Committee Researching City Innovations
By Bari Auerbach

From citywide wireless broadband wireless Internet access - to a proposed public water transportation service, members of the Long Range Planning and Inter-Governmental Affairs Committee of the Mayor’s Advisory Council have been researching innovative initiatives with the goal to enhance quality of life for Sunny Isles Beach residents and promote economic prosperity.

At the November 18 City Commission meeting, committee chair George “Bud” Scholl presented a summary report detailing issues that have been discussed at meetings open to the public.

Wireless Internet Access
“ We have the potential to create citywide broadband wireless Internet access with access points enveloping the whole city,” Scholl explained. “This would provide wireless broadband Internet access to any resident or business in the city…We believe if [it’s implemented] properly, we could do it in a very inexpensive manner… The technology is available and [we’ll be meeting with] a consultant the first week in December. We’re in a [uniquely advantageous] position because Sunny Isles Beach is ‘long and skinny’ and we have high rises throughout the length of the city.”

Public Water Transportation
Regarding the concept of public water transportation, Scholl noted, “We feel being a coastal city surrounded on two sides by water, it would be very advantageous to our community and residents to have some sort of public water transportation…[One of our committee members Gloria Taft [introduced] Peter Evans, the head of Metro Aqua Cats, who is working on a plan to provide [water transportation] service throughout the county…Several major cities around the world [currently] use water taxis.”

“The premise is to create links throughout the county up and down the Intracoastal waterway that would provide public water transportation and be an alternative to using a car or a bus. Mr. Evans proposed the spot underneath the 163rd Street bridge {on the land that the Florida Department of Transportation leases to the city) as a potential access point for the water taxi and [another] possibly under the Lehman Causeway.”

During discussions regarding the concept of public water transportation, Mayor Norman Edelcup pointed out the city desires to eventually build a park under the 163rd Street bridge on the land currently being leased to the city by the Florida Department of Transportation.

“We want to have a park if we can that also happens to have a wharf for a future water taxi that may or may not ever come,” Edelcup said. “We should at least design that park with [water transportation] in mind.”

Regarding the timeframe of when a park could be built, Edelcup noted, “The timing of when that park could start [to be developed relates to] construction going on in the city. We all want a park [under the 163rd Street bridge] at some point in time. But anyone thinking we can do it ‘today’ is really dreaming…It’s going to take a couple of years…nothing gets done overnight - including any park that has a meaningful design…You have to do things in an orderly, controlled manner and spend tax payer money wisely - not foolishly.”

Scholl later pointed out that Evans is in the process of applying for several grant programs to help fund the water transportation concept and several other coastal municipalities have expressed interest in participating. He also emphasized that while Evans is involved in the transportation business, the water taxi would be a startup venture and is not currently ongoing in Miami-Dade County.

Edelcup subsequently suggested drafting a resolution to show unified support of the water taxi from Sunny Isles Beach as well as neighboring cities. He noted municipal resolutions endorsing the concept would be helpful if the matter is brought before the Miami-Dade County Commission for approval.

Sunshine Law Concerns
Scholl reported committee members. reviewed areas of concern regarding the Sunshine Law and how it affects certain administrative procedures.

“We took it upon ourselves to look into the Sunshine Law and see if it could be modified at the state level...it was a valiant effort but we were shut down. The bulk of our research came from the Florida League of Cities…The League has explained they’ve had a lot of difficulties even making minor modifications to the Sunshine Law because of the perception of ‘taking the teeth’ out of something. We’ve also spoken to other commissioners and mayors from cities surrounding us whose positions regarding the Sunshine Law are similar to ours - specifically on the administrative side, it makes it onerous to deal with some of these issues.”

During public commentary, Sunny Isles Beach resident Herb Abramson said, “I too am troubled by the Sunshine Law and I have a suggestion as to how to give citizens an opportunity to discuss matters coming up for a vote with the Commission. It would be simple to have open informal town meetings published so everyone knows about them; and all citizens could come to talk to individual commissioners or as a body so there would be interplay back and forth.”

