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Minutes 10-9-02MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD MEETING HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2002 AT 7:00 P.M. Present Ron Washam, Chair Anna Marie Noe, Vice Chair Anne Centi Blanche Girtman Eddie Mitchell Josh Rodriguez Clifford Royael Howard Solomon Brenda Lee Williams Sarah P. Dye, Alternate Karen E. Loomis, Alternate Dan DeCarlo, Board Liaison I. Pledge of Allegiance Chairman Washam called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Mr. Royael led the members in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. II. Roll Call - Regular Members and Alternates The Recording Secretary called the roll and declared that a quorum was present. II1. Recognition of Visitors Chairman Washam recognized Dr. Floyd Beil, a member of the Education Advisory Board, who was present on behalf of his Board to increase communication among the "four people" Boards. He said that he would be attending the CRB Board meetings on a regular basis. Chairman Washam thought that this was an excellent idea and would like to have a member of this Board attend the Education Advisory Board meetings for the same purpose. Also present was Ms. Dee Zibelli a member of the Code Compliance Board; Scott Blasie, the Code Compliance Administrator; Courtney Cain, Code Compliance Officer; and Chris DeLiso, Chairman of the Code Compliance Board. IV. Minutes Approval September 11, 2002 Motion Mr. Mitchell moved to approve the minutes. Motion seconded by Ms. Centi and unanimously carried. Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida October 9, 2002 V. Agenda Approval Chairman Washam explained that the representatives from the Code Compliance Department and the Code Compliance Board were present tonight at the request of some of the Board members who had some concerns regarding Code compliance in the City. Chairman Washam requested that this item be heard as the first item under Old Business. Motion Vice Chair Noe moved to approve the agenda, as amended. Motion seconded by Mr. Solomon and unanimously carried. VI. Correspondence and Announcements None VII. Old Business Chairman Washam passed the gavel to Vice Chair Noe in order to remain impartial during the Code Compliance discussion. Mr. Blasie handed out a folder containing relevant information regarding the Code Compliance Department, which he reviewed during his presentation. Mr. Blasie said that he receives the minutes of this Board on a regular basis and was aware of why he was asked to speak at tonight's meeting. He noted that there was a member on the Board that had some dealings with the Code Compliance Board that had upset her, which was mentioned in the August 14, 2002 minutes. Mr. Blasie first reviewed the various code zones in the City. One of the questions mentioned in the August minutes was where do the Code Officers focus their efforts. Mr. Blasie explained that they cover zones just as the Police Department does. There are 10 new zones effective October 1st that are mapped vertically across the City. He noted that there are two zones between Boynton Beach Boulevard and the C-16 Canal, which are attributable to the Heart of Boynton Program where extra emphasis is being placed. This area also includes a lot of old industrial properties along Railroad Avenue that need to be monitored regularly. All zones are checked daily. All complaints received in the office are handed out to the Officer that handles that particular zone. There is no one area in the City that is focused upon more than another, except for the two zones previously mentioned. 2 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida October 9, 2002 Ms. Williams inquired how many Officers cover a zone and was informed that there is one Officer in each zone. There are, however, more Officers between Boynton Beach Boulevard and the C-16 Canal and Officers are rotated either every six months or yearly. The Code Office keeps statistics as follows: through August there have been 3,508 violation letters issued; 3,821 re-inspections; 3,412 complaints; and 412 actual Board cases. Ms. Williams inquired how the Code Office receives its complaints. Mr. Blasie responded that complaints are received in many ways, including call-in, write-in, and e-mail. Code Officers keep a log of the complaints that they receive on the read. Mr. Blasie pointed out that of all the violation letters that went out through August, only 412 resulted in an actual Board case, which is a little more than 10%. Most cases are resolved and never go before the Board. Mr. Blasie noted that they try to work with the violators so that they do not have to appear before the Board. Mr. Rodriguez inquired if complaints would also include construction code violations involving permits. Mr. Blasie responded that the Code Department is charged with ensuring that people have the proper permits and licenses. Mr. Rodriguez inquired what the turnaround was for responding to a complaint, and Mr. Blasie stated 24 hours. He also explained that the City has a Citizen's Action System that investigates and responds to a complaint within 72 hours. Mr. Blasie noted that his Department receives many anonymous complaints. A question was asked about the citations issued by the Code Officer identified as "Sunny" on the chart. Mr. Blasie explained that this Officer works for Public Works and focuses mainly on garbage enforcement, illegal dumping and other types of commercial enforcements. Mr. Blasie explained that Code Officers can also issue civil citations, which Code Officer Sunny utilizes a great deal. If a trash problem occurs and is not corrected, the Code Officer can issue a Civil Citation. In order to appeal a Citation, a person would have to go to Court, and although this is a civil infraction, a fine is involved. To date there have been 271 notices to correct, most of which are attributable to Code Officer Sunny. Mr. Blasie next reviewed the violations by case type that included community appearance, trash and debris, abandoned vehicles and other types of violations. He also noted that the City has a Community Redevelopment Division that assists people in fixing up their property who cannot afford to do so otherwise. Many violations also involve abandoned vehicles that do not run or are not registered. 