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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

I.  Status of the Draft Wagner Creek Corrective Action Plan and Dredging Permit Applications - Mr. Jose Lago, City of Miami Capital Improvement Department, stated the status of the Wagner Creek dredging project remains unchanged: the City of Miami is continuing to research potential temporary staging sites, as well as evaluate alternate technologies/methods for dredging and dewatering creek sediment.  Mr. Lago asked Mr. Evan Skornick, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), to contact Ms. Charlene Jacks-Palomino, City of Miami , regarding expenditures from the SFWMD $1 million cost share for the project to be used for the design and permitting processes.  During the May 4, 2005 SSC meeting, Mr. Skornick had recommended that the City utilize the SFWMD $1 million grant appropriated several years ago for the Wagner Creek dredging project Phases IV and V, for engineering and study fees.  Mr. Skornick noted he would discuss the possibility of changing the project’s scope of services with Ms. Jacks-Palomino in order to ensure the City of Miami ’s eligibility to receive the grant. After acknowledging the City of Miami ’s inability to meet its previously set June deadline for selecting a temporary staging site, Mr. Brett Bibeau, MRC Managing Director, asked Mr. Lago if the City had considered examining methods that would not require an upland staging site. Mr. Lago noted that suggestion was a possibility, but explained that selecting a temporary staging site remains a sensitive process, for it requires additional time to examine all potential methods and options. Mr. Bibeau asked Mr. Lago for a timeline for the Wagner Creek dredging project, and Mr. Lago replied the City currently did not have one.

Mr. Bibeau cited the May 4, 2005 SSC meeting minutes in which Mr. Jose Lago had discussed with his director the possibility of posting more advisory signs, but was awaiting final approval. Mr. Bibeau also noted that during the May 4, 2005 SSC meeting, Ms. Elyrosa Estevez had stated that the City of Miami ’s Print Shop would manufacture the signage, while Public Works would provide installation. Mr. Bibeau asked if any progress regarding signage posting had been made, and Mr. Mitchell replied that the City’s status remains unchanged, as it is currently working on drafting the sign’s appropriate language.

II. Update on the Development of TMDL’s for Wagner Creek- Mr. Francis Mitchell, Assistant Director of Public Works, stated the City of Miami has selected a consultant to assist with the TMDL and Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP). The City is expected to execute a contract with the selected consultant within the next couple of weeks, noted Mr. Mitchell. Mr. Bibeau recommended that the City’s selected consultant participate in future SSC meetings in order to discuss TMDL’s with Florida Department of Environmental Representatives (FDEP) representatives Fred Calder and Kevin O’Donnell.  Mr. Bibeau offered the MRC’s support and assistance, and reminded that the SSC has agreed to FDEP’s suggestion to have TMDL’s on every SSC agenda until the process has been completed.

III. Status of WASD Smoke Testing of the Western Sub Basin- Mr. Juan Bedoya, Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Department (WASD), stated that the WASD has not conducted any storm smoke tests along Wagner Creek Basin “100, 110, 90 and 310” since the beginning of April 2005 due to budgetary constraints within the WASD administration.  Mr. Bedoya distributed the results of the 20-storm smoke tests performed by the WASD before April 2005, and noted that the WASD field crew had found and documented four defects, which have since been repaired. Mr. Bedoya stated that the WASD is currently on stand-by to complete 12-15 more storm smoke tests along Wagner Creek. Mr. Bibeau noted that the report currently contained two pending investigations, and asked if they would be performed in the near future. Mr. Bedoya stated he expected the investigations to occur at the same time as the WASD’s re-initiation of smoke testing along the Wagner Creek Basin , but advised Mr. Bibeau to contact Mr. Rod Lovett for more information. Mr. Bedoya mentioned that the WASD remains on lockdown for non-emergency overtime projects. Mr. Bibeau asked if it would feasible to perform the two pending investigations within the next month or two, and Mr. Bedoya agreed to investigate the areas that tested positive within the next month. Mr. Bibeau asked if the MRC could assist the WASD in lifting the “lockdown” in order to complete the additional 15 smoke tests, and Mr. Bedoya suggested he contact Mr. Lovett regarding that matter.

IV.  New Business-

Mr. Skornick provided MRC staff with corrections to the May 4, 2005 SSC meeting minutes, and Ms. Ashley Chase, MRC Assistant Managing Director, agreed to incorporate the changes into the SSC minutes for future distribution.

Mr. Mitchell provided a status update regarding inlet retrofits and solid waste interceptors along Wagner Creek. Mr. Mitchell stated he had recently inspected Wagner Creek’s new solid waste interceptors, which he noted had collected 65 tons of trash in a span of four months. At this rate, explained Mr. Mitchell, the solid waste interceptors along Wagner Creek will be able to collect nearly 6-8 tons of trash per year. 

Mr. Mitchell stated he was currently pursuing City of Miami CDBG grant funding for Allapatah, Overtown and Model City areas. Mr. Mitchell mentioned that an inlet retrofitting Capitol Improvement project is expected to take place soon from the Miami River to NW 5^th Street and also from Biscayne Boulevard to I-95. Mr. Bibeau stated he hoped the projects would work in conjunction with the City of Miami ’s effort to install $6 billion-worth of on-road greenway within the area.

Mr. Bibeau cited the May 4, 2005 SSC meeting minutes, in which Mr. Michael Gambino, DERM, had inquired whether once a year was sufficient to remove the debris collected by the City’s new solid waste interceptors, and Ms. Estevez had responded that Ms. Barbara Pruitt, City of Miami Solid waste, was currently compiling an implementation plan to ensure the future cleaning/street sweeping of the City’s interceptors. Mr. Mitchell stated the City had recently installed “grates” within Allapatah to keep waste or trash from falling into any inlets. Mr. Mitchell stated he did not know the frequency of the grate cleaning, but he expected the cleaning to increase over time. Mr. Mitchell mentioned that a citywide canal clean-up contract is going out for bid this week. The project includes the removal of all sunken trash within Wagner Creek and the cleaning of all of Miami ’s canals.

The next regularly scheduled SSC meting was confirmed for the first Wednesday of the month, July 6, 2005 , 10 am , Miami River Inn, 118 South River Drive .

The meeting adjourned.

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