I'd like to recognize that, and take a moment of personal privilege, that my appointee, Victoria Puente, made it to FSU and will be going to the state capitol to go to college, to a great university. So thank you and congratulations on that huge accomplishment. With that, Madam Attorney, if we can move into, and I'm sure that there are many others that are not in my district that have made it into great universities and colleges. Those that are graduating and are seniors, but if your commissioner knows, I would let them recognize that if they so wish to. And Robbie, which is my other district commissioner, will be going to Boston College. So Robbie, I know you couldn't be here today, right? You could not make it. But congratulations on getting accepted into Boston College. I wish both of them continued success as they begin this exciting new chapter. And normally, but that is a very exciting thing for someone who is starting their next chapter in life. But normally, just as a rule of thumb, for those that will stay beyond this meeting with the youth commissioners, we don't actually clap in the chamber. We, like, wave, or we, like, don't clap. But that merited, that certainly merited the applause. So, with that, Madam Attorney, can we move into our official joint meeting with our youth commission and swear in our new youth commissioners? Madam Attorney? Yes, that would be appropriate. Can we have them sworn in? Is it the clerk? Good morning. Please raise your right hand and repeat after me. You should stand, maybe? Should they stand? Yes, please stand and raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, say your name, do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support, protect, and defend the constitution and government of the United States and the government of the state of Florida. That I am duly qualified to hold the office under the constitution of the state. And that I will well and faithfully perform the duties as a member of the Miami-Dade County Youth Commission on which I am now about to enter. So help me God. Thank you and congratulations. All right, congratulations on being sworn in officially for some of you all again. All right, Madam Attorney, can we take up item 2A first? Now would be an appropriate time for reasonable opportunity for the joint meeting. All right, reasonable opportunity is now open on this joint meeting. I don't have, do I have anyone signed up to speak? No, there are no public speakers registered to speak. Therefore, reasonable opportunity is now being closed. And now we can take up item 2A? Item 2A. All right, do you need to read it or? Item 2A1, recognizing the commission's efforts 2025-2026, Chairwoman Silvana Lodano, District 6. All right, Chairwoman, you're recognized. Good morning, Mayor Daniela Levine-Cava. Chairman Anthony Rodriguez, Vice Chairman McKee, Attorney Lee Kabrinsky, and esteemed members of the Board of County Commissioners. Thank you for your time here today. My name is Silvana Lodano and I'm a senior at Our Lady of Lords Academy and a proud resident of Representative of District 6 with Commissioner Natalie Emilian Orbis. I joined the Youth Commission my sophomore year of high school because I've always had a drive to create positive change around me. I held the position of parliamentarian my first year and as a junior I moved up the ranks as secretary and presented my first urging. Now I stand before you as Chairwoman of the Miami-Dade County Youth Commission and an active member of Mayor Cava's America 250 Committee Board. This is my third year visiting the chambers and I pray that this will be the year that our urgings and dedication are met with the same enthusiasm and care with which we wrote them. As a member of our commission, I've observed that we have consistently met standards of excellence. We have not only done our best, but I feel we have served as an example that the youth of our county is capable of shedding light on modern issues and tackling them from efficient and unique perspectives. And while the work we've done has been impressive on paper, I'm proud to say that the minds and attitudes behind me are even stronger. This year, I've been in awe of how intelligent and creative each district representative has proven to be through their focus on various projects. Including a proposal for obligatory county responses to reports of damaged and unsafe sidewalks, combating human trafficking, improving overpasses, adding clear sugar warning labels on restaurant menus, and establishing fellowships to nurture potential future youth commissioners among others. These items will not only be discussed here, but also in the District of Columbia, where we will be visiting in early June for legislative tours and conversations with congressional representatives. However, our participation in local government would not be possible without the support of the county commissioners and the Miami-Dade Community Services Department, Director Kathy Burgos, Assistant Director Lotto Mbess, CSD Advisor Rahel Wildizis, and her dedicated liaison, Leticia Laredo. And of course, I want to thank my fellow commissioners who inspire me every day to be a better version of myself. You're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong one, and with all of you, I never am, so I thank you for that. With that, I would like to now introduce our Youth Commission Secretary, Madison Moreno. Thank you. Thank you so much, Madam Chairwoman. Madam Secretary, you're recognized. Hello, I