Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners - SECOND BUDGET HEARING

>> Just for our record, could you please state your name? >> CHAIRMAN Of the advisory board. >> Ladies and gentlemen, please stand. Please stand for a prayer followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. >> I and the mayor's office as they review the current proposed budget, help them to listen preciously as others share the reports of you. Also help them to work as a unified commission in combining ideas for the betterment of Miami-Dade County. Come and reveal your will in every aspect of their lives and work as they discuss the affairs o this county. MAY they have a humble spirit in these chambers so that they can work as a collective body for all residents of Miami-Dade County. As per my values and beliefs, I have prayed in the name of the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. >> 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. B mac MADAME Clerk, let's call it one more time. [Roll call] You have 11 members present. You have a quorum. CHAIRMAN Jose Diazthank you for that. MADAME Attorney, good afternoon. >> good afternoon. CHAIRMAN Jose Diazall right. >> tonight, the chair will conduct a public hearing and adopt fees, rates, and other charges and adopt budgets from miami-dade county fiscal year 2022/23 budget. There are eight ordinance bit -- ordinances before the guard set the ceiling for the final mileage rates at the second budget hearing. The ordinance to be considered are item a, ordinance approving and adopting the millage for general fund operating purposes for the fiscal year commencing OCTOBER 1, 2022 and inexact timber 30th, 2023 levying all taxes provide exclusion from the code and affected date and the budget director has a statement. CHAIRMAN Jose Diazmr. Director? >> the proposed countywide operating millage is 4.620 mills, which is 10.15% of the state rate of 4.1944. The proposed millage rate generates revenue to support services, included in the proposed budget. >> item b, ordinance approving and adopting the millage for countywide bonded debt service for the fiscal year commencing OCTOBER 1, 2022 and ending SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. Loving all taxes so provided providing exclusion from the code and an effective date and the budget director has a statement. >> the proposed millage rate is .48553 mills.3599 mills for countywide debt service, including the building better communities bond program and .1254 mills for the public health trusts jackson miracle bond building bond program. >> item c, ordinance approving and adopting the general fund budget for miami-dade county florida committing OCTOBER one, 2022 and asked ending SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. Incorporate the fiscal year 2022/23 budget as amended. Appropriate in all expenditures authorizing the investment of county funds . Authorizing the transfer of funds as cash advances pending other revenues. Authorizing interest fund to the general fund, ratifying, confirming, and in plummeting orders and other actions of the board, which said fees, rates and charges pick authorizing with appropriations and providing for intimate subsequent minutes per resolution. Authorizing the mayor or mayor' s designee to execute certain funding agreements waiting for fiscal year 2022/23 resolutions requiring execution of county affidavits for nonprofits receiving certain funding, admitting section 1 point? 43 of miami-dade florida, admitting, waving, or rescinding various sections of the code. Implanting orders and other lgislative enactments. To confirm 2022/23 budget. Superseding prior legislative enactments, and providing severability exclusion from the code and an effective date. Item d is an ordinance approving and adopting the millage for unincorpr defined rollback rate of 1.7461. The proposed millage generates revenue to support the services included in the proposed budget. >> item e is an ordinance approving and adopting the municipal service area fund budget for miami-dade florida for the fiscal year commencing OCTOBER 1, 2022 and ending certain with 30th 2023 providing a short title incorporating a fiscal ya waiting for fiscal year 2022/23 provisions of the code and resolutions requiring execution of county affidavits for nonprofits receiving certain county funding. Waiting or rescinding if necessary various sections of the code, and mounting orders, and other legislative enactments to confirm such enactments to the fiscal year 2022/23 budget. Prior legislative enactment, prior providing exclusion from the code and an effective date. Item f is an ordinance adopting the millage for the miami-dade fire and rescue service district operating purposes for the fiscal year commencing OCTOBER 1, 2022 and p ratifying the millage for the library system operating purposes for the fiscal year commencing OCTOBER 1, 2022 engine except every 30, 2023. Living all taxing desmet taxes providing severability exclusion from the code and an effective date. In the budget director has a statement. >> the proposed library system operating millage is.2812 mills, which is 10.31% above the state defined rollback rate of.2549 mills. The proposed millage rate generates revenue to support the services included in the proposed budget. >> item h is an ordinance approving and adopting ratifying proprietary budget district budget and other budgets of miami-dade county, florida for fiscal year commencing OCTOBER 1, 2022 and ending SEPTEMBER 30, when he 23. Proposed budget as amended. Appropriate in all budget of revenues and expenditures, authorizing county funds and timeline of miami-dade county. Authorizing transfer of funds as cash advancement or other revenues. Ratifying, confirming, and in plummeting orders which said fees, rates, and charges pick authorizing charges consistent with appropriations and providing for their and been met. Approving revised fees and in plummeting orders for various departments and agencies authorizing subsequent limits byr from acquisition trust fund to supplement the trust fund to maintain the printable balance required under section 24-50.2 5b 1 of the code. Waiting for fiscal 20 year -- year 22/23. Related to allocation of funds and resolution number r 29 4 08 related to fees and charges. Waving provisions -- for nonprofits. Receiving certain county funding, authorizing the termination of financial interest rate swap agreements and allowing reinvestment of termination agreements. Amending section 32-92 of the code relating to voluntary notification fees for certain water and sewerage liquid accounts. Amending or receiving if necessary various sections of the code and other legislative enactments to conform such enactments to fiscal year 2022/23 budget. Superseding conflicting legislative enactments. Providing severability exclusion from and exclusion in the code and effective date. MR. Terry, I understand the budget director has additional amendments , which is on your intended if you can read them now. CHAIRMAN Jose Diazthe following are errors in the information for the second budget hearing dated SEPTEMBER 16, 2022. On page 4, the 150,000 to the cuban-american bar association should be amended to read 150,000 to the cuban-american . Last sentence should be replaced to read additionally while the homeless trust was provided 10 million through the homes planned and 6 million from the infrastructure project programs category, there remains a funding gap of 4 million. To meet future capital needs, that will be met in one of the following ways. From unallocated 50.875 million, which is currently set aside to provide match funding for federal and state grant awards or, number two, repurposed building better communities general bond fund based on availability with approval from the general obligation bond program advisory committee and board. On page 4, continuation of county services. Neighborhood center for the provision of temporary protective services should be removed. On page 4 continuing of county services, the family action network movement for the provision of temporary protective services should be amended to read family action network movement incorporated for the provision of immigration services. On page 4, continuation o family services. The provision of temporary protective services should be removed. On page 4, continuation of county services. 