HomeMy Public PortalAboutLTC 008-2016 Bal Harbour Village January NewsletterVOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1
JANUARY 2016
MESSAGE FROM THE
VILLAGE
COUNCIL ACTION
CULTURAL EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
ON THE POLICE BEAT
P.02
P.03
P.04
P.05
P.06
P.07
IN THIS ISSUE
Residents and visitors now have a new and convenient way to communicate
with the Village. My Bal Harbour is a new mobile app that enables
users to make service requests and access Village information any-
where and at any time, seven days a week and 24 hours a day.
Easily downloaded to a smart phone, the My Bal Harbour app
allows users to submit requests and photos, track previous re-
quests, receive notifications and important alerts, find local stores
and restaurants and even pay for parking.
Additional services include listings of scheduled Unscripted Bal
Harbour Art access events, accessing Village meetings and post-
ed agendas and sending emails or calling Village officals.
To install the app, go to the App Store or Google Play Store
and search for “My Bal Harbour.” Download and install the
app and register your profile.
USING TECHNOLOGY TO BETTER SERVE RESIDENTS
MY BAL HARBOUR APP NOW AVAILABLE
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
MESSAGE FROM THE VILLAGE
NEW YEAR PROMISES MORE PROGRESS IN BAL HARBOUR VILLAGE
We hope the new year brings you and your family much health and happiness!
With the new year, we have new challenges and new resolutions for the months ahead. Resi-
dents of Bal Harbour Village have much to look forward to with many exciting initiatives on the
horizon, including:
• New technology - Read about the My Bal Harbour mobile app on the previous page and
look for a soon-to-be-unveiled Village website now in its final stages of development.
• New events - Building on our recent series of successful cultural events, we will be delivering
even more exciting activities in 2016. (See the highlights of some of the impressive recent
events and some events planned for 2016 on pages 4 & 5.)
• New ordinances - In 2015, the Council enacted new laws that prohibited the use of
Styrofoam in the Village, allowed dogs on the beach hard pack and made Bal Harbour the
first municipality in the U.S. to adopt a historic open trade ordinance. Look for more
proactive legislation in 2016.
We encourage you to sign up to receive Bal Harbour Alerts via text and email. Sign up on our
website at balharbourfl.gov or via the My Bal Harbour mobile app. For more information, call
Village Hall at 305-866-4633, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
B
H
2
RECENT EVENTS BRING THE SEASONS ALIVE
COUNCIL ADOPTS HISTORIC OPEN TRADE ORDINANCE
Bal Harbour Village recently became the first municipality in the country to pass a law aimed
at ensuring open and nondiscriminatory trade with partners, such as the State of Israel.
The anti-Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) ordinance was unanimously passed by the
Village Council after two public readings. It prohibits a municipality from contracting with any
business that is engaged in the boycott of a person or an entity based in, or doing business
with, a country or jurisdiction in which the U.S. has free trade or other agreements.
“Recently, we have seen the increase in efforts to boycott and otherwise discriminate on the
basis of nationality and ethnicity,” said Councilman Gabriel Groisman, who sponsored the
ordinance “The ordinance will send a strong message to the private sector that Bal Harbour
will not do business with companies who practice ethnic, religious, racial or national-origin
discrimination.”
FALL FESTIVAL
A Family Fall Fun Day was held at Bal Harbour Park which was decorated to celebrate the fall
season with interactive activities for children of all ages, including bounce houses, scarecrow
bowling, a live DJ, arts and crafts and food and refreshments for all in attendance.
HOLIDAY LIGHTING CEREMONY
To kick-off the holiday season, a holiday lighting ceremony was held on Founders Circle. Bal
Harbour resident and entertainment reporter Lisa Petrillo served as emcee of the event which
included a champagne sabrage – a technique for opening a champagne bottle with a saber
– and used for ceremonial occasions. The sabrage was provided courtesy of the St. Regis Bal
Harbour Hotel and the sweets and refreshments were catered by Zodiac at Neiman Marcus.
Music and entertainment was provided by students from the Hebrew Academy and Ruth K.
Broad K-8. The official “lighting” of the lights and decorations was performed by the Mayor
and Village Council.
RECENT COUNCIL ACTION
Councilman Seth Salver (L) and Mayor
Martin Packer.
