Village Council - Regular Meeting

We're gonna go ahead and get ready to get started. It's good to see everybody here. All right, the regular council meeting for Tuesday, July 28th, 2026 is called to order in one minute.

Seven o'clock, there we go.

It's called to order at seven o'clock p.m. We're gonna first have a moment of silent meditation followed by the pledge of allegiance. Thank you very much. Madam Clerk, may I please have a roll call, please?

Roll call. Mayor Nickerson? Here. Vice Mayor Martin's not here. Councilperson Erbaum?

Present.

Councilperson Lightfoot Ward is not here. Councilperson Winters?

Present.

Also present for the record, Janice Jacoby, Village Clerk. Village Manager David Roseman is not in. And Joseph Guttler is here.

Perfect, perfect. For the agenda, the only thing I want to do is, if people don't mind, because we do have some young visitors here that can get restless after a while, and we do have a visitor from the state of Florida here, so I just want to do the acknowledgments first, and then we'll move back to good and welfare. If everybody agrees, do I have a motion to approve the agenda?

But we're also, we're not going to address the agenda item with the misprint of the Oh, we'll get to that one.

Yeah, yeah, I got you. Motion to approve the agenda.

As proposed, so moved.

All right, moved by Councilperson Erbom, second. Second. Second by Councilperson Winters. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Hearing none. All right, you guys. So we're going to move right now to acknowledgement of visitors' special presentations. So I'm going to step down here real quick, and then I'm going to ask my colleagues to join me in a second. All right. So, um, not the last meeting, but the meeting previous to that, uh, did something huge. You guys know that, um, when I was redoing the former tot lot, um, When I first started, so it took me about a year to get it all together. So when I first started doing it, and you guys know it was no taxpayer dollars, so when I was first going through to get the funding and everything, they were asking me for the name. And so I kept saying El Pertal Tatla, and they were like, that doesn't exist. And so I started to look into it, and I was like, oh. where Elbertile Tot Lot does not exist. And as a matter of fact, if you Google Elbertile Tot Lot right now, the Miami Shores Tot Lot pops up. So I said, we've never really officially had a name. And then I said, it's a brand new park. And I said, eventually one day, you know, I want to have a, you know, a peacock park or a large park. And so I was just chilling. I was like, man, you know what? Like this needs a name. And so then I happened to run into my friend here. How you doing? And he was like, you know what? My son Miguel, like he calls it, him and his friend call it the Peacock Park. I said, I was thinking about the same name. And when I said it to him, I just kind of threw it out there. I said, yeah, man, I said I need to find a name for this place. I said like a, you know, Peacock Park or something. He was like... My son and his friend, they've always called it the Peacock Park. I know Councilperson Erbom, your kids call it the Peacock Park also. So I said, that's perfect. I said, hopefully one day we get a large park, right? And so Tot Lot is little tots, right? So it's kind of like the small type of little type of, you know, feeling about that. So let me keep it little. So we call it the Little Peacock Park with the foresight that one day we'll have a main Peacock Park somewhere. But I just wanted to acknowledge that we did pass that through resolution. It is getting sent out so that hopefully pretty soon when you Google El Pratel Peacock Park, it pops up. But I have two individuals who kind of like, you know, in a way telepathically kind of helped El Pratel move forward and come up with that name. So I have my friend Miguel, and I have my friend Frederico. How you guys doing? Y'all good? So this is what we're going to do. You guys are going to come up here real quick, and your parents are going to come in a second. But you guys are going to come up here real quick, and the first thing you're going to do, because your parents are going to love this, you're going to come up here and take a really, really quick picture, and I'm going to show you guys. I have some goodies for you. So come up here. Follow me.

Follow Mayor Omar. Come here. Come here. Come here. All the parents want this. Trust me. So this is what we're going to do first.

We're going to have both of y'all stand back here.

You stand here. And you stand here.

Here, this is what we're going to do with you. Come here. All right. There we go. So you sit there. You stand here. We're going to have you hold this. Hold it up. All right? And we're going to have you say hi. Very good, and now we're gonna have you, you're gonna hit this, because one day you're gonna be a leader in your community, so hit that really hard. Boom, there you go, that's right. Say, it is law.

It is law.

That's right, it is law. Miguel, come here, stand up. This is what you're gonna do, you're gonna stand up and you're gonna hit that hard. Say, it is law.

It is law.

It is a law, you guys. Elbertown Little Peacock Park, it is a law. It is the new name. Come back here. Follow Mayor Omar. Come on, Irvine. I have some goodies for you guys. Then we'll take some pictures, you guys. So the first thing, you guys can take whatever you want. First thing I have for you all, I have these peacock, peacock, I have these peacock laces. You got a really, really nice and really, really cool. That's the first thing, the peacock bracelets. Look at this. I have something else you got. So I have these. And if you want, you guys can take your choice and you can maybe hang them in your room or something. This little peacock.

Wow.

You can take your choice. Just wait. I'm going to lay them all out for you. You can take your choice which one you want, okay? I got more for you. You might like the next one. Here's another one. And I know, see, because I know I was doing both my friends, Miguel and Federico, so I brought both of them.

Because, you know, one might want one, and one might be like, that's the one I wanted.

They have so many different choices. So many different choices.

Thank you.

Do it like that.

What your parents can do, they can nail it into your wall in your room and they can just eat you up.

It's just so easy to just hang it out. That's all you got to do.

Here, I've got a couple more for you. Like I said, you're going to pick whichever one you want. I have a really nice surprise for you.

They're really, really cool. Really, really cool.

And then I got these here. These are like little things they can put in their room. So I have two of those, right? I have these two things here. Okay. And then I have this here. Look what I have for you. This is what you guys are going to love the most. First of all, I have these little peacock toys. I don't know where they came from, but they're peacock toys, so that's good. I have two of those.

But look at this. This is the coolest thing ever, right? So you guys, all this stuff is for you. First we're going to take some pictures with your parents, right?

Because they're going to want some pictures.

And then you can pick and take whatever you want, all right? So let's see if you guys can come over. Let's get some pictures. You guys can come up and take pictures. Wow, this is so cool. I just want to sit here.

Go look for the pictures. Here, they're holding something. She can hold something, too.

Yes. Hold that. Congratulations. Say goodbye. Goodbye. Thank you very much. I appreciate you all. I appreciate that. Take care. Thank you.

I'll see you later. All right, good stuff, good stuff. Congratulations, I appreciate you guys. Take care, have a good night. All right, get some rest, you guys. You guys take care. Thank you for coming. Thank you. Next up, you guys, we have a legislative update from the state of Florida. This is Representative Dottie Joseph's office. We have the one and only, the one and only district aide, Miss Alexis Fox is here, and she's gonna come up and give us an update from Tallahassee.

Good evening, Mayor, councilpersons, clerk, and attorney, as well as the constituencies here in the village of El Portal. My name is Alexis Fox. I am the district aide for your state representative, Dottie Joseph, here in District 108. On behalf of her office, I'm here to share with you all some of the bills that have been passed during the most recent session for the state. First being the Real Affordable Housing Relief Act, also known as HB 1493, This addresses all of the housing costs by limiting larger scale corporate ownership, expanding workforces, protecting renters, and giving local governments more tools to preserve affordable housing. The Healthy Florida Act, HB 1489 and 1491, protects patients from harmful medical debt and creates a framework and funding for comprehensive healthcare coverage. Clearly El Portal loves the kids and so there is some news about a K through 12 school lunches and breakfast program through HB 1501 which expands access to school meals and prohibits the use of third party debt collectors for unpaid meal costs. There was also approval of a data center facility, HB 1517, which requires greater transparency about data centers, their impact on the water, energy, and local infrastructures, as well as the environment, both before and after approval. And these were all bills that were filed this session by our state rep. The other bills that were filed this session include local government financial transparency and accountability through HB 1329 which requires the cities and counties including El Portal to make more budget information available online where applicable and hold public budget workshops follow new rules when setting any impact fees. Official actions of local governments, the anti-DEI bill was also prohibit cities and counties from using public funds or taking official action to support any kind of anti-diversity equity and inclusion programming, which also allows for residents to sue local governments in any violation of the local authority. There's also a local government cybersecurity bill, Bill 1085, which creates state programming that provides cybersecurity tools, services, and grants to help local governments protect computer systems and residents' information from any cyber attacks or hacks. If you have any questions or want more information about these bills, please feel free to contact our office. Our phone number is 305-564-5060, and we are located right up the street here at the North Miami CRA. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I'm going to repeat that number real quick one time. Yes.

The number is 305-564-5060.

Thank you very much. And thank Representative Dottie Joseph for us. And I know she has bigger things that she's moving towards also. So congratulations to her. Appreciate that. Thank you very much, Mrs. Fox. Appreciate that. All right, you guys. So we're going to move to good and welfare. Good and welfare. This is a time right here. Any residents, anybody from the audience, you have anything to say, you can come up. Three minutes. Say your name and address for the record.

Hello, good evening, Thomas Pulliam, 205 Northeast 86th Street. Beyond three minutes that I have prepared to deliver, I also have a formal one-sheet handout to enter into the public record as well. How do I do that? I don't see the manager or the clerk.

Just put it here for the clerk. As soon as she walks back in, she's here. She'll take it and it will be made part of the public records.

Okay.

And just a copy is sufficient.

Sorry?

I just said a copy is sufficient.

It's a copy for the council, yourself, the manager.

Is it one or is it multiple?

There's ten copies to be distributed.

Okay, so the clerk will hand them around, but it's to be entered into the public record since you put it on the clerk's table.

Yes, okay.