250,000 to the catholic charities of the arcs diocese of miami inc for protective services should be amended to read 1 million to the catholic eagle services archdiocese of miami inc for the provision of immigration services. On page format, continuation of county services. 250,000 to the center of patient studies inc to provide primary and specialty medical care to uninsured patients should be amended to read 500,000 to the center for -- to provide specialty medical care to the uninsured patients. On page 5, continuation of county services. 2.022 million for future budget shortfalls should read 1.77 million for future budget shortfalls. That's it. >> MR. Terry, at this time it's appropriate to open the public hearing. >> microphone. We can't hear you. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you, my monitor. Before we open up, I have a statement to the public. Commissioner sosa, I know you wanted to say something about a very dear place to you. >> Rebeca Sosa: a very dear place. MADAM Mayor, thank you for all of our firefighters that left working together with fema to help those on the island of puerto rico that need so much. They are suffering so much that if the attorney guides me in what I want to say to open the opportunity for any employee who wants to donate their days to help , we will really appreciate that. Do you want to say something or that is enough? >> yes. That's enough for now, commissioner sosa, and we will approve formal language later on in the meeting. >> Rebeca Sosa: thank you, mayor. A pleasure working with you and they really need us. >> also, MADAM Mayor, on puerto rico a dear friend of eyes it's a great organization that relieves many people asked if we could provide for fire stations that we do pickups maybe twice a day or once a day as needed. W can get that done so later on today if we can get together with chief ramirez in charge of public safety. >> yes, thank you. We've already communicated with jim are willing then -- willingness to work. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: with that -- >> strattera? >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: I'm going to read a statement, please. Welcome back to all our colleagues, director, and the residence who are here with us tonight. At our second budget hearing . For the last of the mohicans, this will be the last budget meeting that we'll be sitting in in this commission. Let's make it an easy one. Pleasant. Something that we can have a good time and listen to the people that are here to ask or say thank you or whatever, but let's try to make it a pleasant one ad a memorable one. So, tonight as we discuss the mayor's proposed changes and vote on the final budget. Before we get started with a public hearing, I want to take a moment to thank the mayor, the director , the director of finance, our art auditor, and the work that was put together to make this budget. So, all our colleagues for the week -- work they do for making their districts and client countywide situations better. Before I begin, the offices will be sharing dinner for colleagues and staff, and also attorneys, mayor staff, and so on. I would like the members of the public to know is just because members aren't here at the time you speak doesn't mean we aren't listening to you. We sometimes go to an office to deal with an issue. Sometimes we are just in the back. There are televisions that's being broadcast everywhere. Also, I want to state clearly that I want you to please address us as a whole and second, I want you to please stick to the topic of the budget. Purely the budget. That's what you're here for. Let's hear what you've got to say. I know we are trying to get this done and trying to get one minute, but it's two minutes. A lot of you are to come and say like last time a lot of think he was. If we can do it in one minute, we'll appreciate it. If not, you have two minutes to speak. I won't take away from the last meeting, this meeting, but please if you can help us out. with that, begin. On the issue. >> actually, just a point of personal privilege. I just learned that jorge rodriguez passed away. I wanted to mention it . My mother worked for him for many years and I worked for him for a decade. He was a lovely person and I was just going to ask for a moment of silence. He really did a lot forever community and our prayers for his family. The spanish radio loses an incredible advocate. >> incredible man. >> I'll take a moment of silence, please. Thank you. >> thank you, MR. Chair. >> if I MAY? >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: chair garcia. >> our office was reached by the family in an effort to trying to do a designation in commissioner higgins district. I want to put it out there so you can do a cosponsor so we can get it done. Thank you. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: great. Put me as a cosponsor also. I've known him for many years, too. All right. With that, I'm going to call your names. You were going to come up. Again, if you can speak a little bit, we appreciate it if you speak. Two minutes is we stop at that point, but I want to be real clear . Once again, address us as a whole. Second, stay to the topic of the budget. State your name clearly, please. And also, your address and then the clock will start as you start to speak. With that, I'm going to start calling out the names. Okay. Once again, I'm going to ask sergeant and arms, please clear the back and the sides unless you are an employee or media channels. I would like you to please sit down. Of the city, of the county. Thank you. All right. Olivia collins , katrina irwin, and juatran, rachel silverstein, laverne spencer, leslie mendoza, samantha barquine, jamie spector, sharon fraser steffens. Karen bois , cefas williams. Ginny silver, sandy allah, shirley fields, ren?E pesse, chris lomax, miriam singer . All right. Olivia, step up. >> thank you. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you, ma'am. >> my name is olivia collins and I live in miami, florida 33179. Thanks for allowing us all to provide comment today on the budget. I'm the senior director of programs for the clio institute. We are a nonprofit nonpartisan organization dedicated to climate advocacy. Therefore, I'm really excited to see that the budget reflects the protection of our environment, that it focuses on mitigation and reducing our public footprint. This budget will make miami-dade resilient in the face of the climate crisis, and from the directors point of view, I'm pleased to see that she would have million dollars for resiliency education. Thank you, MADAM Mayor, for keeping the climate is a priority on your agenda. When I first came to clio in 2017, we had been the recipient of the education grant. Back then the total budget 700 for $2000, which amounted to 0.009% of the county budget. Although those funds don't seem like a lot, it enabled clio to train thousands of students and teachers with mdcps. Advocates, some of which are present tonight, and allowed us to provide hurricane preparedness trainings and kids across the county to some of our vulnerable citizens. However, these funds have been on hold since 2019. Again, I would like to thank the mayor for proposing funding for resilient education and ask that these funds distributed as soon as possible since we've been very patient and that you consider increasing this amount for environmental consideration as the urgency of the science demands. Thank you for your efforts for protecting our community and your long-term vision. