September 10 2024-Minutes
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
Marine and Waterfront Protection Authority Members:
Ben Mostkoff – Appointed by Commissioner Laura Dominguez
Elaine Roden – Appointed by Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez
Julio Magrisso – Appointed by Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez Tim Carr – Appointed by Commissioner Mark Samuelian
Amy Litos- Appointed by Commissioner Alex Fernandez
Mike Gibaldi – Appointed by Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt
John Gardiner- Appointed by Commissioner David Suarez
Jose Frias- Appointed by Commissioner David Suarez
Michael Kiely- Appointed by Mayor Steven Meiner
Chad Braver- Appointed by Commissioner Joseph Magazine
Christopher Todd- Appointed by Mayor Steven Meiner
The meeting of the Board of Directors was held on September 10, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. via zoom conference. The Chairman called the meeting to order at 9:04 a.m.
The attendees were as follows:
Board members: Ben Mostkoff, Amy Litos, Elaine Roden, Mike Gibaldi, John Gardiner Julio Magrisso, Michael Kiely, Jose Frias, Chad Braver, Christopher Todd
Absent: Tim Carr
City Staff: Brandon McLean– Code Compliance, Liaison Sergeant Duane Rezende- City of Miami Beach Marine Patrol Lieutenant Joaquin Rodriguez- City of Miami Beach Marine Patrol Officer Thomas Fleischhauer- City of Miami Beach Marine Patrol Samantha Tiffany - Environment & Sustainability, Environmental Research
Manager
David Suarez- City of Miami Beach Commissioner
Elizabeth Miro- Publics Works Property Management, Assistant Director Ozzie Dominguez- Publics Works Property Management, Asset Manager
Public: Marchella Paz
Meeting called to order at 9:04 a.m. by Chairman, Ben Mostkoff
UNFINISHED/OLD BUSINESS
a. Marine Patrol update and discussion by Sergeant Duane Rezende, City of Miami
Beach Marine Patrol
• Sergeant Rezende stated that for the last two months 370 citations were issued, and 12
arrests were made due to loud music and fishery violations. They had an uptick in jet ski
thefts, and they were notified by detectives about a GPS pinging from one of the stolen jet
skis located by the Marsh Island. They were able to recover the jet skis that were stolen.
• A swim test was conducted for tryouts for the Marine Patrol unit last Wednesday. The
chief is consistently trying to grow the unit and he intends to have another Sergeant and two to four additional officers.
• January to July they cited 7 at risk vessels and 8 derelict vessels were removed.
• They are over their $60,000 budget by $30,000.
b. Update on GOB Dredging Project, Mooring Field, and Water Quality by Samantha Tiffany, Environmental Resource Manager
Mooring Field:
• City issued a response to all public comments received. The FDEP application was
submitted in mid-August and first round of review comments were issued last week. The
consultant is working on addressing the comments. In the meanwhile, CIP is working with
Legal on the draft of the Ordinance required for the Management Plan.
GOB Biscayne Point Canal Dredging:
• Since the change order was issued, the consultant and CIP have continued working on
the mitigation plan. The consultant has performed shoal verification surveys during
seagrass growing season and is working to provide updated mitigation plan options based on the surveys.
Monument Island:
• The City finalized the proposal from the selected consultant per Resolution 2023-32570 which includes a vessel exclusion zone, swim zone, riprap revetment, and natural resources restoration. The Consultant Service Order was completed on August 23rd and the Purchase Order issued on September 5th. A kick-off meeting with the consultant will be held in the coming weeks to discuss the project.
c. Election for Chairperson:
• Mr. Ben Mostkoff was appointed to Chairman and Mr. John Gardiner appointed to Vicechair.
d. Discussion on the negotiation process with Suntex by Elizabeth Miro, Property Management Division.
• Elizabeth Miro stated that they have been negotiating with Suntex for a couple of months to define some of the key terms to extend their lease for an additional nine years and 364 days. Some of the highlights of these terms includes all the provisions that were recommended by Sofna when they negotiated with Suntex in their letter of intent. They
are reviewing items that needs to be updated and it would entail providing some capital
expenditures and examining the submerged land lease. The space within the Suntex area
is being evaluated with the intent of dedicating an area to city departments like Code
Compliance and Marine Patrol. In addition to having access to their cameras.
• A public meeting will be held on September 18th at 5:00 PM. They are also presenting at
the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee on September 20th.
New Business
a. Surfrider Foundation Miami Chapter Blue Water Task Force by Scott Stripling.
• Scott Stripling stated that Surfrider is dedicated to protecting the enjoyment of the world's ocean waves and beaches. The Blue Water Task Force is Surfrider’s volunteer water quality monitoring program that provides critical information to protect public health at the beach. Surfrider chapters use this program to raise awareness of local pollution problems and bringing together communities to implement solutions.
• Chapter-run BWTF programs fill in the gaps and extend the coverage of agency-run beach monitoring programs by sampling ocean and bay beaches and potential freshwater sources of pollution such as stormwater outlets, rivers and creeks that discharge onto the beach. They are looking for solutions in the case of the local area. The state Department of Health's Florida Healthy Beaches program tests weekly in Miami Beach.
• To protect coastal water quality, they are working to ensure that all sewage in the United
States is adequately collected and treated to protect public health and the environment.
Southeast Florida needs an entire sewage sanitation system upgrade and renovation, as
does much of the U.S.
Open Discussion
1. Motion to approve July minutes - Motion passed/ Christopher Todd Abstain.
2. Mr. Ben Mostkoff suggested a new concept of MWPA Board sharing items of interest at
beginning of the meeting as part of the attendance.
3. Introduction of new MWPA Board members Chad Braver and Christopher Todd.
4. Mr. Ben Mostkoff stated that 23 pump stations were built, and it is not equipped with
injection wells. The injection wells are designed to collect the first one inch of rain or one
inch of run off. It is going to have coliform bacteria, insecticide, oil, herbicides, pesticides.
If the injection well is not present with a pump station the effluent gets directly pumped
into the bay. The MWPA board is trying to improve the water quality of Biscayne Bay.
Surfrider Foundation is probably the only organization that has the flexibility and capacity
to monitor different locations and has great flexibility.
Meeting adjourned at 12:02 p.m.
To access the Marine & Waterfront Protection Authority meeting videos click the following
link:https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/city-clerk/boards-and-committees/marine- waterfront-protection-committee/