Council - Regular Meeting

Go ahead. Mayor Desome here. Vice Mayor Timothy here. Councilman Burns here. Councilwoman Estran present. Councilman Charles present. Mayor you have a quorum to proceed.

Thank you so much. We'll have the pledge of allegiance by Major Crystal Fernandez of the North Miami Police Department followed by invocation by Pastor Cheryl Sour of Gateway 4quare Church and then we'll continue from there. Crystal 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. I'll due honor to Mayor Desome, city council and staff. Heavenly Father, we just are in awe that we can come and and ask and invoke your presence in this council chambers tonight. We thank you that you are the God of all wisdom and that you bless where there is unity. So Lord, we pray that every decision that is made in this council room would bring you honor and would bring uh great progress to the beautiful city of North Miami. God bless the city of North Miami in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Amen. Amen. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so very much, Pastor Sour. And we are order of business, any Madame Manager, any addition, deletion, or amendment to the agenda? No, mayor. Okay. Thank you so much, Mr. Attorney. Are we all set? Yes, mayor. The Yes, mayor. The agenda is set. You may proceed. Mr. Mayor. Thank you, sir. Yes. Yes, sir. I'd like to pull tab B and C off the consent agenda for discussion.

Okay. Tab B and C. Okay. Okay. Do we don't need that's Yeah, we don't need no vote, right? Okay. Thank you. Um Okay. So, madame clerk, we top B and C have been pulled from consent. Um we got we have two special presentation just one okay just one okay the update is not okay and then we'll continue from there let's go down you you going to do it um vice

sir oh that's do you What do you want to do?

Good evening, Mayor and Council and guests. I'm Vice Mayor Cassandra Timothy, and this month we are honoring our procurement department. It is National Procurement Month. If we can have Mr. Alberto Dtoadre, no piggybacking today, right, Alberto? and his staff. If you guys would like to come up and um receive this proclamation on behalf of the city of North Miami, um where we know the procurement department, previously known as the purchasing department, plays a significant role in the efficiency and effectiveness of both government and business. And so it be that it resolved that Mayor Alex, myself, Vice Mayor Cassandra Timothy, Councilman Kevin, Councilman Kevin A. Burns, Councilman Mary Esme Irvin, and Councilman Pierre France Charles on behalf of the residents do by here proclaim the month of March to be n national procurement month.

Can you go, Mr. Do you want to say a few words? No. Thank you very much.

Uh thank you uh Madame Vice Mayor. I'd like to thank you and and the members of council for this proclamation. And I'll be brief. Um, first of all, I'd just like to recognize real quick uh my staff. Uh, without without whom I would not be able to uh to do my work and the work of the city and the administration. So, real quickly, just to introduce him, uh, my assistant director, Miss Ebony Daniels Graham, uh, Miss Joanne Turner buyer. Thank you, Joanne. Uh, and also Miss Clenicia Miller, who is our pecard administrator. And, uh, Miss Rosa Enriquez could not be with us, uh, this evening. Uh, she's our purchasing agent. And um I just want to say a couple words. As you can see, our office is a small office, but our commitment uh to doing the work of the city and the community that we serve is boundless. Um I think I speak for my staff that we um appreciate very much the support of the council and also the support of our city manager and her administration. It is indeed a privilege to be of service to this community. Thank you for this proclamation.

You got the wrong chair, Kevin. Okay. Um, let me see this. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. And Mr. Estrada, yes, we do appreciate the work that you do and your amazing staff. So, thank you. Thank you again on behalf of the city. Um, and now we have city announcements followed by appointments. Um, and I'm sorry. No, I thought they told me it was one one. Are we doing the centennial update? formula.

Oh, one down there. Oh, okay. Okay. I remember at first I said two and then you know the vice mayor, but she meant one presentation down there. Okay. So, I scratch it up. And now we have the um centennial update um from the city of North Miami.

Good evening.

Yes. Good evening, Mayor and Estee Council. Hello, my name is Sabine Ducio. I am the chair of the Centennial Committee and um this evening I'm going to present to you some of the things that um we've already activities that have already started occurring as part of our Centennial celebration and will continue on throughout the year. So on the city's website, the Centennial web page is up. And on that web page, you can um see all of the events as they're scheduled. They're regularly updated as well as some of the uh city's history is also been up updated so that our community can um share and experience some of that. We're going to get the PowerPoint up for you guys. It's up.

Perfect. So on January 24th, the uh historical tour started and the first one was sponsored by Marion Guo um that was who sponsored it and it was quite a great success. Those are going to continue happening quarterly throughout the year and it's the Charlie rides that go to locations within our city that have been um in existence for a hundred or so years. Every year, we all know there's the 100 days of school. And as part of our 100th anniversary, we celebrated that this year by um inviting North Miami Elementary to come here to the city, as you can see in some of the images, and speak to some of our council members, our honorable mayor, and city um staff about the history of our city. Then on February 5th, we had our wonderful carnival around the world celebration. Um we had Antonio Santos stitches hosted. Jay Perry did special performance and so that was the kickoff um for our centennial year. Starting this Thursday, we will be having our through the century lecture series starting at the Scott Galvin Center with historian Seth Bramson. If anyone is interested, we encourage you guys to go on our Centennial web page and um register for that. It's going to be a very riveting discussion. Seth gets really excited about these topics. And then we're going to continue quarterly to have these different historic lectures throughout the city. We're partnering with FIU, partnering with Barry, and continuing to bring on um

just different lectures to bring about the the history of city of North Miami. On April 9th, we will be having a century's worth of poetry with Kidal Mororrow Conier over at the North Miami Library. as part of our poetry series. Then in partnership with the North Miami CRA, we will be putting out a call to artists. The goal is to put out the call to artists by the summer so that we can have a mural painted in our city. It will be a competition of some sort. Um, we're working with the CRA to create criterias for the artists to um, compete for this. Through our discussion at our last meeting, uh, we felt that having the mural on a city building would maximize the opportunities for the city rather than privately owned buildings. So, we're working to find out what are some of those locations that would be best to put that mural so that we can apply um put it within the criteria for the call to artist along with other criterias. We're working with artists um within the city to help develop what that criteria is going to be. And the goal is that that mural will be um presented at our end of year celebration. On April 18th, as I mentioned, the trolley rides are quarterly. So, April 18th is our next trolley ride. Again, we encourage you to go on our website, um register for the trolley rides. The trolley rides go fast. People really like those trolley rides. So, take a moment, go on our website. um register for the Charlie rides. The next one is April 18th. Then following is July 18th and then f Friday October the 16th

which brings us to our centennial gala which we are seeking guidance from the council. Um we reached out to coven based on the new date that was proposed which was February the 5th. However, Coven Center is not available on February the 5th. And so, we would like to know, should we explore another date or keeping with that date, should we explore other opportunities throughout the city um such as possibly the Joe Celest um stadium, I'm sorry, not stadium, auditorium, or where we do fireworks at Coven Center, that huge lawn that's out there. Um, so what is it that the council would like us to pursue as it relates to the Centennial Gala um pursuant of the date not being being available um at Coven Center?

Mr. Mayor, I'm I'm sorry. Is she Oh, are you okay? Finish your presentation, please. Sure. And this is the last slide. Just encouraging everyone, we do have Centennial corns available for sale. They're $11 um for the coin itself. If you want a coin in a pouch, it's $12 and that's available here at city hall for everyone to purchase. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. Before I open, um thank you Sabine for the Thank you Sabine for the presentation. Um in terms of the collection for the coins, where is that money? What what account is it being? What is the purpose of it? for I mean I know the purpose of the coin but the the money and where is it being collected um madam man manager it's just in the regular fund until like there's direction of it so what do you mean regular fund I'm saying whi which is it an is it we doing the collection for yeah we're selling the coins okay but okay we're selling the coins

okay thank you okay the other deal Um I know councilwoman um estimator want to say something and there might be some other members. I did speak to the chief of staff regarding alternate locations. So speak to her and see and then you know the council members well I could mention it um when they mentioned it to me. I said I know I do I see Shauna. Yes. Mocha did an amazing I think most of us was there. So I that was one of the option I think representing our city. um to do something similar if the the you know what they what Mocha did and I'll also advise if the um if we can bring Mocha somehow the committee to when it comes to the mural

because there are very very touchy things. Um I don't personally like mural. We have two in the city. I don't really like them too much but people do we respect them in art and I always relate the art to Mocha. Um that's one of the things being on the on their boards is as we um you know look at different um artists from all across and I know we have various opinion on here. I don't mind it but I think it should be not city any of official city building to to do it you know anywhere which is fine. So I think mo working with mocha that will give me at least the the you know some some art entity who's been in the city for at least 30 years um to kind of is that something that they could do? Well, we have a arts and public places committee and part A Mocha does participate.

Okay. No, that's all when it comes to, you know, the the mural that that's my um thing. Thank you, Sabine. You guys been working. You're welcome. Thank you, Councilwoman. Thank you so much. Um um what the date that I would suggest, first of all, it's really hard in our city. I don't think there's really um with with the expectation of the people that I think I I think the way that we're promoting it we're going to have over 500 people easily. So I would actually say that we should try Adrien Arch Center.

Um yes and when we can get in part probably get some type of a collaboration with our county commissioner so that we can it is one of her cities. We are celebrating our centennial. Um, and I think Go ahead, guys. I'm sorry. Go ahead. Thank you. Um, so I I I really think that that's a a spot that we should um definitely um look, we are going to be inviting everyone from all over. And again, that's a great facility. It will take the number of people. We won't have a headache with that. if the data is available, we can work with our county commissioner um you know to get some help and collaboration on that. So I don't know what

no I I I totally disagree with that and um we can't take our celebration from our city to city of Miami vice versa. Um we're proud of North Miami. We have locations. We we if we need to reduce the number of invitees, that's what we we should do. But I would personally not go to anything that's not in North Miami. I don't know how other council members feel um in terms of um that um I guess suggestion, but that's my little suggestion. Um vice and my my second alternative would be also um Parrot Jungle. Again, not only because the city of Miami,

it's it's because of the spacing. It doesn't still go ahead. You have your opinion. That's fine. No, no, I understand that. It's still our celebration. It's going to be our people there in another city. If we had the if we had the um the capacity here in our city, the only other place I think about is desert, but I you know, I don't know what the capacity is. If we had it here in our city, I would have been more than happy to suggest anywhere else in our city. But I think this is a centennial. It's a big event. The Yes, the location may be out of our city, but we're still celebrating our city.

How are we celebrating our city in another city that don't even But Vice Mayor, please? Um, Councilman Charles. Yeah, you you want to go ahead.

Yeah, Mr. Mayor, I concur with you. Um, if we're going to do a centennial event, let's do it within the city of North Miami. Um, this is first I've heard that we're expecting 500 people. Um, from my understanding, they're expecting the Centennial Committee to go out and get sponsorships to to pay for this. It's not necessarily coming out of the Centennial million-doll budget, even though we took a half million out for street signs. Um, so we only have, you know, 500,000 left to do whatever we're doing through the course of the year. at the gala. Apparently, that money wasn't coming out of that fund and that you all as a committee are expected to get sponsors out there, which I don't know why you guys are expected to do that. Um, you're not professional fundraisers. You are you you guys are doing a great job as it is. Um, 500 people, half of them free and the other half are paying $200, $250 a ticket. It doesn't send a good message. Um, at that point I would uh I had 250 people under a tent at my St. Patrick's Day event a couple days ago and it was pouring rain but it was a lot of fun. Coven center. What about on the 6th? What about on the the 12th or the 14th? Another date within February. If it's not exactly the 5th when we're ending, it's not the end of the world. I would go back to Coven Center and see if we can do it there. if not um Mocha Plaza and Mocha inside. What they they've done with 200 people is amazing, but we do something out on the plaza, put up a large tent. It's going to be a lot cheaper than um going outside of the city. But I I concur with you, Mr. Mayor, that we need to keep it within our our city. It's bad enough that we have to have our Chamber of Commerce meetings and other functions at the Miami Shores Country Club because we don't have anything here yet. Uh, but that'll that'll change in the next couple years. That's all I have to say. Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Um, go ahead, Councilman. No, no. Um, quickly, I think um there's a one location that we uh forget. If you're going to bring like 500 to 1,000 people, Nomi Village. Yes. All right. Nomi Village. We can dress up Nomi Village and that could be like a a very nice location. and we've we've seen big events and with a lot of people so that we can just keep it within our city. So that's um aside from Moa Plaza which we know is kind of limited but Nomi village is like we can we can bring 1,00500 people over there like easily.

Absolutely. and they they actually have a brand new massive size tent and I'm sure the operators will be more than happy to contribute uh at no cost to the city for the land and and and to the thing, but it's in within the city of North Miami. It makes a lot of sense. Mayor, if I may. Yes, ma'am.

Um I think we all have a committee member that we appointed to the committee that I hope will take your ideas back to um to the committee when we do meet. Just want to thank Sabine for um and your co-chair for chairing the meetings. I know I'm in and out, but I do participate um and making sure that we have a centennial um lineup. And as it related to the building and the mural, the idea behind a city, you know, facility or park or or wall was to ensure that the mural lasts because if you put it on a business, um that business can sell tomorrow and now the mural is gone. So that was the idea behi behind having it at a having the mural painted on a city um building as opposed to going to a private commercial um owner. And then last yes and lastly um I think we got the card with all the centennial event. Thank you Yama for ensuring that we had that. And yep that's it for me. I do have some dates I can share for uh coins that are available which is Friday the 8th of January or Saturday the 9th of January and uh January 29th which is a Friday

and Saturday um the 30th of January. Yeah that's before it would be it would be before the 5th of February. And what's the capacity over there? Capacity is about 280. Come on now. with our employees only because for a celebration like that, that's one thing I'm going to say. Um, on the day that we have the carnival, I feel like we could have done a lot better even with our employees. Mhm.

So, with something like that, if you are an employee of the city of North Miami, we're not forcing you, but at least you know, we know that you're going to pay your presence in just looking at the how many employees that we have as a city and then the public and everything. So, we cannot like limit it. We cannot just um limit oursel to a place that can hold less than 300 people, right? So that is that is the that is my first take over it when we come to the to the coven. Okay. Thank you. Oh, the coven is only 300 or two. But that doesn't No, no. I thought we just agreed Nomi Village. What's was did we do we need a vote on that or like I I I think you know

we got we don't have much if if it's I mean we have parks that we could definitely I would rather do it in a park than you know but I think Nomi village is is if we need 500 people you know this and this and that that's maybe we shouldn't call it a gayla. No, you could have a gayla. It depending on how you do a gayla under the stars type of thing. You see what Mocha did. They had milliondollar people there. That was exactly it. They was nice.

So that's what I said. We could, you know, it depends on how the decor and I know you good at, you know, doing these beautiful decor, you know, that kind of speak what it is. It could be it could be in a park. you go there, you got Peppa Park or Kagney or or you know to say but you don't have the parking where you walked in, you transformed it. But you know those are the little minor minor things. Um it's almost 7:30. Also, Mr. Mayor, just want to throw out that uh you have a big blank wall along the Scott Galvin Center. That building Yes, we did discuss that one. That building's in desperate need of pressure cleaning and painting. So, this might be a great opportunity toward the end of the year to uh do uh two things at one time.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much again. Great great job um with the committee. Um and thank you. Thank you, Sabine

Savannah. Good evening, mayor, council, staff, North Miami neighbors and guests. My name is Savannah Dre Smith and I'm presenting the following announcements on behalf of the city of North Miami. North Miami Vice Mayor Cassandra Timothy in partnership with Aunt Flo has launched a citywide menstrual access initiative to provide free pads and tampons in public restrooms across city facilities. Products are now available at parks, community centers, and city hall throughout North Miami. Councilman Pierre France Charles presents the district for adult computer literacy program. Classes take place every Monday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Suniss Grove Community Center. Offering free hands-on classes, participants will learn basic computer skills, email setup, internet navigation, and resume writing. For more details, and to register, please contact Amos Jean Glaude at 7865433014. Students, get ready to succeed. Councilman Pierre France Charles hosts D4 Smart Tutoring every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 400 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Suniss Grove Community Center. For details and registration, please contact 786-543303014. Join Vice Mayor Cassandra Timothy for yoga and Pilates in the park, a free wellness series designed to help you relax, recharge, and stay active in North Miami's beautiful parks. Whether you're a beginner or experienced, these community classes are a great way to start your weekend feeling refreshed and energized. Yoga classes will take place every third Saturday at North Bay Shore Park at 9:00 a.m. Pilates classes will be hosted every first Saturday of the month at Alfred Espade Park starting April 4th at 9:00 a.m. Bring your mat,

invite a friend, and enjoy a morning of movement, mindfulness, and community. For more information, please contact 786 3858662. The city of North Miami economic development department is now accepting applications for the economic development small business grant and eligible businesses may qualify up for up to $7,500 in support. Funding is provided on a reimbursement basis and is subject to federal eligibility requirements. CDBG compliance and funding availability. To apply, please visit www.northmifl.gov/eonddevsbg. And for more information, please contact the economic development department at 3058959801 or email economicdev at northmifl.gov. The city of North Miami in partnership with the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency and Florida International University invites you to join the FIU construction trades program. This six-month hands-on training program is designed to prepare residents for high demand careers in trade. The program starts in April 2026. Classes will meet weekly in person. This program is free for North Miami residents. Six-month trades programs available in electric, HVAC, and plumbing. Apply at northmaffl.gov/fi trades. For more information, please contact the economic development department at 3058959801 or email economicdev at northmafl.gov. The North Miami Public Library in collaboration with the master gardener Jerry Bios with the University of Florida IFAS extension Miami Dade County invites you to join the upcoming spring 26 gardening workshops on Saturday April 11th 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the North Miami Public Library. Learn about the benefits of house plants and how to keep them healthy. For more information, please contact the North Miami Public Library at 305891-5535.

