#3345.~
Harry S. Cherry
810 Euclid Avenue
Miami Beach, FL .33139
305-531-4622
Robert Parcher, City Clerk
City of Miami Beach, City Hall
1700 Convention Center Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139
RE: Public Records requests
Dear Mr. Parcher:
. R~~'F1 VET
2001 OCT f $ qty 8s y 3
CITY L'LER
October 1~8S 7lC,~
I am making the following Public Records Requests from your office, to examine and if
necessary to make copies of the following documents from Mayor Dermer's office:
1. All mail request from citizens to Mayor Dermer's office that have been answered
since he took office as Mayor and his replies. ~~
2. Ali mail request from citizens to Mayor Dermer's office that have nOt been
answered since he took off+ce as Mayor
Thank you for your booperation in this matter.
Sincerely
S
Harry S. harry
Page 1 of 1
Weinstein, AC
From: Paul Morris (paul@morphoto.com]
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 5:56 PM
To: Dermer, David
Subject: No Film & Production Permit Fees
Say NO to film and production permit fee's. This will only serve to make a less production friendly
environment that has brought so much recognition to Miami Beach as a travel destination.
Paul Morris
Morphoto Inc.
12345 West Dixie Highway
North Miami, Florida 33161
305-895-2553
httn: //www. morphoto. com
10/18/2007
Page 1 of 1
Weinstein, AC
From: M D [thejetdog@mac.com]
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 5:10 AM
To: Dermer, David
Subject: film office permit fees
City of Miami Beach should provide a direct process - WITHOUT A PERMIT FEE -for applying for a film permit on
Miami Beach. As New York and Los Angeles. Why tax an industry that is waiving in Miami as it is. Should i apply
for unemployment and gov food stamps now?
Concerned Beach resident and Cinematographer.
Mark Duncan
thejetdog cr,mac.com
305-672-0080 home
10/18/2007
Weinstein, AC
From: Pam Weiss [pamlweiss@earthlink.net]
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2007 2:43 PM
To: Dermer, David; Bower, Matti H.; Cruz, Simon; Gongora, Michael; Gross, Saul; Libbin, Jerry;
Steinberg, Richard
Subject: AGAINST Film permit fee
Mayor Dermer & Commissioners,
I am writing to oppose issuing a film permit fee and to explain why it is so important
that one does not get instilled.
As it currently is, nearly every production that I work on that comes to town always has
the producer & client leaving surprised as to how expensive location fees are here
(including parking & off duty officers). It's always more than they anticipated & had in
the budget, so we are already an expensive location as it is. To add on a permit fee to
that, you are not only sending the giant message of being a generally un-film friendly
town, but also you're adding to something that's already costing them a lot more than they
ever expected.
So, unless you are able to force location fees to not cost so much, which you can't when
many are dealing with privately owned properties, then I STRONGLY suggest you do NOT
impose any permit fee, however little, as it not only is an added cost to an already more
expensive than expected amount, but you are also sending the message that we are not a
film friendly town.
Please remember how much money the film industry brings to our town as it fuels nearly
every other industry with the money spent in many areas as hotels, food, etc., as well as
promoting tourism in our area with
it's exposure. A major reason Miami and especially Miami Beach boomed
was after the "Miami Vice" t.v. show became a hit...for those of you who don't remember,
Miami Beach before and during that time was nothing it is today. In fact, anytime the
area has boomed can be linked to the entertainment industry...think back during the Jackie
Gleason years and how popular Miami Beach was back then too.
Anyways, I don't mean to state the obvious with those references, but it seems to me that
they're easily forgotten when stuff like permit fees come up.
Or, you can scare them & keep them away with more fees and we can go thru what NYC went
thru...people stopped filming there because it had gotten so expensive and then NYC
wondered where everyone went with their film dollars and had to then bend over backwards
and really cut costs & make sure there were no fees to try and get them to start coming
back after years of lull time and major $ loss.
Please do the right thing...do NOT impose film permit fees.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Pam Weiss
A local, born and bred Miamian & film industry professional.
