City Manager's Memorandum Re Evaluation-~ MIAMIBEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
TO: Matti Herrera Bower, Mayor
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manage
DATE: September 19, 2008
MEMORANDUM
~~,
SUBJECT: Performance Evaluation for August 2007 -August 2008
As of August 21, 2008, I am proud and privileged to have completed my eighth year
serving as City Manager of the City of Miami Beach. I want to take this opportunity to
share with you and your fellow members of the Commission some of the key areas of
focus of my Administration, as well as highlights of our achievements over the past
year. Generally, these initiatives and results cover the time period of August 2007
through today, and they reflect how we, collectively, continue to build on the efforts I
have focused on .since becoming your City Manager eight years ago.
Pursuant to our employment agreement, "The City shall review and evaluate the
performance of the City Manager at least once annually. Further, the Mayor shall
provide the City Manager with a summary written statement of the findings of the City
Commission and provide an adequate opportunity for the City Manager to discuss his
evaluation with the City Commission." As I have done in previous years, I am
attaching a .form developed by the International City / County Management
Association (ICMA) which you may want to use to solicit input and feedback from the
City Commissioners. As a reminder, this information is subject to the Sunshine Law.
From my first day as your City Manager, my main priority has been working with you
and the City Commission to make certain that our City government is regarded and
recognized as a high performing, quality organization that works diligently and
efficiently to address the needs and priorities of our community.
Through our. commitment to our strategic planning process, together we have
reinforced our City's mission, vision and strategic priorities, which have resulted in
real, measurable improvements, as well as continued, judicious decision-making
based on the principles of fiscal prudence and the most efficient and effective use of
resources.
I believe that today our City and this organization are poised to deal with the variety of
challenges we face as a community, and we are also well positioned to capitalize on
any opportunities which may present a benefit to our residents, businesses and
visitors alike. Again., this year's budget process for Fiscal Year 2008/09 was
We ore committed to provia'ing excellent public sen~ice and safely to oll who live, work, and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 2 of 26
challenging and demanding as we worked together to balance a budget that continues
to provide the services expected by our community, as well as continuing to adjust to
state mandated property tax relief. I am pleased to say that the City of Miami Beach
was well-positioned to deal with these challenges, as well as the challenges posed by
a lagging state and national economy, without major visible service reductions to our
residents.
Our community is also positive about the performance of their government, with 83%
of respondents to our 2007 Community Survey rating Miami Beach is an excellent or
good place to live, and 76% of respondents stating that they would definitely or
probably recommend Miami Beach to friends and family as a place to live.
Summary Auaust 2007 -Auaust 2008
Strateaic Plannin
Following our 2005 Community Satisfaction Survey, the Administration and the City
Commission embarked on formalizing specific strategic priorities and adopting the
City's first strategic plan. The first community survey in 2005 created a baseline to
track the City's progress over time as certain areas needed improvement. In 2007, the
City conducted its second Community Satisfaction Survey. Using the results from
both community surveys, as well as other feedback received from the community, the
Commission and the Administration have used this information as a means to gain
insight to community perceptions on how we are doing, and where we should place
greater focus and resources.
As part of our Commission Retreat process, together we review data from the
community surveys, our environmental scans (which include data on demographics),
socio-economic information, service workload and performance data, as well as
feedback received by you and your colleagues from your interactions with your
constituents. It is through this comprehensive process that we determine the areas of
focus for the coming year. Our priorities, referred to as Key Intended Outcomes
(KIOs), continue to serve as our primary areas of focus and guide our plan of work.
During this year's Commission Retreat in May, the strategic plan was refined to
include several new KIOs that reflect new areas of focus, such as to "improve the lives
of elderly residents in the City", "enhance learning opportunities for youth", and
"ensure the environmental sustainability of the community."
Overall, these KIO's are intended to help us achieve our vision for the City:
® cleaner and safer;
® more beautiful and vibrant, mature, stable residential community, urban and
historic environment;
® a cultural, entertainment and tourism capital;
• an international center for innovation in culture, recreation and business;
® with well improved infrastructure.
We are committed to provio'ing excellent public service ana'saiery .o oll +vho live, work, and play in our vibrant, tropicol, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 3 of 26
The 2007 survey of residents and businesses, as well as the subsequent focus groups
in North Beach held in 2008, reflect increasing community satisfaction with City
services, particularly business satisfaction which, at least in part, can be attributed to
many of the recent service level enhancements. In order to address continuing areas
of concern, initiatives and their respective action plans are developed with the goal of
improving our service delivery, and in turn, improving community satisfaction.
One example is the development of the Public Area Cleanliness and Assessment
Program, which creates an objective measurement tool to quantify cleanliness
throughout our City. This initiative resulted from the 2005 strategic planning process
that identified cleanliness as a priority for-the City. Between Fiscal Year 2005/06 and
Fiscal Year 2006/07, the City's cleanliness scores have improved by 15 percent
overall. While these improvement scores have been generally sustained for FY
2007/08, additional improvements have been achieved in Park cleanliness and in the
cleanliness of our beaches.
As you know, the work of the City in the area of cleanliness was recognized by outside
agencies and organizations as an example of quality management as well as for its
positive impact in our community. In 2007, the Public Area Cleanliness Program,
exemplified by our "Clean Team," became the Governor's Florida Sterling Council
2007 Quality Team Showcase State Champion. This award specifically recognizes
teams that demonstrate the principles and techniques of improving quality through
employee participation. In addition, our City's Public Area Cleanliness Program was
recognized as the project that imparted the greatest community impact.
As the 2007 Sterling Quality Team Showcase winner, our team represented the state
of Florida in the American Society for Quality's International Team Showcase at their
World Conference on Quality and Improvement, which took place in Houston, Texas
on May 5-7, 2008. With thirty-one (31) teams selected to compete, the City's "Clean
Team" was only one of twenty-six (26) teams that actually competed, and was the
only public sector organization amongst giants of manufacturing and the private
sector, such as Boeing, Healthways, and Bayer MaterialScience LLC. I am proud that
in our first experience competing at the state and international level on quality
management, the scoring report showed that our City was merely 0.6 points behind
the bronze winning team, and was only one of ten teams to score above 100 points.
Of even more significance, for a first year participant in a highly technical competition,
the City of Miami Beach was able to show that quality of life issues can be just as
complex, if not more difficult, to address and tackle as those of private industry. Even
more meaningful in light of our efforts to foster team work and a "One Team One City"
philosophy, the Clean Team was awarded the Attendee Choice Award for Team Spirit,
an award defined by exuberant demonstration of zest, tempo and camaraderie.
The value and effectiveness of our strategic planning process was also recognized in
December 2007 by the American Planning Association (APA) Gold Coast Section, as
they selected our City's Strategic Planning Process to receive the Award for
Excellence for an Outstanding Strategic Planning Project or Study.
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Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 4 of 26
Targeted Initiative: Youth and Seniors
As a parent, resident and as City Manager, I am extremely proud of our City's
Education Compact, as it is the first of its kind in the entire county. The negotiated
compact provides for measurable milestones tied to our city's strategic priorities, and
reflects a true partnership with Miami Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS), as the
City committed over $200,000 to realize the.goals of this compact. I firmly believe this
is a major enhancement for the children of our community.
Pursuant to your direction at the 2006 Commission Retreat, I worked with the MDCPS
to develop a meaningful Education Compact that will enhance Miami Beach schools
with higher level of educational opportunities for all our children.
On January 16, 2008, the City Commission authorized me to execute an Education
Compact with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The areas of focus in our compact
include: teacher recruitment and retention, enhanced communication of educational
and community events, family involvement and support as well as engaged youth and
community, increased health and well-being of students, enhanced student
achievement, improved safety and perceptions of safety in our schools, and improved
access to technology.
As part of the compact, the City and District committed to collaborate to implement an
International Baccalaureate (IB) program within the Miami Beach feeder pattern.
