November 4, 2021 Aventura City Commission Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes •
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AVENTURA CITY COMMISSION
REGULAR WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES
NOVEMBER 4, 2021
9:00 a.m.
Aventura Government Center
19200 W. Country Club Drive
Aventura, FL 33180
1. Call to Order/Roll Call: The meeting was called to order by Mayor Enid Weisman
at 9:00 a.m. The following were present: Mayor Enid Weisman, Vice Mayor Rachel S.
Friedland, Commissioner Jonathan Evans, Commissioner Denise Landman,
Commissioner Dr. Linda Marks, Commissioner Marc Narotsky, Commissioner Robert
Shelley', City Manager Ronald J. Wasson, City Clerk Ellisa L. Horvath, and City Attorney
Robert Meyers. As a quorum was determined to be present, the meeting commenced.
2. Update: On Demand Transportation Service — Freebee (City Manager): Mr.
Wasson introduced the item and provided a brief overview of the positive response to the
program.
Jason Spiegel, Managing Partner — Freebee, reviewed a presentation titled "Freebee
Aventura Innovative & Proven, First & Last Mile Transportation Solution" covering the
following items: Goals & Objectives of On-Demand Program, Completed Rides &
Ridership, Who's Riding Freebee, Top Pick-Up Locations, Top Drop-Off Locations,
Challenge: Wait Times, Demand by Hour, Recommendations, and System Improvements
& Enhancements. The recommendations included the addition of 2-4 vehicles, no
restrictions on Geofence, and the use of Tesla Model X vehicles.
The Commission discussed the following: studies for unbiased information on traffic,
having a hybrid system with Freebee and the shuttle circulator bus through a phasing
process, funding to be used, current vehicles used versus the Tesla Model X vehicles,
the current agreement and data from the bus company, the report provided by Howard
Weinberg, cost analysis, review of ridership data, and the effects of the upcoming
Brightline station.
Evan Ross, Communications Consultant — Public Communicators Group, LLC, provided
suggestions on ways of educating the residents about the program.
Comments were provided by former Commissioners Howard Weinberg and Michael Stern
regarding a report given to Mr. Wasson and the Commission.
'Participated via virtual communications media technology.
Aventura City Commission
Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes—November 4, 2021
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission for Mr.
Wasson to provide a report at the January Commission Workshop on the recommended
amount of additional Freebee vehicles and circulation routes, data from the current bus
company regarding ridership, etc., discussions with Florida International University
regarding the possibility of a traffic pattern analysis, and a recommended plan to reduce
the circulator bus.
Per the request of Mayor Weisman and consensus of the City Commission, Item 4 was
taken out order:
4. Update: Don Soffer Aventura High School Foundation (City Manager): Mayor
Weisman thanked the members of the Foundation Board for serving and the decision to
to restructure the Foundation.
Cindy Orlinsky, DSAHS Foundation Board Chair, provided an update on the Board's
accomplishments and future projects and agreed with the need to restructure the Board
to increase the efficiency that had been limited due to requirements of the sunshine law,
etc.
Mr. Meyers provided information on the discussion to dissolve the Board, with it then
being up to a new group to re-organize, etc. thereby removing the City from the process.
City Manager Summary: Consensus was provided to proceed with dissolving the
Foundation.
3. Proposed Changes to the 2022 Meeting Schedules for the Aventura City of
Excellence School (ACES) and the Don Soffer Aventura High School (DSAHS)
Governing Boards (City Manager): Mr. Wasson reviewed the list of proposed changes
to the meeting schedules.
The Commission discussed the proposed schedules and various other dates/times.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with the schedule as follows: February 1 , 2022 at 4:00 p.m., with the remaining schedule
to tentatively be May 19, 2022 at 9:00 a.m., July 21 , 2022 at 9:00 a.m., and September
22, 2022 at 9:00 a.m., with the possibility of them being changed to 4:00 p.m. prior to
Commission Meetings should that work better.
5. Update: Impact Fees (City Manager): Mr. Wasson reviewed the recommendation
provided in the agenda regarding the payment of impact fees by new developments and
to provide suggested modifications to the current impact fees following an analysis.
Community Development Director Keven Klopp explained the level of service, Capital
Improvement Plan, and the need for an internal analysis to determine the sufficiency of
the current fees.
Mr. Meyers provided information on the City's ability to create a new impact fee and the
process to do so.
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Aventura City Commission
Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes—November 4, 2021
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission for Mr.
Wasson and Mr. Klopp to proceed with the items as recommended and to provide a report
on the internal analysis in March 2022.
6. Update: Business Tax Receipts (City Manager): Mr. Wasson reviewed the
recommendation for the City Commission to direct the City Manager, City Attorney, and
Community Development Department to provide a plan for a 5% increase in the City's
business tax rates for Fiscal Year 2023, which hadn't been increased since 2008.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with the City Manager's recommendation through the placement of an Ordinance on the
Commission Meeting Agenda.
7. Discussion: Campaign Donations (Commissioner Dr. Marks): Commissioner
Dr. Marks discussed the City's current prohibition on City Commission candidates
accepting campaign contributions from City vendors and suggested that it be reviewed.
Mr. Meyers provided information on the laws and vendor restrictions, the limited number
of municipalities with something similar in place, and the policy decision of the
Commission.
The Commission discussed the current policy and whether or not that should be changed.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to keep
the current prohibition in place.
8. Discussion: Recent Passing of a Former Commissioner (Commissioner Dr.
Marks): Commissioner Dr. Marks recognized the recent passing of former Commissioner
Teri Holzberg and requested information on any policy in place to recognize former
Commissioners who had passed.
Mr. Wasson explained the current procedure to provide notification to the seated
Commission and to send something to the family on behalf of the Commission.
The Commission discussed the item and determined that there was no formal policy in
place for naming or other form of recognition.
Comments were provided by former Commissioner Michael Stern.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to keep
Commissioner Teri Holzberg in mind should an opportunity to name something in the City
come up that would be appropriate.
9. City Manager Review: Mayor Weisman reviewed Mr. Wasson's request that
money be provided into his deferred compensation plan, in lieu of a salary increase.
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Aventura City Commission
Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes—November 4, 2021
The Commission provided positive comments regarding Mr. Wasson and his work
performance.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to provide
Mr. Wasson with a $26,000 contribution to his 457 deferred compensation fund, in lieu of
a salary increase.
The following additional items were discussed:
Mr. Wasson will provide a date to the Commission for the upcoming event recognizing
City volunteers.
10. Adjournment: There being no further business to come before the Commission,
the meeting was adjourned by consensus at 11 :15 a.m.
•
Ellisa L. Horvath, M , City Clerk
Approved by the City Commission on January 4, 2022.
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