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you, ma'am. Ma'am? >> good afternoon. I name is katrina irwin and I live at 1470 barrow co. First off, I wanted to thank the mayor for putting claimant resilience on the agenda. For the protection of our biscayne bay to $2.5 million for the education of our community to be climate ready. The mayor is showing just how much she cares about the future of miami. For every dollar invested in building resilient communities and info structure, six dollars are saved in future costs. If we had prioritized claimant several years ago and past budgets, we would not be spending nearly as much money as we have to now and bill -- will in the future. This past couple of months, miami-dade residents have faced devastating flood impacts and have not been able to leave their house due to heat records constantly being broken. Even as I speak, the citizens of puerto rico and the dominican republic are facing the impacts of yet another devastating hurricane fueled by the climate emergency. Miami's infrastructure is not prepared to face hurricane conditions. Earlier this summer, a car sank due to a tropical storm. Just imagine what will happen when we are faced with a direct hit from a hurricane. We must invest. I support the claimant resiliency efforts proposed in the budget and I hope you although yes on the mayor's proposal. That being said, the budget increases in funding every year and claimant resilience eforts seem to be a small amount . I hope this marks as the beginning of us focusing more on preparing our communities to be climate ready in the face of the climate emergency and increase climate funding in the future. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you, ma'am. Sir? >> thank you, commissioners, for the opportunity for public comment. My name is ian and I live at 7525 sw. 144th st., pinecrest, fl, 33516. I want to say I support the mayor's proposed budget for miami-dade county, which includes $2.5 million for infrastructure and for education on climate readiness. As a years long member of miami dade county public schools, believe that the long-term resiliency and health of our community depends on the youth in schools that we support. Public education is an investment. The children and students of this generation are noticeably interested in the issues that will affect their lives. They have a stake in the improvements community can deliver an order among the mightiest force to be allies in meeting the challenges of the present and the future. If they are given the opportunity to learn about these environmental issues. As these are issues that are affecting us today, as evidenced the damage endured in puerto rico and the dominican republic as a result of hurricane fiona , students need to hear about the science, seriousness, and solutions of the climate crisis that is unfolding. In my classrooms and with my students, I've made repeated efforts to include this topic in my instruction. That is an individual choice and not every teacher feel supported in making. His budget supports the learning for students to not only be aware of these issues and its causes, bt how they can prepare for the future and meet challenges affecting our community today. Please support the mayor's budget for approval. Thank you. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you. >> did evening, CHAIRMAN. laura reynolds, 6820 sw. Safety 4th quart , miami. I'm a boardmember of friends of biscayne bay and a leader of hold the line correlation. This is a historic budget, so I want to thank the mayor for bringing it forward. A lot of people asked, how did the stock up to other budgets we've seen? I can tell you that the average environmental investment has been between 2.5 and 3%. This is 6%, but if you look at the total budget number of 10 billion, that's nowhere near where we need to go. I challenge all of you to accept this budget and challenge yourselves to do better in next year's budget on the environment. When we analyze this budget, we look to every sector trying to find how does that help the environment? Water and sewer, every aspect. It took a long time to do, but this is the highest amount we ever dedicated to the environment. I want to ask you to please support the budget. We need to think of ways to take the pressure off the urban development boundary and protect wetlands and farmland at the same time. Green space, the way that we use our land is super important and we have to come up with ways to make farming profitable. We have to come up with ways that say no net loss to wetlands so we can protect our resiliency. I ask all of you to support this budget. Thank you. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you. What number are you, ma'am? >> 4. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: 4. If you can try to put them in order so we can keep it ad we have a missing number five , did number five speak? Number five? Who holds number five? Please get the next podium. Thank you. And number six , put it right up to that, please. Let's line them up. We're doing good now. Ma'am, number four. Go ahead. >> good evening, commissioners and mayor. Gifford given me the opportunity to speak today in support of the budget. I'm rachel severson, the executive director of local nonprofit miami water keeper at 220 miracle mile. This convey is the jewel of this community, but it has clearly crossed a tipping point and urging -- urgent action is needed to protect life here in miami-dade county. Biscayne protects our real estate industry, tourism, agriculture it supports jobs, recreation, growth next month is, in fact, the 50th anniversary of the clean water act. It's the seminal environmental law that protects all of our rights to water that is safe fr swimming, drinking, and fishing. Trustingly, that law set a goal for drinking and fishing. That law set a goal of illuminating all legal pollution . It also set a goal of having all waterways be safe for swimming and fishing by 1985. Have a ways to go, but this law has also protected our waterways and has improved way of life for people and animals and wildlife and the environment across the country. In that spirit, we ask you to support the very important environmental funding that is included in the mayor's budget. Specifically, the warm water strategy that I think is really the way forward for this community to unite and really -- we want to fund climate adaptation so we are ready for c rise that threatens the existence of our community. We need to make improvements to stormwater system , invest in inspectional discharge, cleaning. We need to make improvements toward beach and canal maintenance so they are environment elite friendly and benefit the community instead of act as a detriment. We need to fully fund the mayor's request for the environmentally endangered lands program that is crucial to providing resiliency, protecting open spaces, protecting our environment, and has been a key successful -- >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you so much, ma'am, for your opportunity to speak. >> good evening, commissioners, mayor. I am laverne spicer . 