Program implementation was agreed to as follows: Miami Beach Senior High School,
Nautilus Middle School, and Fienberg-Fisher 6-8 immediately, with implementation at
the elementary schools within two (2) years.
Both Nautilus Middle School and Fienberg Fisher K-8 Center have been granted
candidate status to implement the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) effective July
2008. Now that these schools have successfully completed the MYP Application
Form Part A for candidate status and been granted candidate status, a series of steps
must be taken during the one-year trial implementation period.
Miami Beach Senior High School has requested a consultant to assist the school with
preparing its application for the Diploma Program (DP) due October 1, 2008. All
consultants are specially trained teachers or administrators who have experience with
the Diploma Program and the application process. Upon receipt of the formal
application for authorization to teach the DP, the International Baccalaureate Office
(IBO) will arrange for an on-site visit. The purpose of the visit is to evaluate and
prepare an internal report on the school's capability to deliver the program in
accordance with the IB)'s requirements. To date, 12 teachers/administrators at Miami
Beach Senior High School have attended training and a coordinator has been
selected. The anticipated authorization date is August 2010.
Approximately two years ago, the City learned that Miami-Dade County Public
Schools (MDCPS) had plans to make certain improvements on Prairie Avenue and on
Dade Boulevard, both utilizing City property and City right-of-way (ROW) without the
previous approval of the City. The City asked MDCPS to cease construction activities
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Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 5 of 26
until such time as the various issues could be reviewed and agreed upon between the
City and MDCPS.
My Administration has worked with MDCPS on other issues this year as well. As part
of the construction program and as part of their use of the public ROW as a student
drop off area, MDCPS designed a storm water system to collect run off along Prairie
Ave. The City rejected the storm water system design for functional purposes. For
several months City staff worked with MDCPS to provide a functional drainage design
as well as mitigate the severe flooding problems created by the School's construction.
MDCPS maintained that they were not responsible for such flooding problems,
therefore the City, in the interest of protecting the residents, decided to assume the
design responsibility for a functional and sustainable drainage system. The City's
estimate for the design and construction of the stormwater system was approximately
$2,000,000, which included the design and construction of a stormwater collection
system and an injection well.
The Finance and Citywide Projects Committee and Land Use and Development
.Committee during a special joint meeting held on January 3, 2008 approved for the
City to finish design as well as appropriate the necessary funds to complete the work
before the beginning of the current school year. In addition the committee agreed to
pass a resolution to initiate the dispute resolution process between the City and
MDCPS, but at the same time, seek to informally reach an agreement which would
satisfy both parties. As a City, we determined that the correct course of action was to
take immediate action to make the necessary improvements for our residents.
Currently, the roadway has been re-graded to allow for optimum drainage, and the
new drainage collection system has been installed, including the drainage wells. The
contractor is awaiting the delivery of the pumping equipment which is scheduled to
arrive by no later than October 1st. It is anticipated that the pumping system will be
fully functional by the end of October.
The importance of providing services to our community's youth and seniors continues
to be an important issue for this organization. This was made particularly evident this
year, as specific KIOs have been added to our City's strategic plan to focus on our
elderly population as well as our youth. This year, the City hosted the first ever
Senior's Night Out, a free senior dance, on June 21, 2008 at the 21St Street
Recreation Center. We have also continued our Senior Transportation Service,
making it possible for our seniors to enjoy recreational outings such as trips to local
theaters and other cultural events, visits to parks and museums or movies. The intent
of these services is to encourage healthy, active lifestyles for seniors that will improve
their quality of life. Included in the management agreement for the Miami Beach
Convention Center with Global Spectrum is a requirement to host 3 additional free
senior events throughout the year. In addition, as part of this budget, we approved a
25% reduction in membership and golf rates for seniors at the Normandy Golf course.
This year, the Children's Trust approved grant contract renewals to continue funding
for two key City programs: the Out of School (OOS) Program, which funds the City's
after school and summer programs, and the Promotion ahd Prevention grant which
We are committed to provio'ing excellent public service and saiery to all who live, work, and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 6 of 26
funds the City's Youth Empowerment Network, formerly the Truancy Prevention
Program. The contract renewal for the Out of School Program is in the amount of
approximately half a million dollars to continue enhancements implemented in the
Parks and Recreation Department's After School and Summer Program.
In combination with City funding, this grant allows us to fund 325 participants between
the ages of 5-13 years of age from low-moderate income households, in addition to
4,559 for youth participating in recreation programs funded by the City. Funds are
used to fund scholarships, social skills development, transportation, after school
snacks, uniforms, field trips and supplies. These funding supplements over $1 million
in City funds already dedicated to this program.
The City's Youth Empowerment Network, which is administered by the Office of
Community Services, was awarded approximately $225,000 by The Children's Trust.
This program serves fifty (50) children in our community who are at-risk for academic
failure and truancy, and provides after school tutoring during the school week.
In addition, the City's Service Partnership program, Success University,
receives approximately half a million dollars of funding from The Children's Trust to
provide 240 students and their families with the tools to pursue economic and
personal success. This program is our community's first integrated, outcome-based
programming involving 11 community-based providers.
The Parks and Recreation Department developed Surf Camp for Children with Autism
Spectrum Disorders, along with community partners, and for a second year completed
another week during Summer Camp 2008. The camp was a huge success garnering
media attention, including being highlighted on the Herald's front page and also
featured on "Despierta America" Univision, a Spanish television station.
Fisca! Manaaement
This year, we once again were faced with the challenge of balancing a budget with
state-mandated reduced revenues, while at the same time attempting to address
community priorities. As such, once again, each City department was tasked with
reviewing their operations for potential efficiencies, reorganizations to reduce cost,
etc. without impacting services, and from a second perspective, which was to again
perform a modified zero-based analysis of each department budget, identifying
potential service reduction alternatives versus core functions.
The development of the Fiscal Year 2008/09 budget has had to address the
combination of the impact of Amendment 1 passed by the voters on January 29, 2008,
the downturn in the real estate market, and the legislated limitation in property tax
revenue growth to 4.15 percent based on statewide income growth for the current
year -all on top of over $27 million and 93 positions in reductions which we made
last year in response to astate-mandated reduction in the City's millage - an almost
perfect storm, financially speaking.
That said, the adopted General Fund Fiscal Year 2008/09 Operating Budget reduces
the City's total combined millage rate to 5.8930, a reduction of 0.1 percent, and is
We are committed to providing excellent public service and sar`ety to oll who live, work, and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 7 of 26
approximately 2.8 mills lower than it was in FY 1999/00. The City of Miami Beach
combined millage remains lower than most municipalities in Miami-Dade County.
Overall $11.1 million in reductions are incorporated into the Proposed Work Plan and
Budget, totaling more than $31 million in reductions over the last 2 years. Despite
these reductions, the budget continues to reflect our focus on providing "value of
services for tax dollars paid" by continuing to provide services to the community free
of charge or at significantly reduced fees, including free culture and movies in the
parks, free access to pools and youth centers, reduced fee recreation programming,
etc.
Leaislative Advocac
As City Manager, I am responsible for representing the city's interests in on-going
County, State and Federal issues. These complex • issues take months and
sometimes even years to discuss and resolve, and involve hours of staff time and
research to ensure that a professional recommendation, reflective of the community's
best interest, is developed for the City Commission's consideration.
The past year was a busy one legislatively, at the Federal, State and County level. In
December 2007, after significant efforts by the. City, the city's lobbyists, and
Congresswomen Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Assistant
Secretary of the Army informed us that he had approved the use of sand from all
sources, foreign and domestic, for the Miami-Dade County Beach Erosion Control
Project, and that the restrictive requirements of the 1999 appropriations language had
been satisfied. Additionally, due to the City's continued expression of immediate
needs, the Secretary ordered the immediate release of 500,000 cubic yards of sand
from the last offshore borrow site in the county, which was being held in reserve.
