09-22-09 MinutesMT2q,
1 City of South Miami
2 Special City Commission Minutes
3 Second Budget Hearing FY 09 -10
4 September 22, 2009
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CALL TO ORDER:
The City Commission of the City of South Miami, Florida met
in special session on Tuesday, September 22, 2009, beginning at
7:40 p.m., in the City Commission Chambers, 6130 Sunset Drive.
A. Roll Call:
The following members of the City Commission were present:
Mayor Horace G. Feliu, Vice Mayor Brian D. Beasley, and,
Commissioners Velma Palmer, Valerie Newman and Lew Sellars.
Also in attendance were: Interim City Attorneys Laurence
Feingold and Mark A. Goldstein, City Clerk Maria M. Menendez and
City Manager Ajibola Balogun.
B. Invocation: The invocation was delivered by Mayor Feliu.
C. Pledge of Allegiance:
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.
D. Presentations(s)
(After the public hearing)
ITEM (S) FOR THE COMMISSION'S CONSIDERATION:
2 nd Reading of Ordinance(s) /Public Hearing(s)
22 -09 -2014
1. AN ORDINANCE OF THE
MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF
THE
CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI,
FLORIDA, LEVYING
THE MILLAGE
OF
5.2790 4.9526 WHICH
IS 5.97% 11.78%
LOWER THAN
THE
ROLLBACK OF 5.6140 AND RESULTING IN
0.00% CHANGE
IN
PROPERTY TAX RATE IN
THE CITY OF SOUTH
MIAMI, FLORIDA,
SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MINUTES
September 22, 2009
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FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2009/2010;
SEVERABILITY, ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT
DATE.
(City Manager)
� a
PROVIDING FOR
AND AN EFFECTIVE
3/5
Moved by Mayor Feliu, seconded by Commissioner Palmer to
approve this item.
At this time the public hearing was opened.
Yvonne Beckman spoke in disagreement of the presentation
from the Budget and Finance Committee at the Budget Workshop on
September 16, 2009, urging the Commission to change the procedure
for selecting members to boards and committees so that it could
be a more democratic process. She then spoke about comparison
charts that she prepared regarding .salaries and the number of
employees between our City and Pinecrest.
David Fry urged the Commission to reduce salaries across the
board. He then urged the Commission to explore more sources of
revenue.
Janet Launcelott requested clarification, about the recapture
clause regarding taxes. She also asked about how much money there
is in the reserves fund.
With no further speakers the public hearing was closed.
At this time Mr. TBalogun explained that the reserves fund is
kept with 10 percent.of the budget as provided by ordinance.
About the recapture clause question, Mr. Feingold said that
he would be getting back with Dr. Laun.celott with that
information.
At this time Mr. Balogun presented the budget for the fiscal
year 2009 -2010, presenting three different scenarios for the
consideration of the Commission.
,After the City Manager's presentation and some discussion
among the Commission and staff, Commissioner Newman conducted a
Powerpoint presentation that she had prepared. She presented an
analysis of City Population vs. Personnel, whereas the population
has remained the same, personnel have increased, revenue has
decreased and the expenses have doubled. She then proposed salary
reductions of 10 percent for non -union salaries over $75,000 with
an estimated savings of $150,000. She then proposed a contingency
line item contingent upon the collecting bargaining process. She
also referred to the percentage of pension contribution by police
SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MINUTES 2
September 22, 2009
Ina t
1 officers which she said she found to be higher than those in
2 other municipalities.
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4 Mayor Feliu referred to the pension saying that the
5 Commission has conducted various workshops to discuss pension
6 issues, and where representatives of the Florida Retirement
7 System (FRS) have been invited to address the Commission; he also
8 said that he is in favor of those employees that want to come on
9 board to the FRS, but that a consensus is needed from the
10 employees.
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12 At this time Mr. Balogun made some clarification regarding
13 the increase in some departments, such as in the case of Public
14 Works, which has inherited another division (landscape),
15 constituting the reason for the budget increase in that
16 particular department.
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18 Building Department Director Citarella explained that the
19 activities of the Building Department are controlled by Chapter 8
20 of the Miami -Dade County Code, requiring that all inspectors be
21 licensed by the state, and also be certified by the County.
22 Furthermore, in order to have a viable building department, the
23 department must have licensed people in each of the specialties
24 that make up the construction process.
