Marian Towers Computer Lab

The City of Sunny Isles Beach, in cooperation with the South Florida Digital Alliance (SFDA) and Marian Towers, recently completed work for a new Community Computer Center in Marian Towers. As a project to help seniors in Sunny Isles Beach, the City helped facilitate the in-stallation of internet, computers and desks for residents to utilize.

Features of the Computer Center:

Atlantic Broadband internet

20 desktop computers

120 inch projector screen

Home cinema projector

On Thursday, December 21, the residents of Marian Towers enjoyed a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the official opening of the Computer Center.

January 2018

A major transportation infrastructure project has been

underway for some time now that could have a significant

impact on traffic and congestion in our region.

All Aboard Florida, allaboardflorida.com, a division of Florida East Coast Industries, is building Brightline, gobrightline.com, an intercity express train service that will connect Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach with Orlando. This initiative, now in the final planning stages, is significant for a number of reasons and could ultimately have a positive impact on our community. The tri-city infrastructure is almost complete. The Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach stations broke ground in 2014 and 2015 and are close to completion. The Miami station is scheduled to be completed by mid next year. Several Brightline trains have already been delivered and they have state-of-the-art conveniences such as free WiFi, power outlets, special engineering for a smooth and quiet ride and reserved seating through smart phones. They will pull into modern stations with connectivity to other transit options and ride-share infrastructure. The Miami Central Station, miamicentral.com, spans over six downtown city blocks providing a true mixed-use urban experience. It will have a food hall, retail shops, over 800 rental residences, and urban office space, in addition to a major transit hub providing both local and multi-city transit options. The exciting aspect of this initiative is that our region is already being discussed as a potential site for the next station, at 163rd Street and Biscayne Boulevard in northeast Miami-Dade. Having a clean, comfortable alternative that could take us to downtown Miami in 20 minutes, Fort Lauderdale in 20 minutes, West Palm Beach in 1 hour and eventually Orlando in 3 hours, is a real alternative to daily traffic and driving. I have been discussing Brightline with the other Mayors from our surrounding communities and we are working on a strategy to demonstrate the strength of our potential regional ridership. Brightline is one of the few game changers in regional transportation to become a reality in decades - now we need to bring access to our region.

George ‘Bud’ SchollMayor

Get ConnectedWiFi is now available for residents to utilize at Samson Oceanfront Park. This new instal-lation marks the sixth park equipped with free WiFi. The following parks are ready for you to connect: Golden Shores Park, Heritage Park, Pelican Community Park, Samson Oceanfront Park, Senator Gwen Margolis Park, Town Center Park. WiFi will soon be installed at Intracoastal Parks and Gateway Park. The SIB Government Center also offers free WiFi. For more infor-mation, visit sibfl.net/parks.

Beach Renourishment UpdateThe Beach Sand Renourishment Project is currently underway in Sunny Isles Beach bringing 140,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand to critically eroded sections of our shoreline. The Ellen Wynne Beach Access was closed to the public on November 8 and is anticipated to re-open in early 2018. Construction south of Newport Pier, was completed on November 10. The estimated completion of the north construction area is January 19, 2018. The project is expected to reach full completion in March 2018. For more information and additional prog-ress updates, visit sibfl.net/renourishment.

Jade Signature Sculpture UnveilingOn Tuesday, December 5, Jade Signature, lo-cated at 16901 Collins Avenue, unveiled their newest art structure, Bonhomme Universe. Designed by Romanian artist, Daniel Knorr, this 15-foot sculpture is a direct result of the City’s Art in Public Places ordinance, offer-

ing a vibrant and fresh artistic perspective for residents and visitors to appreciate. The sculp-ture is enclosed in gemstones from around the world as a symbol of Miami’s multicultural community and the palm frond arm indicates a sign of peace. The inner structure of the sculpture is composed of metal rings welded together to create spheres, with an assortment of gem-stones surrounding the surface of the snow-man, including semi-precious Jade stones. Five artificial branches made of stainless steel frame are perfectly designed for the structure and allow for strong winds to blow against it. Stop by the east side of the recently com- pleted Jade Signature project to view this brand new work of art.

