FYI Miami: December 20, 2018
Below are some of the FYIs in this week’s edition. The entire content of this week’s FYIs and Insider sections is available by subscription only. To subscribe click here.
COFFEE CO. CORRECTING COUNTY: To address unintended workplace discrimination, Miami-Dade’s human resources department is developing a training workshop for county staff based on one by Starbucks. The in-person, two-hour training program, “Tackling Unconscious Bias,” will launch January 2019, a memo from Mayor Carlos Giménez states, and incorporate components of the coffee company’s curriculum to help county staff examine common societal stereotypes, cultural assumptions, ways participants perceive others, how diversity skills affect public sector workplaces and how it impacts their work; observe, experience and discuss cultural differences to increase awareness of attitudes, behaviors and the negative effects of prejudice and discrimination, and reinforce team-building concepts to turn knowledge into usable skills serving a diverse community. County commissioners approved an item Sept. 5 sponsored by Barbara Jordan calling for the program, which joins current employee development classes including “Preventing Unlawful Harassment” and “Valuing Diversity” that are part of the mandatory “Diversity Matters” e-learning program.
BANK PAYOUT PENDING: Miami-Dade will seek its portion of a $340 million settlement fund established as part of an out-of-court settlement with HSBC Bank which, with Deutsche Bank, agreed to pay restitution for alleged harm caused by manipulation of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) for US dollars. The two banks – as well as Deutsch, HSBC, Bank of America, Barclays Bank, Barclays Capital, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Royal Bank of Scotland and UBS Group – were accused of artificially lowered the dollar rate during the financial crisis, resulting in “purchasers not receiving as much in interest payments as they would have otherwise,” Deputy Mayor Jack Osterholt wrote Dec. 4. In October, commissioners approved resolutions retroactively authorizing the county to participate and accept its portion of the settlements, including $1.373 million from Deutsch – its portion of a $213.35 million class-action settlement.
SWIMMING POOL REPLACEMENT: A new public swimming pool is on tap for the City of Miami’s Elizabeth Virrick Park. City commissioners have authorized the city manager to execute an agreement with Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department to provide water and sewer services for Virrick Park New Pool Facility, to be constructed at 3255 Plaza St. The city intends to construct and connect to the county’s water and sewer systems a new pool for 119 persons, replacing the present pool for 75 persons that’s on septic tank service. This results in a combined water and sewer connection charges of $21,826.80.
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