Resolution 2019-31038 RESOLUTION NO. 2019-31038
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA,
RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY'S ART IN PUBLIC
PLACES PROGRAM ("AIPP") COMMITTEE ALLOCATE A
PORTION OF THE AIPP FUNDS APPROPRIATED FROM
THE FLAMINGO PARK YOUTH CENTER (PAL FACILITY)
G.O. BOND PROJECT, OR OTHER G.O. BOND PROJECTS
WITHIN FLAMINGO PARK, FOR THE COMMISSION OF A
FLAMINGO-RELATED WORK OF ART TO BE
INCORPORATED WITHIN FLAMINGO PARK.
WHEREAS, on November 6, 2018, the City of Miami Beach's voters approved the
issuance of up to $439 million in General. Obligation ("G.O.") Bonds, to fund the design
and construction of public safety projects, neighborhood and infrastructure projects, and
parks and recreational projects; and
WHEREAS, the G.O. Bond program encompasses 57 projects with a total
estimated cost of $439 million to be spread out over 10-12 years in four tranches
approximately three years apart; and
WHEREAS, Flamingo Park is a 36-acre park located in the heart of South Beach,
which includes an 8-lane lap swimming pool plus playground, baseball stadium & soccer
field; and
WHEREAS, one of the G.O. Bond projects in tranche one is the "Flamingo Park
Youth Center (PAL Facility)" project ("PAL G.O. Bond Project"), which will replace the
Recreation Center in Flamingo Park with a new 30,000 square-foot facility including a
basketball gym, indoor running track, fitness center, locker rooms, community meeting
rooms, classrooms, master plan improvements and resiliency enhancements; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission finds that it would be in the best interest of the
City to incorporate a flamingo-related artwork in Flamingo Park; and
WHEREAS, the City's Art in Public Places Program ("AIPP"), established pursuant
to Sections 82-536 to 82-612 of the City Code, is used for the commission or acquisition
of works of art within the City, as part of the City's efforts to develop cultural and artistic
resources that enhance the quality of life for individuals living in, working in, and visiting
the City of Miami Beach; and
WHEREAS, the City recommends that the AIPP Committee allocate some of the
AIPP funds appropriated from the PAL G.O. Bond Project, or other G. O. Bond projects
within Flamingo Park, for the commission of a flamingo-related work of art, to be
incorporated within Flamingo Park (the "New Flamingo-Related Work"); and
WHEREAS, AIPP Committee shall obtain input from the Flamingo Park
Neighborhood Association in the selection process of the new Flamingo-Related Work
for Flamingo Park.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City
Commission hereby recommend that the City's Art in Public Places Program ("AIPP")
Committee allocate a portion of the AIPP funds appropriated from the Flamingo Park
Youth Center (PAL Facility) G.O. Bond project, or other G.O. Bond projects within
Flamingo Park, for the commission of a flamingo-related work of art, with input from the
Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association, to be incorporated within Flamingo Park.
PASSED AND ADOPTED as of the day of , 2019.
•
ATTEST:
SEP 9 2024
Steven Meiner, Mayor
a
Rafael E. Granado, City Clerk
(Sponsored by Commission John Elizabeth Aleman) '':, -,
� `;INCpRp ORAZED�'
APPROVED AS TO
FORM & LANGUAGE
& FOR EXECUTION
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City Attorney Date
Resolutions -C7 AD MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Raul J.Aguila, CityAttomey
DATE: October 16, 2019
SUBJECT:A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY'S ART IN
PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM ("AIPP") COMMITTEE ALLOCATE A
PORTION OF THE AIPP FUNDS APPROPRIATED FROM THE FLAMINGO
PARK YOUTH CENTER (PAL FACILITY)G.O. BOND PROJECT, OR OTHER
G.O. BOND PROJECTS WITHIN FLAMINGO PARK, FOR THE
COMMISSION OF A FLAMINGO-RELATED WORK OF ART TO BE
INCORPORATED WITHIN FLAMINGO PARK.
