MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
 c/o Robert King High
1407 NW 7 St., Suite D
Miami, FL  33125 Phone 305 644 0544
Fax 305 642 1136
Email:
  mrc@rsmas.miami.edu

   MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION
  GENERAL COMMITTEE MINUTES:
  Minutes of meeting

MONDAY
Feb. 6, 2006
12:00 NOON
(THIS IS A PUBLIC DOCUMENT)

Miami River Commission (MRC) Vice-Chairperson Phil Everingham convened the MRC meeting at noon , Monday, February 6, 2006 , Robert King High, 1407 NW 7th Street, New Board Room, Miami, Florida .

Miami River Commission Policy Committee members and/or Designees attending were:

  • Chairperson Irela Bagué, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD)

  • Phil Everingham, President of the Marine Council, MRC Vice-Chair

  • Bruno Barreiro, Miami-Dade County Commission (Arrived during UIWG Subcommittee Report)

  • Betty Gutierrez, designee for Miami-Dade County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro (arrived during Subcommittee Report)

  • Megan Kelly, designee for Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce

  • Dana Nottingham, Downtown Development Authority

  • Charles Morton, Chair of the Miami River Marine Group

  • Eric Buermann, Member-at-Large, appointed by Office of the Governor

  • Eddie Rodriguez, designee for Sara Babun

  • Tony Garrastazu, designee for Governor Jeb Bush

  • Dr. Ernie Martin, Neighborhood Representative, appointed by City Commission

MRC Staff: Brett Bibeau, Managing Director, Ashley Chase Assistant Managing Director

Others attending interested in the River:  

  • Jim Murley, Florida Atlantic University

  • Rodrigo Gonzalez, Miami-Dade County

  • Tim McIntosh, Miami-Dade DERM

  • Evan Skornick, SFWMD

  • Jeffrey Mondesir, City of Miami

  • Joe Gardin, PRO International

  • Alma Linas, Keyes Realty

 

JOIN US!!
 For more information, contact us via email at mrc@rsmas.miami.edu

I. MRC Chairperson Report: 

MRC Vice-Chair Phil Everingham noted MRC Chairperson Irela Bagué was unable to attend the MRC meeting, due to a previously scheduled Water Conference in New Mexico .  Vice-Chair Phil Everingham stated he was unable to move to approve the MRC’s January 9, 2006 meeting minutes due to having 9 MRC voting members present, which is one less than quorum.

Vice-Chair Everingham noted a 45-second PowerPoint presentation was currently on display, highlighting the wonderful activities of the annual Miami Riverday Festival. Vice-Chair Everingham added that the Tenth Annual Miami Riverday Festival will be held on Saturday, March 25, 11 – 5, at Jose Marti, 350 SW 4th Street , and encouraged MRC meeting attendees to contact MRC staff for sponsorship opportunities.

Vice-Chair Everingham stated he was very pleased with the participation and discussion generated during the MRC’s Greenway’s Retreat at Fort Lauderdale ’s Riverwalk on January 13, and in the Robert King High New Board Room on January 20.  The retreat, noted Vice-Chair Everingham, focused on the future maintenance, security and special events necessary to ensure the long-term success of the Miami River Greenway. The Vice-Chair stated that, during the retreat, Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Director Dana Nottingham noted he would consider evaluating riverwalk governance as part of the DDA’s Downtown Master Plan and the Miami 21 process. Mr. Nottingham noted the DDA’s Downtown Master Plan was in its final planning stages, and stated a “pilot program” is warranted to address maintenance, security and special events along the Miami River Greenway.

Dr. Ernie Martin, MRC, asked to receive a copy of the January 20 meeting minutes drafted by retreat facilitator Janice Fleischer to review at the February 9 Greenways Subcommittee meeting.  Hearing no other comments regarding the Retreat, Vice-Chair Everingham proceeded with the agenda.

II. Approval of the Draft “3rd Annual Update” of the Miami River Corridor Urban Infill Plan- Vice-Chair Everingham deferred the item to the March 6, 2006 MRC meeting due to having 9 voting MRC members present, which is one shy of quorum.

III. MRC Subcommittee Reports

a. Dredging Subcommittee

 Mr. Eric Buermann, Chair of the MRC’s Dredging Subcommittee, stated the MRC remains extremely grateful and would again like to thank Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, along with representatives from the State of Florida, Miami-Dade County, City of Miami, marine industry, and MRC, whom hosted John Paul Woodley Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Army (ASA) for Civil Works, on a Miami River boat tour on January 26. The late scheduled Miami River maintenance dredging boat tour and press conference were made possible when ASA Woodley cancelled his Port of Miami dredging tour and press conference, due to a pending law suit involving that project. Mr. Buermann noted that Woodley’s speech during the press conference was positive, stating that the Army Corps was pleased about the progress made thus far in completing 40% of the project, and how they looked forward to its full completion.

