Village Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. At this point in time, I'd like to call the meeting to order. Vice Mayor Cantor.

Everyone please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic

under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Here. Short agenda at this point in time it's time for public comments if there are any Three minutes state your name address and please address the council Madam clerk are there any comments?

Okay. My first question would be in this sense. Can you hear me?

Yeah. My first question would be we have, of course, no history from you all since you're just starting. You have projected income of $8.5 million. I spoke with PCM relative to the year 25 and 24. They did 8 million in 25, and they did 7 million 8 in 24. I realize there's inflation. How comfortable are you with the 8 million 5 in income? And the reason I'm asking that is we've got a million dollars and then the $460,000, but that money is going to have to carry the cost of the bond to redo our golf course. I wonder how much, if you all have had a chance to look at that and what you think that

Mr. Manager, on Mr. Burch's question, can we just update the public on where we're at with the district from our last meeting?

But there's a lot of buts and ifs with that. And in one of the meetings where it was the first meeting that we all had individually, if you looked at the go back to your golf, that golf proposal that they proposed, and you look at where the pump station is sitting and then you see the orange part. If you look on that, there's also his construction area, which was that blue line. That blue line that he's talking about, their opinion is it wouldn't interfere with our golf business the redesign as you do this and they have their construction area what they want and their intent is to work with us

One of the things that's scary is that they have their latest

Rendition of what they proposed to do they brought a map and then when we asked to look at it They wouldn't show it to us I think that I think the map that was in question that they brought that day is the one if you go to the Army Corps of Engineers application or where they it's on the website under that or it's a public records request, but for the one that I saw that the same thing is is the one after their After we let them on the course to do their core sample to move their design further along, that's the new design. And that's the one that came out in, was that, manager, was that, it w

That's correct. I mean, but as far as, I mean, we can ask, I think we can ask Kemper or we can ask Mr. Brennan. It's where the course is at itself and also the clubhouse. I think people are aware that we have an older building. But it's more so discussions I've had with them is the timelines for and how far we can push this course and put these rounds through. Matt, how many rounds are expected for this calendar year? And it should match up, I think, with last year?

And that's what we're expecting in the course condition that it is right now from coming out of summer and then going into the season for 26 into 27, correct? Yes, sir, that's correct. All right. But the capital improvements, they put in the capital improvements that they're anticipating in this budget. There's the aging. We have two pumps on the property, first for irrigation?

TODD BANDUCCI- Right. And in this capital budget, the pumps are scheduled? Well, my question is, is it possible, if it does and we have to do it, that when we do the pumps, it would be the pump that would go on the new main line if we have to do the pumps this year. Would that be correct?

Also for clarification, can you just tell the public the lease that we have on the carts and then what we're also trying to do with timing

One more question. What was your opinion on the sewer system there for the clubhouse and the course? What was your opinion of it, and did you anticipate any plans to address that?

Well, as you know, the course is low. There's four septic tanks there, and at least two of those are very marginal at the moment.

We've been told that the county is going to extend the main up Biscayne Boulevard, but they're talking about five years from now.

Also, the area is going to be, like I brought up before, the area is going to be part of that Biscayne Canal Action Area also. So there's other, the county is working on things, and the district's working on projects, and we're working on projects, so. think the window for and what I've articulated to residents and members is this two-year time we have a two-year window to but it's start today to to get financing and figure out what we're doing but there's a basically two seasons of golf and the conditions that it is and that's that's also knock on wood and hopefully mother nature is very kind

maybe putting a pump on the east side of it also so that right now how it is it's it's limited on in our golf superintendents doing outstanding job on this but that's also part of the crop capital improvement that I couldn't agree with you more but the point is we have the million dollars and we're looking for that basically to pay our bond and so you know I'm just trying to see if we can sweep through this particular part right now to do the capital stuff we have to do and still be able to make our, you know, borrow the money and make our bond payments. We're looking here at $1.5 million. You

But the one thing is with this figure, and this is on historical or based, everybody has the same numbers. I have the same numbers. I think you were provided the same numbers from PCM and this budget here. these are these fees and this this structure is based on the conditions of the course that it is right now go back to your NGF thing you're also looking at a 20% increase on it and then it's a discussion when we do go to bond council is what's the length of the loan for for it and in my personal opinion because a golf course always has to be renovated about every 13 years we should look into

even but the increase is good to say is there mr. Valensky do you have any questions yeah we thank you mr. mayor we haven't made any changes to the operating hours of the restaurant or bar since Kemper has taken over have we that is correct And are there any plans in the future to do so?

