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2025-11-18 Council Meeting Minutes MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 18, 2025 6:30 PM COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Charles called the meeting to order at 6:32 PM. 2. MOMENT OF SILENCE / PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. ROLL CALL Mayor Jerome Charles Vice Mayor Neil Cantor Councilmember George Burch Councilmember Patrick B. Devaney via Zoom Councilmember Jesse Valinsky Also Present: Deputy Village Manager Christia Alou Village Attorney Chanae Wood Village Clerk Ysabely Rodriguez Village Manager Esmond Scott- absent 4. ORDER OF BUSINESS ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, & DEFERRALS Mayor Jerome Charles asked if there were any additions, deletions, or deferrals to the agenda. Seeing none, the agenda was accepted as presented. 5. PRESENTATIONS 5.A INTRODUCTION OF MIAMI SHORES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, MS. ISAHURI CATHEY. Ms. Isahuri Cathey introduced herself as the new principal of Miami Shores Elementary School. She shared her 20-year background in education with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, including 10 years as a teacher, followed by roles as a literacy curriculum specialist, district supervisor, and assistant principal. She explained that she became principal of Miami Shores Elementary in June and currently lives in the North Miami area with her two children. She emphasized her commitment to the school and the positive developments occurring under her leadership. The Village Council extended a warm welcome to Principal Cathey. 6. MANAGER'S UPDATE Deputy Village Manager Christia Alou provided an update regarding speed monitoring and enforcement on NE 102nd Street. She explained that the Police Department had been conducting speed monitoring at the request of residents, but concerns were raised about the posted speed limit. The Deputy Manager clarified that a traffic study was conducted that authorized reducing certain speed limits from 30 to 25 miles per hour, followed by an interlocal agreement with Miami-Dade County in 2019 for implementation. However, NE 102nd Street was not among the designated locations for the reduced speed limit. 7. PUBLIC COMMENTS 3-Minute Time Limit Dana Vignale expressed appreciation for the continued discussion about Doctors Charter School from the previous meeting. She addressed concerns raised by Councilmember Burch about potential conflicts of interest, clarifying that she receives no compensation from vendors or consultants she recommends. She emphasized her commitment to improving local schools and expressed that she feels a moral obligation to use her expertise to strengthen public schools in the community. Patrizia Bonaduce, Chair of the Historic Preservation Board, thanked the Council for drafting an amendment to the code that would require notification when demolition permits are requested for homes 50 years or older. She described how this change, which the board had advocated for over the past five years, would help protect historic homes from being lost without proper consideration of their value. Kate Mason, parent of two children at Miami Shores Elementary School, expressed her support for the Cambridge curriculum and encouraged the Council to approve the funding being discussed that evening. She emphasized the value of having a high-quality neighborhood school and the benefits of the Cambridge program for developing critical thinking skills in students. Jessica Valinsky highlighted Give Miami Day as an opportunity to support Miami Shores Elementary School's PTA fundraising efforts to transform their outdated library into a state-of- the-art media center. She emphasized the importance of community investment in the school and left information with QR codes for donations. Edward Gadol suggested that Council members should receive modest compensation for their service, proposing $30 per month for Councilmembers and $50 per month for the mayor. He also expressed concern about the Village hiring numerous assistants and deputies in recent years. Felipe Azenha addressed ongoing traffic concerns on his street. He expressed frustration with the 30-mph speed limit and the lengthy process to implement traffic calming measures. He requested expedited action to address speeding issues and thanked the Parks and Recreation Department for installing a volleyball net at the courts. 8.CONSENT AGENDA All items listed within this section entitled "Consent Agenda" are considered to be self-explanatory and are not expected to require additional review or discussion, unless a member of the Village Council requests, in which case, the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered along with the regular order of business. Councilmember Valinsky moved to approve the consent agenda and Vice Mayor Cantor seconded the motion which carried a 5-0 voice vote. 8.A APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER 21, 2025 VILLAGE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES (STAFF: VILLAGE CLERK). Passed on Consent. 8.B APPROVAL OF THE NOVEMBER 4, 2025 VILLAGE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES (STAFF: VILLAGE CLERK). Passed on Consent. 