April 9 2024-Minutes City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
Marine and Waterfront Protection Authority Members:
Ben Mostkoff – Appointed by Commissioner Laura Dominguez
Dave Doebler- Appointed by Commissioner Alex Fernandez
Elaine Roden – Appointed by Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez Julio Magrisso – Appointed by Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez
Tim Carr – Appointed by Commissioner Mark Samuelian
Amy Litos- Appointed by Commissioner Alex Fernandez
Mike Gibaldi – Appointed by Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt
John Gardiner- Appointed by Commissioner David Suarez
Jose Frias- Appointed by Commissioner David Suarez
Michael Kiely- Appointed by Mayor Steven Meiner
The meeting of the Board of Directors was held on April 9, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. via zoom conference. The Chairman called the meeting to order at 9:04 a.m.
The attendees were as follows:
Board members: Dave Doebler, Amy Litos, John Gardiner, Elaine Roden, Mike Gibaldi, Tim Carr, Ben Mostkoff, Julio Magrisso,
Michael Kiely, Jose Frias City Staff: Brandon McLean– Code Compliance, Liaison Sergeant Duane Rezende- City of Miami Beach Marine Patrol Lindsey Precht - Environment & Sustainability Assistant Director
David Suarez- City of Miami Beach Commissioner
Albert Ventura-Parking Department, Assistant Director
Public: Euene Egemba, Raul, Byan, Carolina Zamora, Johnathan Silva, Mylene Garot,
Omar Jiminez, Victoria Neale, Tod Beachs, Alvaro Ferrando, Wally Moran
Meeting called to order at 9:04 a.m. by Chairman, Dave Doebler
UNFINISHED/OLD BUSINESS
a. Marine Patrol update and discussion by Officer Duane Rezende, City of Miami
Beach Marine Patrol
• Sergeant Rezende stated that they wrote 245-300 citations on the water for safety violations, mandate violations and registration issues.
• They received the shallow water boats and is waiting to get emergency equipment installed.
• The chief is pushing to get new hires in marine patrol by August.
b. Update on Parking enforcement procedures at the Maurice Gibbs Park Boat
Ramp by Alberto Ventura, Assistant Director, Parking Department.
• Alberto Ventura stated that parking enforcement is assigned to Sunset Harbor, he will meet with the enforcement managers to find out why parking enforcement is not being enforced regularly.
• At the next MWPA meeting stats will be provided to reflect how many vehicles were towed from that boat ramp.
c. Update on GOB Dredging Project, Mooring Field, and Water Quality by Lindsey Precht, Environmental Research Manager
GOB Biscayne Point Dredging:
CIP is continuing to work with the consultant to update the proposal to complete a change order. This will allow for design and permitting to continue based on initial comments to the application
submittal.
Park View Canal Water Quality Action Plan:
The University of Miami Phase II study is kicking off in the next couple of months. The purpose of Phase II is to conduct a post evaluation since several short-term improvements have been made, and further evaluate sources. Three tasks are outlined that include more in-depth analyses on sources of water. The UM team will collect stormwater before catch basins to determine how
much is coming from streets vs ground. Another tool will be to sample groundwater directly
utilizing direct push technology for samples of upper groundwater, so they would know
background levels of fecal bacteria. They will also be testing within catch basins with biomarker
source tracking (i.e., bird, dog, human). This will help the UM team determine how much fecal
bacteria is coming into the system. In addition to evaluations of water itself, they will conduct an
analysis on groundwater elevations to tie the elevation of the canal to groundwater, along with a comparison to pipe elevations. UM will update the City’s historical data with information and
testing that has been made available since the Phase I study concluded, from both Surfrider and the City. Their team will go back to the full dataset and look at rainfall records to compare wet vs
dry conditions.
The Public Works team, who will be scheduled for the agenda next month to talk about their infrastructure improvements such as sanitary sewer pipe lining, secured $200,000 in water quality
treatment systems to retrofit the existing outfalls. They are negotiating tasks with a consultant
from the A&E pool, and they also secured $2million through the budget process last year for the
construction aspect of the project.
The dredging project is kicking off after securing a consultant and finalizing the proposal for a
design and permitting purchase order. The consultant is working to schedule the required surveys
and probes, and the community will be alerted when the surveying begins. Once the surveys are
completed, the consultant will begin scheduling pre-application meetings with the regulatory
permitting agencies. The design & permitting was associated with a $500,000 budget approval, as well as approval of construction at $2million.
d. Bare Boat Awareness by USCG Agent Alvaro Ferrando
• Agent Alvaro Ferrando stated that on their Facebook page violations can be seen in their
digest for all vessels that are terminated. He stated that not all vessels that get terminated
necessarily involves the city of Miami Beach. To make matters more expedient pictures
and videos are posted. The postings are listed to educate and discourage others from facing the same circumstances.
• The legal stance is if the vessel is documented the vessel name and home port must be on the stern. A Florida registered vessel or another vessel from the state should always display the Florida registry numbers.
New Business:
a. Poseidon Ferry LLC by Johnathan Silvia
Johnathan Silvia presented business application to the Board and answered all questions. Approved – motion passed. b. The 7 Furious LLC by Victoria Neale Victoria Neale presented business application to the Board and answered all questions. No motion to approve.
c. Aquarius Boat Tours by Mylene Garot Mylene Garot presented business application to the Board and answered all questions. Approved – motion passed.
Open Discussion
1. Motion to approve April minutes with amendment. - Motion passed.
2. Commissioner Suarez stated that at the last commission meeting the commission gave
the MWPA more authority to make recommendation to revoke BTRs. He suggested that
the MWPA board set up a special meeting to discuss specific bad operators and create a
process.
Meeting adjourned at 12:13p.m.
To access the Marine & Waterfront Protection Authority meeting videos click the following link:https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/city-clerk/boards-and-committees/marine-
waterfront-protection-committee/