(L-R) Council members Jaime Sanz,
Seth Slaver, Patricia Cohen, Mayor and
Mrs. Martin Packer, Councilman
Gabriel Grossman and Village
Manager Jorge M. Gonzalez.
NEW YEAR’S EVE FIREWORKS
More than 1,000 beachgoers celebrated the arrival of the new year at Bal Harbour Beach
while enjoying the festive fireworks display over the jetty, along with many others who
watched the spectacular show from the comfort of their homes.
According to Florida Statutes, an Ordinance is an official legislative action of a governing body and a
regulation of a general and permanent nature and enforceable as a local law.
3
ARTS AND CULTURE IN BAL HARBOUR VILLAGE
In keeping with Bal Harbour Village’s continued dedication to supporting the arts through
its Unscripted Bal Harbour Art Access program, several events took place over the past few
months including art chat lectures, private collection tours and exclusive access to some of
South Florida’s most prominent and prestigious art events.
PRIVATE TOUR OF THE MARGULIES COLLECTION AT THE WAREHOUSE
Art Collector Martin Margulies (below far right) personally lead this exclusive tour featuring new
installations by Susan Phillipsz and Anselm Kiefer as well as other awe-inspiring works of art.
PRIVATE TOUR OF THE DEBRA AND DENNIS SCHOLL COLLECTION
At the home of well-known collectors Debra and Dennis Scholl, Bal Harbour residents and
guests were led through the impressive private art collection which was recently curated by
Franklin Sirmans and primarily focuses on Australian Aborigine and American contemporary art.
More than 100 Bal Harbour resi-
dents and guests enjoyed a fasci-
nating conversation with Perez Art
Museum Miami (PAMM) Deputy
Director Leann Standish and
Jorge Perez. Mr. Perez shared his
inspirations for collecting contem-
porary art and his commitment to
commissioning public artworks
within his extensive development
projects. He is well known both
for his real estate investments and
his extensive collection of Latin
American art.
(L) Village Manager Jorge M. Gonzalez and
Mayor Martin Packer.
Village officials join with Jorge Perez (center) and PAMM Deputy Director, Leann Standish (at far right)
during the Art Chat.
ART CHAT WITH JORGE PEREZ
(L-R) Councilman and Mrs. Seth Salver and
Mayor and Mrs. Martin Packer.
4
ART BASEL
Bal Harbour residents participated in an exclusive private tour of the outdoor exhibition Art
Public, an annual Art Basel exhibition featuring unique and commissioned public art projects
throughout Collins Park in Miami Beach. In collaboration with the Bass Museum of Art, the
private tour was led by expert guest curators and included both the outdoor collection as
well as art inside the Bass Museum’s rotunda.
ART FOCUS
Wednesday, January 27 at 6 p.m. at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort. Become a Collector is an
intimate cocktail reception exclusive to Bal Harbour residents and guests sharing the ins and
outs of how to build a collection with expert Lisa Austin, founder of L&A Art Advisors and an
Unscripted Bal Harbour advisor for 2015-16 and Patricia Garcia-Velez Hanna, Art Director for
real estate company The Related Group. RSVP by January 22 to: unscripted@balharbourflori-
da.com
ART ACCESS TOUR
Sunday, February 14 at 10:30 a.m. at 2901 NE 1st Avenue. Join us for this Valentine’s Day pri-
vate reception hosted by Art Wynwood founder Nick Korniloff and tour by Art Fair Wynwood
Director Grela Orihuela. Guests are also invited to enjoy the fair after the tour. Street parking
and fair valet parking available. RSVP by February 5 to: unscripted@balharbourflorida.com
ART ACCESS TOUR
Thursday, February 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, 1 Lincoln Road, Miami
Beach with art expert Diana Lowenstein, a gallery owner and collector who will share her
insights about the art at the resort, followed by a tour. On street parking and hotel valet avail-
able. RSVP by February 10 to: unscripted@balharbourflorida.com.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Residents and guests pose in front of one of the many public art sculptures.
5
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Named the Bal Harbour Assistant Village Manager in February 2015, Ramiro Inguanzo sup-
ports the Village Manager in day-to-day Village operations and serves as Director of Human
Resources and Interim Director of Tourism and Marketing. Ramiro has worked in government
at the local and state levels since 1992. He previously worked for the City of Miami Beach for
more than a decade in various roles, including Chief of Staff to the City Manager and Director
of Human Resources and Labor Relations.