am Madison Moreno, a junior at the School for Advanced Studies. It is a privilege to stand before you today as the Secretary of the Miami-Dade County Youth Commission, Co-Chair of the Changemaker Award Committee, and Co-Director of the Youth Commission Policy Fellowship. Most importantly, I proudly represent District 11 as a Youth Commissioner. This year has created incredible opportunities for the Youth Commission. We have adopted a variety of urgings, addressing a wide range of issues that impact youth in Miami-Dade County. Yet I think our most powerful accomplishment is providing other youth with a space to make their voices heard. It all started with a simple LinkedIn message. A local student, Amira Avalon, reached out to me asking for some advice on a policy project for her school. The few pointers quickly became a lasting relationship, as I mentored her through the process of developing a strong policy proposal that could become real legislation. Ultimately, I saw a clear gap. There are countless youth, like Amira, who want to leverage legislative advocacy to make a difference. Yet many cannot navigate the complexities of county government and policy writing. Their vision simply remains an idea. I saw a problem in our community, so I chose to address it the only way I know how. I submitted a proposal to the Youth Commission to develop a fellowship, and against all odds, it passed by a single vote. And that belief in my vision empowered me to believe in others. The Youth Commission Policy Fellowship empowered ten high school students across Miami-Dade County to develop a policy proposal. We led information sessions on the structure of county government and proposals, provided resources to streamline the writing process, and hosted workshops for students to receive feedback on their proposals. Their final submissions reflect ten unique perspectives, united by a shared mission of building a better Miami-Dade County. Their proposals address issues as small as bees, and as large as towering tree canopies. Most importantly, many of them have been inspired to apply for the 2026-2027 Youth Commission where they hope to continue their work with legislative advocacy. It is my hope that like the Youth Commission, you will believe in my vision. We would love to collaborate with the Mayor's Office and Board of County Commissioners to expand our reach, enhance the fellowship, or connect it to existing initiatives. Thank you for your time and support. It is now my pleasure to introduce my fellow District 11 Youth Commissioner, Chair of the Advocacy and Legislation Committee, Jaden Lawton. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Commissioner Lawton. Thank you, fellow commissioners. Nobody moves to Miami for the sidewalks, but someone's abuela uses one every morning to get to the 11 bus. And whether she makes it there safely is, in part, a policy decision someone made or didn't make. That is what local government is, a collection of decisions so small, they are imperceptible until they fail. Our committee spent this year looking at those invisible decisions. My name is Jaden Lawton, and I serve as the District 11 Youth Commissioner and Chair of the Advocacy and Legislation Committee. Our committee turns the concerns of Miami-Dade's youth into concrete policy recommendations. And this year, working alongside some of the most thoughtful and determined young people in our county, our members produced four substantive proposals. The first is safe and sightly sidewalks offered by Aiden Biss, our mayor's office representative. When a resident discovers a hazardous sidewalk, the repair process can be confusing and slow. One office refers you to the next, where the hazard remains. The long process intensifies the issue. As our research found that the longer it takes to repair a sidewalk, the more expensive it becomes. This is especially crucial, as in Florida, unintentional falls are the leading cause of fatal injury among elderly adults. Aiden's proposal therefore urges the Department of Transportation and Public Works to respond to hazardous sidewalk reports within 30 days. Or notify the appropriate municipal departments within 15 days if the repair falls under city authority. And in doing so, we have the unique opportunity to both protect pedestrians and reduce the county's exposure to preventable liability. The second is connecting the dots against human trafficking, offered by Felipe Ashton. Florida ranks second nationally in reported trafficking cases, and Miami-Dade ranks first in the state. Yet less than 1% of cases globally are ever identified. The LEPA's proposal calls for a centralized reporting system governed by a joint task force including the mayor's office, the police department, the state attorney's office, and the Department of Homeland Security. These agencies currently collect data using different standards and systems. But a unified platform, my friends, will let investigators identify patterns and strengthen inter-agency cooperation. Something that is especially crucial as Miami prepares to host the FIFA World Cup later this year. Now, the third is One Step Too Wild, offered by Isabel Hidalgo. Isabel, representing the agenda's coordinator office, addresses the toll that habitat fragmentation takes on both wildlife and drivers. Roads like 10 Miami Trail and Chrome Avenue cut through some of the most biodiverse ecosystems in this county. But when animals cross, the results are dangerous for everyone. Her proposal urges the county commission to advocate at the state and municipal level for wildlife crossing infrastructure along priority corridors. Documenting how crossings in other areas have reduced collisions by as much as 80%. 