January 21, 2021 Aventura City Commission Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes •
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AVENTURA CITY COMMISSION
REGULAR WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES
JANUARY 21, 2021
Following 9:00 a.m. School Governing Board Mtgs. & Special Commission Mtg.
Virtual Meeting Via Video Conferencing
The meeting was held via video conferencing through Zoom, as specified on the meeting
public notice and agenda, as a result of the continued COVID-19 state of emergency.
1. Call to Order/Roll Call: The meeting was called to order by Mayor Enid Weisman
at 10:48 a.m. The following were present: Mayor Enid Weisman, Vice Mayor Robert
Shelley, Commissioner Jonathan Evans, Commissioner Rachel S. Friedland,
Commissioner Denise Landman, Commissioner Dr. Linda Marks, Commissioner Marc
Narotsky, City Manager Ronald J. Wasson, City Clerk Ellisa L. Horvath, and City Attorney
David M. Wolpin. As a quorum was determined to be present, the meeting commenced.
2. Presentation: Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust/General Information (City
Manager): Mr. Wasson explained the request to invite Mr. Book to provide information
on the Homeless Trust and ways the organization could assist with any homeless in the
Aventura area.
Ronald L. Book, Esq. — Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust Board of Trustees Chairman,
provided information on the outreach team, the efforts of the organization to assist with
the homeless, ways the public can assist through donated items/funds, and the need for
funding from the State.
City Manager Summary: No action was taken as this was an informational item.
3. Presentation and Discussion: Electric Vehicle Transportation - Beefree, LLC
dba Freebee (City Manager): Mr. Wasson explained the item that was tabled at the
January 5 1 h Commission Meeting for further discussion of the initial rollout and noted that
the contract had been revised to include comments provided at that meeting.
Jason Spiegel — FreeBee Co-Founder and Managing Partner, reviewed a PowerPoint
outlining the aspects of the free on-demand, door to door electric transportation transit
solution. He recommended starting with a smaller area and growing from there, to allow
for the collection of user data. It was noted that the minimum age for riders would be set
by the City.
The Commission discussed core and service areas, adding vehicles in the future, revenue
sharing, and vehicle charging.
Aventura City Commission
Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes—January 21, 2021
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with a Resolution on the February 2nd Commission Meeting Agenda for this item with the
following additions to the contract: outline the costs to provide additional vehicles, clarify
the company's responsibility to pay for the electricity, and require driving background
checks in addition to the current criminal background checks. Mr. Wasson will provide a
report with information on those riding the City's current shuttle buses.
4. Discussion: Revision to Proposed Charter Amendments (City Manager): Mr.
Wasson explained the item that was tabled at the January 51h Commission Meeting for
further discussion and explained the Commission's options.
Mayor Weisman read letters received from the following: Yvonne Llauger (Charter
Revision Commission Member), Billy Joel (former Commissioner and 2015 Charter
Revision Commission Member), and Luz Weinberg (former Commissioner and 2015
Charter Revision Commission Member).
Mr. Wolpin explained that the proposed City Commission amendments to sections 7.03
and 7.06 were provided based on the Commission's discussion at the January 5th
meeting. He clarified the City Charter's clear direction that the Charter Revision
Commission's recommendations had to be placed on a ballot, but explained that didn't
prohibit the Charter Revision Commission (CRC) from further reviewing the items.
The Commission discussed the CRC recommendations, specifically regarding 7.03(B)
and the resignation requirement from community associations.
Mr. Wasson reported that the Chair of the Charter Revision Commission had expressed
his view that the work of the CRC was completed.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with a Resolution on the February 2nd Commission Meeting Agenda for this item, including
any change to the special election date required by the Miami-Dade County Supervisor
of Election.
5. Selection of Arts in Public Places Advisory Board Members (City Manager):
Mr. Wasson explained that the terms for the current Board members expire in February
and all had expressed interest in serving again.
The Commission discussed changing the composition of the Board, per Mayor
Weisman's suggestion, to provide for five resident members in lieu of the Mayor serving
as a member. Possible art donations were also discussed.
Mrs. Horvath explained the need to change the current Ordinance in order to revise the
composition of the Board.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with placing an Ordinance on the February 2nd Commission Meeting Agenda to change
the composition of the Board to five resident members. Additionally, once the composition
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Aventura City Commission
Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes—January 21, 2021
of the Board is changed, consensus was given to proceed with a Resolution to appoint
the residents as provided by the City Manager, as well as the resident provided by
Commissioner Dr. Marks.
6. Discussion: Accepting Campaign Contributions from Vendors Doing
Business with the City (Commissioner Dr. Marks): Commissioner Dr. Marks reviewed
the City's current requirement prohibiting vendors from donating to the campaigns of
Commission candidates.
Mr. Wolpin explained the Ordinance created in 2005 as part of a comprehensive ethics
standard for Aventura.
City Manager Summary: No action was taken on this item.
The following additional items were discussed:
Mr. Wasson requested that a Commission Special Workshop be scheduled in early
February to review plans for the north medical district as a sole item, as directed by the
Commission in the past. Consensus was provided to schedule the presentation for the
Commission Regular Workshop on February 18th and limiting any other items on that
agenda.
7. Adjournment: There being no further business to come before the Commission,
the meeting was adjourned by consensus at 1:07 p.m.
Ellisa L. Horvath, MMC, tity Clerk
Approved by the City Commission on February 2, 2021 .
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