More recently, the Administration has worked very closely with Congresswomen Ros-
Lehtinen and Wasserman Schultz, as we attempt to add an access point to the 95
Express Project from the Julia Tuttle Causeway. In July, this effort resulted in
Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen's request that the Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT) travel to Washington D.C. to explain the reasons for the
exclusion of the Tuttle. Due to the efforts of the Administration and the City's
representatives, FDOT Assistant Secretary Kevin Thibault agreed to have FDOT
engineers work with the City to identify a solution to the City's issue. In addition, our
advocacy resulted in an adjustment to the proposed project schedule in order to
minimize impacts to our busy tourist season.
While the State Legislative Session was equally challenging, no legislation passed
that would have a significant adverse impact on the City. The City, along with our
lobbying team and elected officials, successfully defeated efforts to repeal the City's
distance separation ordinance for sexual predators, as well as the most significant
effort in recent years to amend the Bert J. Harris Act in a manner that would have
negatively impacted the City. Additional efforts to further restrict local authority and
further reduce the ability to generate revenue were not successful.
On the funding side, the past year was extremely successful at the state and federal
level, especially given the budgetary issues that continue. At the federal level, the City
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to oll who live, work, and ploy in our vibrant, tropical, historic communiy.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 8 of 26
received earmarks for the After School Program ($681,000), the West Avenue Bridge
($620,000), the City Center Housing Project ($525,000), the Atlantic Greenway
($500,000), and the Stormwater Infrastructure Program ($500,000), for a total of
approximately $2.8 million.
Additionally, during fiscal year 2007-2008, the City was also awarded over $2.26
million in grants for projects citywide. This included several substantial capital grants,
such as $637,000 in federal funding for hurricane shutters and protective glass for City
Hall, the Police Station and Fire Stations 1 and 3; $347,000 for the Normandy Shores
Stormwater irrigation project; and, an additional $73,000 to complete the Collins
Avenue signalization project. The City also reallocated $2 million towards the North
Beach Recreational Corridor. Additional grants that were received include funding for
homeless services, emergency medical services and city events.
During the legislative session in Tallahassee, legislation was introduced regarding a
surtax related to fire services. After review, the cities of Miami Beach, Miami, Coral
Gables, Hialeah, and Key Biscayne recognized that the legislation appeared to be an
attempt to force consolidation of all fire services within a county. The cities traveled to
Tallahassee on a unified front and were successful in having the legislation withdrawn.
Subsequently, on July 18, 2008, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners
discussed a charter amendment that proposed to take over the fire departments of the
five municipalities. During a six week period, the City worked with the other affected
cities to prepare for the discussion of this issue with the County administration (which
never occurred), as well as for the debate of the issue by the Board of County
Commissioners, which was scheduled on September 2, 2008. That morning, following
renewed efforts by the affected cities, the item was withdrawn from consideration and
replaced with the discussion of a different item, which would preserve the rights of the
five cities to continue to have their own fire service in the County's Home Rule
Charter.
This year, in addition to discussions with Miami-Dade County regarding the
regionalization or consolidation of fire services, I met a number of times with County
Manager George Burgess, as well as Mayor Carlos Alvarez, to discuss other issues of
import to the City of Miami Beach.
At the April 11, 2007 Commission Meeting, the Commission approved a resolution
that supported the proposed expansion of the Convention Center (to include a
ballroom, retrofit of space to accommodate new meeting rooms, and renovations to
the northwest ballroom to create a "junior ballroom"), subject to the County funding all
costs associated with the project, and the County managing the
renovations/construction process. The initial expansion necessary to accommodate
the ballroom at the size that was being requested by the industry would require a
build-out of the Convention Center beyond the current building footprint. This, in turn,
has a sizeable impact on the costs.
Subsequent to the April 2007 Commission meeting, there were several attempts to
meet with the County to discuss the funding availability and the scope of the project. A
meeting took place in April 2008 which resulted in a new plan of action moving
lNe are commii~ed to providing excellent public service and sa{ety to all who live, ~~ork, and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 9 of 26
forward relating to the future of the Convention Center. Specifically, it was requested
that the City and County, in conjunction with interested stakeholders, reconvene to
develop along-term vision and master plan for this regional convention facility. This
master plan is intended to look "outside of the box" at possibilities to make the facility
competitive in today's convention and meeting business climate. This would involve
looking at existing and potential site amenities, physical renovations to the interior and
exterior, expansion of exhibit space (to include necessary multi-purpose/ballroom
space), technology upgrades, parking, etc.
In order to master plan the Convention Center area, an update to the 2001 CSL study
is required. The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) has already
contracted with CSL to update their 2001 research. This work will include, among
other things, identifying current industry trends, competitive/comparable facility
analysis, existing and projected utilization at the convention center, and a market
demand analysis. CSL would work jointly with acompetitively-selected A/E firm, and
with the stakeholders, in developing a proposed master plan that would incorporate
research-driven improvements focused on making the convention center competitive
and marketable. The GMCVB Agreement was amended at the June 25, 2008 City
Commission meeting to fund the CSL update to the market demand analysis.
A
dditionally, RFQ No. 31-07/08 was issued on May 22, 2008 and awarded to
Arquitectonica at the September 10, 2008 City Commission Meeting. The
Administration will now begin negotiating with Arquitectonica in order to begin the
master planning process.
Although I have been engaged in an on-going discussion with Miami-Dade County
about the condition and cleanliness of our beaches since I became your City
Manager, this year I continued to provide Miami-Dade County officials with information
about the recurring issues. Our beaches are not just an amenity for our residents, but
are a regional asset which is intricately tied to the destination's brand and international
recognition. During the County's first budget hearing, as well as the subsequent
County Budget and Finance Committee, County Commission Chairman Bruno
Barreiro and Mayor Carlos Alvarez asked the County Manager to look into the
deployment of resources for beach cleaning, and provide a recommendation by their
second budget hearing. I am pleased to report that the County Commission approved
an additional allocation of funding that will increase the number of beach-cleaning
crews.
Quality of Life Initiatives
Our mission is to provide excellent public service and safety to -our residents,
businesses and visitors. With that goal in mind, this year we have either developed or
amended several ordinances to ensure that we are better able to protect both the
quality of life of our residents, as well as ensure that our local tourist economy can
thrive.
Our City is a destination that attracts visitors with its glitz and glamour, including the
beautiful homes that grace our skyline. More and more, single family homes were
being used as venues for product launchings and promotional venues, particularly
We ore committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work, and ploy in our vibront,rropicol, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 10 of 26
during our special event period. In response to the on-going complaints regarding
noise,- illegal parking and general quality of life issues -commonly referred to as the
"party house" phenomenon - on October 12, 2007, the City Commission passed an
ordinance that prohibits commercial use and certain non-residential activities in single
family homes, and created a fine schedule for violators. The ordinance was approved
following much public comment and input, including from our residents.
As you may recall, in September 2005, the State's 3`d District Court of Appeals found
City Ordinance 2002-3366, "Street Performers and Art Vendors," unconstitutional.
Since that time, the City received many complaints from residents and visitors
enjoying the amenities of Lincoln Road, as well as from licensed merchants and
restaurants on Lincoln Road, as to how the way street performers and art vendors
occupying public property created a hazard to pedestrians. The safety concerns
included activities that blocked the flow of pedestrian traffic, blocked ingress and
egress from buildings, and at times, blocked the access to sidewalks, particularly
during special event periods when the numbers of pedestrians on Lincoln Road
greatly increases. Code Compliance created a special detail on Lincoln Road to
monitor issues related to street performers and vendors, and from June 2006 through
December 2006, a total of 17 violations were issued to vendors for solicitation or
peddling.
