LTC 019-2006 Bi-Weekly Update January 2-20, 2006
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MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 019-2006
LETTER TO COMMISSION
DATE:
Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager~ V- ~
January 23, 2006 U U
BI-WEEKL y UPDATE-January 2-20, 2006
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
The purpose of this LTC is to provide you with an update describing some of the areas the
Administration has recently been focusing on:
Building Official Recruitment Process and Departmental Retreat - Since the Building
Assessment Center Process on December 8, 2005, I have continued to evaluate and move
forward on the recruitment efforts for City's next Building Director. During the week of
January 2nd, I, along with Assistant City Manager Tim Hemstreet, met with the three
candidates for individual interviews in order to ask more in-depth questions regarding their
background and experience and well as gain a better sense of who would be the best fit for
our fast-growing organization.
The Building Department Retreat took place on January 5, 2006. This retreat focused on
the department's role in the City's overall strategic plan as well as the department's
achievements over the past year and areas for improvement.
Public-Private Development Project - Staff and I met regarding a previous developer's
interest in a public- private development project at 13th Street and Collins Avenue on
January 4, 2006.
Fire Department - The Miami Beach Fire Department recently trained crews from the
Miami-Dade County Fire Department on Rapid Intervention Drills. A total of 63 Miami-Dade
County units were involved. The training program coordinated by Lieutenant Scott Todd and
Firefighter Neil Chapman of Fire Station No.2.
The City of Miami Fire Department and Village of Key Biscayne Fire Department have
already expressed interest in attending the training at a future date. The City's Fire
Department is currently negotiating with the Orange County Fire Department a training
exchange by which the City of Miami Beach will conduct Rapid Intervention Training for
Orange County, and in return, they will provide our officers with Incident Command training
which involves the use of a video and computer based simulation module.
Labor Relations - Staff and I continue to work with the CW A in order to address issues of
mutual concern in resolving the current CW A contract approved by the City Commission. As
of January 19, 2006, a tentative agreement has been reached with the CWA, and we
anticipate a ratification vote in early February, in time for the February 8th City Commission
meeting. I have also started to prepare for the Fraternal Order of Police contract
negotiations.
Police Department - On Tuesday, January 3, 2006, Command Staff of the Miami
Beach Police Department attended a Labor Relations meeting with Linda Gonzalez
regarding the upcoming Fraternal Order of Police contract negotiations.
On Thursday, January 12, Chief De Lucca attended the Dade County Chiefs Association
Awards Committee meeting where the Officer of the Year for Miami-Dade County was
nominated. On this same date, Chief De Lucca also attended a meeting with Director
Grimming of the Miami-Dade College North Campus School of Justice to discuss the
possibility of sending Miami Beach Police Department recruits to the Miami-Dade
Community College Police Academy.
Urban Environment League and Miami Beach Community Development
Corporation (MBCDC) Housing Development Workshop- Due to the City's proactive
response to the affordable housing issue I was asked form part of a public policy panel
discussion on January 18, 2006. I, along with City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and
Assistant County Manager Tony Crap, formed the public policy panel, and spoke
regarding innovative ideas and opportunities which can be pursued to address the issue
of affordable housing.
Colony Theater -The Colony Theater renovations are now substantially complete and
the theater received a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy on January 17, 2006. The
contractor will continue working on outstanding items in order to obtain the Certificate of
Occupancy.
Major Events Plan (MEP) - The level of activity over the past weeks reflects the
continuous work by the Administration in planning and mitigating the effects of multiple
events and productions throughout our City. Following are a few highlights of important
events and productions being addressed by the Tourism and Cultural Development
Department along with staff at the department and executive level:
o The 29th Annual Art Deco Weekend took place from January 13-15, 2006.
This year with its theme of Puttin' on the Ritz, the event celebrated the
pageantry of 1930s hotel and restaurant architecture and great cinema
spectacles. This year was by all accounts the most successful Art Deco
Festival in years. The theme of Art Deco Weekend 2006 was chosen in part
to complement a major exhibition at The Wolfsonian-FIU which will feature In
Pursuit of Pleasure: Schultze & Weaver and the American Hotel, which
promises to be a provocative exploration of American hotels in the early 20th
Century. Art Deco Weekend included more than 85 events around Miami
Beach and spanned nearly 10 blocks along picturesque Ocean Drive - the
historic Art Deco District, also known as the American Riviera.
o ING Miami Tropical Marathon: For the fourth year, the 26.2-mile ING Miami
Tropical Marathon is scheduled to take place on January 29, 2006, with a
course beginning at the American Airlines Arena, and run through the City of
Miami Beach, City of Miami and Miami-Dade County.
Outreach to affected neighborhoods such as Palm, Star, Hibiscus Islands,
South Pointe, the Venetian Islands, Ocean Drive and Collins Park
Neighborhood Associations has already been completed. Additionally,
marathon producers will be distributing door hanger notices to all affected
areas. A final neighborhood meeting will take place on January 24, 2006 at
5:30 pm at the Tourism and Cultural Development conference room to
discuss the marathon.
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The Miami Beach Police Department will implement a comprehensive traffic
plan which will include over 50 police officers, volunteers and numerous
detour signs in an effort to maintain the flow of traffic throughout the City.
o Miami International Boat Show: Planning efforts for the Miami International
Boat Show continue. Convention Center Drive will be closed beginning
February 9th for move-in and will reopen February 23rd at 5pm. The event will
run from February 16-20, 2006.
o Comedy Festival: The 1 st Annual Bud Light South Beach Comedy Festival
ran from January 18 - 21, 2006. The Colony Theater served as the primary
venue for the festival which hosted 8 performances throughout the weekend.
Performances also take place at the Jackie Gleason Theater, Byron Carlyle,
and Gusman Theater. The City partnered with the Comedy Festival to provide
free outdoor performances in Lincoln Road at the Euclid Oval throughout the
weekend as well.
Film and Print- Film and Event Production Management staff is working with producers
of a commercial for an Argentinean rum commercial on Ocean Drive featuring Latin pop
star, Paulina Rubio.
Finally, staff has also been working with City of Miami and Miami-Dade County Film
Offices to lure the filming of Warner Brothers television pilot Aquaman, as well as the
television series.
Muss Park Playground Ribbon Cutting - On January 18th, the Parks and Recreation
Department hosted the ribbon cutting for the new playground at Muss Park.
5th Street & Alton Development Project (Potamkin Site) -City staff and developers
continued to discuss construction costs for the project on January 20, 2006.
Cirque du Soleil- From January 12-14, 2006, I traveled to Montreal with Assistant City
Managers Hilda Fernandez and Tim Hemstreet as well as Commissioner Simon Cruz in
order to continue to explore options and to see from a production standpoint the level of
detail and time that is invested by Cirque du Soleil in creating a new show.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me.
JMG/dm
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