Okay, great. Thank you all. So here we are. As we know, within our nation, here in the United States, public office is a public trust. It carries a duty to exercise the law, respect constitutional rights, and carry out the lawful directives of this elected body. My family fought and gave their lives defending the constitution, which is why it is deeply disappointing to stand before my local government and face retaliation for exercising my first amendment rights. A total lack of government due process, as well as administrative indifference, stonewalling and disrespect from the administration and executive office. On June 23rd, this council unanimously voted five zero to stay enforcement, identify my property as is for 35 days. and ordered an administrative audit report due tonight, July 28th. As of the opening of tonight's meeting, that report was not provided in advance for public or permit holder review. And whether administration attempts to present a surprise report tonight or has failed to produce one altogether, know this, any legitimate audit must evaluate all governing milestones on file, not selective excerpts. The timeline on file demonstrates clear operational breakdown. Back last year, August 26, 2025, the standard was set where our official building inspector, Leonardo Liguori, documented upon final inspection that closing non-structural permit PB25-0004 required just any photos or construction document that may be available per the building official. Then the very next day, August 27, 2025, those directives were ignored and changed when Pedro Martinez demanded new engineering studies and then former Manager Liu on that same day explicitly directed CAP government to review all permit approvals and stay in close communication with me to resolve permit closure without delay. CAP ignored that order culminating in an April, 2026 total demolition demand issued by Pedro Martinez to my email address off the books. Now, June 23rd and June 24th, there was portal tampering that occurred a provisional inspector listing the name, Jose Negrin refused credentials at the inspection. less than 24 hours after the legislature's five zero state order, those portal records were altered and an incident is now under active criminal investigation by the Miami Dade Sheriff's Sheriff's office. You can note case number PCS dash two six zero two four. Um, then on July 22nd, just a few days ago, there was another unauthorized intrusion. So, and another unidentified cap contractor entered deep into my private property, passed no trespassing signs at 1.59 p.m. on a Wednesday. We all know the building department doesn't operate on Wednesdays. They operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is clearly outside CAP's schedule of El Portal inspection days. Then just following that, and also today on July 28th, official on the books record contradiction. Today Franco Roman emailed claiming that the CAP contractor who was present on July 22nd was there just to ask a question about landscaping. While claiming no records exist of this visit because no inspection was scheduled. Staff then assessed a $75 fee demand under Chapter 119 to disclose these person's identity after admitting staff spoke directly with them. Florida Chapter 119 and Federal Statute 42, 1983, those statutes carry mandatory statutory fee shifting for legal exposure. That unfortunately exposes our tiny town's treasury to heavy taxpayer-funded legal fees. I am in no way asking for the building code to be overruled. I'm simply asking to enforce the village's own written inspection record. I respectfully ask a member of this council to make a motion tonight to direct the village manager to administratively resolve and close non-structural permit PB25-004 by Friday, July 31st, based on the completed August 26th, 2025 submittal standard. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Next, good and welcome.

Excuse me, miss. I need, I'm addressing your, are you leaving?

Yeah, because she, she'll stay for you, but she gave the number and the contact information for questions, but she'll stay for you, Ms. Brooks.

Okay, my name is Marilyn Brooks, 400 Northeast 90th Street. I'm a longtime resident of this area and was, has been very active. Now that I'm getting older, I kind of have calmed down. However, I'm hearing about Dottie Joseph. The first time I'm hearing about her is now, and as to seeing her, you don't see her. How come she is a part of this village and she doesn't come around? Nor nobody comes to represent her. We have streets here where I live that needs to be fixed for the longest. Where is she? My question is, when are we going to get El Portal looking like someplace where we pay taxes for and live?

Is that it? Yes.

It's a question I ask. I don't know who's going to give me the answer.

You all know during Good and Welfare, everybody speaks, then we respond, all right?

Hi, everyone.

How are you doing?

Okay, Edna Edelman, 301 Northeast 88th Street. And first, the first thing I want to say is this is Marilyn Brooks' birthday today.

Oh! Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, Mrs. Brooks. Happy birthday to you. Yes! Woo! She's 35, woohoo! No, 21. 21. Yeah. Just got legal.

Yeah. Anyway, I just have a few questions and then a comment. I've been wondering about Amendment 3 and if the Village and I guess the Village Manager is undergoing any kind of analysis to see what kind of revenue we're going to lose and if any contingency plans are underway.

We'll respond. Yeah, you'll respond.

Okay. Is there an ETA for the subject to sewer conversion? I'm also imagining that's going to be impacted by loss of revenue potentially for Miami-Dade. And then something that I emailed you about, why is there a special meeting this week? It's hard enough for a lot of people to come once, twice in one week. And why can't we talk about the millage rate tonight is really another question. I looked at the agenda for tonight and I'm wondering about the decision making process for streets to receive drainage. I mean, how is that done? I mean, for the last few days, I actually lived in waterfront property. I looked out my windows and there was a lake in front of my house. So, you know, really wondering how you decide what streets are approached first. And then just to follow Thomas Pulliam, I had an interesting experience also. I just had a code question for the building department. I emailed, I called, no response. And it just... It really says something about accountability and transparency of the village in a really unpleasant way. I mean, is there a special formula to get someone to call you back? So I had to read the code myself, and it's really confusing. So hopefully someone can get back to me. Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Good evening, Denise White, 173 Northwest 88th Street. First of all, lots has happened. So the other day, Mr. Mayor was kind of, wait y'all, I'm gonna let the spirits, I think the spirits want to talk tonight. Mr. Mayor took me to a fabulous meeting with the coalition, Miami-Dade Coalition, I think it was called. Yes, beautiful meeting. And there they talked about this tax. Go ahead, y'all.

Y'all done?

Right so yeah and they talked about the new tax bill that's coming up the one that says that they're going to take property tax off or some property tax off or whatever and I hope Mr. Mayor speaks on that and explains they had lawyers there speaking about that the language was very ambiguous so we should read this bill before we get to the polls so that we understand that What we're what we're voting for because we vote might vote yes and not completely understand the ramifications of that and how that affects us because Yes, it would be nice for me not to pay my property tax But property tax paid for so much in Florida so that when I don't pay my property tax I know they gonna get the money somewhere somehow So but there is there at that meeting there was some people that were suing for that because of the language for the governor or the government to now give us more clear language. So I hope the mayor speaks more deeply on that for me please. That would be important for us because, and the fact that if we don't have property taxes, we may not have El Portal. I have questions about that. Will El Portal disappear? Because we're not having property tax. And then if we disappear, do we now belong to Miami-Dade County? And how does that work for us? Do we even have a voice? Oh, anyway, that just sounds like a whole lot. So I would hope that my mayor please speak on that. Then I want to thank the mayor. I had an El Portal, let's unite the citizens thing. And I think I'm going to do better on my advertisement next time because I don't think I got to a whole lot. Although I want to thank my mayor because apparently... I could thank the mayor if I want to, y'all. What you call it? Apparently... He goes door-to-door to send information to us, and I think he go door-to-door by himself when he walks every single house and every single building. I hope that, you know, there would be a procedure where maybe you could get some of us, hey, I drop off for your street, and then I will, you know, do that street. And Mr. Danny said that he said he would do his street. I don't know, Mr. Mayor, let's make a chain or something so that you don't got to be walking. Ooh, did my time out? That's crazy. Well, yeah, I think we should try and fix that. I'm sorry you weren't there, Mr. Erbaum. Mr. That man over there, ooh, he was there all night long. Thank you very much for coming and giving your all to El Portal and the residents. If you didn't come, don't worry.

I think we just...

I don't know what's happening. If you don't want us to meet to talk, maybe I should sit down because maybe there's lightning. Anyway... So I want to thank everybody who came. We had a really good time. And while we were there, I think we planned that we might want to do that again so that you could get to know your neighbors, you know, love on each other a little bit. There was no politics talking, but I know it was a little bit tough. But that's okay. We had a great time anyway. We hope that you guys could come next time. Oh, the sewer thing. I'm not sure. How do we get the money for that? I got questions about that. How do we get the money for that? Because I know that Adam Newman guy, he wanted to do sewers. So I want to know that we got the money from somewhere else other than that man. Mr. Mayor, maybe you could talk on that tonight, too. Anyway, I think I'm done. I don't think I have anything more. And if I do, maybe I'll come back at the end.

Good evening, everyone. Ian McKenzie, 8950 Northeast 4th Avenue.

Good evening, council members and Mr. Mayor.

On Wednesday, June 24th, I sent an email requesting on the freedom of information a copy of the current fiscal year operating budget, fiscal year to date, include all items, budgeted revenue, expenses actualized, realized revenue, sources realized expenses for this operating budget this year that we're in. As you all recall we did have a budget that was passed and quickly tweaked at the last minute because of the reduction in the millage rate but and that was submitted. However we have no idea. how we're doing financially. I've sat on three boards in my lifetime so far. I've never had it where I've been in the dark about budget items or anything like that as a board member. I hope you guys are getting some of the budget information because we don't and we should. It's not a secret. The only thing is that I know that when you don't get budget information, something is hiding. and proved me wrong. You know, but it's June 24th request came in and Yannis responded saying she acknowledged it and so I just don't want to go further but it's just like, you know, we need to have some transparency and I really would appreciate that. I think that's really important. We shouldn't be making any financial decisions on anything until we know. I mean, here we have the millage rate coming up on Thursday. That's really important. We need to know where we are, where we stand. You know, now I just found out Section 13.29, I think it is, where they're talking about budget transparency or making it, yeah. So I'm really glad I heard about that. But, you know, if I don't get something soon, I'm going to the state of Florida or I'm going higher up. I mean, it's just like, you know, this is ridiculous. We can't do this. We're paying for an accountant, you know? There should be a report every month. Where's the village manager? I mean, granted, he may be sick. Okay, fine. But, you know, he's brand new here, and we need representation. We're paying these salaries. Yannissi is the only person who's ever here. And Mr. Geller. And when he's not here, he sends somebody else. So, you know, we need people to represent us and to be here and working. So that's what I have to say. Thank you very much, everyone.