I'm talking about, you know, further out than just this budget.

Okay. All right. I mean, I'm not trying to put a lot of pressure on this. We're still getting, you know. getting our feet wet here and comfortable, but I would like to see in the future some plans to maybe expand over there, because the Gulf, as we've discussed in the past, the Gulf is booked pretty solid. And we could raise fees and generate more revenue through that, but there's only so much you could raise fees, whereas we have a bar and a restaurant there that is is closed most of the time. So I feel like that's where there's a lot of opportunity to increase the revenue. Now, I'm not pushi

I heard something else. Well, technically the government can't make a profit. We're running a business. So it's, yes, that's the windfall for revenue there for operating. And then the more efficiencies that are found in each one of these or increases in, let's say it's the driving range or like Mr. Valensky said with F&B or more banquets are booked there, then yeah, that figure would go up. And then we'll use that, we'll use it for the reserve for future use and then if you go look in your budget book for stormwater and or for solid waste and I think it's stormwater we those enterprise funds t

But yes, for the public, that's on their sheet, and when they speak, yes, that is it.

Are there any more questions for Kemper or Mr. Brennan or the manager or even me?

I'd also like to take this time to thank Kemper Sports and also Mr. Brennan for the timely of putting this budget together that they started on June 1st and they got us a budget this quick. Thank you.

I'd also like to thank you all. I think you did a tremendous job at Mother's Day. I think you did a tremendous job at Father's Day. I've heard nothing but positive things from residents as far as the facilities and service at the club, so you're certainly off to a good start.

I will... As you all know, I'm not a golfer, but I have been asking, and I've been getting nothing but positive feedback so far. So I will concur with that and thank everybody.

did a great job but I particularly want to thank the mayor because he put a lot of effort into this and unlike all those other people he only gets paid one dollar for it we owe him a lot of gratitude and I don't think he'll probably never get the credit he deserves for that he did a great job thank you thank you I also I mean what we've

With the framework working with us, the timeline, I think from what I've heard from the residents is that they would like, the first one was the request to get it for the midterm of election in November to get it on the ballot, and I just don't think that's The second one would be then our special election in April. And the first step would be that survey. And the survey that we do is for the Parks Master Plan total is what the scope of the survey will be.

And if we get a negative on that, what that's up to you that's up to you well then we then the other just if we get a negative then we're obviously the other stuff you're budgeting for wouldn't happen correct correct so this is our we're trying to get this we'll look for monies this year so we could get it because the residents are pushing for this because I think madam clerk the the language would have to be or us worth less trying to pass this it would have to be by January to get it on April

That would be pushing. So let's not do that one. Let's do how about we try the last meeting before the holidays in December because I know how this village works. How about that one as our drop dead.

Angie, if you could get back to us for the length, I definitely think that the survey has to be done and probably after the summer is over, so it would be September. Correct. But how long would it take them and then crunch the numbers and then get back to us, do you think?

Yes. Well, December. Let's stick to the December thing. Because otherwise if we have a can to kick and there's a road, we're going to do that.

We'll get good data back from it. We'll move forward with it. I just want the public to know the timeline, the realistic timeline for this. And it's important to residents that have spoken to me and met with me about this so ever since we've passed this it's let's get this done and I know that it's running concurrent with with the golf and that's a big thing to do but to me they're two separate tracks same train two different tracks we're through this Dorney for the time yes but thank you thank you Francis

Through the Chair, if I may. Can you just, I know you said you're in the middle of working on it. Can you just maybe give us, like, what's your impression?