6025 nw. 6th ct. We have been in business for over 20 years. We provide a wraparound service. We are more than a food bank. We have people make it through each and every day of their life. People are struggling. They can't pay the rent, can't afford gas, can't afford to feed their families. We work very closely's with senior community. Any receive less than $200 a month, less than five dollars in food stamps. That's why it is so important and we are so grateful for the funding. We also have a large population of homeless people that are right in front of our warehouse. We provide hot meals for these people also. Today, we had a lady who showed up with six kids that was homeless staying in the park. I thank you, mayor . We called your office and we was able to get that lady some help. But those are the situations that we see each and every day at our door. We also had another lady came in crime, homeless, got put out of somebody house. No clothing or nothing. These are people that we see daily because we serve these people tuesday and friday. We are grateful for the help, but we need all the help that we can continue to get to help them sustain and make it through each day. We also give out personal care items, where is hand sanitizer and we are just there to encourage our community and, once again, we thank you all for the funding. We thank you, mayor, because we call your office we always get the help that we need. Also, commissioner hardemon, we need your help ackerley's house. Thank you. [Applause] >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: no, no, no. Listen up. If you like what somebody says, this is what we do here, all right? If you do not like what somebody says, you do this. Do not use any other fingers or hands in any way. Remember, this or this, all right? Thank you. >> good evening, MADAM Mayor, CHAIRMAN Diaz, and commissioners . Leslie mendoza, 2400 sw. Dixie hwy. On behalf of the cuban america bar association pro bono legal services. I am here this evening to truly thank each and every one of you for your continuous support and express our strong support for the proposed budget at the proposed millage rates because it allows nonprofit organizations like ours to provide essential services to those members of our community most in need and I assure you the help they receive truly makes a difference. Thanks to your support as the executive director, I have seen amazing results. This past summer alone, we saw one of our former clients, who we began representing at the age of 13 years old because he was homeless and did not have a caretaker , leave to mit with a full ride. And that was thanks to support from you all that made our work possible. I am very grateful that I get to witness these amazing things that take place every day in our office and I'm here to thank you. The last time I was here, I also expressed the need for funding to help members of our community with disabilities and I am beyond grateful that it was included in the new proposed budget and I think members of the commission that championed this cause. We are excited to begin this program and see results it leads to because we are positive it will lead to wonderful results. And again, serve to strengthen our wonderful community, miami-dade county. Thank you all. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you. Ma'am? >> good evening. My name is samantha I live it one 2010 miami, florida, 33186. I support the proposed budget as it is over flexion of our values and priorities. This budget will invest in initiatives to help clean up the skin day and prepare miami-dade county for a resilient future. There are no regular fish kills in the summer months. Algae bloom are also in some areas of the bay. These are costly to our economy. We need resources to solve today before they get much more expensive in the future. This is why we need money for implementation of the civil rights strategy, production of biscayne bay and drinking water, and this is why I support the portions of the mayor's proposed budget that prioritize and value our environmental resources. I asked the commission also devote enough resources to environmental issues in the future. Thank you. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you, ma'am. Pam? >> good evening. My name is jamie spector . I want to thank you all very much for taking the time to listen to the priorities of the community for consideration as you make decisions that affect us all. I'm here to urge you to pass the budget. The importance of biscayne bay is no secret. We all know that the bay and waterways are economic driver for community and provide tens of thousands of jobs for those who call south florida home. On top of the millions in revenue that isp we know this now just lay with known it for decades. The environmentally endangered lands program formed in the early 1990s has protected natural areas that are in central to ensuring miami-dade is resilient against climate change. The website states that the eel program has acquired certain lands to, and I quote, preserve the natural mango coast, protective counties water resources. These lands are part of a national state effort to restore america's everglades,". Another part of the county's website states that the eel program has acquired lands that are again, and I quote, arguably the most port wetland system in miami-dade to eradicate and control invasive vegetation through restoration projects ". I could go on with under -- other examples, but limited to two minutes, so I'll go one. The eel program with other programs prioritizing the budget are essential to our community for two reasons. Our present and our futue >> that evening, MR. Chair. Honorable commissioners. Honorable mayor. My name is sharon fraser stevens. Miami florida, 33138. MR. Chair, I stand in support of the mayor's budget. Being that said, I would like for all the commissioners, I mean all commissioners, to support $143 million for our fair shay . As I stand here as a black american born citizen, family of veterans, world war iii , iraq veteran, and now my grandson who is now in the naval academy . My son, who served in iraq and afghanistan after the 9/11 and now my grandson, who is fighting for this country. In closing, what about our reparations? The black american born, bred, brought here from georgia slavery mentality? To stand here to see our tax dollars leaving out of our community, out of our state, out of our county. I don't mind helping others, the bible says charity starts at home. Please support the one 43 million our fair share and support the city advisory board. Thank you so much. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you, ma'am. Ma'am, you are recognized. >> good afternoon to the commission, honorable mayor. I'm going to approach the mayor. I want to thank you for what you're trying to do to improve our communities. But I live in an area as of where we have no leadership , and because we have no leadership, I have to come to the mayor's office, and the area in which I will live is infested with rats. I want to thank those who pick up the trash, but it wouldn't be rats in coconut grove. It wouldn't be rats on miracle mile and there wouldn't be map rats on miami beach. The children are having to walk through as if they have to ask the rats, can they be free? I would like to know is a homeowner what coverage can we get as homeowners to be relieved of this? There's some form of fumigation. Fumigated for zika, but we saw the rats. >> we will have someone talk to you, ma'am. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: ma'am, could I have your address for the record? >> landers is 886 nw. 77th st. . >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you. Go ahead, sir. >> good evening. 1391 95th st. I'm in support of the meager budget. Helping each one of you all in support of the commissioner like you did the former mayor. My question is now . We say we love kids and there's so much violence going on. We got a track team at gray cherry . Your kids running on concrete environment and when I look at dade county tv, I see all these beautiful dogs down south. There's nothing for our kids over here? I'm looking at all the buildings go up and down south. To come here to the city, we don't have it. In this budget, for our kids to look beautiful for the parents to come and sit down, too. It's a shame that with the violence going on and try to keep the young kids off, but we keep saying there's no money for these parks? We are so better in the south and the north? We need to do better. Commissioner monestime and you all sitting here allowing this to happen -- >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: sir, please address the board as a whole. The board, please. >> I'm just hoping each one of you all, the mayor, to look into this . In the streets that we write on, we got money for federal government. Why are they looking like it is? There's something got to be dead. There's something got to be dead. Billions and billions of dollars. Where is that going out? We building more houses than putting streetlights in the valley. It is sad. Children are up now, but nobody wants to listen. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: ma'am? >> good evening, met commissioners. My name is jenny silver and I live at 1500 w. 21st st. In miami beach. I appreciate the mayor's budget sets aside money for protecting -- >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: ma'am, I'm sorry to stop you. I just want to double check something. State your name again. >> jenny silver. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: and your address? >> 1500 w. 21st st. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: I have 22 zero miracle? >> 220 miracle mile suite 209. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: okay. >> all right, thank you. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: ma'am? Excuse me, ma'am ? Could you please take a seat? Thank you. Everybody else, please take a seat that is not in line. Thank you so much. I need to address because what happens is people start moving around. thank you, ma'am. Sorry to interrupt you. Please start again. >> good evening, commissioners. Thank you so much. I appreciate that the mayor's budget sets aside money for protecting the bay and our watershed. The budget also funds important resilience initiatives. Today, I'm commenting on one item in the mayor's budget that's critical to our watershed. That's the environmentally endangered lands program known as il. This programs focus is the protection and conservation of endangered land. The ell program secures these lands for preservation. It is so important to continue to fund and expand this program. Natural areas without impervious surface coverage can stop and hold stormwater and allow rain to percolate -- excuse me, percolate into the aquifer. They maintain biodiversity. Therefore, I support the mayor's budget funding for the environmentally land program. His program ensures the natural habitats link the bio diverse pine rock lands and hardwood have x receive the management and care they need to thrive. I support expanding the program in years to come to preserve our dwindling natural habitats. Thank you so much. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you so ma'am . Ma'am, you are recognized >> my name is sandy, the senior director of case management programs at the jewish community services south florida. I want to thank everyone for the opportunity to present here. I do support the mayor's budget and I want to present the reasoning for it. I do oversee older adult case management programs at jewish community services and we provide supportive services to the seniors of our community. The frail and most vulnerable members of our community are in need of support of case management services and to write safety and security in their homes and environment. I support the mayor's budget and thank you for the opportunity to speak today. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you so much. Guys, when you come up if you want to support the mayor's budget, just say that and say your organization we'll appreciate that, too. We keep adding more and more people. Again, it's on you. Ma'am, welcome. >> good evening. Ren?E smith, 1637 se. 8th st., miami, 33185. On the deputy director at the arts and business council of miami and I would like to thank the mayor and commissioners for their final support for the arts and that have helped keep the arts in business. We work with more than 500 arts organizations in miami-dade. The arts ecosystem is still recovering from the devastating impacts of covid. Please approve the increased funding for the department of cultural affairs to help the arts revive and thrive. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you, ma'am. Sir? You MAY begin. >> good evening. Chair, meta-mayor. I'm the PRESIDENT Of the ferguson junior bar association. We are here this evening to express our gratitude and thanks for the line item that was directed towards our works organization that has been in existence for over 40 years consisting of black lawyers. We support through scholarships and charitable organization events. Want to thank the mayor and commissioner hardemon for persons at our general body meeting last week. We want to share our public expression of gratitude. Thank you. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you, sir. >> good evening, MR. CHAIRMAN and members of the commission. Area of singer, PRESIDENT Ceo jewish community services of south florida. It is a pleasure to be here today to thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the frail and vulnerable clients that we serve throughout the entire community. Thank you for making it possible for our safety net of caring and compassionate services to address the needs of those that are most critical conditions in terms of economic impacts , health impacts, and the impacts of the housing affordability crisis. We appreciate your leadership and we support the mayor's budget and we hope you will, too. Think of so much for the opportunity. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: ma'am, you are recognized >> name is morgan, director of resource develop an engagement which was community services of south florida as well residing at 12,000 this can blvd., miami, fl, 33181. I'm also here this evening to express some drawing support of the mayor's proposed budget. Most notably, the affordable housing initiatives to respond to needs of residents suffering from the housing affordability crisis in our community. Thank you so much for including this in supporting the most vulnerable. