HomeMy Public PortalAboutvillage-manager-annual-report-2020 2021BAL HARBOUR
- VILLAGE -
OFFICE OF THE VILLAGE MANAGER
MEMORANDUM
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Village Council
From: Jorge M. Gonzalez, Village Manager 0/11 ---
Date: November 12, 2021
Subject: Village Manager's Annual Report 2020-2021
The purpose of this memorandum is to transmit the Village Manager's Annual Report, which
provides a summary of our accomplishments over the last year.
I have asked Marie Hernandez to contact you to schedule a meeting with each of you over
the course of the next 2 weeks to discuss the report in person.
Attached for your review is the Annual Report with supporting attachments.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
JMG/MH
BAL HARBOUR
- VILLAGE -
OFFICE OF THE VILLAGE MANAGER
TO:
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, Village Manager IITh
DATE: November 12, 2021
SUBJECT: Village Manager's Annual Report 2020-2021
November 12, 2021, marks my eighth -year anniversary as the Village Manager of Bal Harbour
Village. As I reach this milestone, I am honored to continue to have the opportunity and
privilege to serve as your Village Manager. As I have done each year, I am proud to share this
Annual Report which summarizes our achievements, accomplishments, and activities from this
past year. The 2020-2021 Annual Report is aligned with the "Mission, Vision and Values" for
Bal Harbour Village and highlights the key intended outcomes and successes in delivering The
Bal Harbour Experience.
Pursuant to Section 5.3 of my employment agreement with the Village, the Village Council shall
evaluate the performance of the Village Manager each year. The 2020-2021 Annual Report
summarizes the areas of focus this past year and the resulting accomplishments and should be
a helpful resource in consideration of my evaluation. As I have done in the past, I am including
an evaluation form developed by the International City/County Management Association
(ICMA) modified for use by Bal Harbour Village, which may be helpful to you as part of the
evaluation process. Please be reminded that this information is subject to the Florida Sunshine
Law and should be used with that consideration.
MEMORANDUM
Honorable Mayor and Members of the Village C9.uncil
Our mission, vision and values guide our strategic plan, which sets clear goals, establishes
priorities, and provides for the direction of our organization. This past year, we have continued
to focus on these priorities, and we continue to align our resources to achieve our goals. At
our annual Village Council Retreat in May 2021, the Council reaffirmed our commitment to the
"vision" established in 2019, that Bal Harbour Village will be the safest residential community,
with a beautiful environment and unparalleled destinations and amenities, providing
exclusivity and access to ensure the highest quality of life for our residents, and with an
unmatched experience for our visitors from around the world. This vision helps achieve our
mission of delivering "The Bal Harbour Experience" - that distinctive feeling one experiences
when living in or visiting our unique, exclusive, curated and refined community. Also at this
year's retreat, we discussed our priorities to ensure that they remain relevant and reaffirmed
the relative importance and priority.
Since my last Annual Report to you, I am proud to share that we have had a very productive
year, with many positive accomplishments, despite the various challenges and unexpected
circumstances we have had to address. This past year, we continued to address the lingering
Village Manager's Annual Report 2020-2021
November 12, 2021
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impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic; in addition, on June 24 we were faced with the impacts of
the tragic collapse of the Champlain Tower South Condominium and by July 6 we found
ourselves preparing for the potential landfall of Hurricane Elsa. To further complicate
conditions, we were called upon to assist in coordinating a U.S. Presidential visit and an
extended visit from the Florida Governor as a result of the building collapse. Essentially, for a
period of time, Bal Harbour Village was operating under three separate Emergency Orders,
something that I can assure you I have never experienced in my more than 30 years of public
service.
Notwithstanding these emergency challenges, I was focused on several initiatives that required
my direct involvement. I am happy to report we made significant progress on various fronts.
Our Capital Improvement Program - both above ground and utility improvements - continued
to proceed on all active projects. We have increased our efforts to solicit and have been
successful in securing grants for our various capital projects. Once again, I led the efforts to
successfully negotiate an Addendum to the Development Agreement between the Village and
the Bal Harbour Shops. This addendum resulted in the Village securing accelerated payment
for the New Village Hall of more than $18 million, the receipt of past due amount of $1 million
voluntary contribution, as well as, receiving the deed to the Fairfield parcel now instead of in
2025. Earlier this year I made a personnel change in the Building Director. We seamlessly
transitioned to the new leadership, transformed the department staff, streamlined processes,
and enhanced the level of service and customer satisfaction.
