Community Relations Board
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BOARDS AND COMMITTEE BI-ANNUAL REPORT FORM - PAGE 1 OF 3
City of Miami Beach - Community Relations Board
BOARD OR COMMITTEE NAME:
CHAIRPERSON: Roymi Membiela
_CITY LIAISON: Caroline DeFreze
NUMBER OF MEETINGS HELD SINCE January 2003
ACTIVITY:
- Meetings dates:
January 8
February 12
March 12
April 8
May 1 4
June 1 0
- Board voted to add a Vice Chair position to encourage continuity and strengthen the
group's performance, and elected Shelly Bell to the new seat.
- Participated in various meetings in preparation of the Memorial Day festival with the
UMOJA group.
- Held a board retreat to discuss and map strategies and recommendations that could be
pursued by the City of MB, to showcase and protect diversity rights for those who live
and work throughout the city of Miami Beach.
- Presentation to the Board from city attorneys regarding Sunshine law, and Human
Rights Ordinance.
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...,:
Invited various committee leaders to offer a special presentation to the CRB:
Heidi Johnson, eMB Barrier Free Committee, ADA compliance
Dr. Larry Capp, Miami-Dade County CRB
Lt. Dan Rein, CMB Police Dept.
Inquired about the incident reported in the media involving B.E.D Club and a group of
guests who alleged racial discrimination. Invited representative of the police
department to provide an update, as well as City Attorney who provided an update on
the City's Human Rights Ordinance
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FUTURE ACTIVITIES
- Participation in future diversity initiatives with the County's CRB and other
organizations.
- Develop and promote a special brochure to highlight the mission of the Board and gain
resident and business leader's feedback.
- Encourage elected officials to appoint new members to fill all open seats to the Board in
order to increase participation and representation of the various segments of the City of
Miami Beach community.
Update the City of Miami Beach website to ensure that the CRB's membership roster is
correctly displayed.
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Page 3 of 3
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- CRB participated in the City's Black History Month celebration, coordinating the
recognition of the student from Feinberg Fisher Elementary and the invitation of guest
speaker Gail Thompson, Performing Arts Center,
- Chairperson held meetings with the Mayor, all Commissioners (one meeting pending),
and the City Manager, to discuss the mission and objectives of the CRB and to gain
consensus and guidance of the pressing issues at hand from the various officials.
- Reactivated participation in meetings from ex-officio members (Hispanic Affairs, Status
of Women, Police Department, Department of Children Affairs, Homeless Committee)
- Board served as judges for the City of Miami Beach 'Community Heroes Awards' - and
Marjorie York represented the CRB during the award presentation ceremony.