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you, ma'am. I have surely fields. Cheryl fields, I'm sorry. MS. Fields? Okay. Vice CHAIRMAN? >> all right. Good evening, everyone. Going to call a list of names. Please line up behind either podium. Please give your name and address and you have two minimum -- minutes, a maximum of two minutes. Vicki lopez, marbled light horn, marilyn holyfield, kenneth kilpatrick, juan wheeler, and ethan howard, myra meyer, shirley richardson, patricia williams , and maurice woods. Either something else is going on or you all didn't understand me. You all are one person? >> one person. >> well, okay. Please name and address. >> good evening. MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. Vice CHAIRMAN, members of the commission, and mayor, my name is vicki lopez and I reside at 2101 brickle avenue suite 109 miami, florida, I'm joined today with the founder of agave network, doctor jos? Hernandez, the ceo, the coo, sandy hernandez, and most important, 4 women who are residents of the agape program and a graduate. We know that all of you have been longtime supporters of the mission to serve women and their families who suffer from behavioral and primary care health problems. We are especially grateful to you, MR. CHAIRMAN, for your leadership and efforts to secure funding for the completion of the health center that will increase the capacity of our clients from 1500-2100 receiving services and residential inpatient capacity will increase from 62 beds-141 beds. We know that none of this would have been possible without your support and that of the commission. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank jennifer moon for her guidance and assistance through the budget process and to the commissioner, keown a. We would like to give special thanks to the mayor for ongoing support of this important project given her strong commitment to social services. Her belief that transformation and restoration is possible, that the services should be afforded to children and families that agape serves has been paramount throughout this process. Today we honor you for your capital funding for agape network. We look forward to inviting you all in the spring to our ribbon-cutting so you can see firsthand the fruits of your labor. No doubt in the years to come, thousands of individuals will benefit from your visionary support of this incredibly important legacy project. Thank you. >> good evening. My name is marilyn holyfield. My address is 701 brickle ave., miami, fl pick . I'm here to thank you for your support of the arts, and in particular, the miami museum of contemporary art of the african diaspora, also known as miami . In document, educates, and stores knowledge for generations to come. Through virtual and in person programming, highly informative , well researched arts newsletters, collaborations with the university of miami school of communications, university of miami art museum, the coral gables museum, little haiti culture center, and hampton art lovers. We also have commissioned local-based artists for high-tech murals activated qr codes. County funding supports miami mole cat's oral and history project. That merges arts and qr code technology to capture courage and contributions of miami's first black judge, the late lawson e thomas and miami's local 1416 through a partnership with google, the oral histories will be digitized and placed on google's art and culture pays, a platform serving the world. You are funding supports the first phase of a transformative pastor planning that will define all steps toward establishing a hybrid tech museum. Miami mole's internship program is successful. Already one of our interns has been selected for a highly prestigious fellowship. Fink you very much for all of your support. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you and thank you for your support of the arts and continuing efforts. I appreciate it, marilyn. >> thank you very much, MR. Vice CHAIRMAN. Sputnik >> good evening. I'm at 650 sw. Apartment 405 pembroke pines, florida. I represent the oldest african-american theater company here in the state of florida . I am back today to reiterate our support for the mayor's budget . We hope that you would please consider the arts the art community here in miami-dade , look at us as an invaluable organization also that can impact the economy in our communities. We are in avery diverse community now. It is so important that we become sustainable in this community because one of the things we learn from each other. We support each other and we understand each other through the arts that will make it a better community. Asking you once again, please again support this proposed budget. It is very important to the arts community. I also like to acknowledge and also thank the mayor for this great budget you proposed. Thank you so much. And I also like to acknowledge the cultural affairs office staff for all the support they give to the arts community here in miami-dade county. They got us, they support us, they motivate us, and we are very grateful for them and support them. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you. >> MR. Chair, have several speakers would like to yield their time. Is that allowed? We are good. PRESIDENT Of neighborhood association and executive director of the program 5167 nw. 29 avenue. Just wanted to quickly reiterate priorities from civic neighborhood association. Those priorities being expansion of jefferson senior park, implementation of the necessity expiration from brownsville, funding for brownsville's historic hampton house , georgia st room, cemetery , and the colored children's playground and funding to assist me relist to refresh buffer walls along nw. 54th st. We also observed allocations for the auditorium and the cultural arts center improvements in the budget. I wanted to express support for those projects on behalf of the community . As both of those projects are consistent with the model of city brown's burrell rn. We are in support of the budget overall and in particular the homes program as we move forward to assist lower income families with rent and mortgage . Thank you. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you. >> good evening. 1781 opg drive miami, florida, 33133. Thank you, commissioners and meta-mayor, for your public service and leadership. As the executive director of your women's fund, I'm proud to represent a 23 l strong board of directors, community -- oh, MISS Priscilla james who are with me. Glad they let you up, priscilla. Committee members in some 8000 active followers of your women's fund for cognizant of the importance of our county budget and of your collective work. We are here to support the proposed investments in the mystic violence prevention and support services. Today, I spoke personally with the survivor who charged me with telling the commissioners that they thank you that cvac services saved her life. I'm going to let that sink in. We urge you to support maximum investment in early childhood education opportunities, including early head start. We are very active in this area directly affects the economic mobility of women. Please do not forget that. They are hand in hand. We support to fuel the economic operations we depend on. Women's fund is committed to work collaboratively with you all on human trafficking opportunities to improve maternal and infant mortality rates in miami-dade county and much more. Thank you for your leadership in representing your residence, your district, and our community. We are, indeed, stronger together. Thank you very much. