Miami Lakes committee finalizes logistics, budget and sponsors for Dec. 13 Sports Hall of Fame event

The Miami Lakes Sports Hall of Fame committee finalized key logistics and preliminary budget figures for its Dec. 13 induction event, including VIP and general start times, menu pricing and a set of sponsorship commitments, the committee reported during a planning meeting.

The committee confirmed a VIP social hour beginning at 5:30 p.m. and a regular start at 6:30 p.m. Committee members and staff discussed menu details, a vendor quote of $18.48 per person for an initial 60-person estimate, a $90 delivery charge and related setup items, and said the food total for that estimate is $1,198.80 (60 x $18.48 = $1,108.80 plus $90 delivery). Menu items the committee discussed included lasagna, a vegetarian pasta, a bow-tie pasta with chicken and potatoes, meatballs, house salad and garlic bread.

The committee reviewed event-staging and guest logistics: the vendor will provide plated buffet service rather than onsite cooking, the town has a 15-by-15 tent available as a weather fallback, and the committee agreed to reduce the number of highboy cocktail tables from 15 to 5 to avoid a “sea of open tables.” The committee also discussed adding runners or hired helpers to circulate during the event to assist honorees and guests.

On funding, the committee reported roughly $5,750 in sponsorship commitments to date: a $2,500 pledge from Ocean Bank, a $1,500 commitment from the auto mall, a $750 pledge from a local business (spelled in meeting notes as “Graham’s”), and a $1,000 town contribution. Committee members said those commitments put the event in a comfortable budget position even after the modest increase in food costs from the previous year.

The committee reviewed contracts and vendors. Photographer and video coverage were discussed: the committee paid about $400 last year for external video/photo services and is exploring coverage by the town’s communications coordinator this year to avoid that fee if the coordinator can attend. The committee also noted that plaques and wall-mounted name plates will be produced by the new town vendor (listed in discussion as FASTSIGNS under the town’s current contract) and asked staff to confirm pricing and ensure the plaques match existing wall plates.

Operational items carried forward included a plan to collect nominee photos and short bios for social-media promotion, a schedule of five promotional posts and story coverage between the announcement and the event, and nominee interviews on arrival for post-event video if staff and vendor availability permit. The committee also discussed the logistics of a buffet under the tent or moving the program to the clubhouse meeting room if bad weather requires an indoor fallback.

Two formal procedural motions were recorded at the meeting: approval of the July 29 meeting minutes (accepted as amended) and a motion to adjourn, which passed. The committee set a follow-up meeting for early November to finalize outstanding items and to confirm nominee photos, shirt sizes and final staffing for the event.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve minutes from July 29 (as amended). Mover: Miriam (committee member). Second: Dave Oliver (committee member). Outcome: approved as amended. Tally (based on roll call at the meeting): yes 4, no 0, abstain 0, absent 1. - Motion to adjourn. Mover: Dave Oliver. Second: Mary Macho. Outcome: approved; meeting adjourned at 6:23 p.m.

Next steps identified by the committee included confirming remaining sponsors and invoices (including a bartender/vendor invoice still pending), obtaining nominee photos and bios for social promotion, confirming the communications coordinator’s availability for event coverage, finalizing plaque pricing with the town vendor, and reconvening in early November to complete last-minute logistics.