“Obviously, we can all talk about Thelma, but Thelma was a City of Miami Commissioner. She was actually appointed during a vacancy. She was the first woman to serve on the City of Miami Commission, so God bless the City of Miami and Thelma Gibson.”

Moment of silence and tribute to deceased Thelma Gibson

“The reason that waste diversion was part of the original item is because the tonnage determines the size of the incinerator. Waste diversion does not mean that that diversion is going to cost us more.”

Commissioner Regalado explaining technical relationship between diversion and incinerator specifications

“The reason that we cut the deal that we did, Commissioner Gilbert, is because we are currently standing up the Underline. To date it has been a capital project. We are now standing it up. We're going to be providing maintenance and security and programming through ten miles, which is not a small feat.”

Explaining the financial rationale for the sponsorship agreement as the Underline transitions from construction to operations

“To Commissioner Hardeman's point, I believe that this can be done in other places and why do the work twice, three times, four times when you could do it once and everyone can just grab hold of that work and emulate it in other places?”

Explaining the rationale for designing county-wide tools rather than siloed solutions

“Every single item that I have worked on, from advertising to the other tools that I have brought for the Underline, every single time I have ensured that it could be used countywide by every single district. I have not created anything exclusively for the Underline.”

Asserting that tools and policies developed for the Underline are designed for county-wide applicability

“I brought an item so that park impact fees could be used to activate those trails. I brought a second item to bake that into the comp plan, and then Senator Garcia voted against it and Nardi stood up there and said that it would be bad for parks and the item was tabled and I was not allowed to bring it back.”

Explaining past obstacles to expanding trail funding and activation across the county

“The Underline is more than willing to lead a vision plan for the entire county. We've actually offered that to several commissioners. Four years ago I brought a trail map where I showed every single commissioner all the different trails that were owned by the Parks Department that were not funded.”

Defending the Underline's willingness to help other areas and referencing past efforts to expand trail systems

“I think we need to have a pilot for them based on what we're doing at the airport. Kiosks at the airport do not have a grease trap, so we are doing some of this work, but we just have to figure out on the RER side who does the inspection, how do we pay for that inspection, and how do we keep folks honest as to their limitation of scope.”

Discussion of 11A12 - fog/grease policy amendments and pilot program

“I don't think that as a board, we should enter into a staff witch hunt. I would like clarity from the attorneys and Roy as to what exactly was said in those two documents because one thing is us talking about who said what, you know, he said, she said and it's another thing, what was in the documents that was provided to this board.”

Requesting focus on documented evidence rather than allegations about who directed the text amendment

“Just because the administration recommended Opelika West, I was against it. I was one of the first people that said, we're not building an incinerator in the Everglades. That's like a hard no for me.”

Clarifying his position on the waste-to-energy facility

“I don't think a month is enough time. If that's the will of the board then staff will work with that but I don't think that gives us enough time to consider some of the factors.”

Expressing concern about one-month timeline for reconsideration

“Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. Just because that covenant can be broken doesn't mean we should break that covenant especially since those wetlands have been restored and protected.”

Discussing covenant protections for previously mitigated wetlands

“The wetlands that are being impacted in this text amendment were part of a covenant of a prior UDB application so there were wetlands that were proffered, mitigated, restored and protected from another application that is different than other things that have come before us.”

Explaining unique circumstances of impacted wetlands

“There's a series of complexities. I agree with the mayor regarding the text amendment. It is a new vehicle. We've only used the text amendment once in the last few years and I think we do need to consider what are the limitations of the text amendment.”

Supporting further consideration of text amendment process issues

“There has not been an analysis other than the 60, 70, 75 acre parcels?”

questioning whether smaller land parcels have been considered

“There are modalities where there is profit share. Which could be more profitable than just burning. For example, burning aluminum doesn't make sense right now. It's cheaper to recycle it.”

Discussing alternative waste management options and profitability

“Construction debris alone, the diversion of construction debris will be better for the county. Because right now, we just put it in a landfill and do absolutely nothing with it. We can't even extract methane.”

Advocating for waste diversion as financially beneficial

“Right now, all the construction debris is being dumped in Oliver Gilbert's district in a landfill. That could be reused and there's a profit share associated with that. I just don't want this idea that diversion is not going to be better financially for the county.”

