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RESOLUTION URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE MIAMI MILITARY MUSEUM EDUCATION CENTER

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WHEREAS, during World War II, Naval Air Station Richmond in Miami-Dade County became the world�s largest military blimp base; and
WHEREAS, during World War II, Naval Air Station Richmond was a critical United States base from which Navy blimps fought against the attack of Nazi U-boats which sunk 42 ships near the Florida coast, 27 in the Gulf of Mexico, and 20 more in the Caribbean; and
� WHEREAS, blimps were housed in giant 16-story wooden hangars at Naval Air Station Richmond; and
� WHEREAS, Building No. 25 was the headquarters for the blimp base at Naval Air Station Richmond and is the only remaining wood-frame building from the blimp base; and
WHEREAS, the base is the namesake for the historic neighborhood of Richmond Heights now located one mile away; and
WHEREAS, Building No. 25 continued to be used after World War II for various functions, including serving as the Central Intelligence Agency�s headquarters for JM-WAVE, a covert operation against Fidel Castro during the Cuban Missile Crisis; and
WHEREAS, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Building No. 25 was also a command site and location of a fully-operational battery of Hawk Missiles manned by the United States Army Air Defense Artillery; and
WHEREAS, Building No. 25 subsequently served as a reserve center for the United States Army, and as a reserve center for the United States Marine Corps; and
WHEREAS, in 2005, Miami-Dade County residents voted to save the building as part of the General Obligation Bond Referendum; and
WHEREAS, Building No. 25 has been relocated to county-owned land near Zoo Miami and the Gold Coast Railroad Museum for use as the Miami Military Museum and Memorial (the �museum�); and
WHEREAS, starting in 2008, Miami-Dade County has provided $3 million dollars in funding to stabilize the building and commence restoration; and
� WHEREAS, because of its historical significance, the Miami-Dade Historic Preservation Board, in 2010, named Building No. 25 a historic landmark; and
WHEREAS, the museum, after many years, received sufficient restorative funding from the Florida Legislature and Miami-Dade County to open its doors for a soft opening to the public in the summer of 2017; and
� WHEREAS, benefits to the public from the completion of the museum include, but are not limited to, increased tourism, economic stimulus, military recognition, historic preservation, and public education; and
WHEREAS, the museum now plans to create an Education Center on the premises designed to educate young students on a wide range of topics including United States history and civics; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (�MDCPS�) issued a proclamation in May 2017 endorsing the Miami Military Museum for its educational value; and
WHEREAS, the museum plans to partner with MDCPS curriculum developers to create grade school student tours at the facility and co-host said tours with Zoo Miami, which is located next door; and
WHEREAS, the Education Center will also feature oral history projects created for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project; and
WHEREAS, the museum, through its Education Center, also plans on collaborating with Florida State University�s Institute on WWII and the Human Experience to host joint exhibitions, military history conferences, and collegiate academic seminars; and
WHEREAS, there is no such facility in existence in Miami-Dade County; and
WHEREAS, the State of Florida and Miami-Dade County have each invested $3 million dollars to the development of the museum; and
WHEREAS, this Board again urges the Florida Legislature to continue to support the Miami Military Museum by providing additional funding to assist in the development of an Education Center,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges the Florida Legislature to provide funding for the Miami Military Museum Education Center.
Section 2. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Governor, Senate President, House Speaker, and the Chair and Members of the Miami-Dade County State Legislative Delegation.
Section 3. Directs the County�s state lobbyists to advocate for the issue set forth in Section 1 above, and authorizes and directs the Office of Intergovernmental affairs to include this item in the 2018 State Legislative Package when it is presented to the Board.