January 18, 2018 Commission Workshop Meeting Minutes The cityof CITY COMMISSION
Aventura
WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTESAventura Government Center
JANUARY 18, 2018 19200 W.Country Club Drive
FOLLOWING COMMISSION MEETING Aventura, Florida 33180
AT 9:00 A.M.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: The meeting was called to order by Mayor Enid
Weisman at 9:38 a.m. The following were present: Mayor Enid Weisman, Vice Mayor
Robert Shelley, Commissioner Denise Landman, Commissioner Dr. Linda Marks,
Commissioner Gladys Mezrahi, Commissioner Marc Narotsky, Commissioner Howard
Weinberg, City Manager Susan L. Grant, City Clerk Ellisa L. Horvath, and City Attorney
David M. Wolpin. As a quorum was determined to be present, the meeting commenced.
1. SMART UPDATE (Aileen Bouclé, Executive Director Dade TPO): Miami-
Dade County Commissioner Sally Heyman and Ms. Bouclé explained the Strategic
Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan, an infrastructure program aimed to improve
transportation mobility in Miami-Dade County. Information was provided on the
upcoming Plan Charrettes focused on the Beach-Northeast Corridors, hosted by the
Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO). The Commission was
requested to provide a resolution in support of the SMART Plan.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the Commission to proceed
with placing a resolution supporting the SMART Plan on the February Commission
meeting agenda.
2. CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL UPDATE (Eric Soroka): Eric M. Soroka (CMCS
Consulting Services, LLC), along with Ian Nestler (PGAL Architects) and Ben Baffer
(Kaufman Lynn Construction) provided a presentation highlighting the following for the
Charter High School: design perspective, task update, site update, site remediation, site
plan, required planning approvals (variances and rezoning), floor plans, and
construction process.
The Commission had a lengthy discussion regarding the school, including the following
items: importance of opening August 2019, providing alternatives should the school not
be ready to open in August 2019, traffic, parking, monthly updates for the Commission
and residents, furniture, security, and curriculum.
Rachel Windler-Freitag (Charter Schools USA - CSUSA) discussed the planned spaces
in conjunction with the curriculum.
The following members of the public provided comments: Frida Lapidot (Aventura).
Mr. Soroka noted that naming rights, as previously discussed, would require a policy
change. Members of the City Commission requested a meeting with CSUSA to review
curriculum details.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission that the
CSUSA team be invited to the meeting in February. Additionally, the topic of naming
rights will be discussed at the February workshop.
Aventura City Commission
Workshop Meeting Minutes—January 18, 2018
3. COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD APPOINTMENTS (City
Manager): Mrs. Grant reviewed the list of current Board members that would like to be
reappointed, with the exception of Brandon Stein who had moved out of the City.
Commissioner Narotsky suggested that David Pulver, M.D. be appointed as Mr. Stein's
replacement on the Board.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the Commission to proceed
with placing a resolution on the February Commission meeting agenda appointing the
following members to the Board: Jonathan Evans, Sandra Kaplan, Bonnie Lotterman,
Daniel Naim, David Pulver, Michael Stern, and Sherry Superfine.
4. CITY WEB SITE PREVIEW (Karen Lanke): IT Director Karen Lanke provided a
presentation on the City's new web site, which was scheduled to go live on January
22nd
City Manager Summary: This item was provided for informational purposes.
5. AVENTURA TALKS (Commissioner Mezrahi): Commissioner Mezrahi
discussed her inability to explain her concept for the City Talks Program to the Youth
Advisory Board, due to Resolution No. 2001-21.
Mrs. Horvath reviewed the background information for the item with the consensus of
the Community Services Advisory Board not to pursue the item and the
recommendation of the Youth Advisory Board that the Commission establish a City
Talks Program.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the Commission to allow
Commissioner Mezrahi to attend the next Youth Advisory Board meeting to explain her
concept for the program and for the Youth Advisory Board to provide a list of
recommended topics. Additionally, discussion of Resolution No. 2001-21 will be placed
on a future workshop agenda.
6. RETIREMENT EVENT FOLLOW-UP (City Manager): Mrs. Grant requested
consensus to approve an additional $591 for final expenses related to the former City
Manager's retirement celebration. Commissioner Mezrahi explained the additional
costs.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to
approve the additional costs totaling $591.
7. MAYOR'S PIONEER AWARD (City Manager): Mrs. Grant explained that Mayor
Weisman had been selected to receive the Mayor's Pioneer Award by the Miami-Dade
County Commission for Women, the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade, and Miami-Dade
Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department. In accordance with the Commission's
direction to purchase a table when a member of the Commission was recognized
locally, Mrs. Grant noted that a table would be purchased for the "In the Company of
Women Awards" event in Coral Gables.
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Aventura City Commission
Workshop Meeting Minutes—January 18, 2018
City Manager Summary: This item was provided for informational purposes.
The following additional items were discussed:
Mayor Weisman approved a request by Vice Mayor Shelley to provide a proclamation
for Rabbi Jonathan Horowitz and Rebbetzin Janice Horowitz.
Commissioner Dr. Marks suggested that in lieu of Commissioners meeting individually
with the City Manager to review the agenda that those meetings be held collectively
during the workshops. Following a discussion, there was no consensus to do so.
Mayor Weisman and Commissioner Weinberg announced that they would be attending
Dade Days in Tallahassee.
8. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the
Commission, a motion to adjourn was offered by Commissioner Dr. Marks, seconded by
Commissioner Mezrahi, and unanimously approved; thus adjourning the meeting at
11:59 a.m.
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Approved by the Commission on February 6, 2018.
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