3- Meeting Minutes 3-30-23
General Obligation Bond Oversight Committee
City of Miami Beach
MEETING MINUTES No. 38
March 30, 2023
Members in Attendance Via Zoom:
Karen Rivo, Chair
Scott Needelman
Laura Veitia
Jack Glottmann Carolina Jones
Jason Koslowe
David Grieser
Susan Askew
Dennis Scholl Michael DeFilippi
Bruce Carter
Absent:
Jason Koslowe
Adam Kravitz
Staff and Guests Attendance:
Maria Hernandez, Liaison
Devin Ramirez
Thais Vieira
David Martinez
Kathie Brooks
Jason Greene
Alex Denis
Joe Gomez
Frank Garcia
Ricardo Dopico
Roland Aragunde
Virgil Fernandez
Amy Knowles
Adrian Morales
Ayanna DaCosta-Earle
Kevin Pulido
Lauren Firtel
Tiffany Bain
Giancarlo Pena
Justin Carr
Lissette Arrogante
Maria Cerna
Matthew LePera
Elizabeth Estevez
Jose Del Risco Chief Abello
Krystal Dobbins
Lindsay Precht
Luis Wong
Maria Gulias
Elizabeth Miro
Omar Mendoza
Rickelle Williams
Colette Satchell
Heather Shaw
Cristina Ortega
Jani Singer
Michelle Burger
Dana Martorella
Michael Rossi
Nick Richberg
John Shumaker
Ximena Caminos
Victor Diaz
TL Brown
David Phillips
Angelica Perez
Casey Steadman
Cesar Sepulveda
David Snider
James Quinlan
Jean Ortega
Juan Jose Escalante
Meeting Start Time: 4:30 pm
General Notes: These meeting minutes are condensed and seek to capture the overall intent of discussions as
interpreted by the meeting coordinator. Each paragraph indicates the time on the audio recording where the
discussion commenced during the meeting. For more detail on the discussion, please refer to the audio recording
in its entirety. All current and past meeting materials including agendas, handouts, minutes, presentations, and audio
recordings are available by visiting: www.GOMBInfo.com/OversightCommittee/Meeting Records.
G.O. Bond Oversight Committee
Meeting Minutes No. 38
March 30, 2023
Page 2 of 5
I. Roll Call and Introductions
(Refer to the Meeting Audio Recording on the G.O. Bond Website.)
Chair Karen Rivo called the meeting to order. Roll call was completed.
New Members Formal Introductions
0:25 Dennis Scholl, Susan Askew, Bruce Carter, and Michael DeFilippi introduced themselves.
II. Committee Business
Adoption of Meeting Minutes from 2-16-23
7:06 Chair Karen Rivo asked for a motion to approve the February 16th meeting minutes.
Motion:
7:10 Dennis Scholl made a motion to approve the minutes as presented.
7:12 Laura Veitia seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Community Outreach
Upcoming and Recent Past Public Meetings
(Refer to pages 2-4 of the Agenda & Handouts Packet on the G.O. Bond website.)
7:28 Kevin Pulido discussed the Items Related to G.O. Bond Program Projects, found on pages 2-
4 of the Agenda & Handouts Packet.
IV. G.O. Bond for Arts & Culture
(Refer to pages 5-14 of the Agenda & Handouts Packet on the G.O. Bond website.)
3/27/23 Commission Meeting
12:19 Maria Hernandez reported that on March 27th, the City Commission approved the form of
grant agreement to be executed by organizations receiving grant awards.
17:00 Scott Needelman asked if the grant recipients will be receiving the reimbursements all at
once or by piecemeal.
17:33 Ricardo Dopico explained that the Grantee must submit reimbursement requests in
accordance with a form. The City has a period of 45 days to review the expenditures once the
Grantee submits the form and then a reimbursement will be processed.
3/31/23 Finance Committee Meeting
20:10 Maria Hernandez reported that at the March 31st Finance and Economic Resiliency
Committee Meeting, item 5 will be heard at 9:30 am. This item is to discuss the G.O. Bond for
Arts & Culture, which was approved by the voters on November 8, 2022. At the January 27, 2023
G.O. Bond Oversight Committee
Meeting Minutes No. 38
March 30, 2023
Page 3 of 5
Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee Meeting, the Committee directed the
Administration to come back to the March 31st Committee Meeting with recommendations for
Tranche 1 funding. She explained the Tranche 1 Summary chart, found on page 13.
Explanation continued.
42:08 Eric Carpenter reported that when Staff built the cost for each of these projects, they either
incorporated additional fees or didn’t, based on if Staff thought the City might be managing the
projects or not. Staff was aware from the beginning that they will not be managing The
Wolfsonian and the Jewish Museum. The $4 million dollars allocated to the Workforce Housing
for Cultural Institutions had already been negotiated with an agreement with a third-party
vendor who is building the Arts Force Housing behind the library. The deciding factor if the City
was going to manage the project was if the City was going to be responsible for ongoing
maintenance in any of those properties.
