OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Miami-Dade County Commission Meeting - March 18, 2025

Board of County Commissioners — Tuesday, March 18, 2025
BodyMiami Dade County, Florida
SessionBoard of County Commissioners
DateTuesday, March 18, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

Made an impact in others' lives uh and has really gone above and beyond uh to to make something so dark and so negative into something bright and positive.

0:10

Uh so as a chairman it's my it's my honor to present uh the vice chair to go ahead and give this award out.

0:17

Thank you, Mr.

0:18

Chairman.

0:18

Thank you, Mr.

0:19

Chairman.

0:19

Let's give Mr.

0:20

Chairman a round of applause.

0:21

Good morning, everybody.

0:23

Um first of all, let me just say to each and every last one of you, thank you for showing up so early to be here to take part in this award.

0:31

Secondly, let me say this is one of those awards that many of us we we reluctantly nominate someone because unfortunately tied to this type of award, there is a traumatic experience that set is second to none.

0:42

Thirdly, let me just say to my dear friend, if she can come up, uh Mother Tracy Brown, uh, the founder of families against uh violence and families affected by violence to come up.

0:56

We have decided to nominate Tracy Brown, Mother Tracy Brown for this particular award.

1:02

Son was killed at the age of 23.

1:06

Uh Lewis was a young man with four children doing great things for the community.

1:10

He's one of those persons that you, if you needed anything done or anything to push forth an agenda that would benefit the community overall, you can always count on Lewis.

1:20

Since then, Tracy has gone on to do great things for our community.

1:24

She has led uh movements as it relates to feeding the homeless, uh housing the homeless, but more than anything, mentoring those young kids who have been affected by the criminal justice system.

1:34

So today it is our honor and our privilege of having the ability and the strength and the love and the respect and the caring to give and nominate uh our dear friend, our mother, uh Tracy Brown, for the Volomina Award this morning.

1:49

Let's give her a round of applause.

1:58

Thank you so much, Mr.

2:00

Chairman, for making sure that more people know about the extraordinary courage, perseverance, and leadership of Ms.

2:09

Brown.

2:10

And I just want to say, in addition to all of the words from our vice chairman, who I know knows you very well.

2:16

I've had the pleasure to get to know you in the streets, in the churches, wherever, and that's what is so important to me is that you give others courage.

2:27

You stand proud and and strong in your grief, making something good for others and letting people know that you're there for them in their time of grief, and that difference is huge.

2:39

We thank you.

2:40

We give special honor to you through this award.

2:44

You epitomize the Veloma Award.

2:46

Thank you so much, ma'am.

2:50

I just said thank you for your service and thank you for your courage.

2:52

And and it's good to know that um we have our mayor who's in the streets.

2:55

Yes.

2:56

Yeah, she says she's in the streets, and so I appreciate that.

2:58

Yeah, she's in the streets.

2:59

So it's the streets.

3:00

So it's important that you you you continue to do what you're doing because sometimes we we listen to that old song, they fall down.

3:08

The second hymn of that is we got up.

3:12

You got up, and you're standing for folks.

3:14

So thank you very much.

3:18

Yeah, I just wanted to echo the words and the sentiments of my colleagues and our mayor, and thank you for your service to South Date.

3:24

Thank you for turning your pain into purpose.

3:27

Um, when the unimaginable unimaginable takes place that no parent ever wishes on their worst enemy, where you are struggling to put one foot in front of the other and wake up in the morning and figure out what to do with your day, enduring such pain.

3:43

You took that and turned it into incredible purpose and doing for others.

3:48

That is extraordinarily difficult to do, and I commend you.

3:51

And I thank our vice chairman for bringing the Veloma Award, recognizing you for your work in South Date and all of Miami Dade County.

3:58

So today we honor you and we honor your son.

4:00

Thank you so much.

4:05

Yes.

4:08

Good morning, everyone.

4:10

I would just like to say that in the midst of all my work that I be doing.

4:15

You know, you never know who's watching.

4:19

That you're still, you know, out there putting boots to the ground, doing what you need to do, and not thinking about, you know, no one else won anything from you.

4:28

You just want to keep giving and giving and giving.

4:31

And I I'm just so grateful that you know I was the one this time and I wasn't forgotten.

4:40

Thank you.

4:44

Thank you, Ms.

