PR 3-5-24 Minutes
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES ADVISORY BOARD
MINUTES OF THE MARCH 5, 2024, MEETING
CITY MANAGER’S CONFERENCE ROOM 4TH FLOOR, CITY HALL
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Members in Attendance: Sean Smith, Joshua Lifshultz, Shannon Koonin, Janie Hayes, Joseph Hernandez, Gayle Durham,
David Nguah, Donald Goldberg, David Berger
Members not Present: Joelle Berger, Jonathan Fryd
City Staff: Jose del Risco (Assistant Director, Parks & Recreation) and Nina Britos (Administrative Officer)
Guests Present: Lindsey, Adam
Meeting called to order at 5:36 p.m.
• Approval of the February 2, 2024 Minutes
o The February 2, 2024 minutes were approved.
Motion made by: Donald Goldberg
Motion seconded by: Shannon Koonin
Motion passes: Unanimously
• Update on Location for Fire Station – Flamingo Park (CIP)
o Collette Satchell, Senior Project Manager, with the Department of Capital Improvement Projects, spoke on
the proposed location of the Fire Station No. 1. The fire station is currently located on 11th Street and
Jefferson Avenue and is proposed to be relocated to the South Shore Community Center, located at 833
6th Street. Collette Satchell explained that they are in the very early stages of the proposed locations.
o The Board members want to propose they do not want to build the fire station in a park and more
specifically, do not want the fire station located within Flamingo Park. Discussion ensued.
o The Board does not want the permanent structure in a park and strongly recommend that the existing fire
station stay at the South Shore Community Center for many reasons including they do not want to displace
the children at the parks.
o The Parks and Recreational Facilities Advisory Board motions to strongly oppose the relocation of Fire
Station No. 1 to Flamingo Park.
Motion made by: Donald Goldberg
Motion seconded by: David Berger
Motion passes: Unanimously
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES ADVISORY BOARD
MINUTES OF THE MARCH 5, 2024, MEETING
CITY MANAGER’S CONFERENCE ROOM 4TH FLOOR, CITY HALL
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• GO Bond Project Updates (CIP)
o Mina Samadi, Senior Project Manager, with the Department of Capital Improvement Projects, provided an
update on the Bayshore Park (Par 3) project. Mina Samadi explained it is a two-year project, on target with
the scheduled timeline and they anticipate a completion date of next year, September 23, 2025.
o Maria Hernandez, GO Bond Program Director, with the City Manager’s Office, spoke on the artistic
artificial reef project part of the GOB Arts & Culture. The first phase of this project will be located 900 feet
out of 1st Street and Ocean Drive. Maria Hernandez shared with the Board the website,
www.thereefline.org, where you can see all the fundraising that is happening. They will be implementing an
eco-friendly cast cement in the ocean for the reef. This project is protected and permitted under the County.
o The Board briefly spoke on the 72nd Street Community Complex project and how it is moving along, as well
as, on the Flamingo Park lodge design and how it is to be repurposed for a multi-purpose community space.
o Sean Smith mentioned there have been a lot of phone calls and emails regarding the progress of the
Flamingo Park baseball and softball fields project. David Gomez, CIP Division Director, mentioned that their
Department have actively been working on the baseball field project.
o Maria Hernandez continued to discuss an upcoming addition of the first artistic playground which is funded
by regular GOB funds and also has additional artistic playground funding.
o The Board expressed interest on the Moringfield project and the status on it. Maria Hernandez mentioned
that Amy Knowles from the Department of Environment and Sustainability can present an update.
• Discussion on Lights at Polo Park Basketball Courts
o Sean Smith mentioned we renovated Polo Park in 2019 and in 2021, Parks Department added lighting.
o Jose del Risco, Parks and Recreation Assistant Director, explained there was a strong request for lights to
be added to the active areas of the park, including the basketball courts, tennis courts and baseball field.