Join Councilwoman Mary Esme Urban for the Women Empowered Network lunchon taking place at the Joe Celestian Community Center on Thursday, March 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. This lunchon is designed to bring community members together for connection, empowerment, and meaningful engagement in honor of Women's History Month. For more information, please contact District 3 at district 3 northm.gov or call 786 3852576. North Miami elected city clerk Vanessa Joseph in collaboration with the honorable Daniel Fernandez. Miami Day County Tax Collector is bringing driver's license services right to your neighborhood on Thursday, March 26, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. Driver's license service will be available at the library. To schedule an appointment, please contact 3058959817 or email city clerk@ northmifl.gov. North Miami is taking a trip back in time with North Miami through the century, exploring the years 1926 to 1951 on Thursday, March 26, 2026 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This history talk will be held at the Scott Galvin Community Center and features historian Seth Bramson as he highlights the city's early development, key events, and the people who helped shape North Miami. To RSVP, please visit 1926 Nummyures.eventbbright.com. eventbrite.com. Join us for an evening of empowerment, wellness, and connection at the Nomi Women Meetup. Connect with inspiring women in North Miami as we come together to discuss community issues, leadership opportunities, and ways to support one another. The meetup will take place on Friday, March 27th at 700 p.m. at the Cats Restaurant. This meetup takes place every fourth Friday of the month, so mark your calendars and bring a friend. If you've ever been curious about running for office, helping with a campaign, or just want to understand how the process works, the clean campaign class is a great place to start. This

free class will take place on Tuesday, March 31st from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the council chambers. Families are invited to hop into spring at the annual spring egg hunt on Saturday, April 4th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Enchanted Forest Ela Gordon Park. This event is packed with classic egg hunt fun and family-friendly excitement. Head on over to Eventbrite to secure your tickets. Councilwoman Mary Esme Irvin is bringing the springtime fun to the neighborhood with a district 3 Easter egg hunt on Sunday, April 5th from 3 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Breeweat Park and Tot. This is a familyfriendly event built for community fun, photos, and plenty of egg hunt excitement. Please RSVP at D3 Easter egg hunt.eventbbright.com. The North Miami Housing and Social Services Department in collaboration with Miami Homes for All invites you to the upcoming rent readiness workshop on Tuesday, April 7th from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the North Miami Public Library. Learn the essentials of smart renting and financial planning in today's market. For more information, please contact the North Miami Housing and Social Services Department at 3058936511 Extension 20,000. Continuing to celebrate our centennial year with a century's worth of poetry with poet Lorett of Miami Dade County Moro Groier on Thursday, April 9th at 6 p.m. at the North Experiences designed to connect the community through innovation, culture, and opportunity. Led by council, led by councilwoman Mary SMA Urban, this initiative takes on a special focus in April as we celebrate Nomi Tech month. Throughout the month, residents and visitors can explore a variety of techdriven events. The city of North Miami is taking innovation to new heights with the Nomi Techch drone piloting program. As part of Nomi Tech month, this hands-on two-day adult program offers participants the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of drone operation from industry professionals at drone training

school. Space is limited. To apply, please visit www.northl.gov/nomitech drone. Have an idea for an app? The city of North Miami is giving you the tools to bring it to life. This 15week program is designed to turn ideas into real market ready applications. Participants will learn how to build apps using no code AI tools, gain insight into entrepreneurship, and receive guidance from experienced developers. No coding experience is required, making this program accessible to beginners and aspiring innovators alike. The program will take place every Monday starting April 13th through July 8th. Apply now at www.northmfl.gov/nommechapp community- based organizations and not forprofits. This one is for you. The 2026 20227 CDBG public services grant request for proposals opens Monday, April 6th, 2026. And the Housing and Social Services Department is hosting a mandatory how to apply workshop on Thursday, April 16th, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Scott Galvin Community Center. Please RSVP at the 2026 CDBG.eventbbright.com and for more information, email cd cbos@northfl.gov. Councilman Pierre France Charles invites residents to a free drive-through food distribution on Saturday, April 18th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Suniss Grove Community Center. North Miami District 4 residents are given priority. Proof of residency with a valid Florida issued ID is required. No walkup service will be provided. For more information, please contact SB Joseph, District for Continuous Services Constituent Services Coordinator at 786-918-3772. The 2026 North Miami Educational Foundation Incorporated Scholarship applications are officially open. High school graduates and firstear college students, this is your chance to secure

funding for your education. Apply for one or both NMEI scholarships and take a step forward toward your academic dreams. Interested in a vocational technical career? You may qualify for the needs-based Sophia James Hall Memorial Scholarship. Deadline is Friday, April 24th at 5:00 PM. Don't wait. For more information and to apply, please visit www.northmfl.gov/ students. To stay uptodate with Nomi news, events, programs, and services, log on to Northmy's official website at www.northmfl.gov. Click connect with Nomi on the homepage to sign up for the city's newsletters. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Northmiami FL. This concludes the city announcements. Thank you.

All right. Ah, you have an audience. Thank you. Thank you. Um, we we have a lengthy agenda. So, let's go ahead um appointment, Madame Clerk, and move right into consent agenda. A resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami, Florida, appointing Justin Barant to the North Miami Parks and Recreation Commission. term ending on November 3rd, 2026 in accordance with chapter 2, article 3, division 5, section 2-187 of the city of North Miami code of ordinances providing for an effective date and all other purposes. Thank you.

Huh? Move approval. Nobody second. I have a motion made by Councilman Burns to approve the appointment of Justin Bar to the North Miami Parks and Recreation Commission. The motion was seconded by Mayor Des. All in favor? I. Any opposed? The motion carries with a 5-0 vote. Thank you. Thank you. Where are we? So tab A is an approval of the minutes for the regular council meeting on March 10th, 2026. Move for approval. Second. I have a motion made by councilwoman as mayor to approve the March 10th, 2026 regular council meeting minutes. The motion was seconded by Mayor Des. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries with a 5-0 vote.

Thank you. Tab B. A proposed resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami, Florida, suns setting and abolishing the education relations board providing for an effective date and all other purposes. Tab B. Thank you. Tab B. Um

Mr. Mayor, let's do public hear. Okay, go ahead. Um and then we'll do ahead. The the reason I pulled this item um I wanted a clarification um in the staff report or the summary um and this will be directed to the city manager. It said um in recent years the education relations board has been inactive. As a result, the board has been unable to effectively carry out it its intended functions. So it does have a function but additionally it has been determined that the goals and responsibilities originally assigned to the board are currently being addressed through other municipal programs initiatives and administrative structure. Could you clarify what that those administrative structures are initiatives and programs because I don't know where something else is picking up what the community relations board should be doing. the education relations board. Um so with respect to the education relations board, we have a few other things like we have the educational foundation. We have kept our um initiatives such as dealing with FIU and our connections with them. That's why we actually have a brew fest. That's why we have different meetings. So when we looked at this years years prior, there wasn't much going on there in terms of the quality um of the quality education advisory board. it was changed the education relations board and and nothing has actually um happened then. Since then we still connect with the different schools. We still have different programs and initiatives um and so it hasn't really added. It was mainly to go deal with the feeder patterns but as you know we go there for career day. We had a 100 um day celebration with the schools. So we've been in contact with them. We were actually participating in North Miami High's um alumni stuff. So we have kept the participation with the feeder pattern which was what that was um expected to do

and so and we haven't had anyone meet and we've had no meetings. Okay. Um and then it says that the board met in November the for sunset review who who was that board um the next paragraph down um who was the review board to sunset not just this but eight or other eight or

no there was no board. If you read it, it said given the board's prolonged inactivity and the availability of alternative mechanisms to address educated related manner u matters during the November 4th, 2025 censor review. There was staff that does a sunset review per a resolution that we have and it was determined that the continuation was no longer necessary. So it does not say that there was a board to do that. It was saying that given the board, the education board's prolonged inactivity under the sunset review, which is what administration has to look at and see if we've had activity. And if we haven't had activity, then we raise up to whether or not we should keep the board.

Okay. And and a question you just mentioned about the U education um educational fund. What is that? Well, it was just on the um advertisement where we do the we have like the Nomi educational board. So, we do scholarships to kids. In fact, it was just in the announcement that you could apply for the scholarship. That's something that's worked on with uh staff here at North Miami that works on that. Okay. Was that that funding came used to come from the the Nomi Festival? Was that correct or no or was that just a separate line item? Yes, that was you. That was that had nothing to do with that.

But somebody just mentioned Solomia money. What was what was that? I'm just trying to So this is a scholarship that Miss McDonald who serves as the liaison every year when we provide students scholarships to go to um to college. um her the board meets and members of um universities like FIU sits on the board, North Miami High School sits on the board, um city administration sits on the board and that board um they you know they talk about education related activities and of course they award students u money from I want to say it was the OTAA partners. Yeah, it was the sole.

Yeah, they started out but we get different funding every year. In fact, they're also in the foundational give Miami day. So there's various ways that they raise money. And to that point, I want to say another one of the educational activities that we do is that we actually sponsor interns um every weekly from the schools here. So we have been doing and addressing what the purpose was um without having the board and it has been since I the last time that they have met was it's been years.

It's been years even in 2022 they had not even met. Let me if I may um vice mayor and and coun and commissioner um as an educator I've always felt for years and this is one of the boards that I felt that we could have gone because we've met the purpose when the board was created we had met those purposes in terms of that. So I I'm not the sponsor of of the item. I didn't know anything about it, but I I was very unsupportive because that is one this is different from the the DPAC and all of these other boards that's a little bit um would be more but this was for years um they haven't you know done in terms in and you know with the other programming that we have so that that was that was that in terms of Yes sir. Um, well, I just found that when this was established, it was to have uh open communications, not with just FIU, but FIU, Miami Day College, uh, Barry University, St. Thomas, um, all the feeder schools, um, all of the new schools that were are coming on board. And it was very, uh, important. And what tends to happen, you're only as good as the last administration or the last council people that want to stay involved in a lot of these boards because we get distracted on a lot of, uh, different things. But madame manager, if you think that um what the community relations board um

this is not community relations

I mean educational relations board is accomplishing all the same goals um if not better than what the original purpose was. If it's lack of uh performance or lack of uh somebody uh taking charge of it and and reestablishing it to what it was, um that's a that's a different story. But if you think the other board that you have is going to accomplish everything that that should be doing and it's a uh way a mechanism for uh it was quarterly that they would all the schools the universities and the school systems would get together and have a conversation about what was going to happen over the summer course of summer what's coming back to school different events that um uh affect the educational system and the future patterns in the school. Um I don't agree with sunsetting a lot of these boards, but um if that's the will of the council, it is what it is. Thank you. Thank you for the response.

Okay. Thank you. Um Coun um Councilman Burns in terms of that first and foremost just to clarify the manager works for us. So we are the policy makers. She make a recommendation. Um it's up to us if we want it or if we don't. And we could make you know in terms of what we do. So, in in in regards to your last statement, I'm in supportive of it. I don't know who else is in supportive of of that. And a lot of these things I'll just mention to council members, please, I do my best um to meet with the manager um every week um with the attorney and and review a lot of these things. So, just to not delay the point in terms of of what we do, a lot of these questions. Um so yes the administration make proposal but we are the authority that set the the the in fact the manager and I we we worked on and set the agenda. So in terms of whatever um the say is we are the policy makers that's giving them guidance um in doing this. So um may I get a motion to

Oh I'm sorry because it was supposed to be you're an educator too. Go ahead. Um just want to add that that was the first board that I applied for uh I think 2017 2018 never got a response because this thing this place has been dead. It's been dead for the longest. Yeah. Just want to add that. Thank you. Um motion to move um to public. Oh I'm see it's open to public public hearing. Oh Sebastian it's too early

tonight guys. Good evening, Sebastian Sla, former chairman of Daypack. Um, I just want to say that this board hadn't met for years. Um, and when you guys decided to sunset day, you had many of the members that came out and spoke against it. I think tonight you guys are putting uh something for WT for an additional million dollars on an RFP for downtown. And uh so I just want to say that that felt more like personal retribution versus anything else because we volunteered. We wanted DayC to continue and you guys chose to cancel it. Now in this particular case here, you're canceling it, but there's nobody speaking on behalf of that board. So I just wanted to say that. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Um Jim, it's going to be a long night. Jim. Oh yes, it is. That why I drove down from from Plantation. Jump G 247 Delray Beach. I'm I'll be in the city in January. Oh god. Help. Oh yes. Your worst nightmare comes. That's after the election. So that's good. I'm not running for nothing. So don't worry. Okay. Go ahead. I see the item about the youth opportunity board on here tonight. So I'm going to address all boards in one comment to save time. I'm going to be

at one time we had a lot of people in here in the city that was retired. Okay. and we could fill these boards. They were key appointments when we had 15 members. We're down to We're eliminating the youth opportunity board tonight. We're eliminating the senior citizen advisory board tonight. We're eliminating this board that Kevin created to make sure that the day county school system did their job in painting the school and renovating them in this city. Okay? Because we always got the second class treatment from from Lindsay Hopkins. Okay? And this community. I was a member of the youth opportunity board. We're getting rid of you was a member of the youth opportunity board, Alex. We're getting rid of the memories of Ma Pava, Doris Jacobson. I can name everybody that I served on that board. I was the North Miami High representative there for four years from 9th to 12th grade. Pat Walco befredo senior who was a councilman was was my was my sponsor and I had to go before the city council every year and get reappointed. The boards need to go down to five. Honestly, we don't have the people. People are working two jobs. People are not volunteering like they used to. We don't have we don't have two little leagues no more. This city has changed because of the economics. You and this is it. The city clerk, you should be responsible for divorce. Claire Singleman and Lee Fman, you should have that responsibility. They get away from the city clerk and Larry.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Jim. Um, thank you. Public hearing is open. Mike, no comments for approval. Good. I have a motion made by Councilman Charles to approve the item at tab B. The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Mayor. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Opposed. Item passes with a 4-1 vote.

That just for clarification, I I started on the youth opportunity board in in the city um and in the work that they do. But Jim, time is we're in 2026. We're in trouble. So if we talking about subboard, you're right. The people don't, you know, but we got it. But I got I got you. Thank you so much. Yes, sir. Um, thank you. Um, go ahead, Madam Clerk. Next,

Tab C. A proposed resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami, Florida, authorizing the execution of an interlocal agreement between the city of North Miami and the city of North Miami Beach to provide for the permanent transfer of the water service area for the Joe City Global Planned Corridor Development Overlay District to the city of North Miami providing for an effective date and all other purposes. Tab C.

Thank you. Tab C. Um I thought this was explained that you pulled it. Yes, sir. Um, just wanted a clarification because I couldn't find it in the u in the back backup material. Um, do we have to pay ma madam manager, do we have to pay any cost to the city of North Miami Beach for taking over their water lines? Are we connecting to their existing water lines or how is the water going to continue to service that area? Are they giving us their their infrastructure? Are we buying their infrastructure or are we putting new infrastructure in?

Infrastructure already exists. Um, this was a request because, um, where our park is and for the Redwood development, which is a big development, it's actually more costly for them to connect to North Miami Beach that actually has the service that has that service area, but they can connect to us there. There are connections there. And so, what would happen is they would have serviced it. Now, we will service it. Okay? So, we're not taking over any of North Miami Beach's water lines that service Pepper Park or any of the any of that area in our neighborhood there? Specifically for the parcels of land, the two parcels of land and the 27.67 acres.

Okay. But the the memo said that North Miami Beach supplies that area or does it supply um Pepper Park with water in North Miami Beach? Well, currently we were still supplying, but that is their service area. So, in order for a private to come in, then you need they need to connect to the ser they need to now connect to us or they're asking to now connect to us. All right. So, Pepper Park Developers Redwood's going to connect to our existing city facilities infrastructure. Yes, it's going to connect to our infrastructure. That's the transfer of the service. So, North Miami Beach would service with their stuff. We would service with ours. We're transferring service to us.

Okay. So, we're not taking on any of North Miami Beach's uh pipes or anything like that. Correct. I'm not sure how to explain it anymore that they have the transfer of service. They're transferring it to us and we're going to service that area, those two parcels of land. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Public hearing is open on the item. Move for approval. Hold on. Hold on. Public hearing is not closed yet. Public hearing is open. See none coming. Public hearing is closed. Um I think it was Councilman. You moved it and then seconded by Councilwoman.

I have a motion made by Councilman Charles to approve the item at Tab C. The motion was seconded by Councilwoman as the mayor of all in favor. Any opposed? The item passes with a 5-0 vote. Thank you. Tab D. Tab D. A resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami, Florida, adopting the city of North Miami's 2025 storm water master plan update and authorizing implementation of the plan providing for an effective date and all other purposes. Tab D. Go ahead, sir.

Good evening, Mayor Council. Carth Fidler, public works director. Um, I'm going to introduce our consultant, U, Mr. Han Murzy. Um he's the one that worked on our storm water master plan from R.J. Bar. If you reme remember, we did a workshop about a year ago. Um so he's going to do an update and I'll do a presentation after him.

Good evening everyone. Um my name is Hans Morsey. I'm with R.J. Behar. We prepared the storm water master plan update and uh as he mentioned about a year ago we did a workshop with uh some residents and city members and today I'm going to do a brief presentation on the of the master plan update. I like the word brief. Go ahead.

Yes, I'll try to do it in five minutes. No, no problem. Play this is the city boundary map. This is what was included in the project, the story area. The model that we use to to simulate the the drainage of the city is the EPA uh swim. It's a a free software and it's commonly used for this type of applications. This shows uh the city's subbasing map. This was originally created in the original master plan in 2012. All this was updated to 2025 with all new improvements since 2012 to two to 2025. Another part that was included in the update was the modeling of the of the islands. Uh this was not included in the 2012 uh study. So we did an inventory of all the drainage in the island and we provided a model. The same thing we did it for the Keystone Island, Sanusi and Keystone Island. This map is a lighter topographic map. It shows the city boundary and the different elevations throughout the city. The red color shows the higher elevations and the blue the lower areas. The report contains uh an inventory of all the drainage infrastructure within the city. all the manholes, inlets, pump station, wells, xfiltration trench and and miles of pipes. The table shows the different criteria from day county that were used in the analysis of the different types of infrastructure. For example, roadway class one are emergency routes. These are typically built higher for evacuation purposes. So the criteria to evaluate these roads is the 100year storm event. For other

arterial roads or local roads, the fiveyear and 10 year is the criteria to evaluate. The sea level rise was also included in the in the report. The storms included in the master plans were the 2year, 5 years, 24 hours, and the 10, 25, and 100year 3-day events. The table shows the inches of rain for each of the storm events that were uh modeled. In these maps, uh all the critical areas were identified. These are the flood pl areas and areas with the recovery flooding issues. This map also shows the different areas within the city that doesn't meet the level of services for the different storm events that were uh run the five 10 and the 100 year storm event. The implementation plan uh they were the recommendations were divided into short-term improvements and long-term improvements. The short-term improvements are uh for the critical flas and those are pretty much uh consist of new excfiltration trench those are supposed to be done uh depending on budget availability within the next five years. Also the long-term improvements uh those uh were proposed these are uh over a period of 15 to 20 years. So different alternative were provided for the city to plan to the future. So the long-term improvements were divided in two groups. Group one and group two. Group one is pretty much expand the network of excfiltration trench within the city and interconnect with the existing system. And group two it's a more complex solutions such as uh pump stations,

wells or underground systems or building new lakes etc. For the short-term improvements, uh, we analyzed 22 locations at critical areas. And this table shows all the locations, the address and the recommended improvements. On the right, we did a cost estimate for the 22 critical areas for the short-term improvements. And the total, it's approximately $11 million. For the long-term improvements, we develop a a formula and uh approximately the linear fee of French drain is going to be $1,000. So, the city can use this to estimate future improvements. The report includes uh several recommendations. Uh some important recommendations are interconnect the new projects with the existing projects that will uh improve the level of service and the existing drainage. Also provide a backflow preventors at the outfalls. Those are flap gates to prevent uh backflow from the canals during high tide events and during the long-term improvements. uh several recommendations were done about uh upgrade the capacity and additional pumping system within the city. Also, several recommendations uh were provided for the city to be prepared for flooding events such as a as a good uh regular uh maintenance program uh tracking system within the city. Uh storm water management and continuous uh public education to educate the public not to h pollute and to preserve the existing drainage infrastructure. Lastly, we provided several green alternative for drainage. Uh some

examples are permeable pavement or pavers, uh bioells, green parkings or green streets. They don't have a structures. They take the runoff on site and they percolate into the ground. They provide some water quality and flood attenuation and this represent an an alternative to typically typical methods of flood control. That's all I have. Uh thank you.

Thank you sir for the presentation Mr. Fedler. Okay, I'm I'm I'm going to do a a presentation. I may repeat some of the information that Mr. uh Mercy um um stated. However, I'm going to go by pretty quickly as well. Um so the objectives of the plan um is to provide the city um the pro provide the city with a plan that can be implemented and coordinated with the community and agencies to address storm water issues over a period of time. The implementation plan recommendations have been divided into as Mr. Mercy said short-term and long-term um improvements. Short-terms is over a 5year period. long term is 15 to 20 years. And the 15 to 20 years is because you know the planning the long-term planning that goes along with that. This table shows the short-term projects um and as as uh Mr. Mercy mentioned um with the proposed improvements. This map actually shows the 22 locations and where these improvements would take place throughout the city. And this slide shows the 22 locations along with the cost of each one of those locations. Um, understand that it's a substantial amount. However, we're working on we're currently working on funding opportunities uh to fund some of these storm water projects.