3 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida October 9, 2002 Ms. Girtman pointed out that there is a problem with one house recently built on a very small lot in her neighborhood. This particular house has several cars that have to park on the street, making the street almost impassable. Mr. Blasie noted that this is a problem throughout the City. Mr. Blasie requested that Ms. Girtman furnish him or Mr. DeCarlo with the address and he would look into it. The presentation book also included the section on the Community Appearance Code. Ms. Girtman referred to her comment at the prior meeting regarding trash pickup. She asked who was responsible for picking up the trash and debris left on the ground after the trash truck picks up the trash. She felt that residents should be responsible for cleaning up their own trash and Mr. Blasie noted that Code Compliance is employing extra efforts in Ms. Girtman's neighborhood. With regard to the trash on the ground, Mr. Blasie felt that this was attributable to a transient problem and not homeowners. Vice Chair Noe pointed out that the discussion at the prior meeting concerned one member who felt that certain areas were being enforced more than others. Mr. Blasie confirmed that there are certain areas that require more enforcement. Mr. Blasie reviewed the Notice of Violation and Notice of Hearing that his Department utilizes. He pointed out that the notices encourage people to contact his office for assistance. Mr. Blasie also noted that the Code Compliance Board tries to work with people in helping them to come into compliance. Vice Chair Noe said that she also had safety questions regarding obstructed views on the roads, and Mr. Blasie responded that his Department is focusing on school routes for visual obstructions at intersections. Ms. Williams said that she had a complaint regarding the description of the violation itself. Mr. Blasie responded that the computer program that they utilize limits the description of the violations. Mr. Blasie explained that if a person receives a violation and is not certain why they are being cited, they should contact the Code Department for clarification and assistance. Vice Chair Noe thanked Mr. Blasie for his presentation. Dee Zibelli, a member of the Code Compliance Board, explained that the Code Compliance Board has three major guidelines that they use when considering a case. The first one is the gravity of the violation; the second is the effort of the violator to correct the violations; and third, is the person a habitual violator?. She pointed out that the Board concentrates most of its efforts on getting violations corrected rather than fining people. Vice Chair Noe passed the gavel back to Chairman Washam. 4 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida October 9, 2002 PATCH Activities Update Mr. DeCarlo reported that approximately 10 people attended the last PATCH meeting and there are some new Board members. He pointed out that the County is no longer supporting the PATCH Programs financially. PATCH did receive a $50,000 grant, and Sister Lorraine Ryan is the new liaison to the County, replacing Mr. DeCarlo. PATCH is working with the St. John CDC in the Wilson Center and will be dealing with health needs in the community. Vice Chair Noe stated that she had a group called Angels Three perform at the Youth Fair and she would like to present them with a Certificate of Appreciation for volunteering their time. Mr. DeCarlo had heard that the group was very well received and appreciated their participation. Mr. DeCarlo will follow through on this. Motion Ms. Williams moved to present a Certificate of Appreciation to Angels Three from the City. Motion seconded by Ms. Girtman and unanimously carried. Other Chairman Washam welcomed the new Board Members, Howard Solomon and Sally Dye. Mr. Solomon stated that he has lived in the City since 1991 and is a realtor, and co-captain of the COP Program in the Meadows/Boynton Lakes area. Ms. Sally Dye has lived in Boynton Beach for 16 years. Her husband had been one of the first Ministers at the Congregational Church. She had participated, along with Mr. Solomon, in the City Services Institute and looked forward to attending many of the events offered throughout the City. Chairman Washam explained the purposes and responsibilities that the Board is charged with. He pointed out that Ms. Girtman was the first Chairperson of the Board in 1972. The Board is comprised of a cross-section of citizens that advises the City Commission as needed on community-oriented issues. Chairman Washam reminded members that the Holidays are coming up and there are many people that will be going without during this time of year. This Board has traditionally volunteered and participated in many endeavors to assist people in making their Holidays better. Mr. Solomon stated that he is a member of the Boynton Beach/Lantana Rotary that meets every Thursday for lunch at the Holiday Inn Catalina at 12 noon and everyone is welcomed. The Rotary does a lot of things for people in need during this time of year. Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida October 9, 2002 VIII. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting properly adjourned at 8:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Barbara M. Madden Recording Secretary (one tape) (October 14, 2002) 6