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Minutes 03-07-01MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD MEETING HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2001 AT 7:00 P.M. Present Ron Washam, Chairman Anne Centi Joy Currier Blanche Girtman Hansome Jones Eddie Mitchell Brenda Williams Dan DeCarlo, Neighborhood Specialist ABSENT Vice Chair Beth Miller David Katz OPENING, Pledge of Allegiance Chairman Washam called the meeting to order at 7:08 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was led by Hansome Jones and was followed by a moment of silent reflection. II. ROLL CALL - Regular Members and Alternates The Recording Secretary called the roll and declared that a quorum was present. III. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS Chairman Washam recognized the presence of Mr. Brian Edwards, from the PATCH Board of Directors, and thanked him for attending. He apPreciated Mr. Edwards' presence on the PATCH group and said he looked forward to a long and successful enterprise. Chairman Washam also recognized the presence of Doug Wokurka, Manager of the new Lowe's facility in Boynton Beach who briefly introduced the Lowe's organization to the Board. Chairman Washam extended the Board's appreciation for Mr. Wokurka's coming to speak to the Board and hoped that ways could be found to work cooperatively in the future. For the benefit of Mr. Wokurka, Chairman Washam described the duties and responsibilities of the Community Relations Board. He commented on the fact that the Board had been in existence since the early 1960s and that it was an Advisory Board to the City Commission of Boynton Beach on a broad range of topics throughout the Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida March 7, 2001 community. The Board bridges the gap between the City and the community in a variety of ways. It comes up with new projects, acts as a facilitator for the community, hosts forums and workshops, and sponsors many activities throughout the year. The Board strives to build partnerships with organizations such as Lowe's for matters of mutual benefit. Chairman Washam thanked Mr. Jones for bringing Mr. Wokurka in to speak to the Board. Doug Wokurka, Manager of Lowe's, Boynton Beach, Florida, spoke of the Lowe's organization. He stated that the philosophy at Lowe's was to build the community on a long-term basis. They try to make a 30-year commitment to a particular community. He not only wanted to draw business to his location but to participate in and contribute to the community to make it the best it could possibly be. He said Lowe's would like their employees and vendors to participate in community projects and asked to be notified of any projects in which they might make a contribution. He asked that such requests be submitted in writing to Lowe's in a timely manner, stating the project details and how it could benefit Lowe's as well as the community. They have to budget their time and expenses and advance notice was appreciated. They envisioned working with schools on community beautification projects, helping less fortunate individuals in the community, and similar projects. Mr. Jones introduced Mr. Wokurka to Dan DeCarlo who offered to send Mr. Wokurka a synopsis of the ongoing neighborhood project details for their review and possible participation. Mr. DeCarlo mentioned after school programs and community gardens as just two of many potential projects for Lowe's participation. Mr. Wokurka offered the use of their facility for community meetings in a room that had a capacity of 40 people. He also envisioned opportunities to show the citizens ways they could beautify their areas. Chairman Washam asked if Lowe's had any national programs? Mr. Wokurka stated that they were involved with United Way and hurricane preparedness. They had a program called "Lowe's Heroes", which was a nationwide program in existence since 1992 that sought ways to make a difference in community programs and projects. Chairman Washam stated that assistance with hurricane preparedness for certain people who would need help with it would be an excellent area in which Lowe's might wish to participate. Mr. Wokurka said they would need that in a written form and that they would have to be fair and consistent in the selection process. Chairman Washam thought that even a hurricane preparedness seminar would be helpful. Mr. Wokurka had done that in Broward County and wanted to do it here. Ms. Centi said she was working with two women's associations and AARP at Leisureville and they were making 633 homework boxes. She said she would give the information to Mr. DeCarlo. Chairman Washam asked Mr. Wokurka to keep in contact with the Board through Mr. DeCarlo's office and Mr. Jones, who would be liaisons between the Board and Lowe's. Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida March 7, 2001 IV. AGENDA APPROVAL There were no additions, deletions, or changes to the agenda. Motion Ms. Girtman made a motion to approve the agenda as written. Ms. Williams seconded the motion that carried unanimously. V. MINUTES APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 7, 200'1 BOARD MEETING Motion Ms Centi moved to approve the minutes as written. Ms. Currier seconded the motion that carried unanimously. VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Ms. Brenda Williams read a thank you card from the Lee family, thanking the Board for their card on the recent death of Reverend Lee, with a special thank you to Anne Centi who had sent a personal card. Chairman Washam said that mere words could never explain what the Lee family meant to this community. He said that their loss had been a loss for the Community Relations Board members and the City also. He said that Reverend Lee had left some big shoes to fill. Ms. Blanche Girtman invited the members of the Community Relations Board and friends to the Annual Women's Conference of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority on Saturday, March 31, 2001 at the Holiday Inn Express from 11:00 to 2:00 p.m. Ms. Girtman asked for assistance from the Board members to promote the project. This event was their chapter's way of raising funds for their scholarship drive. VII. OLD BUSINESS A. Community Garden Update Mr. DeCarlo reported that they had begun work on the garden on the corner of 6~ and Seacrest across from the Treasure Chest. On Saturday they will build raised beds, which will be similar in look and landscaping to the one on the corner of Seacrest and Martin L. King, Jr. Blvd. Another one will be going in between the Johnson Farm Store and EZ Mart and one more just south of Poinciana. Regular workdays are on Saturday for this project. B. Black Awareness Mr. DeCarlo conveyed that the Community Relations Board and PATCH had a booth at the Black Awareness Day Celebration on February 24. Several different people during the day manned the booth. They had also participated along with PATCH at the Love Fest put on by the Community Development Corporation on February 17. Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida March 7, 2001 C. PATCH Update Mr. DeCarlo reported that the PATCH organization was doing very well. They had some very good meetings and were in the process of putting together a nice packet for all members of the PATCH committee for background and projects. There were two events beyond GALA that were coming up: 1) Health Fair April 28 at Civic Center 2) Immunization Van, scheduled through and sponsored by the PATCH Committee, for a date in July and another date in August. One will be at the Civic Center and the other at the Wilson Center. Mr. DeCarlo thought this item was a tremendous recognition of the efforts of the Community Relations Board and the PATCH Committee. Ms. Currier wished to go on record about a certain element of the City complaining about the community garden on Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard and Seacrest not deterring drug dealers. She did not know that was why they put it there. They put it there for vegetables and flowers. VIII. NEW BUSINESS A. GALA Mr. DeCarlo stated that the Community Relations Board booth would be inside the Children's Museum on the second floor. They would be sharing their booth with the PATCH Committee for the three-day event, March 16, 17, and 18. The two groups are combining to help in manning the booth. Mr. DeCarlo asked persons interested in helping man the booth to contact him. Chairman Washam stated he would do the booth on Friday. Ms. Currier and Ms. Girtman said they would do the booth on Saturday. Mr. DeCarlo said he would have Shanna call everyone and firm up the schedule for the booth. B. Sister Cities International Mr. DeCarlo reported that the group had decided to join a Sister City program with a city in China. A Friendship Park is being built near WXEL on South Congress at the tennis center. WXEL will be involved with the design in cooperation with the City. The designers for the park will be here the last week in April. C. Youth in Government Day This had been scheduled for April 26 and the schools that were interested had been contacted. They were in the process of sending out the names of positions for students to fill. The luncheon will be at the Children's Museum like the previous year. 4 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida March 7, 2001 IX. Comments by Members Water Ms. Girtman discussed the water shortage. She referred to a trip she had taken through the water treatment plant in West Boynton and how educational it had been. She believed that it would be a wonderful trip for the citizens. She thought it should receive wider publicity. She said she took some children out who really enjoyed it but believed that many of the citizens had no idea about why Boynton's water was the most outstanding in the County. Ms. Girtman said the West Treatment Facility had a state-of- the-art operation compared to the entire State of Florida. Many people were coming in to look at it. Mr. DeCarlo stated that the water shortage could have a dramatic impact upon everyone. The water from the wells has been cut off and if the drought continued, several of the wells may dry up. The next stage of water restriction is only about two weeks away according to Mr. Sugerman, barring any rain in the interim. Ms. Girtman thought the City was doing a good job about the drought and how it was affecting the citizens but she said that a lot of people did not read the papers. The only thing they talk about is what they see on television. Mr. DeCarlo said that the Code Compliance Department was issuing tickets to people who violated the restrictions. Name on Martin L. King, Jr. Boulevard Mr. Eddie Mitchell referred back to when the Community Relations Board and the City Commission had agreed to retain the name of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. all the way to the Intracoastal. He observed a day or so before this meeting the City had placed new signs along N.E. 7th Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. The new signs say N.E. 7th Street and N.E. 10th Avenue. Mr. Mitchell contacted the City Manager and the Mayor about th~ product did not Public V~ which w, read. H, because finished made, themseN for takin~ Black Ms. Ann~ about ec, ,~ situation. The City Manager said he would go by there himself and see the or himself. He did and informed Mr. Mitchell at the Commission meeting that he now who put them there but he would get them taken down. Mr. Livergood, orks Director, called Mr. Mitchell and said they would be putting up new signs )uld say N.E. 10th Avenue/Martin Luther King Boulevard as the original sign .~ said it would take two or three more days before they could get them there they were making s gns for the GALA. As soon as the GALA signs were lhey would go right down there. His point was that whenever decisions are e Board should ride by whatever was supposed to be done and observe for es whether or not it had been done. Chairman Washam thanked Mr. Mitchell care of the situation. rareness Dinner ~ Centi spoke about the Black Awareness dinner and comments that were made )nomic power and economic empowerment. She thought this should be 5 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida March 7, 2001 followed through and said that her bank was a community bank. If anyone wanted to pursue it, they should let Ms. Centi know because she wanted to be a part of it. IX. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was duly adjourned at 7:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Susan Collins Recording Secretary (one tape) 6