After reviewing similar legislation in place in cities such as New York and San
Francisco, an ordinance was proposed and passed by the City Commission on April
11, 2007, which regulates street vending through apermit/license process. This
ordinance created twelve (12) locations on Lincoln Road, six for performers and 6 for
artist vendors, assigned through a lottery system, which addresses the public safety
and welfare of our residents, businesses and visitors while at the same time, protects
the constitutional rights of artist vendors and street performers. .
While the issues on Lincoln Road were resolved through the Commission's actions in
April 2007, the City began receiving similar complaints from the area of Ocean Drive,
including the use of generators, spray painting and tables on the east and west side of
Ocean Drive, which were impending pedestrian traffic and creating safety hazards.
On December 12, 2007, the Commission further amended the ordinance to create six
zones on Ocean Drive for artist vending and street performances (three each), and to
be assigned through the same lottery system as used for Lincoln Road.
Moreover, artist vendors and street performers have now moved their wares to Collins
Avenue and other areas around the City. In May 2008, Mayor Bower and I traveled to
San Francisco to attend the International City and County Manager's Association
International Hispanic Network Conference. During this trip, the Mayor and I spoke to
street vendors throughout downtown San Francisco, and got first-hand impressions as
to how they felt the city's street vendor lottery system worked-what they like and
dislike, what they would change and what they felt could be improved.
On July 21, 2008, the Mayor hosted a workshop, with staff support from Assistant City
Manager Hilda Fernandez, in order to give artist vendors and street performers the
opportunity to provide their input and feedback, as well as for staff to communicate
We are committed to providing excellent public service and sar`eiy io all who live, work, and play in our vibrant, tropicol, historic community
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 11 of 26
some of the concerns and complaints we had been receiving from residents,
businesses and visitors. The workshop can definitely be categorized as a success, as
it has helped open the lines of communication between the City and the artists who
help give Miami Beach its unique taste and flare. Staff is currently working on
identifying and establishing additional locations citywide, which will be assigned
through the current lottery system.
The City approved a new Noise Ordinance on March 8, 2006 following several years
of discussion and input from stakeholders representing residents, hotels and
nightclubs/restaurants. After providing a report on the first 18-months of
implementation of the Noise Ordinance, the Commission decided to revisit the
ordinance, as residents provided testimony and feedback on quality of life issues that
remained with regards to noise.
My Administration had the opportunity to coordinate meetings with representatives of
hotel, nightclub and resident interests, as well as our City Attorney's office, for the
purpose of reaching consensus on proposed amendments to the Noise ordinance.
The meetings were productive, with stakeholders considering options before reaching
agreement on proposed language.
On July 16, 2008, an amendment to the noise ordinance was considered and
approved by the City Commission to respond to continued concerns about noise in the
City. The adopted amendment included a reduction in the number of written warnings
from three to one for commercial violators; clarification of who is responsible for
ensuring updated contact information for occupational license holders and owners;
and the provision of an exemption of the noise ordinance for the private operation or
use of municipal facilities, only as authorized, under certain circumstances and as
may be subject to conditions. In addition, Administrative Guidelines for the
implementation of the noise ordinance were passed via resolution.
Another quality of life issue that was identified by staff, as well as relayed to my
Administration by residents and businesses, was the proliferation of pedicabs
throughout the City. As a result of the safety issue for pedestrians and motorized
vehicles caused by the pedicabs, we attempted to administratively manage the
growing number of pedicabs citywide. After years of discussion at the Commission
level, a new pedicab ordinance, to regulate this for-hire transportation service for
purposes of ensuring traffic mobility and safety was adopted by the City Commission
on July 16, 2008. The ordinance established a mechanism to issue Business Tax
Receipts to pedicab operators in an equitable way, via a lottery, and established
requirements to ensure the safety of pedestrians, drivers and passengers. As instructed,
we are issuing a Request for Proposals for the Commission's consideration.
For almost two years a committee of citizens, sidewalk cafe operators, building
owners and City Administration have met eleven times to revise the current ordinance
regulating the operations and activities of sidewalk cafes. The revisions were so
extensive that it was decided that a new ordinance incorporating all of the revised
language would be more efficient and understandable. In December 2007, the City
Commission passed the Sidewalk Cafe Ordinance which clarified the definition of site
plan violations to include those instances where the permitee is operating outside of
We ore committed to providing excellent public service and safety to oll who live, work, and ploy in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 12 of 26
the permitted sidewalk cafe area, and includes table or tables, umbrellas, heaters,
fans, bussing stations, and other sidewalk cafe furniture placed outside of the
approved site plan. The new ordinance also allowed tables and chairs to remain set
up for business on sidewalk cafes on Lincoln Road Mall rather than being stored
inside the business, and allowed food displays on the public right-of-way under the
following conditions: (1) food must be real, (2) food must be displayed in a covered
display case, and (3) food display may only be located on the portion of the right-of-
way which is immediately next to the entrance of the restaurant.
Economic Development Initiatives
Last year I approached by The Scott Robins Companies ("SRC") with a proposal for a
purchase and sale agreement for land to locate a parking garage in the area of
Maurice Gibb Park and Sunset Harbor. The concept for this proposed project was
referred by the City Commission on January 16, 2008 to the Finance and Citywide
Projects Committee for further discussion. At the June 18, 2008 meeting of the
Finance and .Citywide Projects Committee, the Committee discussed the proposed
project to provide retail and parking in the Sunset Harbor Neighborhood.
The Committee discussed the project and recommended that we pursue the project
under the following conditions: 1) SRC negotiate adesign-build contract; 2) SRC
obtain approvals of the project from the Planning Board and the Design Review
Board; 3) the total cost of the project; 4) City would construct a 458 space parking
garage. SRC would retain the majority of the ground fee title and develop
approximately 31,000 square feet of ground floor retail.
A related benefit of the project is that the garage will allow for the relocation of the
Property Management Facility from Flamingo Park to a city facility on Bay Road. In
addition, the proposed location of the garage is on the same lot as the existing
Tremont Towing facility. The project will allow for the relocation of Tremont out of the
commercial district where it is currently located. .
This project will require a bond issuance, or similar financing instrument, in order to
proceed. Consequently, if the City Commission desires to continue with this project, I
will be bringing to you for consideration a final Purchase and Sale Agreement to
acquire the property, as well as a series of resolutions to approve the Design/Build
Project and to enter into the necessary financing agreements to both purchase the
property and to fund the design/build agreement.
As you may recall, on March 14, 2007, the City Commission approved an amendment
to the Fifth and Alton Development Agreement, a joint venture between the City of
Miami Beach and the Berkowitz Development Group and the Potamkin Companies,
which will bring to our City a vertical retail center with 179,000 square feet of retail
area and 1,080 parking spaces. The groundbreaking for this project took place on
June 7, 2007. This project continues to move forward, and I am happy to report that
the Fifth and Alton Project held its topping off ceremony in July 2008. The project
includes 1,100 parking spaces, 500 which will be owned by the City an all will be
operated by the Parking Department upon completion. Several leases have been
executed in the project, including Best Buy, Staples, and most importantly, Publix
INe are commixed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work, and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 13 of 26
Supermarkets. Additional leases should be finalized before the end of October 2008.
The construction of the project is on schedule, and is projected to open in the summer
of 2009.
On March 14, 2007, the City Commission approved a Development Agreement
between the City of Miami Beach and UTA Management, LLC, to re-design Lincoln
Road between Lenox, Avenue and Alton Road, as part of UTA's 1111 Lincoln Road
Project, a revolutionary mixed-use development, including. a parking garage, designed
by world-renowned architects Raymond Jungles and Herzog & de Meuron. This
project reflects another City negotiation that will bring significant enhancements to a
public amenity, Lincoln Road, which is being funded by the City RDA dollars. The
improvements include an extension of the Lincoln Road pedestrian mall by closing the
street off to vehicular traffic, a new public pedestrian plaza, extensive landscaping,
water features, lighting, irrigation and drainage. The multi-million dollar streetscape
project broke ground this summer.
