Travel soccer subsidy, school graduation fee waivers and North Beach office hours go to finance committee

Miami Beach’s Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee meets at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, at City Hall, 1700 Convention Center Drive, with about two dozen items on its agenda. Several memos for the meeting close with the same warning: the city projects a general fund deficit in fiscal 2028, and staff recommend putting new spending into that year’s budget. Here is what the memos say about some of the items residents may care about.

Youth travel soccer

The city’s Miami Beach FC travel soccer program, run by Parks and Recreation since 2004, has 168 players ages 7 to 16 this season. It costs $356,960 a year counting staff oversight and brings in about $120,450 in fees, so the city covers $236,510, the memo says. Families pay $819 a year for residents and $885 for nonresidents, plus tournament travel; the memo lists area clubs charging $2,000 to $3,600. Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt asked the committee to consider more money for the team.

School graduations at the Convention Center

Commissioner Alex Fernandez wants to extend, for five more years, a program that waives Convention Center room rental fees and adds sponsorship money for Miami Beach public school graduations and promotion ceremonies, capped at $50,000 a year combined. The commission approved the program for fiscal years 2024 through 2026. The memo says the ceremonies draw 100 to 1,500 people and that Miami Beach Senior High has not held its graduation within city limits for several years.

Office hours in North Beach

Staff propose regular office hours for the mayor and commissioners at Normandy Isle Park, 7030 Trouville Esplanade, and the North Shore Park and Youth Center, 501 72nd St., from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays during the school year. The rooms hold 30 and 20 people. Weekend hours are possible, the memo says.

Signs, streets and art shows

• Lincoln Road signs: staff recommend adding a “Lincoln Road” arrow to seven existing signs near the Convention Center for about $10,000, and a $40,000 consultant, not yet funded, for a new monument sign and sidewalk graphics.
• Repaving after FDOT work: Commissioner Joseph Magazine asked about requiring curb-to-curb repaving before permits close. Staff recommend keeping the current rule, which generally requires resurfacing the full affected lane, and tightening inspections and permit closeout instead.
• InScope: the art fair on the Lummus Park beach between 7th and 9th streets wants terms like Untitled Art’s multiyear deal. Its producers asked to wait until the Untitled agreement is done; that is expected back at the commission in November or December.
• North Beach dog parks: a study of artificial turf for the Allison Park dog park and the one at Rue Vendome, Biarritz Drive and Brest Esplanade is listed, but its memo says the details will come in a supplemental.

Also on the agenda: the North Beach Log Cabin’s original-site cost, a $400,000 Maurice Gibb Park sign, the Automotus delivery-zone program, a parking management contract, police and fire overtime, and the 5th Street pedestrian bridge.