City Commission - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon everyone. We'll start in just a few minutes. Mauricio, can you grab a few agendas, please?

We're ready, ma'am.

Good afternoon, everyone. Hi. Calling the meeting to order. Mr. City Clerk.

Commissioner Joseph. Present. Commissioner Stuyvesant.

Here.

Commissioner Lama. Here. Vice Mayor Vizcarra.

Here.

Mayor Svecin.

Here.

All members present, ma'am.

All right. Thank you. Do we have any public comments?

None. No speakers, ma'am.

All right. No speakers. Thank you. So we'll move on to special presentations.

Yes. So we will be moving 3A towards the end. I don't believe they're here yet. So we'll take 3B. 3B is a proclamation issued in recognition of Human Resources Professionals Day.

Good afternoon, honorable mayor, vice mayor, and commissioners. The city recognizes that its employees are among its greatest assets. And behind every successful organization are the people who help recruit, support, develop, and retain talented individuals who are committed to serving our residents and our community. This proclamation recognizes September 26, 2026 as Human Resources Professionals Day in the city of Sunny Isles Beach. It acknowledges the dedication, professionalism, and vital role of our human resources team. Human resources is more than just policies, procedures, and paperwork. It is about people. It is about creating a workplace where employees can grow, be valued, and bring their best to the important work of serving the public. So today we recognize the people behind the people and thank our HR professionals for helping behind the team that makes Sunny Isles Beach the exceptional city it is. Thank you.

I'll read the proclamation.

Please.

It reads, whereas human resources professionals play an essential role in supporting employees and fostering productive, respectful, and successful workplaces, whereas these dedicated professionals are responsible for a broad range of important functions, including recruitment, employee development, benefits administration, workplace policies, employee relations, training, and organizational development, whereas human resource professionals serve as trusted resources for employees and organizational leadership while helping promote fairness, professionalism, accountability, and positive workplace culture. And whereas the City of Sunny Isles Beach recognizes the valuable contributions of human resources professionals and appreciates their commitment to supporting the city's workforce and advancing their effective delivery of services to our community. And whereas human resources professionals, they provide an opportunity to recognize and thank human resources professionals for their dedication, knowledge, and service.

Thank you. Would any members of the commission like to say anything? I just want to say we appreciate you all. I know that often maybe you don't get the kind of recognition that, for instance, like the PD gets. But we think that you do a very important job, and you're heroes as well. And you make things. tough things easier and you make fun things funner. And good luck with the Halloween contest. So if you guys want to come up, we'll stay up here and we'll take a picture. I want to say something.

Also, I want to say a quick thank you. I know that you have a lot to do with, you know, the police. BEING FULLY STAFFED. SO YOU WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY GOING OUT THERE AND TRYING TO GET TALENT AND GOOD PEOPLE TO WORK FOR THE CITY. SO I SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE A LOT OF THOSE CHALLENGES AND IT'S BEEN BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT US TO COME DOWN OR JUST STAY UP HERE? I WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING AS WELL. YOU WANT US TO COME? OKAY. BUT PLEASE GO AHEAD COMMISSIONER JOSEPH BEFORE WE DO THAT.

I would also like to thank you for all the hard work you do, that you deserve the credit for what each department, and your department especially, does on its own. And it's greatly appreciated. Thank you. Keep on keeping on.

Yeah, and I want to say that thank you. You guys are great, amazing, always there whenever we need you. And you guys look good today, too.

Let's just see.

Mauricio, are we going to, we're moving to 3C, correct?

3C, yes, ma'am. All right. 3C is a proclamation issued for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Would you like me to read the proclamation first or do you want to say a few words?

Let me say a few words and then you read the proclamation and then we'll have them come up to say a few words. I had asked the city clerk to look up how long we've been proclaiming September Children's Cancer Awareness Month, and it's actually since 2014. We have not done it every single year. Mr. City Clerk, can you remind me, please, when we started doing it?

So we actually started in 2013, did it in 2014, and then picked back up in 2020.

