LTC 270-2018 Supplemntal Information - Building DirectorMIAMIBEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC# 270-2018 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of tie City Co ission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: May 15, 2018
SUBJECT: Supplemental Information — Building I rector
I want to share my thoughts in response to questions raised by a resident about the
appointment of the new building director. I obviously completely disagree with his views and
continue to recommend Ms. Salgueiro's appointment.
For succession planning purposes, Ana Salgueiro was recruited to fill the position of deputy
director and she joined the city in April 2017. I wanted a succession strategy for the
department since I knew the previous director had retirement plans in the near future.
Unfortunately, as we all know, the previous director was relieved of his duties and Ana's
designation and promotion to building director was accelerated in August, 2017. A municipality
cannot operate without an official building official; therefore, she assumed that role in August,
as well as acting director.
Neither the City nor Ms. Salgueiro anticipated the involuntary departure of her predecessor,
and we both would have preferred a more orderly transition. But there is no better test of a
person's capacity and character than how they deal with adversity. In that regard, Ms.
Salgueiro has taken a difficult situation and managed a smooth transition while simultaneously
maintaining the high productivity of this very busy department. Few, if any, of her peers in
South Florida have dealt with such a situation.
Over the last nine months Ms. Salgueiro has:
• implemented cross training of permitting staff
• updated the hurricane manual for the department,
• led Post -Irma recovery efforts for the department coordinating inspections of private and
public buildings
• worked at streamlining the permitting walk-through process
• updated and expanded the S.O.P. manual (ongoing)
• received the international ISO 9001-2015 Quality Management System certification
• implemented a Lunch and Learn program for building department staff
• worked towards fully implementing and streamlining energov to better serve the
customer
• created a new permitting employee training program at the NBO
• hosted industry meetings
I have specifically tasked her to:
• Conduct a complete organizational review of the department
• Conduct spot audits and reviews of the previous departmental approvals before her
tenure
• Integrate energov fully among all staff to improve service delivery
• Continue the department's open-door policy to trouble shoot issues
• Improve interdepartmental communication and cooperation for efficient service delivery
• Host periodic community outreach meetings with the construction community to discuss
fundamental topics
• Provide more checks and balances with regards to management decisions.
We are fortunate to have a professional of her caliber leading the department. Ana has more
than 30 years of public and private sector experience. Of the 35 building officials in Miami -Dade
County, she is one of only 9 with professional engineering degrees. In the past year that she
has been here I have been impressed with her technical knowledge, problem solving approach
and her dedication to quality and integrity, as proven in the recent ISO 9001 Quality
Management Systems certification, an independent third party quality audit. And while being the
Building Director is certainly not a way to win popularity contests, I have attached two
unsolicited testimonials received from frequent users of the department that provide quite a
different perspective than the legal brief submitted by a certain resident.
I urge you to support my appointment of Ms. Salgueiro based on her experience and
credentials. When people perform under difficult circumstances and show their leadership skills,
we need to acknowledge that and not speculate whether the grass is greener on the other side.
Join me in breaking that glass ceiling a bit more and welcoming the first female Building Director
in the City of Miami Beach.
Thank you.
Attachments
Morales, Jimmy
From: prontopermits@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2018 7:11 PM
To: Morales, Jimmy
Subject: Interim Building Official
To: City Manager
Jimmy Morales
Re: Interim Building Official
Dear Mr. Morales:
I have had the privilege of working alongside the Building Department since 1995 with the introduction of the world
famous Michael Graves building, Oceansteps at 1500 Ocean Drive. In 1995 I was able to fully permit that building,
through DERM, WASA, Planning & Zoning, etc etc in 35 days. From submittal to permit. Yes, it took wits and
coordination on my part and my company's part, but it was done. Another building that took 30 days to permit, in its day,
was (remember this) Forte Towers being converted to The Grand Flamingo, and subsequently the new 27 story
tower. That initial master permit of the renovation took 30 days down to the last minute holding the computer system
open until 6pm so that all approvals could be manually entered, and we made deadline, and the ability to start changing
the vision of Miami Beach to the City it has become today.
It has been, at times, a wild hay ride, from South of Fifth - Murano, Murano Grand, Icon, Portofino Towers, The Yacht
Club, The Bath Club, Canyon Ranch, Royal Palm, Fontainebleau, The Blue -Green Diamonds, The W Hotel, The
Meridian, Ritz Plaza, Ritz Carlton, Shelborne (to name a few) etc etc having clients hire me be responsible for the
permitting and post permit issues of at least 30 to 40 plus Hi Rise buildings on Miami Beach since that initial
inauguration. And, equally, at times, it has been a wild hay ride having to deal with the myriad of changes, not including
building codes to add mystique and confusion to the process, but also building officials. From the helpful, to the
obstructionists, to the clueless, to the knowledgable, more than a department needs to go through over the course of 20
plus years. So I feel entitled to share some thoughts with you.
In that regard, I have never written a letter of commendation/recommendation before for a building official. And now I am
about to make that exception.
Not only is Mrs. Ana Salgueiro bright, intelligent, and helpful, but she is here to conquer the quagmire, and create a fast,
seamless system that aims to make an inhospitable department approachable. Maybe it is time that it takes a woman's
touch at organization, and that notion should not lightly be dismissed. It is a pleasure to be invited into her office to
discuss the grueling details of lost plans, permit cards, progress of reviews, inspections, coordination, and deadlines and
walk out smiling on a consistent basis. She has been the interim Building Official for the past year stepping into shoes
that all thought no one could fill. And while her diminutive size may deflect authority, it is within seconds of meeting her
obvious to those not brain dead that she is the real McCoy.
As this month marks appreciation of Woman, I would like to say that it is about time that the City of Miami Beach show its
human side and progress by acknowledging that a woman can fill a man's shoes and walk without heels in them! You
have the right candidate already sitting in the chair, and I hope that you and the City can acknowledge that this is no
longer radical, and that the progress in the human race has its place in the City of Miami Beach and the Building
Department.
With kind regards
Mahli Lee
Pronto Permits, Inc.
Office: 305 665 6155
Cell: 305-725-5225
1
Morales, Jimmy
From: Torriente, Susanne
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 8:20 AM
To: Morales, Jimmy
Subject: Fwd: BTR Process & Other Issues
Attachments: image001.png; 1mage004.png
See below
"We Love Ana ...make her permanent"
Sent from Sue's iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Jeri Goodkin Dausey <Jeri@SBCFL.COM>
Date: April 17, 2018 at 3:59:36 PM EDT
To: "Torriente, Susanne" <SusanneTorrientecj miamibeachfl.eov>
Subject: RE: BTR Process & Other Issues
That is excellent news and I would like to be involved in the focus group and I will reach out to a few of
the construction professional and solicit their assistance.
If you would like me to take the lead, I will get a great group together. I just need to know how many
people, I will make put a presentation/program together with agenda, goals, etc.
I have no problem at all doing this, I really think we need to involve the people who are utilizing the
system on a daily basis whether contractor, attorney, consultant, expediter, homeowner, it is needed.
Just so you know we love Ana and the department as a whole. Make her permanent please.
Thank you again for everything.
Have a great day.
Jeri
Jeri Goodkin Dausey
South Beach Construction, Inc.
333 W 41" Street (Arthur Godfrey Road), Suite 414
Miami Beach, Florida 33140
P 305.957.0088 1 F 305.359.3389 1 M 786.258.0187
E Teri@sbcfl.com 1 W www.sbcfl.com
We have relocated!
Please make note of our new address:
1