2016-0519 Regular City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting May 19,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida people were dining when all of a sudden they hear screams coming from the water and a lot of people's attention are drawn to the water beneath the Pier. It was very choppy that day and there were some rip currents, and in the upper left hand corner of the video you see the gentleman who was having dinner jump off the Pier into the water to save a woman that was being swept out to sea. A matter of seconds more and she probably would not have been recoverable. The gentleman who made this lifesaving effort, rescued her and brought her back to shore where she was transported to the hospital,and we are happy to say she survived this ordeal. We would like to recognize tonight the individual who took action as many stood around and watched. When the Chief met him two weeks ago he indicated to him that heroes don't have to wear uniforms,they don't have to carry guns,they don't have to put out fires, they come in many shapes and sizes and sometimes they are the ones that just happen to be there and jump over the side to save a life. He asked us all to welcome and recognize Javier Egana Fernandez, who received a standing ovation. Chief Maas said Javier is joined by his wife Marisol tonight and asked her to come up as well. He said they were having dinner, they do not live in the City, they happened to be visiting our City, and staying at the Newport. He brings that up for a very interesting point which you are going to get in a minute. But prior to that, on behalf of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, the Mayor and the Commission, the City Manager and all of our City officials and more importantly all of our residents and the victim whose life you saved, Chief Maas presented him with the Medal of Valor for Lifesaving Rescue. Just so you know,two(2)days ago the President bestowed the Medal of Valor upon thirteen (13) Police Officers at a national ceremony and so you are in really good company. Chief Maas said in addition to the Medal, we know your weekend was a little bit interrupted when you were staying at the Newport, and so on behalf of the Newport Resort and also the Sunny Isles Beach Resort Association he asked David Kretch and Ibis Romero to please come forward. David Kretch said we are very proud to be here, after everything that has happened you had a very interrupted weekend as the Chief said, and so we would like to present to you this Certificate to stay in our hotel for two (2)nights, dinner for you and your family,and we consider you part of our family right now,as a member of our family you will always qualify in our Resort as long as you are here for our friends and family our employee rate. Chief Maas thanked the media for coming because this was truly a lifesaving rescue, and unfortunately we see what happens when people don't have the opportunity to act or they are too late as what happened a couple of days ago. But Javier probably the greatest part of this night especially for all of those and for me, is the fact that we would like you to once again be reunited with the victim, with the woman that your saved, and she is here tonight. Rose will you please come forward. Rose hugged both Javier and his wife and thanked them. She said she is graduating in two weeks and she would not have been able to do that so thank you for being there, thank you for being such a good Samaritan. Chief Maas asked Rose to stay up there for a second because Mr. Kretch on behalf of the Newport Hotel wants to come up and address you. Mr. Kretch said it is amazing how being in a spot at a certain time and a certain moment will change everybody's lives which changes the world around you,and you are all part of this and we want to consider Rose as part of our family as well and so we are going to do the same thing for her as we did for Javier. 2