9. RESOLUTION(S) 9.A A RESOLUTION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF MIAMI SHORES VILLAGE, FLORIDA; APPROVING A PROGRAM GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND THE VILLAGE FOR THE FUNDING OF THE CAMBRIDGE PROGRAM AT MIAMI SHORES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL; PROVIDING FOR AUTHORIZATION; PROVIDING FOR IMPLEMENTATION; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE (STAFF: VILLAGE MANAGER). Village Clerk Rodriguez read the caption of the resolution into the record. Village Clerk Rodriguez introduced the resolution regarding the continuation of the Cambridge International Primary Program at Miami Shores Elementary School. The program has been supported by the Village since 2019, with the current proposal covering a new three-year agreement for 2025-2028 school years with updated funding levels. Principal Cathey provided a detailed presentation about the Cambridge program, describing it as a world-renowned educational program implemented in over 10,000 schools across 160 countries. She explained that the program focuses on global perspective, critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative learning. Principal Cathey highlighted how the program has contributed to the school achieving an "A" rating and increasing student proficiency. She also noted the program's positive impact on teacher retention, with approximately 40% of teachers remaining at Miami Shores Elementary for extended periods. Principal Cathey outlined the budget needs, which include annual fees for the Cambridge program, teacher training, hourly stipends for teacher planning, enrichment time for students, and marketing for the school. She emphasized that many teachers who received the initial training five years ago are no longer at the school, making ongoing training essential. A representative from the Office of Advanced Academics explained that the district provides certain training at no cost, but specific training from Cambridge is needed to properly implement the program. This training helps teachers understand how to develop challenges from global perspective and improve teaching methods. Dana Vignale, as Chair of the Education Advisory Board, noted that the majority of the Village's investment goes into teacher training, which she described as the most effective strategy for ensuring high quality teaching and learning. The Council heard numerous supportive public comments and e-comments from parents and community members expressing the value of the Cambridge program for student learning and development. Councilmember Jesse Valinsky expressed his strong support, noting that as a parent of a student at Miami Shores Elementary, he has observed firsthand the positive effects of the program. Mayor Charles thanked everyone for their presentations and expressed pride in the school's "A" rating, stating that the collaboration between the Village, the elementary school, and Miami-Dade Public Schools benefits residents of Miami Shores and the surrounding community. Vice Mayor Cantor moved to approve the resolution and Councilmember Valinsky seconded the motion which carried a 5-0 voice vote. 10.DISCUSSION & POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS 10.A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION CONCERNING CONTINUING THE TRAFFIC COMMITTEE (STAFF: COUNCILMEMBER GEORGE BURCH). Councilmember George Burch introduced the item, noting that the traffic committee had submitted its written report at the previous Council meeting. He argued for maintaining the committee, citing various ongoing traffic problems throughout the Village that were not addressed in the 2016 traffic study but were included in the committee's recent report. He pointed out that traffic issues are changing due to increasing development and population growth in the area. Councilmember Burch discussed the Village's authority to reduce speed limits from 30 to 25 mph based on state statute and an interlocal agreement with Miami-Dade County from 2019. He expressed concern that many people in the administration were unaware of this agreement and argued that the traffic committee provides a valuable way for residents to voice concerns about traffic issues directly to other residents instead of submitting comments to a website. Councilmember Jesse Valinsky questioned the utility of keeping the traffic committee, noting that it has no authority to act, only to make recommendations. He suggested that the committee adds an unnecessary step in addressing traffic issues and pointed out that it took over two years to receive their report. He stated that action on traffic matters ultimately must come from the Council, which can direct staff to pursue initiatives. Public Works Director Delroy Peters clarified that while the Village has an interlocal agreement that allows implementation of 25 mph speed limits, design plans must be created and submitted to the county for approval before implementation. He noted that budget constraints might limit how many speed limit changes can be implemented at once. Village Attorney Chanae Wood added clarification on Florida Statute 316.189, explaining that even with an interlocal agreement, speed zones must be posted with clearly legible signs for any change from 30 mph to be established and enforceable. Vice Mayor Neil Cantor suggested waiting to hear the traffic committee's presentation on their report before deciding on whether to continue the committee. Mayor Charles emphasized that the committee was established as an ad hoc committee intended to sunset after presenting its report and making recommendations. He noted that the report itself recommends conducting a new traffic study and sunsetting the committee. Councilmember Burch attempted to make a motion to keep the traffic committee, but it failed to receive a second. No further action was taken. 