And that is very much not in part but completely because of you all and your efforts. My wish is that we don't have to have a proclamation and that no one does. Cancer remains the number one killer for children and it has touched and continues to touch so many people in this community, parents and families. So this month is awareness not just for the survivors and those sadly that didn't, but it's their families, the nurses, the researchers. But I want to say a little bit about Salvatore. So Salvatore Vanni was four years old when he was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma. Sal fought for three years through 12 surgeries, 55 cycles of chemotherapy. and 50 rounds of radiation across seven hospitals in five states. He passed away on March 19, 2011. He was seven years old. His mother, Sylvia, who I believe is in DC right now, is still always fighting. So when you come up, you'll say it, because you're not on the mic. No, that's OK. And his father, Dr. Steven Vanni, have led the story so that it continues. They founded Mr. Force Foundation. And for 18 years, they have made sure that Sal's fight becomes a force for every child. who came after him. They fund research. They grant wishes. They throw parties on hospital floors. They help families who are drowning in medical bills. They take the voices of South Florida's kids to Capitol Hill. and at Heroes Hangout at North Miami Beach, where children in treatment can just hang out at no cost. Every year, our PD, as many, many police departments participate in the Heroes Parade, where first responders and others dress up as Marvel heroes and whatever other heroes there are, including, I'm not going to name names, but one of our own that makes his own costumes, the motor unit. Sylvia has said that Sal's legacy lives on in every laugh and every smile they share with their kids. Our city has watched this organization do that every single year, and we appreciate you. So on behalf of the city commission and the residents of Sunny Isles Beach, I'm proud to proclaim September 2026 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I'm sure members of the commission want to say a few words as well, and all of us are parents. I have four children, and I can't imagine that sort of pain. So if members of the commission would like to say something, we'll read the proclamation, and then we'll have you come up. Would anyone like to say anything? Yes.

Please go ahead, Commissioner Joseph. For the Joseph family, we have great sympathy and care and prayers for all children that are going through childhood cancer. We donate on a monthly basis to St. Jude. St. Nicholas Cancer Center for Children on a monthly basis, and we do our share. Thank God it hasn't touched us, but we pray for the families that it has touched.

Thank you. Anyone else? Yeah, I want to say a few words, too. For the people that had a family member or that they had cancer, cancer is not real until it happened to you or someone that you love. And awareness is not a day. For the people that live with the disease, it's every single day. So thank you for what you're doing. That's it. Commissioner Lama?

Yeah, so I think that we all know someone that's either in our family or friends that have been, you know, had this terrible, terrible illness. And I just wanted to thank you because you're involved and you keep fighting and trying to find the cure for cancer and advocating. So it's very commendable what you do. And just wanted to thank you for being here. And anything that we could do to help you out, I mean, we'll be glad to do it. So thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Lama. Vice Mayor?

I just want to echo what the commission has said. It's not a position anyone wants to be in. And if you're, I mean, I myself, I lost both my parents to cancer. Neither one of them made it out of their 50s. And so it's something that hits families hard. But at the But for children, it's just extra. It's just extra. It hits you differently. So for those who are unfortunately going through that or have gone through that, the fact that there are those who take that and try to turn it into something positive is really admirable. helping others who are sharing that misfortune. And that's really amazing. So thank you.

Thank you. Mr. City Clerk, if you could read the proclamation, please.

