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Minutes 10-11-00MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD MEETING HELD IN CONFERENCE ROOM IN LIBRARY, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2000 AT 6:45 P.M. PRESENT ALSO PRESENT David Carter Anne Centi Joy Currier Beth Miller, Vice Chairperson Eddie Mitchell Brett Sherman Ron Washam, Chairperson Brenda Williams David Katz, Alternate Dan DeCarlo, Neighborhood Specialist ABSENT Blanche Girtman Hansome Jones, Alternate I. OPENING Chairman Washam welcomed everyone to the meeting. II. ROLL CALL The secretary called the roll and Chairman Washam declared that a quorum was present. III. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS Chairman Washam welcomed Tim Androsek, a potential new member of the Community Relations Board. Mr. Androsek is a systems 'administrator for MDS America and does technical support staff for broadcast TV. He wanted to become familiar with the Board. IV. AGENDA APPROVAL. Mr. DeCarlo stated that he wished to add to the agenda a discussion about the minutes of the August 23, 2000 meeting on the Martin Luther King Street Renaming. Mr. DeCarlo stated that several of the Board members had wanted their speeches from the meeting recorded in their entirety and be passed on to the City Commission. Mr. DeCarlo consulted with the City Clerk's Office and was informed that the only way this could be addressed would be for the Board to amend their minutes tonight. Vice Chair Miller said that the majority of the board wanted to see the minutes of what was said at the meeting presented in its entirety to the City Commission. Chairman Washam noted Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida 10/11/00 that all this had been discussed previously. Chairman Washam said that the reason he did not endorse it was because it had reached a favorable conclusion, one that everyone acce pred. Vice Chair Miller said there had been some very poignant issues brought up. Chairman Washam said that was on the tapes and that he knew for a fact that the Commissioners did listen to the tapes and especially this meeting, which was a hot issue. Mr. Katz commented that the idea of having verbatim minutes was almost absurd. The only time they were ever requested when he was on the Commission was when there was a lawsuit. He said the Commissioners are able to request a tape of any meeting from the City Clerk's office. Vice Chair Miller said that the street renaming issue was a hot topic and it was left that evening that INCA backed down and so it became a dead issue. But, she said, It was left open because the lawyer was going to proceed with the name change. Chairman Washam said they had backed down. Vice Chair Miller said, "For now". Chairman Washam said if they wanted to have a consensus to do that they could send that back. Vice Chair Miller said it was only one meeting. Chairman Washam said he needed a consensus on that. Chairman Washam reminded the members of a letter all the Boards had received from the City Clerk's office a few years ago which stated that the Boards would not be receiving verbatim minutes and that editing was done at the discretion of the Clerk's office. He said he stands by that letter. Since the City Commission and City Manager have suggested that the Board take the lead in such hot issues as street renaming and the health care center, Vice Chair Miller felt it would be beneficial to have more detailed minutes. Mr. Katz mentioned the first PATCH meeting that he had attended as an alternate. He asked a couple of questions and his questions were not recorded in those minutes. Chairman Washam said that the Community Relations Board could have amended those minutes. Mr. Katz requested that future meeting minutes identify the speakers and acknowledge questions and responses. Chairman Washam expressed understanding for Mr. Katz' remarks. He agreed that they should not be missing what people say and certainly not have a visitor or somebody else's words not reflected. He felt the less work it took for staffers the better and that most of the Board got its points across very eloquently and without reflection on the minutes. Motion Ms. Centi made a motion to approve the agenda as written. Vice Chair Miller seconded the motion that carried unanimously. V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1) August 23, 2000 Street Renaming Forum Minutes Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida 10/11/00 Motion Vice Chair Miller made a motion that the Board approach Mr. Bressner's office and have more detailed minutes. The motion died for lack of a second. Motion Ms. Currier made a motion to approve the minutes of the August 23, 2000 Street Renaming Forum. Mr. Sherman seconded the motion that carried unanimously. 2) August 30, 2000 Meeting Minutes Motion Vice Chair Miller made a motion to approve the minutes of the August 30, 2000 meeting. Ms. Currier seconded the motion that carried unanimously. VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Ms. Currier said that the person who did the face painting at the Multi-Cultural Festival had not received a thank-you letter. Chairman Washam said it was approved last month and no one seemed to know where the letter went. Mr. DeCarlo offered to follow up on it. Mr. Sherman commented on the importance of people being recognized for the work that they do. Vice Chair Miller announced that on October 28, the Dick Webber Center for Child Abuse Prevention would be holding their annual masquerade, casino night, and auction and that it was $75.00 a ticket at Catalina Center Holiday Inn. For $75.00 you get $25.00 in gambling chits, dinner, dancing, live and silent auctions, prizes for best costume. Vice Chair Miller also announced that on November 19 there would be a food drive to benefit the Dick Webber Center for Child Abuse Prevention. Participants are to meet in the parking lot at 2311 10th Avenue, Lake Worth Spectrum Center (just west of 1-95) at 10:30 a.m. for Continental Breakfast. At 11:30 a.m. promptly, the Sheriff's Department will be escorting us as we accompany the Food Truck (which we will have decorated to say Food Drive) in a slow motion motorcycle/car calvacade to E-Z Rider Cafb. The party starts at noon at E-Z Rider Cafb and there will be bands, food, 50-50, and beer specials. She asked that participants bring non-perishable food items and/or gift certificates and that everyone was welcome to attend. .. Chairman Washam reported that the Artificial Reef program was successfully executed in Lantana and they appreciated all the students from our area participating in the games and activities of the day. We have a new artificial reef that is the first one inside the Intracoastal waterway. Meeting Minutes - Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida 10/11/00 o Ms. Currier spoke of the gardens that had been prepared for vegetable and flower growing on the northeast corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Seacrest Boulevard. She mentioned the participation of the children from Peace Jam, Sister Lorraine Ryan's group, and Angela Girtman. Dan DeCarlo was also heavily involved in the preparation of the garden plots. Mr. DeCarlo said that they prepared 15 plots and