Discussion of waste diversion and financial implications of the consortium proposal

“There are modalities where there is profit share. Which could be more profitable than just burning. For example, burning aluminum doesn't make sense right now. It's cheaper to recycle it.”

Commissioner Regalado explaining financial advantages of selective diversion

“Right now, all the construction debris is being dumped in Oliver Gilbert's district in a landfill. That could be reused and there's a profit share associated with that.”

Commissioner Regalado identifying construction debris diversion as profit opportunity

“This contract doesn't necessarily have to bring us the diversion. We are doing the diversion. We could continue to do the diversion ourselves, but then we have to factor that in to the number.”

Commissioner Regalado explaining flexibility in diversion responsibility

“We do not want an incinerator that burns all of our trash, because it would not make financial sense for us, and it would not be in line with what we're moving towards.”

Commissioner Regalado clarifying limits on incinerator scope

“There is a profit sharing associated with diversion, and we've discussed that. There is a profit sharing that's now going to come from the methane extraction to our existing landfills.”

Commissioner Regalado explaining financial benefits of diversion strategies

“Before you were here, this board wanted to eliminate recycling, and I worked two years to bring a recycling contract that is best in class, and we have it for another 10 years.”

Commissioner Regalado providing historical context on waste diversion efforts

“There needs to be a conversation with the board about that and with the administration. We have consultants that would be presenting kind of this is what you're paying now. This is what you would pay throughout the different years. This is the way that we could use some of the proposed things in the future. But we haven't had those conversations.”

Calling for financial analysis comparing current costs with proposed alternatives

“I like the anaerobic digesters. We're supposed to have more of them. Is that something that works at this site?”

Asking about feasibility of anaerobic digestion at proposed facility

“There needs to be a comparison of what we're paying now versus the modality that they could provide that could save us money in five, eight or 10 years. Could they do recycling better? Could they do composting better? Does it make sense for us to do composting or have somebody else do composting?”

Outlining analysis needed to compare current costs with proposed alternatives

“Without making decisions as to the different price points of the different modalities and what trash we're going to be able to include or exclude, we keep going around. We've come a long way in that now we have locations. That's important. The next thing is, what are we doing where?”

Identifying need to decide on waste streams and modalities at specific locations

“I'd like to make a resolution to congratulate the University of Miami as well for a tremendous season because in true Miami fashion and grit, people counted us out. They said the canes shouldn't be there and they played to the very last down and they had an amazing season.”

Point of personal privilege to commend University of Miami football

“For future CRAs, as we move forward, to make sure that they fall in line with our county priorities that are, that have tangible deliverables for infrastructures tied to the county's priorities, such as affordable housing, transportation, water, and sewer.”

Proposing amendment to require concrete deliverables in future CRAs

“at the city of Miami there were there is case law regarding this the conversations because what what happened was number one your calendar is is a public record and the that there was a meeting and that there was a conversation to your point could trigger a deposition”

providing examples of how conversations can become discoverable public records

“I'm a no on this one I think it opens a door it's a very slippery slope and I think we're going to lose a lot more credibility and not gain opportunities but actually pay a lot more”

explaining vote against eminent domain report

“what establishes our government as being dramatically different from every other is our belief in private property and as and and our upholding of those rights”

discussing fundamental principles regarding protection of private property

“I can see where what happened at the port could trigger us to have some of these considerations but I think this is going to have a very chilling effect in terms of folks that are coming to us with projects and that are proposing different things so I'm I'm a little concerned about the way that it's drafted it's not specific it's tremendously broad”

opposing the eminent domain report due to its breadth and potential negative business impact

“I this idea of us having conversations with attorneys that are not in writing it's still a public record so um the fact that it's it's oral doesn't make it less of a public record and I think we should be very careful because we can be deposed on that”

discussing concerns about the eminent domain report (11A2) and public record implications

“Since we added this on the agenda, I know that we're following the reporting per state statute, but since we used this money in part to fund the sheriff, can we put in some information about the budget and if we're on track? Because I think that would be helpful for us as we go into the midyear.”

Discussion regarding item 14B-1 (Red Speed Program Report) and request for budget projection information

“There needs to be enough time between the decision of what those priorities are and when they have to then decide and present something to the administration.”

Requesting adequate time for board to decide priorities before vendors present proposal