The proclamation reads, whereas childhood cancer is a leading cause of disease-related death among children and adolescents, affecting thousands of families throughout the United States each year. Whereas a childhood cancer diagnosis profoundly impacts not only the child, but also the parents, siblings, caregivers, friends, and the entire community. Whereas advances in research, treatment, and supportive care have improved survival rates for many childhood cancers, while continued research remains essential to developing safer and more effective treatments for all children. And whereas the courage and resilience demonstrated by children battling cancer, childhood cancer survivors, and their families serve as an inspiration to our community. Whereas Childhood Cancer Awareness Month provides an opportunity to honor children who are fighting cancer, remember those who have lost their lives, recognize survivors, and support the families, medical professionals, researchers, and organizations dedicated to this important cause. And whereas the gold ribbon is recognized as a symbol of childhood cancer awareness and serves as a reminder of the need for greater awareness, research, advocacy, and support. Whereas the Mystic Force Foundation was founded in 2008 by Silvia Dominguez Vanni and Dr. Steven Vanni in honor of their son, Salvatore Sal Vanni, was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma at the age of four. And after a courageous battle that included 12 surgeries, 55 cycles of chemotherapy, and 50 rounds of radiation, passed away on March 19, 2011, at the age of seven. And whereas for 18 years, the Mystic Force Foundation has carried Sal's legacy forward by funding pediatric cancer research, granting wishes, hosting inpatient hospital celebrations, providing emergency financial assistance to South Florida families in crisis, advocating for childhood cancer as a national priority in Washington, D.C., and operating Heroes Hangout in North Miami Beach, a free haven where children and treatment and their families can find friendship, joy, and relief. Whereas the city of Sunny Isles Beach has been proud to stand alongside the Mystic Forest Foundation since 2013 in recognizing Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. And honor Sylvia Dominguez-Vanni for transforming a mother's grief into hope for thousands of families.

Thank you. Please come up and say a few words, and then we'll come down and take a photograph. If you can say everyone's name, please.

So my name is Christina Duenas. I'm a part of the Mystic Force Foundation. I sit on the board there. And this is Jake, my 10-year-old son. I'm sorry, 11-year-old son. And he was diagnosed at age eight with stage 3B Hodgkin's lymphoma. So he did 13 months of inpatient, high dose inpatient chemotherapy. He had 30 days of proton radiation to his neck. And he had four different surgeries because of that. But he is standing here today. He has two years no evidence of disease. So he will not be considered cancer-free until five years. But we're moving in the right direction. And this is one of Jake's siblings, Danica, one of my kids. So I have six children. Only two will sit through commission meetings. We've been stuck in budget meetings before, and they were not happy. But I just wanted to say a couple of things. First of all, Sylvia Vanny is an amazing person. If you've never had a chance, If you've never had a chance to meet her, what she does for families like mine and so many other families with a child that's battling cancer, because you said it's rare until it's your family, right? So childhood cancer is not something that's rare. 47 children. are diagnosed with cancer every day. And what she does for these families, what she does for the community, what she does to raise awareness, to make these children's life just a tiny bit better while they're going through one of the hardest fights, while they're fighting for their life, all in the midst of losing her son, is an amazing thing. Because I'm not sure I would have the courage that she does to have lost her son and then to get up and just continually pour love into everything that she does. Childhood cancer affects everybody. It doesn't affect just the child that's going through cancer. It affects the siblings who are often left to fend for themselves and other people taking care of them. So we appreciate you mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, and always Sunny Isles showing up to our parades. just going out of the way to give us the opportunity to raise awareness, because that awareness is going to help make better treatments. Think about this. Neil Armstrong's daughter died in 1962 from DIPG, which is a brain tumor. Today, That same brain tumor is fatal upon diagnosis. How do we send people to the moon? How do we create cell phones? How do we have electric cars and cars that are driving people around? But we don't have a treatment for one of the most popular childhood cancers. It astonishes me. So today she's in Washington, Sylvia. She's in Washington, DC, raising awareness, doing her part in what we can do. Jake's had the opportunity to go to Washington and speak to congressmen, and not with me, by himself. He has to go by himself. I'm not allowed to go with him. So it's amazing what the opportunities, you know, and the awareness is so important. So we appreciate you. We thank you. And we're grateful for each of you. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. Okay. Mr. City Clerk, next item, please.

Next item is 3A. It's a proclamation presented for Hispanic Heritage Month.

All right. Vice Mayor, this is your item and Commissioner Stuyvesant's item. Commissioner Stuyvesant, would you like to say something?

Do you want to say something before I read it?

All right.

So...