Lastly, as was discussed in our Village Council Retreat, we were beginning the collective
bargaining process with the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) on a successor three-year
collective bargaining agreement. I am happy to report that we were able to reach a "Tentative
Agreement," which has been presented to the membership for ratification and is an item on
the Village Council agenda for the November, 2021 meeting for consideration.
The following is a summary of our accomplishments this past year. For ease of reference, I
have aligned them to our key pillars which comprise The Bal Harbour Experience:
Beautiful Environment
Presenting an aesthetically beautiful setting for our residents and visitors is a key contributor
to The Bal Harbour Experience, and our efforts remain focused on ensuring a beautiful
environment for Bal Harbour Village.
One of our most important priorities in this regard remains our Capital Improvement Projects
(CIP) program. The completion of these various projects will add to and enhance our world -
class amenities in Bal Harbour Village. With our CIP program now fully operational, progress
continues to be made on all active projects.
The renovation of the Parks and Public Spaces facility in North Miami was completed and staff
moved in and began working out of this facility in February 2021. This allowed for the former
operations building in the Village to be demolished and the site was prepared for the
construction of the new Bal Harbour Waterfront Park and Community Center. The project bids
were submitted in August 2021, with the approval for award made at the September 13, 2021,
Council meeting. A ceremonial Ground Breaking took place in September and I am happy to
report that the Notice to Proceed (NTP) #1 on this project was issued November 2, 2021. We
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November 12, 2021
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anticipate issuing the NTP #2 on December 2, 2021 for the commencement of
construction. The seawall portion of the project is well underway with 100% of the sheet piles
completed. The reconstruction of the seawall and the new dock are expected to be completed
by early 2022.
Progress also continues to be made on the design services for the Bal Harbour Jetty/96th
Street -end project to enhance the use of the jetty, the cut -walk and 96th street end as public
spaces for the community. Our consultant, Mikyoung Kim Design, has completed 90% of the
Construction Document phase while the structural re -design of the south side of the Jetty is
progressing in the Design Development phase. In addition, we have conducted extensive
construction analysis and probable cost estimating to ensure that the project as designed is
buildable and within estimated funds available. We have submitted plans to all the
environmental and federal agencies having jurisdiction for the schematic design review and
expect to submit the developed design documents with the proposed structural changes in
December. We are hopeful that the permitting phase will be completed by the end of the
Summer of 2022, which will allow us to be considered for additional FIND grant funding for
construction. If approved, we could be ready for contract award for construction by the end of
the calendar year 2022 or early in the next year. The Jetty Plaza design has progressed with
the assistance of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) grant, and we anticipate
receiving comments from the permitting agencies this month.
Earlier this year, we developed a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the design of the New
Village Hall. Submissions were received, and after public meetings with the top ranked firms,
the Village Council made its selection of Zyscovich Architects to design our new Village Hall.
Staff has been working with our Village Attorney to finalize the consultant's contract. Upon
contract negotiation and execution, we would formally launch our programmatic review and
update and schematic/concept plan process, which would result in a Basis of Design Report
(BODR) for Village Council approval.
It should be noted that since the CIP was initiated a few years ago, we have secured more than
$15 million in grants with an additional $50 million in applications submitted, not to mention
the tens of millions of dollars secured through development agreements with the BHS and the
Oceana Condominium.
Our Parks and Public Spaces Department continues to improve the appearance of the Village
through routine maintenance and cleaning of our public areas. This year, they led a
coordinated effort with the condominiums and hotels on the beach to develop a better back
of house storage areas for surplus beach furniture and equipment which are screened with
landscaping to enhance the overall cleanliness of the beach. As a result of our advocacy,
Miami -Dade County continues to provide daily beach cleaning and seaweed removal service
along the northern portion of Bal Harbour Beach. Funding was included in the FY 2022
Operating Budget to add one full-time position which will be primarily responsible for the
appearance of the coastal portion of the Village and assist with the annual sargassum seaweed
mitigation efforts.
