On February 1, 2023, at the request of Commissioner Alex Fernandez, the Mayor and City Commission approved the referral of item C4 U to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee (“PSNQLC” or the “Committee”) to discuss and recommend naming a public facility to commemorate Harvey Ruvin.

On June 21, 2023, the Committee discussed the item and recommended in favor of establishing a memorial plaque at the Courthouse lobby within Historic City Hall, located at 1130 Washington Avenue (the “Project”), in Harvey Ruvin’s honor. 

On July 26, 2023, the Mayor and City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2023-32688 accepting the recommendation from the June 21, 2023, PSNQLC meeting to approve the establishment of a memorial plaque within Historic City Hall to commemorate Harvey Ruvin. Furthermore, said Resolution set a public hearing on September 13, 2023, pursuant to Section 82-504(a) of the City Code, to consider whether to approve the proposed memorial establishment by a 5/7ths vote; and directed the City Clerk to provide public notice of the hearing consistent with the requirements of Section 82-504(a)(6).

Harvey Ruvin was a resident of the City of Miami Beach and the longest-serving elected official in Miami Dade County, covering a span of nearly 55 years. Mr. Ruvin was first elected to public office in 1968, serving as Mayor of the City of North Bay Village. He was later elected in 1972 as Commissioner to the County, where he served for twenty years. In 1992, Mr. Ruvin was elected to the Office of the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts, where he was re-elected five times and held office for almost thirty years.

Mr. Ruvin was a staunch defender of Miami-Dade’s environment and life-long advocate of environmental issues. During his tenure as Commissioner, he spearheaded the beach renourishment project that began in 1977, which established dunes along the beaches to address erosion occurring from Government cut to Haulover. As Clerk of Courts, he was awarded the Public Technologist of the Year in 2003, by the Public Technology Institute, for his office’s efforts in making public records more accessible to the public online. Mr. Ruvin was also affiliated with variety of organizations throughout his distinguished career. He served as Chairman of the South Florida Regional Planning Council, President of the National Association of Counties, Vice-President of the International Council of Local Environment Initiatives, Chairman of the County’s Climate Change Advisory Task Force, as well as its Sea Level Rise Task Force, among others.

The fiscal impact for this Project is approximately $500.00.

Funding for this Project has been appropriated in the following account:

520-1720-000342-

The Administration recommends approving by 5/7ths vote, the establishment of a memorial plaque within Historic City Hall, in memory of Harvey Ruvin, following a duly noticed public hearing pursuant to Section 82-504(a) of the City Code.