LTC 227-2003
CITY of MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No. ~;}'1- dOc.~
m
TO:
FROM:
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez~
City Manager
Date: September 19, 2003
SUBJECT: WEEKLY UPDATE
The purpose of this LTC is to provide the Mayor and Commission with an update
describing some of the areas the administration focused on during the week of
September 15, 2003:
"Participate Miami Beach" Civic Participation Week - Members of the
administration, alongside representatives from the Neighborhood Services
Department, hosted various community activities throughout the city and City Hall
in commemoration of the second annual "Participate Miami Beach" celebration.
The scheduled events, taking place September 11-17, afforded the public several
opportunities to register to vote, volunteer and communicate while contributing to
the enhancement of their community. "Participate Miami Beach" serves as a
weeklong pledge to civic participation, honoring the courageous spirit of the
American people while paying tribute to the lives lost on September 11, 2001.
Major Events Plan (MEP) - As part of the City's Major Events Plan (MEP),
representatives from the administration met to continue planning and
coordinating city services for upcoming events. The MEP, consisting of various
phases of citywide planning and logistical implementation, attempts to ensure
that all city services are enhanced and members of the community are
adequately informed. Among the events taking place throughout the next several
weeks for which the City will be implementing its MEP are: MTV2 $2 Bill Concert,
featuring DMX, Ludicris and Method Man on September 22, beginning at 9:00
p.m. at the Jackie Gleason Theater; the Columbus Day holiday weekend; MTV
Latin Music Video Awards on October 23; the Herald Hunt, held on October 26
throughout the City; and the Thanksgiving Day Parade, with date yet to be
decided.
FTAA Major Events Plan - Members of the administration, alongside public
safety and administration representatives continue to plan the City's Major
Events Plan (MEP) for the upcoming FT AA Conference, taking place November
17-21, 2003. An MEP was held on September 19, with additional meetings
scheduled prior to the event. Updated FTAA news briefs are being disseminated
on an ongoing basis, with daily briefings provided at City committee and business
district meetings. In addition, I plan to update each of you separately at meetings
scheduled for early October.
Filming in Miami Beach - Representatives from the administration continue to
facilitate various filming projects throughout our city. Several productions,
scheduled to film or in production throughout September include: two Spanish
language "telenovelas" including "Amor Descarado" airing on Telemundo and
"Rebeca" airing on Univision; MTV's reality dating show "Dismissed," with Miami
Beach segments scheduled to air in October; filming of music video featuring hip-
hop artist "Too Short," highlighting Flamingo Avenue residences and the 11th
Street Diner; Univision's commercial shoot for the "Doritos" contest giveaway,
featuring four Volkswagen Beetle's on our beach; ABC Television's "Karen
Sisco," based on the feature film "Out of Sight," filmed throughout the City and
will be premiering October 1 at 10:00 p.m. FX's hit show "NiplTuck," set in South
Beach, has also been picked up for a second season, with production of 15 new
episodes scheduled to begin early next year. Although not yet approved, the
CBS crime hit drama "CSI Miami" has also requested an approximate five-hour
closure of the bus pick-up (non-moving) lane on the McCarthur Causeway on
Wednesday, September 24. Since the request deals solely with the non-moving
lane, traffic would not be impeded. Additional details are forthcoming, pending
process finalization.
Art Basel Miami Beach 2003 - Members of the administration met on
September 15 to discuss the City's on-going preparations for Art Basel/Miami
Beach, scheduled to take place December 2-7, 2003. Representatives from the
administration will continue meeting throughout the next several weeks to ensure
that the City, and all pertinent departments, are prepared for the event. Activities
will center mainly around the Miami Beach Convention Center and the
geographic area known as the Art Basel Zone, spanning from the ocean to
Meridian Avenue and Lincoln Road to Dade Boulevard.
Community Involvement - I, alongside members of the administration, met on
September 15 to discuss ways to foster greater community involvement and
participation in citywide events, including community pride celebrations to
commemorate the City's All-America City award.
Tenant Rights and Responsibilities - Representatives from the administration
hosted a public information workshop on September 15 to discuss landlord and
tenant conflict resolution. The mini workshop, in conjunction with the Legal
Services of Greater Miami, Inc., addressed landlord and tenant rights and
responsibilities and where to seek assistance.
Royal Palm Hotel Lease Negotiations - An internal meeting with outside
counsel was held on September 16 where consensus was reached on lease
agreement amendments to the April 30, 2003 Letter of Intent (LOI); including the
Town Park 1 % Equity Interest issue now added to the revised term sheet. The
term sheet, agreed to by the parties, was distributed via a Letter to the
Commission.
Billboard Live - I, alongside members of the administration, held a conference
call initiated by Mark Petri, chairman of Constructa US, on September 16 to
discuss their lease/sale proposal of the Billboard Live retail space within the
Ocean Steps building. Constructa offered to lease the fully equipped 20,000
square-foot facility, located between Collins and Ocean Drive, to the City as an
additional public performance venue for a monthly fee of $35,000. Given the
various public performance venues the City already manages, we agreed to
collaborate on referral possibilities.
