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Minutes 07-09-03MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD MEETING HELD 1N COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2003 AT 7:00 P.M. Present Ron Washam, Chairperson Anna Marie Noe, Vice Chair Anne Centi Blanche Girtman Jayne Kupperman Eddie Mitchell Jose Rodriguez Howard Solomon Brenda Williams Sarah Dye, Alternate (participated but did not vote) Dan DeCarlo, Neighborhood Specialist Pledge of Allegiance Chair Washam called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Ms. Blanche Girtman led members in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Roll Call The Recording Secretary called the roll and determined that the entire Board was present. III. Recognition of Visitors Chair Washam recognized the presence of Ms. Sarah Dye, Alternate member of the Board. He expressed appreciation for Ms. Dye's faithful attendance. He also recognized Mr. Brian Edwards and Sr. Lorraine Ryan, members of the PATCH organization. IV. Approval of the 3une 11, 2003 Minutes Ms. Kupperman noted that the minutes were correct but that there had been a change in the date for the opening of the TV station, which will now open in September. The delay is due to the finding of asbestos in the building, which must be removed before the building can be used. Motion Mr. Solomon moved to approve the June 11, 2003 minutes as amended. seconded the motion that carried unanimously. Ms. Girtman Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, FI6rida 3uly 9, 2003 V. Agenda Approval, July 9, 2003 Vice Chair Noe moved to approve the agenda as presented, seconded by Ms. Girtman and carried unanimously. VI. Correspondence and Announcements Ms. Williams announced that there would be a fund-raising golf event to benefit the R.M. Lee Community Development Center for ladies and men at the Cypress Creek Golf Course on .luly 19 at 1:00 p.m. The entry fee is $65 per person. Ms. Kupperman reported that the Great Grownup Spelling Bee was looking for corporate team sponsorships of $700, in support of adult literacy in Palm Beach County. The team from the local school district could use support. Call 800-273-1030 for more information. Ms. Centi urged all interested members to attend the Sister Cities Committee meetings held on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the offices of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. DeCarlo mentioned that this organization had recently incorporated with the State of Florida and had obtained 501(C) 3 status with the Internal Revenue Service as well. The organization is also affiliated with the Sister Cities International organization. The primary effort at the moment is planning for a booth at the Exposition at the Boynton Beach Mall on August 22 and 23. VII. Old Business PATCH Update - Sr. Lorraine Ryan and Hr. Brian Edward~ Mr. Edwards distributed brochures of the Boynton Beach PATCH organization to all present. Sr. Lorraine Ryan, Secretary of the Palm Beach County PATCH, gave a brief history of the PATCH organization in Boynton Beach. She mentioned that the Advisory Council of the PATCH organization hoped to network the eight different PATCH organizations and obtain funds that would support them but that so far, this had not occurred. The goal of the organization is to assess the community health needs in an area and match those needs with the resources that are available. The community needs that have been expressed in Boynton Beach are: 1) immunizations, 2) HIV/Aids testing/information, 3) classes in parenting skills, 4) dental services, 5) teen pregnancy program, and 6) a reduction in drug and crime in the community. They wanted a health clinic in Boynton Beach that was convenient to the bus line. 2 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida .luly 9, 2003 The community resources that have been brought to bear on these expressed needs follow. Mammogram testing has been provided through the Boca Raton Community Hospital on a quarterly basis and is extremely popular with the residents. The Delray Beach Health Department, United Deliverance (a church-based group), and CAP Kidcare have all provided some much-needed HIV/Aids testing to the Boynton Beach community. Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies have offered education and information to many individuals. Sr. Ryan's own organization, the Women's Circle, provides information and support to the women in the community in concert with the area churches. The Wilson Center, the Civic Center, the Hester Center, the R.M. Lee Community Development Corporation (CDC), and the Treasure Chest Child Care Center have provided invaluable, ongoing assistance too. When PATCH began its Free Wellness Center, Ms. Angela Girtman and Ms. Blanche Girtman kindly allowed the use of their facility, a very family-friendly venue. On the last Saturday of every month the Free Wellness Center hosts classes and discussions on a variety of acute or chronic illnesses such as HIV/Aids, teen pregnancy, drugs, TB, diabetes, stroke prevention, and hypertension. They also offer training for Neighborhood Health Promoters (NHP), a program where people learn to screen for diabetes risk and hypertension. They take this training into their neighborhoods and come back to the Free Wellness Center to report their progress on a monthly basis. The Palm Beach County Childhood Immunization Coalition has hosted much-needed immunization programs in Boynton Beach that have been very popular. Sr. Ryan expressed her heartfelt gratitude to numerous people for their generous assistance and time including but not limited to Brian Edwards, Ellen Davis, Mara Morales, Beth Lerner, and Angela Girtman. Sr. Ryan hopes to be able to have the Free Wellness Center activity on every Saturday in a fixed location, staffed with a nurse practitioner and a back-up physician. The medical component would mean that they could actually provide some curative care to supplement the current focus on health promotion and preventative measures. One day, the PATCH organization hopes to have an actual clinic, modeled after the Caridad Clinic in greater west Boynton Beach. Chair Washam expressed admiration for Sr. Ryan's passionate support of the PATCH organization and its aims and appreciation for all they had done for the community. He recalled the role of the Community Relations Board in bringing PATCH into existence and stated that the Board still monitored PATCH activities with great interest. He requested that an acknowledgment be given to the CRB