Miami Beach City Commission Inauguration Meeting - December 15, 2025
Miami Beach City Commission Inauguration Meeting - December 15, 2025
The Miami Beach City Commission held a special inauguration meeting on December 15, 2025 to certify the results of the December 9 runoff election, swear in newly elected and re-elected commissioners, and elect the vice mayor. The ceremony included invocations, patriotic music, and remarks from each official.
Opening Ceremony & Invocations
- Yehuda Miller performed "God Bless America."
- Rabbi Kalman Bauman delivered an invocation on the first day of Hanukkah, emphasizing moral clarity and values-driven leadership.
- Father Alberto Cutie offered a prayer denouncing anti-Semitism and calling for unity. He also shared a personal story about Commissioner Alex Fernandez's early community service.
Consent Calendar
- The commission unanimously adopted R7A, certifying the results of the December 9, 2025 runoff election and declaring Monica Mateo Salinas as the newly elected City Commissioner for Group 1.
- The commission unanimously approved R7C, electing Commissioner Monica Mateo Salinas as Vice Mayor for a term beginning on December 15, 2025 and ending on March 31, 2026.
Oaths of Office and Remarks
- Mayor Stephen J. Minor took the oath administered by his mother Dorothy Weiss. In his remarks, he emphasized public safety, law and order, economic growth, water taxis, and good governance. He spoke against divisive politics and anti-Semitism, vowing to defend all residents. He thanked his family, campaign team, and city staff.
- Commissioner Laura Dominguez (Group 2) took the oath administered by her brother George. She highlighted resident-first governance, public safety, flood mitigation, and education. She dedicated her service to the late Commissioner Mark Samuelian and thanked supporters.
- Commissioner Alex Fernandez took the oath administered by former County Commissioner Rebecca Sosa, with Rabbi Donald Bixon administering the civility oath. He recounted accomplishments from his first term, including infrastructure projects, historic preservation, tenant protections, and the "Text Before Tow" program. He shared a personal story about Dr. Ibe and a mammogram event, and emphasized unity and compassion in public service.
- Commissioner Monica Mateo Salinas (Group 1) took the oath administered by her mother Heidi Irig and her sons. She described her campaign as an underdog, stressing the importance of connecting with neighbors and earning trust across differences. She thanked a broad coalition of supporters and pledged to represent all residents with dignity and respect.
Key Outcomes
- Stephen J. Minor sworn in as Mayor.
- Laura Dominguez sworn in as Commissioner for Group 2.
- Alex Fernandez sworn in as Commissioner.
- Monica Mateo Salinas sworn in as Commissioner for Group 1 and elected Vice Mayor for a term through March 31, 2026.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. Good morning, everyone. Good morning. Good morning. If we can start making our seats, please. If we can clear the aisles and start taking a seat, please. There's some seats upstairs. Good morning. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. The meeting is about to begin. Again, please take your seats. This meeting is being recorded. There are seats upstairs. Please take your seats. The meeting is about to begin. Remember to speak into the microphone as this meeting is being recorded for public record. Please stand by. We are going on air in five. Four, three, two, one. Good morning, everyone. Good morning, everyone. This is a special day. This is a special day for Miami Beach. It's certainly a special day for all of us up here, our family and friends, but literally every resident of my beach, every business, every visitor. This is democracy at work. We're finished with the campaign, thankfully. And we can get down to the people's work. But we're going to have a beautiful presentation today, inauguration. Thank you for all my colleagues, but I do want to give a special congratulations to all of us who were elected and re elected. Congratulations, Monica Mateus Salinas for. We're very fortunate to have an incredible staff, city management, and uh I often highlight our police department, our fire department, and obviously our city manager, but that is not in any way to uh deflect the amazing work done by all of our departments. Uh so thank you all. Now I'm going to ask Yehuda Miller to lead us with God Bless America. God bless America. Stand beside her and guide her through the night with the lights from above, from the mountains to the prairies, to the oceans, white with God bless America. My home sweet bless. Right. March. Left. Thank you. Thank you, Yehuda, for that rendition of God Bless America. I could literally listen to you sing all day long. We're going to start off with uh two special invocations, inspirational messages that help guide us as we govern. I'm going to ask Rabbi Kalman Bauman, a Miami Beach resident, principal of Yeshiva Taras Chaim, Tarsa MS Clerman Elementary School, and uh a mentor as well. Good morning. Honorable mayor, commissioners, and fellow citizens of Miami Beach. It is a special privilege to partake in this auspicious occasion as our city looks forward to the upcoming terms of service for our newly elected and re-elected representatives. The promises and optimistic forecasts have created a feeling of hope and confidence that the accomplishments of the past several years will continue and be strengthened in the months and years to come. Enduring change and improvement does not come through gimmicks and quick fixes by opportunists. True change comes about through the leadership of seasoned and mature individuals who possess the knowledge and resources to bring their wisdom to bear on the vexing challenges of the day.
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