City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the regular council meeting. Today is June 18th. We can call to order at 649. Can we please rise for the invocation of the Pledge of Allegiance?

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the many blessings of our lives. We thank you for our friends, our neighbors, our family, and those that we work with. And we also thank you for our service people, our police, our firefighters, our EMTs that keep us all safe. Please watch over our servicemen and women as they toil around the earth. And watch over our kids because so much can happen. And if you could give us some rain, that would be good too. We ask for this and more in the name of your son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Amen.

All right, if we can go ahead and take a roll call.

I am here. Here. President. Here.

So just for the record, we got some people on summer leave, I guess, on vacation. Debbie's overseas, George is up north visiting family, and our attorney is actually on a flight back now from Columbia. And we have our council member who just joined us. Thank you.

Sorry about that, guys.

On to meeting notices, nothing to report. Presentations, there's none. Citizens' comments, do we have any citizens' comments? Announcements or amendments, corrections to the agenda, nothing to report. Approval of the minutes, regular council meeting that was held May 21st. Do we have a motion on the floor to approve?

I make a motion to approve as written.

We have a motion to approve by Councilwoman Taylor Martinez. Do we have a second? Second. We have a second by Councilman Turr. Any other discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed? Motion passes. On to Mayor's report. Mr. Mayor?

Thank you, Council President. Let me just take a look at something real quick here. Okay, so the first item on my agenda is an update on the Phase 2 Central Drainage Improvement Project. Everyone should have the paperwork in front of them. The bids, I think, came in. We talked about it last month. But the lowest bidder was $556,000, which is a lot. It was way under from our second and third place bidder. So we vetted the contractors. I know Macbeth reached out to a few of the contractors that they listed as references. And everyone should have a copy in front of them right now. We received a response back from Palmetto Bay. from Pinecrest and from Albrecht engineers. I know our engineers did reach out to them. We had a little concern about the paving. They were confident. They would fix their numbers that they bid at. So there's really discipline. There's no reason to move on with the second lowest bidder. So it's my recommendation that we go ahead and approve tonight the contract with Pinecrest. What's the name of the contractor? Eatley Construction.

Eatley Construction.

The Palmetto Bay said that they haven't done work with them yet. They haven't done work with them yet, but the other ones came back. And this one says Hard Tech Group.

Spell Bellens. How long have they been in business? I don't know. How long they've been in business?

It's okay. All the requirements, they put the bid in like everybody else. Not to say we have to go with the lowest bidder, but usually it's a reason why if we don't go with the lowest bidder, it has to be a reason why.

Do we have a motion to approve Healy Construction for the Phase 2 Central Drainage Improvement Project?

I make a motion.

We have a motion by Councilwoman Deida Martinez.

Second.

We have a second by Councilwoman Turr. Any other discussion? All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

All those opposed? Motion passes. Heating construction.

Move forward with the phase two, central drainage approval. And we'll have a resolution coming up on the attorney's report, so we'll get to that in a few minutes. So the second item I have is a request council approval to contract the Cordino Group to develop the geographic information GIS system. That's our water system that we need to, we're already behind with the county right now. So the county is requesting that our water system be on GIS and submitted to the county. Is that in the front? All of our water systems, our force mains, our water line, water service lines to our residential, our business. So that's really just updating our GIS map. Can we move it to the front of the house?

No. Just mapping it out. So for example, the system that you see Google Maps type of thing? you can see on the map all the lines, all the existing lines. So if construction starts, hey, where are the water lines? They show you where they are. Not just, hey, I know we put a line there at some point, or go through all the plans of previous projects and see where this puts it all together. What's actually in the field.

We did receive a grant for this, so it's not going to cost us anything. The village, I should say, it's not going to cost the village anything. We will have enough money left over from this grant to move on with other projects But for now, the first phase will be the water mapping.

The idea would be eventually to do water, power, sewer?

Water, probably sewer, storm drainage, and then probably trees as well. So that's the idea. All right.

Do we have a motion to approve the GIS system with the Corradino Group? I have a motion. We have a motion by Councilman Turr.

I second.

We have a second by Councilwoman Taylor-Martinez. Any other discussion? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. All those opposed? Corradino Group can go ahead and start on the GIS.