While tennis and baseball were approved, basketball was not approved for lighting. The community had
asked for Park Ranger presence, and ever since the lights were added, the ranger presence was added
as well. Recently in the past couple of months, it has been requested to add in lights for basketball.
o A neighborhood group gathered over 200 signatures in a petition in support of the addition for lights.
o The Parks Board approved that they want lights at the basketball courts.
o The Parks and Recreational Facilities Advisory Board motions to recommend adding sports lighting to the
basketball courts at Polo Park.
Motion made by: Joseph Hernandez
Motion seconded by: Joshua Lifshultz
Motion passes: Unanimously
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES ADVISORY BOARD
MINUTES OF THE MARCH 5, 2024, MEETING
CITY MANAGER’S CONFERENCE ROOM 4TH FLOOR, CITY HALL
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• Selection of Chair and Vice-Chair
o Sean Smith was nominated to be the Chair of the Parks Board.
o David Berger is the current Vice-Chair and the Parks Board nominates David Berger to continue.
o The Parks and Recreational Facilities Advisory Board motions to appoint Sean Smith as the Chair and David
Berger as the Vice-Chair of said board.
Motion made by: Donald Goldberg
Motion seconded by: Joshua Lifshultz
Motion passes: Unanimously
• The location of the next meeting has been discussed and approved to be held at the Miami Beach Golf Club.
• The Board asked David Berger for any updates on the Ocean Drive Association. He mentioned that the Park
Rangers have been very present in the area. The Board wanted to know if there were any events going on in
March at Lummus Park. Two events whose dates were brought up was The Model Volleyball event and the Annual
Volleyball Program. Jose del Risco mentioned he would provide updated on the dates for those two events.
• Sunshine Laws Presentation (City Attorney’s Office)
o Yoe Lopez, Senior Assistant City Attorney, from the City Attorney’s Office came to give a presentation on
Sunshine Law.
o Yoe Lopez presented on Custodian of Records. Any correspondence sent or received in specific to this
committee must be available for inspection. Every committee member is a custodian of records and is
automatically subject to public record by law. The Board members should not be discussing committee
business amongst each other. Whenever a public records request is made from the outside to the City, our
IT Department would capture all those emails from City staff.
o Yoe Lopez presented on Sunshine Law. This law applies to anything that could foreseeably be discussed
to the Board or that can come before the Board. If two or more members are discussing City business
outside of the Board meeting, then it is illegal because the meeting must be open to the public and
reasonable notice of such meeting must be given, as well as minutes must be taken. Those three
requirements for sunshine law apply to all discussion and formal action.
• FY 25 Capital Budget Requests
o Jose del Risco, Parks and Recreation Assistant Director, presented on the Parks FY 2024/2025 Capital
budget requests. He explained how all items are part of our request for the upcoming fiscal year.
o Shannon Koonin asked Jose about the order of the projects listed and Jose del Risco explained the
process of identifying the needs in the projects and using this to decide the priority order.
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES ADVISORY BOARD
MINUTES OF THE MARCH 5, 2024, MEETING
CITY MANAGER’S CONFERENCE ROOM 4TH FLOOR, CITY HALL
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o The Parks Department organizes the requests and finally the City Manager along with the Budget Director,
proceed to develop the final recommendation.
o Donald Goldberg would like to request the department move up in priority the request for the Miami
Beach Golf Course driving range project as the golf course is a huge revenue driver for Miami Beach.
o The Parks Department will make that change request with the Office of Management & Budget to move up
the item request in priority per Donald Goldberg’s request.
o The Parks and Recreational Facilities Advisory Board motions to approve the Parks and Recreation
Department’s FY 2024/25 Capital budget funding requests.
Motion made by: David Berger
Motion seconded by: Joshua Lifshultz
Motion passes: Unanimously
• Public Input / Open Discussion
o No further discussion took place
Meeting Adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
UPCOMING 2024 MEETING DATES
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Tuesday, December 10, 2024