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HomeMy Public PortalAboutLTC 194-2015 Bal Harbour Village Fall 2015 NewsletterMESSAGE FROM THE VILLAGE CULTURAL EVENTS 2015/16 BUDGET REVIEW STAFF SPOTLIGHT COUNCIL ACTION ON THE POLICE BEAT P.02 P.03 P.04 P.06 P.06 P.07 IN THIS ISSUE BUDGET BRINGS ENHANCEMENTS & EFFICIENCIES Crafting the Bal Harbour annual Village Operating and Capital Budget requires months of planning and research, countless hours of reviewing charts and spreadsheets, the tireless efforts of the management team and elected officials and, most importantly, the input of residents at committee meetings and hearings. The FY 2015/16 budget was no different. The recently adopted Village budget (October 1, 2015 – September 30, 2016) provides the highest level of quality service for the lowest possible cost to residents. The three Village Funds – General, Resort Tax and Water & Wastewater Utility – include many enhancements and special projects to improve the quality of life as well as efficiencies that will allow the Village to operate more effectively. The 2015/16 budget specifically addressed target goals to improve service delivery while maintaining conservative financial practices. The goals included: • Enhancing community policing strategies and accountability • Improving and beautifying our public spaces • Investing in information technology; expanding communication with residents and visitors and establishing sustainable fiscal policies for future capital investments Continued on pages 4 & 5 VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 2 FALL 2015 MESSAGE FROM THE VILLAGE THE VILLAGE OFFICIALS THE VILLAGE COUNCIL PATRICIA COHEN ASSISTANT MAYOR District 3pcohen@balharbourfl.gov GABRIEL GROISMAN COUNCILMAN District 5ggroisman@balharbourfl.gov MARTIN PACKER MAYOR District 2mpacker@balharbourfl.gov SETH E. SALVER COUNCILMANDistrict 1ssalver@balharbourfl.gov JAIME M. SANZ COUNCILMAN District 4jsanz@balharbourfl.gov JORGE M. GONZALEZ VILLAGE MANAGERmanager@balharbourfl.gov DWIGHT S. DANIE VILLAGE CLERKddanie@balharbourfl.gov RICHARD J. WEISS VILLAGE ATTORNEYWeiss Serota Helfman Cole & Biermanrweiss@wsh-law.com CHANGE IS IN THE AIR Fall not only brings us a change of season, it also ushers in a number of changes within our community. As we prepare to welcome back our seasonal visitors to our community, we have a busy calendar of cultural activities and events planned for our residents. We are already underway with new initiatives and projects that are part of our new budget for the 2015/16 Fiscal Year. This budget funds enhancements and improvements, which will result in an even more beautiful community, that is safer, more efficient and more effective in its daily operations. All of the Village departments have recently made changes that will improve services and generate tangible results. On pages 4 and 5, you will be able to read about this year’s budget, as well as a list of significant accomplishments that have made a positive impact on the quality of life in our community. If you have not already done so, we encourage you to sign up to receive Bal Harbour Alerts by visiting our website at balharbourfl.gov. Also, if you have questions or need information, call Village Hall at (305) 866-4633 during normal operating hours, Monday to Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM. We hope you enjoy the change of season and all that the Village has to offer! 2 CULTURAL CORNER FALL TOURS, LECTURES & ART EVENTS Bal Harbour Village continues to provide amazing cultural experiences for residents and visitors through the Unscripted Art Access Program, Art Chat lectures, private collection tours and exclusive access to some of South Florida’s biggest art events. Five additional cultural destinations have been added to the Unscripted Art Access program for a total of 13 that can be accessed by residents and visitors free throughout the year. The new venues are: Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA), MDC Museum of Art + Design, The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Art, Vizcaya Museum & Gardens and Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens. As our community prepares for this year’s edition of Art Basel / Miami Beach, here are some of the exclusive events for Bal Harbour residents: • Exclusive private tour of the outdoor exhibition Art Public, an annual Art Basel exhibition which features unique and commissioned public art projects throughout Collins Park in Miami Beach. In collaboration with the Bass Museum of Art, the tour begins with light refreshments at the Bass Museum’s pop-up exhibition space at the Miami Beach Library and then Curators will lead guests through select Art Public installations. The date for this event is being finalized and will