Town Council - Regular Meeting

Want to welcome everyone to the official meeting of the May 19th, 2026, Town of Golden Beach, regular town council meeting, called for 6 p.m. Time is approximately 6.07 p.m. Meeting officially called to order. Town Clerk, can you call roll, please?

OK, if everyone could please rise. Chief Rudy Habello, can you lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, please?

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.

Thank you. Welcome, everybody. First, we have some presentations and proclamations. And once again, this evening, Golden Beach is proud to promote National Safe Boating Week. And I believe we have someone here from the Coast Guard. So I'd like to present this proclamation to you. You could come up here. And your name is? I'm sorry, say it again.

Well, welcome and thank you for coming. And the town of Golden Beach tonight is going to issue a proclamation for National Boating Week. Whereas the town and me as mayor, Glenn Singer, the town council and the town of Golden Beach hereby proclaim May 16th to May 22nd, 2026, a national safe boating week. and the start of a year-round effort to promote safe boating practices throughout the town of Golden Beach. In this day and age, every week you seem to see something in the newspaper on TV where there's been a boating accident. So if there ever was a time for people to have, especially with the

Everybody here? Am I blocking you? Am I?

Thank you. Okay. Next is, I believe we have a cake this evening to present. Yes. As it is Golden Beach's 97th birthday. So we have a cake to present.

Make sure you invite the Ralston brothers to you.

All right. We'll go. There's a hint why you don't get birthday cake.

No. Why don't you put the cake? We'll hold the cake. With a slide? This way you can get it.

Happy birthday. All right. Thank you, Alex. Thank you guys for the cake.

We'll never hear the end of it. He doesn't get the first. I don't need it.

Okay, moving right along. Motion to set agendas. Additions, deletions, remove items from the consent agenda. Agenda changes to the agenda. I have none. Fellow council?

On resolution number five? Yes. 750? 740. Seven what? 740. 740? Yeah.

Okay. Everyone understand that? Anyone oppose that? No. Okay. All in favor say aye. Aye. Good. Passes. Next is good and welfare. Do we have anyone here from the public on good and welfare? Anyone on the Zoom from good and welfare? Good and welfare going once.

Good and welfare going twice. Good and welfare is gone.

Moving right along. Mayor's report. We just had a meeting two weeks ago. The only thing I'm going to add is, as I said last time, the hurricane season is upon us. June 1st starts hurricane season. So I can urge the residents to prepare their houses now as they're predicting again another vicious cycle of storms. So if you need the town's assistance or need some recommendations, the town is more than Glad to help you to help you hurricane proof your house. But especially if you're going to wait for the summer, please secure everything in your backyard and make sure you have a plan, especially i

a big event plan it's always a great event for the residents and everyone who attends and your guests so I suggest everyone plan on Monday Memorial Day that's Monday right yeah yeah at 6 p.m. 5 5 p.m. and councilwoman Luskin will in during her Her comments will tell us exactly what's going on, but I recommend everyone attending. I want everyone to, you know, enjoy the summer. I want to thank two council members. Tonight we're going to approve the kids park. Plan and I know councilman Einstein and councilwoman Mendel have been working exceptionally hard on on that plan So I want to thank you gu

Nothing? That was quick. Go to the other side. Councilman Einstein? Yeah, hi. Thank you.

And I mentioned this to the town manager. We're working on it. But I wanted to just address this in a public forum. I don't know if any of you had solicitations in terms of tree cutting service or window washing in the past where they slip cards in your mailbox. They come to your door, actually put them in your door. And, you know, in light of all the things that are sort of going on in the country and in the world and we sort of being a very secure neighborhood, I want the police to be aware of, you know, when these guys come into town and start, you know, jumping out of your cars and run int

Thank you. In terms of good... Sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off.

In terms of good neighbors, I got a question in terms of I think it was Friday or Saturday night. Can't remember which one, but I'm coming from Sunny Isles heading northward. And there was a boat, I think, that fell off a trailer of some sort that was pulled off to the side. There were four law enforcement officers there. I was backed up in traffic for 45 minutes. I called Sunny Isles. It took them a half an hour to answer the phone call. And a woman really didn't know what was going on when I called her. I called our gatehouse. They weren't really in front of their area, there was no problem.

I like to reach out to them and, you know, with this inner cooperation that we have with other agencies to sort of, you know.

They had three officers looking at, you know, I don't know. I can't tell you what they were doing. Okay, but there was an incident there, but the traffic was backed up behind for 45 minutes. It shouldn't have been. You know, it was ridiculous.

