The Miramar City Commission held a regular meeting on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at 7:00 PM in the Commission Chambers at 2300 Civic Center Place. The meeting included multiple presentations, proclamations, a consent agenda, public participation, quasi-judicial hearings, and several resolution votes. Key actions included approval of the School Resource Officer Agreement, award of a reclaimed water system expansion contract, appointment of advisory board members, and adoption of a resolution joining the Cities Race to Zero Campaign.
The meeting of the Miramar City Commission is now called to order. An opportunity 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 Miramar FL dot gov slash commission meeting and televised on Comcast Channel 78 and ATNTU versus Channel 99 for all Myanmar subscribers. As of May 17th, twenty twenty-three at four thirty PM, four 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 online, they can raise their hand 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 taken. At this time, Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Commissioner Barnes. Here. Commissioner Colburn. City Manager Dr. Virgin. Here. City Attorney Powell. Here. City Attorney Gary. Here. We have this evening the Everglades High School Color Guard who will present the colors, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the national anthem by Josie Escobar. At this time, may we all rise for the presentation of the colors. You may be seated. We do have a commemoration list to recognize bereaved families of the Myanmar City employees. First beginning with Commissioner Chambers from the City Commission, lost cousins and a close friend. Leah DeRill, Engineering Department, sister, Angelita Delrich, Human Resources, Mother, Conseil, Harold, Human Resources, Aunt, Karen Muir, Human Resources, Sister-in-Law, Azalina Barnes, Police Department, Father, Beverly Crairy, Police Department Niece, Duvard Francois, Police Department Nephew. Let's keep our fellow colleagues and our thoughts and prayers as they endure the loss of family members, as well as any other bereavements that we are experiencing in the community in the city of Miramar. Let's have a moment of silence. On to presentations. Welcome and thank you for having me. Mayor, Commissioners, staff and citizens, my name is Chris Holly, as the mayor alluded to, and I'm the director of external services at the Florida League of Cities, which is located in Tallahassee, Florida. For those in the audience who may not be familiar with the league, the Florida League of Cities has been the voice of city government since 1922. Our goal is to serve the needs of cities by providing city officials and staff with advocacy, training, financial and insurance services, and by standing up for the rights of governments closest to the people, governments like the city of Mirmar. I want to take a moment to say thank you to the city for being an active and dedicated member, and we actually had one of your staff members on a recent webinar. So we appreciate your uh your service and willingness to participate. I'm here today because it is my honor to present Commissioner Winston Barnes with the John Land Years of Service Award for his twenty years of service to the city. The John Land Years of Service Award, named in honor of the Apopka Mayor John Land, who served his city for more than sixty years, honors elected municipal officials like Commissioner Barnes for their extensive years of dedicated public service. Commissioner Barnes, your long-term commitment to public service in this city are truly commendable. It is true that local government is the government closest to the people, and you have positively impacted countless lives through your work as a local elected official, and we thank you for your unwavering dedication to serving your community. At this time, if you don't mind, I would like to read the resolution I'm here to present. A resolution of the Board of Directors of the Florida League of Cities honoring Winston F. Barnes for 20 years of elected service, an award in recognition of his unselfish commitment to municipal leadership and governance. Whereas America's municipal governments have long relied upon the unselfish leadership of their citizens for local self-government and Florida's municipal governments share the time-honored role as the level of government closest to the people. And whereas this reliance places extraordinary responsibilities upon citizen legislators, municipal elected officials who make significant sacrifices of their time and energies on behalf of their citizenry, often for little to no compensation, making this commitment a true labor of love. And whereas municipal leaders strive for excellence in the governance of their city, town or village, and commit themselves to providing quality services, governing effectively, and working to improve the quality of life. And whereas the league has named its years of service recognition in honor of John Land, the mayor of Apopka, between the years of 1942, or sorry, 1949 and 2014, a leader whose dedication is unsurpassed at the national and state levels, and who modeled the way for decades of municipal leadership. And whereas several terms in office, and this is one of my favorite paragraphs in this resolution. Several terms in office are a high compliment voters give to an official. And where these years of experience comes a strengthening of wisdom, discernment, and strong leadership skills that brings tremendous value to the municipal governments of Florida. And whereas Winston F. Barnes has held office in the City of Miramar for 20 years and is recognized for this achievement.