Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners

Miami-Dade Commission Agenda

--->

Legislative Survey ---> ADA Notice

Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners Agenda

OFFICIAL

Version

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

9:30:00 AM

Commission Chambers

Disclaimer

Agenda Definitions

Printable PDF Format

County Commission Rules - Rule 6.05 DECORUM

"Any person making impertinent or slanderous remarks or who becomes boisterous while addressing the commission, shall be barred from further audience before the commission by the presiding officer, unless permission to continue or again address the commission be granted by the majority vote of the commission members present. No clapping, applauding, heckling or verbal outbursts in support or opposition to a speaker or his or her remarks shall be permitted. No signs or placards shall be allowed in the commission chambers. Persons exiting the commission chamber shall do so quietly.

The use of cell phones in the commission chambers is not permitted. Ringers must be set to silent mode to avoid disruption of proceedings. Individuals, including those on the dais, must exit the chambers to answer incoming cell phone calls. County employees may not use cell phone cameras or take digital pictures from their positions on the dais.

Miami-Dade County provides equal access and equal opportunity and does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its programs or services. If you need a sign language interpreter or materials in accessible format for this event, please contact the Miami-Dade County Agenda Coordinator�s Office at 305-375-2035 or [email protected] at least five days in advance.

When a resolution or ordinance is placed on the agenda at the request of a commissioner, the commissioner who requested the preparation of the item shall be designated as the prime sponsor. Any other commissioner who wishes to sponsor the resolution or ordinance shall be designated as a co-sponsor.

Pursuant to Rule 5.06(h), where a commissioner is listed as a sponsor, the first named commissioner is the prime sponsor and all other named commissioners are co-sponsors."

1A

INVOCATION AS PROVIDED IN RULE 5.05(H)

1B

ROLL CALL

1C

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

1D

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS (SCHEDULED TO BEGIN AT 8:30 AM)

1D1

220823

Special Presentation

Keon Hardemon, Prime Sponsor

SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF COMMISSION DISTRICT 3 VILOMAH AWARD TO MS. ELIZABETH RUFFIN

4/19/2022

Presented

1D2

220884

Special Presentation

Jose "Pepe" Diaz, Prime Sponsor

SPECIAL PRESENTATION RECOGNIZING ''NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATIONS WEEK''

