Miramar City Commission Regular Meeting - February 7, 2024
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Miramar City Commission Regular Meeting – February 7, 2024
The Miramar City Commission held its regular meeting on February 7, 2024, at 7:00 PM in the Commission Chambers. The meeting included proclamations, presentations from the Youth Advisory Council and Cultural Affairs, and action on several resolutions and an ordinance. Key debates centered on a resolution to oppose Miami-Dade County’s proposed solid waste-to-energy facility near Miramar’s border, which was amended before passage.
Proclamations and Presentations
- Proclamations: The Commission proclaimed February 7, 2024, as United Negro College Fund Day, February as American Heart Month, and February as Black History Month, with representatives from respective organizations in attendance.
- Youth Advisory Council Presentation: Council members presented their 2024 initiatives (college readiness, tree planting, mentorship), reported on attending the National League of Cities Conference in Atlanta, highlighted winning the Florida League of Cities video competition, and thanked chaperones and the Mayor for support.
- MCC Artscape Public Artists 2024–2026: Cultural Affairs Director Camasha Cevieux introduced new artists whose works are installed around the lake at the Miramar Cultural Center Arts Park.
- Cultural Affairs Collaborative Project Acknowledgment: Assistant Director Zakiya Kelley presented the “Rain Showers” art installation by Michelle Drummond in City Hall lobby, a partnership with Public Works and Utilities to promote water awareness. Drummond spoke about water access statistics and her artistic vision.
Consent Agenda
All consent items were approved unanimously except Item 4, which was pulled for separate discussion.
- Item 4 – Technical Stage Personnel Services: Approved. The resolution authorized up to $286,000 in FY2024 for AV Technician Inc. to provide stage personnel for the Cultural Center. Discussion clarified that the budget already exists in Cultural Affairs, and the request is to utilize the vendor beyond the $75,000 manager’s threshold. Vote: 5-0.
The remaining consent items (Minutes, fuel card services, firefighting ensembles, flooring replacement, parking lot renovation, playground equipment) were approved en bloc.
Resolutions
- Item 8 – Sister Cities Agreement with Belize City, Belize: Approved. Economic Development Director Anita Fain Taylor presented the agreement, noting ongoing interactions and support from the Belizean community. Commissioners praised the collaborative spirit. Vote: 5-0.
- Item 9 – Building Permitting and Inspection Services with C.A.P. Government Inc.: Approved. The resolution awards an as-needed contract for permitting and inspection services to supplement city staff. Discussion covered fee splits (75% city/25% CAP for full-cycle projects, hourly rates for partial services), electronic plan review benefits, and assurances that city employees would not be replaced. Mayor Messam requested a mechanism for upfront cost estimates, which CAP agreed to provide. Vote: 5-0.
- Item 10 – First Reading of Ordinance Amending Sign Regulations: Approved. Building Director Nixon Lebrun presented the ordinance to create a Master Sign Program for developments over 10 acres, allowing larger signs (e.g., wall signs up to 300 sq ft, monument signs up to 1,000 sq ft) to improve visibility of the Town Center. Commissioner Barnes expressed concerns about light pollution and tree canopy. The ordinance passed first reading; second reading scheduled for March 6, 2024. Vote: 5-0.
- Item 11 – Resolution to Engage Goldstein Environmental Law Firm (Oppose Miami-Dade Waste-to-Energy Facility): Amended and Approved. The original resolution authorized $300,000 to retain environmental counsel to oppose the siting, permitting, and construction of a solid waste-to-energy campus at the Opa-locka West Airport site, adjacent to Miramar’s border. After extensive debate, Commissioner Colbourne moved to amend, directing the city manager to seek funding from Broward County and the newly established Broward County Solid Waste Disposal and Recyclable Materials Processing Authority before using city funds. The amendment passed 3-2 (Commissioners Barnes, Chambers, Colbourne, Davis in favor; Mayor Messam opposed). The amended resolution thus conditions further city funding on receipt of external support. The city manager is to bring back a procurement item at the next meeting with additional information and a marketing plan for public education. Next regular meeting: February 21, 2024.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda: Approved with Item 4 separated and voted individually.
- Resolutions 8, 9, 10: Approved unanimously.
- Resolution 11: Amended to seek external funding; amendment passed 3-2; original resolution not approved as presented.
- Public Participation: No members of the public registered to speak on any agenda items, though proclamations and presentations included invited speakers.
- Next Meeting: The next regularly scheduled City Commission meeting is February 21, 2024, at 7:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
So strong and send you to the hospital. We'll be starting momentarily. The City Commission. We just concluded an executive session in the commission conference room. So if by sound of my voice, commissioners are coming down, if we can make our way down so we can get commission meeting started. We'll be starting momentarily. Thank you. An opportunity was given to the public 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.gov slash commission meetings and televised on Comcast Channel Seventy-eight and ATNTU versus Channel Ninety Nine for all subscribers. As of February seventh, twenty twenty-four at four PM. No members from the public have registered to participate virtually in this meeting. If anyone who is viewing virtually that wish to speak, 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 before any action has been taken. At this time, Madam Clerk, please call the role. Mayor Massum. Here. Commissioner Barnes. Here. Commissioner Chambers. Commissioner Coleburn. Here. Vice Mayor Davis. City Manager, Dr. Virgin. City Attorney Gary. Here. City Attorney Powell. Here. Let us all rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. For our moment of silence, we do have some observations and recognitions of uh commemoration list of City of Myanmar staff members who are bereaved. Leslie and E. Wright, Office of the City Manager, lost a cousin, Lorraine Palmer, Financial Services, Mother and Brother, Tiffany Davis, Parks and Recreation, Aunt. Jackson Fontaine, Public Work, Uncle. Let's keep our colleagues and our thoughts and prayers as they deal with the loss of family members. And maybe also keep in our thoughts and prayers members of our community that may be bereaved as well. And at this time, we'll pause for a moment of silence. Thank you. On to presentations, we do have some proclamations to present. And colleagues and uh members of commission, if you can join us. Very good seeing you. Happy New Year. Thanks, seeing you. Okay. Okay, um, proclamation, United Negro College Fund Day, February 7th, 2024. Whereas for more than seven decades, the United Negro College Fund Inc., also known as UNCF, has raised more than five billion dollars and helped more than 500,000 students to attend college, graduate, and become leaders. And whereas United Negro College Fund was founded by Dr. Frederick D. Patterson, Mary McLeod Bethune, John D. Rockefeller, and other legendary American educators, business and social leaders in New York City, and was incorporated on April 25th, 1944.
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