80%. Remarkably, her proposal goes the extra mile by identifying funding mechanisms that could support these projects without new county expenditures. Lastly, young people in our community are facing increasing rates of diet related illnesses, including type 2 diabetes and obesity. According to the American Heart Association, excessive consumption of added sugar provides no essential nutrients. Adds extra calories that contribute to weight gain and is linked to heart disease and other metabolic issues over time. Number four, the youth commission encourages local leaders and committees to explore adding clear warning labels on restaurant menu items containing 50 grams or more of added sugar. So that only very high sugar items are labeled and using simple visible icons that are easy for all consumers to understand. This work would not be possible without the support of your board and the guidance of our liaison, Leticia Laredo. Every proposal our committee produces is grounded in research, drafted of care, and motivated by a genuine belief that young people have a duty, a responsibility, to improve the communities that we call home. Thank you for your time, and I would like to now introduce you to our Education and Services Chair, Ms. Christina Hamilton. Thank you, Commissioner Lawton. All right, Education and Service Committee Chairwoman, you're recognized. Hello, Board of Accounting Commissioners and our Mayor Daniela Levine-Cava. My name is Christina Hamilton, and I represent proudly District 2. And I have the honor of serving as the Chairwoman of the Youth Commission's Education and Services Committee. This year, our committee focused on not just talking about students' issues, but actively going into our communities to understand them. One of the biggest accomplishments was our outreach tour, where we visited schools across Miami-Dee County, and we connected with hundreds of our students. Through these conversations and questions, we raised awareness about the Youth Commission. And more importantly, we collected real data of the issues that students are facing, from academic pressure to lack of accesses to resources. We made sure student voices were heard directly and not just assumed. In addition, we participated in collecting toys for the Christina's Academy, Toy Drive, and their partner Title One Schools, South Miami Heights Elementary, Gold Elementary, and Laura C Saunders. When you give a child a toy, you're giving them a reason to dream. One toy can remind a child that the world hasn't forgotten them. I am so proud to also sponsor the Miami-Dade County Youth Policy Fellowship, which we developed in partnership with the Changemaker Committee. Overall, our work this year has been centered around outreach, opportunity, and impact. We did not just represent students. We engaged with them, listened to them, and created pathways for them to lead, which is something I believe everyone in Miami-Dade County should represent. If you look ahead, I strongly urge each commissioner and each office represented here to actively work with the youth commission throughout our terms. Especially for the ones that you appoint for the next term. I also encourage you to continue selecting two youth commissioners per district to properly expand youth representation across Miami-Dade County. Because advocacy is nothing without our own youth representation. We are not just title holders, we're a citizen of this great country and its dedicated future leaders. Fostering that bridge between local government and youth is not an optional thing. It is essential. It is the reasons that programs and initiatives exist today, and why I stand here before you today. Thank you for your time, and please, I urge you to keep fighting for the youth, because we are here very much to stay. Now, I am very excited to introduce Alicia Medina, the Chair for the Cultural Arts and Community Engagement Committee. Thank you, Madam Committee Chair. All right, Committee Chair Medina. Thank you very much, and thank you very much, Christina. My name is Alicia Medina, Youth Commission Committee Member, and I'm a senior at Ransom Everglades. And I have the honor of serving as the Chair of the Cultural Arts and Community Engagement Committee of the Youth Commission. I want to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to stand before you today at this meeting. It means a great deal that you have created the space in your agenda to hear directly from the youth about the issues that matter most to us. And today, I want to talk to you about the future of arts access in Miami-Dade County. More than 290,000 children are reached by the arts in this county every single year. That's an entire generation of young people whose lives are being shaped and enriched by the power of artistic expression. And the case committee exists to ensure that that number keeps growing. So the first major initiative I want to highlight by our committee was that we had the privilege of participating in the Reading Hotspot, a community reading project that brought us face-to-face with toddlers and their caregivers, creating a space where books and imagination were placed at the center of a child's earliest experiences. We are deeply grateful to the Miami-Dade Community Services Department and to Wayne