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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.22.2014 - Special City Council MinutesCITY OF MIAMI GARDENS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MINUTES SEPTEMBER 22, 2014 (A) CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL The City Council for the City of Miami Gardens, Florida, met in special session, Monday, September 22, 2014, beginning at 6:05 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, 18605 NW 27d' Avenue, Miami Gardens, Florida. The following members of the City Council were present: Mayor Oliver Gilbert, Vice Mayor Felicia Robinson and Council members Lisa C. Davis, David Williams Jr., and Erhabor Ighodaro. Councilman Rodney Harris arrived at 6:15 p.m. Also in attendance were: City Manager Cameron Benson, City Attorney Sonja K. Dickens and City Clerk Ronetta Taylor. (B) INVOCATION Invocation delivered by Mayor Gilbert. (C) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Recited in unison. (D) RESOLUTION(S)/PUBLIC HEARING Mayor Gilbert stated, "This is the second of two public hearings for the adoption of the millage rate and budget for the City of Miami Gardens for fiscal year 2014/2015. RESOLUTION NO. 2014-145-2124 D-1) A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA, ADOPTING A FINAL MILLAGE RATE AT A PUBLIC HEARING TO BE LEVIED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2014, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 FOR OPERATING PURPOSES; ESTABLISHING THE ROLLBACK RATE; ESTABLISHING THE DEBT MILLAGE RATE APPROVED BY THE ELECTORATE; PROVIDING FOR DIRECTIONS TO THE FINANCE DIRECTOR THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (SPONSORED BY THE CITY MANAGER) After the title of the resolution was read into the record by the City Clerk, Mayor Gilbert stated, "The proposed millage rate for the City for fiscal year 2014/2015 is 6.9363, which is 8.85% over the rollback rate of 6.3882, and the voted debt service millage rate is 1.30." Manager Benson recommended approval of the 6.9363 Millage Rate and the Debt Service Millage Rate of 1.30. He said the Debt Service Millage Rate is lower than what was anticipated. Special City Council Agenda - September 22, 2014 Page 1 Mayor Gilbert opened the floor for public comments. There being no interested parties to speak on this item, the public hearing closed. Motion offered by Councilman Williams, seconded by Councilwoman Davis to adopt the final millage rate and the voted debt service millage rate. Councilwoman Davis stated she wanted to make sure there would be her code enforcement concerns would be addressed. Mayor Gilbert for clarification purposes stated Councilwoman Davis' inquiry is a budget item. After discussion by the Council, a motion was offered by Councilman Williams, seconded by Councilwoman Odom to defer the adoption of the final millage rated and voted debt service millage rate until after the discussion on the budget. There being no further discussion, the motion to defer passed and carried by a unanimous voice vote of the Council. After discussion on the budget, and the vote to recall the millage rate and debt service millage rate resolution, the motion to adopt passed and carried by a unanimous voice vote of the Council. Once the millage rate and debt service millage resolution was adopted a motion was offered by Councilman Harris, seconded by Councilwoman Davis to recall the budget ordinance for adoption. The vote for that item is reflected after the discussion of E-1. (E) ORDINANCE(S) FOR FIRST READING/PUBLIC HEARING: ORDINANCE NO. 2014-14-325 E-1) AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE CITY'S BUDGET FOR THE 2014-2015 FISCAL YEAR; PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE CERTAIN ACTIONS; PROVIDING FOR CARRYOVER OF FUNDS; PROVIDING FOR INTERFUND TRANSFERS; PROVIDING FOR AUTOMATIC AMENDMENT; PROVIDING FOR ADOPTION OF REPRESENTATIONS; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (SPONSORED BY THE CITY MANAGER) Manager Benson stated that there is an amendment to the budget to include funding for: 1) Council Assistant. (The original budget included a part-time position in the Office of the City Clerk Special City Council Agenda - September 22, 2014 Page 2 at a cost of $16,770.00. This position has been upgraded in the proposed budget to a full-time position at an additional cost of $49,243). 2) Miss Miami Gardens Pageant - $20,000 of seed money to be provided to the organizers of the Miss Miami Gardens Pageant. Administration understands the balance of the funding required to present the Pageant will come from donations or other sources. 3) Neighborhood Crime Watch - funding for Neighborhood Crime Watch efforts are not contemplated in the Proposed Budget. Council asked to allocate $5,000 from the Working Capital Reserve Fund to the following Neighborhood Crime Watch organizations: Norwood, Brentwood, Scott Lake, Pentab and Riverview. 