Any questions? That's it. Yes, sir. Yes. Before public um hearing is open on the item. So the the 10 million almost 11 million um tag price if we pass it do we need to identify I think this is a 10-year plan right it's well five uh well you in the short-term projects those are fiveyear projects so we're hoping that over a fiveyear period that's when you would tackle some of the short-term projects but as you can see the 22 projects it's almost $11 million

so is this something we we mandated by the state to pass. Um, and I'm just asking I'm not against the legislation, but I trying to figure out Yes. Go ahead. We do have to have the storm water, but course we don't necessarily have to make all of the projects. So, we're going to try to fund as many as we can, and I think it'll just it'll be important to look later. The idea was to meet with each of you to kind of see your worst flood area and try to see which one out of those 22 that we could actually tackle in the next uh few years. Yeah. And how much currently do you have budgeted this fiscal year? Is it the 2 million that we see at the end?

Well, no, that's that's the full revenues. Um, we'll pull that together and I'll have to give that to you at another time. Like, so each year it's around 2.9 2.8 in terms of the full revenues, but that includes what we'd have to spend for operating. So, I need to pull out how much we actually have for projects in water. So, I do have a question. I have a question. Question. Go ahead. um vice may then council woman in a high level

for I'm looking at the project for instance and I know um 121st street um we were able to fund that you know within the city but then we also got it um a grant funded um so what do you do then do you just do more projects do you do the other side because I I didn't realize at the time it was a two-part project so because that funding came from the state and it was specified for 121st street what did you all do with that that additional funding well we just talked about trying to do the second part of the project. So that is in our CIP currently. Okay. And did we get those state revenues or those state funding? We did get some state funding. Yeah, we did get some state funding. Okay. For that. Yes, ma'am. Just want to make sure. Thank you. Yes. Go ahead, ma'am.

Thank you so much. Thank you for both your presentation. So, in the short-term preliminary engineering estimated probable costs, there's location 1 2 3. It's there's no address. Can you identify to me what those locations are? Yes, I can get that to you. Um I if it's not located in the um slide I'll definitely provide that to you. Right. So and I'm not seeing third court on here. They are here. They're right here. The addresses are right here. Right there. Go to the the previous page. Okay. This is the page. This one right here. Okay. Just wanted to make sure cuz uh so is that a part of the short term? This one? Yes. Okay.

It's identified but know that we are working on third court now. So, we are putting out a solicitation for third court currently. Okay. Just wanted to make sure. Thank you, C. Any other questions? Um, go ahead. I'm quickly um thank you for the presentation and glad that I see um Northeast 2nd Avenue from uh 119 to 135th is part of it. Uh that is a big one especially in the in the area of uh 119 um going to uh 125th and it's terribly bad.

So um I'm glad that you have that at least we're working on it and probably bring some relief. And uh one thing that I also like is to see that as I said it last year, we need to have a plan to clean up the drain. Cuz what happened is that after we get all those leaves dropped on the on on our drain, the first batch of wind that we have just going to uh move the water up because there's no way for um the water to um just um keep going down. So that is something I think we need to plan accordingly. So um just as of now we should have been working and cleaning up those um drains that would give us uh better um line so when it start raining hard and then we don't have all that flood. So the only the only thing my only concern is that Mr. um um director, we um took a trip over to 128th Street. Um that piece of 119 from 119 to uh 128th on um Northwest 10th Avenue and just go down all the way to um 17th Avenue. It is a hot mess. It is it's like residents are calling from left to right whenever God sneezed. So is there is a do you have another plan? because I see that we didn't make it. 120th Street didn't make it in into this plan.

Yes. Uh through the manager. So that particular street is not in this plan. Um it's typically it doesn't um typically it doesn't flood over there. So what's happening is because a lot of those those swell areas are paved. Um there's nowhere for the water to go. It eventually drains. However, what we're doing is and we did it in one of the in front of one of the addresses along that roadway is put in an exfiltration trench. Um we did that inhouse. So our goal is to look at that street to possibly do smaller projects to help with that situation. So we are looking at that particular street as well even though it's not in the plan. Yeah. But I'll tell you it's been like more than two years in the making. So how far are we? Because you know the raining season is coming up

and we are going to get them calls. Yeah. This is uh this is like an area that is that is bad. Terribly bad. Well, the good thing is we just finished a project a few weeks ago, probably about a month ago on 120th. Our goal is to do probably do a couple more depending on some funding and getting, you know, doing it and we did it in house. So that would help expedite some things. Okay. So, so meaning that if I just to make it clear, you guys have identified the problem and then working on solutions. So, um, since we're doing it in a house, so how about how long would it take for us to do the entire street?

Well, it depends on on the funding also. So, that particular project, we had some some leftover funding that we were able to allocate towards that project. So, we'll work with the city manager's office to identify additional funding to do other projects. All right. So, thank you. Thank you, commissioner. Um, thank you. any Karen is

wait Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. Um, do you do you have a storm water schedule cleanout schedule by streets or east side, west side, center town? Is there a schedule as opposed to doing hodge podge, you know, from going all over the city? Because I just reported to you and the manager a couple days ago two drains that I saw that were filled with dirt and so forth. One is in front of a construction site, which we as a building department and building officials need to um maybe make sure that they stress that they must cover um which the regulations call for, but that they actually do it. Uh put the screening around the drain, put the sandbags around it so that their uh sediment doesn't drain into that. And I saw one of the drains that looks like cuz it was in front of a construction site and the other one just seems like it was, you know, just missed a few times. So, is there a schedule that we can get that we can say, "Oh, they're going to come by in April. They're going to come by in uh June uh to clean out the storm drains. Is there some rhyme or reason?"

Through the manager, uh we don't have a schedule when it comes to the cleaning of the drains. We do try to tackle our problem areas. We do have a schedule when it comes to our street sweeping. So, you would see our street sweeper out more regularly. Um, however, we're working on a plan to tackle those drains in those areas. Typically, what we'll do is right before the rainy season also, we'll go out and and address a lot of those areas of concern. So, um, to your point, um, we're hoping that we can have a schedule, a regular schedule. So, you'll see us out um, cleaning those drains and concern.

Okay. because you because you guys have the equipment, you have those nice vac trucks and I know you use them all day long. They're constantly I see them out there on the street. Um but again, as this storm water master plan said, the devil's in the details which says maintenance, maintenance, maintenance. Clean your drains, clean your drains, you're not going to get flooding. And it's written all over the this this study. So, we should put a lot of emphasis in that. Also, um Miami Day County, I'm going to touch on the artificial grass because it affects you uh and the swailes. Miami Day County just uh established their um new storm water conditions and so forth. You're more familiar with it than I am. And one of the things they addressed is artificial turf within swailes within people's yards within everything. Um will we be seeing or any of those recommendations um tied into this or taken into any kind of consideration? I know the plan's not their plan was just adopted not long ago and this plan has been in the the works for a while.

Any comment on that? No comment, but artificial swells aren't in this. Um, however, I understand those concerns, but we do look in areas um if they have them in the swell areas just to make sure what the runoff and water is percolating in those areas. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome.

Thank you, sir. Public hearing is open on the item. Public hearing is open. Seeing none com one. Good evening. My name is Eileen Bicaba 13350 Northeast Third Court. I ask that you do not approve the storm water master plan tonight without first corrected major inaccuracies. I live on northeast third co and know for a fact that no drainage actually exists on that street. On page 61, figure 38 of the storm water master plan and again on page 105 of tonight's packet, the plan reflects approximately 2,000 ft of drainage for Northeast Third Code between 131 and 135th that do not actually exist. Yet, this document is being presented for adoption tonight as the city council storm water master plan that has been written since February of last year and right now that does not exist. That is um the issue is compounded because the plan itself conflicts the storm water atlas map on page 289 and 290 page 323 of the packet for northeast skirt code showed that the drainage don't exist. Yet in the previous one it shows it does. Yet when you have modeling that is done, it depends on accurate information. So it calls into question the entire modeling and recommendation for the entire basin surrounding where I live on northeast third court. There is a timing issue. Some of the data is based on black and vich

calculation from September the 3rd of 2024 before Delmas homes was fully developed. meaning that current runoff conditions are not fully accounted for. In addition, the city proposed drainage project is still not accounted for or existing in the water runoff from the citadel and the storage.

Thank you, Mr. Pa. Wow. Um, public hearing is still open. Seeing none coming. Public hearing is closed. Um, madame manager, I don't know if what she said how accurate it is or whatever the case is. My suggestion tonight is if we could table this and figure if this is accurate, if this is correct and bring it back. I'm sorry. Oh, you you my vice may say something. Oh, okay. Um, and we could revisit that. Um, there's some stuff. Yes, sir.

Yes. through through the manager. Um, I'll look at that. However, you know, this this project is we're ready to uh to to put it out and construct this project. It's fully funded. Um, we have money uh allocated from other sources project for northeast third court. Northeast third court. So, while she's referencing the storm water plan, the northeast third court is part of like our storm water projects. We'd like to put that out. So that would be separate from putting this.

So in other words, the comments that were made, they're separate from what we're what we're doing. This is one and we have a plan currently to put out the drainage for the Northeast Third Court. Um the only comment that I would say may um pertain to the Northeast Third Court is the question of whether or not the calculations would take into account the other areas and it would not take that into account. That is still something separate. We understand that. But we still have to do the northeast third court drainage in order to make that happen. So what I'm saying is this storm water separately would be stopping projects that are separate from what we're working on from Northeast Third Court.

Okay. This this is my recommendation. What I said, Madame Manager, is we have a resident. I don't know and I'm not technical and and quite frankly you and I we have not gone into this in detail. She may be incorrect and we may be incorrect. We may be wrong. I all I said is if we can I'm not saying about any figure out what the accusation whatever I was I would feel very uncomfortable um in terms of voting for something that you know what I'm hearing I'm not saying that it's correct or not correct. So my recommendation is if we could table it for next next meeting and then just move forward with that. I would feel comfortable if other members want to vote for it now want to do whatever that's that's on that but that is my recommendation because I I'm not I don't know I think we should the manager kind of stated that it's something separate. It's not related to this. This is an important um item that's for everyone's district as it relates to storm water especially while we're in the rainy season. I don't I'm not in favor of delaying this item even further knowing that I know I have projects that are are pending mayor. I'm just saying but I'm just stating my position you asked. I'm just stating my position that I'm not in favor.

That is fine. No, no, that is fine. Thank you. You could be but that was my recommendation and it could be vote down but for the record I'm putting it out there. I did not She made some some stuff and I don't know and I haven't met with you. I don't know if other members may have met with you and discussed this in lengthy with the manager. I don't know. So, what I'm all I'm saying, you guys could vote however you want to vote up and down, but as chair, this is my recommendation and and I've been wrong where they vote up and down before. So, that's my I'm just saying you know where I just Yeah. I don't know if you want to pull the the other members to see where they stand, but that was it.

We don't listen if we we I I don't like to delay the point. If whatever I just put my stuff out there, it could do what whatever it needs to do. M madame clerk, you could call call it if any members don't have anything, call it into vote. But that was my recommendation. I made it to the administration and and I just in terms of what what happened, let me I'd like to meet both of you in the middle if I could. I definitely, as you know, third court has been uh an area that of concern for me. I also want the resident's question to be con to be addressed. I'm I I I would like to vote on this tonight and if there is something contrary, I would expect that the administration will bring it back so we can correct whatever we need to correct. But I just do not want to um uh delay any thing any any any project or any you know I don't want delay any work that needs to be done on third court.

Thank you so much. Um madame clerk please please um commissioner please. Um madame clerk please call please call into um into motion. Is there a motion? So move. No no no. I didn't make a motion. I'm asking a question. Well she just motion there's a motion to approve the storm. So I have a question. So if there's a motion, I'll second it. Okay. So just have a question. In light of the questions and concerns that were presented,

is this plan amendable? Um if you come back and such as the shopping center that's been causing a lot of problems in that neighborhood, um was not taken may or may not have been taken into the calculations for that area. um and a couple of the other areas. Is it amendable in the near future um to readress that um as the consultants to to to see if all the data is correct because this is going to be a living document. Um it's got to be amendable over the course of many years because things are going to change, new buildings and roads, a lot of stuff. So um is this amendable in the next uh couple weeks? if you look up the information that um she's saying and it tends to be correct. Um is that possible?

I would I would need to work with the uh through the manager. I I would need to work with the consultant to see how long it would take. We do we could look at that area again of course, but I would I don't want to say two weeks and it may take a little longer. Um but we could definitely look at that area again with our consultant. Okay. and through the to the manager for the consultant what we're asking as far as an update and and another set of eyes looking at some calculations in the areas that were uh presented just now is that a reasonable request of you um to do that? Yes, I will need the comments in writing for me to review it and provide a response to comments. If there's an error uh we will fix it. Okay.

Thank you madam madam clerk. I have a motion public hearing. It was it was already closed. Go ahead. I have a motion made by Vice Mayor Timothy to approve the item at tab D. The motion was seconded by Councilwoman as Mayor Urban. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Nay. Item passes with a 4-1 vote. Thank you. Which which tab? Tab E.

Tab E. A proposed resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami, Florida, authorizing the city manager and city attorney to execute an agreement for professional consulting services with the WT partnership to provide the city with technical advisory and transaction management services for the proposed downtown revitalization initiative for a total not to exceed amount fee on $944,400 waving competitive bidding in accordance with section 7-120 parenthesis capital B of the North Miami code of ordinances providing for an effective date and for all other purposes. is tab E. Thank you. Is there any presentation, sir?

Good evening, uh, Mr. Mayor, council members, for the record, Alberto Estrad, procurement director. Um, the purpose of this item is to request, uh, your approval uh to enter into a contract with WT partnership. Uh the purpose of this agreement would be for WT to provide the city with uh technical advisory services uh financial feasibility studies, estimated project cost and recommended project delivery methods for the proposed downtown revitalization project. Um, as you may recall and as reflected in the council report, uh, these services are being funded and will be paid by a grant that was issued to the city by the US uh, federal department of transportation innovative finance and asset concession grant program. It is a $1,750,000 grant that will fund these services once again for the proposed downtown revitalization uh project. And um there's a breakdown of the fees on the second page of the report. And if you have any questions, I'll be glad to take them.

Thank Thank you, sir. Public hearing is open on the item.

Jim Garrett 247 Britney up. Delray Beach, Florida 33446. I have the mic. Yeah, there you go. Jim Garrett 247 Britney up Delray Beach for 33446. My two minutes begins now. Question is this. Please go ahead. Go ahead.

Okay. My first question is this. I give I give credit to the city administration because they found a grant to pay for this. Okay. So, it's not coming out of the general fund. However, we're addressing the wrong issue. Our biggest issue in this city is the water and sewer system. Not putting up a new city hall, a new police station, and a parking garage when we don't need it. Have you been in downtown North Miami on a Saturday night? This place is empty. Okay. We need to address what made this city which was the water and sewer department because people used to come here and get their water. Okay. And that provided the revenue for this city. That what we need to address with and my question is this. Who is the local representatives for WT partnership? Is it Frank Roland and Andre Pierre or is it Dukey and Larry Spring? Come on. I've lived here for so many years when I lived over on the west side and I've and when I live in San Susan Estates, I've seen so many studies of downtown North Miami. And number two, and the last thing is downtown North Miami is from Northeast 4th Avenue and we need to extend it to northeast 16th Avenue because we got two housing complexes over there that going to be future trouble. And our commuter rail rail station is going to be at northeast 14th Avenue and 123 123rd Street when Tri rail and Bright Line agrees to run commuter rail along along the FEC corridor. That has been promised for the last 30 years just like my dad's drawings of Metro Rail going up to 183rd Street along the FEC tracks.

Right on time. Thank you, Lord. Mayor, Council, Sebastian Semla, Gardens, Residences. While I am definitely one that would I'm sorry, 1155 Northeast 126th Street. Thank you.

While I'm definitely one that would love to see uh a downtown RFP. Uh city's already spent millions and millions of dollars on studies. How many more studies do we have to spend money on? And I understand that this was a grant given by the federal government, but surely there is better ways that we can spend that money other than continuing to invest in studies when an RFB never went out for downtown. So why are we continuing to spend money? And why can't this money be allocated towards something that's much more beneficial? Because we get a grant doesn't mean we should be wasting our federal tax dollars.

Thank you. Thank you. Public hearing is open on the item. Public hearing. See none coming. Move forward. Move.

Hold on. Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. Please let me run this for a second. Um I I have some comments and then vice um vice mayor um you know I had similar concern um in terms of some of the questions that was mentioned but I discuss this particular item with the manager and I made some requests and I did have some um meetings in terms of of what's happening. So I am in supportive of you know my concerns were answered and um you know and and I told them that we would do and work in terms together to make sure that this time it should be a different a different outcome than the other one. So in terms of that, so a lot of the the concern Jim you mentioned um not not what you did to was the last but I did mention and they were um answered with the manager and um um John and and the folks who the is it the TWW what is WT um that was the PE folks right the WT um representatives and stuff. So thank you vice mayor and then you want to say you're good.

Yeah. I just have two quick questions. Um, who applied for this grant? Like which our department? I believe it was our economic development. So, Mr. Lurfield, you apply for this grant. Yes, I did. And um, in my briefing with WT, I was also made aware that they too helped us work on obtaining this grant for the city. That's correct. And for this grant, what is the purpose of this grant? Because I know people say we should use it for other things, but what exactly is the purpose of this grant? What can it be used for? The funds could be used to cover the cost of the advisors.

So, pretty much for this analysis of the P3 to look at another option because we know previous administration wanted to look at another option which was twice as much. Um, and now we're back at the drawing board to look at another option for downtown. That's correct. Okay. Thank you. That's it. And thank you again for applying for the grant. Is that it? Thank you. Anyone else? I have a question just for um clarification and for just some comments. So

did you Yeah, you did. Yeah. Yeah. That's when you heard from Jim. Um so they're going to they have been working on this um from 2001 or two I'm sorry for 2021 or 2023 this this group has been working on the downtown plan and then it it lapsed and now we're they're going to we're using them to update the the study. Correct. That's correct.

Okay. And at the end of the study, um, the purpose is to see where we can put a new city hall and a law enforcement or a police department along with a transportation component somewhere within this area of the existing city hall mocha and the police department. Look at exactly what the full scope is going to be again because there were options before that are that are above what we can expend right now. So we have to go back and look and see what all the options could be. Okay.

Um and yes, one of the requirements of this um grant is that we do um look at options from the transit oriented development perspective. So whether it's like a park and ride or something that's connected to a train. So it does have a transportation element to it.

Okay. Um, what I'm going to get at is want to get at is that at the end of the time that this study comes back to us, it's going to present to us, yep, we found a great place for your city hall. Whether it's across the street or if it's uh where we're sitting now or somewhere else, they're going to come back um with a price tag of about $1500 to $200 million most likely for a new police department, city hall, possibly, you know, community center. We're going to spend a couple years getting to that point and then we're going to look for funding there. There's no federal funding for local city halls. There's no federal funding or state funding for local city halls. Little bit of money for law enforcement uh police facilities, but not a whole lot. At the end of the day, once this is all done, said and done, um we're going to have a price tag of 150 million, $200 million floating around out there to build a new shiny city hall. Money that we don't have. If you go to the voters, they will they will vote it down. This city has never voted for one bond except for the police department. And that was because a police officer had gotten killed and and that's how we got our new uh uh city uh our new police department built uh because of a tragic uh a uh uh death. Um other than that, this city does not like to vote for bonds. Um and before that one, the only bond that really ever went out there was to save or what's now known as Solomia. and and we saw and then we ended up paying that off. So, I'm just saying at the end of the day, they're this they're going to give us the plan and we're going to have to worry about trying to build a new uh you know, city hall facility. Um, I think those efforts, um, it's nice to have the plan and and the study, but I don't think it's going to be a a reality, but I think the reality and I don't think, um, the residents of this community, if we do not get a water plant built or

under construction in the next 5 years, um, don't even think that the community is going to support a new city hall, um, to house city administration. And so, um, I'm just putting that out there now. Um, um, luckily that the grant is there and they can come up with some, uh, great proposals, but at the end of the day, it's going to be a huge p price tag that we can't afford, um, to do and and just just wanted to put that on the record. Thank you. Thank you so much. Oh, thank you so much. Um, yeah, I get a um, I move I moved it

a second. I just want to clear for the record. Can you tell me or read into the record who the owners of WT are, please? Well, WT Partnership, uh, they are a corporation. Um, and who who is the owner of the corporation? Well, I I'll I'll be glad to look into that. Uh, I believe that they are a publicly traded corporation, I believe. But, uh, I'll I can provide that information to you. I mean, they're Can you provide the information before the end of this meeting? I just want the public to hear who the owners are. Okay. Thank you for sharing it. It's it's a publicly traded company. They're one of the largest companies in the world that do this type of work.