If it was Golden Beach, we'd have people out there moving traffic. There would be somebody. We would hope.

We would try. We've had many incidents. I get complaints all the time. Traffic backed up in Golden Beach. From Sunny Isles, the mayor calls me, you know. Complaining about us all the time. Complaining about Golden Beach. Oh, really? Yeah.

Maybe we should have a cooperation. All right.

When you talk it. All right. Thank you. Anything else? What? Town looks great. Hit the golf ball straight. I hit the golf ball straight.

I saw a street sweeper in the street sweeping up. Alex is going to maybe talk about that later on.

Yeah. OK, perfect. Councilman Bernstein.

Just to reiterate what the mayor said Memorial Day is May 25th. It'll be a double celebration Memorial Day and America 250 for America's birthday We hope everybody will come. We have a great program plan the champagne toast and I think it'll really be an enjoyable evening I want to also thank Michael Glidden and Eric Garcia for all the help they give me with the program and getting it prepared So thank you again To Alex. Thank you. I had mentioned that I've been doing a lot of walking and Sidewalks were uneven and you got the staff on it and they're all evened out now and where it's not It's b

The parachutes, is that? They'll go through that. Oh, okay, fine. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you, guys. Council, town manager's report.

I'll make a motion to remove item number four from the consent agenda.

Consent agenda to the first town resolution, item number P. I'll second Councilman Einstein's. All in favor say aye. Aye. Okay, thank you for catching that.

Okay. Moving right along. Uh, town attorney, Steve, you have anything to say? Okay. Ordinance is K first reading. There are none. Ordinances second reading, L1, an ordinance of the town council, the town of Golden Beach, amending the town code of ordinances, chapter 24, personnel article two, retirement amending benefits amounts and eligibility for deferred retirement option plan. Town Clerk.

Thank you. With that, any council comments? Any public comments? Closer to council, closer to public. Roll call, please.

Okay, motion passes. Just make a note, Councilman Bernstein stepped out a second. Item number M, Quasi-Arduous Resolution, there are none. Major Project Update, item number N, Town manager you want to give us project update?

I have a correction. Yeah. I did a little research. Instructor does not get $500 a class for instructing Pilates class or anything else. Not even close to that.

Yeah, they do. But I just want to tell you, Alex got 500, and it's wrong.

Yeah, it does. It does make a big difference.

But whether it be LA Fitness or Anatomy, whatever, those instructors are independent contractors. They come in. and they get, I think Einstein, Councilman Einstein's right, I think they get like 150 a class. Not even close to 500.

Well, the fixed costs, talk about the fixed costs, the electric, the water, the wipes, the internet and everything, that's like $250,000. $253,000. Right. So we have to decide... That's in there. So the fixed costs, quote, fixed costs are $250,000. The variable costs are like the town manager saying, what do we want for programming?

Okay. Are we going to have one class a day, two class a day, three class a day? And as a town manager is indicating, it gets expensive, whether it be $150,000. or 300 a class, so we have to be cognizant of that. So I think we all need to consider, think about it. And the good news is we can change it. In the beginning, we may offer two classes a day, and that might be sufficient. Or it may not be sufficient, but we have to be cognizant of our expenses. So I think everyone needs to look at this. And the same thing with what we need to think about is staffing. The town manager and I have had num

Agreed. Agreed. That's why I'm saying everyone look at this and the next meeting and, you know, talk to the town manager what you think. And everyone's input is important. And I know everyone works out and goes to different health clubs. And you can see what goes on there, whether it be Williams Island, anatomy, you know, equinox.

14 hours during the week, you know for charity So that staffing is there if the staff if the council says well we want to well that means we need to add the body I'm just saying because you have to take it out sick vacation And again, we'll make the rules as we go But if someone wants to bring their trainer as long as they're certified insured and we'll discuss that later I have no problem bringing train, but I don't think we need to have a training in there. I Trainer in there because I mean these expenses are adding up. That's a another million dollars to our budget Which the town manager wi

Will he have the knowledge to tell people, okay, this is how you use it?

Is it a high school kid? Not a high school kid. What's minimum wage?

And Walmart, what do they get by our action?

No, I'm just asking. I don't know what I'm asking. I asked the question, what is federal minimum wage?

Hey, Siri, what's the federal minimum wage?

That is true. Okay. And then we have to balance it with how much we pay in property taxes.