During this past year, the Utility Infrastructure Improvements Project (UIIP) Phase 4 Park Drive;
16 -inch to 20 -inch transmission water main construction was completed along with the water
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November 12, 2021
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system improvements related to UlIP Phases 3(A), (B) and (C). In early 2022, all the planned
work for the Residential Gated Community North of Harbour Way will be complete and UlIP
Phases 5(B), (C) and 6(A), (B) will commence. With the pending completion of several phases
of the planned UlIP work, specifically north of Harbour Way within the Residential Gated
Community, the restoration of the area roadways is approaching. The June 2020 Road
Surfacing Agreement executed with the Bal Harbour Civic Association (BHCA) prescribes that,
as UIIP work is completed, the area roads will be milled and resurfaced using a proportionate
cost share formula to fund the restoration work. It is anticipated that the locations north of
Harbour Way will be ready for this action in early 2022. However, Florida Power and Light (FPL)
has presented a draft Power Grid Improvements Masterplan to the BHCA, and the timing of
these proposed improvements may affect the paving schedule.
A major priority for the past several years has been the coordination with the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Miami -Dade County to
advocate for the Beach Nourishment Project to place more than 210,000 cubic yards of sand
on Bal Harbour Beach. This project is expected to begin in just a few days. Getting to this
point took a lot of work and effort to coordinate and overcome unexpected snags along the
way over the years. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection Agency(FDEP) issued
the Final Order Permit on December 8, 2020 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Miami -
Dade County authorizing the Bal Harbour Nourishment Project. This approximately $10 million
project involves the nourishment of 0.9 miles of eroding shoreline at Bal Harbour Beach with
211,000 cubic yards of sand. This is the most significant renourishment on Bal Harbour Beach
in decades.
On a related front, our efforts remained focus on the Sand By -Pass Project. Miami -Dade County
and the Village are joint applicants for the Bakers Haulover Inlet Sand Bypassing Project that
will include regular material bypassing from the updrift beach along with the extension of the
jetty on the north side of the inlet. Extensive studies of coastal processes have been completed
by other consultants contracted by the Village as part of the environmental permitting process.
The Village recently received notification that the updated (IMP) received final approval from
the FDEP and information contained within the Plan will be incorporated into the future
planning activities for this area. Now that the IMP has received adoption by the FDEP, we will
task the Village Environmental Engineering firm to pursue coordination meetings with Miami -
Dade County, to ensure the project development continues.
Destination and Amenities
Over the course of the past fiscal year, our hotels and restaurants reported very strong demand
resulting in record collections in a single year. Five of these months (March, April, May, June,
and July) have been our best and highest ever for those months. The Fiscal Year-end total
Resort Tax collection exceeded $4.8 million, which surpassed our previous record -year by
more than $500,000. If you recall, prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020,
the first five months of the 2019-2020 fiscal year started out with record results for tourism in
Bal Harbour Village, but the remainder of that fiscal year proved challenging due to the impacts
of the pandemic and the eventual travel restrictions, restaurant closures, hotel closures and
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beach closures for intermittent periods of time. Not knowing what to expect for the 2020-2021
fiscal year, we budgeted cautiously with optimistic expectations. Fortunately for the Village,
this past fiscal year proved to be more successful than we could have imagined. With the
opening of the U.S. to International travel just a few days ago, we are well poised to have
another successful year in FY 2021-2022.
