. You know you all have my heart.

Oh, wait.

Did I forget the other one? Oh.

That's the actual proclamation. well deserved thank you not asked for definitely deserved well well deserved thank you so much okay um now we have to go back to business thank you madam clerk 9c on first reading 26214 an ordinance of mayor and city commission of the city of hallandale beach florida Approving amendments to the City of Hallandale Beach General Employees Retirement Plan document and the investment policy statement to authorize the early retirement window pursuant to AFSCME collective bargaining agreement approved on May 6, 2026, providing for conflicts, providing for servability, and providing for codification, and providing for an effective date. This as well as... The first reading is brought forward through our human resources and risk management director. And this is no other changes. Fine as is. Yeah, it is a public hearing. I have a motion and a second. This is a public hearing. Anybody wishing to speak on this item may do so at this time. Seeing no one approach, I will close the public hearing and ask for a roll call vote.

Commissioner Butler? Yes. Vice Mayor Lazaro? Yes. Mayor Cooper? Yes. Commissioner Limitab? Yes. Commissioner Adams? Yes. Motion carries 5-0.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Ordinances on second reading. Item 10A2618218, an ordinance of the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Hallandale Beach, Florida, amending Chapter 32, Zoning and Land Development Code, specifically amending Article 3, Zoning Division 2,