The City entered into a Development Agreement and a Lease Agreement with the
New World Symphony ("NWS") in January 2004 for the development and construction
of a new symphony and office building on a City surface parking lot located along the
south side of 17t Street between Pennsylvania and Drexel Avenues. This was
followed by an Addendum to the Development Agreement on February 20, 2007 that
approved 1) a $15 million grant-in-aid for the symphony building, 2) the design and
construction of a 600 space parking garage directly west of the NWS symphony
building, and 3) an associated City park in the City surface parking lot east of Drexel
and west of Washington Avenue and also along 17th Street. Construction for the NWS
symphony building began in January 2008. The design for the Parking Garage began
in July 2008. Construction for both of these components, the symphony building and
the garage, is expected to be complete in early 2010. The NWS is presently
negotiating a design contract with the architect for the City park portion and this
process is expected to commence in the near future. The entire campus, consisting of
the symphony building, the garage, and the park are all being designed by world-
renowned architect Frank O. Gehry. The City's cash investment, not including land, is
currently $51.5 million.
I continue to pursue beneficial joint ventures, where the City partners with private
developers in order to provide additional parking and/or right-of-way improvements
and enhancements for our residents, businesses and visitors that we could not
otherwise afford to provide on our own.
This year, we have also worked toward bringing to fruition the conversion of above
ground utilities to underground on behalf of our residents. The City has struggled for
years to advance the conversion of overhead electric systems to underground
systems in the three neighborhoods that have expressed interest. In order to apprise
the City Commission of the status of this project and foster greater communication, a
Commission Workshop was held on this topic on April 30, 2009. After overcoming
significant regulatory and procedural issues, the first project is moving to construction
in early 2009. In the next few months the City Commission will be asked to approve
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to oll who live, work, and play in our vibrant, tropicol, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 74 of 26
the project financing for the Palm and Hibiscus Island project. The Sunset and
Venetian Islands projects are expected to follow in late 2009 and 2010.
Capital Construction and Growth Management
Our City's capital improvements program (CIP) continues to be a priority for my
Administration, the City Commission and our residents. Overseeing approximately
$780 million in projects, our CIP Program includes projects for parks and public
facilities, right of way (ROW) improvements, water and sewer infrastructure upgrades
as well as parking facilities.
Over 20 construction projects were completed in the past year, with a construction
value of over $47.2 million, including the Normandy Shores Golf Course, the almost
complete and already heavily used North Beach Beachwalk, Fire Station #2, which
houses our City's Category 5 Hurricane resistant Emergency Operation Center, the
Belle Isle Right-of-Way (ROW) & Park Improvements, as well as the Flamingo
Lummus Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements (East/West Streets Collins to Ocean
Drive).
Continuing to work on growth management initiatives as well as the preservation of
our historic building stock, this year, the City enacted growth management ordinances
limiting the height of certain oceanfront development in historic districts, regulating the
adaptive reuse and redevelopment of former hospital sites, and restricting the size of
restaurants south of Fifth Street. In addition, we held a Growth Management
Workshop in July 2008, which defines options to further regulate growth and
development within the City. The Planning Department has also been working on the
preparation of implementing ordinances for the North Beach Town Center Plan, and a
public workshop was recently held in North Beach to discuss and gain input on this
initiative.
Environmental Initiatives
In an effort to bring attention to the need to preserve our natural assets, the City's Ad
Hoc Green Committee was established with the objective of providing a mechanism to
discuss green (environmental) issues of concern to the community and appropriate
levels of response by City government. In light of the interest in this issue, the
Committee has been staffed by senior staff from my office:
As a result, the following initiatives have been implemented, to date:
• Adoption of a new Key Intended Outcome for the City's strategic plan to
support sustainable community initiatives;
Hired an Energy Performance Contractor to perform Comprehensive Energy
and Resource Use Audit and to develop solutions to save energy and
resources;
We are committed to providing excellent public service and saiery io all lvho live, ~~ork, and ploy in our vibrant, tropical, historic communi~y.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 75 of 26
Expanded the City's recycling effort through the development of a Public Area
Recycling Program and the expansion of a Single Family and Multi-family
Recycling Program through a new Single Stream Collection Program;
• Endorsed the adoption of the U.S. Mayor's Conference Climate Control
initiative; and,
• Staff developed a shared bicycle and shared car program.
Arts and Culture
This City has always been supportive of the arts community, as it is intrinsic to what
makes Miami Beach such a desirable and attractive destination. As you may recall,
during the budget process for FY 2007/08, there was significant concerns regarding
funding for the Cultural Arts Council (CAC), with direction given that any reduction in
the General fund budget for the CAC should be offset with Quality of life funding.
While I am pleased to say that this was the case, as we went forward, we were also
able to identify an additional $80,000 in funding for CAC grants. Initially, we did not
anticipate that interest earning from the Convention Development Tax capital fund
would be available since we expected to award projects and expend funds that would
use those available dollars this year. However, after looking at interest rates and
reviewing the sequencing and timing of those capital projects, we anticipated that
some $50,000 in residual interest will still be available, and therefore, the CAC budget
was adjusted accordingly. Further in combination with some reductions in expenses,
this provided the ability to add $80,000 into the grants line item, increasing the number
of grant applicants that the CAC is able to fund.
On October 17, 2007, the Mayor and City Commission approved the issuance of
Request for Proposals (RFP) for use of the Carl Fisher Clubhouse to provide cultural
programming for the residents of the City of Miami Beach. On June 25, 2008, the
Mayor and City Commission accepted my recommendation and authorized the
Administration to enter into negotiations with the top ranked proposer, Park Arts
Company, Inc. (d/b/a SoBe Music Institute). The Administration has negotiated lease
agreement, for an initial term of one (1) year commencing on September 1, 2008, and
ending on August 31, 2010, with one (1) additional one (1) year renewal term, at the
City's sole discretion. The facility is currently undergoing construction in order to bring
it into compliance with city code. The SoBe Music Institute has budgeted $500 as
monthly payment to the City for use of the facility.
In addition, on October 17, 2007, the Mayor and City Commission also approved the
issuance of Request for Proposals (RFP) for the purpose of Establishing a Cultural
Arts Themed and/or Other Passive Recreational Activities Program in Altos Del Mar
Park. The purpose of the Request for Proposals (RFP) was to select a proposer for
the development and management of a cultural arts themed and/or other passive
recreational activities program in Altos Del Mar Park, located on Collins Avenue,
between 76th and 77th Streets. Proposals could include, but were not limited to, the
development of performing and/or visual arts programs. (i.e., temporary and/or
permanent art exhibits, works of arts, gardens, fountains, with our without related
INe ore committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work, and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-Augusf 2008
Page 76 of 26
educational and/or entertainment programs).
Altos Del Mar Sculpture Park, Inc., a Florida 501 (c) (3) Public Charity, states as its
mission that it is devoted to developing a public recreational park at Altos Del Mar in
order to serve the residents who live in that particular community and the public at
large. Altos Del Mar Sculpture Park, Inc. proposed to "utilize subtle interventions and
ecologically harmonious materials, trees and plants, thereby conserving the land while
using it as a park with sculpture installations." In addition, Altos Del Mar Sculpture
Park, Inc proposed to provide educational and recreational programs to expose the
community and other visitors to the art of sculpture, and to advance economic growth
in the community.
The proposal for the Altos del Mar Park project was designed for the park site to reach
its full potential as an active, vital public space in connection with the other public
parks and the recreational walk-away while contemplating the visual experience that is
an important element of City of Miami Beach's identity. The proposal contemplates
that the project will result in creating a pedestrian link to the public spaces to the north
and south, and providing current and future residents with a cultural programs
destination in conjunction with the other parks. The sculpture park is proposed to be
open from 10 a.m. to sunset 365 days/year. For weddings and other private events,
a rental fee of the premises will be charged and the fee schedule will be developed for
such private uses.
