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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.23.2015 - Special City Council MeetingCITY OF MIAMI GARDENS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MINUTES SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 (A) CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL The City Council for the City of Miami Gardens, Florida, met in special session, Wednesday, September 23, 2015, beginning at 6:00 p.m., in the City Council Chambers, 18605 NW 27'' 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, Lillie Q. Odom, Rodney Harris, David Williams Jr., and Dr. Erhabor Ighodaro. Also in attendance were: City Manager Cameron Benson, City Attorney Sonja K. Dickens, and City Clerk Ronetta Taylor. (B) INVOCATION Mayor Gilbert delivered the invocation. (C) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Recited in unison. 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 2015/2016." (D) RESOLUTION(S)/PUBLIC HEARING RESOLUTION NO. 2015-142-2339 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, 2015, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 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 this resolution was read into the record by the City Clerk, Mayor Gilbert stated, "The Proposed Millage Rate for the City for Fiscal Year 2015/2016 is 6.9363, which is 9.69% over the roll -back rate, and the voted Debt Service Millage Rate is 1.2398. The Aggregated Millage rate for Fiscal Year 2015/2016 is 8.1761." Special City Council Minutes - September 23, 2015 Page 1 Manager Benson stated there have been no changes in the millage rate, which is proposed at 9.363, which is a 9.69% increase over the roll back rate, and debt service millage rate of 1.2398. Mayor Gilbert opened the floor for this public hearing. Marisha Rogers, 2231 NW 172nd Terrace, Miami Gardens, Florida, appeared before the City Council to ask the City Council to propose the adoption of the budget because she has not had an opportunity to review everything. Mayor Gilbert in response to the comments made by Ms. Rogers said this is the second reading and adoption of the budget. The new fiscal year starts October 1St. A budget for has to be adopted prior to October 1 st Austin Rogers, 2231 NW 172nd Terrace, Miami Gardens, Florida, appeared before the City Council to express concern with the adoption of the budget. He expressed concerns with the actual budget proposed for public safety. After there were no interested parties to speak on this item, the public hearing closed. Mayor Gilbert informed the Rogers that their comments were more towards the budget and not the millage rate and therefore would be incorporated as such. Motion offered by Councilman Williams, seconded by Councilman Harris to adopt the Millage Rate resolution. There being no discussion, motion was offered by Councilman Williams, seconded by Councilwoman Davis to defer this item until after discussion on the Budget Ordinance. There being no further discussion, the motion to defer pass and carried by a unanimous voice vote of the Council. After the motion to recall the Millage Rate was adopted, the motion to adopt the Millage Rate passed and carried by a 7-0 vote. Councilwoman Davis: Yes Councilman Harris: Yes Councilman Ighodaro: Yes Councilwoman Odom: Yes Vice Mayor Robinson: Yes Councilman Williams: Yes Mayor Gilbert: Yes After the adoption of the Millage Rate Resolution, a motion to recall the Budget Ordinance was offered by Councilman Williams, seconded by Councilman Harris. There being no further discussion, the motion to recall the Budget Ordinance passed and carried by a unanimous vote. Special City Council Minutes - September 23, 2015 Page 2 (E) ORDINANCE(S) FOR SECOND READING/PUBLIC HEARING: ORDINANCE NO. 2015-10-340 E-1) ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA, APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE CITY'S BUDGET FOR THE 2015-2016 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 there have been no changes since the first hearing. This is the final reading of the two public hearings on the ordinance adopting the City's FY 2015-2016 annual operating budget. It establishes appropriations for all City's activities for the coming fiscal year. The proposed General Fund budget is balanced at a millage rate of 6.9363. Mayor Gilbert opened the floor for this public hearing. After there were no interested parties to speak on this item, the public hearing closed. Motion offered by Councilman Williams, seconded by Councilman Harris to adopt the Budget Ordinance. Manager Benson stated that there has been some desire to move the supervision of the Council's staff from under the Office of the City Clerk to the Officer of the City Manager. Motion offered by Councilwoman Odom to move the supervision of the Council's Staff from the Office of the City Clerk to the Office of the City Manager, and opined that moving the supervision of the Council's staff to the Office of the City Manager was appropriate because of all of the coordinating efforts as it relates to their various projects, which involved the City Manager's staff and the various departments under the City Manager's supervision. This motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Robinson. Councilman Williams said he would like to bring back a resolution so that each Council Member can have an individual staff person. Attorney Dickens recounted that previously a Charter Amendment was put to the voters to have each Council member hire their own support staff. That amendment was defeated by the voters. She said a resolution can be drafted for an amendment. Councilman Williams stated that he wanted to pursue that initiative. At the conclusion of this discussion, the motion to remove the supervision of the Council's Special City Council Minutes - September 23, 2015 Page 3 staff from the Office of the City Berk to the Office of the City Manager passed and carried by a 5-2 vote. Councilwoman Davis: No Councilman Harris: Yes Councilman Ighodaro: No Councilwoman Odom: Yes Vice Mayor Robinson: Yes Councilman Williams: Yes Mayor Gilbert: Yes At the conclusion of this discussion, a motion to defer the adoption of the budget ordinance until after the adoption of the Millage Rate Resolution was made by Councilman Harris, seconded by Councilman Williams. There being no discussion, the motion to defer passed and carried by a unanimous vote of the Council. After the adoption of the deferral motion, a motion to recall the Millage Resolution was offered by Councilman Williams, seconded by Councilman Harris. The motion to recall the Millage Rate Resolution passed and carried by a unanimous voice vote. After the adoption of the Millage Rate Resolution, and the recall of the Budget Ordinance, the motion to adopt the Budget for FY 2015-2016 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 moved and seconded the meeting adjourned at 6:30 PM. C� Oliver Gilbert, Mayor Attest: W'ot� J�� Ronetta Taylor, MMC, Pty Clerk Special City Council Minutes - September 23, 2015 Page 4