So, yeah, this will be the proclamation for Hispanic heritage, which is one of the ones that we approve in advance, and we'll be presenting it to the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and we have the president, Lillian Lopez, here. So what we'll do is I'll read it, and then you'll be in, you can, then you can come and tell us about the organization, and you can say a few words, okay? All right. So whereas Hispanic Heritage Month is a month-long celebration of Hispanic and Latino history and culture, providing an opportunity to celebrate the integral part the Hispanic Latino community has had in growing and strengthening our democracy. And, I'm sorry, yes, and whereas Hispanic Heritage Month provides an additional opportunity to explore the incredible impact the Latino community has had across the country, and especially in the city of Sunny Isles Beach, whereas the Latino presence in America spans centuries, predating Spain's colonization of what is now part of the United States. And they have been an integral part of shaping our nation's since the Revolutionary War, and whereas Hispanic Heritage Month began as a week-long celebration in 1968 under President Johnson and was expanded to a month by President Reagan 20 years later in 1988, and whereas the 2026 national theme, Together We Are More, Unidos Somos Mas, celebrates family, resilience, creativity, faith, and service, and honors the diverse stories that strengthen our nation, investing in the future, building a stronger America for all. And whereas Hispanic Heritage Month does not cover one single month, but instead begins in the middle of September and ends in the middle of October, and whereas the time frame of this month-long celebration is significant because many Central American countries celebrate their independence days within these dates, beginning in September 15 with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. And whereas by aligning with these independence dates, Hispanic Heritage Month honors the resilience and determination of the Hispanic community. And whereas the month-long celebration provides more time to properly recognize the significant contributions Hispanic Latino Americans have made in the United States, and whereas we will continue to advocate for Hispanics, Latinos, as representation matters, Latinos and Latinas continue to shape our nation as business owners, activists, artists, public servants, and more. From serving in the US military to being champions in the fight for civil rights, Latinas and Latinos remain strong leaders and change makers. And that is the proclamation. Thank you. Yes, if you'd like to, please.

Good afternoon, mayor, commissioners, vice mayor, my friend Fabiola. I'm very grateful for this today. And representing the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which I'm the CEO for 32 years. Yes, I started very young. Because everybody says 32 years. Yes, started very young. And we represent over 1,700 members. We're the top three Hispanic chamber of the United States of America. And this gives me, it's not only an honor, it's something that is a little bittersweet. Because as we know, the governor of the state of Florida, and this is not political, this is how I feel, And the DEI and everything that deals with Hispanics has been eliminated. And I'm part of the Hispanic Affairs Board of the county. And the last event that we did took place a couple days ago. And it's very, very disappointing to think that we're in a point in the United States of America where we can't even say we're Hispanics, we're African-Americans. It's like, no, it's just the pendulum is the other side. And it's affecting our community because South Florida is very diverse. And that's what makes us so special. I mean, everybody wants to come to South Florida. Who doesn't want to be in Miami? and Aventura and Sunny Isles, because it's beautiful. So we have to embrace the differences that we have in not only our language and our cultures, because it's beautiful, because it unites us all. And when I saw that I was there, I said, oh my gosh, the fact that we made any Hispanic affairs. I mean, I used to be the executive director of the Spanish-American League Against Discrimination. And when I was like 22 with Dr. and Dr. ,, President Emeritus of Miami Dade College. And I remember we fought so much for many things. And I learned these two distinguished and brilliant men. By the way, mind you, the court in Miami Dade County is named . I mean, if he were alive to see this, he could not believe what's going on. But anyway, so for me, it means the world, because I know they're eliminating the word Hispanic. Hispanics can be funded. Anything that has the name Hispanic or anything that deals with DEI, I hear that cannot be receiving any type of funding, any type of recognition. So I am really very appreciative that you're doing this. And my members are very happy. I already informed them. And we'll do a picture. And we'll send that out to the media. And we'll make a big fuss about it, because it's very important to recognize diversity and the different peoples of different countries, Latin America, the Caribbean. And that's what makes the United States what it is, a beautiful country. Thank you. Thank you.

Yeah, go ahead. Well, here in Sunny Isles, we're going to continue celebrating our identity. Actually, this Saturday, we're going to have a celebration of the Hispanic Heritage Month in Gateway. So I'm going to send you again that information so you can tell everybody and they can come. Because like you said, it's about our identity. I came from Venezuela 19 years ago to Sunny Isles. Actually, I... at the beginning to candle, and I knew I didn't want to live there, so nothing against candle. So looking for an apartment, I got to know Soniaz, and I stayed here for 19 years. So my kids, everybody have like born here, and I'm going to continue being here because this is home for me now. However, if you hear me talking, you know that I'm from somewhere else, and I'm proud of that. I'm proud to have an accent. I'm proud to be a Latin mom, that my kids have to do what I say, period, and how I say it, of cooking Venezuelan food. So yeah, I'm proud, and we have to continue being proud and fighting for our identity. Because we are Americans by choice, and American by choice.

