10-04-2005 Regular Meeting•
MIAMI SHORES VILLAGE
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
The regular meeting of the Miami Shores Village Council was held on Tuesday, October 4, 2005
at the Village Hall. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM with the following individuals in
attendance:
PRESENT: Al Davis
JC Rodriguez
Herta Holly
Steve Loffredo
Jim McCoy
ALSO PRESENT: Tom Benton, Village Manager
Barbara Estep, Village Clerk
Richard Sarafan, Village Attorney
PRESENTATION
Al Berg, Code Enforcement and Planning & Zoning Director, presented the October, 2005 House
of the Month award to Carlos Paipa and Adriana Escobar.
• CONSIDERATIONS
1) CONSENT AGENDA Barbara A. Estep
A) APPROVAL OF THE SEPTEMBER 22, 2005 BUDGET HEARING AND
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES.
B) REQUEST APPROPRIATION AND EXPENDITURE OF FORFEITURE FUNDS
IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,168.50 TO FUND A PORTION OF THE HALLOWEEN
HOWL EVENT.
Ms. Estep read the items contained on the Consent Agenda. Mrs. Holly moved to approve the
Consent Agenda as presented. Mr. Rodriguez seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous
in favor of the motion.
2) VILLAGE CLERK Barbara A. Estep
A) APPOINTMENTS TO THE PERSONNEL APPLEALS BOARD
Applicant Cullen Lane was present and spoke on his own behalf. As there were two vacancies
and two applicants, Mr. McCoy moved to appointment Janine bontlesky and Cullen Lane to the
Personnel Appeals Boarcj. Mr. Loffiedo seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous in
favor of the motion.
•
•
B) APPOINTMENTS TO THE COUNTRY CLUB ADVISORY BOARD
There were three vacancies on the County Club Advisory Board, with the three applicants
seeking reappointment to the Board. Mr. Loffredo moved to reappoint Linda Mennes, Herb
Spahn and Ernest Upthegrove the Country Club Advisory Board. Mr. McCoy seconded the
motion and the vote was unanimous in favor of the motion.
C) APPOINTMENTS TO THE RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
There were three vacancies and four applicants to the Recreation Advisory Board. Applicants
John Camp, Valerie Greenberg and Julian Montero were present and spoke on their own behalf.
Applicant Patricia Rodriguez, seeking reappointment, was not present at the meeting. A vote was
conducted by paper ballot with the following results:
Al Davis = Camp, Greenberg, Rodriguez
JR Rodriguez = Camp, Greenberg, Montero
Herta Holly = Camp, Greenberg, Rodriguez
Steve Loffredo = Camp, Greenberg, Rodriguez
Jim McCoy = Camp, Greenberg, Rodriguez
Based on the votes, John Camp, Valerie Greenberg and Patricia Rodriguez were appointed to the
Recreation Advisory Board.
3) VILLAGE MANAGER Tom Benton
• A) DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF A DOG PARK.
Mr. Benton offered background information regarding the Staff's assignment and highlighted the
areas that were considered in the report including insurance, maintenance costs, etc. Mr. Benton
presented diagrams of the various locations considered for a dog park, outlining the pros and cons
of each site.
At the conclusion of Mr. Benton's presentation, Mayor Davis requested that a motion be made
prior to discussions beginning. Mr. Loffredo was given the floor and moved to approve the Staff
recommendation to put a dog park at Constitution Park. Mr. McCoy seconded the motion for
discussion purposes.
Individual Council Members expressed their opinions and concerns on the concept of a dog park,
the various sites reviewed, and Mr. Benton's recommendation of Constitution Park. Subsequent
to hearing from each of the Council Members, Mayor Davis opened the floor for Public
Comment.
Louis Rodriguez Mr. Rodriguez wondered who would be in charge of the dogs.
Charlie Sammons Mr. Sammons spoke of his concerns with possibly having a dog
park across the street from his home.
Amber Tempkin Ms. Tempkin spoke of her positive experiences with dog parks
in Austin, Texas.
•
•
•
Jose Ferre
Sally Bogert
John Camp
Ron Perez
George Sauvigon
Helen Ferre
Bill Kramer
Mr. Ferre spoke of the additional traffic that a dog park at
Constitution Park would generate.
Ms. Bogert spoke of the need to make the dog park beautiful,
like any other park in Miami Shores.
Mr. Camp spoke to some of the concerns raised by Mr.
Sammons.
Mr. Perez spoke out against a dog park being placed across the
street from his home.
Mr. Sauvigon addressed the concerns of the neighbors adjacent
to Constitution Park.
Ms. Ferre stated her opposition to a dog park.
Mr. Kramer indicated that the dog owners would be responsible
for the behavior of their dogs, for policing their pets and for
picking up after their dogs.
Rem Cabrera Mr. Cabrera urged the Council and residents around Constitution
Park to look at facts rather than innuendo and heresay.
Valerie Greenberg
Steve Shulman
Ms. Greenberg suggested that the Village wait, do a park
correctly and approve the relocation of the tot -lot and place the
dog park at the existing tot -lot.
Mr. Shulman thanked the Staff for their time and effort in putting
together the presentation. Mr. Shulman emphatically stated that
money will not be an issue in developing and maintaining a dog
park.
As no one else present wished to speak, Mayor Davis closed Public Comment and opened the
discussion amongst Council once again. Following the Council discussions, Mr. Loffredo asked
to amend his original motion, and at the conclusion of a brief clarification of intentions, moved to
recommend that Mr. Benton and Mr. Sarafan meet with the leadership of the dog park initiative
and homeowner representatives from the area adjacent to Constitution Park; to reach a consensus
regarding various issues surrounding a dog park, to include financing issues and siting within
Constitution Park; and bring back to the Council for a fmal decision. Mayor Davis called for a
vote which was 4 to 1 in favor of the motion. Mayor Davis was the dissenting vote.
4) ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Village Clerk read the announcements.
5) PUBLIC COMMENT
Steve Shulman Mr. Shulman thanked the Village for their efforts following Hurricane
Katrina.
• Rem Cabrera Mr. Cabrera requested that Council Members look at the residents when
speaking to them.
TF Chambers Mr. Chambers expressed his support of the Council.
6) COUNCIL COMMENTS
Herta Holly Ms. Holly congratulated Barry University on their recent standings in the
Princeton Review.
Jim McCoy Mr. McCoy spoke of the Council's ability to look at hard issues.
JC Rodriguez No comment.
Steve Loffredo Mr. Loffredo thanked the residents for their attendance and partipation.
Mayor Davis No comment.
7) ADJOURNMENT
The October 4, 2005 Council Meeting was adjourned at 9:25 PM.
•
Barbara A. Estep, CMC
Village Clerk
•
Al Davis, Mayor