2015-0521 Regular City Commission Meeting

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SUMMARY MINUTES Regular City Commission Meeting Thursday, May 21, 2015, 6:30 p.m. City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida ATTENTION ALL LOBBYISTS: CITY LAW REQUIRES YOUR REGISTRATION PRIOR TO ENGAGING IN LOBBYING ACTIVITIES BEFORE CITY STAFF, BOARDS,COMMITTEES OR THE CITY COMMISSION. PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY CLERK FOR FORMS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. AGENDA 1. CALL TO ORDER/ ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS The meeting was called to order by Mayor Scholl at 6:30 p.m. with the following officials present: Mayor George "Bud" Scholl City Manager Christopher J. Russo Vice Mayor Jeanette Gatto City Attorney Hans Ottinot Commissioner Isaac Aelion City Clerk Jane A. Hines, MMC Commissioner Dana Goldman Deputy City Manager Stan Morris Commissioner Jennifer Levin Deputy City Attorney Fernando Amuchastegui Timothy Byrd, K-8 Student Body President 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE / INVOCATION Action: Police Chief Fred Maas noted that May is Memorial Month, and this coming weekend is Memorial Day Weekend. We honor and remember both our military, past and present, and our law enforcement who have made the ultimate sacrifice. As a special tribute in their honor, following the Pledge of Allegiance we will have a special rendition of"God Bless America"as he is accompanied tonight by Jasmine Michaels who is a resident, college student and previous scholarship winner for the City of Sunny Isles Beach. Chief Maas led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, and then he and Ms. Michaels sang "God Bless America". Chief Maas then gave the invocation. Mayor Scholl gave opening remarks of decorum, and gave an update of activities in the City. At last month's meeting we appropriated the funding to buy the land next door to City Hall which we call the"Alamo Property". On that property our intention is to build a building that will house an expanded school,a Senior Center,and some commercial office space. The City Manager has been working with the School Board and it turns out that the School Board wants to move grades 6, 7, and 8 to that building which actually will be good for us because originally they wanted to move the kindergarten K through grade 2 which requires a lot more infrastructure including having to use the first floor and having a bathroom in each class room. With grades 6 through 8 we have a lot more flexibility in the building design which the City Manager is working on. City Manager Russo said the other part of that which is important and it is just one component, parking is obviously a big issue and this gives us the flexibility to have a level of parking at the ground level besides the level we are going to have partially underground. That was a big difference, one of our main concerns was having adequate parking with this development.