Midtown Community Redevelopment Agency - Regular Meeting

Chair, whenever you have a minute and you're done.

Thank you. I appreciate that. First thing I want to say is I think it's apparent to most people that this is never the way something like this should be handled. you kind of proved my whole point of political theater and taking something which may all be very easily explained, very well explained, and creating a fiction around it to hurt someone, an employee of the city of Miami, who happens to be my chief of staff and does an amazing job. And I value highly and is one of the people who has helped every CRA and helped every person in the city. And I bet you can talk to most people through the

So let me speak. Absolutely. So let me speak.

I am going to read the resolution. A resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Midtown Community Development Agency, with attachments, appointing Anthony Balzebri as the Executive Director of the CRA, authorizing the Midtown CRA's Chairman to negotiate and execute any and all necessary agreements, setting the Executive Director's compensation and benefits, all in form acceptable to the Council and Midtown CRA for said purposes. The letter, which was March 2022, Dear Mr. Bowser, this will confirm the action of the Board of Commissioners of the Midtown Redevelopment Agency. By the way, you

This should not be handled like this, Commissioner. This is not the way that we should act as a city with each other or with the public. This is disingenuous and it's false. And we shouldn't be doing this at all. And even more. And by the way, we can go into Bayfront Park Trust. There's a million things that we have. Miguel Ferro and where he was employed. There's a million things. We shouldn't be doing this. We should simply get the information as appropriate and if their measures need to be taken, taken. But everything here was approved above board.

All I have to go on are your statements made at this moment on the dais. There is no time to investigate this other than the texts that I've received, which he tells me he has his outside employment forms filed that I know of. He's an above board person that complies with everything. So he's not here. He's not here. I don't think, I think this is like bordering on defamation. This is an employee of the city.

I wouldn't do that to an employee in my office. And I wouldn't do that to any employee. What you're doing right now, I wouldn't do to anyone.

I mean, you said you were chairing the meeting before, but you didn't know you were chairman now. So, I mean, I just don't know where this information... You've gathered, and I have nothing to...

Listen, I've always been in favor of transparency. I'm in favor of full transparency, and I will commit to investigating all of this on our behalf and share it.

I don't have a specific hour set for him as Chief of Staff or for your job as the Midtown CRA.

Well, he has enough with what he does too.

Commissioner, I'm happy to work with you on this issue, and I suggest that we move on. We have pressing issues with our budget, and I think it would be better served for the city if we did that.

Can I weigh in? How much is in reserve over there now?

How much money have you got in liquid in a bank, wherever you keep it?

Okay, so you have $4 million in reserve because you— Almost $5 million. Almost five. Almost five.

You know, I look at this thing and these CRAs are starting to bother me. You know, A lot of funny business going on here. I'm not passing judgment one way or the other. I'm hearing what you're saying, Commissioner. I'm hearing what you said. But it seems to me that maybe we're just better off dissolving all CRAs and putting that money into a pool in the general fund and then distribute that money within the five districts and let's call it a day because I'm getting tired of this business, let me tell you. I suggest, sir, that while this is going on and we find out who's what and who's not, we

Commissioner Gabela, that's not what was happening in that transaction. I don't know if you've seen the building, but it is a blighted building and it's 10 affordable housing units.

Okay, so I'm sorry. So what you're saying is it's a building, and it went to refurbish the building?

It's a really dilapidated, falling apart building that runs that restaurant. The employees need to live there, and they're rehabbing. The top, I believe it was 10 units. If you come to the building and look at it, and you follow the resolution that was passed, you will feel very good about the project. It is not... And I'm a big proponent of CRAs, and I want to say that OmniCRA has adopted all of the state best practices, and you certainly know because you work with OmniCRA. And so we don't have these issues of, you know, what's happening. How do you feel about OmniCRA? Listen, in my capacity.

I don't think he's going to say anything.

That is so not true. After Diaz-Lapartia left, there was a complete audit. There were implemented operations... That's not what I'm talking about at all.

Commissioner, I would like to let him answer the question.

Let me answer your question. Are you done? Yeah. Let me answer your question. That isn't the same tune that you were talking about four or five months ago when you and Isaiah Jones came to my office voluntarily, by the way. I never called you. I never knew what was going on in the Omni. Now we're talking about the Omni CRA. You seem to be now saying that everything is flowers and everything is beautiful. But let me explain. Then you can tell me if I remember correctly, Isaiah Jones and yourself came to our office about three different times. And in the first time, you wanted an investigation.

You don't recall. But there was another gentleman that then quit because of this. Because I believe you guys said that the gentleman, my predecessor that was here before, made him do certain things that he didn't want to do and he was forced into it. That's what was said to me by you guys.

You were in that meeting, and what's amazing to me is that after you guys, she was appointed director, and again, I've got nothing but respect for Isaiah, okay? I treat her very well, and yourself, when you come into my office, and we've had long conversations, but what's amazing to me is, you know, that There was a problem back then. Now, all of a sudden, there's no problems. And apparently there is problems. And that's why I say, again, I'm tired of these CRA businesses, and you guys have this business. And the other thing is, I figured out, you know, CRAs, you know the Hispanic don't have o

Commissioner Gabela, after the audit, all of those operational things were implemented, the new audit standards. You know that, Miguel, because you were part of that as well.

When do those audits happen? Five years from now, and then we say, oh, this is not going to happen again, and this and that, and then we move on, and then it happens again. Is that what we're talking about here? And then we spend $200,000 on a forensic audit, which anyway, I've been told by some that the second guy that comes, unless he sees a real red flag, a smoking gun, he's not going to make another decision. There's something wrong.

It's in the Omni-Sierra District. It also involves the county and Florida Department of Transportation.

Mr. Chair? Yes, sir. Can I just say something real quick? Go ahead. In light of what everything, and I'll stop it there, but here's the thing. We go backwards and forwards, but at the end of the day, the series continue. You guys continue to do business. We continue, you know, investigations left and right, but the game continues. You know, meanwhile, I ask a simple question, you know, and October 7th, I believe we have a sunshine meeting. And then we have the October 12th meeting. I'd like from city manager, Waisong, the city attorney, I'd like an up or down vote. to get something done for my

That's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. So I want a vote, a straight vote on what I'm asking. I'm the commissioner of the area. I proposed a map. I want to vote up or down on that map, okay? And I want it on October the 12th when we have the meeting. I don't want this business Here's what we're going to do for you, and I don't want other commissioners telling me what I need to do in my area, because I don't tell you guys what to do in your area. I appreciate your help, and I know you're trying to help me, but I know what's best in my area, just like I cannot know better than you, D-2.