10.B DISCUSSION OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE GENERAL EMPLOYEE PENSION BOARD (SPONSORED BY: COUNCILMEMBER GEORGE BURCH). Councilmember George Burch introduced the item, expressing concern that the General Employee Pension Board had not been consulted about potential changes to its composition. He felt the board members should be given the same courtesy as other Village boards to provide input on their preferred structure. Village Attorney Chanae Wood clarified that the pension board composition discussion had followed proper procedure. She detailed the sequence of events, including workshops, discussions, and the status of the process, emphasizing that no final decisions had been made. Attorney Wood explained that the Council had previously given direction to incorporate changes recommended by Ms. Keeley and subsequently discussed reducing the board from seven to five members, but no ordinance had yet been drafted or presented for first reading. Mayor Charles read a formal statement addressing comments made by Councilmember Burch at the October 28, 2025, General Employee Pension Board meeting. The Mayor expressed concern about disparaging remarks made about Council colleagues and their qualifications to oversee pension matters. He stated that such comments undermine public confidence in the Council's ability to fulfill its fiduciary responsibilities and discourage citizen participation on boards. Board member Averill Dorsett, a trustee who has served on the General Employee Pension Board since 2005, spoke about her professional background in human resources and pension management. She questioned the rationale for changing the board's composition and argued for maintaining the current structure, suggesting that the manager's and Council member's presence on the board provides valuable institutional perspective. Jim McCoy, trustee, expressed that employees are interested in selecting their own representatives on the pension board. He suggested having representatives from different levels of employment: general employees, supervisory staff, and directors. Elizabeth Keeley, the Village's Grants Manager and Special Projects Coordinator, raised concerns about the conduct at the October 28th pension board meeting. She noted that many employees were unaware the meeting was taking place due to lack of notice and pointed out instances where she believed misinformation was provided to the board, including statements about the approval status of a death benefit and the financial condition of the pension fund. The Council members generally agreed that they needed to wait for the pension attorney to draft the ordinance changes before making any decisions about the board's composition. No action was taken. 11.MANAGER'S REPORT Deputy Village Manager Christia Alou reported that she and Manager Scott would be meeting with the Miami Shores golf course management team later in the week. She mentioned that Manager Scott would provide a report at the December meeting regarding the proposed pump station on the golf course green. 12.ATTORNEY'S REPORT Village Attorney Chanae Wood provided updates on ongoing work regarding boards and committees, including forthcoming drafts of changes to the historic preservation board and sustainability board that were requested by those bodies. She noted that Thursday's Planning and Zoning Board meeting would include two significant items: a certified resident recovery ordinance and a building permit ordinance, both of which would eventually come before the Council. 13.ANNOUNCEMENTS Village Clerk Rodriguez read the announcements. 14.VILLAGE COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilmember Jesse Valinsky shared his thoughts on the golf course, emphasizing the untapped potential of the food and beverage aspects of the facility. He expressed his desire to see more creativity and energy directed toward maximizing revenue from the restaurant and bar. Mayor Jerome Charles provided additional context on the golf course, explaining the distinction between the golf enterprise fund and food and beverage operations. He discussed ongoing work regarding the RFP for management companies and noted that residents have been actively participating in discussions about the future of the facility. The Mayor mentioned his visits to other municipal golf facilities to gather information on best practices and confirmed that PCM and the tennis courts would remain in place until April 30, 2026. Vice Mayor Neil Cantor provided updates on several initiatives. He announced that at the upcoming Doctors Charter School board meeting, they would be discussing rebranding the school to "Miami Shores Charter School" for the 2026-2027 school year. He also raised concerns about the length of time it takes businesses to navigate the Village's permitting processes and suggested creating a "fast track" for business approvals. Additionally, he provided an update on electric vehicle charging stations, noting that four companies were being considered and that installation would require bringing electrical service to the stations. Councilmember George Burch mentioned that the Village's AARP designation as an age- friendly community would lapse on December 1st of the current year and suggested renewing it. He also shared information about land ownership questions related to the golf course and requested that the boat parade be advertised on the Village's digital screens. At the end of the comments, Councilmember Burch apologized to his colleagues for remarks he had made at the pension board meeting, explaining that his intent had been to emphasize the importance of listening to committee recommendations, not to disparage Council members. Councilmember Patrick B. Devaney- No comments. 15.ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Village Council, the meeting adjourned at 8:56 PM.