And we love this country. Exactly.

We love the United States. And we choose to be here. Yes, of course. But I am Venezuelan by born.

Exactly. I feel the same way. And we love this country. And I've always, I mean, I got here when I was two years old. I was born in full-fledged communism in Cuba. And I remember my teachers. And I grew up in Miami Beach. Everybody was so loving. And I've never suffered any discrimination, by the way. And then you see all of this commotion. And it's just, OK. But I'm so glad. So glad that we're celebrating Hispanic heritage and Columbus Day and the discovery of America. And we're all working together hand in hand. Thank you.

Before we come down, I just wanted to add to this. I also came from a communist country, and I was an ESOL. And I thought that it stood for English as a Spanish language, because everyone spoke Spanish. And it's such a part of South Florida. I also came to Miami Beach. They're together always and forever. And I'm going to say something that hopefully is good news for you and hopefully is going to actually happen. I was speaking to one of the candidates for governor, Congressman Byron Donaldson. I brought this up. And he actually said that he's not doing away with any of this. So we may see a very, very big change. And as Commissioner Steuveson said, the city of Sunny Isles Beach will continue to celebrate and acknowledge the heritage of the Hispanic community. Absolutely. Absolutely. I congratulate you, Mayor. I congratulate you on that.

Yes.

So we're going to come down and take a picture.

Yes.

Thank you.

All right now to discussion items Mr. City Clerk the next item is for a discussion regarding program of the IPAP program update.

All right vice mayor. This is your item is I'm sorry.

I'm struggling. No, please go ahead. I'm having technical issues. I

But we're streaming, correct? The streaming is working?

Yes, the stream is working.

I'm good. No, I just wanted to make sure. I wanted to open the memo just in case there was something in there I'd forgotten. But no, so you guys can see our flyer up there. So IPAL, we had a soft opening. in the spring, and we did launch some programming. So we have basketball and volleyball here at the spot, and we also have, it's by city, it's at Aventura and Sunny Isles IPAL. That's why it's the Intracoastal Police Athletic League. And so we had a, we opened in the spring. We had some programming. Jiu-jitsu was a harder one to get going in Aventura, but it just started this week and we do have enough kids so we have the programs running right now. And it's really, you know, it's a two city effort. I know Nick is here so I'm going to ask him to come up if that's okay. so he can give us the updates. And it's affordable recreation for teenagers. So please give us some good news. Hi, Nick. Thank you.

Mayor, vice mayor, commissioners. Yeah, so this is the second session of IPAL. Our numbers have grown significantly, especially in the jujitsu. We actually just started a girls' jujitsu. We have five in that program, which comparatively sounds small. But from where it started to where we are now, I think there's going to be a significant trend. In that regard, we have 15 in basketball, six in volleyball, and we have a teen leadership program, which we just started as well, which also has five enrollees, all between the ages of 13 to 17. I also want to take a second to thank Chief Santiago and his staff, Officers Montehermoso and Gordo, who are out there supporting us. Vizcarra and the rest of you commissioners that are providing the support for the teenagers. I mean, you guys all have teenagers. You know how hard it is to get them to do anything. to provide support and the ability for them to come out and participate is huge. And IPAL is now standalone. So with the efforts of this city of Sunny Isles and Aventura jointly getting it off the ground, to be able to stand on its own two legs now I think is huge. So as we continue to move forward, we'll continue to build those programs out. Hopefully we have more representation from the teenagers of both municipalities to come and enjoy the services that we provide.

Can you speak about the pricing? And with something like Jiu-Jitsu, it's monthly, and the other stuff is by season. Can you clarify that?

