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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 several members of the City’s administration have completed their respective review of the three firms submitted responses to the City of Miami’s advertised Request for Letters of Interest (RFLI) and subsequent RFI (Request for Information), to dredge Wagner Creek Phases III - V and Seybold Canal.  Mr. Lago explained those City administrators now need to meet and reach consensus on the administration’s recommended firm, with which they would negotiate a contract for consideration by the City Commission on February 7, 2007 .  Mr. Bibeau asked Mr. Lago if the city planned to reach out to the community prior to its consideration by the City Commission.  Mr. Lago replied public outreach efforts would be conducted by the City Commission’s selected contractor during the project’s design phase.  Mr. Bibeau and Mr. Lago recalled the opposition to the project’s methodology when the City Commission retracted the project’s previously approved temporary disposal sites in late 2004.  Mr. Lago stated he would discuss the concept of initiating dialogue between the city and the public prior to the February 7, 2006 City Commission hearing, with his director, Ms. Mary Conway .  Mr. Lago noted the project’s complete design will not be created until after the City Commission selects the contractor, whom will complete the design and conduct the dredging in Wagner Creek and the Seybold Canal .  The SSC thanked Mr. Lago for the progress report. 

II. Update on the Development of BMAP for Wagner Creek – Ms. Diane Waters, City of Miami Public Works , distributed the draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Report, which is currently posted on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP) website.  Ms. Waters clarified the document remains a draft, which is awaiting final Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) review and approval, anticipated after the transition to the new FDEP administration.  Ms. Waters stated the City is awaiting information from FDEP regarding the TMDLs prior to moving forward with creating a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP). Mr. Rod Lovett , Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, suggested the need to determine if the e-coli source is human or non-human.  Mr. Lovette noted the means of approaching reducing e-coli are different for human and non-human e-coli sources, and Ms. Waters agreed.  Mr. Lovette noted an example is the smoke testing program, which only detects human e-coli sources.  

Mr. Bibeau asked if the creation of the BMAP is contained in the City and County’s existing contract to create the TMDL.  Ms. Waters and Mr. Roy Strattman, DERM, replied they were unsure if a new contract was necessary, but agreed to look into it and inform the SSC at a future monthly meeting.

III.  Status of WASD Smoke Testing of the Wagner Creek Western Sub Basin – Mr. Lovette noted he had emailed Mr. Steve Blair , DERM, to address 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, but had yet to receive a response.  Mr. Strattman stated he would follow up with Mr. Blair regarding the selection of additional Wagner Creek sub-basins for continued smoke testing.  Per the request of Mr. Lovett during last month’s SSC meeting, Mr. Bibeau distributed a letter addressed to Mr. Lovett regarding continuing Wagner Creek smoke testing utilizing the $15,409 from the MRC, funded via the aforementioned grant, which is expected to become available in December 2006.  Mr. Lovette noted he estimated the testing to take approximately three weeks.

Ms. Lucy Perez, South Florida Water Management District, noted the SFWMD was currently completing its internal audit of the SWIM funding, and once the $15,409 is confirmed, it would be added to the existing MRC’s contract by amendment in January 2007.  Mr. Lovett noted he would request the WASD to draft an agreement with the MRC or SFWMD to utilize the aforementioned funds for smoke testing conducted by the WASD.

Mr. Lovett noted once the next City owned sub-basins are selected, they must be cleaned by the City of Miami ’s vacuum trucks 30-40 days prior to testing, in order to provide effective smoke testing.  Ms. Diane Waters, City of Miami Public Works , asked Mr. Lovette to provide her with the sub-basin boundaries when they are selected, and noted they are generally cleaned on a rotating basis.  Mr. Lovett estimated additional storm water smoke testing would cost $4,000 - $5,000, per sub-basin.                

IV. New Business – The following items were addressed/discussed regarding previously MRC-recommended improvements:

• Mr. Bibeau thanked WASD for removing the fence and clearing their riverfront easement located on NW South River Dr. & NW 2 ST, allowing 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.  Mr. Lovett agreed to look into installing a faucet which would be kept under lock for their maintenance crew to use for watering with a hose.

• 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 a sprinkler system has been installed in order for the new flowering hedge to grow into a larger aesthetic buffer.

• The WASD agreed 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 is incorporating 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.

• 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. Mr. Lovett noted $100,000 was currently available for the façade treatment, yet the WASD requests a formal approval of the concept drawings form the MRC.  Mr. Bibeau agreed to forward this request to the MRC board.

• Mr. Bibeau asked if the WASD-owned parcel to the north west of Lummus Park could be incorporated into an extended riverwalk, using the remaining portion of the vacant parking lot for valet service from the adjacent restaurants.  Mr. Lovett agreed to look into that suggestion.

• Mr. Lovett reported that he met with Mr. Ed Vega, WASD, regarding the e-mail he received from the producer of “Miami, Ink”, a national cable television show aired on The Learning Channel, whom is offering an in-kind donation of their artists to paint 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 and obtaining a draft sketch of the proposed murals image.

• Mr. Bibeau noted that the river has a continued demand for recreational dockage and suggested that the WASD explore the possibility of renting temporary dock space along the shoreline of Pump Station #1, consistent with all rules and regulations, such as the Manatee Protection Plan.  Mr. Lovett agreed to look into the concept.

• The SSC thanked the WASD and Mr. Lovett for their continued support.

The next SSC meeting was confirmed for the second Wednesday of the month, January 10, 2006 , 10 am , Miami River Inn, 118 South River Drive , due to the holidays.

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