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26 Commissioner Palmer expressed concern about the proposal to
27 cut salaries. She said that she has found real dedicated
28 employees in the City and that her heart goes out to everybody;
29 and as far as the Commissioner's salary, she said that she feels
30 that she is entitled to hers because she has plenty expenses for
31 conducting City business.
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33 Moved by Mayor Feliu to table this item, seconded by
34 Commissioner Sellars, the motion passed by a 4 -0 vote:
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36 Commissioner Palmer: Out of the Room
37 Vice Mayor Beasley: Yea
38 Commissioner Newman: Yea
39 Commissioner Sellars: Yea
40 Mayor Feliu: Yea
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42 23 -09 -2015
43 2. AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE
44 CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA, ADOPTING A BUDGET OF
45 $- 19,658,, $19,225,676 AND PAY PLAN FOR THE FISCAL
46 YEAR 2009/2010; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; ORDINANCES
47 IN CONFLICT; AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 3/5
48 (City Manager)
SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MINUTES 3
September 22, 2009
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:Ixt
Moved by Mayor Feliu, seconded by Commissioner Sellars to
approve this item.
At this time the public hearing was opened.
Yvonne Beckman read a letter from Sharon McCain into the
record.
Roxanne Scalia said that she wanted to take the time to
thank all the employees because we do have a great City, she
said. She also urged the Commission not to eliminate any
positions if at all possible.
Walter Harris said that he felt that the Budget and Finance
Committee lacked any effort on their part to come up I with any
recommendation whatsoever. He also said that he appreciates all
the employees in the City.
With no further speakers the public hearing was closed.
Commissioner Sellars said that after going through the
,budget and the three different scenarios presented by the City
Manager, he will be in favor of scenario no. 3 which he said that
he feels that is where the budget should be for this year, at
4.9526 mills. He also said that he did not want for any employee
to lose their job.
Vice Mayor Beasley said that he would never suggest for
anyone to be losing his /her job. He also said that he concurred
with Commissioner Sellars as far as being in favor of scenario
no. 3.
Commissioner Newman then proposed an amendment to the Non -
Departmental part of the budget regarding traffic calming which
she believes to be the key issue among residents.
Moved by Commissioner Newman, seconded by Vice Mayor Beasley
to amend the Non - Departmental part of the budget to assign the
entire amount of $129,000 towards traffic calming. This motion
was later withdrawn.
Moved by Commissioner Newman, seconded by Vice Mayor Beasley
to amend the People's Transportation Tax Fund, requesting that
whatever funds are necessary to implement and finish the traffic
calming in Mango Terrace and to finish the traffic calming in the
Cocoplum area. Mr. Balogun said not to have any problem with this
request. Mr. Feingold said that there was no need for a formal
motion regarding this request.
SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MINUTES 4
September 22, 2009
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Da
Moved by Commissioner Newman to reduce salaries of employees
that exceed $75,000, by ten percent. Seconded by Vice Mayor
Beasley. This motion was withdrawn to be reinstated below:
Moved by Commissioner Newman to reduce salaries of employees
that exceed $75,000, by ten percent, excluding non - bargaining
union employees. Seconded by Vice Mayor Beasley.
Commissioner Palmer asked clarification about legal
implications of above motion. Mr. Crossland said that as long as
the non - bargaining union employees are excluded, the above
proposal for reduction of salaries would not be in conflict with
labor relations issues.
Commissioner Palmer said that this sounds dangerous
nevertheless and that the City could be exposed to big lawsuits.
Mayor Feliu also spoke against the above motion, saying that
there are many employees that have been with the City for many
years, accumulating a great amount of knowledge and experience
and that it would not be a good practice to expose the City to
potential lawsuits.
Vice Mayor Beasley then requested what would be the savings
to the City as the result of the proposed reduction of salaries.
He also said that the basis for �the request for reduction of
salaries is to be prepared for harder times next year.
At this time the Mayor announced a 5- minute break.
As the meeting reconvened, Finance Director Matilde Menendez
provided the answer to the previous question regarding the
savings that would be achieved by the proposed salary reduction,
giving the figure of $85,000.