Thank you. Mayor, not as a response, but if I might, Mayor, just for one moment, just as a matter of information to the audience so we don't get the same question repeated. The Thursday is only to set the proposed millage rate. It is not only not the final, it's not even really the projected or interim that is the maximum that the village could charge couldn't go over that but the council has the privilege of lowering it to meet the budget and last year for instance that is exactly what was done so just because you have to do that and submit it to comply with the law to so that no one has the same question this is a very preliminary step and it's just to set a maximum rate and generate the so-called trim notice that everyone receives in the mail with the information on two public budget hearings that'll be held during the month of september so i just wanted to clarify that so we don't end up with the same question mayor thank you thank you yeah that wasn't my that wasn't my answer i appreciate it um

Hi, good evening. Noel Pace, 206 Northwest 91st Street. Just a couple of things in terms of public comment. So we just held the Miami-Dade County Military Affairs Board meeting on Monday at the Stephen B. Clark Center, and I wanted to mention to you that, you know, there's a lot of activity now, especially with the 250th birthday and a renewed emphasis on military veterans and their family members here in Miami-Dade County, where I said we have over 150,000. With that, I recently became the chair of the Miami Dade County Bar Association's new Military and Veterans Committee, and so we have over 3,500 lawyers in that organization, and we're gonna be focused on trying to help veterans within the community. There's a lot of veterans that have, either it's medical or family law or some other type issue, getting a veteran back their driver's license is a very important thing for them to become employed. A lot of veterans lose their driver's license over child support issues, actually. In addition, there are some veterans with immigration issues. I know that may sound odd, but people who are not American citizens can join the US military. In fact, when I was a commander in Korea, I had kids from 17 different countries that were in the U.S. Army. And so that is a quick pathway to citizenship for them. You sign on the dotted line. You dedicate, you know, up to your life, okay, on the dotted line in support of our country, and citizenship usually results. But for whatever reason, sometimes that paperwork doesn't get done correctly. Something happens, and so there are people there. And so we want to help them. Obviously, there should be no – debate on their immigration status. Lastly, I want to talk a little bit, so that's what's going on in military affairs here in Miami-Dade County in terms of El Portal and the Raider Church property. So maybe you guys didn't see it, but we shared a lot on WhatsApp this weekend. But some sail tail kites, which are giant raptor type birds. We initially thought that they were eagles because they have a white head and sort of a. dark body as they mature. There were three large sail tail kites which are they're considered you know in the hawk species but they're large hawks. They were sitting right on the power lines at the old Raider Church property and they were hunting there. and so it's great to have those great birds. If you didn't know, we're a state of Florida bird sanctuary here. That open, clear area now has been attracting a lot of wildlife, and I thought it was just great because I'm not really sure if we have any clarification on what's happening with that. Again, I strongly encourage that this council consider some options. I don't know if you saw in the news, but the University of Miami, which wants to do some development in Coral Gables, has property and they are trading it to the Coral Gables community in exchange for some density variances and some building variances. And so it's going to be the largest park in Coral Gables now, and that's going to be open space there in Coral Gables in return for some construction of dormitories, a hospital, and some other things on other University of Miami property. So I had proposed that before. That's something to definitely consider. I think that open space there, you know, El Portal's Main Street Park would be a great, you know, addition. It will give us parity with Miami Shores and Biscayne Park. And obviously, you know, there's just less and less green space everywhere. I mean, I don't know if you guys have driven down through Wynwood and so on. I mean, it's not as it used to be. So just something to consider. Hopefully that can work out well. And thanks for your attention.

Thank you very much.

Greg Steer, 120 Northwest 86th Street. First I want to say that just for the record that criticism isn't necessarily inherently negative and mine is not meant to be. It's meant to be constructive. There is a point to all this. I'm not just up here griping. These issues are important. It's just it's frustrating to come up here and ask the same questions over and over again and not get any responses or adequate ones. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE BUDGET. I BROUGHT THIS UP TWICE BEFORE. WE'RE TEN MONTHS INTO THE FISCAL BUDGET, NOT A SINGLE UPDATE. WE WERE PROMISED AT THE LAST MEETING THAT THERE WOULD BE AN UPDATE IN A FLYER, NEVER GOT IT. I ASKED A SIMPLE QUESTION, HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THE UNASSIGNED GENERAL FUND, THE RAINY DAY FUND? NO ANSWER. I ASKED ABOUT THE FLORIDA STATE MANDATED BUDGET AUDIT THAT WAS DUE JUNE 30th AND WASN'T FILED. AGAIN, NO ANSWER. MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY OUT OF COMPLIANCE. AND THAT'S A BIG RED FLAG WITH THE STATE AUDITOR. WE SHOULD ALREADY BE DISCUSSING NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. MIAMI SHORES HAS ALREADY HAD TWO WORKSHOPS, ONE IN APRIL AND ANOTHER ONE LAST WEEK. AND NOW I JUST FOUND OUT THAT OURS ARE SCHEDULED JUST AN HOUR AGO FOR SEPTEMBER. THE BUDGET STARTS IN OCTOBER. WHY ARE WE MEETING IN SEPTEMBER? WE SHOULD BE MEETING NOW. We don't know what we've spent or what we haven't spent since October 1st of 2025. So I'd love to hear from the... Village manager who's not here or the CFO who is here, Mr. Toppenfeld, regarding the budget. Number two, about Raider Church and property taxes. Just to clarify, those property taxes were not paid, at least not by Adam Newman. As of April 1st, they were delinquent, a 3% penalty was imposed, and then on June 1st, the county auctioned it off as a tax certificate to any investor willing to pay the tax. And that's what happened with Raider Church. Adam Neumann didn't pay a dime of the $100,000 that he owes the county, some of which, as you know, goes to the village that he allegedly loves so much. Meanwhile, he paid $44 million for his home in Bell Harbor. That says something. Again, the village, the council, and the mayor should be very careful about doing business with a guy who has a very shaky and very public track record. It's a path littered with broken promises, unfulfilled goals, and unpaid debts. Lastly, I just want to mention the sewer. Apparently some residents were informed about a new septic to sewer project, again via flyer, which seems to be the semi-official channel of communication these days. I didn't receive one, but I understand it's being touted as a major accomplishment since it's something the village has been discussing for 10 years or more. but surprisingly few details were included considering how impactful that might be there's no timeline there's no specific location there's no project name there's no id there's nothing about costs why wouldn't something like that be posted on the village website and wouldn't a project that big fall under the purview of the village manager who's paying for this and who does it benefit Again, many questions, not many answers. Thank you. Thank you.

Good evening, Mr. Mayor, Council, Councilmen this evening. My name is George Alvarez. I live at 165 Northwest 88th Street. I have a couple questions. It has already been asked, but I'm going to piggyback on Mrs. Edelman's question about the newly announced septic to sewer project. When will it start? Under what official auspices of Miami-Dade County have the funds and the legislation been authored and authorized? And what will be the first part of El Pratel? That's the question everybody wants to know. What will be the first part of El Pratel to have ground broken in for... One of the lines so that we could get a start so I'm gonna ask that you guys Share that answer tonight as best as you can Secondly, I gotta give you that mr. Mayor deserves big props and he was out there in the rain. I saw I Just want to give props for getting on the budget and the millage a little bit early and Back last year, we talked millage in September. So I appreciate you guys getting on this right now. I'm eager to see how it goes in the next few days and see where things are going. So I appreciate that very much. Thirdly, the Amendment 3, talking about homestead exemption, again, props to Mrs. Edelman. What are we going to do to not only start planning in a loss of revenue, where will those planned losses of revenue be initially penciled? Obviously, this is going to be a work in progress, and everybody's going to have their work cut out. But I'm asking you, will you please make transparent and start to announce sooner than later where the cuts to what departments may happen if they are going to happen? And if they're not going to happen, I would like you guys to address whether or not there will be any conversation about special assessments or perhaps proposed bond issues and on what grounds and in what departments of our lives here in El Pertel would those assessments or any such bond issue go. I know I'm putting the cart before the horse a little bit but I think it's really good for everybody on this dais and all of our chartered officials to start talking about that now because those of us out there We will, for sure. Fourthly, I'm hoping that our city attorney can reach out to other city attorneys and find out what other lawsuits, any lawsuits that are going on in any municipality in Florida, especially ones with residents under 20,000 residents, to see where we may join any lawsuit where home rule may be restored. I'm not going to stand up here. I reported on that. I know you did, but there are more being reported. I don't know if they've been filed. Well, fair enough. And we can always talk offline about that. And I'm hoping that the city manager is not here right now, but the city manager can be talking to other managers about the same. This is about planning. This is about looking into the future. I'm hoping that at some point perhaps on this meeting or one of the next meetings that you will share the state if there's been any change in the state of have there been any changes in applications for the SOFL proposal? Have there been any applications or changes in applications or any information about uh... proposals at little farm and if so to echo mister paces great idea the idea of maintaining green space in south florida i mean talk about oil well. I mean, green space is going to be the new moneymaker in terms of property values. There's a lot of academic research about that, and I appreciate everybody on this day has had a focus on trees and canopy, but I got to call you guys out because I think we can do better than what we've already done. Baby steps, baby steps, baby steps. Thank you, Lord. Fifthly, Regarding SoFull tangentially, taking a walk on the alley that is parallel to Northeast 2nd Avenue and there are spray painted marks indicating boring locations. The representatives of SoFull did mention that they would ideally like to bore a sewer not along Second Avenue, because Second Avenue involves the state of Florida, as well as the Miami-Dade County, whereas the alley nearby does not. So do you guys know anything about that? That, in a way, is a piggyback on, well, on any number of those questions. So I hope I'll be around if you need a reminder. But thank you very much for your time, and I look forward to the answer.

Thank you. Next, Good and Welfare. Next, Good and Welfare.

Good evening.

My name is Juliana Collinger, 8650 Northeast Miami Court, El Portal. I just wanted to, first of all, say hello. I haven't been here in a couple of months, but I definitely wanted to just make everyone aware that I'm still in very full support of anything in El Portal that helps our canopy, that helps our green spaces. that helps our trees, our bees, our butterflies. I am enjoying the summer right now so much. My trees are in bloom and I'm seeing all the bees around. I'm seeing all the birds around. and it's very exciting to me and that is one of the reasons I moved to El Portal. So when I hear Mr. Pace talk about any kind of agreements or negotiations or anything that we have to do with the property at the Old Raider Church, I would love to see a park there. I am full support of that. I just want to make sure our council also understands this and are able to support and look at our point of view of why we love El Portal and try to continue to keep it like this. I hear all the time about all these developments developments in our area south of us north of us east of us west of us. All of them are taking apart what is the most amazing thing about South Florida. And if there is something we can do in this little part of the world will make a difference. And I think in the overall it will also increase our property values and would be just a benefit for everyone. Thank you.

Thank you.