Add-on

4/19/2022

>>Chair: okay. All I said was okay. Everybody got quiet. That's pretty good. So good morning. Seriously, I think we need to pass some coffee out here too. Good morning! There we go, there we go. Well, we live in paradise. But paradise has always that some pearls. And one of those pearls is that we have a lot of water that sometimes we get through rain, storms, and so on, and it's hard to deal with it because water is the number one power that there is in the world, if you think about it. So sometimes when we are trying to manage water, it's not easy because if you displace the water into the ocean, then you have a problem with not enough water for the long and a everything else. But at the same time, we have an integral part of canals, systems, lots, everything, brms, for us to manage the water. And there is an entity in florida, south florida water management district, that does just that and it works along with our departments to deal with water issues. I know that I got the water. Says here, which is important. I am the water -- let me call it the gru of floods, if we continue on. But the most important thing I dealing with water and, for years now, we have actually fine-tuned it and so on. So amano, could you come up? Amano represents south florida water management director. Where is my director? Chief, if you want to join us too, you can. It's all good. So, you know, our issue with water is synonymous with our life, obviously. Water is life, but it could also be a pain if it's not managed properly. And we have all experienced what floods are and what conservation is also, making sure the everglades has plenty of water also, making sure aquifers standard and that quality water does not get affected by any pollutants and things that we deal with. I remember the days of billions. Drop and all that stuff. With that, amando, come on out. And we have our director here. Even though we are at the end of I guess the peninsula, almost, almost, we have a good representation of it. So you want to see a couple words before -- >>Male Speaker: sure. Thank you, CHAIRMAN. First of all, we appreciate you bringing this important matter to the board of county commissioners for the world to see how important this is to you. What I can share with you, MR. CHAIRMAN, is our mayor's office said to me and other directors in our meeting that our economy is our environment. And when you are in the water resources business in south florida, there's nothing bigger than water. So I have the distinct honor and privilege to work for you and leave the water and sewer department in this county and we are heavily focused on water conservation. With some people MAY not know is that miami-dade county, we are one of the largest in the nation, and we produce 330 million gallons a day of drinking water in just a small percentage of conservation can make a big, big difference to the whole south florida. So what we are doing to enable people to conserve, first of all, we educate folks on where they're wasting water and one of the biggest water wasters in our homes is our showers. And to help with that, we offer free shower replacements. Go to our county website and see the instructions on how to get free replacements. We also provide -- yes, sir, rain on your real soft. Did thing we do is retrofit rebates. So if you replace your toilets and your appliances with low flow fixtures, we gladly rebate you money to save you money. So it's a big deal to us. We thank you for bringing this to this forum, and we hope everyone appreciates it. >>MR. CHAIRMAN: yes. Water princess, if you can make your way up here too. Chief, went to see a couple words? It's water conservation month. It's all good. Absolutely. Congrats to our water and sewer department. I can tell you in my own home, I spend my time yelling at my kids taking too long in the shower. many clothes. Very important for our community. I know that our chair -- in public safety, when the rainy season comes, the first person who causes police and fire over those floods, making sure levees are open and making sure that this community is safe whenever the big storms come. It's a team effort and it's an honor to be in a special community and working. With all of you. >>MR. CHAIRMAN: thank you, chief. You are good, man. You got that good! I just want you to know. By the way, all of you sitting over there, you will be tested at the end for everything we are saying. Just in case you did not know. The water princess. >>Female Speaker: thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN. It's a pleasure to have the south florida water management district here. I had the honor of serving on your board many many years ago when I became the water princess. But your agency is a mission-critical agency. It provides camino, mainly public safety. You manage water. It's a very challenging, especially during the rainy season and hurricane season, and we rely on an incredible partnership that we have with our state agencies. And we are happy to celebrate everything you do here today. >>MR. CHAIRMAN: thank you. And you are right chiefef. As soon as the storm comes our way and so on, it's not stop when we are constantly looking at all of the weather situations. There was one person I call, and that is armando. Amando is has done an incredible job and he represents south florida water management in dade county and other parts. But most of all, I trust this man because when he tells you that lockets are open, that everything is straining out, the pumps are working command at the seaport basin and everything else, and everything that we are doing and camino, everything is what it is, we come from a place of new trust in lawsuits to a place of full trust today. It's a whole different day, isn't it, from what it used to be. Get some words. >>Male Speaker: thank you, CHAIRMAN Diaz. I also want to thank the miami-dade county commission and the support from our friends at water and sewer in the chief petty