October 24, 2019 Aventura City Commission Special Workshop Meeting Minutes The City of CITY COMMISSION
SPECIAL WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES
Aventura Aventura Government Center
OCTOBER 24, 2019 19200 W Country Club Drive
Aventura, Florida 33180
Following 9:00 A.M.
__ Commission Liaison Meeting
1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: The meeting was called to order by Mayor Enid
Weisman at 11:00 a.m. The roll was called and the following were present: Mayor Enid
Weisman, Vice Mayor Denise Landman', Commissioner Dr. Linda Marks,
Commissioner Gladys Mezrahi, Commissioner Robert Shelley, Commissioner Howard
Weinberg, City Manager Ronald J. Wasson, City Clerk Ellisa L. Horvath, and City
Attorney David M. Wolpin. Commissioner Marc Narotsky was absent. As a quorum was
determined to be present, the meeting commenced.
2. AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND VIRGIN TRAINS USA, LLC: Mr.
Wolpin explained the proposed agreement that the City Attorneys drafted for the City,
as provided in the agenda. A red-lined copy of the agreement was distributed, with
changes proposed by Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod LLP, attorneys for Virgin
Trains USA.
Commissioner Shelley disclosed that Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod LLP
represents him privately on certain business matters, which has also been previously
disclosed.
The Commission reviewed the red-lined document proposed by Virgin Trains USA and
voiced concerns regarding the following sections: 2(a), 2(b), 2(c), 2(e), and 2(h). Issues
were raised with the document not complying with the City's requests, with the removal
of items important to the Commission including approval of design and aesthetics, input
on construction timetable, security, closure of the bridge when the station is closed,
hurricane preparedness plan to assist in evacuation, and guarantee of completion. The
importance of the Aventura Mall also having input for the bridge design was discussed.
Kristofer Machado, Esq. (Akerman LLP, 98 S.E. 7th Street, representing Turnberry
Transactions LLC (Aventura Mall Venture - AMV), provided comments expressing the
mall's desire to have input on the design and location.
Jose Gonzalez, Virgin Trains USA — Florida East Coast Industries LLC Executive Vice
President, Business Development, reviewed the changes proposed to be consistent
with the Virgin Trains USA agreement with Miami-Dade County. He reviewed the
timeframe and explained the coordination efforts for input on the project. He explained
the removal of AMV and Seritage from the agreement language in order to streamline
the contract with the City, with the idea of the City being a proactive part of the design
process, in lieu of a reactive part by providing comments after the design was
completed.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to
authorize the City Manager and City Attorney to work with the attorney for Virgin Trains
USA, as well as the attorney for the Aventura Mall and Seritage, to provide the
Commission with a revised agreement that addresses the concerns discussed.
' Vice Mayor Landman participated in the meeting via speaker telephone.
Aventura City Commission Special Workshop Meeting Minutes
October 24, 2019
Additionally, the City Manager will provide the Commission with bridge design samples
from Mr. Gonzalez, as well as information on the pedestrian bridges being built in Sunny
Isles Beach.
3. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the
Commission, the meeting was adjourned by consensus at 11:46 a.m.
4.1c`ry 4 uk ``t
Ellisa L. Horvath, M ity Clerk
Approved by the City Commission on November 5, 2019.
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