All right. I know a lot of people are very excited about there being, you know, a cap or a ceiling where anything below that value, you're not going to be able to get a print. But there's a lot of stipulations in fine print there that I don't think people are aware of, like about it applying to, you know, many things. It doesn't apply to many things. Correct. Like plumbing and electrical and a bunch of others.

In your tenure here, have you ever had a reduction this large?

But not 22%? No. Yeah. Malcolm? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Is that maintenance different because it is mostly commercial use on that or in other words would it be a similar maintenance for a project like in the Shores Estates on the sewer system or is this a different thing entirely because of the fact that it's commercial with like grease traps and stuff like that?

Elroy, one question I have, though. These grinder pumps are for each building there for whatever that business is. Do the grinder pumps then belong to the village, or do they belong to the individual businesses that they're draining?

So we have to maintain them are they do they in turn reimburse you for maintaining them?

And so then how is that in other words normally you get a water bill and a percentage of that water bill based on what that water bill is you get charged a sewer charge once a sewer system is installed by whoever is providing the service. So are these business owners In other words, these grinder pumps are just creating low pressure to push this ultimately to a pumping station and a main to go to Miami-Dade water and sewer. Is the village also paying that bill, or are the business owners paying it? Who is actually paying for accepting the surge?

But you wouldn't know if the village was paying Miami-Dade Water and Sewer a sewerage bill.

It sounds like a discussion of possible action coming soon to a council near us. Yes, definitely. Ding, ding, ding, ding.

Some angry emails when people get a two-year bill.

Well, you know, the city got sold a bill of goods. The grinder pumps are cheaper to put in because you don't have to bury them. You don't have to bury the lines. And so it looks wonderful in the beginning, but we were never really told how fragile they are. I mean, most, you know, it We sure got to quit paying for it or else get out of it.

I feel like this council is playing musical chairs with the last chair all the time.

People don't understand hiring or contracting out for stuff is obviously a big headache. Having the ability have in-house staff that can tackle little projects and repairs and it is you know you want to expand that you got my support projects from

I think the more we can do in-house, the better. It's awesome. So I appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you.

A question with the body cams with Axiom. We're doing new cars. Is it bundled that the car and body cam are this contract with Axiom?

What's your opinion? If the officers have a body camera and this is a small department, are the dash cams as important or, I mean, is this bundled together? I mean, we're doing new cars and it might be a cost savings if we don't do the dash cams for the cars.

All right. I mean, before September, if you could AB that, what it would be? Because the fleet is being switched out and then just say.

Through the Chair, when it comes to that kind of stuff, adding another camera is that I understand the cost of the hardware, but the more significant cost, I think, in the long term is the data management, right, dealing with all the – Software data management storage, yes. Is – and how is the data – is that like a bundle for like X amount of cameras, or is it by how much data? How is that charged?

So adding another camera does increase the cost of whatever the data costs are? Yes. Not just the hardware of adding another camera? Yes, correct. Gotcha.

Thank you. Chief, one question, and this really isn't mine, but this is from many, several residents. How does our village police force compare to other cities here in metropolitan Dade County? relative to the number of higher officers in the force for the size of the force. The complaint has been that we are not mine, but I'm asking a question for residents that have asked me that. I don't really know what those numbers are, but the complaint was that we have more sergeants and more lieutenants and et cetera for the size of force compared to the average police force. Can you address that, ple

So one of the questions or one of the sections was emergency communication in the budget. And I am wondering why are what your opinion is as far as the Starlink system. Those antennas are like, they were, I don't know what it is today, they were $105. And that allows your cell phone to access that with an emergency and a loss of the normal phone communications. And if you put one at the police station and one here, at the school and wherever you felt they needed to be but i mean for a thousand dollars you can put ten of them in and your phone becomes you can receive calls give calls where does

I have one of those on my boat, and you can watch movies, make phone local, they appear to be local phone calls, back and forth. Yes. It's been a great system, and I think, well, I have the, as you said, the mobile.