officer. We have 366 miles of canal district managers in mind to be davie county and it's important that we work with the county to work with those resources and preserve our aquifer for our future generations. The water that comes out of miami-dade county and falls into the everglades eventually becomes our palpable water source and it's important that we maintain those. Cannot do it without the help of miami-dade county. Chime in diaz, you know, water and sewer, yellow and everyone else that helps support south florida wter management and miami-dade cunty. Thank you all for your help in preserving our water resources for future generations. You. >>Chair Diaz: you too, man., long life. All right. Will this for me for one second. Now I got problems but I will read other things. You know, I will not read this whole thing, but simply we already talked about it. This is water conservation month. So on behalf of -- led to be resolved that mayor daniella levine cava, also known as the water warrior, and myself as the CHAIRMAN Of the board, as the group of floods, and the water princess will put her in there too, and our director too, we are above in this one. And of course my colleagues that are here always to make this happen. On behalf of the 3 million people in miami-dade county, we went to hereby proclaim APRIL 2022 as water conservation month. Thank you, amando. All right. >>Chair Diaz: there's a very important award that actually nobody really wants to receive in our community. This award is very special. It is unaware that was created by one of our colleagues, MR. Martinez, and this award is for people that have lost their young one, but then after the tragedy find a way to continue on in their memory and do something very special for the community and move forward to making sure that their lives are -- one way or another through work. Of course we will always remember our loved ones, but it's also important to work with a community. For that today, I have my dear friend and commissioner, commissioner keon hardemon who is here to join us. >>Male Speaker: good morning, everyone. So loving one's child who has passed, it's one of the most unnatural things a parent has to do with. Parents know that many times when children pass, that it goes against the order in which they believe things should ocur. Probably one of the most devastating pains that you can experience is that of losing a child. Parents in many times, when they lose a child to natural causes, they have prepared themselves to deal with the fate. But many times in our communities, we lose our children in ways that we do not expect, in ways that you cannot prepare for. Despite what many people believe, every parent in every community wants their child to be safe. They want their child to be healthy, they want their child to be smart, they want their child to get back to the community that raised them. unfortunately, every child in every neighborhood does not get to eperience that. And so, that is why it is so special when our children grow to be adults and they get back to the community that raised them, they become someone in the community that people care about. They become someone that the people looked it up to and say I want to be like him or like her. This parent would've had that experience with this child, but despite of that, but this parent has done has created a light for other people to see and let their child shine from that they can give back to the community. So today I want to recognize that and I want to let everyone else see that light. Is elizabeth ruffles' son was 10 years old, named martin easton JR. He was bouncing a basketball in front of his porch when he was slain by gun violence on MARCH 24, 2015. He succumbed to a gunshot wound to the head and is over 10 home because of a game dispute that he felt initially to. MR. Ruffin and her family turned to tragedy to -- the prevention foundation incorporated the foundation is to promote antiviolence intake guidelines and from -- their mental and emotional therapy, like building seminars, conflict resolution services, tutoring, and home economics to help lead the causes of stress that can lead to poor decision-making for our youth. The foundation holds the anti-violence or poster contest for local students and supports cimestoppers 305 by sharing information about ongoing homicides, in this case, around the year. This child did nothing wrong. And we lost him. This child could have been the next miami-dade county commissioner, miami-dade county police director, lawyer, doctor, whatever change he could've ended up being. And gun violence took him from us. You, all of you sitting here, have hopes, dreams, wishes and desires. All of your parents hope for the very best for you. But when do you make the decision to go somewhere, to do something, and you don't let your parents know where you are, you missed that call, you don't check in, you should know that those five minutes, 10, 20 that you are not available to your parents is probably the scariest moments that anyone could ever experience. I don't care what language you speak. I don't care what country you are from. The piercing sound of a mother crying when she larns her child has died is something you will never forget. And far too often in our neighborhoods, we have to experience that. And so, to this family, I know you have heard too often in our neighborhoods. Unfortunately you had to give it yourself. But whatever we can do in miami-dade county to help you deliver the message that you want to get to our community and beyond, we are here for you. I asked that everyone give a standing round of applause for this family. [Applause] [Indiscernible] My name is elizabeth ruffin come in my son, marlon easton, he was 10. He was playing basketball normally were my mom as we are kids to. His life was taken from senseless violence. And also the ones that did this to him come they also was freed this month and this month made seven years that