We anticipate that the Altos Del Mar Sculpture Park, Inc will provide the following
services and programs:
• Changing exhibitions of the 10 large and heavy sculptures every three years
• Changing exhibitions of small to midsize sculptures at least every 18 months
• Guided park tours from Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00
p.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Art classes on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Chamber music events every three months.
• Book Author Readings every three months.
• Kite Flying every three months.
• Outdoor Cinema three to four times per year. In collaboration with a Museum
of the Moving Image and Partnerships for Parks, an annual outdoor festival of
international film, music, dance, and food will be conducted in the evenings.
• Tai Chi classes on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m.
• Yoga classes on Sundays at 9:00 a.m.
• The park will be available for rental for wedding ceremonies on Easter,
Christmas Day, Saturdays and Sundays from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
All programs proposed by Altos Del Mar Sculpture Park, Inc. will be free of charge the
community. As such, the proposal does not contemplate any revenue sharing with the
City. Furthermore, the proposer has not requested any funding from the City for this
project.
VVe are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work, and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
Performance Evaluafion
August 2007-August 2008
Page 77 of 26
In conclusion, Altos Del Mar Sculpture Park, Inc. was the sole respondent to the RFP.
The proposal provides educational and recreational programs for the community in the
context of an art sculpture park. The proposal states that Altos Del Mar Sculpture
Park, Inc. will finance the entire development and operation of the park with private
funds from donations and grants and will not request funds from the City of Miami
Beach.
Manaaement Team
My personal management philosophy is based on the idea that a manager and an
organization are only as good as its people. For this reason, I want to take the
opportunity to thank each and every City of Miami Beach employee for their
commitment to serving the public and for being a part of the team.
The City of Miami Beach is fortunate to have professional, experienced staff,
particularly at the Management and Executive levels, who bring numerous years of
experience in both the public and private sectors. This year, I have made some key
appointments throughout the organization that I believe will help me address priorities
outlined by the City Commission and the various stakeholders of our community.
After serving as Acting Police Chief for approximately six months, the Commission's
ratification of my selection, Carlos Noriega, on September 5, 2007 provides our City
with a Police Chief who is a 23-year veteran of the Miami Beach Police Department
with demonstrated commitment and leadership in our organization. Chief Carlos
Noriega has proven to be a hands-on leader and "out of the box" thinker who believes
in leading by example, attending community meetings and homeowner association
meetings on a regular basis to address resident concerns.
Another important public safety appointment I made in February of this year was
naming Eric Yuhr as Acting Chief for the Miami Beach Fire Department. Chief Yuhr
has been with the City of Miami Beach Fire Department for. over 20 years, beginning
as a Firefighter in 1987. He was promoted several times throughout his career,
working through the ranks as a Firefighter I, Firefighter II, Fire Lieutenant, Fire
Captain, Division Chief for Support Services and Division Chief for Emergency
Management. In 2001, Chief Yuhr was promoted to Assistant Fire Chief where he
oversaw Fire Operations through 2005. From 2005 to his time as appointment as
Acting Chief, Chief Yuhr oversaw Fire Administration. Eric has shown outstanding
leadership qualities, as he has been at the forefront of the discussions with Miami-
Dade County on the fire consolidation issue, along with the Fire Chiefs of Hialeah,
Miami, Coral Gables and Key Biscayne.
Chief Yuhr was part of the team that helped the City of Miami Beach secure an
Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification (PPC) Class 1 Rating.
Apart from this important distinction, Miami Beach. becomes one of only nine
communities in the United States that has both an accredited Fire Department and
also a Class 1 rating from ISO.
We ore committed to provio'ing excellent public service and saf ty to all who live, worn, and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
Augusf 2007-August 2008
Page 18 of 26
As quality of life issues have become a greater priority for the City Commission, this
year I decided to make Code Compliance astand-alone division, reporting directly to
my office. As such, I appointed Greg Tindle, former town manager in the Town of Bay
Harbor Islands and former Deputy City Manager for the Village of Islamorada, as the
Code Compliance Division Director. Greg brings with him, seventeen (17) years of
public service experience, as well as private sector experience that will surely serve
our City well as we work toward making improvements to internal processes to ensure
timely responses to code complaints, ensure follow-up and accountability, as well as
improve customer service.
As the State Attorney's probe into our Building Development process -one initiated
by my office -continued this year, we also continued to move forward and work on
making improvements to our system. As you know, in support of this process
improvement effort, in January 2007, the Building Development Taskforce was
created with a mission to improve the City's service delivery in the areas of
construction and development services through a partnership and dialogue between
City departments involved throughout the process and industry representatives. As
part of this process, representatives from the Building Department, Public Works
Engineering, Fire Prevention, Planning/Zoning, and the Performance Improvement
Division of the Office of Budget and Performance Improvement form part of an
interdepartmental group that has been charged with conducting a system-wide
process review to identify short-term, medium-term and long- term recommendations.
To date, a number of improvements. have been implemented, which include
streamlining of forms, concurrent reviews, a single point of contact program, and
increased access to Building Department staff by providing cell phone numbers for
inspectors and supervisors on the City's website. Unfortunately, the hard work of our
employees and the extensive efforts to address issues within our Building
Development Process were marred by the arrests of two then current and one former
City employees. As a result there continues to be an open and active investigation
into our Building Development Process by the State Attorney's Office (fully supported
by my office), and I have ensured that the State Attorney has the resources necessary
to pursue and continue her investigation. I have met privately with State Attorney
Katherine Fernandez Rundle, and pursuant to her request and with the authorization
of the City Commission on April 16, 2008, I have moved forward with hiring an outside
consulting firm to perform an audit of our City's Building Department and Concurrency
Management System. On August 13, 2008, the City and the consulting firm of TCBA
Watson Rice LLP (Watson Rice) executed a Professional Services Agreement for an
initial term of 120 days. The agreement provides for Watson and Rice to perform an
organizational review and operational analysis of the City's Building Department and
an audit of the City's Concurrency Management System.
I have also appointed Alex Rey as the new Building Director. Alex is the former Town
Manager of the Town of Miami Lakes, and brings with him almost twenty (20) years of
experience in public service. This new appointment also reflects a change to the
structure of the department, as it separates the Building Director function from the
Building Official function. I strongly believe that this functional change will allow the
Building Director to dedicate his focus on issues of process, customer service and
We are committed to providing excellent public service and so{ey fo all who live, ~~ork, and play in our vibrant, tropicol, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 19 of 26
accountability, while the Building Official will have the responsibilities associated with
the interpretation and enforcement of the Florida Building Code.
The Parks & Recreation Department was recently visited by the Accreditation Team
from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA).
The team's visit, as part of the 5 year re-accreditation process, was to reevaluate and
assure that the Department continues to be in compliance with over 150 standards
deemed essential to the quality of services, the professionalism of its operations and
for the delivery of best practices. I am pleased to announce that the Department was
not only recommended by the visitation team for Re-Accreditation, but the Department
scored 100% in meeting every single standard, a rarity for the entire industry. The re-
accreditation process will be finalized in October at the (NRPA) National Recreation
and Parks Association's conference in Baltimore.
In addition, The City of Miami Beach Parks & Recreation Department was awarded
the 2008 Agency Excellence Award by the Florida Recreation and Parks Association
(FRPA) at its Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida. The Florida Recreation & Park
Association is anon-profit organization dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and
advocacy of the Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Services profession. The Agency
Excellence Award is given to parks and recreation agencies that exemplify ideal
departmental initiatives, including administration, master planning, diverse
programming, community partnerships and promotion of the department.