Wiggle & PaintOne of our newest programs is Wiggle & Paint, a free monthly dual class featur-ing a dance and painting lesson. On the last Sunday of the month, stop by Samson Oceanfront Park from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm to end your weekend right learning salsa, meren-gue and mambo dance or trying out beginner and advanced painting techniques. Registration is required. Walk-ups are allowed, however, we are only able to guarantee painting materials for those who pre-register. Guests can register at Pelican Community Park or the Government Center. The next Wiggle & Paint is on Sunday, January 28 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Samson Oceanfront Park. For more infor-mation or to register, call 305.792.1706.

For years our City has received inquiries and complaints regarding the homeless population in Sunny Isles Beach. Police Chief Fred Maas revisits this important and timely issue below.

The assimilation of the homeless in our society and community can be an annoy-ance and an inconvenience to many, but the fact is homeless individuals are not, for the most part, violating the law. Over the years, many protections have been awarded to the homeless as a result of the unfortunate, and in some cases, despicable treatment they have endured. Being beaten or assaulted is accurately described as despicable. In some areas, that unthinkable act occurs more frequently than one would imagine.

The homeless can undoubtedly be con-sidered an “annoyance” to others, often in-fringing on our acceptable standard of so-cial acceptance. They act improperly, are hygienically deficient or claim public spaces because they have none to call their own. Some utilize public facilities to their ad-vantage, inconveniencing others from gen-

eral use. Others seek shelter from the ele-ments in areas they are not supposed to be. Homeless individuals often travel to our City because of the safety and lack of perse-cution and harm they have previously expe-rienced, subsequently choosing to stay.

As a result, police officers are respond-ing to complaints about homeless individu-als from the public. Many of these com-plaints, however, are not because the individual has broken the law. The person hasn’t stolen; they haven’t vandalized; they haven’t trespassed. Police officers offer them assistance, including transport to a shelter, but a vast majority of times the homeless refuse; they do not want to live under restrictive rules. Yes, this is a very difficult situation. In addition, there is fre-quently a mental health issue associated with the person. We can offer them help, but only if they meet the criteria under the law for such help. They are offered protec-tion under federal, state and local law that we may not understand nor agree with, but it is the law and we must govern ourselves accordingly.

Several years ago, I wrote a series of ar-ticles discussing the issue of homelessness. I explained how some cities are under a consent decree because of their previous treatment of the homeless. For that series of articles, visit sibfl.net/homelessness. The courts have guaranteed the homeless rights, but they do not permit the violation of state and local laws. That is where the determi-nation of the police officer comes into play. I could site numerous examples where resi-dents have complained about the actions of the homeless. Some say the police do not act upon these complaints, but this is fur-thest from the truth. We respond to every call as well as conduct proactive policing on our own. We assess. If a law is being vio-lated, we proceed appropriately. If not, we do all we can in a humane way to offer as-sistance: help relocate the individual to a more permanent residence, extend equal treatment, and ensure their safety and mental well-being if necessary. Oftentimes, that is the most we can do, and the rest is up to them.

–Police Chief Fred Maas

A Message from theCity Managerby Christopher J. Russo

A New Home for Our Senior Community Center in Gateway Parkfrom the desk of Vice Mayor Dana Goldman

From my first day on the City Commission, I strongly advocated for a Senior Community Center in Sunny Isles Beach. We can all agree that a Senior Center will enhance the quality of life for our senior citizens by offering additional social and educational options. The City intended to construct the Senior Center in the proposed Government Center expan-sion; however, this plan is on hold due to unresolved issues regarding school overcrowding. During a recent City Commission workshop, I asked my colleagues to consider an alternative home for the much needed Senior Center. Our seniors have waited too long and the City Commission is keeping its promise by looking at locations for the Center. The City Manager and I toured community centers with senior and active adult components in neighboring municipalities. We then explored both Gateway Park and the City-owned sales center located on 158th Street and Collins Avenue. The Commission voiced a preference for Gateway Park, with its existing 16,000 square feet of interior space and more than 300 parking spaces. Because the Gateway building is already constructed, we can fast-track the interior remodeling and anticipate a full build-out in about a year. We will now have a new home for the Senior Center in Gateway Park and I want to thank former Commissioner Roslyn Brezin for her continued advocacy! For more information, please feel free to contact me at 305.792.1700 or dgoldman@sibfl.net.

