TITLE
RESOLUTION APPROVING THE REAPPOINTMENT OF OLGA RAMUDO AND VICE-MAYOR ROBERT STEPHENS, III, AND THE APPOINTMENT OF MILAN PATEL, A TOTAL OF THREE MEMBERS, TO THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

BODY
WHEREAS, on April 4, 1978, the Board of County Commissioners adopted Ordinance No. 78-28 (the “Ordinance”), establishing the Tourist Development Council; and

WHEREAS, the Ordinance directs that each member shall be appointed by resolution of the Board of County Commissioners; and

WHEREAS, the Ordinance and section 125.0104 of the Florida Statutes specify that the Tourist Development Council shall be composed of nine members, including a County Commissioner, who is appointed by the chair of the governing Board of the County, two elected municipal officials, three owners or operators of motels, hotels, or other tourist accommodations in the County and subject to the tourist development tax, and three persons involved in the tourist industry but who are not owners or operators of motels, hotels or other tourist accommodations in the County subject to the tourist development tax; and

WHEREAS, the Ordinance specifies that all members of the Council must be electors of the County; and

WHEREAS, the Ordinance and section 125.0104, Florida Statutes, specify that Council members shall serve staggered terms of four years as determined in the appointing
resolution; and
WHEREAS, section 125.0104, Florida Statutes, specifies that there shall be two elected municipal officials where at least one official is from the most populous municipality in the County and the County Commission shall fill this seat by appointment; and

WHEREAS, the Tourist Development Council board recommends that Olga Ramudo and Vice-Mayor Robert Stephens, III be reappointed to the Council; and

WHEREAS, the Tourist Development Council board recommends that Milan Patel be appointed to the Council,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board approves the reappointment of the following two members and the appointment of one member to the Tourist Development Council for four-year terms commencing April, 2026 and ending April, 2030:
1) Olga Ramudo, Tourism Industry;
2) City of Miami Gardens Vice-Mayor Robert Stephens, III, elected official:
3) Milan Patel, Owner/Operator of Hotels or other Tourist Accommodations.

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Date:

To: Honorable Chairman Anthony Rodríguez
and Members, Board of County Commissioners

From: Daniella Levine Cava
Mayor

Subject: Recommendation of Tourist Development Council Board Appointments

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Executive Summary
This item is requesting that the Board of County Commissioners (Board) approve the attached resolution approving the reappointments of the following nominees to the Tourist Development Council: Olga Ramudo and Vice-Mayor Rober Stephens, III and appointing Milan Patel. There is no fiscal impact associated with these appointments

Recommendation
It is recommended that the Board adopt the attached resolution approving the reappointment of the following nominees to the Tourist Development Council: Olga Ramudo and Vice-Mayor Robert Stephens, III and appointing Milan Patel.

Scope
The impact of this agenda item is countywide.

Delegation Of Authority
There is no delegated authority for this Tourist Development Council item.

Fiscal Impact/ Funding Source
There is no fiscal impact associated with these appointments.

Track Record/ Monitor
Ashlee Thomas, Interim Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs, serves as the Director of the Tourist Development Council.

Background
On April 4, 1978, the Board of County Commissioners adopted Ordinance No. 78-28 pursuant to State Statute No. 125.0104, establishing the Tourist Development Council (TDC). The Ordinance and Statute specify that the TDC is a nine (9) member volunteer board that includes: one (1) County Commissioner, who is appointed by the chair of the governing Board of the County; two (2) elected municipal officials, at least one of whom must be from the most populous municipality in the County; three (3) owners or operators of motels, hotels, or other tourist accommodations in the County and subject to the tourist development tax; and three (3) persons involved in the tourist industry and have verifiably demonstrated interest in the tourist development of Miami-Dade County but who are not owners or operators of motels, hotels, or other tourist accommodations in the County and are subject to the tourist development tax.

Further, all members of the TDC must be electors of the County and shall serve staggered terms of four years as determined in the appointing resolution. A public nominations process was implemented to fill these positions as a result of three (3) vacancies on the TDC Board due to the expiration of current terms. These positions require: one (1) person involved in the tourist industry and have verifiably demonstrated interest in the tourist development of Miami-Dade County but who are not owners or operators of motels, hotels, or other tourist accommodations in the County and are subject to the tourist development tax; one (1) persons who is an owner or operator of motels, hotels, or other tourist accommodations in the County and subject to the tax; and one (1) elected municipal official.

On November 1, 2005, the Board accepted the Tourist Development Council Nomination Process for current and future appointments of board members to the TDC. This competitive process includes the placement of an advertisement to publicly notice a solicitation for qualified candidates and the convening of a TDC Nominating Committee to review and recommend nominees to the TDC. Notice of the nomination process was communicated to all Commission District offices to encourage applications from qualified candidates. In response to the advertisement for nominations, and in accordance with the TDC Nomination Process, credentials of eligible candidates for the TDC were submitted and reviewed by the TDC Nominating Committee. Present at the meeting were: William Perry, III, President, Airport Parking Association; Connie Kinnard, President, Multicultural Tourism with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau; and Hemant Patel, General Manager, Kings Motel.

Based on a thorough review of qualifications, the TDC Nominating Committee unanimously voted to recommend the following Tourist Development Council candidates to the Board of County Commissioners: Olga Ramudo; Vice-Mayor Robert Stephens, III; and Milan Patel. The TDC voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of the TDC Nominating Committee at the April 17, 2026 TDC meeting and move these recommendations forward to the Board for approval.

Attached are the biographies summarizing the extensive experience of these nominees in the tourism industry and chart specifically identifying their professional or civic affiliations and their designated terms once approved.




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Jimmy Morales
Chief Operating Officer