Customer Service and Communication
My focus remains on our mission-to provide excellence public service. Excellence
Miami Beach initiatives continue to focus on improving the way our employees interact
with our customers, as well as promoting a "One Team One City" philosophy. Again
this year, we had each employee fill out their Essential Piece card, which gives each
employee the opportunity to discuss with their supervisor how they contribute to our
mission and strategic priorities.
This year we continue to yield positive results through the Miami Beach Service
Shopper Program. Since this program began, we have continued to see significant,
quantifiable improvements in the way we deliver services to our customers.
Improvement in our Citywide service shopper scores, on a scale of 1 (not meeting
standards) to 5 (exceeding standards) is demonstrated when comparing the average
score of 3.45 for the first three quarters of 2006 as compared to an average score of
3.73 for the same period in 2007 compared to an average score of 4.17 for the same
period in 2008. In addition, departments scoring below a 3.0 decreased from having
nine incidents where departments fell below 3.0 in the first three quarters of 2006 to
having only one incident in the same period in 2007 and 2008.
In addition, 100% of departments have Service Shopper scores above a 3.0 as of
FY2007/O8 Q2, and 100% of departments were shopped during FY2006/07 with
survey results also showing an increase in satisfaction with employee contact. Since
the inception of the program, service shopper scores have improved in all
departments. The overall Service Shopper score has improved by 29.0%
improvement from the inception of the program.
1/~/e are commiBed to providing excellent public service and saiery to all who live, work, ona' play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 20 of 26
In order for our employees to effectively do their jobs, they need to have the skills and
knowledge to do so. Another of my top priorities is organizational development of the
staff, and we continue to focus on the professional development of our workforce.
Citywide training, including Diversity, Ethics, Sexual Harassment and Teambuilding,
as well as computer software training, continues to be available to all levels of the
organization. In addition, we continue to train contract employees in our customer
service standards, including valet operators and tow company employees, to ensure
that their interaction with our customers is consistent with that of our employees.
On October 17, 2007, the City Commission authorized the issuance of a Request for
Proposals (RFP) for a job classification and compensation study, aimed at examining
the City's current classification schedule and appropriately update 388 job
classifications (classified and unclassified) to ensure internal equity and external
competitiveness. On March 12, 2008, the Commission accepted my recommendation
to execute an agreement with Condrey and Associates to conduct this important
study. The results of this study should be available to you at the end of 2008.
I continue to focus on ways to improve communication with our entire workforce. This
year we have continued to distribute Miami Beach (MB) Line, our quarterly employee
newsletter, which is shared with all employees to keep them informed on what is
happening in our City, as well as to celebrate milestones in the lives and careers of
our employees. In addition, I have reinstituted "brown bag lunches" with city
departments, to allow for more informal interaction and opportunity for feedback from
employees directly with me. To date this year I have had the opportunity to meet with
the Code Compliance Division, Human Resources and Risk Management
Department, Tourism and Cultural Development, Communications, and the City
Clerk's Office and Central Services.
Another top priority for my Administration is continuing to focus on improving the way
we communicate with our external stakeholders. We have received positive feedback
from our residents on all our communication efforts, as supported through the results
of the 2007 Community Satisfaction Survey. Survey results show that a total of 41
of respondents said they most often get their information about the City from one of
our three mediums of communication - MB magazine, MBTV 77 and CityPage.
Last year, in our efforts to continue mailing the award-winning MB magazine directly to
all City residents, we were able to reduce the distribution and production costs of the
publication, while increasing the number of pages, while securing additional
advertisers to offset our production costs. I am proud to announce that MB is again a
finalist for a national 3CMA (City-County Communications. and Marketing Association)
Savvy Award in the magazine category.
We continue to produce several in-house television programs on Miami Beach
(MBTV) Channel 77 that have also been recognized nationally. MBTV77 received four
national awards for Excellence in Government Television Programming. The National
Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) announced the
awards during its national conference in Portland, Oregon on October 5, 2007.
NATOA is a national association that represents the communications needs and
interests of local governments. They reported receiving more than 1,200 entries from
We ore committed to providing exce{lent public service and safety to all who live, work, ana' play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 21 of 26
180 agencies in 31 states this year-the greatest number of entries in the 22-year
history of the competition. Specifically MBTV 77 was awarded the following:
• Third place in the overall "Excellence in Government" programming category;
• "CityVision," MBTV's monthly news magazine program, received a second
place award in the Magazine Format Series category;
• "Preserving Our City's History," a CityVision story on the City Clerk Office's
initiative to gather, organize and preserve the written and photographic history
of Miami Beach won third place in the Community Awareness category;
• "Cheat the Reaper: Don't Drink and Drive," a Miami Beach Fire Department
anti-drinking and driving program, won an honorable mention in the Public
Safety category.
In addition to the monthly Cityvision, other new programming produced in the past
year includes a new cultural arts show, MBCulture, hosted by Emmy-award winning
reporter Ileana Bravo, who also chairs our Cultural Arts Council; Women Worth
Knowing, which spotlights the women selected by our Commission on Women for
their contributions to our community; our CIP show, Planned Progress; and Survey
Says, focusing on the results of our last survey.
New this past year, we reactivated our AM radio station signal, 1670 AM, to provide
traffic, parking and other transportation updates, while also providing useful
information to our residents. The messages are updated weekly and have been used
to provide targeted information during major events weekends and emergency
activations. This is a highway information radio signal heard in car radios.
Since our survey showed that many of our residents receive their information from the
local newspaper, we continued to produce CityPage. This full C is produced in-house
and published in The Miami Herald Neighbors' Beach edition each Sunday. Citypage
continues to provide information on citywide initiatives, activities and upcoming City
events, often providing information on issues and events that are not covered by the
mainstream media.
Our Parks and Recreation Department continues producing their Recreation Review,
which was recognized this year by the Florida Recreation and Parks Association with
the 2007 Media Excellence Award. Recreation Review is also a finalist fora 3CMA
Savvy Award in the Recreation Catalog category this year. The winner will be
announced at the award ceremony in October 2008.
We continue to build our online communications efforts through our ListServ
distribution lists, including the bi-weekly "E-Briefs," and many other E-mail notifications
to subscribed customers (over 2,500 E-Briefs subscribers and close to 9,000 active
contacts combined). Additional E-mail groups include information such as capital
improvement projects, neighborhood information, cultural events information, and
public meeting notices, to name a few.
