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Minutes 02-07-01MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD MEETING HELD IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2001 AT 7:00 P.M. Present Ron Washam, Chairman Beth Miller, Vice Chairperson Anne Centi Joy Currier Blanche Girtman Hansome Jones David Katz Eddie Mitchell Absent Brenda Lee Williams Dan DeCarlo, Neighborhood Specialist I. OPENING, Pledge of Allegiance Chairman Washam called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was led by Anne Centi 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. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS AGENDA APPROVAL III. None IV. Hansome Jones stated that the manager from the new Lowe's store had agreed to come to meet the Board. He was interested in pursuing some kind of partnership with the Board and Chairman Washam included this under Section VIII. New Business (B). Motion Ms. Girtman moved to accept the agenda as amended. David Katz seconded the motion that carried unanimously. V. MINUTES APPROVAL (a) January 3, 2001 Board Meeting Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida February 7, 2001 There were no corrections, additions or changes to the January 3, 2001 minutes. Motion David Katz made a motion to approve the minutes as written. Anne Centi seconded the motion that carried unanimously. VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS David Katz said he had come to the meeting out of respect for the Board but that there was a Candidates Forum at Sterling Village for the upcoming election and he wanted the minutes to reflect his presence. He had to leave for the Candidates Forum and Chairman Washam excused Mr. Katz. Chairman Washam announced that Brenda Williams's father, Reverend Lee, had passed away and extended the sympathy of the Board to Ms. Williams and the entire family. Chairman Washam asked that everyone keep the Lee family in their hearts and prayers at this difficult time. He said that Reverend Lee had made a real difference m the social structure of this previously very segregated area. Joy Currier stated that she had a card for everyone to sign. Food was also being taken to the family and she stated that anyone who wished to contribute should see her. Joy Currier mentioned that everyone she had talked to about the PATCH program was very enthusiastic about the group and she thought the Board had put together a wonderful group. Blanche Girtman said that Dan DeCarlo was looking for people to participate in the next Community Garden and that anyone wanted to be a part of it, they should let him know. VII. OLD BUSINESS A. Community Garden Update Dan DeCarlo said that the site at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (MLK) and Seacrest was complete except for a garden shed. There were four other sites they were getting ready to start and the MLK site was to be the central storage location for garden equipment for all the gardens. Mr. DeCarlo's plan was to have the MLK and Seacrest garden be a focal point for lots of planned activities including an Art in the City program and a Farmer's Market on a Saturday sometime. He remarked that on Ocean Avenue they had a Freedom Trail sign with different activities in the community and he wanted to see something like that at the MLK and Seacrest garden site. He said it would be a great way to get the ministerial alliance to post their activities and that people would stop by to see what was on the calendar. Vice Chair Miller asked if the Chamber could possibly pay for this? Mr. DeCarlo said he would try but if not, he had some grant money. Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida February 7, 2001 The following summarizes planned community garden or beautification type improvements: Seacrest Boulevard and 6th Street across from the Treasure Chest. Site will be a duplicate of the one at MLK and Seacrest. Landscaping had been started at Boynton Terrace. EZ Mart Food Store will have a lot that will focus on fruit trees and Other items that would be grown in the Caribbean. A garden is planned for the Haitian community that will focus on the plants of Haiti. Forest Park School will have a plot with the help of the Aftercare Program. Village Royale on the Green is the site of another planned lot. VRG plans to "adopt" the site after it is complete and help maintain it. Mr. DeCarlo reported on plans to expand the Neighborhood Assistance Program, under which the City gave up to $5,000 in matching funds to neighborhoods and churches in the community to assist with landscaping and general appearance issues. Wilfred Hawkins had been working with Mr. DeCado on the legalities involved in this project. Jacksonville and other communities were doing the same thing. Mr. DeCarlo expressed appreciation for the help of the Community Relations Board and spoke of receiving many positive comments about the Board and the garden project. He asked the Board members to keep an eye out for potential sites, even if on private property. Any site could be leased by the County for $1.00 a year and potentially have a community garden on it. Mr. Jones asked Mr. DeCarlo to explain the County's leasing plan for the gardens. Mr. DeCarlo stated that the County leased pieces of property for $1.00 and the City took care of all the improvements including bringing water to the sites and so forth. The City was trying to limit the County's expenditure to $1,000 per site and by doing so they could do five community gardens. Ms. Girtman added that the lease was breakable on the part of the landowner in case of death, sale of property, or a decision to improve the property and that the property did not become the property of the County. She expressed that working with Mr. DeCarlo on the lease covering her property had worked out well. Mr. DeCarlo said that the improvements were put in place with the understanding that they could be moved if the need arose. Ms. Girtman stressed that no one had to pay any water bill if they decided to lease their property to the County for one of the gardens. Mr. DeCarlo thought that the community garden project had been a great success and that it had really helped to get people thinking about not littering and have some appreciation for their surroundings. He also hoped that these community improvement 3 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida February 7, 2001 projects would secure the support of the new County Commissioner, Addie Green, for improvements to the median on Seacrest Boulevard. B. January Neighborhood Summit Mr. DeCarlo reported on the January Neighborhood Summit meeting which had focused on the need for traffic calming measures and looking at areas that might want to do speed humps to slow the traffic. One of the messages was that there was