Shareholder. Anybody here own share in that? Oh, go ahead. Thank you. I'll I'll provide that information to you before the end of the meeting. Thank you, Madame Clerk. I have a motion made by Councilman Charles to approve the item at tab E. The motion was seconded by councilwoman as Mayor Urban. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Opposed. Item passes with a 4-1 vote. Thank you. Thank you.

Tab F. a proposed resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami, Florida, amending the utility billing policy to transition from quarterly to monthly billing cycles, further authorizing the city manager to take all action necessary to implement monthly billing cycles for the city's utility billing customers providing for an effective date and all other purposes. Tab F. Thank you, Jeff. F and G are not um convenient items, right? They are not. Oh, okay. Okay. Thank you. Okay. So tab F public hearing is open. Is there a presentation um on none? Okay. Um public hearing is open on tab F.

Okay, that's two. Um Miss Gilmore, Mr. Garrett. Okay. Did she I don't Oh, she did read the res. Virginia Gilmore, 1635 Northwest 120th Street.

I am for the monthly water billing. My question is where does our garbage comes in play with this? Also an average $500 quarterly bill. Is that 500 is going to break into three pay three payments like 175 a month or is there going to be additional money? So instead of paying $500 quarterly, are we going to wind up paying $700 by going month three months? It is three months now.

No. If if when we pay quarterly, you have an average $500 a month bill. Quarterly bill. If you break it down to monthly, if you break that down monthly is about an average 175 and that's included your your bulk pickup, your trash pickup. How much is the bill is going to roughly per month and what's going to jump the garbage? What's going to happen to the garbage that we're paying for quarterly? Where's that quarterly garbage is going to be? that money is going to be placed on our quarterly on our um taxes at the end of the year.

That's the next That's the next item. Yes. Because our water bill consists of our sewer, the water bill, our garbage, our trash, our bulk pickup. It's not just a water bill. So, Mr. Attorney Yeah. Go ahead. No answer question. Yes. Go ahead. Go ahead. Yes. I'm sorry. You right. You have more. No. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Gilmore. Yes, sir.

Jim Garrett 247. The water bill and the sewer bill has been an issue in this city since 1981. And the billing issue has been around since little days. We Marco Jr. when he was mayor recommended to Larry Casey we needed to go to monthly billing. If you knew Louis Casey, he was tight with the buck. Okay, this is my question. Let me simplify this. By us going to water and sewer like we have up in Delray Beach, my water and sewer bill in Delray Beach is $41.92 for one from 0 to 5,000 gallons. The sanitation is not on the bill. Okay. Whole question is that if we go to monthly, are we going to see a price increase in our water and sewer rates? And is this going to fund improvements to the water and sewer system or is this going to fund improvements to other things that we have on our priority list? 234. As Green Graham stated in her gubernatorial campaign as the Democratic as one of the Democratic candidates in 2018, water is life in this state.

Thank you,

Mayor Council. I'm back. Sebastian Semla, 1155 Northeast 126th Street. Um, I read the memo and uh it says the city currently reports a 50 50% collection rate with an account receivable totaling $ 38.2 million. That's a lot of money that we're owed. Why aren't we doing a better job on collecting money? I mean, this is a staggering number. So, while I do agree that hopefully going to monthly billing will help in the collection, I also think that the administration and the staff needs to really focus on collecting on the people that are not paying their water. Like anything else, if you don't pay for something, you can't have it. Uh, and this is a huge huge deficit in in our budget. And I think that there needs to be a major focus on collecting what is owed to the city. Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Davey.

Hi. Uh Deborah Davies, 1165 Northeast 127th Street. Um first of all, I agree with Mr. Semler that we have all these slum lords that owe money for the water bills. So, I just wanted to second that. Um I'm so I'm sure some people this might be helpful to have it monthly. My concern is that you're going to be raising the water bill and the reason you're doing this is that people aren't going to be able to find the money in a quarterly way. Um, and it's a way of kind of hiding it. Like our homeowners insurance, all of that has gone from quarterly to monthly because it's been raised so much. So, I am opposed to this if the reason you're doing this is because you're going to be raising the water rates. Uh because we're not really addressing the problems of our water plant. Thank you.

13350 Northeast Third Co. Eileen Bava. Um I'd like to echo what has been said about the collections. I think that is an important issue and it is unfair. Um I have attended previous council meetings in which um there were discussions that it was a lot of the multif family units that were not paying. So as a single as a single family unit owner um I can't go and just not pay my bill and just have it forgiven you know and nobody comes after me for it. Yeah. Uh they have they should have to pay just the way we have to pay. And the answer isn't to make changes to accommodate that. The answer is to solve the issue of collections. Um and then we have the issue of water. That's the water plans and and the water bill increasing. So all of that have to be addressed and we should not be I I am actually not opposed to necessarily it being monthly. I think more people will pay. um it's easier for them to remember to pay something every month than to every 3 months. Plus, if they do not budget properly, they may not be able to have the money in 3 months, especially with the water bill increasing. But it shouldn't be because we are accounting for people that are not paying. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Seeing none, you want to come up, sir, please. Um public hearing is open. Are you your hand was up? Yes. Just come on up. Good evening. Good evening. First of all, I would like to your name and address please. My presentation. I would like to excuse myself and I've been in Miami for the last 24 years. So your name and address and I've been not mindful for 24 years and u with the tax business. What's your address? address on 13218. Yes, sir.

Where's the CIA? Thank you. Go ahead.

And I put really four months out out of the year ending back and forth and I water the bill that comes to me for this month for $5,175. $5,175 for water bill. Well, I only operate four months out of the year. And I went to the office as I was trying to explain to them what I do and what what my office is about. It seems to be that there is no one that can talk to me nicely and tell what's going on. Therefore, I'm very concerned about the bill. $5,175 for a water bill where I only operate four months out of the year. I only flush pee and flush.

Oh lord. P inflow information sir that's fine there. That's what I do. I got you. Thank you. And I have a bill for $5,000 $175. Thank you. Is that for the quarter or for the whole year? Let's say quarter. I don't even know what it could be quarter. Seems like yeah sounds. So I need some help. Yes. And then it seems to be that they were giving me an attitude. They cannot explain to me as to how it works and I'm very conc.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Um some Katya, whoever. Um or Miss Oh, um Miss Santana, please. Um they'll talk to you. Thank you so very much. Public hearing. Thank you, sir. No. Hello. Yes, she Oh, okay. She'll go. Um public hearing is closed on the item. Um all right. The only thing that I'mma ask before we I I know we probably have a lot of um comments from my colleagues up here. Madame manager, we just need to between you and I, my office and you tighten up on the the these items um in terms of where we are. And I'm gonna be real because that's all I know. First and foremost, we're in an election year. So, when I saw this, I'm like, wait, somebody must want to either all of us gone or me gone, whatever the case is. We have in this city, there was a vote that that that was taken and and and and Councilman Charles was not even on here. I don't even remember if

I think I was on here. We were exploring the options whether to go to monthly to remove the sanitation.

As a matter of fact, Vice Mayor, many many years ago, I've been in this city for over 30 years. I grew up here. There was a time this council voted. I wasn't on this council. I've been in here for almost 11 years. This was previously. They voted to do exactly what we are doing now and two weeks later they had to come back and reverse it. I think that's when Lucy was the mayor. If I knew this was coming then this is why I say madam manager I would have told you let's hold off to this. Let's do some town town hall. This is good for us and I've always been an advocate of doing it like this because it's good for the city and we will get the money fast. all of the good stuff. But my responsibility as an elected official, and this is why it's so hard, I got to balance making sure that we taking care of the employees and do what we got to do. But also, my biggest responsibility is these people. If this thing was even anybody or in any groups or whatever the case is um around this city knew this item was here, we would not even have space in this entire building to have people talking. So that's number one. And we all know that this is and and there's a couple of items tonight that's right in line with these. Like I said, I've been here for 30 years. I know one thing about this community that some people will call me from district two and I'mma say district one. They'll say to me, mayor, you know what, they won't say that, you know, they don't like me, but they'll put it in a nice way, but they say, you know what, I respect you and we trust you. So, we don't have to agree in some stuff. So, when I sit here, that's why I don't count vote. It doesn't matter if I have an item that lose or pass because I know

one thing. These residents trust me and they know I'll sit there and do what needs to be done. I don't care about running or losing. But this right here, this is we got to tighten it up a little bit. We are not Aventura. We are not Miami Shores. I know we would like to think we are, but we have people who got families who cannot even send money back home, who cannot pay the rent, who are on the street. Guess what? They come to my office all the time. These are our residents. So, there's a lot I'm I want to do this for us, for the city. I honestly think we need to make sure and that's why I asked the attorney if this item and the other one is, you know, is is definitely something that we need to do public outreach and make sure I don't mind to take the hit and I'll work with the manager and I'll go to every district Keystone Susi and I'll send there and I'll tell them this is what we got to do. I know the people trust me and I think the administration knows that. But this one right here, we need to think and be careful. And let me say this, either way it goes, I I'mma say this right now. I could win any election here without a doubt. So I'm not worrying about me. But we got other members here. We got to be careful. These people cannot put gas in their cars. They cannot do anything. Please. So my recommendation, let's work on this cuz like I said, I want to do this for North Miami because it's good for us and we, you know, things are going, but we got to be in um considerate of the folks. I would, it's my recommendation if we can pull tab G and F and um and let's work on it. I don't know how other members feel. And

then let's revisit it. And you mean F and G? Yes. Yes. I'm sorry. Yes. Yeah. You um Yes. Um Yes. Yes. Yes. I'm um if if we can and I don't mind to take the I I will because I I I I really in support and we've been talking about this for many years, but I want to do this the right way where I could stand in front of them saying, "Listen, we need to do this. This is why it's happening." And I will take care of district four with Councilman Charles and do what we need to do with two and three with three and four. But two and one and two, I will go and we'll make the case and do what we got to do. But I'm urging this council. Yes, vice

I just have a couple of questions just for the staff. Um, as I was looking at the present, um, as I was looking at the item, I know a question was mentioned about the collection rate and it was something that came up when we were auditing and we saw that we were $20 million in receivable and the administration has been going after the multif family units to ensure that fashion building. You do you owe us any money? Oh, okay. But not go ahead but not to belver the point. The 50% collection rate, Meta Manager, is that residential or commercial or both? What is your commercial collection rate? Commercial mostly. Um, I think they're pretty much even. Yeah, I can. And they're both you're collecting 50% from

Yeah. Let me I can through CFO in terms of the collection rate or is it just residential? I have the numbers. So we we're like there's about 25 millions now that's been No, no, but what is our current collection rates for resident? Well, residential is 50 and you're saying we're only collecting 50% of commercial as well. Yeah. I'm sorry. 40. Oh, Angela Reyes, chief financial officer. Currently, we were at 50% 50% residential, 50% commercial. I currently saw some rough numbers because there were some unbuild and um we're looking more at 40% collection rate commercial, 60% residential.

And the commercial that's being collected, are those number accurate? Like I heard that there were some issues with their meters being inaccurate. Um the I can tell you about the total revenue. Those numbers are accurate accurate. I have about 25 million total and 15 million of that is really commercial HOAs that owe that. So we have a big chunk on commercial that owes us that makes up the total collections. That's what I thought. Okay. Yeah. I I I'm sorry, mayor.

I'm also in agreements with the mayor that these items have to we you guys have to do a little bit more work on them in terms of the community and up here. Um, when you talk about going into monthly billing, like what process like how are you going to automate? Are you is it going to be some type of automation? Cuz I think our issue right now is we send one bill and expect residents to remember by month two or three to go and pay that bill. I could tell you I forgot to pay my bill several time because all of my bills are on automatic bill pay. So I think right now you guys the education should be what other methods like how can we get someone to pay online and not come inside city hall or how can they pay over the phone. So, I think when you do those education and folks understand that, hey, maybe you maybe you can sign up for um I think someone told me that you can do e bill pay with your own bank and send a $100 every month. So, that's what I decided to do to make sure that I I don't forget to pay my water bill because I do forget. So, I think when we're when we're addressing the collection rate, we also have to find out a way to become automated, make sure it's online and accessible. For someone to have to come here between the hours of 8 and what 4:30 to pay a water bill in 2026 is ridiculous. So, I think this administration has to take a look back and figure that part out because you can't bring a blanket, hey, we're going to go to monthly billing, but then how who's going to who who's going to who's who's operating what the system is. I'm pretty sure it is. There is some financial impact because now you're going to have to print more paper. So, I think you guys need to do a better assessment before bringing something of this nature before us.

I I totally agree, but vice mayor, make sure your your order thinkers, if they get the money, it's hard for you to get it back if they made a mistake in terms of um the bill, but it's better for us. And I think the next companion item would be it would have to be from the tax. And the issue that we always have is if the in and our water bill and I tell the residents that in Creole or Spanish it's not it's normal. It's it's average as the other folks. They don't like to hear that. But that's you I would not lie to him. I'll tell them the problem that we are having and we need to face that reality. We do not have enough people that makes enough money that could afford it. My water bill went went up you know three or400. Yes. It's it's tight and and it's a little bit tight. So yes, I would prefer that the monthly is good for us and this and that. what's going to happen as soon as we do and people start going and get narrative and a million people will be here the next meeting then we like oh what did we do this and this and that versus us telling them hey this is what we got to do people always not going to agree with us but if we know that we've done the the right thing to educate them and do what we do we'll be okay

and may I'm sorry there was one last question and I know we were statemandated to raise our rates right for how long because I know it's because we were we weren't doing what we were supposed to do up here by raising the rate. So now we're mandated to raise our rates. Do we know how long um the rates hike will continue? Well, how many more hikes do we have? Right now we have a projection of three more hikes and we can go back to Wait, wait a minute. Okay, vice mayor.

No, and I'm saying I'm saying that because you know, we're all up here and we want to say, hey, we need a water plant. We know we need a water plant, but that water plant costs anywhere between 300 million to almost a billion. And I've seen numbers that goes up to a billion. And if we look at what happened in Fort Lauderdale, they had a bond, they had a whiffy alone, and the residents still have $1,000 water bills. So, as we're up here and we're talking about, hey, we need this water plant and we need to do X, Y, and Z, let's also remember, if we can't raise the rate by the 8.5%, if we're not collecting at 75 or 80%, we won't be able to do a water plan. So, I I think we also need to pay attention. City of Fort Lauderdale is right next door. there there are cases all in the news, but residents are screaming because their water bill is $1,000 a month, and that's with the WIFFI alone, and that's with a bond referendum, and they're still paying that high. So, I think we also need to make sure that we're doing that homework so when you guys do come back to us that the numbers are correct. So, yes, we might need to, you know, attack um collection rates, but we have to find a way how to go about collecting and making sure that the meters are accurate and that they're not tampered with. You know, I'm hearing stories of residents breaking our meters. like we have to make sure that those you know those tools are you know correct and as well as that we're making sure that the messaging on how to pay your bill is properly conveyed maybe you know often as often as we can so folks remember because like I said every 3 months is is is a bit much.

Yes sir. Go ahead.

If I may uh Mr. Mayor thank you. um talking to um resident in district 4, I think uh most of them are more in support of uh the monthly billing, but the big question is um the other item, the the tax. So, um either way we go, I I am okay with that. Um because I am not going to support anything that would raise not even $1 on our residents. I will not I not I will not I not in support of that because I know in district 4 we are suffering and it's like every day you seeing it um 10 to 15 resident come up with the same questions about uh utility billing um but what I'll say and uh in term of that um I don't think we have a problem of um collection

now we have a problem of enforcement yes yes that's the problem that's what we need to Look at we we need we need to get to a point and said it is time for us to start enforcing it because we have form of enforcement. If we move and start enforcing it, you don't pay the same as our FPNL, you don't pay your bill, you you get cut off and then you you will come up and then start making some plans and then we will be in a better in a better position. I'll give you 6 months. our um collection rate will just go um go up. But we need to decide as a as a council we need to decide to take um that direction because it cannot it cannot it cannot be

commercial. Yeah. Yeah. No commercial I'm talking about in general the commercial in general collections and u commercial and everything because the the problem is that we do not enforce as a city there's no enforcement. There's there's no enforcement. So, we have to um get to a point we decide that we are going to enforce it both um commercial, yes, commercial, they have more money, but also residential. And I'll take myself an as an example. I got hit with a $742 utility bill. I came over and paid it. And then the next one was $1,83. You must have had a leak. I came over and paid it. They said that I have a leak. And I look up and down. There was no leak. Then I went on it went back to it normal $342. So

again, I am not going to sit in here and said I am not going to pay because I have to pay because I know that's part of life. But it just get back to normal again. Again, what we need to do at this point whichever way we decide to go, that's fine with me. But we need to have that conversation tonight about enforcement. So we cannot just keep going around it. Just keep going around. Enforcement is not helping the city. is not helping the residents because even the residents um they forget about paying. A lot of them is that they cannot pay or they just forget and then they have two two three uh bills piling up and over and over and over that we need to have we need to take um that that conversation to the next level.

Thank you so much because and Councilman um Burns, you're coming up next. Music to my ear. For the last couple of years, the attorney's office said because they had said it's the commercial, that's why I went after Mr. Sebastian um the big people with with with the buildings and stuff and I said to and we being compassionate and we've been doing this for years but we have said here if the residents and I don't think the residence is too much of a problem I think the issue that we are having why it's low is because of our on internal issues and we try to make up and you know we we have said that so I think we could get the the residential because they turn it off and we haven't you know because of again the issue that we had a couple months ago we we catching up but the buildings. We made a decision that we wouldn't turn them off because the people if they pay Sebastian since Sebastian is in here and Sebastian decided not to pay us then that's it's not fair to them and by the I said I think it was five or six years ago let it be me and I will go and turn off the water. That's what I said and we have never done that. So that's why Councilman Charles I am so in agree Mr. attorney. I don't know whatever office that you have, whoever is doing the collection, whatever. I know they were doing good. We were getting some money and this and that. We need to enforce it. You don't turn it off. The resident I will go on channel 7 and channel 10. And yes, I I will be the face of that because it's not fair to us. We got people here who aren't building who are these people are paying their rent and then they owe us hundreds and thousands of dollars and that's that's an issue we need to I don't know you know legally whatever the case is but we I agree with you um Councilman I think you we've been on here the longest um Councilwoman Irving so we know and these folks $2 well I don't even think it's $2 and and I I have a question for you um Miss Santana

yes

when we took that vote four years ago or five years ago. I think I was the only no vote that I remember. Councilman Charles was not even on here. I thought it was my understanding they will get four bills because we had to and I said it. The only reason I did not vote for it because I had agreed and I said I had agreed and I remember I think Mr. Spring was the manager. But the problem when the item came the way it came and the way they were framing it, I I told them, "No, we're not doing that." And every every November, is it November, October, when the people get the little thing in in in the the education that councilwoman um vice mayor was talking about, it's still not done on an item that past four years because they were calling, they blaming him, they blaming me and they said this is something that's going to happen. I think it's $2 or $3, $8 a month. It's it's less than $10. And every year the people get that we started getting the call what happened you guys voted and I have to go back and tell them and and we haven't done no radio or anything like that said no no no no no um this was voted four years ago and and they start said you know I said no no no leave councilman um you know Kevin wasn't Burns wasn't on here you know we did it you know and we did it

we passed it and I told them I would have vote for it this is what the reason although this and this and this and that but luckily I didn't. So I do have that to say but again the people can't the people that we have the residents that's why I will always and I would rather lose my position to stand and fight for these people. We do not have people that could afford these things and that's just the bottom line and we need to either deal with it and do what we do. So again we could do it. It's good for us, but I think again I think the vice mayor, we need the education um and and make sure that we do what we do. Um can we have a because we have a long night. Yeah.