my son lost his life. I try to have -- I give out uniforms for the kids. We do blood drives, bookbag drives. I have parties to give rides, and the kids can come and have fun. Will really appreciate you guys taking the time to hear about marlon easton. Please kep his name alive and I just want to thank you guys. I thank you so much will for acknowledging my son. Thank you so much. >>Male Speaker: pleasure. >>Female Speaker: I am marlon's grandma. My baby was playing basketball in the yard, [Indiscernible] >>Male Speaker: one more second. So this is a symbol of miami-dade county's appreciation for who you are and what you do for us. Thank you for your time. [Applause] >>Chair Diaz: there are another group of people that are here today, the ones he representing a very big group of people. And these people are the essence of public safety because communication is the essence of almost everything that we do. If you cannot communicate come you cannot give direction. If you cannot give direction, you cannot do the task. That is simple method that when I served in the court, communication was vital, vital. It either saves lives are lost lives. So this group of people through telecommunications. Week that we are celebrating them and thanking them and recognizing them for some outstanding work. I was brought an article by my chief of staff that a telemarketer -- telecommunication person was able to work and find a -- an autistic child due to some phone calls that were taking place that needed the help and was recognized for that. This is going above and byond. The person that helped deliver the child when the mother was running, tying to get the hospital with her husband, and they were in the middle of nowhere and they were able to talk them out -- how to do and what happened in the child? Great. You can go on and on and on with the stories of the telemarketer stepping it up. And I want those law enforcement, if you want to join us up here with the chief, that is fine, and of course te telemarketers that are here, please come up too. Telecommunications, stuck with telemarketing. Somebody hit me sideways! So with that, telecommunication is more than important., commissioner cohen higgins, thanks for joining us. So I'm going to have to chief that really knows more about this than I do and I want you to really explain to the people -- by the way, don't be scared. Come over to the side too. So with that, chief americas, can you please go into this and talk about this great people and the job that they do? >>Male Speaker: absolutely. Thank you, MR. Chair. Thank you, everyone. Good morning. I can tell you in the public safety realm, these men and women have the most difficult job of anyone. They are in the building where no one knows. Time in front of a kiosk, either dispatching to our officers or receiving calls from the community, which most of those calls that come in are all in desperation in need of help. They are the bridge for the community to law enforcement, and they are the watchful eye and soothing voice to our first responders as they go to calls, go to dangerous calls. They get pivotal, critical information to keep our officers alive they do not go unnoticed. I believe the color is gold, correct? Yes, the law enforcement is the blue, they are the gold, and that is more fitting than anything. They are our golden angels that help keep the community safe, keep fire rescue and law enforcement personnel safe and is my honor to be here. Jay fernandez is the nature of the bureau and staff. The critical part. Was not so much operation but keeping them around, keeping these men and women happy, feeling appreciated for the tedious work that they do. It is a high turnover ratio. When you apply for that job, it is hard to get it. When people come in and see the work, the responsibility, the burden that they have, not many people can handle that job for over 30 years. We just had retired 30+ years, 80 guests, chief carruthers, doing a great job looking out for them. Tank you, dede, for what you do in managing the complex communication systems. Thank you very much. Here you go. >>Chair Diaz: okay. [Applause] >>Female Speaker: I just want to say that the one thing that I will always remember, especially when you first come on this job is that when you respond to a call, right, so you are watching a tv show, right, something exciting is happening on the tv show and you are in your living room, your safe space in your heart is racing in your mind is racing. You are reacting to those emotions. These are the people that pick up the phone when the worst thing is happening on the other line when we call 9-1-1. These are the same people who then turn around and give us as law enforcement officers that call in a calm way so that we can do what we need to do as law enforcement. If I cannot describe it any better than that, I want to say thank you on behalf of our department, on behalf of this community for what you guys do every day. >>Chair Diaz: nice, chief. Major. >>Male Speaker: these people are multitask, high stress, and tight like a guitar string all day long. If they need help, they need different agencies and we will provide it to them. GOD bless them, seriously, seriously. Good morning. All I will say is that they are our own song here is and do an amazing job. Cannot say enough about them. Thank you, CHAIRMAN And commission, for the recognition on behalf of the bureau. We just have to be very appreciative of the work that they do. And also from a recruiting standpoint, applied. We need more for the next generation. It's a fascinating job, but it is also very important. People don't realize how critical it is to the safety of the community. Thank you again. >>Chair Diaz: thank you. Captain, anything to add? >>Male Speaker: [Indiscernible] CHAIRMAN Diaz and our command staff, thank you for the support they provide to law enforcement into the communications bureau. On behalf of the police complaint offices and police dispatches