The Bal Harbour Shops is an integral destination and amenity within in our community. With
its many luxury eateries and high -end shopping, the Shops attracts visitors from all over the
world. I am happy to report, that at our last Council meeting in October 2021, the Addendum
to the Bal Harbour Shops Development Agreement was approved by the Village Council to
continue to allow for the on -going expansion of the Bal Harbour Shops. This Addendum was
guided by our discussions at the Council Retreat in May 2021. Throughout the discussions
between the Shops and the Village, it was my intent to keep any changes made to the existing
development agreement to a minimum. We were able to reach a compromise resolution that
I believe provides a measure of relief requested by the Shops in light of the unprecedented
circumstances resulting from the COVID 19 pandemic without foregoing previously
negotiated public benefits. Our focus had been to secure as much of the pending public
benefit value in advance so as to not have a similar situation occur in the future. The main
concern appeared to revolve around the Shops inability to deliver the New Village Hall in the
time originally provided. The new addendum will relieve the Shops of the responsibility to
construct the project but requires them to accelerate granting the deed for the Fairfield parcel
and more importantly make a full payment on the cost of the project as of the date of the
Addendum. Leaving only a "True -Up" calculation to account for any inflation in costs between
now and when we anticipate beginning construction of New Village Hall expected to be
sometime in June 2025 at the latest. In addition, the Shops will fund the project management
costs the Village may incur by assuming the responsibility to construct. I am also happy to
report that on November 4th, the Village received the Deed to the Fairfield Parcel, and received
the more than $19 million payment for the costs of the New Village Hall and Voluntary
Contribution installments that were past due. As of this writing, the BHS are fully current with
the obligations of the Development Agreement and continue to progress on their
construction.
Exclusivity and Access
While group gatherings or events were still not advised for most of this past year, the Village
was able to plan and host several socially distanced, outdoor events. In November 2020, we
held our annual kick-off to the holiday season with the lighting and enhanced holiday decor on
Founders Circle and along Collins Avenue. The scaled -down event was able to be enjoyed by
the community, live as well as virtually via Zoom. This year's event is already being planned
for and will take place on November 17, 2021.
In March 2021, Bal Harbour Village, in collaboration with the Bal Harbour Shops, partnered
with the Fleurs de Villes group, in support of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, for the
world-wide launch of this floral exhibit which translates to "flowers of the city". Nearly 30 floral -
outfitted mannequins were located throughout the Village, mainly at the Bal Harbour Shops
and one at the Ritz -Carlton Bal Harbour, with three Village sponsored mannequins, located
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November 12, 2021
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one each at the north and south entrance to Bal Harbour Village and one in the Bal Harbour
Shops, and a floral -decorated police vehicle in Founder's Circle.
In May 2021, as we began to prepare for the Village's 75th Anniversary (August 14, 1946),
several new events were launched, including the first -ever Farmers and Artisans Market, which
featured curated local vendors showcasing a variety of organic produce, spices, artisan breads,
cheeses, and other specialties. We also partnered with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra
to host a series of "Symphony by the Sea" pop-up music events which took place throughout
the Village. This partnership is ongoing into the new fiscal year, with the most recent concert
having taken place on October 24, 2021. Out of respect for the families in Surfside, our 4th of
July Independence Day fireworks were cancelled. In commemoration of the victims of the
Champlain Tower South Building, an enhanced "Symphony by the Sea" music tribute event
was held on the beach in conjunction with the Town of Surfside for residents and guests to
attend. Over 200 people attended the performance and several media outlets covered the
event. Miami -Dade Mayor Daniela Levine Cava, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett, and members
of the Surfside Town Council, along with members of the Bal Harbour Village Council, were all
in attendance.
Once our acclaimed museum partners began opening to the public, we reactivated our
Museum Access Program and provided updates to our residents and hotels so that they could
again begin enjoying this signature amenity.
As part of our 75th Anniversary celebration, a series of events are planned over the next year.
Among them, an art in public places installation featuring six Manolo Valdes sculptures which
have been placed throughout the Village in time for Art Basel / Miami Beach in early December
2021. This well -received initiative is the result of a partnership with the Opera Gallery and was
implemented at no cost to the Village. Lastly, several events to celebrate the culinary scene in
the Village are also being planned, including participating in the annual South Beach Wine and
Food Festival and our own "Taste of Bal Harbour" series featuring local restaurant and chefs.
We are excited that our "Movies on the Beach" series will be returning this year, with several
movies already planned, starting in just a few weeks with a movie event over the Thanksgiving
holiday weekend, and the next one planned for December 22, just in time for the Winter
holidays.
Our commitment to engaging our community and visitors remained firmly in place, especially
this past year, so as to ensure that our community is closely connected with their government.
