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

ROLL TAPE: Miami-Dade County commissioners have passed an ordinance 8-0 requiring the taping of all proceedings of selection and negotiating committees. There was no previous requirement to record those meetings.

SPAIN NAMES TRADE CHIEF: Spain's new trade commissioner in Miami is Bego§a Cristeto. She took office Sept. 1, replacing Joaquin de la Herran, who returned to Spain in private industry. Ms. Cristeto, a native of Salamanca, spent the past two years in the Institute of Foreign Trade directing high-tech communications operations designed to improve Spanish presence in other nations.

DOTTING THE COM: The first Miami Today International Roundtable of the season will examine Miami as a dot-com center at 5 p.m. Sept. 28 in CommerceBank, 220 Alhambra Circle, Coral Gables. Scheduled panelists are Manuel Medina, president of Terremark; William Greene, director of business development for Cenetec; Andre L. Vanyi-Robin, president and CEO of Visualcom and founder & president of the Miami Internet Alliance, and William McCullough, chairman of the Internet Practice Group at Shutts & Bowen. Michael Hayes, Miami Today international editor, will moderate. CommerceBank is co-sponsor for the free event. Reservations are required. Details: Jody Bray, (305) 358-2663.

FIU BUILDING BLOCKS: When Mary Ann Wolfe flew to Miami from Washington, DC, in 1979, the wife of the incoming president of Florida International University, Gregory Wolfe, said she couldn't find anyone who knew where the campus of the young university was. On Sept. 8 this year, everyone knew — the university named its Biscayne Bay Campus auditorium in her honor. She told the guests: "I am happy to have been one of the team helping to build a great public institution."

NEW CHAMBER: A Netherlands American Chamber of Commerce of Florida has been formed, with offices at 1920 E Hallandale Beach Blvd., Hallandale Beach. Jaap Donath, a director of research with the Beacon Council, has been elected chairman. Other inaugural officers are Ernst Swikker, secretary, and Dirk de Groen, treasurer. The chamber's stated mission is "to create linkages between Florida companies with interests in the Netherlands and providing information and contacts for companies and individuals from the Netherlands entering the Florida market." Networkers will be held under the banner "Business Bier & Bitterbailen" on the first Wednesday of each month in the Hotel Inter-Continental Miami. Details: (305) 537-4088.

BEACH CHAMBER CREW: The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce elected five new board members, re-elected five for three-year terms and four to one-year terms. Newly elected are Marlo Courtney, director of operations for Goldman Properties; Roberto Datorre, president of the Miami Beach Development Corp.; Saul Gross, president of Streamline Properties Inc.; Jay Scharer, executive vice president and COO for Cisneros Television Group, and Doug Tober, general manager with SMG for the Miami Beach Convention Center.

RETURN CREW: Board members who were re-elected to three-year terms on the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce and their business affiliation are Eva Barreto, Ocean Bank; Tony Bello, Charter Communications; Wendy Hart, Island Outpost; Katrina Peebles, Royal Palm Hotel Limited Co., and Alex Tachmes, a lawyer. Re-elected to one-year terms were James Boucher, Boucher Bros. Management; Joseph Comras, Comras Cos.; Gus Hernandez, Miami Beach Ocean Resort, and Cathy Leff, director of the Wolfsonian-Florida International University.

HARMONIC CHORDS: The Florida Philharmonic named Jo-Michael Sheibe chorus director and Jeffri Bantz associate director. Dr. Sheibe, who replaces the late Paul Eisenhart, is professor and program director of choral studies at the University of Miami and music & artistic director for the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Mr. Bantz is director of music at the First Presbyterian Church of Pompano Beach and past dean of the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

FLYING START: Harper Partners announced it has started the $4.3 million expansion for Miami-Dade County Public Schools at the Baker Aviation Training Center, 3275 NW 42nd Ave., with an April 2003 completion date. The job calls for a hangar, classrooms and an overhaul of labs.

SCHOLARSHIP BALL: Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Dade Coalition for Community Education are holding the 14th annual Scholarship Ball and silent auction Oct. 27 in the Hyatt Regency Miami. Cost is $55. Details: Diana Venturini, (305) 995-1215.

GABLES WOMEN: The Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce is holding a Women's Business Luncheon talk, "Mastering the Art of a Good Self Introduction," at 11:45 a.m. Sept. 28 in the UM Faculty Club. Jaqueline Valdespino of Valdespino & Associates is guest speaker. Cost is $18; $12 for members. Details: (305) 467-1657.

NAWBO NETWORKER: The National Association of Women Business Owners of Miami is holding a networking program, "Branding: Your Corporate Tattoo," at 7 p.m. Oct. 12 in the Doral Golf Resort & Spa. Organizers say a panel of experts is being scheduled to speak. Cost is $35; $30 for members. RSVP. Details: (305) 444-4437.

ORANGE VOLUNTEERS: The Orange Bowl Committee is seeking volunteers for the upcoming 67th Orange Bowl Festival. Details: (305) 371-4600, ext. 155.

EURO TALK: The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and the consulates of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK have teamed up with the European Chambers of Commerce for a conference and luncheon, "The European Union & the Americas," at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 25 in the Hotel Inter-Continental, 100 Chopin Plaza. Ambassador Guenter Burghardt, head of the EUC delegation to the US, is featured speaker and is due to discuss transatlantic relations, the Euro Union free-trade pact with Mexico and relations between union nations and the Caribbean. Cost is $45; $40 for members. Details: Michelle Mataillet, (305) 442-2277.

AUTONATION SALE: Downtown Fort Lauderdale's 30-story AutoNation Tower, the tallest office building in Broward County, was bought for $53.5 million, or $137.06 a square foot, by Dallas-based Genesis Capital Advisors. Mark Gilbert and Adam Feinstein of Cushman & Wakefield's Miami office represented the seller, AutoNation subsidiary Corporate Properties Holdings, in the transaction, as well as a leaseback deal giving AutoNation use of the property for 10 years, with extension options.
  

HEALTHY DONATION: UM's Department of Wellness & Recreation received a $1 million anonymous donation for the renovation and relocation of its intramural playing fields from San Amaro Drive to a site directly behind the George Smathers Wellness Center. Work is scheduled to begin in December, with a target completion date of August 2001.

HISTORICAL REVIEW: Local historian Paul George is accepting applications for a course in the history of Florida, meeting 5:40-8 p.m. Wednesdays through mid-December at Miami Beach High School. Courses include lectures, videos, slides and Dr. George's trademark historic walking tours. Details: (305) 237-3723 or pgeorge@mdcc.edu.

MARRIOTT MILESTONE: The JW Marriott, 1111 Brickell Ave. — Miami's first new five-star hotel — celebrated its soft opening with the registration of its first guest last Friday. The hotel, developed by MDM Hotel Group in conjunction with Barclays Financial Center, plans a grand opening in October.

PARK PERMIT: County commissioners also approved 8-0 a 10-year class I permit for staffers at Biscayne National Park to conduct sea-grass restoration within the park's boundaries.

PEPSI CHALLENGE: Miami-Dade County Commissioner Barbara Carey-Shuler responded to a new ordinance to consider allowing corporate sponsorships of such county facilities as the MetroZoo by wondering if that would affect the commission's personal choices. "I don't want to have to be forced to drink Coke," she said. "I'm a Pepsi girl."

WHAT'S IN A NAME? Miami-Dade County Commissioner Natacha Seijas-Millan announced last week that she wishes to be referred to as Natacha Seijas from now on. Millan is the surname of her ex-husband.