Public Relations and Marketing Services - Members of the administration met
with the KSR Group on September 16 to discuss their vision for a citywide image
branding, public relations, marketing and communications campaign in
conjunction with established tourism efforts.
North Beach Development Corporation - I met with Jeannie Tidy, Executive
Director of North Beach Development Corporation on September 17 to discuss
ways to enhance the City's partnership with the organization and maximize
neighborhood enhancement project results.
Alaska Parcel - I, alongside members of the administration, the City Attorney's
Office and outside counsel, met with the Portofino Group on September 17 to
discuss the City's ongoing mediation and the status of the land use issues. As
part of the City's counterproposal, the issues related to the potential relocation of
Smith & Wollensky were discussed with the restaurant president, Jim Dunn, at a
separate meeting on September 19. The Portofino Group is expected to respond
substantively to the City's counterproposal at a scheduled mediation on October
9.
Proposed FY 2004 Budget - I, alongside representatives from the Finance
Department and the Office of Management and Budget, continued to finalize fund
allocations for the City's 2004 Fiscal Year budget in preparation for a Special
Commission Meeting on the same subject. The Commission meeting, the
second reading of the proposed budget, was held on September 18 and allowed
for public comment.
Collins Park Cultural Center Oversight Committee - Members of the Collins
Park Cultural Center Oversight Committee met on September 19 to discuss
progress on the library's construction as well as ongoing planning efforts for a
ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for October 16. The ceremony celebrates
the completion of the construction phase of the City's new 42,000 square foot
library designed by renowned architect Robert A.M. Stern. The library, expected
to open its doors early next year, will house an auditorium, community meeting
rooms, a coffee bar, a reading garden, a state-of-the-art computer system and a
children's room.
North Beach MiMo Architecture MultimedialWeb Design Competition - In an
effort to enhance promotion and information dissemination efforts in North
Beach, the City is sponsoring a multimedia presentation/web design competition,
taking place on September 22 at 3:00 p.m. in the First Floor Conference Room.
Students from various design and art schools and similar programs were
encouraged to produce and submit creative and cutting edge multimedia
presentations which best educated the public on the North Beach area and its
renowned Miami Modern (MiMo) architecture.
Collins Avenue Resurfacing Project - Members of the administration are
coordinating a community project information meeting to discuss the
commencement of the final phase of the Collins Avenue Resurfacing Project.
The meeting, scheduled for September 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the Miami Beach
Police Station Community Room, will include updates on resurfacing,
si~nalization, traffic lights and lighting improvements on Collins Avenue between
51 and 15th Street. Information letters have been sent to area residents and
businesses impacted by the project.
Noise Enforcement Workshop - Members of the administration are
coordinating a community workshop detailing the City's noise enforcement policy.
The workshop is scheduled to take place on October 1, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in
the Commission Chambers, and will afford the public with an opportunity to voice
their opinion.
Employee Recognition - As a way of thanking all staff for their hard work
throughout this past year, I will be hosting a "New Fiscal Year's Eve" celebration
on the afternoon of September 30. Employees will receive complimentary ice
cream from Ben and Jerry's.
Arts and Cultural Facilities Workshop - Members of the administration are
preparing to host a workshop with arts facilities and organizations throughout
Miami Beach to discuss ways to enhance the arts and cultural activities within the
city; specifically addressing operating needs as well as the service capabilities of
the City's existing facilities. The workshop is scheduled for October 7, beginning
at 9:00 a.m. at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. An LTC providing additional
information will be sent to each of you shortly.
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration - An employee volunteer planning
committee continues to coordinate an employee luncheon commemorating
Hispanic Heritage Month. The employee celebration luncheon will take place on
October 10 and is part of a nationwide tribute highlighting the history and
achievements of members of the Hispanic community. Details regarding the
event will be posted on the employee intranet and will be updated as new
information becomes available. In addition, the City's Hispanic Affairs
Committee, in partnership with the City, will be hosting a reception and
celebration of Hispanic Heritage on Monday, October 13 at 6:00 p.m. in the 41h
Floor Gallery. Three awards will be given to worthy recipients who have made
positive contributions to the Miami Beach Hispanic community.
International City and County Manager's Association Conference (ICMA) -
I will be attending the ICMA Annual Conference in Charlotte from September 22-
26. The Conference focuses on bringing together leaders from diverse
communities to discuss issues of mutual concern. Educational sessions, keynote
speakers, workshops, and special events are offered to assist in addressing the
multiple challenges and opportunities facing many of our diverse communities on
a daily basis.
If you have any questions or need any additional information, please feel free to
contact me.
JMG/ri/jl
F:/cmgr/$all/ltc-03/weeklyupdates/Septmber 19 Weekly Update