Vanessa Lubin

The regular commission meeting agenda included department reports from the Village Manager, Code Compliance, Park and Recreation, and Police Departments. Key resolutions for approval involved the second renewal of the contract with Ceres Environmental Services for debris removal, the approval of a task order to Kimley Horn for motorized gate project electrical design services, and accepting a $415,000 grant agreement with FDEP for the Storm Drain Project. The commission also addressed the approval of a general contractor ranking list for demolition services and a task order to Kimley Horn for a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. Resolutions addressed accepting $25,000 from Miami-Dade County for tree replacement matching funds and approving a grant agreement with FDACS for the Community Forestry Project. Discussions covered the Sunshine Law, the Biscayne Park Foundation Vacancy, and Cybersecurity.

The meeting agenda included a presentation from the Office of Miami Dade District 4 Commissioner Micky Steinberg, followed by departmental reports covering the Village Manager, Building, Code Compliance, Finance, Park and Recreation, Police, and Public Works departments. Key items in the Consent Agenda involved approving a Memorandum of Maintenance Agreement (MMOA) with the City of North Miami for median maintenance (Resolution 2026-01), approving the purchase of a SCAG Lawnmower (Resolution 2026-02), authorizing an Interlocal Agreement with Miami-Dade County for film permitting (Resolution 2026-03), accepting funds from Miami-Dade County for Oak Trees (Resolution 2026-05), and approving minutes from prior meetings in October and December 2025, and November 2026. The agenda also addressed second hearings for Ordinances concerning Construction Holiday Hours (2025-03) and Recovery Houses (2025-05). Resolutions for approval included the Third Amendment to the Legal Services Agreement (2026-06) and the appointment of John R. Herin as Village Attorney effective January 16, 2026 (2026-07). Discussions were scheduled regarding Village Communication Channels and a Sunshine Law item.

The meeting addressed public comments regarding conflicts between the Vice Mayor and Village Attorney, concerns about Australian Pines and nesting birds, and the proposed elimination of emails versus enhanced resident contact. Agenda items included department reports from Code Compliance, Building, Police, Public Works, and Parks and Recreation. A key focus was amending meeting procedures via Resolution 2025-48 to remove the requirement of sending notice via the Village's email list and updating procedures to conform to the use of the Village's current application, Gogov, while maintaining the 7-day advance notice requirement. The commission also addressed issues with the Gogov notification system and directed staff to ensure email lists are merged correctly. Furthermore, the commission discussed pending legislation, Senate Bill 180, deciding to require fire inspections for short-term vacation rentals, prohibit construction on national holidays, and investigate the costs of joining a lawsuit challenging the bill. Finally, Resolution 2025-47, which adjusted the lien search fee, was approved.

The primary focus of this special meeting was the discussion and negotiation of the Village Manager's contract, specifically salary and compensation. Public comments expressed concerns regarding the compensation package amount and general direction of the village. Key discussions involved clarifying the budget for the interim period, where FRS requirements increased the cost to $238,000, and debating approval for a permanent salary of $210,000. Negotiations on benefits included reducing PTO hours, and discussions covered changes to vacation accrual notification procedures, automobile provisions (agreeing to provide a village vehicle without a separate stipend), and a $500 monthly stipend possibly treated as income. The commission also agreed on changes to the notice period for termination, the definition of misconduct for severance eligibility, and implementing a 6-month performance evaluation for the manager, with goals to be presented at the August meeting. The attorney was directed to prepare a final agreement incorporating all changes for review at the subsequent August meeting.

This meeting, designated as the First Budget Hearing, focused primarily on the adoption of ordinances related to the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget. The Commission discussed Ordinance 2025-01, which establishes the final ad valorem tax millage rate at 9.3 mills, noting that this rate is 9.03% higher than the rolled-back rate and will fund collective bargaining agreements and Capital Improvement Projects (CIP). The Commission also reviewed Ordinance 2025-02, adopting the budget for FY 2025-2026, which totals $3.2 million, incorporating significant savings and revenue to fully fund CIP projects and build emergency reserves. During discussions, the Commission decided to negotiate a lower increase for the Village Attorney's firm (aiming for $125,000) rather than immediately approving the requested $75,000 increase or issuing an RFP. Further discussion covered the Public Works Budget, Park and Recreation Staffing, road maintenance, and Village CIP Projects. Both ordinances received approval on their first reading.