Mike, one question. Yes, sir. which I'm sure you've been asked many times. And so a resident gets a complaint on their roof that the roof is dirty and you give them a notice of that. And then the resident comes out and says, well, what about that guy's roof and what about this guy's roof? So how does that – how is that – initiated in the first place in other words the initial person that you or a person with you would go to I'm just doing this for the public sure so what what how do you pick that first house as opposed to several others that might be in thank you for the question possible so s

Thank you. You're welcome, sir. Mike, year over year, how many citations did you compare, like 2026 to 25?

But some of the properties, just even in my neighborhood, they're just – I know that they get fined or there's a citation there, but it just is a running parking meter essentially.

And that new officer works over the weekend? No. No? But we're working on that. Okay.

Oh, wait. Hang on. Hang on, Mike. I think a couple key things in terms of people's understanding of what it is that you do and the scope of what you do. You Maybe that's changed with more staff, but I don't think it has. You're basically responding to complaints. Yes, sir. You don't have the time to go and actually just be doing patrols and out. I'm asking because this is a concern of residents of enforcing uniformly. People feel like, oh, I'm getting picked on or this one's getting picked on. Sure. You don't have time to pick on anybody. You're just responding to complaints, and it's a good d

Okay. I might do that, actually. I think you made a fantastic point, though, because I could just tell you that I get a lot of people, e-mails reaching out to me with situations where I'm like, well, you know, did you talk to the neighbor? And a lot of times the answer is no. And I feel like not just code enforcement but also the police department, Sometimes residents want to use you guys as a mediator between a neighbor when a simple conversation sometimes would suffice.

You're not here to pick on people. You're here to help us maintain the beautiful village we have.

Mike, one more question. Do you feel that the board backs you up? Do you feel that because, again, it's our responsibility to put those people on it. Are they

Well, I wanted to hear that so that our council could hear it. It's imperative that we perhaps question these applicants more when the vacancies come up there on that particular board. because I've heard that I've been to some of those meetings I'm sure you all have too and the reductions I think are read sometimes are ridiculous I mean it was a I remember one house it was a hundred and twenty thousand and fines and they took twenty you know it's a All right, whatever. Thank you very much.

Mike, I do have one more question. With that said, for budgetary reasons or just even citations and work for employees, is we have software that tracks all this, and just like you have the cases closed and then the reduction, do you have a report you can run with that, or we're not there yet, or we don't have that?

That would be good for all of us. I mean, any council, new council coming in is just how many houses. And you said if they're businesses and they're LLCs and they've got liens on them or the ones where they do go to code, I mean, it would be a good thing for moving forward, especially... Again, I'll lean into HJR 203. If it passes, this is another thing where we should be shored up in this budgetary thing to track what the code compliance dollars are. And we should be able to have it on a sheet and all the residents should be able to see it. We should ask the clerk for it or whatever to know.

those fees also? No. Okay, so if you actually do work and you send a bill for that, that's outside of the board's... That's outside, yes, sir.

For that's the labor that was done or how are we where's the money? I'll find it goes back to the general. Yeah. Okay.

I just, for my two cents, Esmond, would like to say I think this is the best program that you've put on since I've been on the board. And I think it was very explanatory. I think it was very well presented. And I don't think it could have been any better. So thank you.

Bring us together to discuss with with that said and the property tax portion of this residents are asking and The madam attorney might help me with this is what what are we capable as the village to inform? The ballot HJR 203 for are we allowed a one pager? For this one what we just are working on with the 20 the 26-27 budget and then just show if this passes, this is what this budget looks like, are we allowed to do that? Or do we hold a workshop? Do we bring in nonpartisan bodies like the Realtors Group or maybe League of Women Voters just to do a presentation? Are we allowed to do that?

