City Commission Regular Meeting - July 6, 2022
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City Commission Regular Meeting - July 6, 2022
The Miramar City Commission met on July 6, 2022, at 7:00 PM in the Commission Chambers at 2300 Civic Center Place. The meeting included presentations, consent agenda approvals, resolutions setting the proposed millage rate and fire/stormwater assessments, a first-reading budget amendment, a quasi-judicial utility easement vacation, and a lengthy discussion on commission procedures and decorum. Key actions included approval of the tentative millage rate (7.1172 mills) with no increase in the fire fee, approval of a stormwater rate increase (to $120/ERU), and a vote to require a motion and majority vote to adjourn future meetings.
Consent Calendar
- Approved minutes from June 22, 2022, special and regular meetings.
- Approved Temp. Reso. #R7659: purchase of Tyler 311 Software Licenses from Tyler Technologies, Inc., not-to-exceed $126,277, utilizing Sourcewell Contract No. 090320-TTI.
- Approved Temp. Reso. #R7676: three-year lease of Harley-Davidson motorcycles from Alligator Alley Harley-Davidson for the Police Traffic Unit, not-to-exceed $270,000 initial term.
- Approved Temp. Reso. #R7678: agreement with AECOM Technical Services, Inc. for design and permitting of West Water Treatment Plant Capacity Expansion and Upgrades, not-to-exceed $389,740.
- Approved Temp. Reso. #R7686 (after pulling for discussion): third amendment to the Settlement Agreement with Broward County regarding Alpha 250 site, extending the sale delay to October 2023. All items passed unanimously (5-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public registered to speak on any agenda item. Comments submitted via email were noted as part of the record.
- During the quasi-judicial hearing for utility easement vacation, no public testimony was offered.
Discussion Items
- Item 5: Third Amendment to Solid Waste Settlement Agreement – Solid Waste & Recycling Manager Ralph Trapani presented. The amendment extends the sale of the Alpha 250 site to October 2023 to allow the Solid Waste Working Group more time to develop a regional system. Trapani noted that the only other county-owned solid waste asset is the landfill. The working group's master plan timeline may extend to three years. Approved unanimously.
- Items 7, 8, 9: Proposed Millage Rate, Fire Assessment, Stormwater Assessment – Management & Budget Director Rafael Sanmiguel presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2023 budget totaling $333 million (general fund $169 million). The proposed millage rate of 7.1172 mills is 9.59% above the rollback rate of 6.4943, but no increase in the millage rate itself. The residential fire fee remains $398.23. Chief Budget Officer Norm Mason highlighted 20 cost drivers (inflation, collective bargaining, supply chain). A five-year financial sustainability analysis by Stantec (Pete Napoli) projected reserves falling below minimum in FY2024; potential solutions include workforce reductions or a 0.25 millage rate increase in FY2024. For stormwater, Public Works Director Anthony Collins proposed increasing the annual assessment to $120/ERU (from $102), a 17.7% increase, based on a 2016 rate study requiring triennial adjustments. The increase funds operations, debt service, and capital projects. After discussion, items 7, 8, and 9 were approved unanimously.
- Item 10: First Reading – Budget Amendment for FY2022 – Sanmiguel presented the second budget amendment appropriating $3 million from fund balances ($2 million from utilities, $1 million from stormwater) to cover a shortfall in the Historic Miramar Drainage Infrastructure Improvement Project Phase 4. The low bid was ~$13 million, plus contingencies. Total project cost now $17.23 million. Approved unanimously.
- Item 11: Quasi-Judicial – Utility Easement Vacation – City Engineer Salvador Zuniga presented. Application to vacate specific utility easements within the Marketplace Partnership Center Plat to allow a previously approved development. The easements are exclusive to the city and will no longer be needed. Approved unanimously.