Weekly calls with all the General Managers of the Condominiums and the Hotels, digital
communication efforts, including the My Bal Harbour Mobile Application (App), the Wireless
Emergency Notification System (WENS), e -mails, social media (Facebook, Instagram and
Twitter), and our government and tourism websites have allowed us to maintain as direct a link
with our residents and tourists as possible. Keeping our community and residents informed
during both the Covid-19 Pandemic, as well as tragic Champlain Tower South building
collapse in the Town of Surfside in June 2021 has been a key focus given the rapidly changing
information and regulations. To date, nearly 100 Covid-19 advisory informational notices have
been distributed. In addition, several Surfside building collapse advisories were also
distributed.
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Over the course of the past year, our team spent time reviewing our existing communication
tools. Our website is an area that we agreed could use help given that a well -designed, user-
friendly website is an essential tool for any organization. This is especiallytrue for organizations
in the pubic and customer service and tourism industry. Delayed due to Covid-19, the
selection of the vendor for this project was approved by the Village Council in July 2021. This
project, which is already underway, will ensure brand cohesiveness and a common
navigational experience, which will result in a better overall experience for the user.
Additionally, it provides the Village the most up to date advancements in digital technology,
the ability to add language capabilities meet ADA requirements and provide an enhanced Bal
Harbour App interface.
Safety
Public safety has always been, and will remain, a top priority for our Village. Creating a safe
environment in our community is one of our most important responsibilities. Our efforts
continue to be focused on public safety at all levels, with emphasis on continuing our ongoing
community policing efforts, as well as enhancements in our building department to ensure the
structural safety in the Village and for our residents.
The Bal Harbour Police Department (BHPD) continues to focus on its primary mission - to
provide excellent public safety services to our residents, businesses and visitors. The BHPD
remains dedicated to a community -oriented policing model, focused on increased police
visibility through innovative directed patrol activities, and enhanced readiness for high liability
incidents. Through these efforts, the Village experienced a 5.1% reduction in the 2020 Total
Part I UCR Crimes as indexed annually for the Village by the Florida Department of Law
Enforcement (FDLE). When compared to 2014 Total Part I UCR Crimes, when the community
policing model was first implemented, this decrease is even more significant at 13%.
The BHPD remained proactive this past year in our community policing efforts by promoting
the use of Crime Tips email address (CrimeTips@balharbourfl.gov) aimed at generating tips
on investigations and we continue to grow participation in The Exchange, a two-way
communication initiative, for residents & business owners about arrests, crime prevention tips,
fraud offenses and wanted subject information. The Beach Safety Officer program was
implemented this year and serves to provide additional enforcement and to proactively
address safety concerns for residents and beachgoers.
During the early hours of June 24, 2021, the Bal Harbour Police Department was called to
action and responded to the Town of Surfside, as they faced the aftermath related to the tragic
collapse of the Champlain Towers South Condominium. The BHPD was among the first group
of first responders to arrive at the scene, and through their quick and decisive action, our police
officers provided critical support for the setup of the initial family reunification center. In
cooperation with the Town of Surfside, Miami -Dade County Police Department and the Miami
Beach Police Department, the BHPD provided support for traffic management operations and
staffing at the Family Assistance Center hosted at the Sea View Hotel for several weeks.
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November 12, 2021
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At my direction, and as part of our emergency preparedness efforts, the BHPD engaged with
representatives of the neighboring communities, including Bay Harbour Islands, Indian Creek,
Sunny Isles and Surfside Police and Public Works Departments to continue to encourage
dialogue between our neighboring municipalities, as to how we would respond to major
hurricanes or emergencies. As we have been in the past, we are prepared to respond to these
emergencies, as was apparent this year with the early threat of Hurricane Elsa in July 2021. We
have been very fortunate again this hurricane season, but we are well prepared to deal with
any situation that may arise.
