Remarks by Maria Rodriguez
78 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 4
- Play at 54:57
“On the, is this, wait, sorry. Okay. I just wanted to kind of follow up on the special events in the recreation and cultural arts total. I did actually happen to have highlighted this when looking at what the impacts of the DEI restrictions that we will be having in the next year. Although I understand that Legally moving forward, we can't name these festivals or celebrate them in specific ways. My assumption is that that's why the... Caribbean Heritage Festival was brought down. I'm wondering if we can put in place a similar budget for the upcoming year for a Caribbean music festival or…”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 59:08
“And I feel comfortable with that. I just want to make sure that we are dedicating a budget at some point for the possibility that these events may need to be changed in name or in time frame and things like that, as well as adding at least a small amount of money for digital advertising of these events as well. And if that was part of the communications plan, I apologize if I didn't catch that on that end.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 1:13:15
“I just have a follow-up on that. I think what was alluded to was some of the lists that were provided during the Amendment 3 conversation that we had on Monday. And personally, looking at the list, while that was an exercise conducted by the administration to show us possible effects, possible items that could be cut in the future, I look at this list and I don't feel comfortable, at least for this year, if we do not have to absolutely cut down on these. Because to me, a lot of this is also essential services. So I just want to put that on the record.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 1:37:44
“Sorry that just for clarification the online budget was provided on August 1st. The printed one I think we all requested a little bit later because it's easier to see but It had been available to the public.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 1:39:52
“If I may add, there are certain cities that do have a communications department that includes all major organizations. However, they do have dedicated personnel per city. So the only thing I would add to that is maybe someone within the communications department that can have branding across the board. But I think our media personnel in each do pretty much as good of a job as they can with the branding of the police and fire being separate. But the structure could be different. There are plenty of cities that combine all of it, but they individually are under the same umbrella. But they are…”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 1:50:12
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 1:51:00
“So if we saw what, if later on we saw what the actual budget was from 25-26 versus what we have as the proposal, it would be more of like a tighter space between those two.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 1:51:22
“No, I just had interpreted something different, so I wanted clarity.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:34:15
“One second. So in that one, I did find a little bit confusing. Should the RFP retain the proposed minimum? But right above it, it provides option A and option B. So I thought that that one was supposed to say option A or option B. Which one was the preference? No.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:35:10
“For both options. Either option. Okay, so then I change mine to yes then on that one.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:36:34
“Is a break, because one of the mentions was of a break, is a break clocked hours or is a break unclocked?”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:36:57
“Yeah, but my thought is during a lunch break. No.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:37:07
“So is the breaks mentioned in the questionnaire, would that be on the clock or off the clock?”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:39:17
“I think I am coming to understand where Commissioner Good's coming from. Like when I worked at, let's say, the county, I took time off to go do things that I couldn't do on county time. And so you would take the time off to be able to do those things, even though, in theory, you're taking the time off and the agency is paying you.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:39:53
“So if, let's say, and not to pick on home. So they can't go on vacation.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:39:59
“Not to pick on police or anything, but if, let's say, our police officer takes time off, and then, and I don't know if this is true, but then does private security, and they're not allowed to do private security during their time off?”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:40:15
“Okay. Any other example? Because PD obviously has specific rules and regulations, but...”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:41:19
“Exactly. So somebody could come in. Let's say the vendor gives the time off, but they fill the position as they should because we have minimum staffing requirements. We are not paying that person who took that time off. We're paying then the person who's at the window or doing the inspection or whatever.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:51:11
“So I'm going to clarify, because I think we're all I think we all agree on that point. I think there is consensus, because I agree on that point as well. My question was simply on off time, because there is a difference. Because my train of thought is like, yes, on Monday to Friday, whatever. It's not like these companies have unlimited PTO. They have, I assume so, and most companies have limited PTO. So if you ask for vacation time, if you ask for off time, it's not like we're going to have this bait and switch 100% of the time because there's a limit to the amount of time off that you take.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:57:42
“But the thing is that we weren't technically voting on C. We were voting on the motion.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:58:48
“So then let's vote explicitly on what is written in C3, and let's tackle E1 afterwards.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:58:58
“That would be a motion for reconsideration.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 2:59:14
“So I motion that the RFP maintain the restrictions that the minimum required dedicated slash dedicated personnel shall be prohibited from simultaneously providing building department services to other jurisdictions.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 3:05:14
“I don't think we need to make motions. I think there would be consensus for some of these.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026
- Play at 3:05:49
“It literally says, while allowing for appropriately qualified and certified employee to provide limited and temporary assistance in another discipline with the written approval of the city's contract manager. So the flexibility is in the link.”
City Commission · Sep 3, 2026