Miami-Dade Aviation and Seaport Committee Meeting – April 13, 2026
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Miami-Dade Aviation and Seaport Committee Meeting – April 13, 2026
The Miami-Dade Aviation and Seaport Committee met on Monday, April 13, 2026, at 10:30 AM in Commission Chambers. The committee considered several lease amendments, contracts, and reports related to the Aviation Department and PortMiami. The meeting included public comments on airport parking system issues and port security, and all agenda items were approved on consent with a 5-0 vote.
Consent Calendar
- Item 3A Substitute (Resolution 260614): Approved the Third Amendment to Phase VI Lease Agreement with Foundry Meek VI, LLC, adding 103,659 square feet of land and extending the development period until the earlier of 37 months after the effective date or completion of improvements (minimum 18,000 sf hangar, taxiway, parking). Estimated $22,890,000 in rent over the term. Forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) with a favorable recommendation. (Original Item 3A, Resolution 252290, was withdrawn.)
- Item 3B (Resolution 260505): Approved a contract with EXP U.S. Services Inc. for mechanical and electrical upgrades at MIA’s Lower E and E-Satellite, maximum amount $13,530,664 for six years. Forwarded to BCC with favorable recommendation.
- Item 3C (Resolution 251361): Approved award of contract EVN0000351 to Facts Marketing, LLC for retail concessions marketing services at MIA, amount $10,000,000 for five years. Forwarded to BCC with favorable recommendation.
- Item 3D (Resolution 260590): Approved five Memoranda of Agreement with U.S. Customs and Border Protection for reimbursement of communications and IT equipment costs at PortMiami terminals (B, C, D/E, J, Shed E), one-time not to exceed $1,756,912.49, annual recurring $134,953.49, and upgrade costs averaging $50,000/year. Forwarded to BCC with favorable recommendation.
- Item 7A (Report 260337): Received the first quarterly report on direct air service between MIA and Singapore, Tokyo, Riyadh, and Asuncion (Directive No. 252061).
- Item 7B (Report 260488): Received the Miami-Dade Aviation Department Capital Program Report – April 2026.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Eric H. Braswell (11979 SW 92nd Lane, Miami), a 33-year veteran of security enforcement, urged the committee to implement mutual aid proposals for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach seaports, including free diesel fuel for truck drivers and monthly live training instead of quarterly. He also recommended hiring consultants from ATF/FBI for counterterrorism and crime suppression. Expressed urgency to avoid recession and higher crime rates.
- Bill Perry (2908 NW 60th Street, Miami), representing a parking management contractor, expressed gratitude for past support but raised severe concerns about the parking access revenue control system at MIA. He stated that a Herald report claiming 95% functionality was a “misstatement of fact,” estimating actual functionality at 70–75%. He noted a system meltdown on February 9, 2026, and stated the system is still in “meltdown phase,” calling it an emergency and a customer service decline. He referenced prior meetings in 2021 and 2023 chaired by Commissioner Hardemon regarding the same issue.
- Brett Winslow (5050 Westway Parkway, Houston, TX), Managing Director for the parking system vendor, stated that an incident occurred on February 9, 2026, and an interim solution was implemented within four to five days, restoring system to full competency prior to that date. He confirmed ongoing data aggregation and partnership with the airport and operator to address future issues, including integrating Sun Pass as a credential.
Discussion Items
- No separate discussion items were raised; all items moved on consent without debate.
Key Outcomes
- Votes: All items were approved on consent with a 5–0 vote (Commissioners Cohen Higgins, Gonzalez, Gilbert, Hardemon, and Orbis present). Original Item 3A (252290) was withdrawn.
- Reports Received: The committee received the quarterly air service report and the Aviation Capital Program report.
- Next Steps: Items 3A Substitute, 3B, 3C, and 3D were forwarded to the full Board of County Commissioners for final approval. The committee took no action on the public comments regarding parking system and port security.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. If we can close the door to the chambers, please and have everyone take their seats. Our airport aviation and seaport committee is about to commence. We welcome everybody this Monday morning. If we could close the doors to the chamber, I greatly appreciate it. Uh, Commissioner Gilbert, please lead us in a prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Commissioner Orbis. Please rise for invocation. Bow your heads. Sorry, close that door. Thank you. God, our fathers today on this day we've never seen before and will never see again. We come first just saying thank you. Thank you for another opportunity to do your will on this planet. We pray that you give us wisdom to make good decisions, deliberative powers of Solomon. We pray that you would give us the ability to embrace the needs of community and fulfill those needs with your resources. Amen. Please share your name and your address. This is the reasonable opportunity for the public to be heard. Please make your way to the dais. I mean to the podium. Okay. Umbros well. Oh, here we go. Umbraswell, Eric H. Braswell, 11979, Southwest 92nd Lane, zip code 33186. Miami standing before you is a 33-year veteran of security enforcement division from 79 to 2012. I uh brought some uh mutual aid proposals. I presented to Commissioner Higgins' office two or three times, and in order to meet the uh challenge of a higher than normal tariff triggering high unemployment and a high crime rate. I had a meeting in March 26th with the deputy port director, a MDSO uh captain and chief of security. They mentioned they only have training, live training every three months. I mentioned that day, March 26th, that training should be done every month. Uh whether we have a foreign adversary problem or not. Also, I laid out a list of port directors I spoke with about the mutual aid packs, including uh Mike Meekins upon Beach and uh a lady named Charlton or Port Everglades. Um, to see that they get together and start acting upon the mutual aid packs, particularly providing free diesel fuel for the truck drivers who do business and Miami Day, Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami Dade, River and Seaports. Hmm. Not bad. 36 seconds. So anyway, it's urgent that this should be done, or else uh we're gonna have a pretty uh serious recession and a higher crime rate. Also that they should hire um consultants from the uh ranks of the ATF and FBI to provide uh crime suppression advice and training and acts of terrorism, counterterrorism. Any questions, comments? Thank you, Mr. Broswell. Thank you so much. Any other public speakers for opportunity, but you at least you get the copy of the other ports for the clerk's office. We're in we are in receipt. Neat. And thank you again for your service to our country, Mr. Right. Good morning, Mr. Perry.
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