Our Police Department continues to remain active in the community in several ways and we
continue to increase our community outreach, activities and events. On August 8, 2021, they
coordinated and held a bicycle safety event to engage children of all ages in our community
and highlight the importance of bicycle safety. A bicycle safety course was designed to teach
rules of the road. In addition, free bicycle inspections were provided by City Bikes. On October
26, 2021, the BHPD participated, in conjunction with the Towns of Surfside and Bay Harbor
Islands Police Departments, in the Surf-Bal-Bay Night Out, a community event which was part
of the National Night Out Initiative, an annual community -building campaign promoting
police -community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Some notable other events
included the: Cops & Kids, Holiday Toy Drive, Book Bag Give Away, Veterans Day Ceremony,
Feeding Homeless Veterans, participation in Child Cancer Awareness Month and Command
Staff participation in the Bal Harbour Rotary Club.
Lastly, this past year, we completed the implementation and training forTelestaff, a scheduling
and reporting software, which will eliminate paper -based leave requests, ensure the accuracy
of time and attendance data, ensure fairness and consistency in the approval of leave and the
assignment of overtime and off duty assignments, as well as increasing productivity of staff by
automating leave time approvals. And the BHPD completed the Florida Department of Law
Enforcement (FDLE) Technical Audit, which serves to ensure that all law enforcement
information, network infrastructure, computer systems and facilities are secured and
encrypted.
The structural safety of our community is included as part of our overall Safety pillar. Much of
my attention this year was put into making our Building Department better equipped to carry-
out the department's duties. In April 2021, I appointed a new Building Director, with nearly 30
years of experience in the industry and nearly 15 years of experience as a Building Official.
Shortly after his arrival, the new Building Official appointed new, more experienced building
inspectors in each of the trades. The focus of our Building Department this past year has been
to improve our customer service and efficiency in the department. In these past few months,
the Building Department has achieved a great deal toward our goal of delivering a positive
experience for our customers. Several accomplishments in the Building Department are worth
mentioning, including increasing inspections and plan review to three days per week for all
trades, and establishing an internal turnaround time for plan reviews - 14 days for commercial
properties and 7 days for residential properties. The Building Department has also
implemented new permitting procedures and streamlined existing forms for a more efficient
permitting process. Also significant, is the creation of a 40+ Year Building Inventory with
notices to recertify being sent to all properties and working with properties and their engineers
to confirm that buildings are safe. Staff has performed visual field inspections and the Building
Official has taken action on all unsafe conditions. The Building Department has also
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commenced the scanning of all plans and permits to be archived digitally. Going forward the
department will continue to scan the daily work in order to have a fully digitized archive located
in our Laserfiche Repository. Staff established a "One Stop Shop" with Miami -Dade County
offering concurrent plan review between the Village and the County. This will greatly reduce
the plan review turnaround time for both residential and commercial projects. Investments are
being made in this upcoming year as well, including the funding for a new permitting system
which will convert the current legacy system to a fully automated, comprehensive system which
will allow for the submission of plans electronically, have access to legacy data, coordinate
concurrent review of plans by the various trades, ensure document security, allow for the
tracking of permit status on-line and greatly reduce review and approval times. Lastly, we are
also in the review phase our fee analysis and cost allocation study in the Building Department
to ensure that the fees are appropriate and in compliance with the recent statutory changes
that have been enacted. The investment of time has paid off greatly. We have transformed
this department, enhanced procedures, increased levels of service, brought in higher skilled
staff, and invested in technology. The results are clear -- customer satisfaction has increased
and the number of complaints about the Building Department have dropped to nearly zero.
Organizational Priorities and Internal Infrastructure
Since becoming your Village Manager eight years ago, one of my top goals has been to build
a high performing and resilient organization that meets the needs of our community efficiently
and effectively, and that is regarded among the best amongst municipal governments. Over
the past several years, as a Village team, we have continuously assessed many of our processes
and procedures to find opportunities for improvements; we have invested and re -invested in
technology to bring our systems up to the leading standards; and we have evaluated and re-
evaluated our organizational structure and personnel to make sure we are aligned with our
priorities and are staffed with a high -quality team of professionals. Having the right people in
place, and a high -performing team in place, allows us to collectively be much more strategic
in our initiatives and remain focused on delivering The Bal Harbour Experience.
