LTC 11-2002
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CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No.---1j - ~o 0 j..
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TO:
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Date: January 15, 2002
Jorge M. Gonzalez \ . J~
City Manager 0 t}/v U
SUBJECT: WEEKLY UPDATE
FROM:
The purpose of this LTC is to advise you on initiatives the City Manager's Office
is working on. It is my hope to produce similar LTC's on a weekly basis. The
updates for the past couple of weeks are as follows:
Homeless Initiatives Workshop - This meeting, held on Monday, January 7
afforded the commission and residents an opportunity to weigh in on the
homeless issue. City administration, as well as Miami Dade Homeless Trust
Executive Director, Hilda Fernandez, provided information on the program
elements that will begin to define our homeless initiative, current funding for
homeless programs and demographics of our homeless population. The current
funding is over $500,000 and with the reallocation of $300,000 HOME funds for
transitional housing, it now brings the total to over $800,000 that the City of
Miami Beach has invested in addressing our homeless issue. As was discussed
at the meeting, the Neighborhood Services Department has begun the planning
and implementation process of our homeless initiative. The program elements
include homeless prevention, encampment identification, assessment and
placement of homeless individuals, enhanced participation in the Continuum of
Care, creation of a database, permanent housing and better coordination of
homeless services with Miami Beach providers. Neighborhood Services
Department will be working closely with the Homeless Trust to identify additional
funding sources as well as access more Trust funded beds. A more detailed
description of the meeting, its outcomes, and our next steps will be forwarded to
the Commission soon.
G.O. Bond Oversight Committee - Met on Monday, January 7 and received a
project status report on the North Shore Park and Youth Center, Marseille Drive,
an updated calendar of scheduled Community Design Workshops, and had a
discussion on the Alton Road Corridor Enhancement Traffic Study. Minutesfrom
this meeting will be forwarded to the Commission.
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Budget Advisory Committee - Met on Tuesday January 8 and heard an update
from the Administration on Special Events and the acquisition of the Gazit
Meridian Building.
Mayor's Blue Ribbon Tourism Task Force - Met on Monday, January 7 to
continue their discussion of tourism related issues. The items discussed at the
meeting included a presentation by the City Attorney's Office on the Sunshine
Law; a report from the Administration on the City's homeless initiatives and resort
tax update; and appointment of members to the sub-committees as well as
assignment of issues to be addressed by the Parking, Sales & Marketing,
Administration, Cultural & Special Events, Service and Attitude, and Residential
sub-committees.
Historic Preservation Board - Met on Tuesday, January 8 and discussed
design criteria for advertising on pay telephones and the demolition of 245
Washington Avenue. The Board approved the following projects: (1) HPB File
No. 1239, Intersection of 3rd Street and Washington Avenue - South Pointe
Public Plaza; (2) HPB File No. 1267 (formerly Joint Board File No. 9104J), 225
Collins Avenue; (3) HPB File No. 1264, 940 Ocean Drive - Breakwater Cafe; (4)
HPB File No. 1266, 6985 Collins Avenue - Crystal Beach Club. HPB File No.
1164, 5937 Collins Avenue - The Bath Club, was withdrawn by the applicant and
HPB File No. 1265, 1600 Euclid Avenue - The Evelyn Apartments, was continued
to the February 12, 2002 meeting, at the request of the applicant. Minutes from
this meeting will be forwarded to the Commission
Bay-Link Project - Representatives from the Administration met with project
consultants to discuss possible funding sources for local match to available FTA
funds for the planning, design and construction of the Bay-Link system. A
follow-up funding meeting has been scheduled to further define the funding
source that could be tapped for this project. This meeting is scheduled for
Wednesday, January 23, 2002 at 10:00 a.m. in the City Manager Large
Conference Room. Similar meetings and discussions regarding the local match
requirements are taking place with the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County.
Night Life Industry Task Force - Met on Tuesday, January 8 and continued
their discussion of marketing initiatives, scheduled meetings with the City's Code
and Sanitation divisions to address handbill and flyer littering and will be
reviewing resort tax collections at their next meeting.
Lennar Corporation - The Mayor and City Manager met with Stuart Miller, CEO
of Lennar Corporation and LNR Partners, and Michael Comras, to discuss and
offer the City's assistance and address and concerns regarding LNR's pending
relocation of their headquarters from Sweetwater to Miami Beach.
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Gazit Meridian Building - A public meeting was held on Thursday, January 10
to discuss the City's proposed acquisition of the Gazit Meridian Building. The
Administration shared property information and benefits of the acquisition with
the Commission and community and addressed the Commission and public
comments and questions regarding this building. Additional details will be shared
with the Commission regarding this issue.
Art Basel Miami Beach - The Administration met with representatives of Art
Basel to discuss the disposition of their payment to the Convention Center for the
December 2001 event and future needs. It was agreed that the fees collected for
the cancelled show will be used to fund ancillary programs for future events.
New World Symphony - The Administration met with representatives from the
New World Symphony to initiate negotiations on a lease agreement for use of the
17th Street surface lot for the building of the Symphony's soundstage. A follow-
up meeting is scheduled for February 6,2002.
Dade County Public Schools - The Administration met with School
Superintendent Merrett Stierheim and representatives from the DCPS to resolve
the issues with Polo Park and Nautilaus Middle School.
Parks Blue Ribbon Task Force - Has been meeting regularly to develop a
blueprint that outlines a series of improvements that will enhance the overall
quality and accessibility of the City's programs, facilities, and uses. Town Hall
meetings have been scheduled for Middle, South and North Beach areas. An
LTC was sent on December 26, 2001 with dates and times for these meetings.
CWA Union - The Administration is in active negotiations with the remaining
union, CWA, and it is expected that an agreement may be near.
Royal Palm Crowne Plaza Project - The Administration is reviewing a request
for consideration and renegotiation of terms by Don Peebles regarding the Royal
Palm Crowne Plaza project. An analysis will be sent shortly.
Florida International University - Approximately 50 employees are
participating in the Bachelor's Degree program that FlU is offering at the City that
started on January 8 and approximately 40 employees have registered for the
Master's program scheduled to begin here at the City in February.
Should you desire any additional information about any of these items, please
feel free to contact me.
JMG/RI
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