With some further comments, the motion to approve the above
motion to reduce salaries failed by a 2 -3 vote:
Commissioner Palmer: Nay
Vice Mayor Beasley: Yea
Commissioner Newman: Yea
Commissioner Sellars: Nay
Mayor Feliu: Nay
At this time Commissioner Newman asked for clarification
regarding placing a line item in the budget for purposes of the
City's share of police pension contribution. Mr. Crossland
advised about holding an executive session to discuss the issue
of pension contribution relating to police.
SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MINUTES 5
September 22, 2009
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Da
At this time Commissioner Sellars referred to the proposed
sound system for the Community Center.
Commissioner Newman referred to
social worker at the senior center,
service would be $45,000 to hire a
suggested earmarking the line item f
purpose of bringing back the social
weekly basis.
the issue of a much needed
and that the cost for that
full -time worker. She then
or the sound system for the
worker, to come back on a
Mr. Balogun explained that the services of the social worker
for the seniors have been reduced to once -a -month visits but it
has not been cancelled. He then said that he will be looking into
this and come back to the Commission with the necessary
additional funding to have the social worker back on a weekly
basis.
Moved by Commissioner Newman, seconded by Mayor Feliu, to
remove the proposed sound system for the Community Center, and
replace it with the services of a part -time social worker until
the City Manager finds the funds to have full -time services.
Commissioner Sellars brought up for clarification that this
will be provided through the Thelma Gibson Program, and with no
additional benefits.
With some further comments,
motion passed by a 5 -0 vote:
Commissioner
Vice Mayor B
Commissioner
Commissioner
Mayor Feliu:
the motion to approve the above
Palmer: Yea
easley: Yea
Newman: Yea
Sellars: Yea
Yea
Moved by Mayor Feliu to table this item and bring item no. 1
back on the table, seconded by Commissioner Sellars, the motion
passed by a 5 -0 vote:
Commissioner Palmer: Yea
Vice Mayor Beasley: Yea
Commissioner Newman: Yea
Commissioner Sellars: Yea
Mayor Feliu: Yea
46 22 -09 -2014
47 1. AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE
48 CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA, LEVYING THE MILLAGE OF
SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MINUTES 6
September 22, 2009
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5-2790 4.9526 WHICH IS
ROLLBACK OF 5.6140 AND
PROPERTY TAX RATE IN THE
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
SEVERABILITY, ORDINANCES
DATE.
5. 97% 11.78%
RESULTING IN
CITY OF SOUT]
2009/2010;
IN CONFLICT
(City Manager)
I ant
LOWER THAN THE
0.00% CHANGE IN
I MIAMI, FLORIDA,
PROVIDING FOR
AND AN EFFECTIVE
3/5
Moved by Mayor Feliu to adopt scenario no. 3, bringing the
millage to 4.9526. Seconded by Commissioner Newman.
Commissioner Palmer cautioned about bringing down the
millage lower than 5 mills because it would not amount to perhaps
more than $10 for each of the residents but it could hurt City
operations.
With no further comments, the motion to approve this item as
amended passed by a 5 -0 vote:
Commissioner Palmer: Yea
Vice Mayor Beasley: Yea
Commissioner Newman: Yea
Commissioner Sellars: Yea
Mayor Feliu: Yea
Moved by Mayor Feliu to bring item no. 2 back on the table,
seconded by Commissioner Sellars, the motion passed by a 5 -0
vote:
Commissioner Palmer: Yea
Vice Mayor Beasley: Yea
Commissioner Newman: Yea
Commissioner Sellars: Yea
Mayor Feliu: Yea
23 -09 -2015
2. AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA, ADOPTING A BUDGET OF
$19,658, $19,225,676 AND PAY PLAN FOR THE FISCAL
YEAR 2009/2010; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; ORDINANCES
IN CONFLICT; AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. 3/5
(City Manager)
Moved by Mayor Feliu, seconded by Vice Mayor Beasley, the
motion to adopt the budget at $19,225.676 passed by a 5 -0 vote:
SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MINUTES
September 22, 2009
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Commissioner Palmer:
Vice Mayor Beasley:
Commissioner Newman:
Commissioner Sellars:
Mayor Feliu:
COMMISSION REMARKS
llaTtl
Yea
Yea
Yea
Yea
Yea
Each member of the Commission was afforded to make comments.
There being no further business to come before this Body;
the meeting adjourned at 10:54'p.m.
Attest
Maria M. Menendez
City Clerk
SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MINUTES
September 22, 2009
n. •
Approved
Horace G. Feliu
Mayor