From a staff development perspective, the most significant appointment I made this year was
the new Building Official and Director. Shortly after his arrival, he appointed new, more
experienced building inspectors in each of the trades. With these changes and improvements,
the Building Department has achieved a great deal toward our goal of delivering a positive
experience for our customers. I have received positive remarks from our customers and am
sure you have as well. Through these changes and our efforts at working to reach positive
resolutions, the Bal Harbour Shops, our largest and most important customer at this time has
remarked on the significant improvements in the Building Department. Perhaps a more telling
vote of confidence, though, is that they have recently informed us of their decision to use the
Building Department services to review plans and conduct inspections in their next phase of
the planned expansion (demolition of existing garage and construction of expansion
buildings) in lieu of their original intentions to proceed with the "Private Provider" model.
From an information technology perspective, we have completed several Information
Technology (IT) infrastructure improvements and productivity software implementations,
which have helped create a more efficient and effective working environment for the Village,
our departments, and our staff. With the opening of the new Village Operations Facility this
year, various IT projects were undertaken to ensure security and the continuity of operations,
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November 12, 2021
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while transitioning staff to different work locations and the need to provide a network
connection to Village Hall to support day to day office activities. The IT Department designed,
configured, and implemented the network allowing a stable connection to Village Hall,
providing a seamless experience to department users. In addition, the new facility required
the installation of an access control system, and this presented an opportunity to upgrade and
integrate similar systems installed at Village Hall and Bal Harbour Police Headquarters. As
such, IT installed and configured a new access control system, which provides additional
security enhancements and integrates access control management to BHPD Headquarters, the
New Village Operations Facility and Village Hall into a single platform. This enhanced access
control system also allows the use of one access control card for all three locations. IT also
coordinated the network extension and staff relocation to the new Parks and Public Spaces
trailer at Village Hall, which would allow a direct and stable connection to Village Hall network
resources.
From a financial perspective, the Village remains in a very strong position. Through a
disciplined approach to resource allocation, careful management practices and conservative
financial policies, all while navigating the many impacts from the COVID-19 global pandemic,
the Village continues to maintain a very strong financial position in all funds. The FY 2021-2022
budget was developed to ensure that The Bal Harbour Experience continues to be fulfilled,
with a low millage rate which remains unchanged for the seventh year in a row, resulting in the
reduction of the millage by 4.6% since 2015 and a cumulative reduction of 32.27% since 2004.
The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada
awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Village, for
our CAFR. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of
governmental accounting and financial reporting. The attainment of this award represents a
significant accomplishment by a government and its financial management team. This is the
seventh consecutive year that the Village has achieved this prestigious award.
The Village's FY 2020 external audit was concluded with the issuance of the Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report in March 2021 with an unqualified opinion. Additional activities this
past year, included continuing to closely work with various Federal, State and Local agencies
to recapture eligible expenses the Village incurred because of Covid-19 pandemic as well as
the tragic collapse of the Champlain Tower South condominium in the Town of Surfside. As a
result of the Covid-19 pandemic and economic impacts suffered by our communities, local
governments received significant support from state and federal funds received through the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan
(ARP). Through the CARES Act the Village received $2.1 and through the ARP, the Village has
been awarded $1.48 million.
Conclusion
I am proud to share that Bal Harbour Village is better off today than it was eight years ago when
I became your Village Manager. With our sights set on the future, our Village is on solid
financial ground, supported by talented and capable staff. We continue to strive for excellence
in how we serve the community, and the value we offer all our stakeholders.
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November 12, 2021
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As a team, we have been able to accomplish a great deal over the past several years,
continuously transforming our organization and promoting an environment where
accountability, professionalism and innovation are at the forefront. Although we will always
continue to strive for excellence, I firmly believe we have made significant progress in building
an organization that we can be proud of and one that is responsive to our vibrant community.
This is made possible by the continued guidance and support from the Village Council,
particularly through the work done at our Village Council retreats.
The past year continued to have its unique challenges given the ongoing uncertainties, anxiety,
and issues caused by COVID-19 and the other emergencies we were presented. Our actions
were carefully considered and implemented in order to ensure the overall safety and well-
being of our residents and the entire Bal Harbour community. Although these unexpected
emergencies consumed much of our time, we never -the -less were able to accomplish a great
deal.