Yay.

And the last thing I do have, Laz is not here either. He left out of town today. We got like a skeleton crew here. But he did want me to remind everybody that at P&L, they are going to start the restoration process in about two weeks. So if you notice, they're going around putting all the pad mounts in, the transformers, and in about two weeks, they'll start coming back repairing all the sidewalks that were damaged. On this side? In between 5-9 and 6-4. Yes, which is at Phase 1. Mayor, what's the deadline for the whole VT?

When is it going to be done with the whole entire? Well, 5-9 is 6-4. It should be powered by the end of the month. Should be. That's what they're saying. And they'll be removing the cables? Yes. Once the house is connected, they remove the cables? Yes.

Once everything is connected, they come back, remove all the transformers above. Remove all the lines except for the poles are staying the same. The poles aren't going anywhere. Absolutely. Transformers will be removed along with the power lines will be removed. And then from 5-9 to 5-7, they're working on now. I don't have a timeline for that, but they're moving along pretty quick. I saw them out there today, as a matter of fact, in that area. And then the last phase, which won't be probably until next year, is 6-5 to 6-7. So that will be next year. So next year they should be done with the whole PG? Absolutely. So next year, okay. Yeah, definitely. For sure. And considering the rest of the village, this is a smaller portion over here.

Can I ask you, are the apartment buildings also going to have an entire building?

Absolutely.

Any businesses?

Yes. Everything. Everything.

Everyone in DG. That's beautiful. It's a beautiful thing. Yeah, it's a beautiful thing. All right. Did you have something else to report? No, that's all I got.

Okay. I have a question for you.

There is a business in 1974.

Oh, that's good.

That's awesome. Okay, good.

I don't know. Maybe just the other day. Those hippies, you know how they were. 1971, that's a good thing. They should tell everybody.

Administrative items, beautification, the minutes for the month of June have been submitted.

Good evening, Mr. Hector Martinez.

There you go, there you go.

Evening Mayor, Council. I really don't have much to report for this month. We did have a tree that was donated to us from Miami Springs and Israel got to plant it on the canal bank and I did see a palm earlier in the week where a car was trying to park between the palm and the stop sign just going back and forth 300 times.

And the palm was actually trying to grow sideways because it was trying to reach the sun.

I'm 59th, the corner of 38th Street. There's a mahogany tree there, and then there's a Christmas palm, and then there's a street sign there. And the corner guy, the low-headed guy, always parks his car there, and they zigzag. back and forth trying to get in there. So, and I saw the palm reaching out. I'm like, eh, it's probably a good time to move it. So it actually has, you know, full growth. So we moved, Israel moved them both to the canal bank.

Okay.

And we're going to go water them.

And you have a guest here. Why don't you introduce your guest?

And we did have a yard picked for this month, but I saved it for next month. RCC probably should be back next month. So, yeah, with me is Enrique Leon, our newest member.

Enrique Leon, he lives across the street from Mr. Garrett on 39th. Right, David? Yeah. The corner house? Oh, he's next to the house that has... Next to the house that has like 13 cars.

Yes.

That one. The house to the west. Yeah. Yeah.

Anything else? No. All right. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Give your papers back.

On to planning and zoning. The meeting for the month of June was canceled. We're going to move on. Public safety. Mr. Chief. One and only. Come on.

I want to be just like Hector. I don't have nothing to report for this morning.

I got to make fun of you.

How are you doing, Mayor, Council?

Good evening.

Michael Turner, thank you for coming early.

I just had to throw that one.

You can give me next time. We have a new applicant that we finished processing and she's ready for hire. Her name is Hilda Alvarez. She's a new person. has never worked in law enforcement, so this will be her first time. She's been unemployed for taking care of her kids since 2025, so we did a, she was recommended by one of her friends in the state attorney's office, so she seems like a real nice girl, and she'll be an added person to our part-timers.

Did she read the Miami Dade College Police? Yes. Yes. She didn't read that thing right here.

And again, before we even come to the council, the background check's already been done. Everything's been vetted on the future employees.

She's from Pennsylvania, okay.

All of this?

I don't know. It doesn't say we shouldn't ask. Anything else? She wanted to say yes.