Ashley Lucio 1 2 7 Northeast 98th Street. I just want to. So regarding the homestead exemption increase potential increase happening with the next election. I just want to hear from you all to help kind of level set what I think is a lot of fear mongering happening around that. and how it might impact us, right? And as our council members, we look to you to give us kind of a higher level advisory or opinion or guidance on what you think may happen with El Portal. Word on the street, I'm hearing from quite a few people, the fears are that we may go unincorporated because we're going to lose so much money. We may end up being absorbed by Miami Shores and Biscayne Park. This is kind of the word on the street. And then there's, of course, we're going to lose our police force. We're going to lose our infrastructure. We don't even have infrastructure. What's going to happen, right? I think just whenever there's a lack of information, just as we've experienced before with things like Radar Church and Soulful and all that, we really need to hear from you guys and to know what are you thinking through about these potential cuts and what could it potentially mean for us. That's it. Thanks. Thank you very much.

Good evening. Daniel Rojas, 60 Northeast 86th Street. So I guess I'm going to piggyback on a lot of the things that were already mentioned with regards to the announcement that there was some funding secured for the sewage. I think along with all our neighbors, I'm very excited at the prospect of improving the water quality for the bay, for everybody. It would be a good cleanup. However, I would like to know a lot more details. This actually extends to the other sewer project that I believe we're going to be starting discussing today. I was looking through the information provided for today, and there doesn't seem to be much details on the actual project itself, and there seems to be more than needs to be disclosed. So I would really appreciate more clarity on how those things are going to be achieved and whether or not we're gonna take this opportunity with the sewage to also maybe make sure that we have better drainage on our streets as they're gonna have to dig up a lot of the streets It sounds like it would be a ginormous project, so we might as well see what we can do to improve other areas of our village that need improving. I also wanted to mention I'm very happy to hear how many of our neighbors have growing interest in our canopy and our trees and protecting them and also protecting our bird sanctuary status. And I talked to one of my neighbors the other day and they had an owl box on a tree. However, there was a light a street light that was lighting right above it really brightly at night so there was no way an owl would probably make that their home. And I know I've heard also and I've seen how the new project with the roundabout is getting some very bright lighting. Is there any way that we can take a look at how we can implement some kind of policy as it pertains to the brightness or the color of the lights so that it is better for our birds in our bird sanctuary. And last but not least, I wanted to also mention we had discussed a tree ordinance. I kind of wanted to see if we can come right around and see where we stand with that, what we can do to make that move forward. And that's about it for me. Thank you so much, gentlemen. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Good evening. My name is Warner Dreyer. I'm at 486 Northeast 87th Street. So just to on the discussion our neighbor Danny had on the runabout, I just want to bring up to you guys the runabout here on 87th Street. Three lights, power lights are off, right? And there's another few on the street. So I've sent an email to the manager. TO AS WELL MAYOR NICKERSON. I SPOKE WITH MR. SIMPSON AS WELL. SO WE GREATLY APPRECIATE IT IF THERE BE SOME SORT OF UPDATE PERHAPS DURING THE NEXT MEETING OR WHAT SHOULD WE DO AS RESIDENTS? CONTACT SOMEBODY AS FAR AS BRINGING UP THOSE LIGHTS BACK UP ON THE RUNABOUT ON 87th STREET. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Good and welfare going once. We'll allow you to come up, but it's usually only one time, Ms. Edelman, per person. But come on, come on, let's make it quick.

So just say your address for the record. Yeah, Edna Edelman 301 Northeast 88th Street. Apologies for coming up again. It was on my list. We have a giant hole on Northeast 88th and Northeast third. I mean, we neighbors are actually contemplating buying a bucket of patch and fixing it ourselves, and it's just gotten wider. I actually landed in it today with my very large car. So I'd like to know if that's going to be fixed any time soon. Thank you.

Anybody else good in welfare? Going once, going twice. Okay, so we're gonna have Ms. Fox respond to Ms. Brooks and then she can leave.

Thank you, Mayor. Ms. Brooks, thank you and happy birthday. I do wanna thank you for being so direct and so transparent and for showing up on your birthday because you care so much about the city in which you reside. And I do hear your frustration loud and clear. And while the rep was unable to be here today, I am here for that very reason. Because while she may not have been as present as you all may like, She does understand and value this community as I do as her district aide. I don't live very far from here. I live in North Miami. And if anybody's familiar with North Miami, you know that we are no stranger. to coming and going constituencies and leadership. So while I cannot speak directly to the streets, as your council probably very much appreciates, what I would like to do before I leave today is give you my direct contact information as well as taking yours so that I can set up a call for you and the rep directly to address the issues specifically. And again, when I first came up here, I gave that number very genuinely, not just as a part of the protocol of giving a legislative update, but because we do care about every aspect of this district, and we want you all to know that while we may not physically be here, you can still reach us. Okay, so thank you for your time, and I appreciate all of you for using your voices and using this time wisely. Thank you.

Thank you, AFOX, appreciate that. Take care, have a great evening. Thank you. All right, you guys. Okay, so moving in, so when you're talking about the property tax, when I was at the event with Ms. White, we had individuals come up and speak about the property tax situation, and I think I even said to Ms. White that evening, I said... Hold on, who spoke about it? It was different lawyers and attorneys and representatives. But representing who though? They were representing both sides. They were just lawyers talking about the property tax and talking about potential lawsuits coming up. It was just in general. They weren't lobbying for either side. but it's for informational purposes for that purpose I even mentioned I believe to miss white that evening I said that's I said those are individuals that I've been talking to the brain to do the town hall webinar right to give us all the information for everything and everything possible because there's really in-depth all right so I had those individuals coming out I believe the third week of August the individual that was coming to do the live local that was out of the country uh he got back but then he got sick okay so that's the reason why it didn't happen in july and i have to move it back to august all right for both of those okay as far as property tax also and i think urban was a touch on it um so i'll let him talk about you know his view on that but as far as property tax also there are There are other things, like for example, I'm just gonna say this really quickly, with the property tax situation, there is like a carve out for police services, there's a carve out for that. So just to be open with you guys, I haven't told anybody else this, but the way that I'm looking at it, and what I would try to do if it goes that way is, since there is a carve out for police services, I think there's a way that we can, through our police department, we can funnel things through there. Through our police department. And even some other individuals, some other mayors with small municipalities up north, I meet with them and they're even talking about that. So there's a way that that you lose, the municipality will lose a significant amount of money, but it won't be everything they were to lose originally if you can funnel things through your police department because the police department has to be, they have a carve out to where they'll be funded. So for example, I'll give you guys an example. So public safety, police department is public safety. Public safety could also be potholes. speed humps, road repair, possibly. So there's ways to funnel things through the police department, since they're funded, that can come out on the other side. So I'm working on things like that also, because I'm preparing things just in case. But there will be a town hall webinar about that coming up. It's gonna be informational, so it's not gonna be leaning one way or the other, you guys. So.

So I can cover this in about 90 seconds. I'll cover this in about 90 seconds. All right. I said it at a meeting several months ago. As of 2023, 52% of adults inside the United States are what's called functionally illiterate. Now, if you think what I just said was 52% of adults don't know how to read, that's not what I just said. And you might be part of the functionally illiterate. This is a public service announcement. What is happening? This isn't funny, like not even by a long stretch. Okay, so those of you who read financial news know that a K-shaped economy is forming, and you might have even heard of an E-shaped economy. In a K-shaped economy, you have one line that goes up and one line that goes down. That's a very simplistic way of looking at it. What it is is permanent class separation. The middle class is actively being dismantled. There is no plan whatsoever for replacing the revenue of loss of property tax in the state of Florida. There is zero plan of what to do budgetarily for loss of property tax in the state of Florida. Personally, I'm not 100% opposed to eliminating the property tax if there were a plan and there is not. What's going to happen in Florida, which is already occurring, is brain drain will continue. Those who are smart enough to leave a state that does something like this to itself will leave. They have the means to and they'll be gone. you are headed towards a manufactured scenario where we revert back to a system where property owning head of household, all right, that's gonna be the term that starts flying around. Property owning head of household has demonstrated the competent wisdom necessary to vote. That is where we are headed. And if you think that a voter ID is a reasonable thing to do, picture in your mind any administration anywhere in the future that makes driver's licenses have a $10,000 fee to get one. It's a poll tax. It's a poll tax. That's why you can't have it. It's a poll tax. No one cares that you need one to fly a plane or drive a car or pick up medicine. It's a poll tax. There's a functional illiteracy problem where people are falling for all of these things. There is no plan for the replacement of the revenue lost by eliminating a property tax. You are being duped by the largest landowners in Florida. That's what's happening.

All right, you guys. So I'll be having that come in for property tax, but like I said, like the example I gave for the police department, there's ways that you can funnel things through.

That is an insane way to start this conversation. We're gonna find every loophole necessary and we're gonna funnel money through other departments because we're not allowed to have it for other departments. That is an insane way to start this conversation. That is crazy.

So...

We haven't heard from our CFOs since October of last year. I mean, no, El Portal has not looked at what the ramifications of this amendment are, not at all.

So that's what we're looking at when it comes... That's where we look when it comes to the property tax. And like I said, that webinar town hall is informational town hall, so it won't lean either way. So it won't lean either way, okay? All of that to where Elpertau's options and Elpertau's future, possible future, will all be discussed there at that event. Along with the carve outs that may be possible to help us out. When it comes to streets and flooding and how do we decide, usually things are decided by phase. So there's like a flood master plan project, and usually things are decided by phases. The one that we're discussing tonight is a continuation of something that was tabled when Manager Alou was here. We were fixing the flooding that was out there. and it was tabled, and so we're just looking back at it to pick it back up tonight. So that's a project that was already on the books. We also look at, when it comes to phases, we also look at what parts are the worst part altogether. Like for example, the Sherwood Forest, street that's directly east of Sherwood Forest right that's probably the worst so that will be actually I already have the information for that to come up in September so we usually for look for the worst and we look for it depends on if it's funding that we get or if it's funny that we have right so it's funding that we get from other places a lot of times that funding comes with like you have to put the project in to get the funding. So it's for a particular project. So that had to do with it also when it comes to that. When it comes to... People getting back to you, I apologize for that. I know Councilperson Winters can speak on code enforcement, but if anybody can, if anybody ever reaches out and if you guys can't get in touch with somebody, if you reach out to me, I'll get you to answer or get in touch with them. All right? I'll always do that. Councilperson Winters, I don't know if you want to touch on code enforcement just very briefly. But we'll get to the other stuff later. Go ahead, go ahead.