RECOMMENDATION
Pursuant to the request of Commissioner John Elizabeth Aleman, the above-referenced
Resolution is submitted for consideration by the Mayor and City Commission at the October 16,
2019 Commission meeting.
,Applicable Area
Not Applicable
Is this a Resident Right to Does this item utilize G.Q.
Know item? Bond Funds?
No No
Legislative Tracking
Office of the CityAttomey
Sponsor
Commissioner John Elizabeth Aleman
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
o Resolution
o Attachment
Page 982 of 2557
OCT 7: Proposal For Flamingos in Miami Beach Flamingo Park
(hops://miamimirmr.bloaspot.com/2019/10/proposal-for-flamingos-in-miami-beach.html#Y2019/10/proposal-for-flamingos-in-miami-
beach.html)
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R
.
ITEM.
rap.tre
October 7, 2019
Honorable John Aleman
Commissioner
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
1700 Convention Center Drive
Miami Beach, Florida 33139
Subject: Flamingos in Flamingo Park
Dear Commissioner Aleman:
I am delighted to hear that you are sponsoring a resolution to appropriate funds for the placement of a
flamingo-related work of art in Flamingo Park.
Nothing could be more logical than having flamingo art if not live flamingos in Flamingo Park. Indeed, on two
occasions I have been stopped in the park by tourists, who had not read the warning in huge capitals letters
on the travel site. They asked me where they could find the flamingos were disappointed when I told them
'Flamingo'was just a name.
Page 985 of 2557
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Dennis Leyva, Liaison for Art in Public Places, acknowledged my proposal on 27 November 2017 for the
placement of flamingo sculptures in the central axis of the park, and for the placement of a sculpture of our
famous Rosie the Elephant in the Tot Park. He was unable to do anything with my proposal, and I was
advised to follow a complex set of formal procedures at an appropriate future time.
Parks Director John Rebar, however, said on 12 September 2019 that he would send along my conception to
the Parks Advisory Committee as "an official request for consideration." He previously advised me that live
flamingos could not be kept in the park. I suppose it would be costly to convert one of the large playing fields
to a lake, and then security would have to be posted to prevent the theft of the birds, as happened in Hialeah
one night. A realtor whom I shared my idea with did not understand the word "statuary," and objected that a
park is not the natural habitat for flamingos. But the famous flamingos at Hialeah reportedly chose the
racetrack lake for their habitat. Decoys in a lake created in Flamingo Park might attract a settlement.
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Hopefully, the Commission will now graciously provide the funding for flamingo art in the park, and may even
declare the flamingo to be the official city bird. If the deserved public funding is not available, I have advised
your staff to contact Elizabeth Calomiris, who may be able to raise the money privately. She winters in South
Beach, frequents Flamingo Park, and she, with many others, took notice of my several articles about the park,
including my recent investigation into the arboricide of our beloved old melaleuca trees around its central
axis.
Page 986 of 2557
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Ms. Calomiris happens to be a former National Geographic artist and designer. She sat on an arts council
here during Mayor David Dermer's tenure, and was at that time raising funds for the protection of abused
women and children in Miami while engaged in multiple design projects. She is not interested in a commission
on the flamingo project inasmuch as she is currently devoted to projects of her family's estate. Nevertheless,
she contacted me with her concept of a sculptured flock of flamingos of different sizes, representing, by virtue
of color, grays with red highlights, and texture and allusion to shape as well, the resurrection of the destroyed
melaleucas. t1141 ;,*4 •fl
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As everyone knows, the flamingo has been admired since ancient times in multiple cultures. The flaming red
flamingo, which is very rarely black, was the inspiration for the mythical phoenix recreated from gray ash left
by its flames. The sacred bird in Egypt represented the soul of Ra, god of the Sun.
