The following actions were taken by the Miami Lakes Town Council during its regular meeting on November 1:
• Council members approved a resolution to authorize the town manager to execute a contract with Alberni Caballero and Fieman for independent auditing services in an amount not to exceed budgeted funds.
The company’s proposal for the town’s annual audit for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016 is $42,000. The initial term of the agreement is three years with the option for the town manager to renew the contract for two additional one-year periods.
• Council members approved the execution of a permit application and a construction agreement with the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) to install and maintain an entrance feature on MDX owned-right-of-way.
The Beautification Master Plan identifies N.W. 67 Avenue and N.W. 138 Street as one of the main gateways in to the town where an entrance feature should be built.
• Lawmakers approved a resolution to revise the 2015-2016 end-of-year budget resolution adopting the proposed modifications for the general fund, special revenue fund, capital projects fund and storm water utility fund.
The general fund is projected to generate a carry forward amount of $1.7 million and the building department will have a carry forward amount of $403,000.
The general fund carry-forward includes $210,000 in projects that were not completed within the fiscal year and will be re-programmed for 2016-17. The available carry-toward is reduced to $907,000 of which $600,000 was anticipated in the budget to be available as a litigation/settlement reserve, and the remaining $307,000 will go to a general fund contingency to cover any final fiscal 2015-16 invoices and audit adjustments, if required.
For revenues, the general fund projected a net increase in revenue of $368,000, mostly as a result of building permit revenues.
• Council members rejected Mayor Michael Pizzi’s proposal to allow parking on the swale areas in front of homes for immediate family members only who are experiencing hardship and forced to move into their parents or children’s home.
• Pizzi’s proposal to put out an RFO for town legal services failed when none of his colleagues second his motion.
• Council members tabled Pizzi’s proposal to consider a mechanism under limited circumstances for aggrieved residents to be able to appeal zoning board or special master decisions to the Town Council.