Go ahead.

Okay. Go ahead, say what you wanna say.

Hello, everyone. Thank you for speaking today and coming out to this meeting. I hope you all show up at the next meeting because apparently we're having another one on Thursday and instead of doing it all today. I WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THERE IS A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING THAT I MISSED LAST MONTH. I DID ACTUALLY CHANGE MY FLIGHTS AND TRY TO MAKE IT. I SHOWED UP HERE ABOUT TEN MINUTES LATE AND THE MEETING WAS ALREADY OVER. AND I REALLY TRIED TO KEEP A RECORD WHERE I MAKE EVERY MEETING EVEN IF I HAVE TO CHANGE MY FLIGHTS TO BE HERE. BUT LUCKILY I THINK COUNCILMAN URBAN REALLY CAME TO THE DAY. a strong, strong council person up here and he did everything that I would have done and I want to be thankful to Council Member Irwin for everything you said at the special meeting. The next thing I want to bring up really quickly is about a month ago before the special meeting we actually did a vote on right-hand turn sign that actually opened a whole bunch of doors and we found some information of some reasons why the right-hand turn sign was put in there including a hit-and-run which includes you don't know who hit the person or why they hit the person it also included a running of a stop sign but we did find some very interesting information that since that right-hand turn only was put on 86th Street the accident rate on 87th Street is INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY.

JUST FOR PROCEDURAL PURPOSES, SO WHEN PEOPLE DO GOOD AND WELFARE, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS WHAT THEY BROUGHT UP IN GOOD AND WELFARE. IF INDIVIDUALS ARE BRINGING UP NEW INFORMATION, That information has to be submitted to be on the next agenda. Correct. That's what I'm getting to. All right. Because the right-hand sign, left-hand sign was not brought up. So it's not a response.

What I'm going to get at then is I have some public record requests I'm waiting for to be filled. I'd like the next meeting that's a full council meeting, not a special meeting. to look at some of this, the research that Miami-Dade already has, and they already have the studies, and talk about putting a left-hand turn signal on 87th Street at next agenda meeting.

But, Councilperson Winters, you're bringing up new information that has nothing to do with the questions and what was brought up during Good and Welfare.

Yes, I know, but you told me I have to tell this before we go to agenda items. When else would you like me to say it?

I understand what you're saying, but if you're talking about legislative items that you want to bring up to be voted on or a motion to be voted on, all you have to do is submit to the clerk, like, hey, I want these things on the next agenda. And then we look at it, and if it's timely, if it's relevant, things like that, then we put it on. Of course.

But you kind of went- Now it's public record, so we can move forward, and I'll send her the email. Everyone here knows.

All right, but just know that when we're doing Good and Welfare and then we finish Good and Welfare, we're responding to what was brought up during Good and Welfare. You can't just bring up new additional items that are not on the agenda. Okay. All right, that's all. Just procedural, I just wanna make sure that we're doing that the right way. Okay, you guys. All right, so when it comes to the, what's next? So when it comes to the sewer, so let me just say a couple of things. Actually, let me hit this while I'm doing that. So when we're talking about negativity versus just like informational things when it comes to things like this, okay? When it comes to things like this. There's no reason why no one can question what's going on, right? But there's also a way that when you want to know information, you ask the information instead of accusing individuals. So a lot of times what happens is, unfortunately, people come to their own conclusions or they say little comments to take a dig at you while they're assuming information. You must be hiding something. There must be something going on or something like that. I remember more recently, I remember there was, you guys aren't doing anything for 4th of July. Why don't you just ask? Like, hey, are you guys doing something for 4th of July? You know, I called right there on the spot the guy that we were doing something with. So that's an example, all right? To not be accusatory and come to a conclusion before you just take time to ask the person. I've never been accusatory towards anyone, right? If I see something, I say, hey, like, what's going on with this? Like, can you explain this? So you just want to get to that point. And yes, so for sure, if individuals, if you're asking questions and you're not getting the answers that you're looking for, then that's something else. I remember a long time ago that I remember at the meetings, there was times where people would be like, you guys aren't hearing us or you guys aren't listening to us. And I remember when I spoke to a young lady and I was telling her, I said, well, look, I said, when you said what you wanted to say, I responded, but you just didn't like what I said. So I'm always listening. I hear everything. And so just don't take that I may not agree with you with you're not hearing me. Right? And I'm really easy going. Like, even if I disagree with you, we're not going to always agree. But just be like, well, Mayor, like, what are you talking about? You say, Mayor, like, where does that even come from? And I can explain to you, like, my thought process of why I think that way and how I got there. You know? So I love all of you guys out there. We'll get through everything. All right, so let's go to Septesur. So since I've been mayor, you guys, you know, For years and years, we had lobbyists that we paid way over $100,000, up to $100,000 for years. And we would never get anything from the lobbyists, year after year after year after year. And so when I came in to save money, I cut that out, because we never got anything anyway. So I do all the trips to Tallahassee. I do all the trips to DC. And of course, at my $3,000 a year, fine. So with that, the sewer, which when I came in as mayor, I started working on. and started working on and negotiated with Manager Lou that the pumping station with Horace Mann, like it would go there possibly and things like that. There was even a couple of years ago where they started to come in and lay some pipes down. But the reason why, and this is another example, I put out the flyer that this is big news and it is big news Right? But the reason why this just came out now was because it just got finalized on July 21st, I believe it was, or July 23rd. Like, it just happened. And so... You know, good examples of, you know, individuals that reached out. I had a lot of individuals reach out to me, you know. Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor. I'm writing to say that I'm happy to hear about the Septic Sewer Project. I'm wondering when it's starting and what do you need from us to complete the project. Anything you need, we're always here. Once again, nice job from the village. You guys are working and we see it. I responded to him as I'm going to respond to you guys and tell you guys what's going on right now since this just came through you guys. And it's not funding. Miami-Dade County is taking over the project fully. Okay? They're doing it. All right? Going through the primary individuals of the water and sewer department. Now, next month, which is where I told this individual, I said, hello. I told his name. It's always a pleasure to hear from you. Next month, they will begin sending me the phases and timelines. You guys. So phase one is confirmed. Now the project is confirmed fully, but now we're down to the phases and the timelines from what property to what property and the timelines. Now they told me that it's a 10 to 12 year project. 10 to 12 years. Okay? But as far as the phases, and I pretty much know where the first phase is going to be, but I don't want to say it now until I get the map. They're going to send me the map. So when each phase is confirmed, you guys, or is it confirmed the phase, they'll send me the map that shows everything, shows the septic tank, shows where it's going to be right with the timeline. Okay? and I'll get that out to you all right away. So expect the first phase and timeline to come out beginning of next month.

During our government recess where we're not gonna have any meetings at all, public facing?

Just because El Pertal is on vacation in August, I'm never on vacation. And the county will still be doing their work. So beginning of next month, you will get the first phase and timeline. All right? Councilperson Irvine.

I have a lot of questions. Are you saying that the septic to sewer project for Villageville-Portale has been fully turned over to the county of Miami-Dade?

The county of Miami-Dade has fully taken over the septic to sewer project.

Not just county roads. but they're going to oversee the entirety of the village of El Portal going septic to sewer.

As they always would. We don't have the resources to do our own septic to sewer conversion, Councilperson Overbaum. Who was going to do it? It was either going to be the county or the state. It was always going to be them.

When is groundbreaking going to start, and where is it going to start?

I pretty much know.

That's a very direct question. Where is groundbreaking going to start and when is it going to start? And if it's going to start within 30 days, how do we not know that yet? I have so many questions. I got a thousand questions.

No one said groundbreaking starts in 30 days. They send us the phase with the timeline. That's not construction.

Is this phase gonna magically begin right in front of Adam Neumann's property? No. I'm dying to find out.

You all who received the flyer

if you read it we need committee meetings if we had quarterly admin and finance committee meetings we would not be having residents in the dark about the budget if we had quarterly public works meetings we don't have to have committee meetings every month but quarterly public works committee meetings every month this would not be a surprise to anybody we are in dire need of a real committee schedule so that the endless stream of surprises both to the public and the council would be able to be mitigated if not stopped because we are in a constant state of surprise and it is beyond exhausting, wearisome, concerning, et cetera, et cetera.

Did I just not say that this was finalized on July 23rd?

so right but even the fact that this is uh a plan that might be coming to fruition is a surprise in itself i mean the and as the residents should be uh awaiting word at this meeting because they're already anticipating word because we had a quarterly committee meeting where this information was essentially disclosed and addressed and so it's just uh The way that major, major activities like this are presented is frustrating, concerning, and I mean, Source is my favorite book. I'll just keep going with adjectives.

From July 23rd to July 28th, you guys. Nice 28th.

Can I chime in? To one resident's point, during Good and Welfare, which I believe we're still in, is that we're 10 years into this discussion. So, I mean, everybody yell at me and tell me I'm a fool for being surprised by this, but I have a feeling everyone's surprised by this.

I'm going to respond, but go ahead, Council President.

Yeah, so you said you all that received the flyer. I'm one of the ones that didn't receive the flyer, so I'm also kind of trying to figure out, you know, what's going on, how it happened. I didn't get any emails through the manager. I wish the manager was here tonight. I wish him well. I hope he's okay. If this is a 10 to 12 year project, did they tell you that they're also going, when they lay down the sewer, they're going to be fixing our roads and see if they put roads on top of the sewers?

So the road situation, and I'm explaining this when I send everything out, you guys. The phases and everything like that. Because that came up. So the road situation, right now, they're not funding fully redoing the roads. They're just going to cover up the sections where the sewage is laid down. Now, I haven't gotten around to the entire village with this. So if some of you did not get a flyer yet, that's the reason why. All right? Okay. So that's what it is. But like I said, this is just to let you guys know that it's coming, you guys. All right? Once. Once. Once.