1
FILM PERMIT FEES - IN MIAMI BEACH THERE'S A MOVE TO STRANG Page 1 of 4
Weinstein, AC
From: al crespo [alcrespo@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2007 12:53 PM
To: Dermer, David
Subject: FILM PERMIT FEES - IN MIAMI BEACH THERE'S A MOVE TO STRANGLE THE FAT LADY
Dear Colleagues,
When the Miami Beach City Commission voted to support a resolution that spelled out that
the city was against the imposition of permit fees for filming, and when the City Manager
all but bitch slapped the County Manager for implying that a permit application fee was
"generally acceptable" to Graham Winick, the Miami Beach Film Commissioner, I'm sure
that all of you thought that no matter what decision the County reached about imposing a
permit application fee, the City of Miami Beach, and especially Graham Winick, would
stand firm on their position not to allow the County to cash in on permits issued for filming
on Miami Beach.
I know that many of you will be shocked, shocked, shocked at the notion that perhaps
someone had their fingers crossed behind their back when all these promises and claims
were being made.
The first evidence that someone was interested in keeping the Fat Lady from breaking into
song on Miami Beach was this portion of an article in the October 4th edition of Miami
Today, where an article detailing the County Commission's passage of the $100 permit
application fee had this revealing passage:
"Though the county fee was to take effect Monday, Miami Beach's plans
remain influx. "
Why would Miami Beach's plans about any of this remain in flux? Both the City Manager
and the Miami Beach City Commission had already spoken about as clearly as public
officials could about their desire NOT to be associated with any kind of permit fees. One
has to wonder therefore, why, at this late date, Graham Winick would raise the possibility
that Miami Beach's plans remained in "flux."
Perhaps the City Manager got hung out on a limb when he stood up to claim that his film
commissioner was not in general acceptance of a permit application fee, because it seems
that Graham Winick has maybe been hedging his bets and telling different stories to
different folks.
The evidence of that is in the passage last Wednesday of a NEW resolution by his little
advisory committee directed at the Miami Beach City Commission supporting the Miami
Beach Film Office remaining part of the FILMiami partnership.
The FILMiami partnership is centered on the use of the county's film permit computer
software program. The whole premise of Jeff Peel going for a permit application fee was
10/18/2007
FILM PERMIT FEES - IN MIAMI BEACH THERE'S A MOVE TO STRANG Page 2 of 4
that by doing so he would be able to piggyback in collecting money from folks using this
program to apply for permits to film in either Miami or Miami Beach as well as the County.
Now, there are some problems in that neither the City of Miami and/or Miami Beach has as
robust a computer software program as the County, and both Graham Winick and Robert
Parente have become somewhat enamored of the fact that the program allows their offices to
issue permits without much in the way of actual paperwork on their part.
On the other hand, Winick and Parente and their staffs met shortly after the County voted to
impose the permit application fee and agreed to go forward with developing an alternative
permit application permit form that both of them could use for their cities, and that both of
them agreed to get their own IT people to tweak their existing programs to get them up to
speed.
Yet, even after agreeing to these steps, Graham decided to use his little advisory board as a
shield and a foil to try and get the City Manager and the Miami Beach City Commission to
backtrack on their commitment not to support permit fees, and to do so in a way that never
actually owns up to what he's up to.
It's all about the use of language and how one define the problem . Here's another portion
from the Miami Today article:
"Leaving the FILMiami partnership altogether is still a possibility, Mr.
Winick said, as is remaining a full fledged member and succumbing to
the application processing fee. "
Really? "Succumbing to an application processing fee?" How would the City of Miami
Beach succumb to an application processing fee after coming out as forcefully as they did in
opposition to any kind of film permit fee?
About the only way I could see that happening is by misdirection and duplicity.
Succumbing implies wine and flowers, not being lied to, bent over and screwed without
even a kiss or even a whisper of affection.
Here's the long and the short of it: If a company has a project and needs a permit for both
the City of Miami Beach and the County, then they apply through the County's permit
process and pays the $100 application fee.
