January 20, 2022 Aventura City Commission Regular Workshop Minutes •
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AVENTURA CITY COMMISSION
REGULAR WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES
JANUARY 20, 2022
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 9:06 a.m. The following were present: Mayor Enid Weisman, Vice Mayor Rachel S.
Friedland, Commissioner Denise Landman', Commissioner Dr. Linda Marks,
Commissioner Marc Narotsky2, Commissioner Robert Shelley, City Manager Ronald J.
Wasson, City Clerk Ellisa L. Horvath, and City Attorney Robert Meyers. Commissioner
Jonathan Evans was absent. As a quorum was determined to be present, the meeting
commenced.
2. Discussion: Agreement to Reimburse the State for the Cost of State
Attorney Prosecution of Certain Criminal Violations (City Manager): Mr. Wasson
explained the agreement authorizing the State Attorney to prosecute certain criminal
violations as outlined in the agenda and requested consensus to proceed with placement
on a Commission agenda for approval.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with the City Manager's recommendation through the placement of a resolution on the
next Commission Meeting Agenda.
3. Discussion: Selection of Replacements to the Arts & Cultural Center
Advisory Board Vacancies (City Manager): Mr. Wasson distributed and reviewed a
memo outlining the three vacancies on the Board and the recommended three new
members, in addition to two alternates.
Mr. Meyers reviewed the enabling ordinance allowing up to nine members and, as such,
recommended that all five recommendations be members, since no language was
provided allowing alternates.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with the appointment of the five recommended members to the Board, for a total of nine
members, through the placement of a resolution on the next Commission Meeting
Agenda. Certificates of Appointment will be provided at that meeting.
'Participated via virtual communications media technology.
2 Participated via virtual communications media technology.
Aventura City Commission
Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes—January 20, 2022
Per the request of Mr. Wasson and consensus of the City Commission, Item 5 was taken
out order:
5. Discussion: Conversion Plan to On-Demand Transportation Service (City
Manager): Mr. Wasson introduced the item and provided a brief overview of the proposed
plan, as outlined in the agenda.
Evan Ross, Communications Consultant — Public Communicators Group, LLC, reviewed
a PowerPoint titled "City of Aventura 2022 Micro-Transit Plan" including the following
items: Phase 1 ; Introducing Freebee: Digital Plan, Social Media Ads, Information
Package, In-Person Events; and Phase 2.
Jason Spiegel, Managing Partner — Freebee, responded to questions from the
Commission regarding handicap accessibility, accommodating senior citizens, and
order/delivery times for the vehicles and buses.
The Commission discussed the following: transition process from the circulator bus
system, size of the vehicles versus the buses, driveway pick up, overhead shelter for pick
up areas, increasing the number of buses, review of the wait times, an analysis during
the transition period before removing the circulator shuttle buses, providing car seats &
boosters for children, importance of the education campaign and providing it in both
English and Spanish, data for the shuttle buses, creative ways of funding, use of the
transportation tax, cost for traffic consultant to analyze ridership, increasing the font size
on the signage, and reviewing the data monthly.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission for Mr.
Wasson to proceed with Phase 1 of the Conversion Plan as reviewed, including the
ordering of four Tesla Model X vehicles, while continuing to monitor the data. Additionally,
consensus was given to order two electric buses, due to the lengthy order/delivery time.
This item will be placed on the next Commission Meeting Agenda for approval.
4. Discussion: American Rescue Plan Funding (City Manager): Mr. Wasson
introduced the item and provided a brief overview.
Melissa Cruz, Finance Director, reviewed a PowerPoint titled "City of Aventura American
Rescue Plan Act — Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)
Commission Workshop" dated January 20, 2022 covering the following items: American
Rescue Plan Act; Four Key Eligible Use Categories; 1) Public Sector Revenue— Replace
Revenue Loss; 2) Public Health and Economic Response; 3) Provide Premium Pay for
Essential Employees; 4) Water, Sewer and Broadband Infrastructure; Program
Restrictions on Use; Proposed Projects Summary; Proposed Projects Detail — IT
Department; Proposed Projects Detail — Parks and Recreation Department; Proposed
Projects Detail — HR, Community Development, Police and Public Works Departments;
and Questions/Comments.
Mr. Wasson reviewed the proposed project summary and details.
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Aventura City Commission
Regular Workshop Meeting Minutes—January 20, 2022
The Commission discussed the proposed plan including the following items: hiring an IT
Consultant for the review and implementation of the proposed items, basketball courts,
premium pay, increasing the amount of the tot lot relocation, pickleball courts, and high
school parking spaces for students.
Karen Lanke, IT Director, and Michael Bentolila, Police Chief, provided comments.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with the proposed spending plan as reviewed and discussed. This item will be placed on
the next Commission Meeting Agenda for approval.
6. Discussion: Selection of Vice Mayor Rotation (City Manager): Mr. Wasson
distributed the list of Vice Mayors since the incorporation of the City, along with their
associated seat numbers.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with the placement of a resolution on the next Commission Meeting Agenda outlining the
rotation of the seat numbers in the following rotation: 6, 3, 4, 1 , 5, and 2, with a process
to follow should a Commissioner be unable to serve.
7. Discussion: Aventura Strong Community Project (Commissioner Dr. Linda
Marks): Commissioner Dr. Marks requested that the City Commission consider a
community project through the disbursement of glass "strength" stones to those dealing
with challenges.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to
proceed with the project as presented at a cost of$3,000 and to authorize Commissioner
Dr. Marks to work with Mr. Wasson and the Youth Advisory Board and/or the Community
Services Advisory Board, as necessary, to develop a plan.
The following additional items were discussed:
The Commission discussed an article in the newspaper regarding the legislature in
Tallahassee and the effects certain legislation has on the home rule of municipalities.
8. Adjournment: There being no further business to come before the Commission,
the meeting was adjourned by consensus at 11 :37 a.m.
Ellisa L. Horvath, Mkt7, City Clerk
Approved by the City Commission on February 1 , 2022.
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