You know, I had a resident who was upset with me because I had not met with Adam Newman's people about his project. And I've met with him three times. I've met with him three times. And from the very first meeting I had with Lauren, she was touting the pros of the project and who's behind it and the expertise. And it all sounded great. And one of those pros was... that they are exceptionally cozy with the county and we can make things happen immediately whatever we need to get done with the county we can do it because we know everybody and that was very clear as a massive pro of why we should be excited to have them as developers because of that connection with the county and the ability to move things forward even when there's obstacles for those of you who receive my paper

For those of you who didn't, still handing them out. What it states on there and what I wrote, and I wrote this on purpose, this was purposely. This represents one of the most significant environmental infrastructure investments within our village's history, and will provide long-lasting benefits for our residents, our environment. I said septic tank, septic systems have contributed to bacteria, excess nutrients, and other pollutants entering our groundwater and nearby waterways. These contaminants ultimately affect the Little River watershed. and eventually flow into Biscayne Bay. By replacing septic systems with modern severe infrastructure, we are taking an important step towards protecting South Florida's most valuable natural resources. I say this project will help, my bullet points are there, Protect the Little River and Biscayne Bay. Reduce bacteria and nutrient pollution entering our waterways. Improve water quality. Why am I talking about water so much? We know all this.

The concern is that the county does not have our best interest as they do this project.

Because they're not starting at Adam Newman's property. That's why I focused on water quality so much.

Why does everything have to be a riddle? So you're talking about 85th and 86th Street. You're talking about the properties closest to the canal are the ones that are gonna get started. So we do know where they're starting this project?

I said that nothing is official until they send the phase map.

I'm concerned about the county's diligence in repaving after a project, first of all. One of my biggest concerns, honestly, is that we do not have We do not have any control over the quality of the work that they do or otherwise. And so anybody here from the west side? Anybody here from the west side? All right, start placing bets on how long it takes for septic or sewer to get to the west side.

You all, if you don't want this project, I can tell them to pull it tomorrow. I can tell them to pull it tomorrow. I'm the one, I'm the one. What is it, where is it?

It's a simple question.

And I said previously, this is about the fourth time, beginning of next month, they will start to send me the phases with the timeline with the map. Next month, beginning of next week? Who else in the village will receive it? Everyone will receive it. What are you talking about? All right.

That's my question. Well, you said very clearly they're gonna send you the plans next week or whenever it is, and so my question is who else will they send the plans to?

Everyone will receive it, but I'm the point person on this, Councilperson Erbaum. I'm the one that got it done. Can you give me a... And lobbyists that we paid for decades got nothing for us.

We paid the lobbyists $60,000 a year. There were two years in a row that got us environmental projects to the tune of water and all of the things we're talking about, and those were consistently line item vetoed by the governor. And the reason we decided to drop the lobbyists, this fiscal year that's up September 30, is the first year we have not had lobbyists. And it's because it was deemed that in the current political environment in Tallahassee, we were facing an inevitability of, once again, perhaps having our lobbyists do good work for us, which they had accomplished a few years in a row, and then the odds were increasingly greater and greater that whatever accomplishments might be achieved were going to be line item vetoed by the governor because they always consistently fall under environmental category, which, as you know, is a naughty word now.

The lobbyists went down to 60 for two years. They were above 60. They were over 100,000 for over a decade per year. Then fell down to 60 for about two to three years. They never brought anything in. Yes, Governor DeSantis would veto, but they never brought anything in, you guys.

Can I ask a quick question?

I worked hard for this and worked hard to try to get something that we've been waiting for for a very, very long time.

Mayor, I appreciate that you worked hard for this. I just have a question because you're the only one who probably knows the answer. We had originally funds that were through grants. What happened to those funds through the grants originally? Miami-Dade's taking over the funds from my understanding. What happened to the original funding grants?

the original funding grants didn't, they just didn't come through fully. So the original funding grants we got, so we first got a grant, the first grant we got was, it was a hardship grant. And so the hardship grant was for the furthest west properties. And the reason why the hardship grant was for the properties furthest west, it was like the northwest kind of, the mid and the northwest. Because they were hardship grant because those property values over there were lower than as you go east, those were the lowest property values. That grant right there, we had it and then when Governor DeSantis came in, they rescinded that grant under Manager Alou. Okay. Yeah, Governor DeSantis never rescinded it.

I just want to say again, I've noticed a pattern of good and welfare. So we're an hour and a half into good and welfare, and most of what has been discussed in good and welfare are things that otherwise typically would have been addressed at committee meetings along the way. And so here we are having five committee meetings in good and welfare ahead of a general council meeting. And so... We used to have no one come to these meetings. These meetings are four hours long and I'm afraid we're headed back to a realm again where people just get exhausted and tired of coming to the meetings because it takes an hour and a half to even get to the first consent agenda item. when it feels like everyone probably feels like they've been saying the same thing that they've said for months and months and months, and the through line that I see is that we haven't had committee meetings. I'm just gonna start screaming about it constantly. Admin and finance plus public works first and then you know chief is doing a great job of holding down public safety thank God you know and so but public safety needs to be quarterly we need quarterly reports we need these things addressed and these things come up and be handled in a committee environment and then it's not there there's just there's just aren't it the this is this is rapidly devolving that's just what I see in terms of these this is the last thing that I'll say um on Friday morning

I already have it done. On Friday morning, you guys will get the full breakdown of the budget stuff. We'll just leave it at that. You guys have anything else you want to say? OK. So we'll move on. All right. Attorney Geller, can you please read the resolution? Attorney Geller, for the record, this will be, it's not Northeast Fifth Avenue. This will be Northeast Fourth Road.

I'm sorry, Mayor?

But yours you wanted, yes, let me say that because. For you, Mr. Pulliam, we can't make a motion for something that isn't previously, isn't on the agenda, isn't a part of the agenda. So for example, the only thing we could have done was if we would have known about it, when we approved the agenda, if we would have added it then, then we could make a motion. So the motion you're asking for, we can't make it. I wanted to tell you that once we said it. So we can't make the. So we can't make the, yeah, I'll respond. We can't make the motion. The manager is not here tonight. So the attorney or clerk can get in touch with him tomorrow. I'll also get in touch with him tomorrow and see what's going on with that. But he's just not here tonight, so I can't answer for him, unfortunately.

The manager is ill tonight.

Yeah, I don't know. And no report was issued? No report, I got. Was directed unanimously by the council? I don't know. so yeah so let's not try to speak from the because we need to be on my phone but um but no nobody i didn't get anything i don't know council person urban council person winters out did you guys get anything from the manager of court um in regards to mr pulliam i don't know that i did hey what were you asking me i'm sorry i don't know i'll go i'll go over in a second okay

I'm a little worried because I have had a few weeks of unanswered emails from him. I came by to look for him today, and they said he was gone again.

So I'm hoping and praying he's OK. OK. Yeah, we hope he's OK. Attorney Geller, for the resolution, instead of Fifth Avenue drainage, it will be Fourth Avenue Road.

OK.

THAT'S THE ONLY CHANGE. NOTHING ELSE CHANGES. EVERYTHING ELSE STAYS THE SAME.

OKAY. BUT WE DO CONSENT AGENDA BEFORE THAT. ARE WE READY FOR THAT?

YEAH. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED, SAY NAY. HEARING NONE. OKAY, ATTORNEY GILLER.

AND I'LL MOVE THEN TO ITEM H, THE RESOLUTION THAT'S BEFORE US. El Pertel, well, you changed it from Northeast Fifth Avenue, say again, Mayor, to? Fourth Avenue Road. Fourth Avenue Road. Okay, so the resolution is regarding El Pertel Northeast Fourth Avenue Road drainage improvements, a resolution of the Village Council of the Village of El Pertel, Florida, accepting the proposal of Craig A. Smith and Associates for professional engineering design services for the Northeast changing it to Fourth Avenue Road Drainage Improvements Project, authorizing the manager to execute the professional services agreement, authorizing the expenditure of funds, providing for implementation, providing for conflict, providing for severability, and providing for an effective date.

Thank you. Do you guys want to say something first? Counselor, you want me to open it up to the audience first?

We basically had it incorrect, I guess, on what we sent out to the village with the name, but that does not make a difference on this right with Sunshine Law, Attorney Geller?

You permitted to amend the resolution that's in front of you. It's on the agenda. Since the mayor said that that was the correction, I note that there was no objection from any member of council. I would presume that it is amended by consensus.

Not about the actual document, but the actual notice we sent out to residents said fifth on it. I'm making sure that didn't have to say fourth by Sunshine Law.

It's not a Sunshine Law issue at all. Okay. There's no indication that council members are speaking out of the sunshine. It was announced publicly by the mayor in an open meeting, so I don't see there's any Sunshine Law implications whatsoever.

Not necessarily sunshine law. I know what you're getting at. But you're using the wrong term, not sunshine law. But he's trying to say that because it was wrong when it went out, can we vote on it tonight? Or do we have to re-put it out with the correct road?

You can amend it. And the fact is that somebody, I mean, you're talking about something that's like a block away from the other one. It's the same general area. There's It's up and down, so that area. No, I don't, excuse me, excuse me, sir. Yeah, but you can't say it from the audience. If you have something to say, you can be recognized and say it from up there. But that said, I see no problem with it. It's the same general area. There's an amendment to describe it, but it's not just really, when you look at the item and the proposal, it's not just one block. Anybody that's concerned about drainage improvements in that area is on notice. That's going to be discussed here. So no, I think there's no problem with making that slight correction. an amendment to the preceding resolution by consensus without objection. And yes, I believe you can vote on it.

And the actual documents that go along with it, the maps that are on this also say Fifth Avenue on what we understand where things are going. Do we need to get some kind of maps now that we know? Because I don't know where it's going except for Fourth Avenue Road somewhere near Mr. Dreher's house. But the actual maps that are provided with the documents show a different road.

You are not required to have every single thing about it that might possibly come up be in the notice documents. The purpose of notice is to give people in the public notice generally speaking of what you are going to do. There are some things you can't amend because they are completely different than what was advertised or noticed. You couldn't do something that had no relationship to it, but something that is in close relationship to it. If there's a correction, if there's an amendment, and it's in the same general area, the map does not just show one block. So, yes, I'll say it again. I don't see a problem with it.

The map doesn't even show the property. They focus on the one specific section. We don't want to have to happen what happened with the circle in the past.

Let me just be clear, okay? I'm not telling you you have to proceed with it. It's the privilege of the council to say, well, we think it wasn't clear. If you want to postpone getting it done, you have that privilege. I'm not telling you you have to proceed with it. I'm just saying if that's the will of the council, I don't think there's a problem with you proceeding with it. It still takes a motion. It still takes a second. It still takes a majority vote of the quorum that's present.