In Praise of Our Parksfrom the desk of Commissioner Jeanette Gatto

City parks are an important amenity to local communities. They offer a haven of relaxation for adults and provide a safe environment where children can play freely. It has always been the Commission’s goal to ensure that our residents live within walking distance to a park, and that goal was accomplished with the opening of Gateway Park last year. The City now boasts 11 parks, all beautiful and with their own unique amenities. For example, Sen. Gwen Margolis Park has a bo-tanical garden and is one of the few parks with a leash-free area for dogs. Town Center Park has a fitness trail. Bella Vista Bay Park permits fishing. You will find art, a walking path and bike racks at the Intracoastal Parks. And if you are looking to stay connected, eight of our parks have newly in-stalled Soofa benches, solar electric outdoor charging stations equipped with USB connections. The City takes pride in our parks and is diligent in cleaning, maintaining and updating them. However, we rely on our residents to help keep them in top notch shape. We ask that you use the trash bins and take care of the playground equipment. Many residents ask to prohibit cigarette smoking and, although we cannot by law, we do ask our residents to kindly refrain from smoking in our parks, especially when children are present. I hope all of you had a healthy and happy holiday season.

Behind the Scenes with the Building DepartmentBuilding Department staff works hard to serve the construction and life safety needs of our community. See below for 3rd quarter permitting statistics, Building Department’s hours of operation, and details on inspection services available to residents and developers.

From July to September 20171105 Permits issued5198 Inspections performed

Hours of OperationThe Building Department is open to the general public Monday thru Friday from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm (customers must obtain a number by 3:00 pm to be served).

Inspection Services:Inspections of active building permits are performed by our Building Inspectors Monday thru Friday. Customers can request inspections online by logging in to the Building Department’s permitting system at sibfl.net/building-dept, or by calling 305.792.1705 and choosing option one (1). All inspections requested by 3:30 pm will be scheduled for the next business day. Please contact Paola Villa, Building Services Manager for the Sunny Isles Beach Building Department at 305.792.1790 for additional information.

nformation

All persons are invited to attend these meetings. If a person decides to appeal any decision made at such meet-ing or hearing, they will need a record of the proceedings and, for such purpose, may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, all persons who are disabled and who need special accommodations to participate in any meeting because of that disability should contact the City Manager at 305.947.0606, no later than 48 hours prior to the proceeding.

MDC–SIB Branch Library ProgramsMiami-Dade County Sunny Isles Beach Branch Library: For more information about hours and the offerings below call 305.682.0726. Classes and programs are held in the First Floor Meeting Room of the Sunny Isles Beach Government Center, 18070 Collins Avenue, unless otherwise indicated.

Programs for AdultsCitizenship ClassesSaturdays: January 6–2710:00—11:30 amBasic Computer Classes for SeniorsTuesday: January 1610:00—11:00 am inside the libraryRussian Social ClubSaturday: January 203:30—5:30 pm

Programs for ChildrenBedtime StoriesWednesdays: January 3—316:30—7:15 pmSharing stories and music.Ages 3 to 5 yrs.Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing for ToddlersMondays: January 8—29, except 15th10:00—10:30 amActivities for toddlers and caregivers.Ages 19 mo. to 3 yrs.Family ProgramSaturdays: January 6—27 11:00 am inside the libraryActivities include the entire family.