DANNY WARSHAY- Sure. The volleyball and basketball programs are seasonal, and it's very cost effective. So for three months, you're getting a price of $65, which is essentially a huge discount for normal recreation programs.

$65 for three months?

For the session, yep. And that's essentially break-even. So you get your jerseys, the coaching staff, everything is included in that price. So we're not profit-seeking. It's really a service, and we're trying to keep it affordable because that's a barrier for... As teens grow, the involvement lessens. So keeping it affordable and breaking down that barrier is critical. And then the jujitsu is about $75 a month, simply because there's more involved. And we have officers Jaime and Kelly that teach that from Aventura PD. And so that's a different pricing structure, but also very affordable than if you would go to some of these other private schools.

It's twice a week for a month, $75.

You can't beat that. So which ones are in Aventura and which ones are here, just for clarification?

So the basketball league and the volleyball league are here at the spot. And then the jujitsu is at Aventura City Hall, our government center.

And the mentoring piece?

That alternates between the spot and Aventura.

Well, I'm hoping in the future we can put some effort towards baseball. I'd like to see that occur.

I'm a baseball guy, so I'm sold.

We could will it, yeah. I did have a resident or two asked about how to make a donation. So it's a nonprofit that's separate from the city, so it does accept donations, correct? That is correct. Do you know how that donation could be made? Is that something that we can potentially put out somewhere, Susan? And that's, okay.

Yeah, we'll attach to the IPAL.org, which is the website, theIPAL.org.

Yeah, I think that that would be something that we could potentially help to grow the program. And even if it's super affordable, which it's very affordable, maybe it allows even some, you know, even... some sort of additional discount.

When it comes, Danny is currently making a QR code that you can scan for donations, and they also can make a check out to Intercoastal Police Athletic League. We'll be happy to take it.

I don't know if anyone uses checks anymore, but okay. Thank you, Chief. I appreciate that. Okay, does anyone else from the commission have anything to add to the discussion?

Just to say that thank you for what you're doing, Nick. You are just incredible with the kids, and so continue doing what you're doing. Thank you.

Keeping them off the street and busy is an important part of everything.

That's all we can hope for.

Thank you, Vice Mayor. This has been something that you've been discussing for eight years?

It took years. It took years from concept to last spring. But sometimes it just does. You know, and it's important that we do it right. And we did, hopefully. I mean, I think we did. I think we got it. So, you know, you guys know I'm terming out, but yeah, you can continue to count on my support. Beyond.

Amazing.

Thank you.

Yeah, big thank you.

I'd just like to say also, as we increase the number of our public tennis courts in the city, I'm sure we'll have a lot more interest.

Yeah, certainly. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Next item, please.

Next item is a discussion by Vice Mayor Vizcarra regarding expansion of the adaptive beach day.

Okay.

So we had, actually, we have a little video. I don't know if we have that ready to go. But I wanted everyone to see what Adaptive Beach Day looked like. Do we have that ready or no?

Okay.

There it is.

this adaptive beach day it's something that all our special kids can do and our mission's autism but after 30 years we take out everybody you know i should say this is a perfect sport for our special guys thank you so much for being here this is a very very exciting day it's really touching because they are all volunteers but it's beyond that they really connect with the kids and with the adults in a way that i think very few people can in not just an emotional way but a physical way

This started actually with this lovely lady over here, Catherine. She decided that she was going to meet with her elected officials and express her concerns as her experience being a person in a wheelchair and how she experiences the city. And it's something that I had never really considered because it's not how I experience the city. And I thought, OK, well, what can we do to make it better, really, for everybody?

And I want to say thank you very much to Surfer Healing for coming out and making this dream of mine a reality. It really means a lot to me. I work hard as an advocate for people with disabilities. So to have everyone listen to me and really take what I do as important, it really means a lot. So thank you.

I have a two-year-old with autism, and the experience has been phenomenal. They're taking their time with the kids. They're teaching them how to surf. They're amazing people, and it's an amazing event.

My experience was very fun. I appreciate you guys doing this whole event at an amazing time. And I just learned a new skill that I had. I didn't know I could surf.

Today has been an amazing, wonderful day with my children. My son, he's about to be seven. He's on the spectrum, and he loves the water. This is a really great experience to bond with him, just to have an overall great time.

