LTC 084-2004 Weekly Update CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letterto Commission No. 0s4-200
To:
From:
Subject:
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez
City Manager
WEEKLY UPDATE
Date: April 16, 2004
The purpose of this LTC is to provide the Mayor and Commission with an update
describing some of the areas the administration has recently been focusing on:
Budget Preparations - The Office of Budget and Performance Improvement
(OBPI) continues to work on budget preparations with all City Departments for
the next fiscal year. All departments have now turned in their budget requests
with budget reviews scheduled to take place throughout the next several weeks.
Briefings with the Commission will be scheduled for early June.
Commission Retreat - The leadership retreat for the Mayor and Commission
has been scheduled and confirmed for Saturday, May 8 and Saturday, May 22,
2004 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on both dates. Location is to be determined.
The purpose of the retreat is to focus on improving our work together, goal
alignment pdority setting, strategic planning and visioning for the future. Dr. Rick
Jensen, whom you each met with on March 15, will facilitate each session.
Additional information and details will be provided to each of you pdor to May 8.
Quality of Life Issues - I continue to met with staff from the Police,
Neighborhood Services, Public Works and other City departments to focus on
issues involved with improving the quality of life for all on Miami Beach.
Potamkin Site - On Apdl 5, City staff and I traveled to Atlanta to meet with
representatives from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the developer
of the Potamkin site to review FTA funding requirements. The FTA expressed
favorable comments in its initial review of the project and indicated the City would
need to place emphasis on the transit elements of the project, focusing on their
location, cost and use, and transit user profiles to determine the project's
eligibility for FTA funding. Additionally, the parties will explore to what degree the
Federal funding restrictions apply to the privately funded, non-transit portion of
the project.
City Wayfinding Signs - Staff met with representatives from the Florida
Department of Transportation (FDOT) on April 6 to discuss issues related to the
proposed Miami Beach sign to be located on the McArthur Causeway.
Organizational Development - As part of my ongoing organizational
development efforts, I invited the Info~-r, ation Technology (IT) Department to join
me for a brown bag lunch on April 6 to talk about issues that may be important to
staff and the Department. My goal is to meet with all City Departments
throughout the year in this informal setting to further open the lines of
communication and make sure that staff at all levels have an opportunity to share
information with me that may be important to them.
Police Department - Held a Police Retiree's Roll of Honor Ceremony on April 7
to honor those sworn police officers who have retired since year 2002. Names of
the retirees were unveiled on the outside wall at the front of the Police Station in
their honor. In addition, the Police Command Staff held a leadership retreat on
April 12 to focus on improving issues related to the Department including: (1)
Quality of Life issues; (2) Off-duty assignments; (3) Staffing issues and; (4)
Update on the Department's Strategic Plan.
Major Events Planning (MEP) - Staff worked throughout the past several
weeks to ensure that various special events held on Miami Beach were
successful and have been meeting to plan and prepare for several major events
that will be taking place on Miami Beach in the next couple of months, including
the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Capital Improvement Projects The 42nd Street Streetscape work is
proceeding with the water main now fully installed and permitted, and with the
above ground work commencing in early May. The project is anticipated to be
completed by the end of May, 2004.
Hurricane Preparedness - Staff has started to prepare for hurricane season
and has scheduled the third annual City of Miami Beach Hurricane Information
and Preparedness Fair to take place on Saturday, June 5, 2004 from 10 a.m. to
1:00 p.m. along the 1000 block of Lincoln Road. The purpose of the event is to
reach out to the community and provide information on what the City does and
what is suggested for residents and businesses to do, before during and after
hurricanes in an effort to educate and protect our residents and businesses. In
addition, a meeting with representatives from all the hotels is scheduled to take
place on May 6 to provide them with important information to help them prepare.
Risk Management - The Risk Management Division has been working on the
property insurance renewal process which includes a general review of all City
locations, value assessment, and compliance with inspection recommendations
from the insurance carrier. Initial indications are that the premium will be
consistent with last year's.
Union Contracts - Staff from our Office of Labor Relations continues to meet
separately with representatives from the Communications Workers of America
(CWA) and ASFCME unions in the hopes of reaching fair agreements in the near
future. A contract "signing" ceremony was held with the International
Association of Firefighters (IAFF) on April 7. In addition, staff from Labor
Relations and Risk Management hosted representatives from the AFSCME
Union National Headquarters the week of April 12 for a three day training
program focused on safety in confined spaces. The training, funded through a
Federal Grant Program afforded forty-two employees the opportunity to attend.
As a result of the employees' and Management's response, and eagerness to
receive additional training, AFSCME has offered to pursue other types of safety
training in the future that will significantly enhance the employees ability to
perform their jobs in a safe and dsk free manner.
Vote Miami Beach - The Vote Miami Beach campaign was officially launched at
the April 14 Commission meeting. Staff has been working with Commissioner
Steinberg's office on this ongoing campaign to create and stimulate awareness
among Miami Beach residents about voting. To give Miami Beach residents a
greater voice in local and national elections, an incentive program has been
established to encourage residents to become a registered voter and to vote.
Community Development Week - Took place the week of April 12 - 16 with
several events taking place to celebrate the achievements with the organizations
that have helped the City provide outstanding services to Miami Beach residents,
and have made the community a model across the country. Events included a
community "mixer" where community partners presented information about their
programs and accomplishments using CDBG and HOME funds; a health fair at
the Miami Beach Community Health Center; and the presentation of the
Community Heroes Award at the April 14 Commission meeting.
Shane Watersports Center - Staff from the Planning Department and I met with
Debbie Liebowitz, Barry Klein, and Bruce Singer on April 15 to discuss issues
related to the Shane Watersports Center. These Issues will be further discussed
at the April 20 Planning Board meeting.
Relay for Life - The City's fundraising efforts continue with several Departments
continuing their events to benefit the Relay for Life program scheduled to take
place on Memorial Field at Flamingo Park on May 15-16.
Fire Department - Miami Dade County contacted Fire Chief Floyd Jordan on
April 16 and invited him to participate on their interview panel for the Miami Dade
County Fire Chief. The panel will be interviewing neady 30 candidates with the
hope of identifying the top candidate by June 30, 2004.
Florida League of Cities - The Florida League of Cities contacted the City on
Apdl 16 to notify us that I have been selected as one of four finalists for their
Florida Cities of Excellence Awards / City Manager of the Year Award. The
winner will be announced at the Florida League of Cities Conference in Odando
on June 26, 2004.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel frae to
contact me.
Electronic Copy: Leadership Team
F:CMG R/ALL/LTC04hNeekly Update/Apri116.doc