Well, have a couple comments on this.

Um back in and at another time we as a council did go to monthly billing back in 2006 or seven and it worked out very well for a couple years. Um, and then we switched back to quarterly billing after that. There was some people that screamed and yell about it that it was more convenient to do it once every three months as opposed to once a month. Once a month makes you aware of what your bill is faster if you have a leak. Uh, it makes you aware of it much faster. Um, there's rumor tonight that we're going to talk about water meters and maybe that will be a more of efficient um, operation. Um, and the monthly billing or the every three months billing um, at the end of the day isn't that big of an issue. The the one once a month you can handle it. The the the bill is less. Um um Angela, I mean, Miss Sanchez, um

what is of the $25 million that is outstanding? How much do you think of that is actually a reality that we could possibly ever collect through the manager? Through the manager. Um I don't have an idea of that. I have to make an assessment to give you a better answer. Um, but we do need to work on the collections of the city's water accounts and utility bills.

Yeah, I understand that. Also, the poor collections that we have affects our ability to borrow money. Um, it affects uh the ability to apply for grants because they're going to say to you, how how are you going to do your your debt service with all this new improvement and so forth? And so everything comes to what your collection are and no business could exist just collecting 50% 50 cents on the dollar that they that they put out. And so um I think uh as the mayor said that we need to educate the community about doing monthly. I don't think it's going to be that big of issue. I also agree though that we have to do a much better uh job on collection. And madame manager, I hope you wrote down everybody that said they want stronger enforcement so that when you start the stronger enforcement and we all start getting the calls that they don't come screaming to you, why did you cut Mrs. Smith water off? Why did you cut this place's water off? And you could say, "You told me so right here." Um,

no, you just have them call me. They'll call you. they haven't

because we the the political will for many many years um has not been there to um cut people's water off. Some people have issues. Whether it was a leak, whether it was there, we have a couple buildings that the property management company company has ripped them off and there's criminal investigations going on. That happens, but those are unique. U and then we have the blatant ones where multif family owners are collecting the rent, collecting the fee, and not passing the money on to the city, yet they're still getting monthly services because we don't want to turn the water off of a 100 unit, 50 unit building. And so it puts everybody in a bad position. As far as the second item, um if on G about putting the uh trash collection on the tax bill, it will take about a year, year and a half to even get to that point and it wouldn't even hit until the 2028 tax bill because of all the requirements and notice and the things you have to do. So, this on CAB G, I know we're not on it right now, just puts that in and the motion into effect. We're one of the few cities uh that still bill it as part of the utility bills. A lot of pe a lot of cities by day county have it on the tax bill. It's been that way for years and and a lot of municipalities because your sanitation bill stays constant. your utility bill, your water bill changes uh constantly by use every month and seasonal, but sanitation collection stays constant for the year. We know what we're going to pay. And so, um I don't think we should lump F and G together as far as postponing them. at least have that discussion because it's going to take you all at least a year to even get to the regulatory process to even do what you all want to do because we're now dealing with the Miami Dade County tax collectors and a lot of other entities. It's not just us. We control

our utility bill. We can do what we want. Um going forward though, um I would uh also support and take the phone calls when people saying, "My water has gotten shut off. My water's been shut off before." and you have to you pay the bill and you find a way to do it and you forget. People just forget. Sometimes it's just like uh the council woman said, you get a bill and you don't have to pay it for another, you know, it's 3 months and next thing you know it's uh due a month later. It it just gets lost in the transition. But we have to do a better job on that because again cannot stay at 50% uh collection rate.

Thank you, Commissioner. We have a long meeting and I my my motion was to table the two items um in terms of that so that we could do um what what we do um commissioner is is that all

that's yes sir. So what I what I would suggest um that we take them one by one because I do believe with the with the um water bill the utility billing however we're going to call it um we control that in house but um I think the type G type G would be fair for us to start that process as um Councilman Burns um stated it will not effect until like 2028 and we need to look at everything that is coming up. Um as a city we need to start planning

um not for the best because the way things are moving we need to have some like solid plan in place so that um the city can um um continue to um thrive and do what we got to do. So what I I do believe with F um we go on with the education but um G I think it would be fair to um start the process is not something that going to hit um our resident just now and again I'll go back to 2023 2024 we did a very good job on the commercial site and collecting we um collected a lot of money on those uh um commercial um building and everything and I don't know exactly what happened and then we just dropped it.

You said 103 that 2023. Oh 23 in 2024 we were like pushing very hard and then a lot of them come up and pay that that is correct. So cyber incident came and we fell behind on the billing and now in October is when we finally got caught back up. Now we're you know hoping our residents come in and so that we can help them sort that. Are you Yeah. No. No. Thank you, ma'am.

Oh, thank you. Just to make a a clarification when I say to go after not resident. I was I was not talking about the residents and I I I clearly stated before that the residents number is a little bit higher and could be higher. We we control that. We negotiate. We do what we do. I was talking about the the b the business. And I think when we mentioned that the last time it was the business who was the problem um with the 40% those are the the folks um because the last time we had this discussion my argument was well if they could turn off my water or any resident water which they do we may not do it now because of the cyber attack but we do so why we can't turn the business and I think that's what Councilman Charles was relating to. So again, just to clar clarify it, it's only the the the business that that we need to make sure that they they paid the

mayor. I'll make a motion to table tab F. Um because I I'm hearing that folks don't With all with all due respect, um if I may, I think if we are serious about business, we should go ahead and do what we got to do just on both side

and then send a signal because it is bad. I got resident coming up with a utility billing that is 25 $100 because they never pay. You understand? So if we if we are serious about moving on sometime as u as um elected we have to take the heat. It is it is what it is because the way we are moving now is not working for the city is not working for the residents and at some point we need to start the enforcement. Now we have none of that. So if we are going to do the enforcement, it has to be both on the resident residential side and the commercial. If I don't pay my if I don't pay my utility bill, you just go ahead and cut it off. I will tell you that within 24 hours, I'll be down at uh at city hall or wherever to pay it because I know I cannot go on without without it. So I think that would be a better way better way to approach it because we've been playing around this thing since um since the cyber attack and it's been going on and on and on. So if we are if we are going to table F, let's table F, but we need to start working on the enforcement and we have to send the signal out there. We are working and doing what we're supposed to do.

So So um Madame Manager, if I understand this so G is the the enforcement, but I thought it was what is what is G? Because we didn't discuss G is just moving Yeah, it's moving. moving the um the sanitation to the tax. Yes, that's what G. See, Councilman Charles, this is the the the issue with that.

All of this room going to be fooled the next meeting because what's happening is and you don't have to run until 2028, but we going in a couple months. So, what's going to happen? What you saying is that keep g get this. they can't pay $400 um a quarter because that's the argument or 500 whatever that amount might be what we saying which is good for us as the city and we've been trying to navigate this because we know the type of residents that we have majority of the residents that will effective the most with item G would be your district and Mary's district and then go work because now I'm getting calls from your district too that's in concern I mean council and vice mayor that's supposed to be everybody is feeling the pain. So you saying that people going to lose their homes because they would not be able to afford because what's going to happen their mortgage going to go up. So we know this for years. So what we said we will do what we do that's why we have the little program to to help them out. The only thing that we could do is to invest more in the utility program and help those who who need help. The bottom line is if my my tax, which is on the west side, is not that heavy, but some people think it is because they cannot afford it. Two or $3,000. Um um so we're looking at five or 6 thousand

and so I think that's the because that collection we thought about this many many years and and I know councilwoman was here we discussed it and sometime we voted I it wasn't me the previous council voted to do it and they had to come back and repeal because everybody and the reason that people not here they didn't even understand this I didn't even talk about it until they start tell I said what let every what because it's something that's good for us but it's not good for the people that we represent. So that's why I think those two we need to you know we could do whatever.

If I may if I may um for a final point um if you look at it uh it is not going to be that high to a point that people will lose their house. If you if you do the math because the math in mathing if you do the math the sanitation is about $500 for the entire year cuz that's that's why I got my on my um utility billing. So when you uh take $500 is not $5,000 it's like $10,000. Again it is they still paying it. They're still paying it. So it's not something that will just be so high that people will lose will lose their home and given that uh most most of the residents have that uh homestead exemption and everything that is coming out from the states when it come to poverty taxes and everything. So that is it is not like a number that will scare people away is listen to my point Mr. I'm I'm with you. I'm with you. I just want you to listen just just for the record. It's not that the the sanitation will add like5,000 $6,000 to No,

it is it is about five is about 500. It is about 500. If you bring if they can bring um a utility bill up on the screen, you will see the line for sanitation. It is fixed. And then we have we have only four bills a year. So it is simple math. So you just basically add it and it give you the number. So it is it is in that it is in that area. It's not something that would like um push it so hard and then people will lose their home. So I think we we need to uh you know you know we just I just wanted to make it clear. Like I said whichever way y'all decide to go that's okay with me but we have to make it clear for the not it's not something depends. You want to say something Mr. Attorney? Oh it depends because you have home.

Yes mayor. Can the clerk read tab G since we're discussing? Yeah. Yes please. Okay. Go ahead. Tab G. A proposed resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami, Florida, authorizing the city manager to initiate the process of utilizing the uniform method for the levy collection and enforcement of non-advalorum assessments pursuant to Florida statute section 197 3632 for the collection of fees related to residential garbage, trash, and recycling collection services providing foreign effective date and all other purposes. Tab G.

Thank you. Thank you so much. In reference to what you said, Councilman, the only issue that we have, what's the increase every year that we we get with that pink with that blue the the it's $8. And the councilman will tell you when they get a a a receipt in the mail that says your bill will increase by $8 a month, whatever the case is, 8% 8%. So that 8% is depend on where you live and and how much you you you know, whatever the usage, etc., etc. The call started to come when is this this and this that. So what you are proposing councilman is that once this does pass people will start coming here and saying you just increase my my tax bill and this and this and that. We struggling right now with them cannot even pay every quarter. So $8 a month I I don't even think it's $10. We go and and it's like every year they they this is the only reason we don't have a million people here and we don't even have a million people in North Miami. They will get their friends and their family here because nobody understand or we even mentioned this. The community does not know what we are doing. If we do this again it's two years. I'm not here in two years. So I I I should say you know how we we it's good for North Miami. It's good for the administration. But at the end of the day, the person who cannot eat who you talking about adding $400 or 300 whatever to their mortgage now we're in jeopardy and it would be an action that we did. I I I would highly suggest we think about these um legislation um because we have real people that could that will suffer and and I think we I don't even know how we get to this discussion because we're supposed to favor the two If I if I may uh vice mayor just for one minute for one one minute two things one I am not proposing

anything we are discussing a resolution that is in here that is by city administration that was not sponsored by councilman pan Charles from district 4 I'm just making a point second that 500 we are talking about one way or the other the resident will have to pay so either that 500 is split in four uh billing cycle or you add it to the tax. So it's not it's not like something they're not paying they paying it anyway. So it is basically that's that's the that's the point. I just wanted to make it clear because I am not proposing anything. So I'm just making a point based on the resolution that we have before us. Okay. Thank you. Um what do we do Mr. Attorney? You have to open a public hearing on

Oh no. I thought we were So are we vote? So what are we doing if are we tableling? There was a discussion. So you need to have a I made a motion public and I agree. Only F. Okay. Um only F. Okay. We'll discuss the this thing. So since we are discussing it, let's Okay. Can we So wait, wait, wait. I'm sorry. Give me one second. Madam click. M. Mr. Attorney, since we tab F, if you're ready to vote, if you're ready to vote on tab F, mayor, I think there was a motion, so I think you can vote on No. Okay. There was a motion and I seconded to take the public comment. We were just No, no, no. What else? You made the motion to table it. Yes. And no, you made a motion to table both. Well, we table both and then um vice mayor.

But we had only read F, so it was only for F. Okay, it's only F. Okay, so is there a second? Okay, I got it. So I'll second it. Whichever the case is or I'll make motion to take the maker of the motion. Let me change it. Okay, you're ready? Yes. And madam city clerk, it's to postpone it, not table it. Correct. He the word was the word used was table table means you get rid you get rid of it postpone it. No no no no I'm the maker of the motion. Right. I I and I think we got a second. You seconded the motion. I I'm sorry. I thought I was the the table it. It's to table it. I have a motion made by Vice Mayor Timothy to table the item at tap F. The motion was seconded by Mayor Desome. All in favor? I. Any opposed?

No. Item passes with a 4-1 vote. Thank you. Top G. Are we So we we discussed top G public public hearing public hearing on top G. Do we have a presentation on this one madam manager? Just just so that the residents are clear. This is to remove sanitation and put it on the property taxes. Correct.

That is correct. And I know at one point it was also um a while back years ago it was also made mentioned that the sanitation could be its own separate bill. That is not the case that we're discussing here. Correct. Don't Can you repeat that question? At one point many years ago, um the city discussed sanitation being its own separate bill. That is also not on the table here with this item. I'm just making sure that this is just to put it on. I don't know what I don't know what they discussed before, but no, this is to move it. Okay. You want to go? Okay. Because I'd like to One second, please. Um, before we go, I I just like to

I'd like to make a motion to postpone it to the next council meeting. I just want an opportunity to have um town hall on this matter or or an opportunity to speak further with um with the manager. So, I'll go ahead and and table um tab G. If you make a motion, I'll second. I just made the motion to table time. I'm sorry. How do we do it? So, let's just I'm going to table tap G and I will have a discussion with the management when it comes back. Please like to table tap. I I'm confused. That was my original motion bill. So, we separated. So, what do we have to do now? Mr. Attorney, you could still table it. The the fact is you all had a discussion about they have to have a public comment.

We have to let Jim speak. You have to have public comment today. No, no, no. I know she's but I'm talking to you, Jim. You're still taking still taking a vote on the I got you. Thank Okay. Thank you. So, um, Miss Picaba and then, um, Mr. Garrett. Yes, ma'am.

Okay. Um, Eileen Bikaba 13350 Northeast third. And I came for this, so I'm glad you gave the public because I was wondering when you if you're going to skip it. Um, I'd like you guys to keep something in mind. I understand that things have to be paid and I agree in enforcement and other things, but when you start putting it on the tax role, this can be very dangerous. I want you to remember that the way mortgages work is that the escrow is for 14 months, not even 12. So when you increase it, you're also increasing the person's escrow and you're increasing their mortgage over and above the amount you charge. Number one, that's number two. If somebody doesn't pay their taxes, there is a tax lean that is can be placed on their home and they literally can this county can sell their home for that tax lean. It is not as simple as it is being displayed. Thank you,

Mr. Mike. Your mic. your mic. Is it on? I don't know. I don't know either. But the Yes. Go go go go to the next one. Miss Davey, use the use his J 247. Britney F. Let me bring up an issue that haven't been raised.

We got a governor who's going to call a special session. The property, the one that's going to pass most likely is going to be the property tax. In 10 years, there won't be no property tax on residential properties. That's what I was. So you're going to get rid of your cash for sanitation if you pass this. I say defer this and wait until after after November 2026 because he got the votes in Tallahassee for all three special sessions. Remap remap. He got the votes. He got the votes on on the on the homestead exemption. The the book the worst of the proposals. Not the good one that increase the the um homestead exemption if you have homeowners insurance. I my question is how much do we collect on the sanitation? I can tell you the audit reports are here and your part collection is this it your apartment builders have been that way for a long time on 6th Avenue 135th Street 16th Avenue they don't pay the bill and under the previous administration with mayor wherever his name they got breaks let's talk about the truth around here. Okay.

You Kevin, not me. Oh, no. I don't I can tell you this. Everybody up there pay their water bills. Okay. Okay. But the trouble is our issue is water and sewer. Hey, I I I give credit of of the outside the block sinking with the with the sanitation bill. My thing is let's delay and see what Tallahassee is doing. Okay. Because we might not have property taxes in 20 37.

We won't. Thank you, Miss Davyy. Hi, Deborah Davies, 1165 Northeast 127th Street. Um, actually, everybody else has kind of brought up what I was going to bring up. I think this is a bad idea to combine the utility bill with the property taxes because people can lose their houses if they don't make a payment. And I also was thinking about um what Dantis is doing too. It's very possible that he is going to get rid of property taxes. I personally don't agree with that, but it really could happen. So, if you're combining your utility bills with the property taxes, um, that's what do you do?

So, um, I just think you should really think about this before going ahead with something like this. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Davey. Yes, ma'am. Virginia Gilmore, 1635 Northwest 120th Street. This one is from my counselor man. Home prices now is over $600,000. You're looking at a4 to $5,000 tax. When I purchased my home, I purchased it for $41,00. And I pay $1,400 in taxes.

Mhm. We need to stop this because these residents are coming in forging paper, buying 600,000. Some of them cannot afford it and they get a second mortgage. Yeah. With the first mortgage. So consider this and please do not put it on the tax role. The elderly and the newcomers are coming in are going to suffer. And as Eileen mentioned, there's a tax lean and if you don't pay that tax lean within seven years, they're going to sell that certificate. Three. Three. Okay. No, some I think seven I think some of them is seven.

Okay. But also it's also I'll come back to the floor. Open discussion about slum landlords. Not all of them. Yes. Who are not paying their water bill. They know the system. Mhm. And is our city attorney and our city manager is to find a way how to get the slum landlord who's collecting the money and they know the system because there's a Florida law. But I'll come back to that. Thank you. Uh oh. Uh oh. Okay. That's what I said. We could turn off the commercial, not not the residential. Okay. What are we doing with this item?

Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Um, I I hear we we we have the motion to table my original motion. Um, do I get a second? Second. Madame clerk. I have a motion made by Councilwoman Esteem Irvin to table the item at Tab G. The motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Timothy. All in favor? I. Any opposed? The item passes with a 41 vote. Okay. Thank you. Um, tab H. Jesus, it's almost 10.

Tab H. A proposed resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami, Florida, authorizing the city manager and city attorney to negotiate and execute a master installation agreement between the city of North Miami and Performance Services, Inc. for the purchase and implementation of advanced metering infrastructure AMI systems on a citywide basis in accordance with the request for qualifications RFQ number 30-24-25 guaranteed energy water and wastewater performance savings contracting services providing foreign effective date and all other purposes type H

we do have a presentation you have city presentation or yes Okay. So, wait, just to clarify because I didn't go over this thing with you. So, we have a city and then the the the Yes. Okay. I'll begin first.

Which one is this one? Infrastructure update. Upgrade. Oh, this one. Meter. Water meter infrastructure. Oh, her her front looked different. Hey, that Oh, the word. Okay, now he has it. Okay, you got it. I got it. No, hers just looked a little different. Go ahead. So, I'll try to be very brief. We I like that

as the time is going. Um, so just to give kind of a project background, um, there was a water meter. Uh, the city of North Miami selected Performance Services, Inc. to complete an investment grade audit. Um that was done for energy savings to see what energy could be saved. The audit scope included 21,880 meters which were reviewed. The focus was to upgrade the water metering infrastructure. Um some of the objectives were for accuracy, efficiency and and enhanced customer service. So it was to make sure that um we put new meters in that could be more accurate that could help with some efficiency and in that sense would um enhance customer service. The audit was completed in July 2025. Some of the planned technology upgrades with PSI include getting new water meters, so accurate water meters. Um using their advanced metering infrastructure for the automated data collection so we can collect data automatically. um to also have to have leak detection and systemwide pressure monitoring capabilities to have the wastewater advanced metering infrastructure as well integrated into wastewater monitoring and really to use smart utility deployment to modernize city services. So that would be to assist us in being able to accurately know what water is being used through the meters, upgrade our systems and this is kind of a smart technology. Some of those the impacts of the technology are going to include having real time accuracy. Um so we can produce accurate readings in real time for immediate billing precision. Generally sometimes there are there are customers who will get bills and it won't be um the actual accurate bill. Sometimes we make estimates. So this would allow us to have more accurate billing.

