2015-1015 Regular City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting October 15;2015 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida 13B. Dianne Collins said she has been working with some citizens of this community on behalf of tennis fans, tennis players, tennis professionals and visitors to the area to maintain and upgrade the tennis courts in Haulover Park in the new (Park redevelopment. As you may know the County has already scheduled the six (6) tennis courts to come out,two of them have already been removed. We are living in a world that is highly stressful and that anything we can do in our communities to maintain some level of peace, of decorum,that is done in large part by sports and tennis is the fastest growing sport in the world. It brings together families,people who can participate at any age,ethnicity,just like the Olympics do. She wrote a letter and received a thoughtful communication baclt from Jack Kardys the Manager of Miami-Dade County Parks. She read the letter into the record in response to his reasons for taking the tennis courts out of the Park. He pointed out 641 other public tennis courts within the surrounding area and her response was that they are to far if someone needs to walk or ride a bike. He said the tennis courts in Haulover were under- utilized, her response is there is no signage,and the restrooms were removed. She noted that the County is replacing the area of the six (6) tennis courts with an overflow parking area. She asked the Commission to support the tennis courts at Haulover Park. Mayor Scholl said he and City Manager Russo met with Jack Kardys about eight(8)months ago because the tennis issue has come up repeatedly and we had no objection to try tol work with the County to try to save the tennis courts. Basically the County said maybe we can put it on top of the parking garage. We have no influence with the County. The Skate Park we got under the bridge, which is a spot that they really didn't care about and it worked in the plan. Our neighboring communities lobbied for that and we got it approved. It is also State property,not County property. County Commissioner Sally Heyman has more influence and can make it happen. We don't have standing with them unlike the School Board which is an issue we just talked about. We are contributing money to build that school with standing. With the Park we don't have a lot of standing with them, we offered to contribute money to keep the tennis courts and they said thanks but no thanks. Commissioner Aelion said he spoke to Commissioner Heyman about it and she said they want what is best for the overall community. Public Speakers: Dianne Collins; Keith Oliver; Mayor Martin Packe; Vice Mayor Patricia Cohen; Michael Hart; Alan Collins; Keith Oliver thanked the Commission for revisiting this issue with Commissioner Heyman because he knows that she does have the greatest influence on it. He has spoken to her and she said that they are still in good shape and the fences are still in good shape. He has a petition that has been signed by over 90 signatures to keep the courts,and Mayor Scholl said we don't disagree that the courts could or should be saved but you are lobbying the wrong body. Go to Commissioner Heyman with the petition, go to Jack Kardys, and we will back him up but his point is that we don't have any influence. He wants him to focus his efforts where he will get a result. Keith Oliver said he has from the USTA that it will cost about $20,000 to get a new court, and between$4,000 and$8,000 to resurface courts. You would be looking at about $50,000 which is not a great amount of money to resurface the courts. He will bring that up with Commissioner Heyman,and maybe he and Dianne Collins can get an appointment with her. He said resident Fred Ho had also responded in a letter to Jack 24