a lot more to slowing down traffic than just going out and putting in speed humps. Another problem in the neighborhoods was cutting through by persons not living in the neighborhood. Chairman Washam asked for an explanation of the difference between a speed bump and a speed hump. Mr. DeCarlo stated that the difference was that the speed bump was a little half-circle and a speed hump was much wider, angled up and fiat on top. The speed bumps were a serious problem for emergency vehicles C. MLK Sponsored Art in the City Program Mr. DeCarlo referred to an article in the Sun Sentinel about this program. He said it was being done in four after-care programs in the City: the Art Center, the Ezell Hester Center, Poinciana, and Treasure Chest. Artwork will be displayed at various locations in the City and a coloring book with children's artwork will be done for later distribution. It will focus on Boynton Beach, the community, and Martin Luther King, the source of the funding. NEW BUSINESS A. PATCH Mr. DeCarlo showed the Board a banner that had been made for the PATCH program. The PATCH Committee had met twice with a very good turnout and discussion. One of the current goals was to raise community awareness of PATCH, its vision and goals. The PATCH Committee invited the Community Relations Board to share a booth at GALA and at Black Awareness Day, February 24 and Mr. DeCarlo encouraged the Board to consider combining forces with PATCH for these two events. Several agencies will be providing information for the booth pertaining to youth programs, inoculation programs and so forth. The booth was to be manned by the Community Relations Board, PATCH, and various people in the health community from Palm Beach County, the Health Care District and related programs. Mr. DeCarlo believed that with the two groups combined, manning the booth would be easier than in the past. Ms. Girtman asked if they were going to have information about PATCH that could be given out to the public? Mr. DeCarlo said yes. He said there was a meeting on February 13 in Pleasant City and he and Ms. Girtman would be attending. Both events would be discussed. They were trying to get the immunization van for the GALA, even if for a short time on Saturday afternoon. Vice Chair Miller asked if an extra meeting had been set up for February 177 Mr. DeCarlo said that they had been trying to set something up on the 17th in conjunction 4 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida February 7, 2001 with CDC's Love Fest, because they had wanted to have something for all three events: GALA, Black Awareness, and CDC. However, it was too much to do by that date so they decided to focus on the Black Awareness Day on February 24. Vice Chair's Miller's concern was for the manning of the booth on the 24th and Mr. DeCarlo said he would try to get a notice out to everyone as a reminder and ask those interested in manning the booth to contact him for the particulars as to the time on February 24. The Board asked if Ocean Avenue would be completed for GALA? Mr. DeCarlo understood that it might be finished. He also said it was his understanding that GALA would be in two sections. All the artwork would be to the east of the railroad tracks to Federal Highway. From that point to Seacrest would be the carnival and all the other activities. There were a lot of complaints from the art community last year that there was no way for them to focus on their activities. B. Manager from Lowe's Home Center Mr. Jones had arranged for the manager of Lowe's Home Center to speak to the Board. He was unable to attend, but Chairman Washam stated he was welcome to come to talk to the Board in the future. VIII. OTHER Ms. Girtman spoke on the Black Awareness activities, outlining the times and places of the major events. A copy of the complete schedule is attached to the original set of minutes in the City Clerk's office. February 10 12:00 p.m. Mildred Walker Youth Recognition Luncheon Benvenuto Restaurant February 11 Gospel-o-Rama Boynton Beach Civic Center 3:00 p.m. February 16 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. & February 17, 10:00 a.m.--4:00 p.m. Celebrating African-American Heritage, Culture and Accomplishments" Student Contest Boynton Beach Mall (Eddie Mitchell will be there 2/16/01 from 7 -9 p.m.) February 17 Student Science Display Boynton Beach Mall 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. February 17 Faith-Based CDC Festival Wilson Park 1:00 - 6:00 p.m. February 18 Coronation Court Boynton Beach Civic Center 3:00 p.m. 5 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida February 7, 2001 February 24 11:00 a.m. Black Awareness Day Parade Seacrest Boulevard from M.L.K. Boulevard to the Hester Community Center Ms. Girtman said the events should all be interesting and quite good. Chairman Washam urged everyone to participate fully in any and all of the Black Awareness and GALA activities. Chairman Washam said that at next month's meeting a date needed to be set for Youth and Government Day in April and that the work with the schools would have to begin in order to get as many students as possible to participate. Ms. Currier said the students were calling already. Mr. DeCarlo reminded the Board that all interested students needed to get on the student participation list with the Coordinator for their school. If they did not know their Coordinator, they could contact Mr. DeCarlo. Chairman Washam urged the Board to participate in the municipal and county elections in March. Ms. Currier praised Mr. DeCarlo for his wonderful Chinese New Year's event. He said more than 800 people had turned out and that it had been quite successful. Ms. Currier extended thanks to everyone for the get-well wishes she had received on behalf of her mother, who was much better now. Mr. Mitchell asked if anyone had mentioned that the mascot for the new high school would be called the Tigers? Chairman Washam said that speaking on behalf of Mr. Mitchell and himself, that 'would be very appropriate as they were Tigers together many years ago. Ms. Currier said the Board should invite Dr. Cornell, Principal of the new high school, to come speak to the Board. Anne Centi said that WPBT, the public broadcasting company, had a documentary on Ralph Bunche, the head of the United Nations, and that it was an excellent film. She said a videotape of it should be obtained from WPBT and shown at the Civic Center. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, March 7, 2001. Ms. Currier reminded everyone that she would be signing their names on a card she had purchased for the Lee family. IX. ADJOURNMENT The next meeting will be March 7, 2001. The meeting was duly adjourned at 7:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Recording Secretary (one tape) 6