The cost was also it was to reduce some of the operations and maintenance cost um over time and then try to improve customer satisfaction. This would also help us for water loss management so that we could see the real-time water loss and conserve resources and it would also monitor our systems through some of the upgrades that would be added in. So that would give us some leak detection and continuously monitor our pressure. And one of the other technology upgrades was to also allow us to have more proactive maintenance so that we can actually see what we're repairing. A lot of times something breaks and then we fix it um or we kind of guess this is going to come up next based on the years that uh the actual um equipment is. But here if we can sometimes predict. So there are a lot of positive outcomes to what we were looking for for the technology upgrades. So really what we would be doing is modern modernizing the distribution side of our water system. So um in terms of so what we did look at um with those benefits that are coming this was a this was to be a performance guarantee savings contract. So generally when we do performance savings guarantee contracts we will do some upgrades and we would get savings from what our cost is whether it's how much energy is used whether it could be how we would operate and maintain. This is a little bit different with the advanced metering infrastructure. Most of the savings that well most of what is being captured as savings is really revenue increase. Meaning we would get more revenue because we will now be capturing water that we weren't charging

for before. And their understanding from PSI is that that is around about 36% of water we haven't captured from the meters. So, because our meters aren't accurate and that's residential and commercial. Yes, this is revenue. This was this is revenue for commercial and residential. Do you know what's the breakdown of both? I'm sorry. No, I I have not gotten anything written as to what the breakdown is. Okay.

So, I I don't have any um written thing as to what the breakdown, but this is what the guarantee is with respect to what's in our documents and what's guaranteed. So, it's important to note the difference between operating savings and revenue increase. From the efficiency improvements, we should be seeing about $150,160 a year. But from increased revenue, we should be seeing 6,264,666, which gives you a net financial impact, more money that should come in, which is 6,417,826. So this is what is expected to come annually and we were looking at this over about 17 years. I think you have to do the improvements over 20 years. Um but over that time that's what's expected to come annually kind of moving to the financing. What does this cost us right now? The estimated cost of improvements is 43,858,237. Um, we've looked at I put a sample financing proposal because we don't have a finalized uh financing proposal, but what happens is they will do the upgrades. We get a financing and we pay them as they do the work and we've gotten the loan on that because there's supposed to be a guaranteed savings which in our case is operation savings plus revenues. So the financing amount would be about 47,260,551. We would be including the interest in the project. The key the key note for these type of contracts is that the debt is supposed to be fully saved from the annual savings and the increased revenues if they were realized. And there is a

guarantee that we would uh realize those actual savings and those additional revenues. So some one of the financing terms that we believe we should be able to receive which is a good financing term is 4.39 at 17 years. If we did do that then our annual debt service payment would be $4,114,60. So current me repeat that again. Sorry, repeat that again with the last statement.

So, our our annual debt service payment is predicted to be about $4,114,60 a year. Thank you, ma'am.

So, while we will be doing, you know, really good upgrades, I think it's important to have some key considerations. Um the total cost of this will be about $69 million because that's the total cost of our borrowing will be over the 17 years. Um so that will require us to kind of do some budget planning. Um we also based on looking at the number of meters and the amount of the revenue we believe that the revenue the increase of the cost would be $286.32 per meter. Um, I would say that I've had conversations with PSI. They do have a lower number. I believe that the number accurately will be probably between their number and our number. Um, I've used a flat number of the amount of meters to the revenues amount that they've said that we would get and those revenues come from increased collections. Uh, and then we just need to work on the timeline. Uh I think one of the things that we did do, we did work with them in terms of a financing proposal where the timeline provides an opportunity for us not to have to pay the upfront debt service um for the first uh two years. However, that is costing us more in capitalized interest. So the implications on top of having the um so some of the implications that I think that need to be taken into consideration as we look at this technology upgrade is that there will be an increase in billing um and likely in addition to our mandatory increase. The reason why there's an increase is because we are not capturing all of the water because our meters are not accurate. We have not been capturing all of the revenue that we're supposed to get. So you will see that increase happen um in order to pay this debt service.

Wait, wait, wait. What increase ma'am? So when you're saying the meters are not accurate, you're saying that we are not capturing everyone's water bill correctly. That's correct. So residential and commercial. Residential and commercial. So there's some people who are not paying a water bill right now. Yeah. There's some people who are not paying the amount of money they should be paying. when you have when you have this technology, the great thing is you know what they're really using. Mhm. We have meters where we're not capturing and we do a lot of um approximations and estimations and in fact it's on the bill. We tell them if it was an actual reading or if it was an estimate on the bill.

So that means it could be higher or it could be lower depending on the accuracy of their bill. It could be higher or lower. However, what was discovered in this um in this study was that it's actually high. We're actually um billing lower than what we could be getting generally that we're losing 36% of our revenues because we're not actively billing

because we're not accurately reading the meters and people are using more water than we're billing for currently. So, because the debt service is going to be a lot a lot, we do need to do aggressive collections in order to pay the debt service because the $4 million regardless of whether or not we collect the money or not, we still have to pay it.

The guarantee that they provide to us is guaranteed on what our receivables receivables would be. They're guaranteeing us that we would have enough water to build that number, but we would need to collect it to pay the debt service. Currently, the other implication for us is that we do need to look at with our low debt collection rate that the amount of additional revenue may not be the same amount of savings that they guarantee. So, just what I was saying before, which is they're guaranteeing the entire amount, right? we would get those additional revenues and collections, but because it's not just a savings and we actually have to bill and we have to collect to realize all the savings that they are saying that we would get.

But if they don't like So you're saying they guarantee it, but if we don't get the number, who's penalized? Us or them? No. If we don't get the number, it's us because they're guaranteeing our receivables, right? They're guaranteeing that you will have this number to bill, but we still have to collect it from the people. So we have to collect that number in order to make sure that we pay here. Now are there because they are saying that we should make about 6 million a year. There is a delta there. Um so maybe there is that there's a little bit of a delta. So I don't know where that will be in terms of the collection rate. So they're guaranteeing that we'll make 6.4 and that we have to pay back 4 million.

Yes, they're guaranteeing we make 6 Well, they're guaranteeing account receivables for 6.4. that's not guaranteeing that we collect it. So their guarantee is done when we have build for the 6.4 million. So that that's the difference. That's the concern. That's why we're say that's why I'm saying that is one of the implications we have to think about. And is that is at what collection rate are they guaranteeing this amount? I believe that they did their collection rate at about 55%. And so if I'm incorrect, um, but I I did have conversations with them. I believe they did 55%. Okay. And right now you're at 50%.

And right now we're at 50%. With a lower bill number. So if you collect now at 75% now that well you bill, let's just say you're receiving more because you you guys are going after enforcement and so forth. You're now receiving more. Correct. If the possibility that that 6.4 before it could be. Yeah, it could work different ways, right? Like you could collect more

or you could Yeah. Or you could collect less because people's bills went go higher. And this is why I'm saying these are considerations and implications, but we would have to be aggressively trying to collect. Um, and then just understanding that if we don't collect enough for the debt payment in cash, like if we don't get that money, then we will still be obligated to pay the 4 million every year. So that's going to be a debt service for us. Um and one of the the last kind of implication for us is that this debt could impact our bond capacity for a new water plant. It takes a lot in order for that to do that because if in fact we do get the collections and we do pay that then that's not counted you know against what we can actually b you know bond for the water. But the same as if I to give an example, if you are going for a mortgage and you have a car loan, right? There's less money you can get for your mortgage because you have another debt. So this is an additional debt to that same this is a I'm sorry. There's an additional debt to that same set of money. This is our enterprise fund. This is our water fund. So the debt would come from the water fund. So it does change the room. Now, if we were to collect more and had more revenues coming in, that also could affect us in a different way because it could say that we have more room to take on more debt for the water plant.

So, it would help. Yes, it would help. But that means you collect it. You have to collect.

You have to collect. So those are aside from that I think there are some other considerations with respect to the water meter um infrastructure is that we will be able to interface with our customers a lot better. Um there's they have put in here to add in technology that would allow people to go online and see their bills. uh they would have ways to tell people how they could save on their water bill and you would kind of know when your water bill is going up. So, uh, where we are right now is that we're looking to implement, I think, a future ready distribution system and we just need to make sure that we're going to be responsible and that everyone is willing to understand that this will not be like a choice in terms of collections because it could put us in potential financial issues um that would stop us from our water plant and also create a deficit. And with that, I would allow PSI to give their presentation.

Good evening, Hector Samario. Hector Samario with performance services. Good evening, Mayor. Vice Mayor, Council Members, and Madam Manager. Madam Manager, thank you so much for that for for that presentation. It was very, very helpful and very informative. So, thank you for that. I'm going to just get my notes here started.

Where's their presentation? Now I'm going to provide an overview of the smart water and wastewater project but please feel free at any point to interject your questions. Thank you at any point. So just interrupt me if you have any questions. We we'll sir we'll let you finish your presentation then we'll do question. Go ahead.

Thank you mayor. So, I've listed on this slide four key four things that I'd like you to take away from tonight's presentation. It will be brief, but I want to touch on these four items, but before I do, I want to go to that top line. And this project, as the manager mentioned, is governed by Florida statute 489.145. This is the very top line, and that's the guaranteed performance contracting legislation. Uh that's this is an important point because that legislation means three three things to me. The first thing is that it must contain perfor a per performance clause performance metrics that's in the contract and the manager referenced those those performance metrics. It also means that is if we miss a metric in any year of the of the term of this project, we are liable for that those shortfalls. So if we say it's going to be $10 million and you only get eight, we are we are liable for that $2 million and that's throughout the term of the project. Second point is that these these metrics are contractually binding. Now, the numbers that I'm going to discuss today, and this is important because they're binding. I'm not going to be talking about projections. I'm not going to be talking about estimates. I'm going to be talking about numbers that our company will contractually support. So, the numbers that I'm going to be addressing are contractually supported. The third item is that the legislation requires that this project be self-funding as the matter to mention, and I'll be touching on that as well. So, the first takeaway on the slide is that zero increase in residential bills. Our project does not require any increase in residential bills. Does not need it. Does not require it. Um, and we're not even asking for it. The manager mentioned the delta. There is a delta and the numbers that she presented that by about $2 million. That's the residential uh uh incre uh residential dollars that are that are captured in there. That's the 55. We actually use 55% collections. Your CFO mentioned 60% but we're at 55% collections. But that's those are those are not needed to fund this project. Not needed at all. So I

wanted to make sure that that point was clear. The second takeaway is that is that this pro project must be fully funded and that it has no no payments until actually it's October of 2028. And by fully funded I mean that there's zero funds going to be required by the city to implement this project. So um there have been three different offers to that that were provided to the to the city. Bank of America is one that the manager mentioned. First security is another one. Capital One also provided financing. Each of them each of these three is offering a taxexempt lease purchase agreement that will place all the funds that are needed into a city controlled escrow account. So the 43 the 46 million that the that the manager mentioned those are funds that are placed into a city escrow account and these are the funds that the city will use to to pay for the project. So as we put in a meter as we put in a sensor as we put in a meter box whatever it is that we do as we do that that's what we get paid for. We're paid like any other construction project we're paid progress payments. and the progress payments for for us, we're looking at an 18month construction period. So, we'll be done with this in 18 months. Now, the second part of that second takeaway is that there will be no payment required until 2028. And that's important. It's important because it ensures that this project remains self-funding. So for that two and a half years until that October pay payment is due or can be earlier depending on which financing option you choose. But in that the first 18 months of construction period all the revenues and savings that are generated during construction are accumulated by the city and after that there's an additional year of full that that are fully where you're fully receiving all the revenues and savings in that second year that also are accumulated by the city. So when that first payment is due and that $4.1

million payment is due, you would have already collected over 5 over maybe $5.2 million in revenues and savings before that first payment is due. And every year thereafter, the savings and revenues that are generated are going to exceed the payments that are required, that $4.1 million payment. Now I'm going to move to the next point. The the worldclass customer service Um, I think this is a this is a a feature of the project that's going to provide many opportunities to for the for the residents to manage their bills, to manage consumption, and to improve conservation. Now, the first bullet up there just just states that they're going to have options for how they want to pay their bill. They can pay it online. They can pay it through the mobile app that's going to be provided. They can pay it quarterly. If you go to monthly, they can play it monthly. They can pay it weekly if they wanted to or they can just say, "I've got a few bucks today. I'm going to add to my water bill." They can pay it anytime they want. But that's going to be one of the features that's going to be available as part of this project. But I think even more important than that is what you see there, push notifications. I think that's going to be very important for the residents. And I'll and here's why. First, it's going to allow the city to send notices to the residents that your bill is due. for example, your bill is due in 7 days or your bill is due today or your bill is passed due. You'll be able to provide those notifications to the residents and that has been proven to to increase collections. And we're not projecting collections. We're just projecting the accuracy. But the second note there is the leak alerts to reduce to reduce their bills. Anytime there's continuous flow and you we talked about you talked about this over a 90-day period. If you have something as simple as a leak in your toilet tank, if that little flapper valve is not sealing properly and it's just dripping into the toilet bowl and it does that for 90

days, your bill can go up between $120 to $300, excuse me, $200 every 90 days. So, when you're able to send the the these alerts to your residents that you've got a continuous flow, there's something happening in your home, whether you left a faucet on or whether it's something as simple as a toilet flapper that's not working, they're going to know about it and they're going to be able to take action not at the end of that 90 days, but in the first week, second week, as soon as those alerts are are recognized. And these are real-time alerts. The other one is just the the avoiding the bill shock. What that means that outside of the of the leaks, if there's just a lot of consumption going on, your residents are going to be told that your bill is is trending high. Meaning that for some reason you're consuming more water this time or more sewage than you normally do and they're going to get that alert so they can start to curtail some of their usage if they want to or they just understand why that bill is going to be, you know, going to be higher that that quarter. But that's going to be that avoiding that bill shock every quarter through this program. The real-time tracking means that they can monitor their consumption daily, weekly, hourly. They can see what what they did last month as compared to what they did this month, last quarter compared to this quarter. That's what that real-time tracking is going to provide. And the final thing is really more for the staff. If there are any outages, if there are leaks, if there are issues with the water system or sewage system, the the city will be able to send out alerts to the entire city, to a section of the city, or even down to just a single block that there are issues going on, and they'll be able to push those alerts to to the residents. Next, I'm going to talk about the community benefit program. It's listed up here. You can see what we have. Um um it's got the uh the $ 1.5 million contribution for the community benefit program in the exhibits exhibit G of the

contract that is uh that is spelled out for the North Miami Athletic Stadium for the bleacher program. There are quarterly payments. It's all spelled out in that program. But certainly um that's again in exhibit G staff training. This is state-of-the-art uh technologies that are being implemented in the city. So it's making sure that your staff is trained up on these technologies is only going to help the staff to better prepare them for their you know if they're young in their careers they're going to get training on some fairly on some very new technologies that are again going to help their careers long long term local employment minimum of three full-time jobs multiple part-time jobs will be provided for the residents and then the last part the community benefit the community outreach and education this is important I'm only going to touch on that first bullet monthly training and outreach. These apps, these websites, and these alerts, they're only going to work as long as those residents choose to download the apps and use them. If we can't send them the alerts that they're just not going to get them. So that monthly training to show them how they can they can start reducing their bills, how these alerts are going to help them save money. We're going to have monthly training and outreach uh for the first 12 to 24 months as as as long as it's needed up to 24 months to make sure that that that program and that outreach is provided to as many residents as we can touch. Now I'm going to talk a little bit about just the technology and it's going to be very brief but this is a diagram of the project on the either side left and right side. I know it's a busy slide but on the right side and left side it shows what this project is going to entail. Many many pieces and parts but I'm going to summarize this this slide by saying this. This project brings state-of-the-art water and wastewater technologies that are going to provide greater insights, data, and analytics that is going to lead to targeted

remediation and long-term savings for the city. The manager touched on this how it's going to be able to to help staff identify not that there are leaks, but where those leaks are, where are the major leaks, where are the small leaks, eye and eye into the sewer lines, where are those things happening so they can focus their remediation on very specific areas and not have to worry about just general $10 million a year to repair pipe. They're going to know exactly what pipe to to repair. And that's going to lead to lead to some some major impacts in how much money is being spent on your capital projects and how much money you're spending at the county on for sewage sewage treatment and how much water you're having to buy from the county. So, let me touch on some of these some of these points because they were brought up meter accuracy. Um, this has been a problem for at least a decade at the at the city. Back in 2017 2018, there was an AMI RFP that went out. It never got implemented. But since then, those meters have not gotten better. Those meters have gotten less accurate. To give I want to tell you, well, I'm sorry. The today your commercial meter accuracy is sitting at right at 53%. 53% for your commercial meter accuracy. converting that to dollars and not and this is just this is excuse me converting that to dollars is $4.3 million a year that is not being collected by the city today. Now that doesn't include a lot of the meters that currently aren't being aren't being read that aren't being built. We took those out of our equation. So this is a very conservative number and let me be clear about something because earlier I said that we don't need the residential increases in any way. This $4.3 million is more than sufficient to fund this entire project. Again, these are conservative numbers, but that's all you need is that $4.3 million and this pay this project pays for itself for the entire 17 years.

And here's one other thing that this is a little bit ironic that this project not only helps you stop those losses, but it's going to allow you to look at options for how you can generate additional revenues to help you fund the water treatment plant. And the manager mentioned that earlier. Old and costly infrastructure. I think you already know that 37% was reported in the Piscane paper some time ago. 30% water loss. 44% of the water going to the county for for sewage treatment is rainwater or groundwater. So there are some issues there. But again, the analytics that this project is is going to provide is going to allow your staff to start the re remediation of these in these areas in a very targeted way. The last bullet I'm going to touch on is just that preparing your for your new water plant. Uh we've already discussed the leaks in your distribution system at 37%. But when you build that new plant, the ideal scenario is for that new water plant to be feeding a water distribution that is solid, meaning that it's got few leaks. And those few leaks and those few leaks are small leaks. Right now at 37% water loss, that's a pretty significant amount. So when you start operating your new water plant, you want it you want to operate it cost effectively. And so I think that's where the uh that 37% and start starting to target those remediations are going to be important and that's all I have.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much, sir. Um that's a lot. Um public public hearing is open on the item. Public hearing is open on the item. My first comment, Bravo, city manager, name. Mhm.

247 Britney Flay Beach, Florida 33446. I'm not ready for the nursing home yet. First of all, bravo to the city manager. There's a saying, we can work harder or we can we can or we can play smarter. Okay, this city has worked very hard. The employees have. But the problem is we haven't updated our technology. We need to work to we need to work smarter. Okay. The my question to the city manager and she has to defer to the director of public work. No, I that question has been answered by this guy. 37%. That's the largest on the city mains. And I promise you this, I am not against a bond issue for a water and sewage system with a water plant and repairing the mains in the two major parts of the city. Okay? I'm not for I'm not against that. I'm not against water rates being increased if we have to. I I'm doing that up. I'm paying for a increase of 20% a year up in Delray Beach for the next for the next if I live there for 30 years. I'm looking at rate increases for the next five years for 20%. My water bill up there, I can tell you my water bill and I only use 1,000 gallon. It's 0 to five and we on monthly billing. It's $4142. And when I lived in North Palm Beach, they didn't have that water. what the northern cities did. Palm Beach Gardens Jupiter Palm Beach Gardens Jupiter um North Palm Beach Lake and Lake W and Lake Park they formed a regional water company because they couldn't operate the individual water company. Delray Beach is paying 350 million to do a new water and sewer treatment plant. River

Beach is paying $400 million. Thank you. Gilmore, 1635 Northwest 120th Street. I have two questions. This is for the city manager. The $286, is it an increase to the residents that you showed on the slide? Say it. Sorry. No, no, this is um public public comment. You you speak it answering any questions. We will we will one of us um will will answer. Yeah. But go ahead. You can speak. Go ahead. But you cannot directly ask them. You ask me as the chair. No, I'm asking.