4:45

Brown.

4:46

Thank you so much for all the work you're doing.

4:48

And with that, it is my honor as a chairman of this board to join Vice Chairman Keone McGee in presenting this Velomo Award against to against natural order to Gwendolyn Tracy Brown.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural██████████████████18%
Community Engagement██████████████14%
Taxation█████████9%
Economic Development█████████9%
Public Transportation███████7%
Public Engagement██████6%
Historical Remembrance██████6%
Healthcare████4%
Trail Development████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Miami-Dade County Commission Meeting - March 18, 2025

The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners convened on March 18, 2025, at 9:30 AM in the Commission Chambers. The meeting featured special presentations, citizen comments, multiple public hearings, and votes on resolutions and ordinances covering transportation, housing, public health, and community development.

Special Presentations

  • Vilomah Award: Presented to Gwendolyn Tracy Brown (nominated by Vice Chairman Kionne L. McGhee) for her work with families affected by violence. She turned personal tragedy into community advocacy, including feeding the homeless, housing, and mentoring youth.
  • CITT Ambassador of the Year: Alex Montalvo was recognized as the 2024 CITT Ambassador of the Year, having earned 79,650 points through transit ride surveys. The program now has over 200 ambassadors covering most of the Better Bus Network, Metrorail, and Metromover.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Sharon Frazier (initially signed up on a withdrawn item) was allowed to speak on replacement item 14A1.
  • Kenneth Brown expressed concern over public housing destruction in the Black community and lack of commissioner visibility.
  • Debbie Wanikoff urged support for hands-free driving legislation (item related to Commissioner Regalado) after her son was killed by a distracted driver.
  • Miriam Ramos, Joshua Padron, Dax Bello, and Giselle Gutierrez spoke in favor of naming the Miami-Dade Justice Center after Osvaldo N. Soto (Item 14A5), citing his civil rights work and legal legacy. Nearly 400 attorneys, judges, and community leaders signed a letter of support.
  • Jean Stearns praised the new courthouse as "spectacular" and urged naming it after Soto.
  • Tax Collector Dario Fernandez supported Item 14A4, which creates penalties for unauthorized sale of public service appointments.
  • Community members (Terea Smith Lewis, Kenneth Kilpatrick, Broadus Hardwood, et al.) spoke in favor of Item 14A1, the hip-hop street co-designations on NW 18th Avenue, calling it economic development and cultural recognition.

Discussion Items

  • 14A1 - Hip-Hop Street Co-Designations: Commissioner Hardeman sponsored a resolution to co-designate roads between NW 18th and 19th Avenues with lyrics from Miami hip-hop songs. After debate, an amendment removed "Grind With Me Terrace" due to connotation concerns. Supporters argued it would drive tourism and economic revitalization, similar to Calle Ocho. Passed 12-0 (with one no vote).
  • 8N2, 8N3, 10A1 - CITT Five-Year Plan & Transit Projects: Discussion centered on the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) rejecting projects deemed legal by county attorneys. Commissioners Higgins and Gilbert noted delays increase costs (e.g., 24-hour fire watch on Metromover stations). The board approved sending the plan back to CITT for reconsideration (8N3) and adopted the five-year plan (10A1) and the Metrorail PA system contract (8N2).
  • 11A9 - Hia-Line Management Agreement: Commissioner Garcia sponsored a resolution to negotiate a management agreement with the City of Hialeah for a linear trail under Metrorail. Concerns about long-term funding and precedent were raised, but the item passed 12-0.
  • 11A10 - Sewer System Bond Reallocation: Commissioner Cabrera’s item swapped $27.5 million in GOB funds from Schenley Park to District 2 without impacting District 2 projects. Passed 12-0.
  • 11A16 and 11A20 - Property Tax Relief Urgings: Heated debate on urging the Florida Legislature to increase homestead exemptions and create a total exemption for primary residences. Supporters (Vice Chair McGee, Commissioner Gonzalez) argued for protecting veterans, seniors, and middle-class homeowners; opponents (Commissioners Higgins, Regalado) warned of massive revenue loss and service cuts. 11A16 passed; 11A20 passed after motion to defer failed.
  • Public Health Trust Annual Meeting: Carlos Migoya reported on Jackson Health System’s progress: $160 million in savings without job cuts, 9% nurse turnover (vs. 20% statewide), planned helipad, workforce housing project (800+ units), and concerns about Medicaid cuts. Commissioners praised leadership.
  • 14A5 - Rename Justice Center: Unanimously approved renaming the Miami-Dade Justice Center the “Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center.” Commissioners noted Soto’s role in civil rights and Hispanic representation; the measure suspends rules for expedited implementation.

