3.Senior_Affairs_Committee_Meeting_Minutes_02_28_2022_APPROVED1
Minutes – Senior Affairs Committee
Senior Affairs Committee Meeting
Chair: Debi Quade, Cervera Real Estate
Vice-Chair: Oscar Llorente, Director Network Development Mount Sinai
City Liaison: Luis Fernando Callejas, Aide to Commissioner David Richardson
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TO: Members of the Miami Beach Senior Affairs Committee
DATE: February 28, 2022
SUBJECT: MINUTES OF THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON JANUARY 24, 2022
– VIRTUAL MEETING
Attendees:
Carolina Cuadros, Natacha Fernandez, Debbie Quade, Enilda Thomas, Magui Benitez Larissa
Cajiao, Gaby Baglietto, Gabriel Paez.
Absentees:
Oscar Llorente, Maria Marrero, Gladys Navarro, Sandra Ala
Special Guests:
Gray Crow, City attorney’s office
Josiel Ferrer, Deputy Director, Department of Transportation and Mobility. Miami Beach
I. Introductions and Roll Call
Chair welcomes and shares the Committee mission statement
Roll Call
Natacha Fernandez, Gaby Baglietto, Carolina Cuadros, Gabriel Paez, Larrisa Cajiao,Magui
Benitez, Enilda Thomas, Debra Quade
II. Approval of January 2022 minutes
Motion to adopt the minutes from the previous meeting held on January 2022.
Motion made by Magui Benitez
Motion seconded by Natasha Fernandez
Motion passes unanimously, 7-0
III. Ethics/Sunshine Law briefing by Gray Crow
There are three basic requirements:
A. The meetings must be publicly noticed
B. They must be open to the public
C. Minutes must be taken.
Any gathering of two or more members of the same board to discuss committee business or an
issue that could foreseeably come before the committee you should refrain from discussing outside
of a publicly noticed meeting. This applies to any form of communications, email, texts, phone calls,
social media, responses in person.
Violations carry both civil and criminal penalties.
Intentional violations would most likely be considered a second-degree misdemeanor carrying
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Minutes – Senior Affairs Committee
criminal fines and imprisonment.
All the emails that with share to the city staff. The city keeps all our emails on the server.
Debra Quade: Committee members are not allowed to discuss any committee business with each
other until the public meeting. If we have a question, or something we’d like to share, we send it to
our staff liaison and then the liaison can distribute to the whole committee.
IV. Update on 87th Street and Harding Ave crosswalk by the Miami Beach Department of
Transportation and Mobility. Deputy Director, Josiel Ferrer
The City requested DOT try to advance the project.
DOT put in their 5-year work program, but it is a little far out.
Construction can begin as early as next year or 2024.
Luis Callejas; the sidewalk was on 87th and Harding only, but I think it’s a big project.
Gabby Baglietto: Requests to place temporary signs in the area by the bus stop to protect
pedestrians.
Carolina Cuadros: FPL has a big construction on 87th street.
Josiel Ferrer: DOT is doing a project at the same on Harding and the project include additional
crosswalk at 79th. From the funding perspective is two separate projects but there are more
crosswalks coming to the area. Unfortunately, it’s a State road so we have to work with the Florida
Department of Transportation to see what the best approach is. I will reach out to FPL and DOT
to see if there’s anything we can do.
V. Senior Center Representative Report and Discussion
A. Blackstone Apt - Maria Marrero: Absent
B. Council Towers South - Natacha Fernandez: The repairs for all the apartments and parking
lots continue and are doing well.
C. Council Towers North: Gladys Navarro: Absent
D. Federation Towers - Magui Benitez: Our building is still under construction but almost done. All
the impact windows are done. We are going to have different classes like meditation, painting,
zumba, yoga, flamenco so all the residents have an option to be healthy.
E. Four Freedoms House - Enilda Thomas: We finished our reconstruction. We had a fire on the
11th floor but thank God everybody was ok.
F. Rebecca Towers – VACANT: Luis Callejas said I’ve been working with the administration to
identify somebody who would want to come and represent. They are renovating their elevators.
G. Stella Maris House - Gaby Baglietto: Everything is ok, the only question is there any free tickets
for seniors? It’s been a long time since we received an invitation. I know Gloria Campos oversees
the invitations.
Luis Fernando Callejas: Gloria Campos from the Mayor’s office is in charge. I will ask her and
get back to the committee and I will email everybody. In March the City is doing a lot of spring
programming.
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Minutes – Senior Affairs Committee
H. UNIDAD of Miami Beach- Larissa Cajiao: UNIDAD is open Monday thru Friday, 9:00 A.M. to
5:00 P.M. with resources to schedule a vaccination or COVID test. Regular yoga, ta-chi, and
zumba classes continue as well as the lunch program. We have a new instructor for Ta-chi, her
name is Elaine. Fernando for dance fusion. The only class that had to stop was the training,
awaiting the City to hire a new instructor.
I. At-Large - Debbi Quade: No update
J. At-Large - Carolina Cuadros: No update
K. Hispanic Affairs Committee Chair - Gabriel Paez: Informed the Hispanic Affairs Committee
would host a Simon Bolivar event on Sunday July 24th honoring Peru. If you have anything that
you like to go for us to look please come and join us at our first meeting in person at Chalan.
L. Jewish Community Services of South Florida - Sandra Ala: Absent
M. Vice-Chair Oscar Llorente: Absent
VI. Discuss March Calendar of Events
The proposed meetings dates are held on the 4th Monday of every month at 9:30 a.m.
A. Flamingo Park - water aerobics, dance fusion and Tai-Chi – No senior programming the week
of March 21st to the 25th.
B. North Shore Park & Youth Center- outdoor yoga, Tai-chi
C. Scott Rakow Youth Center- Tai-chi, dance fusion, Yoga
VII. New Business
A. Proposed 2022 Meeting Dates
i. Monday, February 28
ii. Monday, March 28
iii. Monday, April 25
iv. Monday, May 23
v. Monday, June 27
vi. Monday, July 25
vii. Monday, August 22
viii. Monday, September 26
ix. Monday, October 24
x. Monday, November 28
xi. Monday, December 26
B. March Meeting Topics
Chair stated that the Committee’s March meetings will include in update on voter protection.
C. Staff Liaison’s Report
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Minutes – Senior Affairs Committee
City Liaison Callejas introduces his activities and provides an update on the upcoming food
distribution activities put together by his Commissioner, David Richardson. The city will
continue to hold two walks-up distributions per month:
• one in North Beach on March 31, 2022 (7500 Collins Ave behind the library).
• one in South Beach on March 17, 2022 (South Shore Community Center at 833 6ths
between Meridian and Jefferson).
• one in mid-beach Sunday March 6 in mid-Beach (4000 chase Ave with Temple Beth
Sholom’s as part of their annual Mitzvah Day).
• City Liaison Callejas provided a summary of March City Commission.
• The next City Commission is March 9, 2022.
• The City Commission authorized committees to continue meeting virtually.
VIII. Closing
Chair states that the next meeting is scheduled for Monday March 28, 2022.
Motion to adjourn.
Motion made by Magui Benitez
Motion seconded by Debbie Quade
Motion passes unanimously, 7-0