From my own leadership development and personal perspective, I remain actively involved in
several organizations which contribute to my role as a Village Manager. These include Miami -
Dade City/County Management Association, (MDCCMA); the Florida City/County
Management Association (FCCMA); and as a member of the International Committee of the
International City/County Management Association (ICMA), one of the most competitive of
committees to be appointed to in ICMA; and as a member of the Municipal Practitioner
Committee of the Florida League of Cities. This past year, I was a guest speaker at the FCCMA
State Conference and was honored to receive the 2021 Home Rule Hero from the League of
Cities. As I have mentioned to many of you, this coming year I will be a nominee for Vice
President of the Southeast Region of ICMA. If successful I will be serving on the Executive
Board of the premier professional association for public administration. Involvement in
leadership organizations is important in our efforts to encourage career development, as well
as the quality of staff we can attract to the Village.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to continue to serve Bal Harbour Village as your
Village Manager. I look forward to continuing to lead our organization and working on all the
major on -going initiatives contributing to The Bal Harbour Experience. I will be speaking with
each of you one-on-one about what we have collectively achieved this past year and how,
together, we can continue working to make Bal Harbour Village an even better place to live,
work, visit and play in.
Attachment:
ICMA Village Manager Performance Evaluation Guideline
International City i County Management Association
Village Manager Performance Evaluation Guideline
This form may be used by each Member of the Village Council to evaluate the
Village Manager's performance in fulfilling oath of the roles he plays in the
Village's government. The Village Manager is graded 1-4, with the following
scale:
1 — poor
2 -- fair
3 —good
4 — excellent
Each member of the Council should complete the form and shareldiscuss it with
the Village Manager. The Village Manager will compile the results and tally the
scores.
1, Personal
Invests sufficient efforts towards being diligent and thorough in the
discharge of duties.
Composure, appearance, and attitude fitting for an individual in his
• executive position.
2. Professional Skills and Status
Knowledge, of current developments affecting the management
field.
Respected in management profession.
Has a capacity for innovation.
Anticipates problems and develops effective approaches for solving
them.
Willing to try new ideas proposed by Council members or staff.
3. Relations with Council
Carries out directives of the Council as a whole rather than those of
any one Council member.
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Assists the Council in resolving problems at the administrative level
to avoid unnecessary Council action.
Assists the Council in establishing policy while acknowledging the
ultimate authority of the Council,
Responds to requests for information or assistance by the Council,
4. Policy Execution
Implements Council action in accordance with the intent of the
Council.
Supports the actions of the Village Council after a decision has
been reached.
Enforces Village policies.
Understands Village's -laws and ordinances.
Offers workable alternatives to the Council for changes in the law
when an ordinance or policy proves impractical in actual
administration,
5. Reporting
Provides the Council with reports concerning matters of importance
to the Village.
Reports are accurate and comprehensive.
Prepares a sound agenda which prevents trivial, administrative
matters from being reviewed by the Council.
6. Citizen Relations
Handles complaints/inquiries from citizens appropriately.
Dedicated to the community and to its citizens.
Skillful with the news media - avoiding political positions and
partisanship.
Has the capacity to listen to others and to recognize their interest --
work well with others.
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Cooperates with neighboring 'communities.
Cooperates with the county, state and federal governments.
7. Staffing
Recruits and retains competent personnel for Village positions.
Works to Improve performance of staff.
Committed to ensuring diversity in the workforce.
Accurately informed and concerned about employee Insurance,
fringe benefits, promotions, and pensions.
8. Supervision
Encourages department heads to make decisions within their own
jurisdictions without Village Manager approval, yet maintains
general control of administrative operations.
Instills confidence and initiative in subordinates and emphasizes
support rather than restrictive controls for their programs.
Has developed a friendly and informal relationship with the work
force as a whole, yet maintains the prestige and dignity of the
manager office.
9. Fiscal Management
Prepares a balanced budget to provide services at a level intended
by the Council.
Makes the best possible use of available funds, conscious of the
need to operate the Village efficiently and effectively.
Prepared budget is in an intelligible format.
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10. What have been the major accomplishments of the Village Manager this
.past year?
11. What areas of the Village Manager's performance need the most
improvement? 'Why? What constructive, positive ideas can you offer the
Village Manager to improve in these areas?
Signature
Date
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