I think it's great that kids who aren't able to swim or do much things in the water get to have this one day all about them.

Amazing. So yeah, that was something. Thank you.

Thank you to the media team for putting that together and timely. So as you can see, it's been successful. This was our second year. And we got some feedback last year. We made some adjustments, made it a little bit better. And so now I've gotten more feedback. So I'll just read the memo here. This item is brought forward to discuss how this activity should proceed in the future. While the event has been successful and represents a meaningful step toward greater inclusivity, several potential adjustments have been identified. One suggestion is to offer a weekend option. So we've done this. It's one day out of the year, and we've done it in the middle of the week, like at 10 in the morning or something like that. And that, especially for the neurodivergent, that's good because it's fewer people and we can take up the beach, and it's basically ours. But not everybody is available on a Wednesday at 9 in the morning. Some people have work. Some people have school. So I'm thinking, on the one hand, it's good to have it where you have the beach to yourself. But for a different sector of the community, you know, a Saturday option would be nice. And so I'm thinking that once we, we just signed off on the budget, so I'm not asking for a budget amendment, but I think that once we know whether Amendment 3 passes or not, and we actually know where we're standing, that this is something that we should consider. It's not a huge investment. It's, and we can maybe, if there is a, like a preference if we identify, well, maybe autistic children prefer that Wednesday portion, or maybe we can keep everything blended. Because it's not just for physical disabilities. So for healing, they started as a, like for autistic children. But obviously, we're helping people with physical disabilities as well. But I was surprised that people who came were also just elderly people who are no longer comfortable going in the water by themselves. And they're like, you know what? This is my day at the beach too. I hadn't considered that. So you just never know until you try and you put something together. And then the needs will reveal themselves. So I just want to put that on the radar. I think this is definitely going in the right direction. And I think that we should, once we know where we really are with the budget, that we should consider expanding it.

OK. Does anyone have anything to add to the discussion? Commissioner Joseph.

I would in the future like to have a discussion regarding a beach walk as well. It's come up before. I know it's a hard tow with the county and all and with the condos, but I think that's something we should look at in the future.

Okay, thank you. Anyone else?

No, I think it was a great video. You could see the happiness. It just transmits happiness when you see the kids and the parents there. And it's a great program. And yeah, definitely needs to be expanded. So thank you very much for that. And for everybody involved in putting this together and making that happen.

Last year, I was standing next to a dad who, you know, the child was in the water with the team. And he was like crying because he's like, I've never been able to bring my kid to the beach. And he was just so moved. And so it's definitely, you know, I'm an incrementalist by nature. So I like to start, test it out, and then see if it's worth going bigger. And I think this is. So I think going forward, I leave that to the future commission to explore.

Do we have a ballpark? How much does this event cost us this year? Deputy manager, do you know? Approximately, just so that we have a sense of what- It's under $10,000. Under $10,000. And do we have a sense of how many people participated? I think it's important to know that, because it's a great event. Many of us attended both years. And I literally regret not being ready to go into the water as well, because it looked like so much fun. And I commend you for doing this. And it should absolutely be extended. There were some conversations about doing it once a week. by some of the people that were there. So let's take it easy. But yeah, I think definitely we're going to do something, absolutely. We'll get more information and distribute to all of you for consideration.

And I just, again, credit where credit is due. This was sparked by somebody. doing their civic engagement. This was not her goal. Her goal was not, oh, let's do an adaptive beach day. She just said, you guys can do better. And OK. And so this was the answer. We can still do better. But in terms of this, at least this was the first step towards improving those conditions and that's all. Just a plug for civic engagement. Talk to your elected official.

Mayor, the contract this year was for $6,400.

Okay. And so Izzy started this. You saw him in the beginning with his son. You saw a little bit of his son there who I think is like 35 years old now. And they have an incredible organization. If it's possible for us to post somewhere, their organization so the public could follow them. They're, I think, on Facebook, on Instagram. They travel all around the country. They're from Hawaii. So they came here all the way from Hawaii. And they're really cool, too. They're just a really fun, fun, fun group. And it made a special day, like you said, Vice Mayor, not just for the children, but for the elderly, which we often- I really had not considered that as a possibility for this activity.