If on the other hand a company only needs a permit to film on Miami Beach or Miami, and
if they've got $100 to burn they can still apply through the County, or if they don't want to
spend that $100 they can apply directly to the City of Miami Beach or Miami. Technically,
the need to film in the County as part of amulti-municipality permit absolves any claim that
a permit fee was charged for filming in Miami and/or Miami Beach.
Yet, after agreeing to develop a separate permit application that the City of Miami and
Miami Beach could use, along with agreeing to work on getting their cities respective IT
10/18/2007
FILM PERMIT FEES - IN MIAMI BEACH THERE'S A MOVE TO STRANG Page 3 of 4
Departments to cobble some sort of computer program that would allow them to have an
alternative to the County system for these permit application fees, Graham Winick is using
his little advisory board as a shield and a foil to try and undo this agreement between him
the Robert Parente to work together, and in the process try to influence the City Manager
and the City Commission to reverse their position about permit fees being charged for film
exclusively on Miami Beach.
It's all in the language which references maintaining the "FILMiami partnership." Like I
said, it's all about the use of language and defining - or not defining -what your intentions
are in clear cut words that explains what you're really up to.
For those of you who believe that the City of Miami Beach should provide a direct process -
WITHOUT A PERMIT FEE -for applying for a film permit on Miami Beach, then I would
recommend that you not waste anytime in calling or sending an email to the Mayor and the
Miami Beach City Commissioners.
Al Crespo
Mayor David Dermer
Telephoner 305-673-7035
Email: mayordermer(a~miamibeachfl.gov
Commissioner Matti Herrera Bower
Telephone: 305-673-7107
Email: matti ~miamibeachfl.gov
Commissioner Simon Cruz
Telephone: 305-673-7102
Email: simon a~miamibeachfl.gov
Commissioner Michael Gongora
Telephone: 305-673-71 OS
Email:__michael(a,miamibeachfl.gov
Commissioner Saul Gross
Telephone: 305-673-7104
Email: saul(a)miamibeachfl.gov
Commissioner Jerry Libbin
Telephone: 305-673-7106
Email: jerry~miamibeachfl.gov
Commissioner Richard Steinberg
Telephone: 305-673-7103
10/18/2007
FILM PERMIT FEES - IN MIAMI BEACH THERE'S A MOVE TO STRANG Page 4 of 4
Email: richard~a miamibeachfl.gov
http ://www. alcrespofilm. com/
http://www.alcrespophoto.com/
10/18/2007
Page 1 of 1
Weinstein, AC
From: Ronald Reagan [ronaldreagan5000@yahoo.com]
Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2007 9:33 PM
To: Bower, Matti H.; Cruz, Simon; Dermer, David; Gongora, Michael; City Manager's mailbox; Gross,
Saul; Libbin, Jerry; Steinberg, Richard
Cc: ehewitt@indiancreekhotel.com; franciscolpezus@yahoo.com
Subject: Friends Staying At Hotel Fined While Using Valid Parking Tags
Dear Honorable Mayor, Commission and City Manager,
Maybe someone can redirect this to the proper department.
The CMB issues parking tags that guests staying at hotels without a parking facility can use to park on
parking meters in designated areas during certain time periods.
The parking tag states that the tag is 'Valid until 12:00 Noon after the date scratched.'
According to the statement in the Tag, if, in example, I'm a guest at the Indian Creek Hotel and I
purchase a Tag and it is scratched at 1:00 AM on Sunday, October 14th, 2007, this Tag will be valid
until 12 Noon Monday, October 15th, 2007. Accordingly, if it is scratched at 9:00 AM the same day, it
will still be valid until 12 Noon October 15th.
Still, some people are being fined while using valid parking tags.
The explanation offered to them is that the tags are from noon to noon or not valid before noon etc.
None of these explanations is consistent with the clear statement in the tag.
Many of those fined are tourists who would want to challenge the fine as they are about to return home.
The hotels are taking their time to see what can they do but it is still a nuisance for all parties.
