04-21-09 Item 12CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI
INTER - OFFICE MEMORANDUM
To: The Honorable Mayor and City Commission Date: April 7th, 2009
From: Eve A. Boutsis, Office of City Attorney Re: Community Relations Board
Ordinance Revisions
SUBJECT:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA, RELATING TO THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI'S
COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD (CRB); AMENDING THE DUTIES OF THE
CRB TO INCLUDE WORKING WITH THE HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY,
TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL AND ECONOMIC HELP FOR THE HOMELESS,
AND PROVIDE SENSITIVITY TRAINING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE TO THE NEEDS OF THE HOMELESS;
PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT, AND AN
EFFECTIVE DATE. [Sponsored by Mayor Horace Feliu].
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS:
The Mayor and City Commission of the City of South Miami are concerned with the growing
number of homeless people in South Miami and Miami -Dade County. These economic hard times
have caused men, women and children, entire families to become homeless due to the decreasing job
market and the foreclosure crisis. Homelessness is a phenomenon that is affecting our community.
and the Mayor sponsors this revision to the City's Code in order to take a proactive approach to the
situation to assist the entire community of South Miami. Based upon the foregoing, the City's
Community Relations Board duties should be expanded to include outreach towards the homeless
community to assist the homeless, and the Community at Large in dealing with this social issue.
It is the desire to amend the duties of the Community Relations Board so that the needs and concerns
of the homeless are addresses; and to ensure increased sensitivity towards the homeless by the South
Miami Police Department, and Community at Large.
Section 2 -26.6, relating to the creation of the Community Relations Board, under subsection (a),
would provide that membership could also consist of at least one member of the general public with
personal experience with homeless issues. Subsection (b) is proposed to be amended to provide the
Re: Community Relations Board
Ordinance Revisions
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following: "Representatives from the police department as ex officio members of the board." The
duties of the Board, found at subsection (c) are proposed for amendment as indicated below:
(c) Duties. The duties of the board shall be as follows:
(8) To recommend the City Commission such ordinances as will.aid in carrying
out the purposes of this section including increasing understanding, serisitivity, and
training of the City's Departments including the Police Department towards the
homeless.
(11) To facilitate implement and empower the curative philosophy known as
continuum of care for the homeless.
(12) The committee shall have the power and duty to examine the issues of the
homeless in the City and to recommend to the City Commission a comprehensive
strategy on the homeless including professional services health services, and
rehabilitation services for the homeless; and fostering relationships with the City's
police department health care professions and the Community at large.
FISCAL/BUDGETARY IMPACT: None.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
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ORDINANCE NO.
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AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
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SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA, RELATING TO THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI'S
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COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD (CRB); (1) AMENDING THE DUTIES OF THE
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CRB TO INCLUDE WORKING WITH THE HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, TO
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SEEK PROFESSIONAL AND ECONOMIC HELP FOR THE HOMELESS, AND
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PROVIDE SENSITIVITY TRAINING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE
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COMMUNITY AT LARGE TO THE NEEDS OF THE HOMELESS; AND (2)
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REDUCING THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY,
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ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
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WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission of the City of South Miami is concerned with the
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growing number of homeless people in South Miami and Miami -Dade County; and,
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WHEREAS, these economic hard times have caused men, women and children, entire families to
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become homeless due to the decreasing job market and the foreclosure crisis; and,
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WHEREAS, homelessness is a phenomenon that is affecting our community and the City of
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South Miami desires to take a proactive approach to the situation to assist the entire community of South
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Miami; and,
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WHEREAS, the City's Community Relations Board duties should be expanded to include
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outreach towards the homeless community to assist the homeless, and the Community at Large in dealing
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with this social issue; and,
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WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission desire to amend the duties of the Community
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Relations Board so that the needs and concerns of the homeless are addresses; and to ensure increased
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sensitivity towards the homeless by the South Miami Police Department, and Community at Large; and,
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WHEREAS, staff recommends reduction in size of the Board from 17 to 15 members, as it is
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often difficult to obtain a quorum for meeting purposes..
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
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OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA:
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Section 1. The City's Code of Ordinances, Chapter 2, section 2 -26.6, relating to the
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"Community Relations Board" is hereby amended and states as follows:
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Sec. 2 -26.6. Community Relations Board.
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(a) Created. There is hereby created a community relations board for the City. Said board
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shall consist of fifteen (15) seventeen (1-7) members, with two (2) appointees between the ages of
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eighteen (18) and thirty (30). The members shall be [of] diverse religious, and ethnic [backgrounds].
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These individuals shall be selected because of their leadership role in their own groups, and can be a
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member of the eg neral public with personal experience with homeless issues.
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(b) Appointment and terms of members. Members of said board shall be appointed by the Mayor
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with the advice and consent of the City Commission and shall sefve •infil N4afeh1, 2000 Appointees shall
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*t er°aftef serve for a period of two (2) years or until their successor is appointed, whichever comes later.
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Representatives from the police department as ex officio members of the board.
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(c) Chair and vice -chair or co- chairs. The members shall meet promptly and select a chair and vice -
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chair or co- chairs by a majority vote of the board.
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(d) Quorum. A quorum for meeting of the board shall be a majority of the members of the board.
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(e) Duties. The duties of the board shall be as follows:
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(1) Meet at least once every three (3) months.
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(2) To foster mutual understanding, tolerance and respect among all economic,
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social, religious, sexual orientation, people with special needs, age and ethnic groups in
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the City.
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(3) To make studies in the field of human relations.
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(4) To attempt to act as conciliator in controversies involving community relations.
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(5) To co- operate with federal, state, county and City agencies in developing
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harmonious community relations.
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(6) To co- operate in the development of educational programs dedicated to the
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improvement of community relations with and to enlist the support of civic leaders; civic,
religious, veterans, labor industrial, commercial and eleemosynary groups; and private
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agencies engaged in the inculcation of ideals of tolerance, mutual respect and
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understanding.
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(7) To make studies, and to have studies made, in the field of community relations,
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and to prepare and disseminate reports of such studies.
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(8) To recommend the City Commission such ordinances as will aid in carrying out
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the purposes of this section including increasing understanding, sensitivity, and training
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of the City's Departments, including the Police Department, towards the homeless.
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(9) To submit an annual report to the Manager and City Commission.
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(10) To accept grants and donations in behalf of the City from foundations and others
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for the purpose of carrying out the above listed functions, subject to approval by the City
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Commission.
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(11) To facilitate implement and empower the curative philosophy known as
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continuum of care for the homeless.
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(12) The committee shall have the power and duty to examine the issues of the
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homeless in the City and to recommend to the City Commission a comprehensive
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strategy on the homeless including professional services, health services, and
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rehabilitation services for the homeless; and fostering relationships with the City's police
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department, health care professions and the Communi1y at large.
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Section 2. If any section, clause, sentence, or phrase of this ordinance is for any reason held
invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, the holding shall not affect the validity of
the remaining portions of this ordinance.
Section 3. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with the provisions of this
ordinance are repealed.
Section 4. This ordinance shall be codified and included in the Code of Ordinances.
Section 5. This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon enactment.
PASSED AND. ADOPTED this _ day of
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
READ AND APPROVED AS TO FORM
Luis R. Figueredo,
Office of City Attorney
, 2009.
APPROVED:
MAYOR
1St Reading —
2nd Reading —
COMMISSION VOTE:
Mayor Feliu:
Vice Mayor Beasley:
Commissioner Palmer_.
Commissioner
Commissioner Newman:
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