Programs for All AgesPoetry ReadingSaturday: January 134:00—5:00 pmBring your own poetry to share, hear others recite their own, or come share your ‘all-time’ favorite with others. Traditional Chinese Culture PresentationThursday: January 186:00—7:00 pmPresenting 5,000 years of traditional arts and music of China.

IS PUBLISHED BY THECITY OF SUNNY ISLES BEACH

CULTURAL & COMMUNITY SERVICES18115 North Bay Road

Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160305.792.1706January 2018

JANUARY 2018

January 1Monday, New Year’s DayGovernment Offices ClosedShuttle Bus does not run.

January 2Tuesday, 5:15–6:15 pmFull Moon YogaSamson Oceanfront Park on the beach

January 3, 24Wednesday, 3:00 pmBingoSIB Govt. Center Commission Chambers

January 4Thursday, 10:00 am–noonMedical Lecture SeriesSIB Govt. Center Commission Chambers

January 5Friday, 7:00–9:00 pmFamily Movie Night: The Secret Life of PetsHeritage Park

January 6Saturday, 7:00–9:00 pmFamily Movie Night: The Secret Life of PetsTown Center Park

January 7Sunday, noonCultural Event: RiverdanceBroward Center for the Performing Arts

January 9Tuesday,10:00 am–1:00 pmGolden Era Movie: The Shop Around the CornerPelican Community Park

January 9Tuesday,10:30 am–4:00 pmBlood DriveSIB Govt. Center

January 11Thursday, 9:00 am–12:00 pmBlood Pressure & Glucose Screening with CholesterolSIB Govt. Center 1st Floor Meeting Room

January 14Sunday, 4:00 pmCultural Event: Miami International Piano Festival Presents Kemal GekicAventura Arts & Cultural Center

January 16Tuesday, 9:30 am–5:00 pmCultural Event: Boomers Seniors ExpoSeminole Casino Coconut Creek

January 17Wednesday, 7:30–9:00 pmSunny SerenadeSamson Oceanfront Park

January 18Thursday, 6:30 pmRegular City Commission MeetingSIB Govt. Center Commission Chambers

January 20Saturday, 10:00 am–3:00 pmClassic Car ShowHeritage Park

January 23Tuesday, 9:00 am–3:00 pmCultural Event: Perez Art Museum MiamiMiami, FL

January 26Friday, 10:30 am–12:30 pmIdentity Protection 101Pelican Community Park

January 28Sunday, 11:00 am–1:00 pmWiggle and PaintSamson Oceanfront Park

January 31Wednesday, 10:00 amSpecial Magistrate HearingSIB Govt. Center Commission Chambers

January 31Wednesday, 5:30 – 6:30 pmFull Moon YogaSamson Oceanfront Park on the beach

The official communicationof the City of Sunny Isles Beach!

18070 Collins Avenue • Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160

Classic Car ShowJoin us as some of the best show cars in South Florida

come out and shine in the City’s premier park. Cast your vote for your favorite car and the winners

will split $500 in cash prizes.Saturday, January 20 • 10:00 am–3:00 pm

Heritage Park • 19200 Collins Avenue

This event is free and open to the public with free parking available in the Heritage Park Parking Garage and under the William Lehman Causeway.

Family Movie NightBring your own blanket or chair and join your neighbors!

Featuring: The Secret Life of Pets

Friday, January 5 • 7:00–9:00 pmHeritage Park • 19200 Collins Avenue

Saturday, January 6 • 7:00–9:00 pmTown Center Park • 17200 Collins Avenue

Children can enjoy free pre-show activities starting at 7:00 pm, and the movie starts promptly at 7:30 pm.

Sunny SerenadeRock out at the first Sunny Serenade of the New Year

with Viva Classic Rock.

Wednesday, January 17 • 7:30–9:00 pmSamson Oceanfront Park • 17425 Collins Avenue

This free concert at Samson Oceanfront Park is open to the public with free parking on the north side of 174th Street, in the municipal lot behind Walgreens on 175th, and at the Government Center.