Mr. Buermann noted the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 budget would be released at a committee hearing in Washington , DC later that day, and MRC staff had just been informed that it will include $3.5 million for the Miami River maintenance dredging project.  Mr. Buermann noted it was positive that the President included the project in his FY ’07 budget, and explained the significant federal funding needed to repair the extensive damages caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma in the Gulf Region, resulted in the Miami River maintenance dredging project’s budgeted amount being less than the federal cost-share balance due to complete the project.  Mr. Buermann cited the MRC’s January 9 meeting minutes, which acknowledged the long list of individuals whom wrote the President’s Director of Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Joshua Bolten, requesting the $24.2 million in federal funding needed to complete the project be included in the President’s FY ’07 budget, and again thanked them for their support.

Mr. Buermann noted that through the completion of dredging in acceptance sections 1-6 of 15, approximately $1 million in surplus funding has accumulated.  Mr. Buermann added the MRC would continue to explore other avenues to obtain the remaining estimated $24.2 million to complete the project, such as Mr. Brett Bibeau’s, MRC Managing Director, scheduled trip to Tallahassee on February 15 - 16 for a series of meetings in support of the County’s State appropriation request, and his trip to Washington DC on March 1-3 for meetings in support of the County’s federal appropriation request.

Ms. Megan Kelly, MRC, asked if the Army Corps of Engineer’s dredging contract had anticipated demobilization, and Mr. Buermann responded that several temporary demobilizations were indeed permitted under the contract. Vice-Chair Everingham asked what areas constituted the completion of 40% of the project, and Mr. Buermann responded Acceptance Sections 1-6 had been successfully completed (salinity dam at NW 36 ST to east of the 22nd Ave Bridge).  Mr. Buermann noted the dredging contract would expire in 2009.

Mr. Buermann stated the MRC Dredging Subcommittee’s regularly scheduled publicly noticed meetings continue to be held in the Robert King High New Board Room on the third Wednesday of every month, 10 AM, therefore their next meeting is February 15.

b. Urban Infill Working Group (UIWG)

Mr. Jim Murley, Chair of the MRC UIWG, noted the UIWG had generated two sets of meeting minutes during January - the monthly UIWG meeting and the UIWG evening workshop to consider the draft “3rd Annual Update” to the Miami River Corridor Urban Infill Plan.  Mr. Murley stated the fully funded Scope of Services for the MRC recommended Miami River Corridor Multi-Modal Transportation Study was approved by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) on January 26. The MPO is scheduled to select the transportation planning consultant by the end of February and issue a Notice to Proceed by the end of March.

Mr. Murley noted the UIWG had prepared two new exhibits, which were included in the recent MRC board member mail out, and were available at the meeting.  One is focused on new Miami River park opportunities, and the second is focused on River areas appropriate for the preservation & improvement of the River’s Marine Industry. Mr. Murley added the UIWG is currently working on creating a similar exhibit focused on the 28 new mixed-use developments along the Miami River .  Dr. Martin asked how the Palmer Lake area was depicted in the new MRC Parks opportunities exhibit, and Mr. Murley replied the exhibit depicts a publicly accessible pedestrian path or “lake walk”, which would connect to the Miami River Greenway system.

Mr. Murley announced the UIWG’s next meeting is scheduled on Friday, February 10, at 2 pm , in the Robert King High New Board Room. The agenda includes a review of several proposed City of Miami Comprehensive Plan text amendments to the “ Port of Miami River ” sub-element. The item will then proceed to the MRC on March 6.

c. Greenways Subcommittee (GSC)

Dr. Ernie Martin, Chair of the GSC, stated the MRC’s authorized Miami River Greenway Historical Markers Request for Proposals was advertised, and the deadline to receive bids is February 27. The evaluation committee will make a recommendation regarding the best bid, and the MRC will consider their recommendation during the March 6 meeting.

Dr. Martin stated the GSC would continue to work on bringing potential new park opportunity sites to fruition, and announced the next publicly noticed GSC meeting is scheduled in the Robert King High New Board Room on February 9, at 10 am .

d. Stormwater Subcommittee (SSC)

Mr. Bibeau noted the regularly scheduled and publicly noticed first Wednesday of the month SSC meeting will be held on March 1, 10 AM , in the Miami River Inn, 118 South River Drive . The agenda includes a presentation from the Miami-Dade County Capital Improvement Department, regarding the possibility of using funding from the County’s approved General Obligation Bond issue for continued Miami River basin storm water and sanitary sewer system improvement projects.

e. Economic Development & Commerce (EDC)

Ms. Megan Kelly, Co-Chair of the MRC EDC, thanked Commissioner Barreiro for sponsoring the MRC recommended new Miami Dade County Marine Industrial Zoning Ordinance, which was drafted by the Miami-Dade County Planning and Zoning Department.  The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) is tentatively scheduled to consider the draft ordinance at first reading on February 21, the INLUC Committee on March 14, and the second and final BCC reading on April 25.  Ms. Kelly announced the EDC continues to host regularly scheduled meetings on the second Monday of the month, at 4 pm , in the Robert King High New Board Room, therefore the next meeting is February 13, 2006 .

f.  Miami River Safety / Security Committee

Mr. Bibeau stated the Port of Miami River will be conducting a Security Training Exercise Program, known as Port STEP, this month.

IV. New Business – No new business was discussed.

The meeting adjourned.

IV. Adjournment 

 

There being no further business to come before the meeting, the meeting adjourned.

_____________________________Recording Secretary

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