Sarge.

We're gonna get started with our presentations.

We have two for today.

All right.

The first one is brought forth by Commissioner Higgins.

And these are always particularly special because when someone that has worked for the county, such as our first one, which is Terry Murphy, um and and has done so much for this county and this community in public service, it kind of always like touches our heart.

And we have our youth commissioners here today, so I want to recognize them really quickly as well.

And today we're kind of recognizing.

I hope I hope this is not incorrect to say, but like the tail end of public service, right?

I don't know if that's correct because there he may have many more years, you know.

But uh with that Miami Dade County.

At Miami Dade County, yes, yes, yes, yes.

But with that, I hand it over to Commissioner Higgins for the introduction.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Good morning, everybody.

So I see our future commission seeing out sitting out there, and that's really cool.

Welcome to the youth commission.

I know we'll get to hear all your great ideas later today.

Um, but today's a very special moment for Miami Dade County because we honor uh someone that has been with our county in so many roles for dare I say 32 years, uh, but more than three decades.

And boy has a lot changed during that time, right?

That meant uh Mr.

Terry Murphy, you're welcome to come up here.

Oh, well.

But 30, yeah, I I wore the wrong kind of boots.

Sorry.

I didn't know I was I didn't know I was gonna break my foot exactly.

And so 32 years is a really long time, and if we remember back to what this is, what that really meant is the tough work of Hurricane Andrew, right?

Which forged so many of the careers in public service for so many people at the county, including Terry.

Um but when I think back, he's worked in the county commission, chief of staff for county commissioners, in the inspector general's office, all kinds of important work.

But when I look back at your accomplishments, Terry, the things that um make me feel the proudest of having worked with you and having the privilege of calling you a personal friend, is your work on things that have lifted up low-income individuals and vulnerable individuals, including our living wage ordinance, which is now something we in Miami Dade County are so proud of that when you work on a county contract, you can afford to pay your rent.

That doesn't happen in every county in America.

The wage theft ordinance, every now and then there are bad actors and very vulnerable people are forced to work and they don't receive what they deserve, and that's another thing you really held a very important one, and then family leave.

Another thing that who can imagine our county did not have that as part of our policies.

And so, this idea of making sure that people get paid what they deserve, able to live carefully, and then should they have a family or someone gets sick, they have the ability to care for their loved ones.

So I want to congratulate you on this long time of service.

And then for those of you that don't know Terry, we share something else in common.

We're both Irish.

And so we are excellent conversationalists.

So when you if you ever get the privilege of hanging out with Terry, the conversations wander are fun, are fabulous, are interesting, well read and well thought out, and that's the thing I personally value the most of you.

So thank you, Terry, for your service.

I'll turn it over to the mayor.

Yes, thank you.

Thank you.

Well, thank you so much, Commissioner, for sponsoring this important recognition.

And so when I was thinking about the opportunity to um roast uh Terry Murphy, I of course I'll be I'll be respectful, I'll be respectful.

I I have to say that Terry was my introduction to county government.

So you might not all know that.

That's scary.

Yeah.

So uh he of course was shepherding the living wage ordinance.

That was my first involvement with county hall.

I I I would maybe modestly say I led the effort to get the living wage ordinance passed and the community.

It was a a very broad coalition of of groups that got together, faith, community, labor leaders, but always guided by good political um strategy from this man, Terry Murphy.

And of course, we were successful.

We were the first in the Southeast.

We're very proud of that, as Commissioner said.

And guess what?

It stood the test of time.

They tried to take it away, but we're still here with our living wage ordinance, and it's improved over time as well.