People buy these parking tags for the peace of mind and convenience of not having to wake up early in
the morning to put coins in the parking meters after enjoying the city night life or after coming tired
from a long trip. Fining our tourists and guests under an inconsistent interpretation of the parking laws
not only defeats the purpose of the parking tags, is also unjust.
I'm sure something will be done by our well managed city.
Sincerely,
RR
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10/18/2007
Page 1 of 1
Weinstein, AC
From: JYLOWE@aol.com
Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 7:37 AM
To: Dermer, David; Bower, Matti H.; Cruz, Simon; Gongora, Michael; Gross, Saul; Libbin, Jerry;
Steinberg, Richard
Subject: Fwd: Standing Water 4400 Post Ave.
Attachments: Standing Water 4400 Post Ave.
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10/18/2007
Page 1 of 3
Weinstein, AC
From: SamuelMessingerM@aol.com
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 1:00 AM
To: Noriega, Carlos; Gross, Saul; Grayer, Terrance; Ortiz, Wanda; Libbin, Jerry; luis@miamibeachfl;
Bower, Matti H.; Dermer, David; Gonzalez, Jorge; Mejia, Dolores
Subject: HATE CRIME POLICE REPORT 2007-36751
we have had several acts like this......it started with my car being keyed....they are more frequent and
destructive...we have an idea who is doing this but cannot get the police to assist us...the person we think did
this came to my door today and called me a)("&%^!!! JEW.....this is thousands of dollars in damage to my car
since I was in Ohr Chiam and the holiday was three days....(started Wednesday night thru Saturday night) ..my
car needs to be repainted...it's several thousand dollars.......at the very least someone in the neighborhood is
very much out of control....where is the surveillance we were promised?? why is there no community relations
investigation or inquiry...why is this allowed to go on and on...???
at what point do our rights "kick in?" whoever is doing this is moving more and more into bigger and bigger acts
of violence...we waited for the crime lab truck ...they came after 11 pm and we were promised a call.....we did
not receive a call.maybe dna was on these items...were samples taken? we called and no one returned our
calls...when will you take this seriously????
sam messinger 4720 pine tree dr unit 9 305 305 4877 cell
10/18/2007
Page 2 of 3
10/18/2007
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Page 3 of 3
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10/18/2007
Page 1 of 1
I'll have the guys take a look at this and determine if we can make a quick fix?
MIAMI BEACH
Sergeant Dale Twist
MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
MARINE PATROL UNIT
1100 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Tel: 305-673-7959
Fax: 305-673-7549
daletwist@miami beachfl. gov
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community
From: Elaine [MBRC] [mailto:Elaine@rowmiamibeach.com]
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 12:35 PM
To: Dermer, David
Cc: Gonzalez, Jorge; Twist, Dale; Bernstein, Lynn
Subject: 41st street bridge problem
Dear Mayor Dermer:
On Sunday morning, two of our rowing shells got caught up on a cable hanging under the 2nd arch from the Collins
Ave side of the 41st Street Bridge. Fortunately no-one was injured however both boats were damaged; one is out of
commission and requires a major repair.
This cable or one just like it has been an issue in the past but we believed it had been resolved. Please have someone
from the city take a look under the bridge and check what's going on there.
Our annual regatta is on Sunday Oct 14 and we need the waterway to be safe for the competitors as well as on a daily
basis for our local junior & adult rowers and the university teams.
Thank you in advance for your attention to this urgent matter.
Kind regards,
Elaine Roden
Miami Beach Rowing Club
Ronald W. Shane Center
Elaine Raden
Executive Directz?r
Eiaine~ rrnumiami beach.com
6500 Indian Creek L7rive
Miami Beach, Ft 33141
tel: 3D5-£161-8876
fax: 305-861-8841
V/U'tiV.rO:h)mtF]mtbeaCll.Cf?m
10/18/2007
Page 1 of 1
Weinstein, AC
From: PWinick919@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 2:13 PM
To: Dermer, David; Bower, Matti H.; Cruz, Simon; Gongora, Michael; Gross, Saul; Libbin, Jerry;
Steinberg, Richard
Cc: City Manager's mailbox
Subject: Banner Ban!