But people will surprise you. People will show you the need. Exactly. So thank you. Thank you.

Yeah.

I'd just like to say that any events such as this will always have my vote.

Great. Thank you, Commissioner. All right. Next item, Commissioner Lama's item. Mr. City Clerk, if you could read it, please.

4C is a discussion by Commissioner Lama regarding moving the city forward effectively and efficiently.

OK. Commissioner.

So I'll start the discussion based on the premise that all of us sitting here, we want what's best for the city. And obviously, we always work and we vote on equipping staff and the different departments with whatever equipment is needed so they could do their job correctly, whether it's more staff like the PD, other departments, software vehicles, et cetera. But something that I think it's important as well is that we as leaders here, as the elected body, we also need to make sure that we set the example and also there is which i think it's a very important tool there is a good work environment in the city one that is conducive to staff maximizing their potential okay and the reason i mentioned that is because lately it's been a little frustrating being here and sitting here in the dais when there's accusations that are flying around that are unfounded or the information is inaccurate. So I think the best way to kind of work as a team and for all of us to be able to move the city forward the best we can, obviously I'm not gonna be here in a couple months, but I think it's important to mention this. because it basically is management one-on-one. If you want to get the best out of a team, you need to communicate, work together, share ideas. Obviously, if there is a need to call someone out, you call someone out, you challenge that person, or you challenge the city manager and his staff. They should challenge us as well. If we're presenting some crazy idea, They're supposed to keep us in check, just like we're supposed to keep the city manager and his staff in check. But I think that we should be cognizant and self-aware when we say certain things and we have blank statements that could affect the morale of the staff. I think that when I came in here eight years ago, I think we made great strides. We have a fully staffed police department. We have a building department that's accredited. Also, you know, our procurement department's a lot more, you know, let's say professional and refined. We have a better procurement process in place. Same thing with code compliance and all the other departments. Are there any issues? Of course there's issues. But when looking at things at a bigger level, at the 30,000 feet view, I think we made a lot of good accomplishments. And to continue this, I think that a work environment that's conducive to communication, to respect, OK, because I think everybody wants to be treated with dignity and respect, I think that will yield better results. And we need to be very careful when we sit up here and we have statements that are accusatory or that are not true or ideas that are not flushed out. So I think that moving forward, I think that all of us should be very self-aware of how we lead by example. So the staff can come in, have a nice work environment. I'm not saying it's gonna be without challenges or that we as a body are not gonna challenge the city manager and the staff, but we need to be aware because that's the biggest and I think the most important tool that we could equip the staff with so we can move forward.

Thank you. Commissioner Lama, anyone else would like to add to that or add to the discussion? Mr. Stuyvesant? Mr. Joseph?

No.

Vice Mayor?

Thank you. Thank you for your comments, and thank you for bringing that up. I think, especially as elected officials, we should lead by example. Just treat people decently. Learn how to disagree. You don't have to be outrageous. If you don't like something, then you don't give it the vote or whatever. But this has sometimes become a place where we're just talking down to people. It's like, you guys are great, but. And then here comes seven paragraphs of things that can be done. They don't have to be done publicly. We can address our problems, and it's not lack of transparency. That's just decency. You don't want to be humiliating people or their work or whatever. We could be doing better. But in the end, just lead by example. That's all.

I'd like to add, so for members of the public that are not familiar with the process, we have these agenda items. And for the discussion items, we have a policy in place where you have to put in a memorandum so all of us can have a little bit of a sense of what's going to be discussed in case we have to prepare. So when I saw Commissioner Lama's memo, I wasn't sure what it was. And I really appreciate what you're doing because I got a little nervous. I thought you were going to do the opposite of exactly what you said. So you said it so eloquently, and it matters. Words matter. How we behave up here. Matters because the staff sees us the community sees us When you know when we have public speakers, they're looking at us to mirror our behavior, and that's the way that they hopefully try to speak when it's their opportunity because it is I Think every single one of us has spoken in front of the day as it's it's sometimes very intimidating so it is important for