We have a motion to approve the new part-timer. We have a motion. We have a motion by Councilman Turr.

And we have a second spot. And we have a second.

All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed? Motion passed. Thank you. Say that again? That's a drive.

Yeah, it's from Cutler Ridge, yeah. We had our family here. We talked to our family, and they're all excited for her. So this is a new career for her. Young, young person, young girl. And she's, like I said, I think she'll be, since we had the last female that she went on to other things, I think this will be a good added addition for us. And since we're losing some of our officers to our sister city.

Yeah, we just lost another one.

Yeah. That's okay. That's all right, we move on.

Like I tell them all, if you can, move on, get the retirement, get the pension, and come back. We have a lot of guys here like Sacramento who worked here many years ago, left, and now he's back again. They'll come back.

Look at Jeff Collins.

He left, and he's back.

And also, we just had a flock safety camera installed in 62 and 36th Street that's up and running, and I know Councilman Council President Gabriel Fernandez is very happy for that camera.

Just for the record, I am not. Big Brother is alive and well. How many more of these cameras are we going to be putting? One more. I'll tell you what. Miami Springs has caught quite a few. They've caught three people. No. You know what? Invasion of privacy over three people. That's okay. No, that's not.

That was your family. That was Rob.

Council President, you need to give up your phone.

Of course.

If you have a wallet and credit cards, they already know where you are.

Of course. We just keep adding to it.

Well, we need to have security. That's all I have to say.

Thank you. Thank you, Mary. Thank you, Constable.

All right. Thank you, Chief. On to public works. Nothing to report. Recreation, nothing to report. And resolutions. Mr. Mayor, would you like to take that over? Yes. I'll go ahead and read this for the attorney.

Which one is this one?

This is G1.

G1, yeah.

The mutual aid one. Okay.

The one that says mutual aid.

A resolution of the Village of Virginia Gardens for approving the statewide mutual aid agreement 2026 between the Village of Virginia Gardens and the Florida Division of Emergency Management authorizing the mayor to execute the agreement providing for implementation and providing for an effective date.

Do we have a motion on the floor to approve resolution G1? We have a motion. We have a motion by Councilman Turr.

I have a question. Yes, ma'am. Oh, well, I have to say it in a second. Does it cost us money?

No, it does not cost us money. If we need their assistance in case an emergency comes along, no different than us having a mutual aid with Miami Springs, Medley.

All right. Have they ever asked us, the whole state? This is standard.

We do this every year.

Do we have a second on the floor?

Yes, I do.

We have a second by Councilwoman Taylor Martinez. Any other discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed? Motion passes. Resolution G1.

On to Resolution G2. A resolution of the Village Council of the Village of New Gardens for adopting a Village Water Conservation Plan consistent with the Miami-Dade County Water Conservation Program and the permanent year-round landscape irrigation restrictions of Chapter 32 of the Code of Miami-Dade County establishing water use, efficiency, landscape irrigation, plumbing fixture, leak detection, reclaimed water, public education, and drought response measures Directing the mayor to implement the plan, providing for incorporation of recitals, providing for conflicts, providing for severability, and providing for an effective date.

We have a motion on the floor.

I'll make a motion.

We have a motion by Councilman Jerry Martinez.

Second.

We have a second by Councilman Turr. Any other discussion?

So this is required by the county as well. We have that information on our village website right now with the links to the different water saving measures that the county uses, irrigation.

All right. No more discussion. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed?

Resolution G2 passes onto Resolution G3, a resolution of the Village Council of the Village of Virginia Gardens in Miami-Dade County, Florida, adopting a contract of heat reconstruction group in the amount of $565,000 for the Virginia Gardens Phase II Central Drainage Improvement Project pursuant to RPQ number 002-2026. This was a rebid authorizing the mayor to execute the contract and all necessary documents requiring a 100% performance payment bond and provide it for an effective date. So just for the record, we just talked about this a few minutes ago. The grant amount was for $800,000 like we've done in the past in the project area. If there's any approaches that need to be repaved, a lot of them are in pretty bad shape, this will include that as well. Cracked sidewalks and anything else that was not cracked. We have a whole list that we gathered in the last year. So we know what FD&L cracked or damaged. We know what was there prior. So we won't be touching any of the sidewalks until FD&L gets out of here in that area.