I know. But I'm Miss Miss Gilmore. You ask me and then Can I ask him a question? No. Ask me and then I would we will do that. Okay. We'll come back. No, no, no. Ask the question so that we will know. Question. I asked was the $286. Is that an increase to the residents? We got it. Thank you. They said it's we will answer it. It's between commercial and we will we will answer it um after we we'll get you the answer but we will have to just I'm understanding he's saying that it's not an increase and city of Hendale right now doing the same exact thing and there is an increase on the water bill. So this is what I need to know so the resident can know if there's going to be an increase. We'll do not hide it. Let the resident know.

We will answer that. Ma'am, thank you. Um if that please make a line if you're coming to speak so we'll know because it's it's 10 o'clock. Um please Sebastian Semla Gardens residence 1155 Northeast 126th Street tonight I have to say that I speak on behalf of all my residences and all the businesses as a landlord

one there was an RFQ. There was no RFP. What we're proposing is to accept a $45 million bid from a company with no other bids. I'd like to ask you guys how many people would build a house and just say, "I'm going to take the first bid that comes to the table." Number two, really what this means is you're charging the customers more money. Okay? There is no real savings. It's money that is not being buil. So if 36% is not being built, let's be very logical, I'm going to add back that 36% to the residents. So not only are they going to get an increase of the $287, okay, they're also going to get that 30 some of the residents, not all, but that 36% it's coming back from somewhere. They're billing it. So I understand that we have loss in in in in billing people. The other important thing is that it says right here in their assumption on page 23 and I want to read it. Okay. The projections reflect the economic benefits over 20 year term during the construction period additional water v revenue with an assumed annual increase of 2%. So we're going to do a onetime jump of 8 and a half%. Then we're going to do the savings that they have of $150 million. Right? So it's all being passed down to the residents. So very simple. Well, I got a simple solution. We're owed $40 million, right? We're not billing people. So, what we're saying is we want to spend $66 million. Why don't we just charge our customers a little bit more money and not take on $66 million worth of debt? Collect on the $40 million that's owed. Don't take any debt. Charge all the residents and everybody a little bit more money.

Thank you. Absolutely insane. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Davey. Um, who else? Are you coming, Miss David? You coming for this? Okay. Believe me, I know. No, no, no. You're good.

Hello. Thank you for letting me speak. Um Deborah Davies, 1165 Northeast 127th Street. So, we're just looking at a no bid multi-million dollar contract um to award to this company um who could update our water meter. The concept of having upgraded water meters is not the problem, but the cost is significant and the public vetting or input never happened. Even more concerning is the lack of a competitive bidding process. How do we know that we aren't being overcharged for this service or that the correct service for our needs is even being proposed? Competitive bid bidding allows time for everyone to understand what we are purchasing and for interested suppliers to provide their best possible price and be vetted. com for competency. So something to think about. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you. Public hearing is open. Oh, Stephanie. Hi, Madame Clerk is gone. Public hearing is open. Seeing none, public hearing is closed on the item. Um there's a couple of questions, Madame Manager. Um f first and foremost administration did extremely their best I guess to present this to us. Um but I I had said um and I think I spoke to Mr. Sorry that I would not even comment on this thing. However, um I was away and then I started getting texts and and and thing regarding this item last week doing my briefing with the manager. I asked the manager. I said, you know, with that water meter thing, what what's going on? And she said, oh, it's coming on the agenda. So when the residents started texting me, they, you know, to tell me about the tab and this that I I say to them cuz I didn't even have a chance. I think the the the the agenda published on Thursday and and I was a day ahead. What whatever the case is. So I was getting it a day. I said, "No, no, no, no, no. Um and keep in mind and let me say this, sir." Thank you. Thank you so much. Um so um because unless we want we, you know, we may have some questions for you later. So I said to the resident um it was two actually um in and from one from your district and one one from um two and I said I don't know what you are referring to. I have not looked at the agenda and one of them read it to me. I said I now I'm upset. I first of all I'm the goddamn mayor of the city and I want to make it very very clear and

sir I respect you a lot. I think we met a couple of time and I had had a discussion with Mr. Sori someone I respect I work with in this city when I was 16 we started working together at Pepper Park. So when this item came, first of all, as the mayor, when I first got elected, the first thing that we did, myself, um, madame manager was going to another, um, entity, Miss Daniel and I, the former, um, assistant manager, we worked on this particular item as well as trying to get funding for a water plant and subsequently a lot of different companies that do or, you know, s something similar started, you know, talking to me and and talking to the council and talking to the management in terms of this. And let me say this, I've been here for over 30 years, and I said it before, I don't care about votes. I could be the only person in here, but these residents, I know one thing, and you guys have money, you could take a poll. They respect and trust me. They don't have to like me cuz Miss Davey and I right here, we have a lot of disagreement. But I know one thing. I respect her. She respect me with all of these folks. We don't have a million people here. And let me say this, my Haitian folks, they very care about this issue, but they don't know. and where I felt disrespected and I'm going say it again this the last time this item was on it was supposed to be a discussion where we came and make the presentation so when the residents was I said no you're mistaking and they said well Mr. mayor, you're the mayor of the city. You don't know this is a resolution. I said, "Oh." And then I

went a few hours later and I looked at the agenda. I didn't say anything. I said to your consultant, I said, "Look, there's a lot of things we need in this city." I got and the management or the previous one could tell you we were on this we got approval that we were going to get a um a $350 million for our water plan. We messed that up and that's a fact. When the the the representative spoke to me, I said somebody I respect, I said, "Look, this is very tough. This is about $60 million debt. As the mayor, I need to meet with management to figure out some stuff. What I am willing to do is two things. I said these people trust me and I do not mind to take this because I know what my city need. We need a new water plant. We need a a a Keystone Totis Grove. We need pepper. Everybody in we are 100 years old. So this and I'm sick and tired of this community plan and this and this and that. We are talking about a debt of over $60 million. And I was okay with doing it my way. And I said to the representative, give me some time. Let me figure this out. And I know it's tough, but I'm going to take it to the resident if this is due. And we're going to do what we're doing trying to figure out where we could find some money because we know we need this water meter, but at what cost? And I said, "If this thing is $1 to the resident, I have an issue with it because the people cannot even afford a $8 bill increased." And I don't know how many time I'm saying that cuz they calling us. So it's not that we don't want nice stuff. We don't need, you know, newer stuff.

I know what we need. And I was very, very respectful when I say to him, "Let me do this my way." And I was very disrespected when I saw this was a resolution. So again, I don't care about who has votes, who has what, but I know one thing and I'm g say very clearly. I dare for anybody to vote for this item cuz like I said when I look at this, I said, you know what, election is coming. I know they probably don't want three of us up here and it will be four and it will be five. We and and and I know m Mr. Burns and and and and and miss um council vice mayor have a little bit wealthy folks and and trust me they'll be the first one that be calling because it affect everybody. So this 60 million um the first question and I don't have any problem what I was planning on doing sir if this was the way I had attended what I had said and we said publicly to the folks a presentation and we discuss it and we discuss and see where we are. I was going to do my town hall in three districts. Two and one will be together. Three and four because I know three and four are the most impact that could not afford this. I know we want a Mercedes. We cannot even afford a Hyundai if that's the cheapest car, whatever the cheapest car is. So, we know. And I said, "Let me work with this and take this to the resident because I understand this." So it's not that we don't want this and and anybody could call Miss Daniel, Anisha Daniel. We've been working getting proposal and this and this. And I said to your representative, "Give me some time. Let me work this thing through." And it it came the last time it was trying to rush and I said, "Guys, please

let me tell you how wrong this is. I have not as the mayor of this city who's duly elected by all of the districts all of it. And I get more calls from one and two because he take care of four and and and and it's kind of 50/50 with a council woman because they do what they have to do because they know me and two and three one and two are you know this is when I'm just introduced myself as the mayor for the last four years to them. I know North Miami. I know it in my sleep. And I said to the thing, I will get this through. Give me some time. I will put it out there. I will even try to get some money to pay for this. So, they bypassed me and went and had a resolution. So, you know what? That's fine. That's fine. We could have a resolution, but nobody going to come here. And I don't care if you think I'm smart or stupid. That that's up to you. I don't care about that. All I care about is respect. Nobody going to come here and sit and sit here. We're going to have a debt services of over 60s something million dollars. The manager stated it's about $4 million that we going to have to pay. So that's losing police if we don't collect all of the revenue. There's nothing that's guaranteed. I don't know what planet or what country we are in. There's nothing that's guaranteed in America. And I know the state statute, whatever, whatever the case is. All I said, I never said because I love what you do and I know it's something that we need, but we have to be responsible. We have seniors who cannot eat. So they they get $8. They started calling in this and that and and I didn't vote for it. So now we talking about maybe adding $3. And I'm just putting out there because we it's it's 200, whatever the

case is to to them. So, if you telling me there's $66 million that we're going to give a contract to to do this thing and we're going to find the 66 million, not a dollar. If the manager could stay here, could could stand here and say to me tonight, "No, mayor, no matter what, I may have a different outcome if if the answer is not even a single dime." and I'll ex the um the finance person, whoever worked out the number, we said the last time, let's work this out because I met with you and I and I like um your your company and I like what you do. there's other companies I said no I think we we working on something and when they did this backhand or whatever that they did because they feel that I don't have what whatever the case is please don't don't don't disrespect me cuz I have enough respect for for not you sir for the consultant and I'm going say it again I don't care what this council decide to do but if if this thing goes through the way it is I will be up here I could guarantee you I'm not God. But let me tell you, people will be upset because it is an increased. It is a debt ratio that we're going to have to pay for and she will have to balance the budget and that's going into our general fund. That's cutting police if we can't because we have a debt. It's not that we don't need the water plant. We cannot afford certain things. again, whatever this council wants to do, that's on them. But I'm I'm I'm going to say this again. I was ready to work with you and and and I said it, give me some time. So, when I saw an item, I did not even have a chance to discuss the numbers with the manager. It's the first time I'm looking at this the presentation

first time. And and the manager's here cuz she just she told me last week we putting it together. So I assume it would be a discussion and I'm like okay we have time and this and this that and then I looked I see a resolution I said well what the hell where where did this come from so I don't know but I am the mayor I may act like sometimes I'm not but at the end of the day I represent everyone and this is something that I truly truly I don't want to lose respect for folks but this is that you you don't do that to someone who's trying going to work with you. So that I don't I don't really like. So whatever the this council wants to do, that's on them. But let me say this to you, sir. Next meeting. When is the next meeting, madam manager?

April 14th.

There would not even be a room in here spaced in here for this city hall or the people outside. And and and I knew that and I said that and I said, "But I got it. let me work this out. Let me present this to them and say why and make the case and take it out and do what we need to do. That's all. So, with that being said, I'm I'm going to and I wasn't even going to do all that. I was going to be quiet. I know that's very hard for me to do. But when I see this as a resolution, we ready to vote on a $60 million debt ratio that will be a $4 million because your numbers, her numbers, if if I'm running the show and and you got vice mayor, you got these commissioners, we got to go in and in and in and in in front of the voters and say, "Well, this is what we voted for. This is what we did." And I I would be the first one leading the charge because I I'm not on the ballot in 2028. So, but but I said, you know, let let's back it up. Let let me work this. So, I really didn't like that, sir. So, with that being said, I'll finish my comments. Um I don't know if the vice mayor is returning. Um well, she is cuz I'm leaving. Okay. Oh, you have me go. Any any comments? Um Councilman Charles. Um Councilwoman and we do what we do. Thank you.

No, no. Quickly. Um thank you, uh Mr. Mayor. Just want to say um um thank you to um to the manager and the manager for the presentation and um thank you al also to you Hector and um for the presentation. Um I love the technology. I love it. Um it was just going to give us accurate reading and everything. Um overall it is going to u benefit the the city. I am okay with it and um not bypassing anything that you said mayor but uh but the the thing is that there are a lot of um u points that need to be taken into um consideration starting with me councilman pan Charles from district 4 if it is a dollar increase let me let me say that if it is a dime increase on top of the 8.5% yearly. I cannot support that on behalf of the resident of district 4. They can't they can take the hit. We can take the heat. I I got to put myself into it because I'm paying to. So uh that and that looking at it on the on um the manager's presentation we and also in the resolution page two of the resolution we have clearly on that line $286 um.32 per year in addition to the 8.5% rate increase and also on the manager's pres presentation said in here uh on page eight top of the page there will be an increase in bailing in addition to our um normal increase but on the presentation from u our dear friend it said zero increase in um residential

bailing so I have a problem with that cuz like conflicting reports and uh I I'm I'm kind of a number guy I don't like that because I I got to know exactly where I'm heading when it comes to numbers. The other thing that shock me is that due to this debt, there will be an impact on our B capacity for the new water treatment plant. Um, we know exactly that water treatment plant is a must. So, those two points alone are kind of um throwing me away. So, I'm just just going to take it. But, as I said, I love it. um you know the new technology is going to help us will help us out a lot once we do it the right way. So um just that's I just wanted to put that into the into the record. Thank you.

Thank you so much Councilman. I concur with with the councilman um councilwoman vice mayor just came in your councilman you okay? Are you sleeping? Oh I thought you listening. any any comments um on so I think Councilman Charles did answer the the the question directly madam manager but directly because I've I spoke to a representative um on the on on this project and they keep saying I I I know what was there there's no debt services there's no increase to the to the thing but if we borrowing because I'm sure we don't have $44 million plus the 20 million whatever the case is if we borrowing whatever that we borrowing the the net saving over the the the next couple of years should be 150 million or 150,000.

No, no, I think the separation was per year. There's 150,000 that's actual savings in savings. The other is in revenue collections. Okay. The the rest of the six million

I see. Um to to your point, Councilman, I don't see that there would be zero increase uh in residential billing. I believe what he's trying to say is you don't have to bill it. Is that what they're trying to say? Because the 6 million in the revenue increase includes residential and commercial. I've haven't had anything in writing that's willing to say that only the commercial itself will cover everything. But still, that means what do we do with the bills? Do I not tell the people what their real water amount is? Are we providing a discount? I'd like to get that answer because there's no way that we're saying we're not collecting 36% and now that's how we're going to get our money that that's going to be the case. So,

manager, if I can uh respond to that. Um, so the the numbers that you have in the presentation, we were told use 55% collection of the residential uh bills. So, we plug that in. You were told by who, sir? Staff. Okay. Thank you.

Use 55% collections because that's we were told that's what you're collecting. They asked us to use that in our numbers, in our calculations. We don't need it. I'm saying that we don't need zeros. You don't have to raise a penny on the residential side for this project to work. This project, even at that 4.3 million that I mentioned on the commercial side, it cash flows. It still nets you about $35 million over the term of the project, nets you $35 million. This project has a return on investment. I mean, I I understand your concerns and I'm I'm not I don't want not here to push you in any direction. That's not my that's not what I'm here to do. I mean, I I appreciate your comment. So, thank you for that. But that $286 also was brought up. Uh the average that assumes that you're going to raise a residential rate and that's entirely up to you.

Ra use that what you say. I'm sorry. Bills 86. The the issue is that's over the 21,000 meters. I think generally we have about 16,000 of them that are residential and the rest are commercial. Yeah. More than that are residential. But you only use we didn't we we use about 2,300 commercial meters, right? And you and you're you're saying that from those meters we would get $4 million $4.3 million because the 50 at 3 53% uh accuracy on your commercial meters the and 100% collection of commercial meters also right for the 4 million

not completely because we weren't we weren't we didn't take in there are a lot of commercial meters that aren't being collected apartment complex of people that just not being collected we did not include use sorry what's the percent they told me they used 100% of commercial collections to get to the four million the $4.3 million. That's what was represented to me. That that part is correct. Yes. So we were told use 100% on on the commercials and 55% on the collection. But I want to be very clear that that 100% does not include the meters that you're currently aren't collecting. So we we carve those out. So it's 100% of the bills that you're currently collecting. That's why I say that that 4.3 is very conservative. But I want to address Okay. I want to address that $286. That's an average over commercial and residential meters.

Mhm. Why that's a little bit I'm going to say why that's not correct is because your commercial meters are going to increase if we use that 6.3. If we use that I'm saying you don't need to, but if you use that, your commercial meters are going to go up about $2,400 a a year. 2,400 on commercial because they're so inaccurate. and the residentials would go up about $7886 a month if you use those numbers. But I'm saying you don't have to increase residentials at all. And this still this still generates $35 million in in positive cash flows

okay at that rate which I I have a couple of concerns but let's take it based on what was just clarified right now we could miss Santana Reyes Miss Reyes Santana um please this this mic please ma'am um my question to you and I know you stated this I'm just asking this again currently where we are for the commercial only ma'am how How much are we collecting? What's the percentage are we collecting? So, what I have right now is numbers. Right now, there's about $25 million outstanding.

No, I know. I'm saying how much of the you you stated it earlier. I think you say 40. So, how much of the commercial? We're about 40% of the commercial.

Okay. So, thank you, ma'am. So, and and again, thank you. Thank you. We we we could go um administration did what they had to do. My question to you is if we at 40% now I know it's more accurate than this and this and that. The best case scenario maybe we may get I would let me be a little bit liberal or progressive maybe I can't use those words now but maybe we at 80%. So maybe we get to 80%. The other issue that we have with these new technologies and and all of this, you got half of the city who would not even understand where we are. So that's why I said we're not Aventura, we're not Miami Beach, we're not none of those things. We have a app data it it's we have language barrier, we got all all of these different things. So we're not even there yet. The 20% we will have a debt services of 4 million. Let's I won't even count four million. So let's just say we collect maybe 3.5 million or maybe year one and year two we collect five or six million. Year three we collect 80%. Then the the the the gap that's going to come from our general funds I'm I'm assuming. So cuz

general or enterprise fund uh which enterprise so meaning is it enterprise madam manager how would it be enterprise well it's enterprise fund but if the enterprise fund doesn't collect it then we would be using the general fund

that's what I'm saying the the the the general will collect what comes in but if there's a deficit we don't collect up to 100 let's just say the the the the 20% is a million dollars that's why I Hey, you are talking about police, you talking about staff because guess what? We have a debt, meaning that we have to pay it. So, how she balanced the budget or or whoever's here, however long, because it may be 10, 15, I don't know. I know I won't be here, but God's willing, but not not not here, but on this council, meaning that we will have um a deficit in our budget. That's why when they when I said we need this, we've been working on this. Let's figure out how do we get this and you know you you get your 60 million, whatever the the case is. In a way, you have one councilman who say a dollar. We went from zero down to seven something and we know there's a two something and we don't even know that's at 100%. We are running blindfolded and there's no way. And I was willing like I said before this to go and make the case and work with the manager to but when I get an item I don't know the impact and these people voted us here to represent them and they're not here because we did not tell them this item was on because it's not everybody who goes on the computer you know if if this was half on the Haitian radio we would not even have 125th will probably shut down. So again, I'm I'm going say we got to be careful and I know this was hard for for management, but they did I have not even had the time to talk to them to even give them, hey, this is what I'm thinking. This is and it was just an item. So that's fine. It it's it's it's

really Yeah. If you want to move forward with a workshop, we're happy to do that to help you make sure that this is all

you help me. No, you're not helping me, sir. I I'm I'm You're not helping me. Let let's be very clear. You you you are not helping me. I was willing to do that to help you because of the relationship I had with them. But after I saw what they did, they went behind my back and put this as a resolution. I'm out. So the council could do whatever they want to do, but let me know and I'm I'm and and shot going to be fired. Whatever happens here on the 12th, is that the the meeting date? it would not be a pretty picture here and I was willing to take that heat and go out there and do that. But when I am talking to them and I didn't even know this was supposed to be if we roll back the last meeting we said this was going to be a a presentation cuz I went back and I and I'm like well maybe we we talked about it was supposed to be a presentation. So, I'm thinking we I have not even talked to my manager about the thing that she had and and I know I was out last, you know, last week we didn't get a chance to meet, but I asked her and she's here with the attorney. I said, "Oh, that that item with, you know," she said, "Yeah, we're coming." Because, you know, I'm working on the numbers. I said, "Okay." So, I'm thinking tonight we're coming to have a discussion and I will give my plan on how we move forward. All of a sudden, we have a resolution. That's why I felt disrespected. So, I'm okay with that. And and and let me say this, sir. I could vote for this or not. I would not. I will take it to the people and they know because there's one thing they trust. We don't even have trust with the if you go out there right now, they don't trust us. The resident,

I'm just saying they don't. No, no, no, no. When I say don't trust me, okay? But I'm just saying they don't. First of all, the trusting government is starting from the federal, but I'm I'm talking about locally here. They they if we think they they really don't and and and and if we go to homeowners and this and that and do what we do, well, they a lot of them call me too, you know, from from all district. But we regardless, so if if if if we think that we're going to sit here and vote on the $60 million and the residents is okay with that without them knowing, go ahead. I'm done with my comments. Thank you. Um

manager your one comment I will can have to you the available tomorrow morning that version that has zero increase on the residential that's something that we already have calculated but again we were asked to provide that 55% but we have a zero residential increase available because as I said at the very beginning of this presentation we don't need a penny an increase on the residential side. Well, I just I did want to do a little point of clarification because I started to do a little bit math onto the numbers with residential versus commercial. So, the commercial, yes, at the 2400 per year and the residential is closer to about 84 per year, $84. Um, however, just just for a reminder, our commercial considers HOAs part of the commercial, so it still will impact residents. So that's that's in that separation. So I just want that's that's clarifying. So your numbers are um those numbers are correct. If I look at that residential, but have to know that part of our commercial includes um the HOAs.

