HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-25268 Reso IncompleteRESOLUTION NO. 2003-25268
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH,
FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE OF
RESORT TAX FUNDS, IN THE AMOUNT OF $45,000, AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY CLERK TO
EXECUTE THE ATTACHED MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING (MOU) AMONG THE CITY, MIAMI-
DADE COUNTY, THE CITY OF MIAMI, AND THE CITY OF
CORAL GABLES, FOR THE FREE TRADE AREA OF THE
AMERICAS (FTAA) MINISTERIAL AND THE VIII
AMERICAN BUSINESS FORUM (ABF), WHICH WILL BE
HELD IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY IN NOVEMBER, 2003.
WHEREAS, the Federal Government, through the U.S. Trade
Representative, has selected Miami-Dade County, Florida as the host for the
next FTAA Ministerial and the VIII American Business Forum in November, 2003;
and
WHEREAS, the Governor of Florida, the Mayor of Miami Beach, the
Mayor of Miami-Dade County, the Mayor of the City of Miami, and the Mayor of
the City of Coral Gables wish to work cooperatively to ensure the success of the
FTAA Ministerial and the VIII ABF Forum; and
WHEREAS, the success of the FTAA Ministerial and ABF is essential to
further Miami-Dade County's selection as the site of the FTAA Permanent
Secretariat, which will bring great economic benefit to Florida in general, and the
communities in Miami-Dade County in particular; and
WHEREAS, the FTAA Ministerial and ABF will showcase Miami Beach as
both a business and tourist destination to thousands of decision makers from
Latin America; and
WHEREAS, accordingly, the Administration would recommend that the
Mayor and City Commission appropriate resort tax funds, in the amount of
$45,000, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a Memorandum of
Understanding among the City, Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami, and the
City of Coral Gables, for the FTAA Ministerial and the ^BF, which will be held in
Miami-Dade County in November, 2003.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND
CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA that the
Mayor and City Commission, upon recommendation of the Administration,
approve the expenditure of Resort Tax Funds, in the amount of $45,000, to
support the Free Trade Area of the Americas process, and further authorizing the
Mayor to execute the attached Memorandum of Understanding among the City of
Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami, and the City of Coral
Gables, for the Free Trade Area of the Americas Ministerial and the VIII
Business Forum which will be held
American
November, 2003.
30th day o'
PASSED AND ADOPTED this
in Miami-Dade County in
,2003.
MAYOR
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
T:~AG EN DA~2003~jul3003~consent~FT~ Reso.doc
APPROVED AS TO
FORM & LANGUAGE
& FOR EXECUTION
CITY OF MIAMI B'r~ACH
COMMISSION ITEM SUMMARY
Condensed Title:
A Resolution authorizing the expenditure of Resort Tax Funds in the amount of $45,000, and authorizing
the Mayor to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Miami-Dade County for the Free Trade Area
of the Americas (FTAA) Ministerial to be held in Miami-Dade County in November, 2003.
Issue:
Isupporting the FTAA Ministerial?
Shall the City participate with Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami, and the City of Coral Gables in
Item Summary/Recommendation:
The Federal Government has selected Miami-Dade County as the host for the next FTAA Trade Ministerial
in November, 2003. This meeting will showcase the community and promote Miami-Dade County as the
logical site for the permanent Secretariat of the FTAA. The Administration recommends adoption of the
resolution.
Advisory Board Recommendation:
lJuly 16, 2003 Finance and Citywide Projects Committee
Financial Information:
Source of . Amount Account Approved
Funds: I $45,000 Resort Tax
4
Financa Dept. Total $45,000
City Clerk's Office Legislative Tracking:
I Kevin Crowder
Sign-Offs:
I DePartment DireCt°~ ~si$~nt City Man~ge~ city Manager I
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139 · ~
www.miamibeachfl.gov ~
To:
From:
Subject:
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
Date: July 30, 2003
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez ~4~ ~
City Manager
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURE OF RESORT TAX FUNDS IN THE
AMOUNT OF $45,000 TO SUPPORT THE FREE TRADE AREA OF THE AMERICAS
(FTAA) PROCESS, AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THE ATTACHED
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) BETVVEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY FOR THE FREE TRADE AREA OF THE AMERICAS
MINISTERIAL AND THE VIII AMERICAN BUSINESS FORUM (ABF) WHICH WILL BE
HELD IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY IN NOVEMBER, 2003.
ANALYSIS
During the 1994 Summit of the Americas which was held in Miami, the thirty four
democratically elected nations of this hemisphere agreed to begin negotiations which
would result in a free trade area of the Americas. Since that time, the trade ministers of
these nations have met annually to move that trade agenda forward. The objective of these
meetings is to conclude the treaty creating the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) by
2005. This is also the stated goal of President George W. Bush.
From 1998 to 2001, M iami-Dade County was the temporary seat of the FTAA Secretariat.
Since that time, the Secretariat has moved to Panama and now it is located in Mexico City.
It has been the policy of Miami-Dade County and of the community to aggressively lobby to
have Miami-Dade County selected as the Permanent Seat of the FTAA Secretariat in the
future. Such a selection would bring immeasurable economic and political gain for Miami-
Dade County in general and for our cities in particular. FTAA would create a market of over
800 million people with a trade potential in the trillion of dollars. As the site for the
Secretariat Miami-Dade County would be the economic and financial center of the
Americas, and it would cement its position as the Gateway to the Americas. Miami-Dade
County has the potential of becoming the Brussels of this hemisphere.
The Federal Government through the U.S. Trade Representative has selected Miami-Dade
County as the host for the next FTAA Trade Ministerial and VIII ABF in November, 2003.
This meeting is an opportunity to showcase the community and to promote Miami-Dade
County as the logical site for the Secretariat. Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas, and
Commissioner Jose "Pepe" Diaz, who is the Chair of the Jay Malina International Trade
Consortium along with a group of Miami-Dade business persons traveled to Quite, Ecuador
for the 2002 FTAA Ministerial meeting and the VII ABF to invite the trade ministers and the
delegates to the ABF to come to Miami in November, 2003.
Florida Governor Jeb Bush has recently appointed former Ambassador Chuck Cobb to
head a group of local leaders to prepare our community to host the Ministerial and Viii ABF
in Miami-Dade. The Mayors of Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami, and
the City of Coral Gables have agreed to work cooperatively with the members of the private
sector appointed to host this important meeting.
On July 2, 2003, the Mayor and City Commission discussed Miami Beach's role in the
upcoming FTAA Ministerial and the Deputy Executive Director, Tony Ojeda, requested the
City's financial participation, as set forth in the attached MOU, at $45,000. The item was
referred and discussed at the July 16, 2003 Finance and Citywide Projects Committee and
funding for the City's participation was identified from 2003 Resort Tax collections.
The attached Memorandum of Understanding formalizes that agreement. Miami-Dade
County along with the Cities of Miami, Coral Gables, and Miami Beach by virtue of this
memorandum also agree to contribute cash and in-kind for the hosting of this event.
Attachment
JMG/CMC/kc
T:~AG EN DA~2003~jul3003\consent\FTAA.doc