Explanation continued.
1:02:42 Susan Askew asked if the full amounts approved by the G.O. bond for Arts & Culture will
be given to the organizations.
1:03:14 Eric Carpenter answered that the City is committed to making sure that every dollar that
is bonded out is put into the approved projects and that the City can deliver the projects with the
available funds.
V. Public Comment
1:09:10 Chair Karen Rivo asked if anyone from the public has any questions.
1:09:32 David Phillips thanked Staff for all of their hard work. He expressed that New World
Symphony has significant concerns regarding the way the grant has been drafted and the
proposed adjustments to the budget, but the concerns are better addressed at tomorrow’s
Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee Meeting or with this Committee at the next meeting
or another special meeting.
Regarding project management, he informed that based on conversations with various people,
while some institutions are happy for the City to manage their projects, he asked that those
institutions that would prefer to self-manage their projects be allowed to make their case.
Explanation continued.
1:13:48 Victor Diaz also thanked the Staff for all of their hard work. He expressed concerns
regarding the City proposing to have the 15% owner’s contingency excluded from the Grant
Agreements, and not have it funded as part of Tranche 1. He urged the City to include the
contingency as part of the Grant Agreements to allow these projects to proceed seamlessly. The
contingency would be subject to either City Commission or City Manager review and approval,
G.O. Bond Oversight Committee
Meeting Minutes No. 38
March 30, 2023
Page 4 of 5
so that it is clear to these institutions that they are not entitled to those funds, but they have
access to those funds through the Agreement. Explanation continued.
He also addressed the 8% program oversight, stating it should be allocated to the organizations,
so that they can hire a construction oversight manager which is considered a capitalized
expenditure.
VI. MB Classical Music Festival
(Refer to pages 15-24 of the Agenda & Handout Packet on the G.O. Bond website.)
1:28:46 Maria Hernandez introduced Michael Rossi from the Miami Music Festival.
1:29:50 Michael Rossi presented a video montage of different events that the Miami Music
Festival has produced. He reported that the requested funds will be used to invest in projection
mapping projectors and production equipment, including stage, lighting, and audio.
1:46:05 Chair Karen Rivo asked the Committee Members what questions do they have for
Michael Rossi.
1:46:14 Susan Askew stated that she reviewed the chart found on page 23 of the Agenda &
Handout Packet. She asked Michael Rossi to explain the main differences between the Platinum
and Gold Budget Categories.
1:46:36 Michael Rossi stated that the main difference between the categories is the Christie
Griffyn 50k Lumen Projector in the Platinum Category. These projectors will make a building be
seen by people driving along the causeway.
1:47:43 Scott Needelman asked if the Miami Music Festival charges for any of their
performances. He also asked if Michael could assure that the funds given to this project will
remain in Miami Beach, since these performances happen elsewhere as well.
1:47:51 Michael Rossi answered that last year every event was free to the public and all of the
events were in Miami Beach. He stated that the events programmed for this year are all in Miami
Beach.
Discussion continued.
Motion
1:56:57 Jack Glottmann made a motion to approve the funds of $1.5 million to be allocated to
the Miami Beach Classical Music Festival to invest in projection mapping projectors and
production equipment.
1:57:06 Susan Askew seconded the motion. Motion passed 5-0.
G.O. Bond Oversight Committee
Meeting Minutes No. 38
March 30, 2023
Page 5 of 5
VII. 2018 Projects – Critical Updates
#1 72 St. Community Complex
2:00:26 David Martinez explained that due to a protest filed by one of the candidates for the
selection of an architect, this item was not heard at the March Commission Meeting. Staff is
proposing to bring the item to the April Commission Meeting.
#45 Fire Station #1
2:02:53 David Martinez reported that 2 items were presented to the City Commission on March
27th. One of the items was an amendment to the contract of the designer, regarding the
integration of the Apollo Mural. The other item was an amendment to the Construction Manager
at Risk’s contract.
#15 Bayshore Park/Par 3
2:04:34 David Martinez reported that the budget amendment was approved at the March 27th
Commission Meeting, to substitute the tentative Resilient Florida Grant with alternate funding,
so that Staff can proceed with contract execution.
#10 Maurice Gibb Park
2:07:00 David Martinez reported that there is a groundbreaking ceremony on April 4th .
#8 Lummus Park
2:08:19 David Martinez reported that Staff has concluded negotiations with the consultant. The
contract has been forwarded to the City Attorney for the formal approval.
VIII. Public Comment
2:11:30 Chair Karen Rivo asked if anyone from the public has any questions.
No one spoke.
IX. Adjournment
2:13:58 Meeting adjourned.