be shared once confirmed. • Art Fairs, Dec. 4-6: Present your Unscripted Bal Harbour Art Access card at the front door for access to Art Miami’s VIP opening reception and fair access; Untitled VIP opening and fair access; and the Pulse Art Fair VIP Breakfast reception and fair access. • Museum and Private Collection VIP Events: Patricia and Philip Frost Museum of Art annual VIP Breakfast in the Park on Sunday, Dec. 6, 9:30 am - noon. Guests enjoy a complimentary outdoor breakfast, informal lecture by noted American sculptor Alice Aycock and guided tours of The Sculpture Park FIU as well as the exhibitions in the museum, and more. TO RSVP TO ANY OF THESE EVENTS, PLEASE VISIT: BALHARBOURFLORIDA.COM/UNSCRIPTEDARTPROJECTS UPCOMING EVENTS THURSDAY OCT 29, 6:30 PM Private tour of the Martin Z. Margulies collection led by Mr. Margulies THURSDAY NOV 5, 6:30 PM Private tour of the Debra and Dennis Scholl collection at their home MONDAY NOV 16, 6:30 PM Art Chat with Leann Standish and Jorge Perez In front of the Village sand sculpture are (L-R) Councilman Jaime Sanz, Mayor Martin Packer, Assistant Mayor Patricia Cohen, Councilman Seth Salver and Village Manager Jorge Gonzalez. Artists Maria del Carmen Carrion (L) and Paul Ramirez Jonas at recent Art Chat at the Sea View Hotel. ASSISTANT MAYOR APPOINTED TO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY BOARD The Miami-Dade County League of Cities recently appointed Assistant Mayor Patricia Cohen as the League’s representative on Miami-Dade County’s Neat Streets Miami/Community Image Advisory Board, a County-wide board dedicated to the maintenance and beautification of transportation gateways, corridors and connections. Assistant Mayor Cohen also will serve on this board’s Landscape Committee. The Neat Streets Miami Board is made up of elected and appointed municipal, county and state officials. Assistant Mayor Cohen’s extensive background, skills and experience in landscaping and art, and her commitment to helping make the greater Miami-Dade County community cleaner and more beautiful make her a perfect addition to this board. FAMILY FUN AT JULY 4TH SANDCASTLES AND FIREWORKS Bal Harbour Village celebrated Independence Day 2015 with the creation of a stunning sand sculpture on the beach which commemorated our nation’s independence as well as introduced the Village’s new logo. Residents and visitors admired the sculpture and received instruction from world-famous sand sculpture artists on how to create their own masterpieces. The day ended with a spectacular fireworks show over the Bal Harbour beach front. PART OF THE LARGER COMMUNITY 3 FISCAL YEAR 2015/16 ANNUAL BUDGET REVIEW Continued from Page 1 Moreover, the budget has a new reduced rate of 1.9654, which is the third lowest of all Miami-Dade County municipalities, and represents a continuing trend for Bal Harbour. Specifically, the FY 15/16 millage rate reflects a decrease of 4.64%, resulting in a cumulative reduction of 32.27% since 2004. In addition to the increased Capital Projects proposed as part of the recently approved Utility Infrastructure Master Plan, a series of enhancements were adopted as part of the FY 2015/16 budget. These will address a number of quality of life concerns, which have been highlighted by members of the Council or the community at large. These enhancements were developed in an effort to further improve operational effectiveness and efficiency for the Village, and were presented to the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) as part of the budget development process. The BAC is composed of residents appointed by the Village Council. Over the last year, at the department level, each member of the Management Team has reviewed their departments service delivery methodology, and changes to their core missions have been made based on current needs and desires of the community. The Bal Harbour Police Department has refocused its mission toward a community policing model, centered on increasing police visibility through innovative directed patrol activities. The Parks and Public Spaces Department has elevated service levels to further beautify and enhance aesthetics Village-wide, and finalized the Utility Master Plan to ensure that the appropriate infrastructure is planned to address community needs. Time and energy has been focused on improving and expanding communication with our residents and visitors, as well as ensure the success of our destination by deploying a new branding strategy for our Village, which is reflected in all our new advertising campaign, collateral material and communications tools. The Village has also worked collectively to establish sustainable fiscal policies and plan for future capital investments, and continues to build upon the foundation already established in Fiscal Year 2014/15. Budget Advisory Committee meeting. 