Key Outcomes

  • Votes: All items passed with large majorities (12-0 or 11-0), except 4E (mid-year budget) passed 9-3, and 11A20 passed with no recorded voice vote tally (but shown as passed).
  • Amendments: “Grind With Me Terrace” removed from 14A1; Commissioner Hardeman accepted the change.
  • Policy Motions: Adopted board policy to include income limit charts in all housing-related legislation (Senator Garcia); established NASCAR support policy for 2026 championship weekend subject to budget; suspended rules for 14A4 to fast-track second reading on April 1, 2025.
  • Allocations: Commissioners pledged funds to PianoSlam ($25K each from Gilbert and Rodriguez, plus others), Country Fest ($25K from Gilbert, others contributed), His House orphanage, and MLK “Reclaim the Dream” event.
  • Next Steps: Public hearings for several ordinances set for April 2025; CITT to reconsider rejected projects; county to negotiate lease with Jesse Trice Community Health Center.

Meeting Transcript

Made an impact in others' lives uh and has really gone above and beyond uh to to make something so dark and so negative into something bright and positive. Uh so as a chairman it's my it's my honor to present uh the vice chair to go ahead and give this award out. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Let's give Mr. Chairman a round of applause. Good morning, everybody. Um first of all, let me just say to each and every last one of you, thank you for showing up so early to be here to take part in this award. Secondly, let me say this is one of those awards that many of us we we reluctantly nominate someone because unfortunately tied to this type of award, there is a traumatic experience that set is second to none. Thirdly, let me just say to my dear friend, if she can come up, uh Mother Tracy Brown, uh, the founder of families against uh violence and families affected by violence to come up. We have decided to nominate Tracy Brown, Mother Tracy Brown for this particular award. Son was killed at the age of 23. Uh Lewis was a young man with four children doing great things for the community. He's one of those persons that you, if you needed anything done or anything to push forth an agenda that would benefit the community overall, you can always count on Lewis. Since then, Tracy has gone on to do great things for our community. She has led uh movements as it relates to feeding the homeless, uh housing the homeless, but more than anything, mentoring those young kids who have been affected by the criminal justice system. So today it is our honor and our privilege of having the ability and the strength and the love and the respect and the caring to give and nominate uh our dear friend, our mother, uh Tracy Brown, for the Volomina Award this morning. Let's give her a round of applause. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, for making sure that more people know about the extraordinary courage, perseverance, and leadership of Ms. Brown. And I just want to say, in addition to all of the words from our vice chairman, who I know knows you very well. I've had the pleasure to get to know you in the streets, in the churches, wherever, and that's what is so important to me is that you give others courage. You stand proud and and strong in your grief, making something good for others and letting people know that you're there for them in their time of grief, and that difference is huge. We thank you. We give special honor to you through this award. You epitomize the Veloma Award. Thank you so much, ma'am. I just said thank you for your service and thank you for your courage. And and it's good to know that um we have our mayor who's in the streets. Yes. Yeah, she says she's in the streets, and so I appreciate that. Yeah, she's in the streets. So it's the streets. So it's important that you you you continue to do what you're doing because sometimes we we listen to that old song, they fall down. The second hymn of that is we got up. You got up, and you're standing for folks. So thank you very much. Yeah, I just wanted to echo the words and the sentiments of my colleagues and our mayor, and thank you for your service to South Date. Thank you for turning your pain into purpose. Um, when the unimaginable unimaginable takes place that no parent ever wishes on their worst enemy, where you are struggling to put one foot in front of the other and wake up in the morning and figure out what to do with your day, enduring such pain. You took that and turned it into incredible purpose and doing for others. That is extraordinarily difficult to do, and I commend you. And I thank our vice chairman for bringing the Veloma Award, recognizing you for your work in South Date and all of Miami Dade County. So today we honor you and we honor your son. Thank you so much. Yes. Good morning, everyone.

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