It's just the asphalt in those spaces is insane.

Not only that, they may prepare some of the areas that they didn't. Damage.

Damage. OK.

So we'll use that money somewhere else. And our grant was for $800,000. So we did spend all that money we paid for through the grant. Good.

Can I make a motion?

We have a motion by Councilman Martina Martinez. Second. And a second by Councilman Turr. Any other discussion? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. All those opposed? The resolution G3 passes. On to attorney's report, but he's not here. Old business, nothing to report. New business, good and welfare. Does anybody have any good and welfare? Go USA tomorrow.

Yes. Whatever time that is, 3 o'clock.

I just want to say the chief, no, no, I don't understand chief. I just love when I'm around, sitting around in the neighborhood, I love seeing our police just patrolling.

They're everywhere.

And I think that Virginia Garden is one of the places that you could hang outside and you see the police patrolling. And I love that.

Our department is amazing. The police officers are the ones that you see. Not the chief, but you'll see the police officers patrolling, right? Mike, is that what you're trying to say?

It started many, many years ago by our...

I love that, and I think that brings a lot of value to our city, and it's because of you.

We have a good police department, and this patrolling, we're being visible, being seen. It started many, many years ago by our mayor, and he was the one that... wants everybody to be seen in the village.

I'll say one thing. We do have to calm some of our guys down. A lot of them come from FHP. Bingo. Yes. I like to take a second on that. Other departments where they weren't used to community policing. It's hard to go from here, and I say here, I don't mean they're superior to us, but a whole different ballgame on highways and dealing with speeders. Here, it's more community policing. Steve and I have had many conversations on that Even this week we had a conversation on that and trying to change some of their, you know, ways of thinking.

Yeah, their habits. Their habits from big departments to small departments was more community policing and it's more, you know.

You're parked over a sidewalk. Take a good knock on that door. Yeah, talk to them. Meet the residents.

Right, meet the residents.

Actually, that's why we used to do the bicycle when they rode the bike.

When I was young, I would ride.

No, no, I mean in particular. Huh?

No, the problem is that the bikes that we currently have are 29 inches, which is hard for me when I stop to get off the bike.

Thank you, Chief.

Thank you, Chief. Thank you.

I have a question, but I'm going to ask you.

Yeah, go ahead.

Can I ask you? It doesn't have anything to do with Good Woman. What happened with that audit we were supposed to do?

Which audit?

The audit where they wanted to know everything about everything. Oh, that's yearly.

That's the annual audit.

It's done? Well, I thought it was.

It's ongoing. That audit's ongoing. Every year we have the audit, and that one's ongoing, but... Whenever we receive a grant for over $750,000, I think, we have to have a single audit also. That's a whole separate audit from everything else. So that might be the one you're talking about.

I know. Okay.

So we'll have an audit next year just on that one grant.

On the one that we're going to have. Yeah.

That's a single audit. That's good to know. Another one was from our previous audit with the Canal Bank and 38th Street, 37th Street.

These swans are beautiful. They chased away all the turtles. They chased them all up to my neighborhood. We had five.

We have four eggs over there. We're going to have more swans.

We'll see.

It's too hot, you know.

It's too hot now. Anything else? No, but I was going to tell you, we put water in the driveway, so they had water to drink.

Well, they float all day in that canal.

Yeah, well, they didn't want to go back.

Do you have a motion to adjourn? Yes. We have a motion by Councilman Turr. And a second by Councilwoman Tera Martinez. Any other discussion? Before I close out, next council meeting will be canceled July 16th.

It will be rescheduled. So what's the date of the new meeting?

July 23rd.

Is that an issue for you guys? At 6 p.m. July 23rd. I'm in. Or are you over in Hialeah? Are you in town or in Hialeah?

I'll be here.

July 23rd. No, I'm here.

Fourth of July parade. Fourth of July parade. We should all know that already. July 23rd, I can be here.

I said I was inside a car, right?

Yeah, I think so. I think I'm going to put you in Andy's car. me inside it whatever you want something about in the cage or i don't know something about that no all right any other discussion motion adjourned at 7 15.