And just for clarity, m Madam Manager, we took out the 5/8 and 1/8 one and 1 in meters. So some of those are residential. We didn't include those at all. Those were those are at zero. So only it's a 2 in and larger meters. Well, I'm hope open to get any of your detailed information on that, but I mean this is from based on what I have and what we went through. That's what I have on there. Absolutely. Uh you know, quickly looking at it u both side of the argument. It seems like we are not moving at all. So, um I'll just make a motion to table it and um work this thing out and then come back. And I'll second that.

Okay. Madame clerk, are you back? Okay, madame clerk. I have a motion made by uh Councilman Charles to table the item at tab H. Motion was seconded by Councilwoman Esme Irvin. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Item passes. Mayor, thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you so much. Um, which where where are we? Vice Mayor, where are we? We tab Im. I no I know it's my meeting but tab I tab I go ahead

a proposed resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami Florida authorizing the city manager and the city attorney to enter into negotiations with Redwood CPD LLC for modifications to the project development plan set forth in the Claude Pepper Park agreement and lease conditional use permit and the Claude Pepper Park conceptual master development site plan providing for an effective date and all other purposes. Tab I. Thank you. Thank you. Um tab K presentation madam manager or tab I

So this is the this is the cloud pepper redwood site. This was what was asked to bring back to have the discussion on this. Okay. Thank you council. And a vote. No, it's not a discussion. It's a resolution. Yes. No. No. We know what it is. Um Public hearing is open on the item. Public hearing is open. Can you You probably need to explain what it is. Is this about the sun kit? Oh, yeah. This Oh, go ahead. That's what I Yeah. Go ahead, council. About the manager.

Oh, the manager. Explain. Um, so I there was there were discussions about the design and this one is to go back and uh whether or not we would vote to go back and renegotiate the the lease um with respect to uh Redwood um property. And one of the main core issues was the design of uh the pool and whether the pool would be um involved in going back and whether or not we'd have direction to go back and negotiate um for the removal of the pool, Mr. Mayor.

Okay. Thank Thank you. Yes, sir. Wait, wait. Public hearing is open. Yeah, public hearing is open and then I'll come to you. Virginia Gilmore, 1635 Northwest 120th Street. If you remove the pool from the plan, is there money to build a new pool at Sasso? It's about time we get a state-of-the-art pool. And if we can't get our pool, we need to get a Publix. We need to get a not a presidente. We deserve better than that in Suniss Grove. So unless you guys can come up with a resolution to build a new pool at Sasso, I think Peppa Park need to keep that pool in the contract. I know my council men don't agree with me, but I've been over there for 45 years.

And we deserve better. We're taxpayers. give us a brand new pool at Sasso and then you can remove the one that from Redwood. Thank you. Thank you. I think public hearing is closing none um before I go to the maker of the motion um and I will not make any any speech. I'll let you go ahead councilman, you know, I think all of the points were said um in terms of that, but go ahead. Is it in our last two meetings?

Yeah, in the last two meetings I had already said I was not in favor of it, but I'm not going to make a big thing. It's up to to the council in this. Go ahead, council. Um, thank you m Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I thought that the developer was uh invited to be here. Um, madame manager, I thought they were going to I thought they were going to be here. No, they weren't here last. No, no, but they they said that this meeting that the developer was going to be here. Um because I went back and looked at the

when the RFP I wasn't on the council at the time, so I don't know what the off the uh community benefits were, the pool, and some other things that they were supposed to take care of. What struck me is how they were awarded the this contract, how they were selected. And on the video, their lawyer said more than three times, we do not need a penny of public financing. We're not going to wait a couple years to sit around to get public financing on any money. We are fully funded. And this is from their lawyer's mouth. It's on the city council tape. We're fully funded. We're ready to go. They're not ready to go. They just they just got a six sixmonth extension. As far as public financing, the man the attorney had said it three different times during that meeting. We need no public financing. Not only is that a lie, they got $8 million from the CRA. They got $8 million from Miami Day County and they got $8 million from the city of North Miami. How is that not taking public financing?

They have a payment. Hang on, Mr. Mayor. They have a payment due April 1 to the Soccer Foundation. So, let's see if they're on time with that. They said they were going to move forward because they were fully funded to move forward and there would be no hiccups. This is them making their play why they wanted why we this or the previous council should have should pick them. So, I'm not in favor at this point after seeing the videos that they got all this public money, just got an ext an extension because of this undue uh unavoidable extension. And we're about to negotiate to let them off the hook, take a check for three, $5 million, whatever it is, and say, "Go build your own pool. Go build whatever you want." We've been down that road before. Previous councils did it at the Kagny Park and it took another 12 years to get that done. Something that was going to be 56 million back in the day now $18 million in in counting and it's just now getting done. I don't think that we should be messing with this right now unless we have a meeting of the minds where the developer is on this. I don't trust them at this point to do what they say they're going to do. and for us to give them an exit ramp right this minute to to not um have the obligation of building the pool and if they're going to if we get legitimate bill uh bids that a Suniss Grove community center is going to cost $10 million and the residents don't want to build the pool but they'll pay they'll take the pool money and put it toward the uh the the Suniss Grove money for dollar for dollar because you're not getting a pool built for community pool built for $5 million. That's not happening. We already know what's We're building a pool across the street at Kagny Park and it's not a $5 million

pool. It's a heck of a lot more money than that. So, that's my position. I'm disappointed that the the developer wasn't going to be here because I haven't had a chance to to really ask them some questions on this. And again, I didn't make the statement that they needed no public funding, but $24 million. It shocked me um on on the uh how they got the RFP. And Miss and and just Mr. City Attorney, I don't know, with these changes, how does that not change the whole concept of how we awarded the RFP based upon their their pledge? I need no public financing. I'm going to do it just as fast as possible. how that was sold to us and then all a sudden they don't do an RFP. If this isn't a lawsuit waiting to happen and now you're amending their the the things that got them approved, how how all this comes up here, I I don't understand it and and I'm just you can counsel me later on that, I guess, but I just don't um understand how that doesn't uh throw us for a loop out there. So,

just to and and I'll let other members speak. last time council vice mayor did ask and I want to make a big clarification um respectfully what we feel about the projects or whatever I'm very supportive of the project but what I'm seeing tonight I you know that was not the agreement that I originally took to the folks so and I had already said my concern so I'm not going to delay the point that I'm not you know I'm not in favor of this because this is it does give a little bit of leeway But we got to be honest. Well, at least from my standpoint, this was um debated. It was Commissioner Charles who brought it up to to them. From my understanding, the developer does not have anything to do with this request. In fact, they came to us and they said if we want this to be to go forward, they needed the entire council to make a decision on them removing a um a um a pool from a project that that had already been allocated. It was my understanding. So I don't know the accusations you are making and and I know those people um the commitment that they made to us um when they came here they you know it's still going until th this yes this would give them um this will delay the project I don't know how many months or how many years whatever whatever the case is in terms of changing the the whole thing because it has to go back to committees and review. However I I'm I'm I'm okay with that. I would not be supporting it or supporting the project moving forward because of the the way it came. But it's a it's a stretch to put it on the developer. At least from my understanding, they had nothing to do with it. It was a request that made from one of us here. Um which is the right way. We discuss it. We

voted for it. Um and we could do what we do. Um, but that was that was the the I I don't think it's, you know, the developer and all these things about they don't have money and all that. I that's

Mr. Mayor, I didn't say they didn't have money. I just said their attorney at your at your hearing when you all voted for this said you should pick us because we will not need $1 public financing. we're self-funded, ready to go, and we can get this done expedited faster than anybody else because we don't have to do it. When I saw the tape and then turn around and realize that, you know what I said, the CRA gave him money, the county gave him money, and then the city of North Miami gave him money. How does that jive? And then if the if the the the citizens don't want the pool there and want something else in place, move to another place. Well, that that's a conversation to be had. and make sure the dollar and so forth. But I just think that the uh uh developer should have been here because it doesn't involve them because it's their money. It's they're the ones that are going to have to negotiate the the dollar amount regardless of what uh we want and what we can settle with and and so that my piece. So

yes, sir. Thank you. It it was our understanding it would be three million that that was supposed to be taken from Pepper and into and to put into a fund to do some repair. So I I think that's where we are. I don't think it's it's it's them. Um councilwoman any he spoke. Do you want to speak again? No, no. I did um all the time. So I'll just uh make a motion to um approve the item. Okay. No problem, madame clerk. I'll second that. Mhm. I have a motion made by Councilman Charles to approve the animatab. Motion was seconded by council minister Mayor Van. All in favor? I.

Any opposed? Nay. Item passes with a 3-2 vote. Thank you. Tab J. A proposed first reading ordinance of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami, Florida, amending chapter 2 of the North Miami code of ordinances entitled administration. Article three entitled boards, committees, commissions by repealing division 7 entitled youth opportunity board. Sunsetting and abolishing the youth opportunity board, providing for repeal, conflict, severability, codification, and for an effective date. Tab J.

Thank you so very much. I don't see um the vice mayor here. Um public hearing is open on the item. Public hearing is closed. So move. Second. I have a motion made by Mayor Desatab J. Seconded by Councilman Charles. Councilwoman Esta Mayor, how do you vote? Yes. Councilman Charles, how do you vote? Yes. Councilman Burns, how do you vote? No. Vice Mayor Timothy, how do you vote? Yes. Mayor Desme, how do you vote? Yes. Motion carries with a 4-1 vote.

Tab K. A proposed first reading ordinance of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami, Florida, amending chapter 2 of the North Miami code of ordinances entitled administration, article 3 entitled boards, committees, commissions by repealing division six entitled senior citizens advisory board sunsetting and abolishing the senior citizens advisory board providing for repeal conflict severability codification and for an effective date tab K. Mr. Mayor, I'd like to table um tab K, please. Okay, sure. Um motion. You a motion? I made a motion to table second. Go ahead. Yes. Next up, um, madame clerk to I have a motion. I'm sorry. Yes. I'm see trying to go. I have a vice.

I have a motion made by councilwoman as mayor to table the item at tab K seconded by Vice Mayor Timothy. Councilman Burns, how do you vote? Yes. Mayor Desme, how do you vote? Yes. Councilman Charles, how do you vote? Yes. Vice Mayor Timothy, how do you vote? Yes. Councilwoman Mayor, how do you vote? Yes. Item passes with a 5-0 vote. Next item. Oh, these are the

following items on the agenda are quasi judicial in nature. If you wish to speak in favor of, object to or comment on an item. Please complete a public speaker card indicating the agenda item number on which you would like to speak or comment. Those are tabs L and M. You must be sworn before addressing the city council and you may be subject to cross-examination if you refuse to submit to cross-examination. The city council will not consider your comments in its final deliberation. Please also disclose any exparte communications you may have had with any members of the city council. City council members must do the same. So the public speakers cards are found at the entrance of chambers on the small table. You can complete them and bring them up to the days when done. Tab L. A proposed quasi judicial resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami, Florida, approving modifications to the declaration of restrictive covenant recorded in book number 30157, pages 1892 through 1903 of the official records of Miami date county, which allowed for open air dining on public property on the site located at 750 Northeast 125th Street, providing for an effective date and all other purposes. Tab L. Thank you. Um I know city administration has stepped out but I believe this is the cafe creme item that I have brought forward. So there was an issue with cafe creme where they were not um they were not allowed to they were having some issues with their awning and so forth. So I was I told them this is the way to go about it. Definitely in support. I don't think we need a a a presentation. Um but this is to ensure that they can continue with their dining um option as is and um I hope you all can support. I did meet with the owners. Um thank you so much. um for being here and staying. Sorry you were at the end of the agenda. Um but um I know there's no public speaker cards, correct, madam clerk? So there's no one to be sworn in on this

item, vice mayor. No. Okay. Is it for the um outside dining area? Okay. Okay. Can I have can I have a motion on the item? So move. Second. One question for Debbie. So Debbie, this was granted years ago, but there was a mixup in and the h how did it slip by when we allowed outdoor seating all these years and um on on 125th Street and all that? How did this particular one slip by? It didn't slip by.

Oh, they had a sidewalk cafe permit and they also had a restrictive covenant. the um they're supposed to renew the sidewalk permit annually. And so when the new ownership came in um and they came into the office and um the vice mayor was very supportive of moving them forward. We love what they're doing there. Mhm. Um, unfortunately, the restrictive covenant and the sidewalk cafe permit required them to move the tables and chairs inside every night. And so, this modification to this will allow them to continue on

and we're removing that particular requirement from the restrictive covenant so that we can renew their sidewalk cafe permit and continue them to allow them to continue on. Okay, great. Thank you. It was moved and second. I have a motion made by Councilman Charles to approve the item at tab L, seconded by Councilwoman Mayor. Councilwoman Mayor, how do you vote? Vice Mayor Timothy, how do you vote? Yes. Councilman Burns, how do you vote? Yes. Councilman Charles, how do you vote? Yes.

Tab M. a proposed quasi judicial resolution of the mayor and city council of the city of North Miami, Florida, approving an application for a site plan and substantially the attached form for a three-story 16 unit apartment building with 26 ground level parking spaces on one parcel of real property located at 550 Northeast 127th Street and further off identified by Miami Date County Folio number 06-2230-25-0030 and totaling approximately 16,5 500 square ft 38 acres in accordance with article 2 division 2 sections 3.204 through 3.206 and article 3 division 3 section 3302 of the city of North Miami code of ordinances chapter 29 entitled land development regulations providing for an effective date and all other purposes. Thank you. And I believe this is a site plan. It came before us already. Is there any speaker cards for this one or no? Cuz I was going to say we can bypass it.

Right. And and and and are the owners here? We have the applicant. They have a brief presentation for you. Um so if you plan to speak on the item, please stand and um raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm that the testimony that you're about to give in these proceedings is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? I do. All right. Thank you. This is very brief. I always keep my presentations very brief for you. Um back in October, you all approved a conditional use permit. I think we can probably I'm sorry, Debbie. Right. We we seen this item when we you have the presentation if you don't mind. Do you want to have the applicant's presentation? Move for approval. Second. Perfect.

I'd love that so much. Thank you.

All right. Tab L. The item passed with a 4 vote. Who was the second for tab M? Uh, I move for Yeah, I asked for the second. Is there a second? Okay, thank you. I second it. I have a motion made by Councilwoman Estim May Irvin to approve the item at tab M. Seconded by Councilman Charles. Vice Mayor Timothy, how do you vote? Yes. Mayor Desme is absent. Councilman Charles, how do you vote? Yes. Councilwoman Estim May Irvin, how do you vote? Yes. Councilman Burns, how do you vote? Yes. Item passes with a 40 vote. Thank you. Citizen form.

Congratulations hanging in there all this time to get the approval. Been a long time coming. Good luck. Citizen forum. There's two mics.

Chairman Garrett 247 Britney. I do feel sorry for this city council and city administration. Kevin knows what I want to say. You're the first city council and administration that dealt with the water and sewer issue. I can tell you from 1979, the city, we had various city council administrations that did not want to address these issues and they've been kicking the can down the road. I call it the ticking time bomb. Okay. over on the west side. We lost the east side plant in 90. Kevin tried to resolve it in his administration. How much was the federal grant, Kevin? And and what was the vote to reject it? We cut our heads off when we get money from the feds. And I can tell you this, the unindicted mayor who sits up there from from 19 when he ended his when he ended his political career as mayor in 1968 and his unindicted Kogan spirit who was or state senator were the were the witnesses at the grand jury when the four of them got caught with the city manager the city attorney. No, the city man the city attorney didn't get caught. the parks and recreation director and the water and sewer director got caught. Okay. No one know where the $9.9 million went on the federal revenue sharing grant that we got from the from President Nixon administration. And I tell you this, we're going to have a local historian come in and talk about it. You we won't hear about the disc. We won't hear about the corruption going back to 1926 when we were the town of Miami Shores because guess what? The state legislator

abolished us in 1933 when we couldn't pay a bond issue.

Virginia Gilmore, 1635 Northwest 120th Street back to the commercial water revenue coming in. Um, a lot of these buildings were built back in the 50s, the 40s. Four units or more was one water meter. So you have a unit of for example eight and only four tenants paying out of the eight. Okay. There's a law in Florida. Landlord cannot turn the water off. The landlord cannot turn the electricity off if the tenant is not paying the rent. Can't the city do something? The city manager do something about it. Let do like what we have to do. If I'm a landlord and I have a tenant and the tenant has an issue in the apartment and I'm collecting her rent and I'm not fixing the repairs, that tenant can take that money down to the day county courthouse, pay that money to the court system and then the court get to the landlord and the landlord have to fix whatever they have to fix. So why can't the city look into something like that to implement a system like that to collect our revenue from the commercial landlord? They know the system. They know they cannot turn that water off. And then the city does not turn the water off on them. Then they take the money, they collect the money and they pay whatever they want to pay. So this is something I think the city city attorney city manager can look into as far as trying to get the revenue collected from the landlord. And also I have another sori pepper park have a concession stand a water hose ran along

the walkway is a liability to the city and is a risk management to the city and that needs to be removed. Thank you. Thank you. Citizen form is still open. Citizen form is now closed. I will motion to adjurnn unless you all would like to report. Second. All right. I'm sorry. I have to I I I have I'm sorry. Trust me, I don't want to do this. Um I I do need to seek a um executive session.

Shade session, executive session. A lawsuit was filed today. Uh it's sty the style of the case is Darren Jerede at all versus city of North Miami. It's case number 2026005982-CA01. It's something we expected coming in. and I'll give you more information when we when we schedule at the next meeting. Okay. Well, it'll be it'll be yes, we'll we'll schedule something before the next meeting. Okay. No problem. Thank you. Motion to adjurnn. Second.

All in favor? All oppose? Motion carries. Time is 11:11 p.m. John John, please. There's people in my office.