In response, Edelcup noted, “What you’re asking for already exists because everyone of these [meetings held by committees of the Mayor’s Advisory Council] are advertised every month [along with] the topics they’re going to discuss. The problem is many people just don’t like to come to those meetings but they are open to the public…Generally, there is no reason as to why you can’t get input because every one of these committees are open hearings where everyone can attend.”

Emphasizing the low attendance of residents at committee meetings, Edelcup said. “No one comes to those meetings and then when [the City Commission] has something to vote on people come back and say, ‘Why didn’t we have an opportunity for input?’ You had the opportunity for input but you just didn’t show up. So the answer is - come to the meetings of the committees…If you really want to get input that’s where to get it.”

Abramson reiterated, “I think citizens really want to interact with their commissioners.”

Edelcup replied, “You do get that opportunity when [an issue] finally comes [before the Commission]…But we have to have something to work [off of] so there has to be raw material furnished to us as to what the topic is…The time to get your input in is when that material is being delivered to us and not after the fact.”

Commissioner Roslyn Brezin interjected, “Each one of these items [in Scholl’s report] was discussed at individual committee meetings…I’m sorry to report we’ve had approximately three people there and they were from our Commission.”

Commissioner Danny Iglesias noted, “To summarize, most of the times there is a Sunshine Law violation is when commissioners are together…[But the public] can come to me [or any other commissioner] at any time to seek just about any answer.”

Edelcup reiterated, “Information has always been available to you and it will always continue to be.”

Commissioner Gerry Goodman added, “City Hall is open and we’re here almost every day to provide the proper information. Instead of spreading rumors around, come to City Hall and get it directly ‘from the horse’s mouth.’

“People ask me questions that are ‘unreal.’ If they knew the truth, it would be simple. City Hall is open…If there are no commissioners here, the City Manager or City Attorney can steer you in the right direction and give you answers to some of your questions so it’s not printed maliciously in the newspaper or sent out to people in a flyer that makes it more difficult…I’m glad to see a lot of people are here this evening [at the November 18 Commission meeting] to get information.”

Community Relations Board
Scholl also reported the concept of forming a Community Relations Board was investigated “We discovered [the late Mayor] David Samson had approved a similar board but it was never actually formalized. We also discovered a similar board is being advocated by Miami-Dade County. When we looked at the makeup of the county board, we recognized our ideas would go beyond the county and we would be better served to have autonomy.

“One of our [committee] members, Sydney Davis, contacted mayors in surrounding communities and they [expressed] they also felt strongly about pulling a board together to address issues of regional interests that would serve the benefits of all of our cities. We believe the board will come together and we perceive having a meeting after the first of the year.”

School Incentives
On the topic of attempting to create school incentives outside the perimeter of the Miami-Dade School Board, Scholl noted, “We want to put our city in the position to incentivize our educators and administrators to further strengthen the goals of the school. [Our committee] also [communicated] with Bob Welsh [chair of the Education and Schools Committee of the Mayor’s Advisory Council] who is looking into the same items.”

Beach Preservation
Discussing beach preservation and renourishment, Scholl said committee members were discussing the causes of beach erosion. “It’s a very complicated process…[one of our committee members] Art Kopel has [been in contact with] the Army Corp of Engineers to gain a better understanding of what affects the beach, why it erodes, why the sand shifts and how to get renourishment.”

Vice Mayor Lewis Thaler later pointed out the Department of Environmental Resource Management has started looking into obtaining funding for beach renourishment on the north side of the city; and that Miami-Dade County Commissioner Sally Heyman is also working to get funds from the county bond issue for beach erosion remedies.

‘Commendations’
At the conclusion of Scholl’s report, Edelcup said, “Thank you for the hard work of all committee members…People in the community should appreciate what has been accomplished by the committees [of the Mayor’s Advisory Council].”

In addition to the Long Range Planning and Inter-Governmental Affairs Committee, other committees include the Traffic and Safety Committee, Education/Schools Committee, Health and Welfare Committee and the Tourism and Development Committee.

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