I take this opportunity to thank mayors, commissioners, and administrators past and present for their support
of our parks. You know I have often criticized the cliquish exclusivity and mercenary small-mindedness of the
city's power elite, yet their provision of parks for the enjoyment of everyone is deeply appreciated.
Of course Flamingo Park is our South Beach Central Park. I frequented Manhattan's Central Park, conceived
by the city elite for the relief of everyone regardless of status, when it was in awful condition from neglect in
the 70's, and I shall never forget the significant improvements made thereafter. I have seen a similar
development in Flamingo Park over the last few years. What better way to celebrate its rise than with
flamingos?
Sincerely,
David Arthur Walters
cc. To Whom It May Concern
Page 987 of 2557
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Posted 3 hours ago by David Arthur Walters
Labels: Aleman Art in Public Places Egypt Elizabeth Calomiris Flamingos Park RA. Rosie the Elephant.
Page 988 of 2557
Agenda Item C/A I)
Date lU—I(—I
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From: David Arthur Walters<davidarthurwalters@gmail.com>
Sent:Wednesday,September 11,2019 4:30 PM
To: Rebar,John<JohnRebar@miamibeachfl.gov>
Cc:Gelber, Dan<DanGelber@miamibeachfl.gov>;Arriola, Ricky<RickyArriola@miamibeachfl.gov>
Subject:Where are the flamingos?
Hi John, I'm passing through Flamingo Park as usual on the way home,and was looking at the high Royal
Palms and the angles of the Sun and concluded they don't really provide much sun during the course of
a day, and neither will the little ones placed in the so-called great lawn. But interestingly enough, I was
approached yet again by foreign tourists,and they [asked] me where they could find the flamingos. I
apologized,and said there are no flamingos in Flamingo Park.They were confused by the English
labeling,and quite disappointed that the whole park was taken up by Sports things.The last time
tourists asked me for the flamingos,I recommended that a couple of big plastic flamingos be placed in
the center of the park,and am now thinking maybe four of them could be placed to [shade]the four
park benches there.Anyway, I think it was someone in your department that recommended me to some
committee or subcommittee of a committee or maybe a subcommittee of a subcommittee of a
subcommittee run by residents that are in the know and have some power over the park, and I was told
if I was within a certain time frame I could fill out some paperwork and recommend that some Flamingo
statuary be placed somewhere in the park so a [committee] on such and such a date or another could
consider it if they wanted to.At the time I thought there was one thing that mayor Levine was right
about,was all of the committees and subcommittees and so on and so forth that one had to go through
to get anything done.Why someone couldn't just pick up the phone or write a memo and say hey you
know this guy Walters is over in the park and thinks there oughta be flamingos or at least a statue of a
flamingo in Flamingo Park,don't you think that's a good idea maybe you should look into it.What do
you think? Don't you think the process is really ridiculous and we should have at least a representation
of the flamingos in Flamingo Park?Thanks,standing by, David
From: Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association<flamingombCc@gmail.com> •
Date:October 10,2019 at 10:38:25 PM EDT
To: "Gelber, Dan"<DanGelber@miamibeachfl.gov>, "Arriola,Ricky"<RickvArriola@miamibeachfl.gov>,
"Aleman,John"<JohnAleman@miamibeachfl.Rov>, "Steinberg, Micky"
<MickvSteinbere@miamibeachfi.eov>, "Samuelian,Mark"<Mark@ miamibeachfl.gov>,"Gongora,
Michael"<Michael@miamibeachfl.gov>,"Malakoff,Joy"<JovMalakoff@miamibeachfl.gov>
Cc: "Granado, Rafael"<RafaelGranado@miamibeachfl.gov>
Subject:Commission Resolution C7 AD-Flamingo Park Artwork
Mayor and Commissioners,
At the October 7th meeting of the Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association, those in
attendance voted unanimously to support resolution C7 AD, PROVIDED that the
FPNA is made aware of any meetings where this is discussed and has input into the
"who", "what", and "where" of the artwork to be placed in the park.
Scott Needelman
for the
FPNA