All he's saying, all the town managers are saying, and it's not discussing it now, is just consider, everyone consider, put your thinking caps on, consider what we want for programming for the gym, for the wellness center. And again, we could start slowly, okay? But I could tell you right now, we can't, one second, we can't afford someone in there and then have trainers in there and pay for trainers. It's just not going to work in our budget with the proposed changes.

They'll give you a break if you buy three classes, right?

All I'm saying, guys, is, because I want to keep going, everyone just think about what kind of program we want. That's all I'm saying. Everyone's opinion counts. Everyone's opinion matters. Same thing with the residents. And then we need to come up with the budget.

Alex, we're not going backwards. Okay. Okay, we Golden Beach is not going back just because minimum wage is $15. We said it Years ago six years ago. I mean people need to live and eat and it's I would hate to pay someone below our Rate that we've discussed. I mean Whether it be a full-time person or part-time person. I mean we have standards and I mean, if you guys disagree with me, speak. But I mean, we want to go back. Councilman Einstein, you were in that meeting when we discussed it. I forget what year it was, but we talked about.

I don't think I was, but it doesn't matter. I think it was Mendel was sitting as counsel.

It may have been. It may have been. It may have been.

It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. I realize there are minimums that people need to live by. And you can't live on $20 an hour. In Dade County. I agree with that. You know, I don't know if $20 an hour is our beach attendance. Do they get paid benefits or do they get flat?

You know, so, whatever. It's all a matter of our budget.

Affordability, I would direct you to because we're doing the budget thing and we'll discuss in the next meeting to stick to our plan one person above at the desk and one person as a Cleaning person and then when we get closer we can look at that but for budgeting purposes Why don't we stick that but for budgeting purposes on the on the more classes your way off? Please do you have it?

OK, I'm going to move on out. But the one thing is this program, this thing's really bugging me. So you need to look at it, especially under team leader vacant. You have all those vacant spots. If we're going to have one person up front and one custodian, I know you've got five spots there. So you need to look at that.

I mean, we got I think you got to take a look at that. Yeah, let's review it. A good hard look at those numbers to support this building.

By the way, this building costs us about, correct me if I'm mistaken, 600,000 a year.

Moving those dollars to this building, but that doesn't solve the problem because beach attendant beach people want service So you're cutting off your nose despite yeah, that doesn't work Alex just real quick in terms of it sounds like 90 90 working hours a Week, you need to fill is that correct?

Where's the calculator? 5 times 14. It's $100. 90 hours. 90 hours. 98 hours. So whatever you figure times 20, 25, 30, whatever the number. In terms of custodial, just throwing this, do you need that much?

So roughly at a minimum, what do you think it'll cost?

Well, he just gave you the number, but he's off. It's going to cost, based on his thing, it's $900,000. But if you deduct, reduce, or whatever, it's going to cost anywhere from $700,000 to $900,000. Correct, town manager? To maintain that building. To maintain that building, it could cost anywhere from $700,000.

Can we get a high deductible? It's what we have in this building. Same. You don't want too high of a deductible.

We have the minimum insurance that we're supposed to have. I mean, we can look at it. When the building's complete, we'll review the insurance. But it's an estimate.

But, no, if you think about it, the fixed cost is $250,000. It's the variable cost that's going to cost the money, and it's up to us to decide what the variable cost, what we want.

I'm sorry. I serve at the pleasure of the council.

Okay. Town Manager, are you done with the major update? Yes, please. Okay. Moving to consent agenda. Is everyone okay with what we discussed?

Yes. Just real quick, Glenn. If these were independent contractors, then the other portion of this would not apply. Correct. Right?

Correct. But the only ones that are independent contractors are the instructors, the yoga instructors, the Pilates instructors. The other guys are staff.

Move to Consent Agenda. The following two items on the Consent Agenda. Item 02, Official Minutes of the April 21st, 2026, Regular Town Council Meeting. 03, Resolution Town Council Approving the Purchase of a License Plate Reader, LPR Camera. Those two items are on the Consent Agenda. All in favor, say aye.

Anyone opposed? Moving right along, but before I do, Chief. In the coastal, Alex, in the coastal mayor's meeting I had last week, we discussed for the license plate readers to coordinate with all the cities on the coast, from Miami Beach to Surfside to Sunny Isles to Golden Beach. So, and the chief was going to call you and talk to you about that, because we're on different systems, apparently.

Town manager, I have a question for you. The LPR readers, we're buying the software, right?