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you. >> good evening, commissioners. My name is lawanda miller. My address is 1682 nw. 192 terrace 33169. I am the director of the nonworking drum corps. We are an organization that reached out to a community and teaches, as well as keeping kids off the street, keeping kids away from gun violence. We partnered up with other agencies, optimist program, and in an effort to extend our reach. We are already working with the organizations, two of the three organizations are allocated for funding and we have been in existence for 20 years . We are looking for some funding for recruitment equipment, ample mentation, anything that is available that can help us further our program. We have served the community, like I said, for the last 20 years on our own and we are looking for any help that is available that can be given. We are currently partnering with programs, as I said, that are in the community already funded. Thank you. >> good evening. Good evening, commissioners. M address is 5561 nw. Seventh court. Miami, florida and the district of the honorable commissioner hardemon, district 3. I am here to talk about a budget issue and as it relates to the new model city board that's being formed here in the city . As well as an area brownsville. I'm looking at this that was done back in 2003 , 20 years ago. And as I look at this and look at all the promises, this is a very detailed sherette. There several maps that we have been told in determining which of the areas that will be provided this model cities. Now, none of the areas include liberty city. Whose report will you believe or who map will you believe? We got six maps here. Nobody can tell us. Pch I was told is the governing factor of this election they are going to have. The election is farce and it needs to be stopped. I won't go into details because of the minutes, but I know one thing is the citizens haven't had a chance to vote properly and we are going to have to vote on next monday , the 26th , as to who will be board members of this new board. We don't even know who they are because they did not tell us there are several members that is not here, but they would like to be part of this board. And they put their candidacy inside this quote box. It wasn't a secure box, so we don't know who is in charge of trying to collect the data for us to know who we are going to be voting for. I think this is a joke and it needs to stop and it needs to be done properly. Because it's not done properly and the citizens is going to get the short end of the stick in the long run. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you. >> ma'am, we are going to speak to you about that, please. >> what? Oh. >> good evening, vice CHAIRMAN, CHAIRMAN, commissioners. My name is maurice woods. I reside at 2553 jordan manor. I want to come to you and thank you for allowing me to speak today on the budget that supports both the youth and the older adults in our community. I am the PRESIDENT And ceo of easter seals south florida. As many of you know, our mission is to address equity and inclusion with families with individuals living with disabilities. We do that through three major programs. Headstart services. We have a k-12 educational schools for those with autism and related disabilities, and we also have an adult daycare program. I will spare the details, but I am here in support and I ask you to support the mayor's budget and I look forward to meeting and working with you as we collaborate to address the disabled and those with related stabilities in our community. Thank you for the time. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you. >> patricia williams one last time. Patricia williams. Going once, going twice . I will start the next . [Listing names] That is number 29 through number 40. 29 through 40 just in case I MISS Pronounce your name. 29 through 40. >> sergeant, if we can arrange them and they can come by numbers, it would be preferred. Sergeant? If we can arrange they come by numbers, the number they are called, that would be preferred. MS. Holmes is up first. I do know that. You are up first. >> I'm a little slow, but sure. I'd like to say thank you first of all to the miami-dade sergeant of arms here in attendance because on the last meeting, as well as this one, they really accommodated us as persons with disabilities. When you get my age, as beautiful and popular a I am, you need that kind of protection. I'm also here in support of the mayors because I know -- >> can you give me your address? >> if you look on the card, sir, it is exempt for legal reasons. You have to see the clerk's office on that one. I've done my due diligence. MADAME Mayor, I call you the sheriff, but I feel good calling a woman a sheriff. Hot dog. I want to say thank you very much your staff because it was very accommodating. As bold as I MAY be and articulate as I MAY be, I felt like I needed to have someone to lean on to participate. Want to thank your sergeant in arms for that. With that, I would like to thank the vice chair and chair for taking the calls some of the other commissioners. At about 8:00 I started calling up until 10:30 regarding the issue of the first elections. At the last meeting I did a public request for the clerk's office that this was a sunshine request to determine in the document for the election that you heard that I witnessed and that we sent you that we had somebody run over with a ballot box and we still had not identified which employee is community economic development . >> MS. Holmes, we are going to need it to be on the budget item. >> you will see pertaining to the budget. Many issues of citizen participation and the tenant fund participatin inner-city community is at an all-time high. You will take my word for it is a member of clio, as a brownsville member, and someone that you know likes to look at words, research words, and have them legally clear when we make decisions about how much money is going into the budget and environment all issues with the african-american community. Thank you again. >> thank you. Dave doubler. >> good afternoon. My name is dave devlin in time represent in the biz convey health coalition, which is a cup lab of local clean water environment all advocates. I live at 800 west avenue in miami beach. I'm very much in support of the environmental components . For decades with massively underfunding the protection and restoration of lands and water, which are our economy lifestyles rely on. Even though this is not enough money to address stormwater , biscayne -- we are grateful for this historic and solid down payment that we hope will be increased next year. Thank you, mayor, for your vision and the commission for your yes votes. Thank you. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you. Eric? >> good afternoon. I reside at 724 fourth southwest port miami, florida, 33173. I rep is that the transit offers of miami county and I'm here to ask you support the mayor's budget. To many, I'm doing this as a republican and I want to make something clear here. We risk our lives every day for this county as transit officers. We are the front lines when it comes to all public threat to the transit system. Officers have been murdered in the line of duty. One of which was last year and hasn't been able to return to the line of duty as a result of psychological and physical trauma. Well first -- we answer to mystic calls and 90% of the time the response from law enforcement, not plumbing are fine and and women of law enforcement, is usually after-the-fact. We are seeing the best and most highly trained and experienced officers as a result of insufficient wages and we have contracts in this county that are way more lucrative , way less risky, and with better hours for more stable family lives. We need to address this issue and I'm going to make a production here that does not give me any pleasure, but I speak as a subject matter expert on this because I come as a retired intelligence officer. With extent of experience in counterterrorism and before that I was an ice agent assigned to the mexico border. If this continues, we are going to have a mass accidents and officers of having to lower hiring standards to dangerously low levers -- levels is going to lead to a tragedy and officers that are going to overreact to tactical force of use and you're not going to be able to escape the direct liability of public fallout from that. This is not a political vote. This is a vote for public safety and what is right and just and fair. We are grateful to you for the vote that you gave us for our basic time. We are grateful for that, but you need to improve the mayor's budget. Thank you. