The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners convened on March 5, 2024, at 9:30 AM in Commission Chambers. The meeting began with special presentations, including a performance by Piano Slam, and announcements recognizing International Women's Month, National Social Workers Month, and the crisis in Haiti. The board addressed a full agenda of consent items, first-reading ordinances, public hearings, second-reading ordinances, and departmental resolutions. Key debates centered on airport zoning changes, county facility development in incorporated areas, procurement processes, and mutual aid agreements with municipalities.
We're chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, and this is the public presentations portion of our agenda today. During this time, we we often give awards, recognition. This morning we're actually featuring uh some some local talent from the piano slam. Piano slam is an event that'll be happening here, I guess, in in a in a month or so. We'll be hearing more about it because it's an extraordinary, it's extraordinary undertaking that actually engages kids around poetry and music. And so I'm going to good morning, Commissioner. I'm going to turn it over to uh our wonderful pianist. The piece is called Horizons. That was that was absolutely wonderful, amazing. And that was original composition uh horizons. Um, Madam Mayor. So the the mayor and I are actually hosting Piano Slam together. And so when she's finished taking this picture right here, she's gonna come and greet folks. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair, for bringing so much life and light and culture to our commission. And not only here, but we had spoken word downstairs in the lot in the lobby. That was amazing. And uh, of course, we have the best arts and culture program anywhere in the whole United States. And Piano Slam is one of our very fine nonprofit organizations that we partner with, and as county commissioner, I had the great pleasure to support the organization as well in my district, and of course, countywide, we're so proud. How about that? And right here we have a young, aspiring and already successful uh musician represented uh through their work with Piano Slam. So a uh fellow at the Arsh Center. Did you know we have fellows at the Arch Center? I did not know that. All right. All kinds of wonderful surprises here in uh Miami Dade County. So Piano Slam is an organization that doesn't just find talent, it actually creates talent. He sings, he plays, I know he dances. Lots of talent. So it helps everybody to discover their talent and then grow their talent. So it's just a beautiful program. Uh it it goes into places where people would not otherwise have access to this kind of training and uh opportunity to perform. And it's not just about the performance, it's about discovery, discovery of their own personhood, their uh joys, their aspirations, and helps people to really uh connect in a way that is very, very meaningful across our community. So thank you so much again to the chair for bringing Piano Slam to the people and music to the people. Yeah, and so today is a great day to celebrate Miami Dade County's diverse and dynamic culture. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Madam Mayor. That was the last presentation we have, but we have an announcement by Commissioner Bastion. Commissioner Bashin, you recognize you want to do it now or not. Okay, go ahead. We have a chair who sings, who plays the piano, who dance, we have a mayor who sings and dances too when she has to. So it is a pleasure for us to have Carlin here and our young leaders, and congratulations, by the way. So today, as you know, this month is International Women's Month. Yes. Yes. So I joined my voice with that of the mayor, the board chair, and the Board of County Commissioners to wish every woman. In Miami Dead County, in the community, those who have you know remained in the struggle for equity for generations and those who broke barriers and shredded the path for us. And then when we talk about bury woodbreakers, we have our own mayor here.