Miami-Dade County’s newly created Appropriations Committee approved a contract for a private consulting firm to identify department efficiencies and revenue opportunities, deferred action on a retroactive convenience‑fee increase by the county’s long‑time online payment processor, and approved a package of spending and contract extensions across fleet purchases, community redevelopment agencies and homelessness services during a meeting that opened with questions about fiscal oversight and vendor practices.

The committee — chaired by Chairwoman Cohen Higgins and led in creating the panel by Chairman Anthony Rodriguez — approved an engagement to bring in a large consulting firm to “scrub books, operations, and find savings,” with commissioners saying the work should help the county avoid future tax increases by ensuring existing budgeted dollars are well spent.

Commissioner Gonzales, who led much of the discussion on the item, asked how the engagement differs from a typical efficiency audit. A county official responding “through the chair” said the consultant will seek not only cost‑savings and operational efficiencies but also “opportunities to revenue growth,” including department‑by‑department work where appropriate. The item names a large consulting firm with past county experience; committee members cited the firm’s work with Jackson Health System and a referenced $160,000,000 savings there as part of the justification for contracting the firm.

Commissioners also discussed how the consultant will be paid. County staff said the intent is to negotiate an at‑risk, performance‑based contract in which the firm would receive a one‑time fee tied to realized savings rather than an ongoing percentage of recurring savings. Commissioner Steinberg and others asked for the agreement to be structured so any payment to the consultant is a one‑time share of the initial savings and not a perpetual percentage of recurring revenue or savings.

The committee then turned to a separate and contested item: a retroactive increase in the convenience fee charged to residents who pay county bills by credit or debit card. Interim Water and Sewer Director Amanda Kinnick and Chief Financial Officer Frances Morris told the committee that the current payment processor, ACI (the long‑standing contractor), began charging a higher fee after the contract expired in September 2024 and that the department is preparing an RFP to seek alternative processors and payment platforms. Kinnick said she is working with the County Attorney’s Office on proposed legislation to limit convenience fees for certain payment types and that the county will pursue options such as platforms with lower or no convenience fees.

Multiple commissioners expressed concern that the vendor raised the fee unilaterally while the county’s contract had lapsed and that customers — including low‑income residents — are the ones bearing the increased cost. The committee voted to defer the item to the next Appropriations Committee hearing and requested the vendor appear and explain the fee increase and the county attorney’s office to report back on whether the vendor acted within contractual rights and whether refunds or other remedies are appropriate. County staff warned that without an extension the county might temporarily lose the ability to accept credit‑card payments until a replacement arrangement is in place, and said they will work with the vendor in the interim.

On capital and operating requests, the committee approved a large fleet replacement item that included about 171 vehicles for multiple departments, including the Sheriff’s Office. Procurement staff and the Fleet Division explained departments submit requests that are vetted by Fleet and the Office of Management & Budget and recommended commissioners ask procurement to attach a department‑level justification for each vehicle purchase to the item when it goes to the full board. The committee approved the fleet item with that direction.

The committee also approved a $26 million, three‑year allocation to the Homeless Trust to operate converted hotel projects and supportive‑housing interventions. Vicky, a representative from the Homeless Trust, said selection committees reviewed 18 applications for various projects and that recommended providers appear in the recommendation column of the report; other applicants appear on the list with $0 where they were not recommended for funding.

Community redevelopment agency (CRA) budgets drew sustained scrutiny after commissioners noticed a single consulting firm had been contracted to provide executive director and project‑management services for more than one CRA. Commissioners asked whether it is customary for a single executive director or consulting firm to serve multiple CRAs and for additional detail on how the contracted funds are broken down. County staff and CRA sponsors said the contracts were competitively awarded and that the listed $200,000 allocation for a CRA comprises a $140,000 executive‑director allocation plus roughly $60,000 for project management and staff support; the committee approved the item after discussion.

The committee also voted to extend certain airport janitorial contracts temporarily while procurement completes a replacement solicitation. Staff said increases in the extension reflect living‑wage adjustments for janitorial labor, inflationary adjustments in non‑labor costs and other factors; commissioners pressed for earlier RFP timing to avoid being placed in a position where the county must accept higher month‑to‑month pricing to avoid service interruptions.

Votes at a glance:
- Item 2C (Efficiency/revenue audit contract with large consulting firm): moved, seconded and approved. Committee direction: negotiate a performance‑based, at‑risk contract (one‑time fee tied to initial realized savings).
- Item 3L (Payment processor convenience‑fee increase, ACI): deferred to next Appropriations Committee meeting; vendor requested to appear and County Attorney’s Office to report back on contractual rights and potential remedies.
- Item 3J (Fleet purchases — ~171 vehicles): approved. Committee requested department‑level necessity/justification documentation be attached before full Board consideration.
- Item 3B (Homeless Trust allocations — $26 million over three years): approved; staff clarified the recommendation list reflects ranked applicants and only recommended providers receive funding amounts.
- Item 3D (West Perrine / Norangia Lakes CRA budgets and executive director contracts): approved after discussion; staff said the $200,000 figure reflects a $140,000 executive‑director allocation plus $60,000 for project management and support; contracts were competitively procured.
- Item 3H (Airport janitorial contract extension): approved; staff said the extension is to maintain continuity while procurement finalizes replacements and noted labor and CPI adjustments contributed to higher rates.

What happens next: deferred items will return to the next Appropriations Committee meeting with vendor representation and legal analysis, and several approved items will move to the full Board of County Commissioners for final action. Commissioners repeatedly urged earlier RFP timing and more detailed procurement documentation to avoid last‑minute renewals that can leave the county and residents exposed to unilateral vendor price changes.

Sources: committee discussion and on‑the‑record staff remarks recorded during the Miami‑Dade County Appropriations Committee meeting.