Dear Mayor and Honorable Members of Miami Beach City Commission
I just learned that the commission is taking this up on first reading today. I also know that the recently
deceased Joe Fontana maintained that he had consensus on this from affected resident buildings.
I have been the Vice President of the board of The Executive (4925 Collins Avenue) for the last 8 years. This
issue has NEVER been discussed or agreed to. Please know that our input was not solicited--nor would we
support a ban on this necessary signage.
Thank you,
Pauline Winick
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10/18/2007
Page 1 of 1
Weinstein, AC
From: LWAHEADHONCHO@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 9:09 PM
To: City Manager's mailbox
Cc: Dermer, David; Matti@Miamibeachfl.gov Saul@Miamibeachfl.gov Simone@Miamibeachfl.gov
Michael@Miamibeachfl.gov Richard@Miamibeachfl.gov Jerry@Miamibeachfl.gov
JoseSmith@Miamibeachfl; govCityclerk@Miamibeachfl.gov
Subject: A Serious Problem With Mount Sinai and Miami Heart
Dear Sir,l am writing this E-mail to all of you in the hope that you can help correct a major problem I recently
had at Mount Sinai and Miami Heart. My name is Lee Weiss and as I am Certain you all know I use a scooter
type Wheelchair as a car. I use this because I was born with Cerebral Palsy. As part of my CP I also have
Epilepsy which until recently was controlled by medication .After two recent falls at home I Was taken to The
Mount Sinai ER by Miami Beach Fire Rescue in both cases they did blood tests and found that my Medications
were in the Toxic Range after my most recent visit They wanted me to stay in the hospital so they could adjust
my Medication Levels and get them back in the safe range so I agreed .This took place on August 2,2007 after
falling at home and breaking my nose .While I was in the Hospital.My Doctor came to see me and asked me if I
wanted to go to Miami Heart to the Rehab unit where I could talk to the Specialists working on my seizure
control daily and get some daily physical therapy. After spending two and a half weeks at Miami Heart and
letting the Doctors know daily how I was feeling .The Doctor came to me on August 23,2007.and told me that
my Insurance Had run out so feeling good or not which I wasn't yet because yes they were successful in getting
my medication back in the safe range I was now having Break Through Seizures and I knew as well as they did
that my going home in that condition I would be no better off then I was when I was over medicated. However
because all they ever see in there eyes are Dollar signs I was discharged and sent home to suffer.THIS IS
WRONG. Sincerely,Lee Weiss
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10/18/2007
Weinstein, AC
From: Drake Corrigan [drakecorrigan@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2007 10:05 AM
To: Dermer, David
Cc: Bower, Matti H.
Subject: Citizen Alert: Drunk homeless men assautiing tourists and residents on Lincoln Rd. Collins
Ave
Dear Mr. Mayor:
The City of Miami Beach is the most magnificent city in the world. I thank you for your
great service.
The homeless problem is a well known problem.
I write to you today not to rehash this
tough/impossible to solve problem but to alert you that I counted 64 drunk drugged
homeless men on Lincoln Road, Collins Avenue ,Washington Avenue and of course Lummus Park
adjacent to my residence at 1455 Ocean Drive yesterday 10/17/07 5:00 PM.
On Lincoln Road yesterday 10/17/07 there were at least 10 men in groups of 3 or 4 with
bottles of scotch harrassing every woman in the one hundred block and two hundred block.
These women are being assaulted and scared. This is an arrestable offence. The Police must
arrest these people and have them prosecuted.
Passive homeless people are acceptable.
Dangerous drunk drugged homeless people harrassing attacking intimidating scaring and
frighteneing our residents and tourists must be stopped by having the Police Department
arrest and prosecute.
As a citizen of this great community I am available for any committee to help resolve this
issue.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Drake & Alegre Corrigan
1455 Ocean Drive #901
Miami Beach, Florida
33139
Drake Corrigan
President
Florida Retail Group
1455 Ocean Drive
Suite # 901
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Email: drakec~floridaretailgroup.com
Telephone: (305) 962-1020
Fax: (305) 534-8503
1