What's your suggestion, Councilperson Winters?

I'm not trying to stir the pot here. I want to make sure I'm making an informed decision when I make a vote. And when I look at a map that says something different, I'm not sure if I'm voting on the right thing. And that concerns me. I don't want another 91st Street Circle dilemma to happen because we don't have the correct information in front of us.

Let's go to the audience, you guys, for this particular item. Come up, say your name and address for the record. The floor is yours for this item.

Good evening. My name is Warner Dreher. I'm at 486 Northeast 87th Street. So I'm here just to speak a little bit, just give a little bit of background. I've reached out to all of you three, right, on separate occasions. I've been working with Mayor Omar. I think Orlando from Craig Smith and Associates Mayor, he was going to be here as well, right? You had invited him.

Yeah, I invited him, but he couldn't make it. I can call him, though.

Okay. So perhaps he could chime in why there's misprint on the Fifth Avenue Road. I do understand Councilperson Winter's concerns. I brought it up to him yesterday, right? But basically since a year ago, right, when there was that whole power generator installation there was a line that was put underneath 4th Avenue Road for a chamber, a gas chamber. I think I've included all of you into what happened a year ago. As a consequence, then Manager Alou with the mayor, they went ahead and added a berm right on the 4th Avenue Road side, on the west side, because that whole resurfacing created A river practically going into my property. So in essence, yesterday, when we met, I showed you some pictures of the berm, the impact that has been done in the past because of that whole resurfacing, that underlying line that's 4th Avenue Road. So then I brought it up to Mayor Nickerson. He understood it's a temporary patch. Cars are parking on that whole burn when there's events here on the tot lot. We've had experienced some overflows. I sent some pictures to Mayor Nickerson showing that the cars are being parked there. So it's been a year. There has been already some erosion from it from there's a water flow traveling from Fourth Avenue Road from the south to the north, practically eroding, picking up the sod, bringing it into then 87th Street. So the intent was there. Also to... RESURFACE THE ENTIRE PARKING LOT AFTER THE FACT THAT THAT WHOLE LITTLE PATCH HAD CREATED THAT IMPACT ON MY HOUSE. AND I THINK MAYOR NICKERSON, YOU REMOVED IT FROM THAT MEETING IN THE AGENDA. I HAD REACHED OUT TO MANAGER ALOU, THE ENGINEER, MR. FROM CAP GOVERNMENT, MR. CAMP. I ALWAYS FORGET HIS NAME. MOHAN. SO IT WAS REMOVED FROM THAT. BASICALLY YOU HAVE A PARKING LOT. THEY WANT TO RESURFACE IT IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY RESURFACED. THERE'S NO DRAINAGE.

SO I STOPPED THE RESURFACE AND THIS IS THE CONTINUATION OF THAT PROJECT.

CORRECT. YES. SO I REACHED OUT TO MAYOR NICKERSON IN JANUARY. WE MET WITH ORLANDO RUBIO FROM Craig Smith and Associates, he did come up with a solution. I did bring it up to Mayor Nickerson, that actual document which was provided to us back in May. Perhaps you want to see some sketch, right, where that drainage might want to show specifically, which I understand that's on Fourth Avenue Road. I agree with perhaps having a sketch or something in that sense. I totally agree with having an informed decision. I think Mayor Nickerson, you had reached out to Orlando Rubio as far as perhaps getting that sketch done. So the intent was for him to be here as well to speak on his work on that document. Um, that's where I'm at. So mayor Nickerson, not sure if you can speak anything in addition to that or you have any questions. Yeah.

I mean, I spoke to him about the fifth Avenue thing. He said he could send us one, um, tomorrow updated and updated document. He can send us one that says fourth Avenue road. That's the only change when it comes to that, but nothing inside of the changes. So,

And then to Councilperson Winters' comment about having the sketch, is he open to having like a little diagram at least showing where that drainage, because that would be my same question I would have, right? And specifically, we see the drainage here on the east side of 4th Avenue Road. It has like this little... little, I don't know the proper name, but it has like a little sliding that travels the sliding, I would say, channel that slides the water into the drainage. So perhaps he can add something like that so we get a better feel for what he's trying to bring up yeah you know we always have the option of tabling it okay and coming back with you know these asks so we can table it and come back with these asks at a future meeting you know okay but um but just there's always an option also yeah exactly but it would be great if you know if there would be some sort of uh sketch right maybe that's what may uh council person winters is saying

we can yeah he can commit to it so yeah so we have that option we can do that we can table to get that sketch and then bring it back if we want yeah I I just want to make sure everybody feels like they have their foreign avoiding an informed decision right and when would that be tabled then to uh um assuming the table and we could bring it back you had to come back in September

In September? Okay. All right. And will it be okay to include the other council members as well, just in case they have any further questions?

So when he resends the updated plans, everybody will get it.

Okay, great. Awesome. Okay, so that works for me. I just want to make sure everybody has, you know, do you have any other questions that you might want to consider for an informed decision?

I just feel bad for you because you're the one being impacted by all these rains right now.

Do you have another question I asked you, though? Do you have another question that you might want to look for in the engineering?

I think the mayor wants me to wait until everyone else speaks before I answer things. Thank you.

Yeah, just in case. Of course. All right, thanks. Thank you.

I'm George Alvarez, 165 Northwest 88th Street. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Councilperson Winters, for working so diligently with the resident who is apparently most impacted. I've seen the, you know, in Pittsburgh, they've got the three rivers. That's right. That's what's here. They've got water coming south to north, north to south, and, of course, east to west. I would suggest that somebody from the engineering firm be available to the council as well as to the residents most impacted, perhaps including those who use Little Peacock, formerly Totlot Park. Because it does seem to me that I feel like I've heard this solution in the past. And If you guys know the answer, where would this drain to? Because I don't think it drains anywhere.

I think it's essentially a French... Well, usually I don't like to cut in during the public comment, but Mr. Dreyer has a French drain right there in front of his house, so it would drain to there.

Well, I mean, a French drain drains – it doesn't drain anywhere. It just drains down. It drains down, yeah. But it can be kind of a Band-Aid solution. And there was one done on Northeast 85th Street back in the fall. That was a $10,000 French drain. This is a $32,000 French drain. You can get a French drain at Home Depot for about $75. I'm not saying that this might be apples and oranges, and that might be the appropriate fee structure of the volume of water that's being handled. But I think you've got some data from the one that's on Northeast 85th Street. Is it working? Is it moving that kind of water? And if it is working and if it is valued correctly, then, I mean, I've walked down Northeast 88th Street where Mrs. Edelman was mentioning before. I mean, like, that's right, waterfront property, as somebody just echoed. If French drains are the answer in terms of getting some of the water in the more troubled spots, then that's a good use of funds. I don't know if $32,000 should be a French drain. Like I said, you can get them in more normal residential circumstances for considerably cheaper, but there's data there from the one that's on Northeast 85th Street, and that sort of data could be compared with whatever the engineering... FIRM SAYS AND WHAT MR. DREYER REQUESTED AND THEN THAT'S A GOOD AMOUNT OF DATA AND A POSSIBLE RUBRIC FOR OTHER PARTS OF THE VILLAGE. The buzzer is up. Just in time. Thank you, guys. We understand.

Thank you. Thank you very much. And we'll continue with public comment. But you guys, we can table it if you want to table it. I believe we're probably getting there.

But we probably make sure we have all the questions for the manager when he does bring it back or we do bring it back and he's here. Because I think a lot of these things could be answered by him if he was here tonight. and I'm sure there's a lot of answers people want to hear, and I like hearing the residents tell us the questions that they have so we can make sure those questions are answered ahead of time before we table it to September.

I'll call them, but...

And which fund would this $32,000 come out of? Which line item are we talking? Which division?

So there's multiple ways we can do it. So we can either do it through the, we have funds in development funds we have that are available, a couple hundred thousand dollars. We have a fund for drainage and street stuff that's like 60,000 right there. And then you can also, because you guys, when these things are passed, it doesn't mean that, especially we're lucky, we're lucky and I'm unlucky this summer because the summer's so hot. This might be the hottest summer I've ever felt, and I'm from Miami. It's like 9.30 in the morning, it feels like it's almost noon. But we are lucky in that this is a pretty dry summer. So even though we pass this, we can pass it, but not necessarily do it until after the new fiscal year. You see what I mean? So when you pass a resolution, the resolution is there, the resolution doesn't expire. right so there's multiple options that we can use when looking into this we can budget it into the next year's budget right if we pass it whenever so understand resolutions don't expire so it's about the intent of whatever we want and then if i can mayor yes you're 100 correct this authorizes the manager

to go ahead but you know questions have to be answered you know you can direct tell him to please check on this or check on that it may not get done immediately but then when it's ready to be done if you vote on it and you authorize it at the proper time he executes the contract that's what you're authorizing him to do so if you change what it is he's authorized to do tonight um you know he still has to have a contract they'll have to make the change to correct where exactly it's taking place. And when the village as an entity is satisfied, he can go ahead and execute the contract. Or he could have the contract in the meantime and say wait for a notice to proceed and issue that at the appropriate time. Because what you just said is completely correct once you've authorized it, unless you put something in that says if it's not done in a month that it does expire, otherwise As you put it, you're completely correct. It doesn't expire. It's an authorization.

For good and welfare, come on, Mr. Item.

Mayor, technically good and welfare, you're taking public comment on the resolution.

Public comment. Go ahead, Mr. Item.

Elida, 12 Northeast 90th Street. So I had a question because I've also seen the water, the way it's running to the property of Mr. Dreher. And my question was, like, the company that actually worked on this project, what are the guarantees? Do we have any, you know, like, insurance on that or... Because it sounds like it was done and the entire water is literally running, you know, towards his property. So that should have been something that should have been caught by this company. So that's something that, what are the options that we can look into that as well?

The company that put the generator in, that manager alluded that work is what you're talking about.

Whoever paved the street, right?

Who paved the, well... who paid part of the street. I understand what you're saying. I understand the question you're asking. I understand the question you're asking.

Right, because it sounds like we need to hold accountable the people that actually reassured us that this project was going, we were going to put this structure, but without any scope of work or sort of like what was going to happen to the water. Obviously, it's completely understandable why water is flooding his property. Yeah.