Rollins and the UMA Futures International Organization, whose partnership was instrumental in bringing this initiative to life. I also want to highlight a comprehensive policy proposal that our committee has been developing to dramatically expand youth access to arts and cultural programming across the county. At the heart of this is a grant-funded voucher program that would provide students with the opportunity to enroll in arts instruction classes offered by the community organizations across the county. The third major initiative I'm thrilled to share with you is a student arts competition with virtual submission capabilities designed to celebrate and elevate the artistic talent of young people across the county. We are actively developing the infrastructure and the outreach strategy for this competition, and I am proud to announce that it will be running next year. Taken together, these initiatives share exactly what it means to be part of this committee. We are here to be the voice of 290,000 young people who are touched by the arts in this county every year, and the even greater number that it should be. Finally, I would like to introduce Lucas Martino-Miro, the co-chair of the Changemaker Award Committee. Thank you. Thank you, Alicia, for that introduction. Good morning, everyone. My name is Lucas Martinez-Miro, and I'm a senior at Coral Gable Senior High. For the past two years, I've had the privilege of serving as a youth commissioner representing District 12, and this year, I have the honor of serving as co-chair of the Changemaker Award Committee. Serving as co-chair this year has given me the opportunity to recognize and uplift students who are making a tangible impact in our county. Established in 2024, the Changemaker Award was created to honor those who see the needs of their community, but more importantly, take the initiative to solve them. This year, our committee reached a significant milestone. We received a record-breaking 75 applications, a number that speaks to the growing spirit of service and leadership among our youth. Out of these exceptional applicants, we named ten finalists and selected three winners who truly embody the values of this award. The Changemaker Award celebrates more than achievement. It highlights those who refuse to wait for change and take action themselves. Each applicant represents a unique story of change, reminding us that meaningful progress begins with a single idea and the determination to see it through. Building on this momentum, we respectfully ask the Board of County Commissioners to once again consider designating April 30th as Youth Changemaker Day in Miami-Dade County. This request is about shining a light on the extraordinary contributions of these students. Their service and impact deserve to be recognized at the highest level, reinforcing that Miami-Dade is a county that values and honors the youth and who step up to make a difference. What today reaffirms is that our youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow, they are the leaders of today. Their vision, resilience, and commitment are already strengthening our community in ways that will be felt for generations. Thank you for your time and for your continued support in recognizing the young changemakers of Miami-Dade County. Now I'm excited to introduce Stacey Cotier. Thank you so much. Thank you, Lucas. Good morning. My name is Stacey Cotier, and I am a senior at School for Advanced Studies. For these past two years, I've had the honor of serving as a district two youth commissioner, and this year I was elected as a parliamentarian of the Miami-Dade Youth Commission. Like many of my colleagues, when I applied to this program, I was unsure about my career path or what exactly I wanted to make out of it. Over time, being surrounded by individuals who are so committed to making change have completely transformed the way I perceive both myself and my community. Watching my colleagues share initiatives aimed to improve the life of others have only deepened my passion for fostering change. It made me more confident in sharing my opinions and more aware of the issues that youths face in our city. This taught me that leadership is about having the willingness to take action. Sharing proposals with my colleagues and engaging in discussions allowed me to see things from other point of views and to embrace those different perspectives. Today, I walk away from the Youth Commission as a better leader, speaker, and communicator. Whether that is through last year's FIU Broke's course, where we stepped outside of our comfort zones, which taught me how to connect with others. Learning the importance of communication and serving a community through volunteering with the Mears Toy Drive, or when we collaborated with the North Miami Youth Council. Constant interactions with local, state, and national politicians in our regular monthly board meetings that gave me exposure to the political world. These all together have shaped me in ways that I thought were beyond me. Now I see my community as more than a place where I live, but also part of me. The best part of my experience, though, has been you all. Those of you who take time out of their days to ensure that the youths have an outlet. Those who, despite our ages, trust in us and provide us with a platform, tend not change. You have all played a major role in forming my experience with the Youth Commission. I am beyond grateful to have had this opportunity and excited for what's