Commissioners weigh $1.5 million match for police garage flood mitigation against neighborhood improvement needs
Summary
The committee discussed a $1.5 million recommended PAYGO appropriation to match a grant for flood mitigation in the Miami Beach Police Department employee garage. Some commissioners argued the match would be better spent on neighborhood projects such as West Avenue Phase 3.
Staff recommended a $1.5 million FY26 PAYGO appropriation to match a grant application for flood mitigation at the Miami Beach Police Department employee garage. The project addresses repeated flooding that forces staff to move equipment and can impede employee access during heavy rain events, the police chief said.
Wayne Jones, chief of the Miami Beach Police Department, described how intense rain events flood the garage and create operational impacts: pumps have helped but are sometimes overwhelmed, staff must relocate assets and officers’ access can be impaired. Staff said the project had previously received a $504,000 appropriation in FY24 and that the additional match is intended to secure a $1.5 million grant.
Several commissioners urged prioritizing neighborhood resilience and unfunded neighborhood projects over the garage match. Commissioner Fernandez and others said West Avenue Phase 3 and other neighborhood improvements directly affect residents and should be prioritized; staff responded that the police garage project is considered a top facilities priority and is not eligible for parking fund dollars because it is a general government facility.
Why it matters: the discussion highlighted trade‑offs between facility protection for essential services and neighborhood infrastructure spending. Staff noted the garage mitigation work is an ongoing project and that funding matches are common when grants are available.
Next steps: staff said they would continue project design and monitor grant outcomes; commissioners asked staff to revisit priorities at the July capital update if other dollars become available.