4) Code Enforcement - Administration hired a Resource Officer in May, which was established to provide a liaison between the Building and Code Compliance Departments and the Miami Gardens Police Department. This was the initial step in making sure the lines of communication are open between Police and the Building and Code Compliance Department. Manager Benson said the concerns raised by the Council are being addressed, including the cross training with an education component for the police department. Councilwoman Davis reiterated the importance of have an active code enforcement component because what she is seeing in the community at present, it not acceptable. Mayor Gilbert opened the floor for this public hearing. Dorothy Smith, 20484 NW 10 Place, Miami Gardens, Florida, appeared before the City Council. She asked how much this new millage rate will cost her with an assessed property value of $400,000. Mayor Gilbert advised Ms. Smith that staff will be able to provide that information to her. Francis Ragoo, 889 NW 214th Street, Apt. 102, Miami Gardens, Florida, appeared before the City Council to ask about the revenue received from the Annual Jazz in the Gardens event for 2012 and 2013. He further inquired about the Special Events Fund and the allocation for each seat. Also is this fund the same as the Capital Reserve Fund. Manager Benson in response to Mr. Ragoo's inquiry about the Special Events fund he stated that each Council member has been budgeted $5,000. The remaining $35,000 has been placed in the City Manager's budget under Special Events. That money can be accessed by bringing a resolution to Council to support that particular event. Those funds have been downsized in order to support the Miss Miami Gardens Pageant and the additional position. The remaining amount in the "Special Events" account is actually $17,500.00, which equates to approximately $2,500 for each Council member. Councilwoman Odom asked how a determination was made to provide funding to the Neighborhood Crime Watch groups identified. Mayor Gilbert said Ms. Sonia Flowers made a request for a $1,000 funding for the five active Neighborhood crime watch programs. He said there are additional funds left over from the Working Capital Reserve that can provide funding for the additional crime watch programs. Special City Council Agenda - September 22, 2014 Page 3 Councilwoman Odom reiterated the City has more than five Neighborhood Crime Watch groups. Mayor Gilbert said if the Council wants to provide $1,000 to every Neighborhood Crime Watch group in the City. Councilwoman Davis asked whether there was funding in the budget to provide that $1,000 for every Neighborhood Crime Watch. Mayor Gilbert said there is no funding allocated in this budget to do that, which is why he is advocating giving them the money that is left over in the Working Capital Reserve Fund. He said this can be done, if it is the will of the Council. Councilman Harris asked whether the Working Capital Reserve funds could be used. Manager Benson in response to Councilman Harris indicated that the Working Capital Reserve Fund has a remaining balance of $17,500.00. Councilman Williams asked whether this budget included Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., celebration and Black History Month. Manager Benson in response to Councilman Williams' concern replied, "Yes." Councilwoman Davis reiterated that she did not want to give money to those Neighborhood Crime Watch organizations that were not active. Terrance Julius, 3020 NW 172nd Terrace, Miami Gardens, Florida, appeared before the City Council and asked whether there was a City of Miami Gardens Crime Watch. Mayor Gilbert in response to Mr. Julius' inquiry shared that the Neighborhood Crime Watches are identified by their community areas. Sharon Frazier Stephens, 145 NE 193`d Street, Miami, Florida, appeared before the City Council to encourage the creation of a Neighborhood Crime Watch on the eastside of Miami Gardens. Mayor Gilbert in response to Ms. Frazier Stephens comment and stated the creation of a Neighborhood Crime Watch is a citizen driven process. The City will assist however it is the citizens who make up the Neighborhood Crime Watch. Reverend Woods, 1801 NW 121St Miami, Florida, appeared before the City Council and stated that he is an Associate Pastor of First Baptist Church of Bunche Park and resident of Miami - Dade County. He shared from his observation the crimes being committed by youth against youth has not decreased, but is on the up -rise. He stated that a new Neighborhood Crime Watch group is being organized, with the first meeting being scheduled for next month. In addition, a Town Hall Special City Council Agenda - September 22, 2014 Page 4 meeting is being scheduled at First Baptist Church of Bunche Park. He said he would love to be some changes. There being no further interested parties to speak on this item the public hearing closed. Motion offered by Councilman Williams, seconded by Councilwoman Odom to adopt the budget for fiscal year 2014/2015, as amended by the Memorandum submitted by the City Manager dated, September 22, 2014. There being no discussion on this amendment, the motion passed and carried by a unanimous voice vote. Motion offered by Councilman Williams, seconded by Councilwoman Odom to adopt the budget. Motion offered by Councilman Williams, seconded by Councilman Harris to defer the adoption of the budget until after the adoption of the millage rate and debt service rate. There being no discussion, the motion to defer the adoption of the budget until after the adoption of the proposed millage rate and Debt Service rate passed and carried by a unanimous voice vote of the Council. Motion offered by Vice Mayor Robinson, seconded by Councilman Williams to recall the millage rate resolution. There being no further discussion, the motion to recall the millage rate and debt service rate passed and carried by a unanimous voice vote of the Council. After the adoption of the millage rate and debt service rate, and the recall of the budget ordinance, the motion to adopt the budget for FY 2014-2015 passed and carried by a 7-0 vote. Councilman Harris: Yes Councilman Ighodaro: Yes Councilwoman Odom: Yes Vice Mayor Robinson: Yes Councilman Williams: Yes Councilwoman Davis: Yes Mayor Gilbert: Yes (F)ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before this Body, and upon a motion being duly made, this meeting adjourned at 6:42 p.m. Attest: 1 Oliver Gilbert, Mayor Ronetta Taylo MC, City Clerk Special City Council Agenda - September 22, 2014 Page 5