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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Miami-Dade Aviation and Seaport Committee Meeting – July 13, 2026

BCC Committee Meetings — Monday, July 13, 2026

BodyMiami Dade County, Florida

SessionBCC Committee Meetings

DateMonday, July 13, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 50:36

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:12

Again, good afternoon, everyone quiet in the chambers.

0:19

Please close the doors to the chambers, and everyone, please take a seat unless you're a sworn officer.

0:25

Please find a seat in our chambers.

0:28

To the clerk, please call the roll again.

0:30

Please close the door to the chambers.

0:35

Commissioner Gilbert.

0:38

Commissioner Hardeman.

0:40

Commissioner Milian Orbis.

0:42

Vice Chairman Gonzalez.

0:44

Chairwoman Cohen Higgins.

0:47

Good morning, I'm present.

0:48

Four members present, we have a quorum.

0:52

Everyone, please have your seat again.

0:53

We are about to commence our aviation and seaport committee.

0:56

We are going to be led by prayer by Commissioner Gonzalez, followed by Pledge of Allegiance led by Commissioner Orbis.

1:03

Dear Lord, thank you for this wonderful day you've given us.

1:06

Please bless each and every one of us here today, all the people that have come to give public testimony, all of the commissioners and committee persons.

1:15

Please guide our decisions today.

1:19

Let your will be done for the betterment of Miami Dade County.

1:22

Let your will always be done, and let all glory be yours in your holy name we pray.

1:26

Amen.

1:35

One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice.

1:54

At this time, I'll ask my colleagues to join us in the well.

1:57

The mayor has a presentation.

1:59

Mayor, would you like for us to join you in the well for the presentation?

2:01

She's indicating gas.

2:02

Okay.

2:03

Please join us in the well as the mayor presents certificates on behalf of her flight forward team.

2:30

All right.

2:34

Wow.

2:35

What a great group of people to celebrate something really noteworthy that has happened in the last couple of months.

2:44

So as the wonderful commissioners join us here.

2:55

My ears giving presentations.

2:57

Oh, we go ahead.

2:59

All right.

3:00

Well, thank you to our chairwoman of the committee, Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, for allowing us this opportunity to call together a group of individuals who rose to the occasion and helped us transform our beautiful Miami International Airport in the nick of time for World Cup.

3:24

Am I right?

3:26

And if you have not seen it, especially at night, I'm especially partial to the lighting.

3:35

Go down there into the central plaza, bring a little snack.

3:39

Yeah, it's right.

3:46

Come on up.

3:47

Is um Deputy Mayor Coley, please come down and join us.

3:51

Yes.

3:52

Actually, all chiefs.

3:53

Come on down, Chief Arnold Palmer as well.

3:56

We can all share in this.

3:57

So in January, I launched the Forward Flight Initiative.

4:02

It was a partnership of 14 community organizations.

4:06

They were tasked with elevating customer satisfaction before the World Cup and beyond.

4:12

We wanted to look at not just preparing for major global events, which we do by the way, all the time.

4:19

And as Director Coutier told me, World Cup is about the equivalent of a Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

4:28

Even less when you put it all together.

4:30

So we know how to put on big shows at the airport.

4:33

But of course, the world was watching.

4:57

Now up to 14 billion dollars in infrastructure investments at the airport.

5:03

Really unprecedented and really very necessary.

5:07

And all of that is great, but it takes time.

5:10

Major major investments of that sort take time.

5:14

And so the cosmetic, the iconic, the beautiful are also important.

5:20

And some of those things can be done more quickly.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Aviation And Seaport██████████████████████████26%

Procedural███████████████████████23%

Economic Development█████████████████████21%

Public Engagement████████8%

Transportation Safety███████7%

Technology and Innovation██████6%

Workforce Development█████5%

Engineering And Infrastructure████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Miami-Dade Aviation and Seaport Committee Meeting – July 13, 2026

The Miami-Dade Aviation and Seaport Committee met on July 13, 2026, in Commission Chambers. The meeting included a special presentation on the Forward Flight Initiative, a public hearing, committee discussion on an airport labor issue, and budget overviews from Miami International Airport, PortMiami, and the Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust. All agenda items were forwarded to the full Board of County Commissioners (BCC) with favorable recommendations, except item 3F which was deferred to no date certain.

Special Presentation – Mayor’s Forward Flight Final Progress Report

Mayor presented certificates of appreciation to 14 community partners and staff for the Forward Flight Initiative, a partnership launched in January 2026 to elevate customer satisfaction at Miami International Airport before the World Cup. Key achievements included: 95% operational conveyances (national best practice), full reopening of the third-level skywalk to the Miami Intermodal Center, 40+ language holograms, three new children’s play areas, and beautification of the central terminal curbside. The Mayor highlighted that MIA now leads the nation in biometrie entry technology and has one of the shortest TSA wait times.

Public Hearing – Item 1G1: Ambassador Cab Program Ordinance

The committee held a public hearing on an ordinance amending sections 31-83 and 31-304 of the County Code, revising provisions for temporary and permanent removal of chauffeurs from the Ambassador Cab Program and re-eligibility conditions. Two members of the public spoke:
- Eric Hector Braswell (11979 SW 92nd Lane, Miami) urged the commission to ask Congress to reduce tariffs imposed in 2025, stating they cause economic harm to citizens and public agencies. (His remarks were not directly on the agenda item but were allowed under public comment.)
- Akhtar Kamal (1940 NW 1st Court, Miami) spoke against the ambassador program, arguing that after the arrival of TNCs (Uber/Lyft), taxi drivers cannot make a living if removed from MIA or PortMiami. He stated that drivers who file complaints are targeted with citations, citing a May 22, 2026, incident where he was cited for a dress code violation due to an enlarged hernia.
Vote: The committee recommended approval to the BCC with a 5-0 vote.