of communications bureau, we thank you for all of the appreciation. We are the people that when you dial 911, we work through the pandemic and we do our job 24 hours a day. It is a thankless job on the dispatch side, whenever a police officer is out there on the traffic stop or responding to a call, they are the angels behind the radio. Their job is to make sure everyone gets home safely. So, once again, thank you for the recognition. >>Chair Diaz: absolutely. It is our honor. If you want to add a little more. >>Female Speaker: thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN. This is an important recognition because we in miami-dade county honor our law enforcement. We did that at the last meeting by having a special day of recognition thanks to our CHAIRMAN. It was important for me to note at that meeting that law enforcement is a big community that includes everyone in public safety including the communications and the dispatch and corrections. So it is a special honor to get this recognition this morning. We thank you deeply for everything that you do. Honestly, thank you is a powerful set of words. we cannot say it enough. Once again, thank you very much for everything that you do. >>Chair Diaz: thank you, commissioner. Commissioner martinez, I know you wanted to say a cuple words. You sure? Okay. Our dispatchers are special, as everyone has specified. But they are the lifeline and they are the angels. There is that voice of comfort when there is a situation beyond comprehensive going on in there walking in analyzing the making sure that whatever need will be delivered. They think fast, they thing to a point is the major said. They are as tight as guitar wire because the tension that they go through. But it's incredible, the work they do. For this reason, we recognize them for miami-dade county. On behalf of a set miami-dade county, the mayor, myself, my colleagues that are here, and behalf on the 3 million people that we are blessed to have in our community, great people. Let's take it one or level. We are claimed today APRIL 10 to the 16th 2022 is national public safety telecommunication week. Congratulations from all of us! [Applause] There is another great group of people here today observing and analyzing government and trying to figure out how this works and we will be doing that for a long, long time, because this is very complex and good. But, CHAIRMAN, I know you are here. Why don't you come up and introduce the group of people here to this kind of fast. We will start our meeting. I just wanted you to introduce real fast why you are here and why are tey are doing this. >>Male Speaker: thank you very much for having us. MR. Chair, MR. Vice chair, commissioners, and commissioner cohen higgins, thank you very much for serving on our board. So we have the bright future of this county. We have our youth advisory committee and this is a small sample, leadership program the children's trust offers in six areas of the county. It leads you to advocacy and community service projects. These are the leaders of miami. They are also, when we make decisions at the trust and look at taking care of children or families, we have a phenomenal board. This is our youth voice. When we are making decisions, we need the youth involved in need the youth voice. Is led by daniel pereira's, our amazing leader and employee of the year at the children's trust. I'd like to turn it over to her for a minute. >>Female Speaker: thank you, jim. It's such an amazing organization, the children's trust of miami-dade, that ofices opportunity to high school youth across the county to come and innovate to be our next changemakers for miami-dade, and I want to share that this is a small group that we have about 200 active members, but these youth got up at 6:00 A.M. This morning, got on buses and trains to come all across miami-dade to be here today. So we thank you. >>Chair Diaz: all right! [Applause] Could you please stand up? Okay. Upstairs, camera. Let's plan so they can see each other over on tv land and later on you get recorded and you can see yourselves. With that, thank you. I know you will stick around for a little bit. We are about to start the meeting. So thank you. What we do a group picture? Come on now. See? She is awesome. Come on down. Let's get a nice picture before we start. 's's >>Female Speaker: commissioner garcia, commissioner hardiman, commissioner heyman. >>Female Speaker: here. >>Female Speaker: commissioner higgins, commissioner martinez. >>Female Speaker: here. >>Female Speaker: commissioner mcgee. We received notification that commissioner monestime will be late today. Commissioner lakka-lako. >>Female Speaker: present. >>Female Speaker: commissioner sosa, commissioner soto, vice CHAIRMAN Gilbert, CHAIRMAN Diaz. >>Chair Diaz: here. >>Female Speaker: we have a quorum, eight members are present. >>Chair Diaz: with that, please stand for our moment of prayer followed by the pledge of allegiance. Commissioner cohen higgins, two is the owner today for the pledge of allegiance. MR. Vice CHAIRMAN For the prayer. >>Male Speaker: GOD our father today, we ask there be peace on earth ad let it begin with us, right here, right now. Classes, keep us to our roots and make us good stewards of your resources for your people in all things we ask. Amen. >>Chair Diaz: amen. >>Female Speaker: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america. And to the republic for which it stands, one nation under GOD, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >>Chair Diaz: outstanding. [Indiscernible] >>Chair Diaz: all right. Let's get it together, guys. Okay. MADAME And MR. Attorneys, good to see this morning. Good morning. All right. MADAME. >>,give me another count. Want to make sure who is here. Let's keep quiet. Come on, guys. Settled down. >>Female Speaker: good morning. Commissioner cohen higgins. >>Female Speaker: present. >>Female Speaker: commissioner garcia, commissioner hardiman, commissioner heyman,