Resident Ani Victoriano, who had collected some 2,000 signatures to fight the ordinance and to allow pickup trucks, had urged the council to make this decision last month and not turn it into a referendum item. She was similarly upset that the language on the referendum will still require the potentially expensive addition of covers.

“It’s interesting Mr. Kerdyk said he wants it ‘simple.’ You call that simple? This should have been an up and down vote whether to allow covers. It’s still a pickup truck. But that’s our government in action. These covers are $2,500 to $3,000. We’ll remember that in April,” she said.

By placing the referendum on the November ballot and piggybacking on the presidential race the city saves a considerable amount of money. The referendum cost will be $19,679 in the general election. Had the item been a standalone election it would have cost $125,000 city manager Pat Salerno said.

In other business Thursday, Cason and Kerdyk celebrated the successful return of Fourth of July fireworks at the Biltmore Hotel by praising staff. Crowds were estimated between 27,000 and 30,000.

The popular event was scrapped after 2006 due to cost and other factors. But with the addition of corporate sponsors, Wednesday’s event included a performance of patriotic tunes as well as Hollywood music from Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Lion King by the Greater Miami Symphonic Band, along with a 20-minute fireworks display over the Biltmore golf course where families gathered picnic-style.

Some participants complained about poorly lit exits, traffic jams and slow trolley service leaving the event, however. The city had trolleys shuttling visitors to parking garages in downtown.

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