2014 MUNICIPAL MILLAGE RATES Bal Harbour 2.0611 4 SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS To ensure efficient, effective and accountable delivery of services, Village departments track their annual accomplishments. Following are some significant accomplishments that highlight our progress over the last year: GENERAL GOVERNMENT • Developed a Utilities Master Plan that includes efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and begin a long-awaited upgrade to the Village’s utility infrastructure. • Secured funding from Miami-Dade County of $6.5 million in General Obligations Bonds for sewer infrastructure improvement projects. • Merged the Public Works Department and the Parks & Recreation Department into one cohesive operation, Parks and Public Spaces. • Established a Capital Reserve funding for future capital projects. • Developed and initiated an Information Technology (IT) Master Plan. • Continue to evaluate Bal Harbour Shops Expansion proposals. Conducted three Public Workshops with attendance in excess of 250 persons. • Enhanced Fourth of July celebration and a New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration. • The expansion of the current Art Access Program to include five additional cultural institutions, bringing the program to a total of 13. • Through negotiations and settlements, the Village reached positive agreements with several major property owners including issues such as public areas, utilities, infrastructure, parking, beach access and maintenance. • Adopted an ordinance to expand the Appearance Code within the Business District POLICE DEPARTMENT • Restructured the Department to focus efforts toward a Community Policing Model, with emphasis on high visibly patrol, traffic enforcement and positive citizen police relations. • Gained re-admittance into the Department of Justice Equitable Sharing Program and gained full compliance status from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for the Police Department Communications Unit. • Enhanced the Bicycle Patrol Program and Police Golf Cart Program to expand patrol areas. • Developed a “Response to an Active Shooter Situation” Standard Operating Procedure. • Created a partnership with the Anti-Defamation League and surrounding municipalities to establish a Citizen Awareness Program for local Shuls. • Established an off-duty walking beat funded by the Bal Harbour Shops for additional public safety during the Shop’s busiest days. BUILDING DEPARTMENT • Created a building department operations manual and necessary forms for the department. • Established a system for tracking elevation certificates for all homes in the Village. • Reviewed all Village properties for compliance with 40/10/10 year re-certifications. PARKS & PUBLIC SPACES DEPARTMENT • Completed placement of 9,000 cubic yards of new sand on Bal Harbour Beach. • Completed retro-fit of street lights and decorative lights to light emitting diode (LED) lamps. • Completed painting of the bridge embankment, columns and travel lane barrier walls. • Restoration and painting of the Residential Gated Guard House and street signs. FINANCE AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENTS • Replaced 26 obsolete computers with new leased desktops and laptops. • Installed Village server and backup server to ensure capacity and continuity of operations. • Established merchant services accounts to accept payments by credit card. • Corrected fund related expenditures to ensure proprietary funds are self-supporting.5 DWIGHT S. DANIE NAMED VILLAGE CLERK With more than 20 years of experience in state government and local municipal administrative positions, Dwight S. Danie has joined the Bal Harbour team as Village Clerk. He was formerly City Clerk for the City of Miami and served as the City of Miami’s Elections Coordinator for nearly 10 years. He has also worked as the Chief Information Officer for the Children’s Trust. In addition to his municipal clerk background, Mr. Danie has excelled in a variety of specialty skills, including public records management, budgets and contracts, design and implementation of information technology systems, public relations and social media. Originally from the New England area, Mr. Danie received his undergraduate degree from the University of Maine and a master’s degree in Environmental Law and Public Policy from the Vermont Law School. He is a long-time member of the Florida Association of City Clerks and the Miami-Dade County Municipal Clerks Association. NEW PARKING PAY-BY-PHONE SYSTEM NOW OPERATIONAL Residents and visitors now have three options to pay for parking at the lot located near the jetity. Parking lot customers can pay through any of the following methods: • Download a mobile app, which can be found in the AppStore (iPhone) or PlayStore (Android) by searching PassportParking; • Pay online atm.ppprk.com. Customers are able to pay and add time to their parking spaces via this automated system; • Pay by phone by calling (786) 224-5812. This phone number is posted on the new signage and allows customers to pay for their parking space over the telephone or call for assistance. STAFF SPOTLIGHT RECENT COUNCIL ACTION EASEMENT ACQUISITION PART OF UTILITY MASTER PLAN Bal Harbour Village is moving forward with the recently adopted Utility Master Plan, a comprehensive effort to provide safe and reliable long-term utility services for residents, including potable water, sanitary sewer and stormwater drainage infrastructure. With some of the current utility systems now nearly 70 years old, there is an urgent need to replace existing infrastructure, a project which will ultimately provide long-term operational and fiscal benefits to the Village. The Village Council recently approved the acquisition of a permanent subsurface utility easement upon private property to begin the first phase of the replacement of a portion of the deteriorated and unreliable sanitary sewer system. This easement will allow the Village to replace the sanitary sewer line between the existing Oceana sanitary sewer main on Collins Avenue and proposed Sewer Pump Station No. 1 adjacent to Bal Bay Drive. This and future acquisitions not only provide a right of way for the new utilities, they also allow construction of new systems with less disruption to the public. 6 VILLAGE PARTNERS WITH ST. REGIS HOTEL FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING In a first for both the Bal Harbour Police Department and the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, sworn police officers and civilian employees received customer service training from the five star resort on August 4 and 6, 2015. Resort employees sharpened the skills of the participants in a wide array of different categories, from emotional intelligence to body language and non-verbal skills. Police Chief Mark Overton reached out to the St. Regis believing the concept of white-glove service could improve the Department. “It was an excellent opportunity to learn from the top level of the private sector. We have already received positive feedback from residents,” he said. “Being courteous and setting the right tone does not take away from our authority, it enhances it.” The training involved instructions on how to approach someone, the use of etiquette and being aware in emotional situations. Chief Overton hopes to continue the cooperative relationship with future training events. “Anything that we can learn and apply to our jobs will be a plus. It is a chance to look at our organization and make it better,” he said. The Village is using the training as an opportunity to deploy updated customer service standards for all Vil- lage employees and will be providing additional training opportunities throughout the year with the goal of providing the best possible service to our customers. OFFICERS JOIN KIDS ON THE BASKETBALL COURT An after-school program for Bal Harbour youth is putting Village police officers on the basketball court twice a week as part of the Department’s Community Policing Program. While surrounding communities provide athletic programs, basketball was not available in the fall months. The Police Department partnered with the Parks & Public Spaces Department to use the Village basketball courts on Mondays and Wednesdays for the program. Most of the participants are between the ages of 9-12 years old. At least one on-duty officer is assigned to participate in the practices in addition to any officers who volunteer their time. “Some of our officers have previously volunteered as coaches and they help with drills and techniques,” said Police Chief Mark Overton. “Most importantly, everyone has fun.” ON THE POLICE BEAT YOUTH PROGRAMS 7 Bal Harbour Village Hall 655 96th Street Bal Harbour, Florida 33154 PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MIAMI, FL PERMIT NO. 2783 VILLAGE CONTACTSNormal operating hours for Village Hall are Monday-Friday, 9 AM TO 5 PM VILLAGE HALL(305) 866-4633 POLICE DEPARTMENT(305) 866-5000 PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES(305) 866-4633, Ext. 368 TOURISM MARKETING(305) 866-4633, Ext. 337 VILLAGE FINANCE(305) 866-4633, Ext. 329 WEBSITES BALHARBOURFL.GOV (Village)BALHARBOURFLORIDA.COM (Tourism) @BALHARBOURGOV@BALHARBOURPD BALHARBOURGOVBALHARBOURPOLICEDEPT NOVEMBER FAMILY EVENTS THURSDAY NOV 12, 6 PM Bal Harbor Village Holiday Lighting Ceremony at Founder’s Circle (Collins Avenue) SUNDAY NOV 15, 11 AM - 3 PM Fall Fest at Bal Harbour Park. Family friendly activities for all to enjoy.