Remarks by Alex J. Fernandez
292 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 4 of 12
- Play at 7:21:59
“Okay. I'm not the one talking about that. No, I'm just saying in the story of the two buildings. Let me just finish. Sure. That is a term that was brought about as part of this negotiation. Mm-hmm. that is changing as a result of this negotiation. So you all are the ones that have brought that change to this deal. How can we figure this out so that we don't tie the hands of future commissions down the road?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:24:08
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:24:38
“So, so let me then just understand Aussie then. So this is a new term that does not exist in, in the agreement that governors today. I'm not a commercial real estate businessman. So I need to understand in commercial properties, what is the typical rent reset term?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:25:31
“The rent cap that's been proposed in this agreement? How does it compare to what is usually in the market?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:26:16
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:27:05
“That to me is a concern. And it's something that I've advocated for when we were discussing Lincoln Lane. I advocated for there to be a transfer fee as part of the Lincoln Lane deal. I know we had one as part of the Miami Beach Convention Center hotel deal. I'm all fine with you making money from this deal. but ultimately the taxpayer is the owner and I want the taxpayer to benefit from this as well if there is a transfer. So I need someone to guide me on participation rent because I would imagine that you would must feel probably is fair for the city as well, wouldn't it be?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:27:54
“As it relates to participation rent, why wouldn't the city benefit from participation rent here if you sell your leasehold interest in the future?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:28:22
“I mean, don't we have it? Isn't it something that we typically, I know we had it with Lincoln Lane, Eric, if you can guide me through this.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:29:08
“And so I just want to be mindful of that because this ultimately, we don't make the final decision on this. This is ultimately made by the voters of our city who we're passing this to. And I need to tell them how this is the best business deal. And we know that there's going to be a lot of talk out there and people won't understand certain things, unfortunately, such as, you know, we can't reset the rent now. That even though there's an appraisal, there is an existing agreement. Unfortunately, a lot of things will be distorted. However, if there is at some point a transfer, I think our…”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:30:51
“Well, I would want to ask Eric. Eric, you know, what would you recommend? Do you believe that a transfer fee would be appropriate in this deal? And if one would be appropriate, what would be an appropriate transfer fee?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:39:02
“I just have a question. So, you know, at the time of the rent reset, there are appraisals that are done? Correct. Okay. And that's dictated in the terms of the agreement?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:39:18
“But not withstanding the appraisals, you know, were capped. We never really got the full amount of what the value of the property is at that time. That's where I kind of like what Commissioner Magazine is mentioning. No, Magazine, I'm so sorry. Commissioner Suarez is mentioning about the restaurant because it can become a term in the lease so that, okay, we don't touch that rent cap but at least the city is still getting an extra source of revenue from that $50 million investment that is really not being taken consideration right now in the current rent. And frankly, 100 years from now when…”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:40:57
“On the rents, but when it comes to the restaurant, a percentage of the sales that they have.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:41:10
“Right. So in your lease, it would be a term in your lease between yourself and whoever becomes your subtenant.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:50:31
“Listen, I think it's a bad hedge because at the end of the day, the points I brought up are points that I bring up because ultimately we're not the ones making this decision. It's ultimately a decision that is made by whom? By the voters of our city. And I think it only... It's to your interest and to your benefit to give as favorable of terms as possible to our residents when we send this to them. I'll tell you, for me personally, the rent reset, the change of the term between the current governing lease and the new proposed lease, that change of the terms and the rent reset, It's something…”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:55:05
“All of this money I think should be kept in this area of the city. We have so many needs. So many needs on Lincoln Road. Even needs for affordability and housing and infrastructure and so many things because when we talk about resiliency we think only of infrastructure. Resiliency is also people's resiliency and being able to afford to live here. I would love us to figure out a way, but I'm just going to yield to the sponsor, in a way that these dollars can continue to be reinvested in this part of the city so that we can shepherd through the full renaissance of Lincoln Road, the 17th Street,…”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 7:56:21
“Yeah, so it's just I think to the extent that we can keep these dollars focused in this area and the long-term needs, we have a single-family residential neighborhood there. that has resiliency challenges that we need to take care of. We need investments on Lincoln Road. We have housing affordability in this area of the city as well. I think the dollars are coming out from this area. They should also be reinvested there.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 8:04:47
“I need to recuse myself from this item, and I need to... Do I need to read something into the record, Nick?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 8:04:56
“Okay. If I may. Thank you. I'll be recusing from discussing and voting on Agenda Item R5C. because my spouse and I reside on a property with a seawall butting the Biscayne Waterway, and I may directly or indirectly benefit as a result of the adoption of the amendments in this ordinance.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 8:11:34
“Mr. Mayor. Commissioner Fernandez. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This is an ordinance I'm sponsoring, modifying the maximum setback requirements in the GU zoned area. Right now, there's maximum setbacks, and that limits how the city could redevelop a GU zoned property here by doing this amendment. We, in fact, are allowing... WOULD ALLOW FOR THIS PROPERTY TO HAVE EVEN GREATER SETBACKS. USUALLY WE SEE PEOPLE WANTING TO WAIVE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS OR GET A VARIANCE TO REDUCE THEIR SETBACKS, AND HERE IS ONE OF THOSE RARE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE IT'S something different, is to increase the setbacks. It…”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 8:13:12
“And with that I move the item Madam Vice Mayor.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 8:40:17
“Commissioner Fernandez. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Recently I had a conversation with someone from Tyler Technology, which I know we use, Tyler, in our enterprise technology. And they specifically about this type of use of artificial intelligence and they brought to my attention Collier County that had used their technology when it came to their budget and identifying efficiencies with Collier County using this type of technology. They were able to identify about 22% of their budget for potential patient opportunities. And they had, using this type of technology, already been able to implement $40…”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 8:50:03
“I just wanted to point for the record because we're an hour and a half away from adjourning. We have, according to the city clerk, 32 resolutions, 24 ordinances, six pulled consent items, and four addendum resolutions. You passed good legislation that you proposed limiting our discussion, and I'm happy to abide myself by it if you choose to enforce that so that we can get...”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 8:52:45
“Commissioner Fernandez. Point of information. Wasn't this a consent item? It is not, yeah. Okay. I'm happy to second the item.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 8:56:04
“I'll vote to defer because at the end of the day, I mean, we're still going to get the information. It is what it is.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026