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MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
c/o Robert King High
1407 NW 7 St.,  Suite D
Miami, FL  33125

  Phone 305-644-0544
Fax 305-642-1136

I. Status of the Wagner Creek and Seybold Canal Dredging Permits and Corrective Action Plan - Mr. Jose Lago, City of Miami Department of Capital Improvements, stated the three firms which originally replied to the City of Miami’s advertised Request for Letters of Interest (RFLI) for Wagner Creek Dredging Phases III - V and Seybold Canal, formally replied before October 25 to the City of Miami’s issued RFI (Request for Information), requesting additional information on their proposed dredging methodologies.  Mr. Lago explained the City of Miami will review the proposed methodologies, prices, negotiate with the recommended firm, and bring a draft contract to the City Commission for consideration in February, 2007.  Mr. Lago stated the City of Miami currently has $5 million available for the project, and is confident the City will provide sufficient funding to dredge Wagner Creek Phases III-V and Seybold Canal .  The SSC thanked Mr. Lago for the progress report. 

II.  Update on the Development of TMDL’s for Wagner Creek – The SSC noted the Final Wagner Creek Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Report is posted on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP) website.  Ms. Waters stated the City is awaiting some additional information from FDEP regarding the new TMDL’s, prior to moving forward with creating a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) to identify means of obtaining the new water quality standards set in the TMDL.  Mr. Abdelrahman and Mr. White, Department of Environmental Resources Management, stated the County would most likely continuing working with PBS&J to create their BMAP, which is the sane firm which assisted them in creating the TMDL.

III.  Status of WASD Smoke Testing of the Wagner Creek Western Sub Basin – Mr. Lovette noted he will speak with Steve Blair , DERM, to discuss which of the remaining Wagner Creek sub-basins the WASD should smoke test using the $15,409 from the MRC, funded via a SFWMD grant from 1997 ST SWIM funding.  Mr. Lovette noted once the next City owned sub-basins are selected, in order to provide effective testing, they must be cleaned by the City of Miami ’s vacuum trucks.  Ms. Diane Waters, City of Miami Public Works , asked Mr. Lovette to provide her with the sub-basin boundaries when they are selected.  Mr. Lovette estimated additional storm water smoke testing would cost $4,000 - $5,000, per sub-basin.  Mr. Bibeau stated the SFWMD has indicated the $15,409 is expected to become available in December 2006, and the SFWMD would like the funds to be encumbered by February 28, 2007 , via the MRC invoicing the SFWMD for the Wagner Creek smoke testing.  Mr. Lovette asked the MRC for a letter, regarding their desire to pursue this initiative.        

V. New Business - Mr. Rod Lovette stated the WASD agreed / implemented the following MRC recommendations:

• The WASD removed the fence and cleared their riverfront easement located on NW South River Dr. & NW 2 ST, in order for the MRC and Hands on Miami volunteers to create a pocket park on November 4, 2006.  Mr. Lovette added they would currently maintain their ownership and maintenance crew every other week.  

• WASD implemented the MRC’s recommendation to plant a flowering hedge to facade their facility along NW 5 ST and NW 7 Ave (across the street from the recently opened Tuscan Place affordable housing development).  Mr. Lovette added they will install a sprinkler system in order for the new flowering hedge to grow into a larger aesthetic buffer.

• WASD provided concept drawings to façade Pump Station #1 in a similar architectural fashion as the adjacent historic Scottish Rite Temple, located on the Miami River ’s South Shore at NW North River Drive and NW 3 ST.

• The WASD is willing to meet with the two restaurant owners adjacent to Pump Station #1, to negotiate the terms of their potential use of the County’s adjacent vacant parking lot.

• The WASD will use Best Management Practices to ensure the burms adjacent to the Wagner Creek, on MW 11 ST, are not overfilled, resulting in overflow into the Creek.

Mr. Lovette reported he received an e-mail from the producer of  “ Miami , Ink”, a national cable television show aired on The Learning Channel, offering an in-kind donation of their artists painting a mural on a blank wall adjacent to the riverfront Pump Station #1, during one of their episodes.  Mr. Lovette stated the WASD is considering the offer, and is interested in learning the subject matter of the proposed mural’s design.  The SSC thanked the WASD and Mr. Lovette for their continued support.

Mr. Jose Lago stated the City of Miami Public Works Director, Francis Mitchell, determined the broken fence hanging into the Miami River is not attached to the new City owned riverfront pocket park on SW 5 ST, therefore they are unwilling to remove it.  Mr. Lago added he would look into how the City plans to maintain the new SW 5 ST riverfront pocket park.  The SSC thanked the City of Miami and Mr. Lago for their continued support.

The next regularly scheduled SSC meeting was confirmed for the first Wednesday of the month, December 6, 2006 , 10 am , Miami River Inn, 118 South River Drive .

The meeting adjourned.

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