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Residents could soon gain a clearer window into how Miami government’s decisions are tracked and how public meetings unfold under a new web portal that would centralize records, recordings and accountability in one searchable online system.
The proposals, sponsored by Commissioner Rolando Escalona, are to be discussed on May 14 commission meeting. They would create new citywide transparency platforms, including a searchable portal tracking all directives issued by the city commission to administration and a separate system providing public access to recordings of every municipal board meeting. Both systems would be required to be fully operational within 90 days.
The goal is to consolidate information that is currently scattered across departments or inconsistently available online, making it easier for residents to follow both policy implementation and public decision-making in real time.
At the center of the first measure is a new digital tracking system for commission directives, which are formal instructions issued to the city administration through legislative action. The system would allow the public to search each directive and see its status updated in real time, including whether it is pending, in progress or completed.
It would also include a brief description of each directive, the date it was issued, the originating commission agenda item or legislative action and the city department responsible for carrying it out, creating a fuller public record of how policy moves from approval to action.
While city commission directives are routinely issued, currently no centralized public tool monitors their progress. Under the proposal, the city manager, city clerk and city attorney would be responsible for jointly building and maintaining the platform through the city’s website, with updates reflecting the status of each item as it moves through implementation.
The second resolution focuses on public access to meetings of city boards, advisory groups and related entities that help shape policy and oversee public functions. While some meetings are already recorded, access varies widely and recordings aren’t currently housed in a single centralized system.
The proposal would create a searchable online portal where residents could view audio and video recordings of all public board meetings in one location. It also calls for the city to ensure recordings are consistently produced and maintained and directs staff to bring back any additional legislation needed to require recording of all board meetings going forward.
Together, the two systems would standardize how residents access information about government activity, from the decisions being made to the discussions behind them, and to place that information in a single, publicly accessible platform. If approved, both initiatives would move immediately into effect, with city staff required to design, build and launch the portals within 90 days.





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