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95-21731 Reso RESOLUTION NO. 95-21731 A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS RECEIVED FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE UNDER THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $58,975 TO ESTABLISH THE FINE ARTS DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAM TO BE ADMINISTERED BY MIAMI BEACH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL. WHEREAS, one of the fastest growing segments of the Miami Beach population is children, with approximately 8,800 school-aged children in Miami Beach and the City's Junior High and High School students exhibiting a dropout rate that is among the highest in the County; and WHEREAS, the City has designed several recreational and other programs to address the needs of its youth, which emphasize sports as the alternative to juvenile delinquency; and WHEREAS, recent studies have established a link between cultural activities and reduced delinquency and increased school productivity, and the City has a vital and unique cultural life with endless cultural development opportunities; and WHEREAS, the City's Bureau of Children's Affairs, in collaboration with local educators and others, has designed a Fine Arts Delinquency Prevention Program for the City which will explore culture as a successful alternative to sports-based programs in the prevention of delinquency; and WHEREAS, in April 1995, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice issued a Request for Proposals for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, making $558,600 available for contracting with units of local general governments for provision of community-based, comprehensive delinquency prevention strategies based upon delinquency prevention needs assessments; and WHEREAS, the deadline for submission of a proposal was June 2, 1995, with notice of the RFP received by the Administration too late for inclusion in the City Commission Meeting Agenda, making it necessary to submit the proposal without prior authorization from the Mayor and City Commission; and WHEREAS, On September 1995, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice selected the City of Miami Beach's Fine Arts Delinquency Prevention Program for funding in the amount of$58,975. NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, as follows: Section I:The City Manager is authorized to appropriate the funds awarded and the disbursing officers of the City are authorized to disburse funds, as established by the terms of the contract. Section II: The City's Bureau of Children's Affairs is charged wit, he responsibility for implementation of this contract and for the preparation and filing of all required contr.or documents. PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 27th day of September, 1995. / i 111111 Mayor ATT ST: FORM APPROVED L GAL EP . • y Clerk ,�Byet�Date /f-• . CITY OF MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA 33139 COMMISSION MEMORANDUM NO. 7 2.5-q S TO: Mayor Seymour Gelber and September 27, 1995 Members of the City Commission DATE: FROM: Jose Garcia-Pedrosa City Manager SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION 0 THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS RECEIVED FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE UNDER THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $58, 975 TO ESTABLISH THE FINE ARTS DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAM TO BE ADMINISTERED BY MIAMI BEACH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL. ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION The Administration recommends adoption of the attached Resolution authorizing and directing the City Manager to appropriate funds received from the Department of Justice under the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Program for establishing a Delinquency Prevention Program in the City of Miami Beach to be administered by Miami Beach Senior High School . BACKGROUND There are currently 8,800 school-aged children in the City of Miami Beach and children represent one of the fastest growing segments of the City's population. These children are at-risk of several detrimental social problems. The dropout rate among junior and high school students in the City is among the highest in the County. Miami Beach Senior High has a 26 .3% dropout rate and Nautilus Middle School has a dropout rate of 11%. These numbers, coupled with the fact that almost 63% of all Miami Beach students are on the Federal free and reduced-fee lunch program, attest to the fragile condition of our children. Statistical data indicates there is a need for health and mental health services for the children of Miami- Beach. A further indication of the precarious state of our children is told in the increasing number of juvenile arrest and gang- related activities. Several local youth gangs have been identified in the City. Police reports indicate significant numbers of calls involving child abuse, domestic violence, and arrests involving children. • AGENDA ITEM C v DATE c -z7-c 5 • Commission Memorandum September 27, 1995 page two The City has designed several recreational and other programs to address the needs of its youth. The programs, however, emphasize sports. Recent studies have established a link between cultural activities and reduced delinquency and increased school productivity. Miami Beach has a vital and unique cultural life and the opportunities offered by such an environment are endless. This program identifies and integrates these resources as part of a delinquency prevention plan. The Bureau of Children' s Affairs, in collaboration with local educators and others, has designed a Fine Arts Delinquency Prevention Plan, which encompasses a comprehensive integration of existing resources, and proposed new initiatives that will address the community' s short and long-term challenges. The creation of a Prevention Policy Board, comprised of a balanced representation of elected local officials and/or their designees, public agencies, private non-profit organizations serving youth and families, for-profit organizations, and private citizens, will serve to provide oversight for the Program' s curriculum, administration, and implementation. The Program represents the result of an examination of the risk factors faced by youth which often lead to youth violence. It seeks to implement innovative solutions that address the specific risk factors that face the City' s youth, and evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program. It was designed to utilize the fine arts to: teach alternative, non-violent means by which to express personal emotions; provide a structured, disciplined environment in which to learn and meet others; master a skill leading to future employment or pursuit of additional instruction; unify the community's influence over the participants; facilitate the participants ' obligation to "give back" to his/her community; make accessible to the participants a field often closed to them because of social/financial handicap; and introduce the concepts of music and drama education to strengthen the academic learning process. Project activities will take place over three years and will result in a diminished incidence in youth delinquency and violence throughout the Miami Beach community. ANALYSIS In April 1995, the Department of Juvenile Justice issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, making $558, 600 available for the purpose of contracting with units of local general government for provision of community-based, comprehensive delinquency prevention strategies based upon delinquency prevention needs assessments. Commission Memorandum September 27, 1995 page three The Bureau of Children' s Affairs responded to the RFP on behalf of Miami Beach Senior High School. The deadline for submission of a proposal was June 2, 1995. Notice of the RFP was received too late for inclusion in the May Commission Agenda. On September 1995, the Administration was notified that its Fine Arts Delinquency Prevention Program was selected for funding under the RFP. CONCLUSION It is the Administration's recommendation that the Commissioners grant the City Manager approval to appropriate the funds awarded under this grant. This funding will allow the Miami Beach Senior to implement an innovative program to prevent delinquency among the City' s children. JGP/MLR/mlr