At the State level, Ramiro worked for the Appropriations Committee of the Florida House of
Representatives where he researched, evaluated and tracked proposed legislation. He also
worked for the State’s division of public colleges at Miami-Dade College as an Assistant Dean
then as Senior Advisor to the College President.
He was recently appointed by the Mayor of Miami-Dade County to serve on the Local Action
Team for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safer People, Safer Streets Initiative and was
appointed by the Miami-Dade County Commission to serve on the Neat Streets Miami/Com-
munity Image Advisory Board. Ramiro is an active member of the Miami-Dade City/County
Management Association and earned multiple degrees from Florida State University.
FAMILY DAY AT 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BAL HARBOUR SHOPS
As part of their year-long celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Bal
Harbour Shops, a family day was held on November 15 with activities and treats for children.
As part of the celebration, a Bal Harbour Village proclamation was presented to Bal Harbour
Shops founder Stanley Whitman and his family (at left, presented by Mayor Martin Packer)
congratulating them on the success of the Shops over the past 50 years and extending best
wishes for many more years of health, prosperity and happiness.
VILLAGE RECEIVES FINANCE REPORTING RECOGNITION
Bal Harbour Village has received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the Comprehen-
sive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for Fiscal Year ending September 30, 2014. Con-
gratulations to Village staff – particularly Chief Financial Officer Amber Riviere – for their
dedicated efforts in producing an award-winning CAFR. This is the first time the Village
has received this honor.
Mayor Martin Packer presents Stanley
Whitman with a Village proclamation.
6
ON THE POLICE BEAT
The Bal Harbour Village Police Department is taking a proactive approach to pedestrian safe-
ty by developing strategies to ensure this community remains a safe place to walk and travel.
The efforts include traditional methods and new ideas regarding enforcement, education and
engineering. Some recent initiatives which have been implemented in the Village include:
• Lowering speed limits in designated roads where there’s a high volume of pedestrian traffic.
• Lengthening crosswalk time at designated intersections, from the typical 20 seconds to 30.
• Limiting right turns on red.
• Improving crosswalk markings, including adding lighted crosswalks.
• Improving lighting along streets and walkways.
• Enforcing speed limits and other traffic laws consistently.
• Improved signage
However, the most important step in achieving pedestrian safety is improving crosswalk
markings, including lighted crosswalks. The Village is testing lighting at cross walks on Bal
Bay Drive and the intersection of 96th Street and the crosswalk leading to the Bal Harbour
Village Park. The Village has consulted with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
and partnered with Lux Solar to use innovative solar-charged lights to aid pedestrians and
vehicular traffic to better recognize crosswalks. The Village Administration would appreciate
feedback from residents regarding the crosswalk lights. Please contact the Village Manager’s
Office or the Police Chief’s Office at (305) 866-4633 or email: moverton@balharbourfl.gov to
provide any feedback you may have.
The Miami-Dade Chiefs of Police Association sponsored a Thanksgiving holiday meal for
homeless U.S. veterans. Bal Harbour Village Police Chief Mark Overton (at far right), along
with several other police chiefs from throughout Miami-Dade, volunteered to serve holiday
meals to deserving and needy veterans.
ENHANCING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
CHIEF OVERTON SERVES VETS ON THANKSGIVING
HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE BENEFITS CHILDREN
The Bal Harbour Police Department joined with the Safety Alliance for Excellence and Coastal
Construction to hold a Holiday Toy Drive to benefit the Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Residents and businesses contributed through community outreach and collection boxes at
Village Hall, the Bal Harbour Shops and the St. Regis Residences. The toys were delivered to
appreciative youngsters at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital (formerly Miami Children’s Hospital).
Thank you to all residents who made generous contributions.
Lighted crosswalks being installed at
96th Street (above) and a rendering
showing a pedestrian crossing at
night.
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 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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
UPCOMING MEETINGS
• Tuesday, January 19 at 6 p.m.,
Resort Tax Committee meeting
• Tuesday, January 26 at 7 p.m.,
Village Council meeting
• Wednesday, February 3 at 11 a.m.
Architectural Review Board
• Tuesday, February 16 at 7 p.m.,
Village Council meeting
• Tuesday, February 23 at 6 p.m.,
Resort Tax Committee meeting