2010-0902 Special City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes: Special City Commission Meeting September 2, 20 I 0 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida asked ifhe had seen that picture in his office at any time ofthe Temple's project that Kobi Karp designed that he met with staff about, and City Manager Conner said not that he knows of, no. Mr. Poliakoff asked City Manager Conner about the $52,000 non-procurement contract with Ms. Uguccioni, and City Manager Conner said we try to use our proper judgment in every transaction we enter into, he did consult with the City Attorney on this matter, and together we believed that we made the right decision. Mr. Poliakoff asked if he has a spending limitation, and City Manager Conner said that during the summer recess of the Commission, he has the authority of the Commission and they can later ratify the approval. Mr. Poliakoff said in the same week that your expert was fired from the City of Miami, you hired her under a contract under your own volition for $52,000 which is to be ratified by the City Commission, and City Manager Conner said yes. Mr. Poliakoff asked when will that item come before the Commission, and City Manager Conner said at their September meeting which will have all the items that were entered into during that period. Mr. Poliakoff asked if he had hired anyone else during that time, and City Manager Conner said yes we have entered into contracts with other consultants. Mr. Poliakoff asked if any are in the tune of $52,000 or more, and City Manager Conner said yes, we have got several for consultants who are going to be doing design work on some of our landscape projects, park projects, and initial proposals. Mr. Poliakoff said you hired, disregarding the CCNA, landscape consultants without a procurement, and City Manager Conner said no we have a procurement process. Mr. Poliakoff asked if the Mayor has ever directed him to send Code Enforcement out on a particular property, and City Manager Conner said that he can say that every Commissioner, a lot of citizens, and other staff members have commented that they have seen violations as they were passing by and suggested that someone look at it, but he has never been specifically cornered and directed to proceed on a Code violation. Mayor Edelcup asked City Attorney Ottinot because he has been here since the inception, the question was asked to the Manager whether or not the City made any attempt to acquire the site and somehow they are connecting it with Mt. Sinai, were there ever to the best of your recollection any record, or attempt, or meeting with anyone to acquire the Temple B'Nai Zion site for the City. City Attorney Ottinot said for the record that he has been here since 2000, and he has been the point person at the Commission's directive to acquire properties for public purposes, and at no time was he directed by any member of the Commission to seek, to acquire by purchase or by any other means Temple B 'Nai Zion. Mayor Edelcup said that the Attorney also made a comment that there were plans upstairs that were to incorporate Mt. Sinai as part of the new plan for the City to have Mt. Sinai there, do you recall any plans, and Assistant City Manager Vera said no plans have ever been submitted, he has never seen any plans from Mt. Sinai and he has seen every plan in the City. Mayor Edelcup said there are no plans currently available, extension plans that have been filed at any time, and Mr. Vera said the only plans that are out for the Temple are the ones that they are doing the construction on right now but nothing that has come before the Commission. Mayor Edelcup asked about the Kobi Karp pictures, and Mr. Vera said he can honestly say that he has seen them and the plans but that is as far as it went because Kobi or the applicant never proceeded with an application or plans to come before the Board. 7