Discussion Items

AGI Airport Worker Termination Case

Commissioner Gilbert and Chairwoman Cohen Higgins requested and received an update from the Aviation Director regarding an earlier complaint about AGI (a bag-handling company operating under permits at MIA). The director stated he personally contacted AGI, shared concerns, and met with SEIU. AGI responded with a 10-page letter and filed a lawsuit against SEIU on Saturday, July 11. SEIU representative Elaine testified that AGI terminated employee Pedro Frometa after he requested time off to care for his wife diagnosed with cancer and after he asked for OSHA logs. She presented call logs and bank records showing he worked until his wife’s hospitalization. Commissioner Gilbert expressed offense at the firing and asked about debarment procedures. The County Attorney noted AGI operates under permits, not contracts, which may provide flexibility for action; the committee directed further review.

Budget Presentations

Miami International Airport (Ralph Cutié, Director): Reported four consecutive years of over 50 million passengers, with 55.3 million in 2025. Cargo reached a record ~3.5 million tons (13.6% increase). MIA is now #1 in total freight in the U.S., #1 in international freight, and #2 in total cargo including mail. Economic impact: $212.1 billion and 950,000 jobs annually (Florida’s #1 economic engine). Bond ratings are A+/AA- with positive outlook. $14 billion capital program underway; $2 billion spent to date. Key issue: 240-acre land shortage for facilities. Projected 77 million passengers by 2040.
PortMiami (Director): Reported a record 8.564 million cruise passengers in the prior year. Economic impact: 340,000 direct and indirect jobs and $61 billion annually. The port is a proprietary fund (no property tax revenue). Key challenges: investments in cranes, bulkhead replacements, and fuel supply control. An additional bond issuance will be brought to the BCC.
Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust (Director Diggs): Focuses on economic development, youth services, housing, and research/policy. Provided 500 firms with grants via 14 workshops; emergency construction program for dilapidated houses; down payment assistance; and a feasibility study for a satellite college. Technology upgrades reduced loan processing from 90 to 30 days. 85% of grants target underserved communities. Budget is less than 8% of general fund dollars.

Key Outcomes

Item 1G1 (Ordinance, Ambassador Cab Program): Forwarded to BCC with favorable recommendation (5-0).
Item 3F (Airball Sports II, LLC lease/concession): Deferred to no date certain (5-0).
Item 3G (Concourse K concession program at MIA): Advanced to the July 21, 2026 BCC calendar per Chairwoman’s request.
All other resolutions (Items 3A–3E, 3H–3J, as well as items 1A–1E, 6A, 7A) were forwarded to the BCC with favorable recommendations (5-0).
The committee received the Forward Flight progress report and the Clerk’s Summary of Minutes for May 11 and June 8, 2026 meetings (approved 5-0).
The committee directed the Aviation Department and County Attorney to explore possible actions against AGI for the termination of Pedro Frometa.

Meeting Transcript

Again, good afternoon, everyone quiet in the chambers. Please close the doors to the chambers, and everyone, please take a seat unless you're a sworn officer. Please find a seat in our chambers. To the clerk, please call the roll again. Please close the door to the chambers. Commissioner Gilbert. Commissioner Hardeman. Commissioner Milian Orbis. Vice Chairman Gonzalez. Chairwoman Cohen Higgins. Good morning, I'm present. Four members present, we have a quorum. Everyone, please have your seat again. We are about to commence our aviation and seaport committee. We are going to be led by prayer by Commissioner Gonzalez, followed by Pledge of Allegiance led by Commissioner Orbis. Dear Lord, thank you for this wonderful day you've given us. Please bless each and every one of us here today, all the people that have come to give public testimony, all of the commissioners and committee persons. Please guide our decisions today. Let your will be done for the betterment of Miami Dade County. Let your will always be done, and let all glory be yours in your holy name we pray. Amen. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice. At this time, I'll ask my colleagues to join us in the well. The mayor has a presentation. Mayor, would you like for us to join you in the well for the presentation? She's indicating gas. Okay. Please join us in the well as the mayor presents certificates on behalf of her flight forward team. All right. Wow. What a great group of people to celebrate something really noteworthy that has happened in the last couple of months. So as the wonderful commissioners join us here. My ears giving presentations. Oh, we go ahead. All right. Well, thank you to our chairwoman of the committee, Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, for allowing us this opportunity to call together a group of individuals who rose to the occasion and helped us transform our beautiful Miami International Airport in the nick of time for World Cup. Am I right? And if you have not seen it, especially at night, I'm especially partial to the lighting. Go down there into the central plaza, bring a little snack. Yeah, it's right. Come on up. Is um Deputy Mayor Coley, please come down and join us. Yes. Actually, all chiefs. Come on down, Chief Arnold Palmer as well. We can all share in this. So in January, I launched the Forward Flight Initiative. It was a partnership of 14 community organizations. They were tasked with elevating customer satisfaction before the World Cup and beyond. We wanted to look at not just preparing for major global events, which we do by the way, all the time.

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