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Week of September 22, 2005 |
| Terremark seeks waiver of $11,000 fee from city By Deserae del CampoTerremark Worldwide is asking the Miami Parking Authority to waive an $11,088 revenue replacement fee for the removal of 35 parking meters in front of its Network Access Point of the Americas building to bolster security. Terremark, a major hub for Internet traffic and data protection, serves the US Southern Command, Miami-Dade County, Jackson Memorial Hospital and the City of Coral Gables along with 280 other customers. Kroll and Hinman Consulting Engineers conducted an Air-Blast Vulnerability Evaluation study on what would happen if a vehicle carrying an explosive device were parked in front of the NAP building at 50 NE Ninth St. The Office of Emergency Management of Miami-Dade County and the Miami Police Department also studied the building and found it to be critical infrastructure. During a Sept. 15 meeting, Terremark representative Ed Jacobson asked the parking authority board to waive the fee. Terremark would agree to pay the $1,750 cost to remove the meters but not the $11,088 to replace the revenues the authority gets from them. "Terremark is willing to bear the cost for the removal of the 35 parking meters around the subject facility and will pay for other security updates," Manuel D. Medina, Terremark chairman and CEO, wrote to the authority. "In consideration of our critical function, and our continued relationship with the City of Miami, we ask only that the recurring fee for the estimated lost revenue from the removed meters be waived." Terremark is trying to barter with the authority: Waive the fees and receive Terremark data-protection services. But not all Off-Street Parking Board members support the idea. "I don't understand how being a critical building should make us waive these fees," said board member Jami Reyes. Ms. Reyes said she wasn't sure bartering is a good idea because other entities working with the authority would want to handle business the same way. The board voted 4-1 to approve Terremark's removal of the meters but reject the waiver of the revenue replacement fee. Ms. Reyes voted against the resolution. "Right now," said authority Executive Director Arthur Noriega, "we are in negotiations on the issue of working with Terremark for services in replacement of the meters." |
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