Letter from Mayra Buttacavoli
1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139
http:\\ci.miami-beach.fI.us
.'
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Telephone (305) 673.7010
Facsimile (305) 673.7782
May 21, 2001
Ms. Lydia Harrison, Co-President
Board of Directors of Bass Museum
2525 S.W. 3 Avenue
Miami, FL 33129
Mr. Peter Houghton, Co-President
Board of Directors of Bass Museum
6250 S.W. 104 Street
Pinecrest, FL 33156
Re: ~ss M,useum of A~ues
DearMS~ and Mr.p-
We have some pending issues needing resolution by the Friends' of the Bass Museum (Friends').
Specifically, the Pledge Agreement between the City of Miami Beach and the Friends'. This
Agreement was done by the Administration with the participation of Mr. Burt Harrison, Attorney
for the Friends'. Mr. Harrison as well as Ms. Camber represented to the Administration that this
Agreement was acceptable to the Friends'. In turn, the City Administration in good faith presented
this Agreement for approval by the City Commission in November 2000. To date, this Agreement
has not been executed. We are now being informed that the Friends' were never presented with this
Agreement for their approval and that one of the members of the Board of the Friends' is requesting
additional changes to the Agreement. The changes being requested are not acceptable by the City
Administration and the City Attorney's Office. Therefore, as discussed with Mr. Harrison on April
9, 2001, we are requesting that this Agreement be presented to the Friends' for approval and
execution.
Also pending is the transfer of the cash on-hand of donations raised by the Friends'. This cash
together with the pledges represent the financial commitment of the Friends' to the Bass Museum
of Art Expansion and Renovation Project.
The Friends' also requested to operate the Bass Museum Cafe. The City Commission approved this
request and a Lease was drafted by the City and sent to the Friends' for execution. To date, this
Lease Agreement has not been executed. Further, we have been told that their still is no operator for
this Cafe. The City has repeatedly requested for the Cafe to be in full operation at the opening of
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This past week we all enjoyed the opening of the Museum. This represents a great accomplishment
for all. I request these pending issues be resolved so that we can continue with the work of the Bass.
Sincerely,
~
Mayra Diaz Buttacavoli
Assistant City Manager
MDB:lcd
c: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
Murray Dubbin, City Attorney
Raul Aguila, First Assistant City Attorney
Diane Camber, Bass Director
Bass Museum of Art Trustees
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