Yeah, no, we'll definitely look into that. I wasn't part of that project, that's why I can't answer anything for you. Manager Lou did that, and that's when she put in the generator, the generator that's outside, she did that project. So that's why I don't have any answers for you, but I'll dig into it.

No, I mean, not for me, I mean for... No, for sure, but I'll dig into it. I mean, especially for him, because that's like... I mean, I've seen the water... it's just like, it's terrifying to have all that flooding. I mean, especially now that we're in the summer season and the rain is just, so yeah, so I, you know, I mean, I don't know. I think that's the first thing to do, to go to that company that worked on it and how could they have allowed something like that? So, but I'm glad that you guys are working with it. So thank you.

Thank you very much. Next good, next public comment.

Just through what year is CAPGOV contracted?

This wasn't CAP government. This was Craig A. Smith and Associates.

I know. I'm just curious, though.

Through what year is CAP government contracted? I believe their contract was a five-year contract, I think. I think that's right. Yeah. I think it was a five-year contract. Go ahead, Mr. Long.

Daniel Rojas, 16 Northeast 86th Street. Just had a couple questions. One is, I just came through that contract, and to me it looked like it was just for engineering services, no actual construction? Am I correct?

Yes, that's engineering services, correct.

Okay, so it is just, and there's barely any actual clarification on any materials or anything? That's all gonna be additional after this assessment's made?

Yeah, it would be additional, yeah.

And then was this contract bid out, or we have a,

So we have a, no, they're contracted. So they are contracted engineers. So they went through the bidding process when they won the award and they are contracted engineers.

Okay, thank you. And then one observation is, so this is happening because a project occurred that repaved that area and it actually started affecting one of our neighbors, right?

From what I understand.

Okay, just to make sure. So every time something happens that we don't want, it's a lesson learned, right? So as we approach this project, we should also be taking a look at everything else that it's going to affect and how that ties on to our sewer and all that good stuff. So I know you guys know that, but I figure, you know, again, growth mindset, anything that happens that we didn't like, it's a lesson learned, and let's move on forward from that. Absolutely.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Next for public comment?

Denise White, 173 Northwest 88th Street. First of all, I'm in love with Mr. Werner. I love Mr. Werner. Mr. Werner, you are fabulous. Mr. Werner got water in front of his house, I think we should fix it. I'm not even sure, they say I'm not supposed to say, I'm not sure, but I'm not sure what we're even arguing about tonight. I thought that if I had an event with alcohol at Botteco and gave free alcohol, that everybody would be happy tonight and come in here and we would happy, happy, joy, joy, make things happen. But apparently alcohol is not good for y'all, so next time we're going to meet at the park, have some water. I don't understand what's happening. I really don't understand what's happening. There's a drain. It's got water. Why we can't just help him drain it. Now, if it costs a whole bunch of money, then I don't know, maybe we have to talk about it. But again, I'm confused. They say I'm not supposed to say that, but I can only be honest, y'all. Confused about what's happening tonight. Now... I only bring cherries and water. I don't have any alcohol, and I don't think we can have it for the days. But if we could all just take deep breath and woosah for two minutes. Right? So that we can have productive meetings that don't last all night long. I did have a friend fly in from Texas. I might not be able to make it tonight. Because we arguing about little semantic stuff, I think. I think, like I said, I'm confused. So if I'm wrong, please, Mr. Mayor, straighten me out. And then I'd like to say, Mr. Winters, before I didn't get, it was Mr. Winters that was at my party all night long, just having a good time with us. So at that moment, I went blank. You know, I be nervous up here sometimes, Mr. Winters. But he was at my party all night long, mingling with people and having a good time, right? So if we could just woos off for two minutes, fellas. And let's make a productive thing. Mr. Werner, he's so calm about everything. He's not even getting upset. He's like, well, can we get him on the phone? Can we help people have better understanding? I just don't want water in front of my place, right? That's all right, Mr. Werner? Right. Okay. So if we could just woos off for a minute, pass whatever we have to pass so we can move on. So if we're not here until 11 o'clock, I told y'all I might have a date.

Thank you very much. He hasn't responded back yet, Mr. Dreher. All right, I don't see anybody else for public comment. You guys want to table it?

Would you mind explaining to the audience the difference between the contracted Smith & Associates versus RFQ?

So RFQs and RFPs, So there's a couple of things. So you can have a company or service that goes through, everybody has to go through a RFP or RFQ process, all right, when they first come in. Everyone does. Even when things are renewed, they have to go through it again. And whoever wins the bid, for the RFP or RFQ process, they become the contracted company or individual for the government. You always hear about like, so-and-so won a governmental bid. Like Boeing won the bid for the federal government so they make all the planes and all the fighter jets and stuff like that. But Boeing wasn't the only one up for the government bid. They'll have Boeing and two or three other airplane companies and they present, and then the government picks whoever wins the bid for the government. So the entity can do that, the company can do that, the person can do that. You also, though, have underneath that, well, once somebody wins the bid, they become the contractual individual, and if you need those services, that's your contracted company, okay? There's also underneath that, if there's other work that needs to be done, sometimes that has to go out. And the way it works in El Portal is this. If there is, first of all, the manager has the say-so up to $5,000 spending authority, okay? If anything's kind of over $5,000, or even at times $2,500, depending on what it is, we have to get three quotes. And that's the kind of like the RFQ, RFP process, or the bid process. So it just depends. What we're talking about right now to kind of bring this home, the company that does the engineering they are the contracted company, Craig A. Smith and Associates. Once their contract runs out, if they want to stay in El Portal, they have to go through the RFQ or RFP process again. And other companies can come in, and we can say, hey, these other companies, they're presenting something better at a lower rate, and we go with them, or we stay with them, or whatever. So that's kind of like what that means, just in case anybody, I don't know, I just wanted people to kind of understand.

I want people to understand but also when we are working with this if we do get a request like this where they gave us the full bid they have a map that shows where the drain is supposed to happen and it shows it very clearly on a property that has three different houses and a turnstile. They did not put it where that is. So I'm wondering if this bid is even correct. It might actually be cheaper than what they said because it might not be over there. Maybe it's right here and it's going to change the price. So I think that we need to table it and make sure the manager confirms that they gave us a bid at the right location, and then we have a diagram, and then bring it back in September.

Yeah, so let me just touch on that very quickly. Yeah, let me just touch on that very quickly. So if you look at it, the thing about it is that since the water comes down, and we can table, and it looks like we're going to be on a table, that's no problem. But since the water comes from so far south, they're going to, they're not injecting it right here. is they're picking it up down here. That's where they're picking it up. They're gonna catch the water a little bit further back. So they're not catching it right here at like the corner of Mr. Dreyer's property. So maybe that's why it's a little bit. Yeah.

So, yeah. So, yes, we can just table it. How do we use the verbiage for this motion to table it?

Well, I just want to clarify for the residents that that was a good question at the end there.

The reason we're having such a to-do over this particular item is because it is the result of previous work done that resulted in a negative outcome, right? So it had to do with a... a section across the street that was dug up to lay a pipe or power, I guess, you know, for the generator. Right. And then and then the replacement of the street service basically over that little small trench rate was its own thing. Well, it affected the shoulder over there, and there was not diligence paid to the leveling or the little micro-geography there of the shoulder, and so that resulted in an ongoing chronic problem for a property owner. we've already had someone not do it right once and so now here we are contemplating spending more money to have basically have it redone more or less not the not the street across the street part but the shoulder part right and so that's where we're at so Well, that would probably be because our contract with them was not tight enough to provide for guarantees of leveling. And so I suspect that our contract with that vendor falls short in our ability to compel them to fix it. And so I think the attorney would probably have to be the one to correct me on that, would be where I would be landing on why is that not happening? Because I agree, we should exhaust that resource before we're putting out this for simply planning.

Yeah. So let me jump in. So that's the point that Ms. Alita brought up, which I said that we look into. And I'll contact Manager Alou. You know, she's right over there in Miami Shore. She said she saw you recently, Mr. Alvarez, over there at the meeting. She said you're the only one in the audience, but you stayed the whole time. We appreciate that. They allow alcohol. It's all good. But I'll contact manager Lou. You know, when she put the generator in, and that's for, you know, hurricane purposes, things like that or whatever. When she put the generator in, I think they had to raise something or something like that, and that's what kind of contributed or led to it when they paved over. BUT I DON'T KNOW BUT I'LL REACH OUT TO HER AND ASK HER ABOUT THE CONTRACT ASK HER SAY THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND YOU KNOW SEE IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT WITH THE INDIVIDUALS THAT PUT THE GENERATOR IN OKAY I REACH OUT TO HER DO YOU GUYS WANT TO TABLE I'LL MOVE THE TABLE THIS ITEM TO THE SEPTEMBER GENERAL COUNCIL MEETING SHOULD WE ADD TO THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE

The manager makes sure that the bid is actually for that exact spot and not the one and fifth too.

All right, I'll reword the motion. So I move to instruct the manager to redouble the effort of diligence ahead of the September general council meeting to have this item fully vetted and prepared to be able to be reported on and presented to the council for decision.

I second. All right, thank you very much. We have a motion, we have a second. Madam Clerk, let me get a quick roll call on that.

Roll call, Councilperson Winters.

Yes.

Councilperson Erbaum. Yes. Mayor Nickerson. Yes. Motion passes three to nine.

Thank you very much. Manager Roseman's not here tonight. You guys see my report there. Contact me as always, you guys, if you guys want to talk about anything or have any questions about anything. Mr. Attorney, any reports?

Not at this time, sir.

All right, thank you very much. Do I have a motion to adjourn, you guys?

I'm there.

Yes. Oh, that's right.

I have to address the qualifying.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

The qualifying period will be open as of this Friday, July 31st. It runs from noon that day to next week, August 7th, noon. Anybody who wishes to become a candidate has to come make an appointment, send me an email to make an appointment before doing anything. Any, cannot open up a campaign account, it is very important that they come and meet with me. That's it.

Thank you very much. Motion to adjourn. So moved. Second by Councilperson Winters, second by Councilperson Ervang. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say nay. Hearing none. The council meeting for Tuesday, July 28, 2026 is adjourned at 9.11 p.m. Thanks.