In addition, another 12% of respondents to our 2007 survey said they most often got
their information from our website. This year, the Information Technology
INe are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work, and play in our vibront, tropical, historic. community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 22 of 26
Department, with participation from other key City staff members, has embarked on a
re-design effort of our website in order to make it more user friendly, easier to
navigate and locate information, as well as provide an expanded menu of online
services. Although only portions of the re-designed site have gone live, and we
continue to make adjustments as we receive comments and input, we are hoping to
merge the entire site to the new template by the end of the year. The average number
of website hits to the City's website has increased from 70,120 in FY 2004/05 to
101,172 in FY 2006/07 and 170,919 through Quarter 2 of FY 2007/
Summary of Accomplishments
The following summarizes some of the key accomplishments from this past year. For
ease of review, these accomplishments are organized by the Key Intended Outcome
Vision Linkage as identified in the City's Strategic Plan:
Cleaner and Safer
• One Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activations for Tropical Storm Fay in
August 2008
• 28% decrease in crime between 2000 and 2007 and violent Crime is similarly
down 10% since 2000
• Calls for service and arrests have increased by 23% and 68% respectively, in part
due to increases in average daily population between 2000 and 2007
• The percentage of assessments citywide rating clean or very clean have improved
by 26% from FY 2005/06 to FY 2006/07
• The percentage of waterway assessments rating clean or very clean has
increased by 26% from FY 2005/06 to FY 2006/07
• City of Miami Beach received the Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public
Protection Classification (PPC) Class 1 Rating- one of nine communities in the
United States with an accredited Fire Department that has received a Class 1
rating from ISO
Beautiful and Vibrant, Mature, Stable Residential Community, Urban and
Historic Environment
® Recreation participation rates show increased participation with 5,636
participants during FY 2005/06 and 6,223 during FY 2006/07
® Pool attendance continues to grow with 119,800 attendees during FY2005/06
and 161,176 during FY2006/07
• Provided 8 movies during FY 2006/07 and 4 movies through March 2008
as part of our free movies in the parks series
We are committed to providing excellent public service and sa{ery to oll vrho live, work, and play in our vibrant, tropicol, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 23 of 26
• Average teen participation in recreational activities with 80 in FY 2004/05 to
174 as of March 2008
• Phase Two of the Reforestation Plan is underway with the right of ways
along Alton Road planted, additional trees installed at Palm and Hibiscus
Islands, the new Normandy Golf Club, Belle Isle, Fischer, Tatum,
Parkview, Stillwater, Crespi and Muss Parks. In the first year of the
Reforestation program approximately over 1,100 trees and palms were
planted _ ____
• The number of homeless in the City declined from 314 in November 2000 to 98
in January 2008
• Held a Growth Management Workshop in July 2008
• The Senior Scenes Club has increased from 52 in FY 2004/05 to 183 as of
March 2008
• Provided 1,458 full and partial scholarships for intramural athletics,
gymnastics, and summer specialty camps in FY 2006/07 and 43 full and
partial scholarships for gymnastics through March 2008
• Adopted a new Sidewalk Cafe Ordinance on October 17, 2007
Cultural, Entertainment and Tourism Capital
• The City hosted its first Sleepless Night event in November 2007 with
approximately 100,000 participants
® Arts-in-the-Parks series has seen attendance grow with 2,035 attendees during
its first year in FY 2006/07 and 1,170 attendees through June 2008
® Provided support of the arts, providing $630,000 in grants in FY 2007/08
® Continued to provide staff support and guidance to the Nightlife Industry
Taskforce (NITS).
® Implemented the City's Major Event Plan (MEP) for 12 major events including
Art Basel, New Year's Eve and Memorial Day Weekend.
® Expanded cultural offerings free-of-charge to participants in our after school
programs and summer camps, including Arts for Learning, Arts in the Park,
and field trips to plays and ballet, etc.
International Center for Innovation in Culture, Recreation and Business
• Fifteen positions were added in the Building department in these areas over
the past 2 years, a 20 percent increase in staffing
We ore committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work, and ploy in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 24 of 26
• On-line filing of resort taxes-a more efficient process, allowing the City to
reduce staffing in this area
Well Improved Infrastructure
• Adopted the City's first Bikeways Master Plan in October 2007
Over 20 construction projects were completed in the past year, with a
construction value of over $47.2 million, including:
o Flamingo Lummus Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements Bid Pack
10A (East/West Streets Collins to Ocean Drive)
o Normandy Shores Golf Course Cart Barn
o Normandy Shores Golf Course Restrooms
o Normandy Shores Golf Course Maintenance Building
o Beachfront Restrooms - 21st Street
o Venetian Islands - Belle Isle Right-of-Way (ROW) & Park
Improvements
o Convention Center Improvements - C & D Phases
o Fairway Park Phase II
o Normandy Shores Golf Course -Golf Course
o Oceanfront Right of Way Improvements Phase I
o Normandy Shores Clubhouse Demolition
0 7th Street Garage Upgrades
o Altos del Mar Interim Improvements
o Flamingo Park Holtz Station Demolition
0 51st Street Pump Station Landscaping
o Indian Creek/ 64th Street Pump Station Landscaping
o Pump Station 28 Odor Control System
o Scott Rakow Pool Filtration System
o Surface Parking Lot 8e 4141 Alton Road
o P-Lot Electrical Improvements and Re-surfacing
0 16th Street Anchor Garage Barrier Cable Replacement
0 13th Street Parking Garage Structural Restoration
Projects in construction, totaling approximately $126 million, include the
following:
o Normandy Shores Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o Nautilus ROW Improvements
o South Pointe Park
o Normandy Isle/Normandy Sud Right of Way (ROW) Improvements
o Carl Fisher Clubhouse Interim Improvements
o Jackie Gleason/Live Nation Phase II Improvements
0 10th Street Auditorium/Beach Patrol Headquarters
o Fire Station No. 2
o Collins Park Cultural Center Improvements
o Colony Theater - Restroom & Parking Lot Renovations
0 17th Street Garage Elevator Upgrades
o CIP Office Relocation
o MMPF Parking Garage and Office Building Structure
1/1/e ore committed to providing excellent public service ono'sar`ery to all wno live, work, and play in our vibrant, 'tropical, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 25 of 26
0 28th Street Triangle Landscaping
o Surface Parking Lot 24A 925 Normandy Drive
o Surface Parking Lot 8C - 4000 Chase Avenue Phase I
Projects currently in design, totaling approximately $161 million, include the
following:
b Bayshore -Central Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o Bayshore -Lake Pancoast Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o Bayshore -Lower Bay Road Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o Sunset Islands 1 & 2 Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o Sunset Islands 3 & 4 Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o Beachfront Restrooms - 35th.Street
o Biscayne Point Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o City Center Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o La Gorce Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o Miami Beach Golf Course -Cart Barn
o Muss Park Pavilion
o North Shore Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o South Pointe Streetscape Phase II Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o South Pointe Streetscape Phase III, IV, & V Right-of-Way (ROW)
Improvements
o Surface Parking Lot 8-B - 42nd Street and Royal Palm
o Surface Parking Lots -Collins at 80th St.
o Band Shell Improvements
o City Center BP 9C (Lincoln Road)
o Flagler Memorial Monument Structural Corrections
o Flamingo Park
o Little Stage Theater Master Plan
o Scott Rakow Phase II
o South Pointe Pier
o South Pointe Booster Pump Station 18.2
o Star Island Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o Venetian Islands BP 13C Right-of-Way (ROW) Improvements
o Surface Parking Lot 6475 Collins Ave.
® Replaced over 400 linear feet of sidewalk, paved 8,000 linear feet of streets
and alleyways, and rebuilt 25 sidewalks and 20 ramps to be ADA compliant
® Completed FY 2007/08 capital renewal and replacement projects totaling
approximately $1.9 million and completed $7.3 million of restoration work out of
a $7.4 million Historic City Hall Renovation project
® Continued our recently implemented regular maintenance program for outfalls
and catch basins cleaning over 200,000 linear feet of stormwater lines
• Held a Commission Workshop to discuss the conversion of above ground
utilities to underground on April 30, 2008
V1/e are committed to providing excellent public sen~ice and sor`ety to all ~vlio live, work, and ploy in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.
Performance Evaluation
August 2007-August 2008
Page 26 of 26
Conclusion
I feel proud and privileged to serve as City Manager for the City of Miami Beach. The
City of Miami Beach is a fast paced, dynamic and sophisticated organization, which
challenges me and motivates me each and every day to serve this community with the
same commitment and fervor I felt on my first day on the job. After eight years as City
Manager, I still am challenged to find enough time to celebrate our team's successes
and accomplishments. It is every year during this time, that I have the opportunity to
reflect upon what we have achieved, and it is incredibly rewarding, both personally
and professionally, to see the progress we have made. I am proud to be the City's
third longest-serving City Manager as well as an active resident of this community.
In conclusion, I would like to thank you and the City Commissioners for your continued
guidance and support, as we work together on behalf of our residents, business,
visitors and other community stakeholders.
I look forward to speaking to you and your colleagues in greater detail about our work
during the past year, the accomplishments and results we have achieved, and how we
can continue to work together to make Miami Beach an even better place to live, work,
visit and play.
If you have any questions or need any additional information, please feel free to
contact me.
Copy: Members of the City Commission
Attachment
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work, and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic community.