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you. David? >> good evening, commissioners my name is david. I'm an armed security officer for the metrorail. I've worked here for almost 6 years. Before that, I was a nuclear officer for nine years. I was also army national guardsmen for six years. I can tell you that working at the metrorail is far more stressful then guarding our nuclear sit visit -- facility. We are expected to detain or move people from the system if they fail to follow the rules or become dangerous. We are expected to step in and risk our own lives to defend the public. While performing my duties, I was almost stabbed. Broken fingers, hurt my knees while someone was getting attacked. At the end of the day, this is what I signed up for. I'm a servant to the people I protect. However, there are guards, like myself, who feel we can do the same job with less risk and make more money working a list dangerous job. I have two beetle kids that I live for and I have support. That being said, my rent has gone up from 1600-$2000 this year. I work as much overtime as I can just to make ends meet sometimes working up to 96 hours a week just to make the ends meet. We security officers feel that we are not being paid enough. We know we can get another job that is far less demanding and dangerous for similar pay. We want people of high caliber to stay and we want to attract talent so the rest of us are not so shortstaffed. In order to maintain a stable workforce, we need to be paid according to the dangers we face. It is time to increase the wages of the workers like myself and my fellow coworkers that continue to do what we are good at, guardingw so we can hear you. >> hello. The information I referred to here has been document by experts who have worked or developed this technology . I am requesting money in the county budget to prevent the concerns here in. Everyone has heard of -- remote satellite technology causes symptoms on and often daily basis for a large number of individuals or targeted individuals. I emailed members of this board and mayor transcribed links to references. Doctor robert duncan and scientists as well as doctor james , a georgetown professor and advisor. They have worked in this field for decades. I have any of the links to experts on our site . I have extreme personal concerns . I have documented at my site with many overseas agency, including a current -- ti as a whole has been reporting to their representatives and congress for decades, as well as through various military and government oig and osi's only to be met with a wall of silence or at best in action. We were told they never heard of mk ultra. Ti's have gone to the media and very few exceptions silenced there as well. This is high-level cia technology administered the us military cites -- with many nazis brought here over 1000 travel facilitated by the cia. This tech uses brain frequency, also called a brain eeg to access remotely and individual -- >> judith, thank you very much. Darren woods? No darren woods? Okay. Keith Mcqueen. >> thank you. Craig Mclean, northwest sixth street. I want to say we are in support of this budget and I want to thank each of you for working on it. Mayor, thank you for the budget. I want you to see these fine gentlemen and the young lady in here that we got together when we have all the shootings in dade county ad it was these young men that got together. Clarence dewberry, reporter city, 40 years of experience. 57 years of experience. 27 years of experience. Oral ferguson , 26 years of experience across coconut grove with 10. We are not going anyplace. We are here and we just want to say thank you for looking at football. Thank you for looking at these and giving them a chance to provide services for these kids. These men and women that constantly every year have been producing great services for this whole area as a whole and haven't -- haven't have the opportunity to recognize for what they are doing and what you're doing today will go a long way. I'm goal is to have the first 100 every year show up at these parks and be able to play and be safe at these parks and we can keep them out of harm's way. I just want to say thank you, thank you , thank you. One last thing. You heard MR. Willow mentioned earlier about the drum line because we have kids that come to these parks every day they don't want to be involved in sports, but they are there everyday. We want to give them an opportunity to be involved in something. Why not learn music? In atlanta it's important -- popular to have drum lines. We want to eventually go all the way down south . We ask for support for this drum line association as well. Think you very much. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you. >> MR. Williams, I apologize. How many years, MR. Williams? 38 years, I apologize >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you for your service to the community. And ruth. >> good afternoon, commissioners pick I live at 6776 northwest 108 e. Evan ter., miami, florida. I'm speaking on behalf of catalyst miami in support of the mayor's budget and want to continue to urge you all to support housing and environmental initiatives that will benefit all of our residents. I hope you support the budget tonight. Thank you so much for your time. >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: thank you so much. Commissioner hardemon. >> Keon Mardemon: address 1 92 nw. 79th st. 108. I'm here to really appreciate the mayor and thanking her for all she's done working with our model city board in trying to make haste of what's going on and model city. We got so much to say. We want to fund caa. I don't know really. We need -- >> CHAIRMAN Jose Diaz: you want to fund the caa. >> Keon Mardemon: when you defund the caa because of that hood they had. We want to make sure they make housing in liberty city and not spain neutering pets and dogs and another venture they got going on called sickle cell anemia research lab. But that an industrial park because industrial park is made for industrial not for medical clinics and all that kind of stuff. We got dissociative man coming in from our community. This community earned that at a 1980 ryan. We're looking for our jobs and housing. I see a lot of work going on in public housing, but they are still not putting the african-americans back into units they snatched out of their talking about drugs and guns. I'm just saying we need another thing we want to help with his parks and recreation. I've artie said about we need sports development not that other stuff they got going on. And the police that's their 's park rangers. Those park rangers need guns and