Okay. Okay, moving on to Resolution P4, Resolution Town Council approving proposals for the purchase and installation of a comprehensive lighting system for the Civic Center Complex. Town Clerk.

Okay, I need a motion to approve. Motion to approve. I need a second. Second. Okay, Town Manager, item P4.

Does anyone have any comments? No? Council comments, public comments? Closed public, closed council. Roll call, please. Mayor Singer. Item P4, yes.

Board passes. Item P5, town resolution. Council awarding a contract to Miracle of South Florida, Inc. for playground equipment and installation at Tweedle Park.

Okay, any motion to approve? Okay, I have a motion. Any second? Second.

Hey, has anyone seen I have a brown and white cat I'm missing? Anyone seen it? I'm not joking.

No one will thank us, but they'll be there. Any other council comments on the park?

Any public comments on the park? Roll call, please. Mayor Singer? Yes.

I wasn't kidding around. My cat is missing. So if anyone sees a brown and white cat.

Well, if you see the orange and white cat, let me know his name. I've got one. Peaches.

And my dog's available. But he eats the rats.

I know they're great. I don't know what happened to him.

Does he ever go over the bridge? Does he go inside, outside?

He's inside, outside. I've called him on his cell phone, he doesn't answer. But all kidding aside, if you see a cat, please. Okay, moving right along. Discussion second floor ratio requirements.

Can I ask you a quick question? Why refresh my memory? Because it was a long time ago. Steve, you know the answer. I don't know. Why did we go away from the ratio bottom floor, top floor? Why did we change it to begin with?

But if you do a ratio, and correct me, if you do a ratio, you're not getting that because you can't build, you can't have the same square footage on the bottom floor. It's the top floor.

So that's why all the new houses have flat rooms Now you don't have to maximize your square footage. I And your height.

So I know there's three recommendations from the building regulatory board, correct?

So let me say this because Coral Gables had the most rigorous, I think, zoning requirements, didn't they?

Okay, so When we did our plan, this guy was adopting some Val Harbor ideas when we came in the last time, which didn't make any sense either. Because, you know, for example, I was in a 75-foot lot. And when I built, there was this theory that if there was anything in terms of high space in your house, And even though you did not build in that high space, if you were capable of drawing a plane and later on making a floor through that, they thought that they would architecturally not have a box type of house looking thing. But it didn't solve the problem. Because in the front, you could have the

Typically, the setbacks are the primary thing that we need to look at in a town. The town has no coordination. We have Mediterranean, we have modern, we have old Mediterranean.

Well, that's what you want. You don't want every house to look the same.

Well, if you're in Connecticut and you're in Greenwich, these houses look somewhat alike. They're Stepford houses. Okay, so you don't want it there, but here they wanted to architecturally say that they'd be... Different, but we do have a hodgepodge of different structures.

I honestly have to say, every new house that lately has been built has been, to me, aesthetically appealing. I don't know what they're using, but if you go on the beach and even on Golden Beach Drive, all the new homes, there's not one home that I would say...

They're all beautiful. I mean, no one's going to build a $25, $30 million house and make it look ugly, right?

But I have a question. If all the homes that are being built now are okay... that we like. I mean, the house over there is beautiful. You go around Golden Beach Drive, there's no issues. Why change it if it's not broken?

One second. It's not your fault. It's our fault.

Why don't you just stop there because we're just trying to get an idea of what we're looking at. Thank you. I appreciate it.

Yeah. There's a video that was sent to you. It's a little complicated, but is Jerry Hollow on? Is anyone are there any other suggestions beside?

Houses would be over the 30, it would hit over the 30 feet, correct?

You design a lot of houses or do you design any, have you designed in the last three years, any house that didn't have a flat roof?

People are building houses that aren't flat roof. Yep.

I mean, the typical person that comes to Golden Beach and buys and builds a new... They're building their dream house. You know, and on the ocean, forget about it. You're $30, $40, $50 million. GARY GENSLER- A dream spec house. Yeah. Well, but like most people have come here. I built my house. Ken built his house. The number of people, unless it's a resale, the stuff that is going up. It's a case by case almost.

They are. But for the right price, every house is a spec house.

And see if they can come to a consensus.

The ones on hold, I think, should stick to the existing building code.

If it doesn't affect the neighbor and the setbacks, you can review them. I don't think the council will have a problem with that. Or we have to bring them back. If they do, I would stick to the original building code. All right.

Okay, so With that, I'll make a motion to adjourn. All in favor, say aye. Aye.