in the PATCH brochure. Ms. Girtman also asked that her name be included on the Board of Directors, since she had been a moving force for this effort since 1973. Sr. Ryan invited Ms. Girtman to attend the Committee meetings and be an active member of the organization, acknowledging and thanking her for all that she had done in the past as well. 3 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida 3uly 9, 2003 Brian Edwards, 629 N.E. 9m Avenue, Boynton Beach, stated that he would see that an acknowledgment was given to the CRB in the brochure. He recognized and appreciated the fact that the CRB was the agent of change that brought the PATCH organization into existence in Boynton Beach. He thanked them for that and for its continued support. He noted that while much had been done, many needs were still unmet such as increased safety, increased police protection, prostate cancer screening, and various other health and human service needs. Volunteers are still needed in all areas. He solicited the assistance of the Board in keeping the City Commission aware of the ongoing community health needs. The PATCH organization would also appreciate the hands-on support of the City Commission when sitting down with Bethesda Hospital and various grant writers and fund sources as they seek to obtain resources for the program. Ms. Williams asked Sr. Ryan about the participation in the various programs and whether they were serving mostly Boynton Beach residents or others. Sr. Ryan responded that they do track this and that the majority of those being served are Boynton Beach residents. Dan DeCarlo, Neighborhood Specialist and Board Liaison, reported on the bond issue approved by the City Commission that will allow construction of a new Wilson Center. The new Center could be that permanent home for the Free Wellness Center and other possible health-related services. He advised of a meeting being held for the stakeholders at 7:00 p.m. on July 14 at the Boynton Hills Church of God and Christ, south of Sara Sims Park at the corner of 2nd Street and 8th Avenue. The neighborhood input given at this meeting will help to direct what facilities will be available in the new Wilson Center and he encouraged all interested Board members to attend. Mr. DeCarlo hoped that representatives of the neighborhood, PATCH, and the Community Relations Board could serve as an advisory committee to the City during the planning and construction of the new Wilson Center. Ms. Kupperman stated that as a temporary measure, the Free Wellness Center might wish to share space at the New Survivors' School on Gateway Boulevard. Ms. Kupperman is involved in a community outreach program serving Haitian and Cuban refugees that will be leasing space at this school on weekday afternoons. She felt that bringing this kind of awareness to the group being served would fit in with the grant under which the outreach program is being operated. Sr. Ryan was interested to hear of this opportunity and Ms. Kupperman will contact Mr. DeCarlo about it. VIII. New Business A. Neighborhood Meeting to Discuss Future of New Wilson Center This topic was already covered earlier in the meeting. 4 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, FIc~rida 3uly 9, 2003 B. September CRB Meeting Location Motion Mr. Solomon moved to have the September CRB meeting on September 10, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. at the Ezell Hester Center, seconded by Ms. Girtman and unanimously carried. ~[X. Public Audience Brian Edwards addressed the CRB on three issues currently impacting the community: 1) the potential loss of the South Technical Community High School, 2), possible loss of the HeadStart program, and 3) possible loss of the Kids Care program. South Tech Mr. Edwards encouraged the Board to support the retention of South Tech. He reported on his attendance at the School Board meeting where Mayor Broening read a Resolution from the City Commission asking the School Board to allow South Tech to remain in Boynton Beach. He wholeheartedly agreed with the Resolution and asked the CRB to support it. The Board asked Mr. DeCarlo to write a letter to the City Commission endorsing this Resolution. HeadStart & Kids Care Programs Mr. Edwards wanted the Board to be aware that the HeadStart program was being discussed at the national level and that President Bush wanted to turn over the running of the program to the states. In light of the budget constraints that have trickled down from the national level to the states and cities, he expressed concern about what it would mean for Boynton Beach if this program were to be reduced or eliminated. If it were to be eliminated, a lot of people that use HeadStart do not have any money for any other options that might be available. He praised the Kids Care program as one that was loved by all and served a great purpose. He thought that letters to Congress and the President might be in order. Mr. Edwards thanked the Board for their attention to these matters and for the opportunity to speak. Vice Chair Noe stated that the Boynton Beach HeadStart program reaches out to the community with Thanksgiving Dinners and Holiday Parties and that to lose it would be devastating for the community. Chair Washam agreed, saying that the local HeadStart program had been an award winning one and that the City needed to fight for it. Meeting Minutes Community Relati0,ns Board Boynton Beach, Florida 3uly 9, 2003 The Kids Care program is also in danger of loss due to budget cutting from the national level on down through the cities. Ms. Girtman mentioned the effect the No Child Left Behind legislation had on all daycare centers and felt that taking the four-year old children out of daycare centers and putting them in the public schools was a big mistake. There are some very poor people who have those four-year olds. The government will not let them have their children in any childcare center if they do not have a job. This has created a hardship on the people who do not have skills and cannot find a job. Notion Vice Chair Noe moved to advise the City Commission to adopt a Resolution in support of HeadStart, Kids Care, and other programs affecting children. These programs are in potential jeopardy as a result of b~,dget cuts and proposals made at the national level. Ms. Kupperman seconded the mc that carried unanimously. X. Adjournment Since there was no further business before the Board, the meeting was duly adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Susan Collins Recording Secretary (071403) 6