Miami-Dade County Commission Meeting – September 4, 2024

The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners met on September 4, 2024, at 9:30 AM in Commission Chambers. The meeting began with a special presentation honoring Miami-Dade County's 2024 Olympians, followed by roll call, invocation, and the pledge of allegiance. The board addressed a lengthy agenda including consent items, public hearings, ordinances for first and second reading, and several discussion items. Notable actions included the adoption of a revised mutual aid agreement for law enforcement, a debate over the Homeless Trust's acquisition of a La Quinta property for senior housing, and the deferral of a solid waste design contract.

Consent Calendar

• Routine approvals and unanimous actions on numerous items, including:
  • Sunset review of county boards (Neat Streets Miami, Building Better Communities Citizens' Advisory Committee) – passed 13-0.
  • 2024 Performance Measures Report – accepted 13-0.
  • Mayoral appointments (interim director of Human Resources) – accepted 13-0.
  • Reports on annexation, septic-to-sewer trust fund, aviation fuel study, transit fare adjustments, police youth outreach fund, boating-restricted areas, aviation capital program, leave donations, and legal advertisement publication – all accepted 13-0.
  • 17 resolutions allocating discretionary and in-kind reserve funds from various commission districts – all adopted 13-0.
  • Several resolutions approving street naming (e.g., "Isidor Cohen Road," "Rogelio Veloz Way") – adopted 13-0.
  • Grant applications for trail construction (Snapper Creek Trail, Biscayne Trail segments) – adopted 13-0.
  • Contract awards for water and sewer infrastructure engineering services – adopted 13-0.
  • First reading of ordinances creating special taxing districts for street lighting and maintenance – adopted 13-0.
  • Ordinances amending the Elder Affairs Advisory Board, animal feeding rules at PortMiami, seawall permitting, and the 30x30 Vision Council – adopted on first reading 13-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Marion Brown (Northwest section resident) expressed concerns about the community being left behind and facing eminent domain, stating that money allocated for community revitalization has not reached the area. He also noted working with someone on homelessness issues.
• Scott Polowitz (Friends of Biscayne Bay) urged the board to support the recommendations from item 2B8, specifically funding for additional marine patrol and updated signage on Biscayne Bay, citing safety risks to wildlife and watercraft users.
• A representative from the Miami-Dade Association of Chiefs of Police thanked the board for keeping the current mutual aid agreement intact and appreciated continued negotiations on remaining issues.

Discussion Items

• Item 2B8 – Report on boating-restricted areas: Commissioner Steinberg added the item to the poll list and later released it, noting that additional avenues to make waters safe are being explored.
• Item 6B1 – Status of La Quinta acquisition by the Homeless Trust: The item was pulled for discussion. Commissioner Higgins moved to suspend rules to bring a contract for sale and purchase of the La Quinta property (10821 Caribbean Boulevard, Cutler Bay) to the September 17, 2024 meeting. The motion followed extensive debate over the property's appraised value ($9.8 million average) vs. the purchase price ($14 million), concerns about the Homeless Trust's audit compliance, and the need for senior housing. The board heard from the Homeless Trust's director, Ron Book, who outlined concessions made to the town of Cutler Bay and mall developer (e.g., senior-only occupancy, no needle exchange, on-site management, crime cameras). The town's council representative stated they stood in opposition. Commissioner McGhee noted that the town does not speak for all of Cutler Bay, as District 9 includes part of the town. The motion to suspend rules passed.
• Item 11A2 – Mutual aid policy for pre-planned major events: Chairman Gilbert moved to amend the resolution to remove the indemnification requirement and revise approval procedures. The resolution established that the county will not consider mutual aid requests for pre-planned voluntary major events without reimbursement of personnel costs, and that a separate agreement/MOU must be presented to the board (and after sheriff election, to the elected sheriff with notice to the district commissioner). Commissioner Steinberg, Regalado, Garcia, and Cabrera voted no. The item passed as amended.
• Item 8M1 – Solid waste design contract: Commissioner Bermudez pulled the item to note a fourth potential site for the resource recovery facility. Commissioner McGhee requested a deferral to allow more time to discuss bus stop accommodations for employees. The item was deferred to the next BCC meeting with authorization to send to committee.
• Item 8O3 – Water treatment plant design contracts: Commissioner Garcia questioned the $16.5 million value of contracts for three firms. Director Coley explained they cover design work for aging plant assets. The item passed 12-1, with Commissioner McGhee voting no.
• Item 8P1 – Electronic monitoring contract: Commissioner Cabrera offered an amendment to limit the term to September 30, 2025, to align with a pilot program. The amendment was adopted, and the item passed.
• Item 11A4 – Homebuyer down payment assistance program: Commissioner Regalado suggested amending the study to consider allowing income-producing properties (ADUs, duplexes, etc.) as eligible, mirroring recent FHA changes. The item was adopted as amended.
• Item 11A6 – Hydration station grant program: Commissioner Steinberg proposed adding a directive to pursue grant funding. The item was adopted as amended.
• Item 11A7 – Tax incentive for customer service training: Commissioner Regalado added a friendly amendment to include neurodiversity training. The resolution passed, with Commissioner Higgins voting no.

Key Outcomes

• Mutual aid policy (11A2): Adopted as amended (13-0? Actually recorded as 4 nays, so 9-4? The transcript says "the record reflecting Regalado, Steinberg, Garcia, and Cabrera as nays" – so 9-4. The motion passed.)
• La Quinta acquisition (6B1): Motion to suspend rules and bring the contract to the September 17,2024 meeting passed (voice vote, apparent majority; no tally given but passed).
• Solid waste design contract (8M1): Deferred to next BCC meeting.
• Water treatment plant contracts (8O3): Adopted 12-1 (McGhee no).
• Electronic monitoring contract (8P1): Adopted as amended.
• Homebuyer down payment assistance program (11A4): Adopted as amended, directing the mayor to report on homebuyer options including income-producing properties.
• Hydration station grant program (11A6): Adopted as amended, including a directive to seek grant funding.
• Customer service training tax incentive (11A7): Adopted as amended, with one no (Higgins).
• First reading ordinances: All passed 13-0 (items 4A, 4C-4I, 14A1, 14A2).
• Second reading ordinances: 7A (taxi dress code) passed 12-1 (Garcia and McGhee initially no, McGhee switched to yes, final 12-1); 7B (aviation capital reporting) passed 13-0; 7D (municipal circulator data integration) passed 13-0; 7E (stormwater management) passed as amended 13-0; 7C (rapid transit zone expansion) deferred to next meeting.
• Public hearings: All items except 5K, 5M, 5N (which passed 12-1 with Senator Garcia voting no) passed 13-0.
• Appointments: Multiple advisory board appointments approved (e.g., Rosha Camus to Northwest 7th Avenue CRA, Maria de Leon Flaytes to Biscayne Bay Shoreline Review Committee, Alex J. Duran to Parks Advisory Committee, etc.)
• Urgent item: Commissioner Steinberg's motion to oppose development at Oleta River State Park and focus on natural resource revitalization passed unanimously.
• Legislative approval extension: Unanimously approved to extend the approval period for pending legislative requests.