FYI Miami is a weekly feature of Miami Today, keeping readers ahead of the news. Here are highlights from the most current edition.

KEY TO DINNER KEY: Miami commissioners by emergency ordinance hired Fernando Z. Gatell to survey properties in the Dinner Key area. Two projects — the Grove Harbor Marina & Caribbean Market Place and redevelopment of the Coconut Grove Convention Center — are stalled until the city negotiates a lease with the state for submerged lands that are outside the city's control. Officials said the survey, to cost up to $22,765, was needed to complete those negotiations. Emergency action was used because the city got just two bids.

LIMITS ON CITY LIMITS: Although Miami commissioners last year created a jurisdictional boundaries committee to look at expanding city limits by annexing unincorporated areas, Commissioner Arthur Teele said last week he wants to cancel a board he says faces a hopeless task. With a three millage point difference between city and county property taxes, he said, the city needs to first focus on lowering taxes and fees before it can hope to attract new residents.

JUST FINE: The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has let Miami off the hook for $21,000 in fines for dredging without a valid permit. In return, the city has agreed to an in-kind penalty project, expediting $400,000 for Wagner Creek dredging that City Manager Carlos Gimenez said the city already has funded.

OVERTOWN CENTER: Businessman Martin Margulies, who pledged about $2 million for a youth recreation center in Overtown, has created a nonprofit, the Overtown Youth Center, to build and operate a $2.7 million center in Gibson Park. Miami commissioners last week approved a management agreement with the entity, which must raise added money to operate the 17,000-square-foot center to include educational and sports activities.

FIND IT YOURSELF: Miami plans to install a computerized system that would make it easier for citizens to research city resolutions and ordinances and retrieve city agendas and other documents, said City Clerk Walter Foeman. Commissioners last week agreed to seek competitive bids to purchase Legistar, an information tracking system officials say would reduce paperwork and staff time to generate agendas and documents.

COMPUTER EVOLUTION: Due to the mushrooming number of computers now working on the City of Miami's network, commissioners agreed last week to spend $26,500 on trouble-shooting equipment and software. Over the past year, as the city upgraded computer systems, the number of computers in use doubled while the number of computer sites grew from three to 40, officials say.

GRANT ALLOCATIONS: Consulting firm DMG-Maximus was awarded a $27,500 City of Miami contract, renewable for two more years, to develop a cost allocation plan. The firm will identify hidden costs to the city as it administers federal grant programs. The city will use the information to seek reimbursement from the federal government.

CITY CARS: Miami's Department of Community Development will spend up to $437,597 to buy 27 Ford Taurus cars from Gus Machado Ford. The cars, bought with grant funds from the US Department of Housing, are used for on-site inspections and other tasks related to managing federal grants.

GRANT FUNDING: Miami got $372,792 in state grants last week to fund programs for the developmentally disabled. The city provides transportation and other services to 91 disabled adults. Miami also received $46,453 in county grants to improve access for the disabled at city parks.

DEFICIT ALERT: Although Miami officials project a $6.4 million budget surplus for 2000, the city could face a $10 million deficit by 2005 if spending continues to outpace revenues, said Bertha Henry, assistant city manager of finance and administration. City revenues, she said, are growing at an average 2.3% per year while expenditures are growing at 3.1% due to skyrocketing health insurance and pension costs. Pension costs, at more than $13 million this year, may top $16 million next year.

LENNAR GROWS: Lennar Corp. has become the nation's largest home builder with the $1.2 billion acquisition of Houston-based US Home, based on last year's combined revenue of $4.6 billion. Brian Bilzin, John Kuhn and Monalee Zarapkar of Bilzin Sumberg et al. and David McCain, Lennar's general counsel, represented Lennar in the acquisition. Chicago-based Bank One was lead lender. Lennar CEO Stuart Miller is profiled on page 4.

RENEWED HEALTH LEASE: Neighborhood Health Partnership, an HMO, renewed its 70,984-square-foot lease at Airport Corporate Center, 7600 Corporate Center Drive. In the transaction, Bert Sanders of Julien J. Studley Inc. represented the tenant while Randy J. Olen and Tony Puente of Insignia-ESG represented the landlord.

CITIBANK LEASE: Citibank leased 5,962 square feet for 60 months at Esso InterAmerica Building, 396 Alhambra Circle. Codina's Marshall Philpitt and Dean Miller represented both landlord and tenant in the deal.

BOMA CLASSES: The local chapter of Building Owners & Managers Association is sponsoring courses leasing to the Real Property Administrator and Facilities Management Administrator designations beginning June 16. Classes are held from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Fridays-Sundays at BellSouth, 600 NW 79th Ave. Details: (305) 530-0083.

STILL RACHLIN: The accounting and business consulting firm Rachlin Cohen & Holtz announced a merger with another North Miami-based firm, Thaw Gopman & Associates, retaining the name Rachlin Cohen & Holtz. Thaw Gopman, which has 20 members, was founded in 1963.

ARGENTINE MISSION: The Florida Foreign Trade Association and the Trade Section of the Consulate of the Argentine Republic are sponsoring an incoming trade mission delegation from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. June 20 & 21 in the McLamore Executive Education Center at UM's business school. Representatives will be available for business appointments from Giorgio Beneti, Sidal, Bergomi, Therabel Pharma, Liptech, Lomas, Tomografia de Hormigon Armado and M.V. Vajillas. Call for appointments. Details: (305) 471-0737.

NEW TALLAHASSEE TEAM: Gov. Jeb Bush named J. Antonio Villamil chairman of a newly formed 11-member Council of Economic Advisors. Mr. Villamil is former director of the Office of Tourism, Trade & Economic Development and his replacement, Pamela Dana, will serve as an ex officio member. Also named to the council from Miami are Anthony T. Bryan, senior research associate at the University of Miami; Manuel Lasaga, president of Analysis Inc. StratInfo; and Stephen O. Morrel, professor of economics & finance at Barry University. The council is charged with studying the impact of local, national and global economic forces in the state.

ASTHMA CENTER: The American Lung Association of South Florida announced a $500,000 grant to fund an Asthma Clinical Research Center at the University of Miami School of Medicine for five years. The center, placed under the direction of Dr. Adam Warner, becomes part of a network in the US focused on identifying researchers as well as treating patients.

CITY HIRES: City Manager Carlos Gimenez named William W. Bryson chief for the more than 600-member City of Miami Department of Fire-Rescue and John Jackson director of public works. Chief Bryson, a 25-year department veteran, had been deputy fire chief. Hired by the department in 1971 he become lieutenant in '81, a captain in '84 and a district chief in '90. He is also a past president of the Miami Association of Firefighters. Mr. Jackson had been the department's acting director and was assistant director for 11 years before that.
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