And then if the other, in that newsletter also, the ones, I think it's going to go, just out there for general public, League of Women Voters, or the real estate PAC that's in Dade County. If we're allowed to put the link on our newsletter, can we do that? let me let me just get clarification because they're kind of residents are coming to us and asking and there's other municipalities that have done things and one of them that's in social media or whatever is Gainesville so it's it's already out there and it's like why aren't you done it you know and this is important most people know and mos

That discussion, that applies to like the council speaking officially and using council resources or village resources, but that has no bearing on us as individuals and we can go out and advocate for whatever we want, right? Yeah, and your individual capacity not on behalf of right the village councilman Valenski, but not councilman Valenski I'm speaking on behalf of the village. I'm speaking for myself in my shirt.

$2,500 to be put in the Sustainability and Resiliency Committee budget so that we can pay for things like shirts, banners, awareness, etc. We haven't had a budget previous and most of my committee members are paying for those things out of their own pocket because they think it's important and so I've asked that to be put into the budget. As previously discussed as well, we're going to try to roll out a composting initiative pilot program for the village here. I've also asked that we put some dollars into that as well. We are pursuing a grant to see if we were getting more information right no

And that sounds like a great idea. Hopefully, by the time we get the next meeting in September, we can nail down some actual numbers and companies.

We will be. We're working on it. So do I have everyone's support for those two items? Yes, you do. Or any questions about those two items from any council members?

I'd like to discuss the budget thing more.

I and whether or not it would be better to just pay for things that are requested rather than assigning a budget because then we might be putting ourselves on a slippery slope well we also decided that if the dollars are not spent from that budget it will return to the general fund so it's not just a are you talking about sustainability or you're talking about I'm talking about all the committees all the committees I'm saying every committee is gonna want a budget I'm just saying, not that I think our committee is better than any other committees, but at the end of the day, we are doing a lot

One thing I'd like to see, I'm sorry Jesse go ahead. One thing I'd like to see considered for the budget by all of you before our September meeting, of course, is the school. The school gets money from two areas. It gets money from a capital amount that they're given per year, and it gets money per student from the Department of Education. Now, the village in the past has, the school's only paid $180,000 And it is in their contract that that's supposed to go up 3% every year, which has not occurred. And certainly... That's the law. That's the contract. And it should go up that. But in addition

I just want to say through the chair, I had a conversation already with head of school and the board chair about all of those items, and we're going to be coming to sit down with Esmond to discuss all of that here in the coming week or two. So it's already on my radar as someone who's kind of the liaison over there.

Well, I'll miss that meeting if it's in a week or two, but I'll love to hear what happened.

We will report back, and that's a good point made there.

Seems like a good product we have here. I would encourage, as my colleague said, I would encourage residents to dig into this and ask any questions that you might have. I know it's a little intimidating, certainly a lot to digest here, and it's a little complicated. But don't be afraid of it. And I've certainly been taking a lot of notes. And remember, this was just our first meeting, our first look at it. We have much more coming. But I just want to say with this changes to the taxes that I think we should probably assume are coming, whether we want them to or not, I think we need to plan for

I agree with you Thank you, I'm Samir if I may again, I'm so I know I say that a lot Was there a cordon? I'm sorry, but I you know, I heard um, I

Yeah, other municipalities do it. I mean, I think if the residents were following when we did the compensation and classification study, it's there. Yes. So in any municipality, it's not going to have the employee's name on it. It'll just have what the title is and how many positions we have and how many we filled or how many are empty. I think there's a misnomer that they want to know. Employee X is what's that? It's just categories anyway when we do this. And it's there. It's in our public record right now for if somebody requests it. And moving forward with back to what's before us. This ex

The law will go into effect. They're putting the law into effect this year. But my point to bring that up was originally it was going to be... It was going to be over five years and they changed the language so that that love they voters vote for it It goes effect January 1st 2027. That's my point to it Right, it's clear 20, right That's I mean, but that's why we prep this budget, but it's it's also the exercise that was done with the 10% it's it's under the even though the county said our our appraisal went up we were also telling staff this is coming it's that didn't say hey do this budget a

Move to adjourn. Second. All in favor, aye. Thank you.