July 21, 2022 Aventura City Commission Meeting Minutes (Budget Review) &`?i
AVENTURA CITY COMMISSION
MEETING MINUTES
JULY 21, 2022
9:00 a.m.
Aventura Government Center
19200 West Country Club Drive
Aventura, FL 33180
1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: The meeting was called to order by Mayor
Weisman at 9.08 a.m. The roll was called and the following were present: Mayor Enid
Weisman, Vice Mayor Denise Landman, Commissioner Rachel S. Friedland,
Commissioner Billy Joel, 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. OVERVIEW AND REVIEW OF PROPOSED OPERATING AND CAPITAL
BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022/2023: Mr. Wasson reviewed highlights of the
proposed budget.
The Commission reviewed the budget with discussions focused on the following: school
funding/referendum dollars, investments, department budgets, capital outlay, cost of
living increase for general employees (2%) versus teachers (2.5%), police overtime
versus adding another officer, positive aspects of separating the finance director position
from the assistant manager position, considering communications as a separate
department, contracted services, gasoline/fuel, on-demand transportation services,
having the investment company provide an update in September or October, increased
personnel, general fund expenditures, evolving growth of Aventura, changing the wording
of the performance/merit bonus to read as bonus, providing a salary compensation study,
having both schools provide up to a 3.5% increase for teachers, scheduling an executive
session for police collective bargaining, scheduling an attorney-client session for an
update on the Miami-Dade legislation, cell phone impact fee, officer(s) provided at the
mall and compensation from the mall for that, paying off the debt for ACES, providing a
monthly report on the use of ARPA funds, and the possibility of a one-time bonus of
$5,000 to all full time employees for the year.
Melissa Cruz, Finance Director, responded to questions regarding capital outlay.
Mr. Meyers provided comments.
DSAHS Principal Dr. McKee and ACES Principal Dr. Tyrkala provided information
regarding the cost of living increase for teachers for their respective schools.
Aventura City Commission Meeting Minutes
July 21, 2022
A motion to amend the budget for both schools to include up to a 3.5% increase was
offered by Commissioner Dr. Marks, seconded by Commissioner Friedland, and passed
unanimously, by roll call vote.
Rachel Windler-Freitag, South Florida Deputy Director - Charter Schools USA, provided
comments regarding the sync between the two schools regarding the increase.
Bryan Pegues, Assistant City Manager, provided comments.
Mr. Wasson followed up on the discussion regarding increasing the current proposed cost
of living amount for general employees (2%) and the discussion of a one-time payment
to general employees of $5,000. He will either provide a $5,000 one-time payment or
increase the cost of living to 2.5%.
Mayor Weisman opened the item for public comment. The following members of the
public provided comments: Jordan Owens (151 NE 209th Terrace, Miami).
There being no additional comments, Mayor Weisman closed the item for public input.
A motion for approval to proceed with the budget as presented and discussed was offered
by Commissioner Dr. Marks, seconded by Vice Mayor Landman, and passed
unanimously, by roll call vote.
3. MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH TENTATIVE MILLAGE
RATE: Mrs. Horvath read the following Resolution title:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AVENTURA,
FLORIDA, ESTABLISHING A PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE FOR THE 2022/2023
FISCAL YEAR; PROVIDING FOR THE DATE,TIME AND PLACE OF THE PUBLIC
HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE AND TENTATIVE
BUDGET;AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
A motion for approval of the Resolution was offered by Commissioner Friedland and
seconded by Commissioner Shelley.
Mr. Wasson reviewed the proposed millage rate of 1 .7261 mills and the dates/times for
the budget public hearings as September 13, 2022' at 6:00 p.m. and September 22, 2022
at 6:00 p.m.
Mayor Weisman opened the item for public comment. There being no comments, Mayor
Weisman closed the item for public input.
The motion for approval of the Resolution passed unanimously, by roll call vote, and
Resolution No. 2022-52 was adopted.
This public hearing will be held at the Aventura Arts&Cultural Center.
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Aventura City Commission Meeting Minutes
July 21, 2022
4. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the
Commission, a motion to adjourn was offered by Commissioner Friedland, seconded by
Commissioner Shelley, and unanimously approved; thus, adjourning the meeting at 10.44
a.m.
' Ellisa L. Horvath, IVINWC, City Clerk
Approved by the City Commission on September 13, 2022.
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