to come. Now I would like to call up Gabriela Lopez, who will be speaking about community service. Thank you. Hello, my name is Gabriela Lopez, Vice Chair to the Youth Commission and Representative of District 27. On Saturday, April 11th, the Miami-Dade Youth Commission took part in the 44th Annual Bonanza, a countywide cleanup devoted to safeguarding Biscayne Bay, a place that does more than border our county, it sustains it. Nearly 5,000 people spread across 33 sites, including 80 Barnes Park, chose to give their time to something that asks for effort but offers no spotlight, and that choice matters. There's a certain force in quiet labor, no headlines, no ceremony, just hands moving, lifting, and clearing what should not be there. It is easy to speak about protecting our environment. It is harder to act on it in ways that are repetitive, unglamorous, and necessary. That is where the real commitment reveals itself. In Miami-Dade, Biscayne Bay is not simply a backdrop. It is a living presence tied to our economy, our ecosystems, and our sense of place. And to diminish it is to diminish something that is essential. To care for it is to affirm who we are as people. What stays with me is not only what was removed that day, but what was demonstrated. A willingness to take responsibility without being asked twice. And a refusal to share, to treat shared spaces as someone else's concern. That kind of mindset carries further than any singular cleanup. Thank you for your time, and now I will introduce Aidan Biss. Good morning. My name is Aidan Biss, representing the mayor's office, and I'm a senior at Ransom Everglades. I now have the honor of recognizing the graduating seniors on the Miami-Dade County Youth Commission. But first, I would like to thank the people in this chamber who have made our accomplishments possible. Thank you to our parents who have guided us, encouraged us, and enabled us to reach our individual achievements. We are here today because of you. And of course, I would like to thank our mayor and our commissioners for giving us a voice in local government. Being on the Miami-Dade Youth Commission has been an extraordinary experience, which has enriched our understanding and appreciation for county government by making us a part of the county's legislative process. As I announce the names and the college they will be attending, I will also highlight some of the other remarkable achievements of my fellow youth commissioners. Julian Farrington, District 1, will be attending Florida State University and Silver Knight nominee for Social Sciences. Stacey Cotier, District 2, will be attending Rice University. Christina Hamilton, District 2, will be attending the University of Miami. Max Feldman, District 4, will be attending Duke University. Silvana Landono, District 6, will be attending the University of Florida. Jennifer Pinero, District 8, will be attending the University of Pennsylvania. Naima Ahmed, District 9, will be attending the University of Florida. Victoria Puente, District 10, will be attending Florida State University and Silver Knight nominee for Digital and Interactive Media. Jayden Lawton, District 11, will be attending Columbia University. Lucas Martinez-Miro, District 12, will be attending MDC Honors. Maggie Cardenache, District 13, will be attending Duke University. Diana Tejas, District 13, will be attending MDC Honors. Alicia Medina, committee member, will be attending Harvard University. DeMarco Santos, representing the office of the mayor, will be attending Florida State University. Silver Knight nominee for social sciences, and for myself, representing the office of the mayor, I will be attending the University of Miami. Thank you. Guys, I think a round of applause. For this one, we could do a round of applause. Thank you all. What a group of great intelligent minds we have in this county. My only hope and request of those that are going away to those very elite and pristine universities and colleges is that you all return back to Miami-Dade County, because we need you here. Do not, do not, actually, let me not say the stuff I'm not supposed to say. Do not stay over there. Do not stay over there. That's the bottom line. Come back. Make sure you come back. And with that, I understand that our joint meeting concludes, right, Madam Attorney? Yes, we need a motion to adjourn the joint meeting, and then we will convene the board's regular meeting. So moved. All right. It's been moved by the chairwoman of the Youth Commission to adjourn, right? It's seconded by our vice chair on the commission. All in favor of adjourning, signify by saying aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. Show us officially adjourned. Thank you, youth commissioners. Appreciate you being here. And best of luck to those that we may not see again for a little bit, but I do look forward to continue working with you guys in this capacity and in many other future capacities. Congratulations once more. Thank you all. All right, Madam Attorney, can we now move into our BCC agenda? Yes, Mr. Chair. All right. Should we move into reasonable opportunity for the public to be heard? That would be appropriate. Yes. Thank you. All right. I want to go ahead and start, if he's in the room, with our tax collector. Mr. Dario Fernandez, who I'll let him say it and not steal his thunder, but go ahead, Mixer Tax Collector. Good morning. Good morning, Chairman Rodriguez, a member of the board. I'm here to strongly support item 7A. It removes-