that they were all sold. He said they would be bUilding three more on Saturday. Chairman Washam mentioned that if any of the members spoke about the project in the community that they should present it as a very positiVe thing, in spite of any negative comments that may appear. Ms. Currier said that it would be an ongoing thing and that her group had signed on for a year to do projects for the City, and offered to come for two years if that was required. Mr. DeCarlo said the corner would be landscaped and some water would be brought in. He stated he was using some of his Martin Luther King, Jr. money to dress it up a little. All the property owners are involved and he believed it was a good first step. VII. OLD BUSINESS None VIII. NEW BUSINESS A. PATCH Follow-Up Chairman Washam asked for opinions from the board on the PATCH presentation held prior to the regular board meeting. Vice Chair Miller stated that the board should get the ball rolling while everyone was still enthusiastic about the issue. Chairman Washam reminded the Board that everything that had been presented at the meeting had been at the Commission's request. The Commission wanted all the details on the project and we gave them a thorough update. He said that the next step would be to get it on the agenda. Mr. DeCarlo stated that, ultimately, if the board tried to put together a steering committee that wasn't under the auspices of the Commission, then politically speaking, we will not be where we want to be six months from now. He said that what had been done at the meeting was very important because the City Manager and the Mayor were 100% behind the project. They asked that the board make a recommendation to them that a steering committee be formed to do the PATCH. There was some frustration about the progress of the project and a need to identify just where the project stood at the present moment. Ms. Williams commented that it was a matter of protocol. Chairman Washam reiterated that it was being done step by step so that the ultimate success of the project would be assured. He said they were trying to break new ground and that they needed to stay together to push it forward. Ultimately, what was wanted was that the group of 12 to 14 people that had been nominated by the 4 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida 10/11/00 Board could start meeting with the staff and working with the government and us to make this project a reality. Chairman Washam said that it appeared that most of the Commission supported the project, along with the City Manager and the Assistant City Manager. Mr. DeCarlo said he would get it on the agenda as soon as possible. Chairman Washam stated that they would come up during the meeting and ask for the Commission's "blessing" on the project. Mr. DeCarlo suggested that the City Manager make it a part of his report. Vice Chair Miller asked how many of the people that had been asked to sit on the steering committee had been at the meeting? Of those that were not there, she asked if there had been any response from them positive or negative? Mr. DeCarlo said that they sent them the letter so they would know that it was going to be done. Some have Called and some have not. What we need to at this point is have a list of people that we will submit as part of what is going to the Commission. Mr. DeCarlo stated that he and his assistant needed to call all those people and find out whether they were still interested in serving on the committee. Based on his conversation with the City Manager that day, Mr. DeCarlo suggested that some slots should be left open. Additional names could always be added later when we have the Commission's "blessing". There are some other names that may be coming forth now that it has gotten to this point. Mr. Carter asked how many of the 13 they had selected actually showed up at tonight's meeting and Chairman Washam stated six or seven. Considering that we appointed them in June and have had little communication in the interim, this was a good showing. Mr. Clark stated that the one he had selected had left the meeting unclear as to her role and whether she was, in fact, part of the steering committee. He asked for clarification and requested distribution to the people on the committee. Mr. DeCarlo said he had the two-day training period and he did not believe that the committee members would understand their role until they had the same training. He also mentioned that the length of the training had been reduced from two days to a day and a half. Ms. Currier suggested bringing in a police officer and that Andy Rosenberg would be a good candidate. Vice Chair Miller said she knew that someone was suggested from Bethesda but did not recall if any name had been provided. Chairman Washam said that Bob Broadway's name was in that slot. Vice Chair Miller offered to contact him to determine his willingness .to serve. B. Youth Expo at Boynton Beach Mall, October 28 and 29 Chairman Washam stated that this date was out for his STARS people and he said that the board still needed to assist the Advisory Board on Children and Youth as much as possible. He thought it was important that the Community Relations Board have a table at the Youth Expo. He wanted to do some youth-oriented activity like face painting. Mr. Carter said he would ask the young lady who did face painting at the Multi Cultural Festival and would contact Chairman Washam with her response. He said he believed she would commit to one day, Saturday, October 28. Chairman Washam said that the board would take her out to dinner after the event. 5 Meeting Minutes -- Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, Florida 10/11/00 Chairman Washam stated he had been representing the Community Relations Board at the Expo meetings over the past three months. He said he did go out and talk to the Principals at six of the schools about having their students participate in the science and art projects. He invited the board to attend and assist if possible. C. 200'1 Multicultural Festival Mr. DeCarlo stated that the board would be putting on another festival in May or June of 2001 and it was going to be a much larger event. D. Christmas Parade The board discussed participation in the Christmas Parade to be held the first Sunday in December. Ms. Currier said she received something in the mail indicating that one must sign up to participate in the parade. Chairman Washam asked if the board wanted to participate. Vice Chair Miller said they were looking for recognition and suggested that the group could get Mardi Gras beads or key rings with Community Relations Board on them and toss them out to the crowd. Walking, riding, and riding motorcycles were mentioned. The board consensus seemed to be towards participation. Ms. Currier offered to move the application process forward. D. Thanksgiving Turkey Ms. Currier reported that more turkeys were needed for this year's dinner. They served 1000 people last year and this year expect 500 more. IX. NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be Wednesday, November 1,2000. X. ADJOURNMENT At 7:20 p.m. the meeting was duly adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Susan Collins Recording Secretary (one tape) 6