- Item 12: Discussion – Key to the City & Commission Meeting Chair Responsibilities – Vice Mayor Yvette Colbourne initiated discussion following the June 22 meeting where the Mayor ended the meeting abruptly after remarks about her issuance of a Key to the City at a city event. The Vice Mayor proposed requiring a motion and vote to adjourn meetings, citing collegiality. She noted there is no written policy on Key to the City issuance and she had consulted the city attorney before presenting the key. Mayor Wayne Messam responded that precedent and custom vest authority in the mayor to present Keys, and that his office was not contacted. Commissioner Maxwell Chambers raised concerns about non-elected individuals (specifically the Mayor's wife) coming on stage at events and interfering. Commissioner Alexandra Davis supported requiring a motion to adjourn to allow rebuttal. After extended debate, the city attorney stated that under Robert's Rules (if defaulted to), adjournment requires a motion, second, and majority vote. The commission voted 3-2 (Barnes and Messam opposed) to amend the commission procedures to require a motion and majority vote for adjournment. The discussion on stage decorum was referred for potential future policy development.
Key Outcomes
- Adopted tentative millage rate of 7.1172 mills for FY2023, with a public hearing set for September 14, 2022, at 6:00 PM.
- Adopted preliminary fire protection assessment rate unchanged at $398.23 per residential unit, with a public hearing on September 14, 2022.
- Adopted preliminary stormwater assessment rate of $120 per ERU (17.7% increase), with a public hearing on September 14, 2022.
- Approved FY2022 budget amendment appropriating $3 million from fund balances for drainage project Phase 4.
- Approved utility easement vacation for Marketplace Partnership Center Plat.
- Voted 3-2 to amend commission procedures to require a motion and majority vote to adjourn all future commission meetings.
Meeting Transcript
And what it does, uh it's not just he was given to the public to register to participate or email the city clerk twenty-four hours prior to the commission meeting with any questions, comments, concerns on items we will hear on this evening's agenda. Any person may be heard by the city commission through the chair and upon registering pursuant to the published notice for not more than three minutes on any proposition before the city commission unless modified by the chair. This meeting is being streamed live at Miramarfl.gov slash commission meeting and televised on Comcast Channel 78 and ATTU verse channel 99 for City of Miramar subscribers as of July 6, 2022 at 6 p.m. No members from the public have registered to participate virtually in this meeting. If someone has registered later than this time and would like to speak, they can raise their hand on their device, and at the appropriate time, our IT staff will unmute their mic to allow them to speak. Please be sure to mention your name and address for the record prior to addressing the commission. All comments submitted will be included as part of the record for this meeting and will be considered by the city commission prior to any action being taken. At this time, Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Here. Commissioner Barnes. Here, Commissioner Chambers, Vice Mayor Coleburn. Here. Commissioner Davis. Yeah. City Manager Dr. Virgin. Here. City Attorney Norris Weeks. Here. City Attorney Powell. Here. Let us all rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. Underground as well. At this time, we have a couple of bereavement. Notifications on our commemoration list. I'm starting with our City Miramar employees. Lost Uncle Patricia Lawrence from Finance or Aunt. And let us all as the City of Miramar keep the community of Highland Park, Illinois in our prayer after prayers after the deadly shooting during their Independence Day parade. At this moment, we'll observe a moment of silence. Thank you. Good evening, Mayor Messon. The Commission. Forgive me, I forgot my glasses, so my name is Tanisha Taylor. I am the chair of the education advisory board. And on behalf of the EAB, I'm delighted to announce and celebrate the winners of our fifth fifth annual scholarship award. Tyreek Walker and Tyler Robinson. Tyreek Walker is a graduate of Miramar High School, will be attending the University of Miami, and majoring in architecture. And Tyler Robertson is graduating from Somerset Arts Conservatory, attending Florida AM and majoring in engineering. Each student will receive a thousand dollar scholarship on behalf of the EAB. And last but not least, I would like to thank our donors and sponsors for their continued support. And the EAB members who are also in the audience with us for their time and commitment over the years. Congratulations to Tyreek and Tyler, if they're here in the audience. I believe they're here. Stand to be recognized, and let's give them a warm Mirmar. Round of applause. And just a quick note. Every year we receive over 40 applications, and it's more competitive every year. So it came down to a tie, and these are the top two. So it's very well deserved and hard fought for. So congratulations again on your future accomplishments.
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