LTC 207-2004 Weekly Update CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No.
To:
From:
Subject:
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez ~ ~
City Manager [l P'~ ~)
WEEKLY UPDATE
Date: August 6, 2004
The purpose of this LTC is to provide you with an update describing some of the
areas the Administration has recently been focusing on:
Major Events Plan (MEP) - City Staff met throughout the week to continue
planning and preparing for several major events that will be taking place in the
next few months, including the MTV Music Video Awards, the Labor Day holiday
weekend, and the Columbus holiday weekend. The M-IV Music Video Awards
ceremony will take place on August 29, 2004 at the American Airlines Arena in
Miami with several ancillary events taking place at various nightclubs and hotels
throughout the entertainment district of Miami Beach. These events will begin in
the evening hours on Thursday, August 25 and end in the early morning hours of
Tuesday, August 31. A separate LTC with additional details regarding the MTV
Music Video Awards was sent on August 4.
Air & Sea Show - Coordinators of the Air & Sea Show, which has taken place in
Fort Lauderdale in the past, have reached out to the Greater Miami Convention
and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), Miami Dade County, and the Cities of Miami and
Miami Beach to explore the possibility of moving this annual event to our area.
This two-day event is a salute to the U.S. Military and features demonstrations by
the U.S. Military, along with top civilian air & sea performers. Staff and I met with
representatives from the Air & Sea Show to further explore the possibility of
having portions of this event take place in Miami Beach. Further meetings need
to be held in order to determine if it is in our best interest to participate.
Education on Miami Beach - I met with State Representative Dan Gelber on
August 3 to discuss and explore ways to improve the quality of education on
Miami Beach. The City has coordinated an educational fair to be held at City Hall
on August 12 to provide employees and members of the public information about
higher educational opportunities and alternatives available in our area. Florida
International University, Barry University, Miami Dade Community College, and
several other area colleges will participate in this educational fair.
Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce - I attended a joint Miami Beach
Chamber of Commerce Board of Governor's and Pillar Trustee meeting on
August 3 to participate in a discussion regarding the County G.O. Bond questions
and the possible impacts passage of the bonds will have on Miami Beach.
Organizational Development - On August 5, I hosted a brown bag lunch with
staff from the Public Works Department. These brown bag lunches are part of
my ongoing efforts to meet with staff from all levels and all City Departments. The
third session of the "Supervision in Government" series took place on August 5.
This course is specifically designed for new supervisors in the City. The final
session in this series is scheduled for August 19. Several staff also participated
in the "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" course offered on August 6 that was
presented by a certified Franklin Covey trainer. The next session in this series is
scheduled for August 13.
New World Symphony (NWS) - on August 5, City staff and I met with
representatives from the NWS and the owners of the 420 Lincoln Road Building.
An updated, alternative project concept plan was submitted and discussed.
The revised concept plans reflect maintaining Drexel Avenue open and providing
an open plaza area between Drexel and Washington Avenue and providing main
pedestrian linkages and connections between Convention Center Drive, 17th
Street and Lincoln Road via Drexel Avenue; orienting the parking garage
frontage onto on Pennsylvania Avenue; and the proposed main exterior screen
has been shifted from the south side of the building to the east side facing
towards the park. The plan also calls for the possibility of parking being provided
at the 420 Lincoln Road Building. The revised concept plan will be presented to
the Planning Board on August 24, 2004 and to the City Commission on
September 8, 2004.
Camp Miami Beach - The cable network HBO, has entered into a partnership with
the City to present the first Camp Miami Beach, a sedes of arts and cultural
programs, sports and recreation, and health and wellness activities aimed at
highlighting Miami Beach to visiting families and residents. The kick-off event was
held on August 5. On August 6, a "Good Sports Seminal' was held at the Byron
Cadyle Theater and attracted more that 150 children. This event was hosted by
Dan Marino and Chris Carter, former professional football athletes and current
hosts of HBO's "Inside the NFL". Future events include a "Meet the Filmmakers"
session on August 12 and a "Family Storybook Festival" on August 14, both at the
Byron Cadyle Theater. Additional details about Camp Miami Beach are available at
the following website: www. CampMiamiBeach.com.
Union Negotiations - Staff from Labor Relations met with representatives from
the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
Union on August 6 to continue our ongoing negotiations. A follow-up meeting
has been scheduled for August 19, 2004.
Florida Power and Light (FPL) - Staff and I met with representatives from FPL to
review plans for the replacement of the damaged cable near the Aqua development
on Indian Creek and 63rd Street. FPL estimates that the replacement project will be
completed by October 2004.
City Hall Parking Garage Expansion - An initial meeting was held with staff and
project consultants to discuss the planning efforts and next steps involved with the
construction of the parking garage to be located behind City Hall. Appropriate
follow-up meetings will be scheduled in order to ensure that our efforts remain on
target with the estimated completion date.
Homebuyer Workshop - The City has partnered with the Miami Beach
Development Corporation to present a homebuyer workshop on August 10 for City
staff and members of the public. This session will provide information on the steps
involved in purchasing a home.
Domestic Partnership Registry - Staff from my Office and the Office of the City
Clerk worked this week on finalizing plans for the domestic partner registry which is
scheduled to begin on Monday, August 9. Registration will be available Monday
through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the City Clerk's Office in the first
floor of City Hall. Registration fee is $50.00 per couple. The registration form is
available via the City's website. In case you would like view, please go to:
www. miamibeachfl.qov/newcity/depts/clerk/domestic partnership re.qistration.pdf
If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to
contact me.
Electronic Copy: Management Team
F:CMGR/ALL/LTC04/Weekly Update/August 6.doc