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Minutes 11-28-05 MINUTES OF THE RECREATION & PARKS BOARD REGULAR MEETING HELD AT THE SENIOR CENTER, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28,2005 AT 6:30 P.M. Present: Betty Pierce-Roe, Chair William Orlove, Vice Chair Patti Hammer Pam Winters Janelle Sloan James McMahon, Alternate John McVey, Alternate Wally Majors, Recreation Director Absent: Betty Thomas Tom Williams I. Call to Order Chair Pierce-Roe called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. II. Attendance Chair Pierce-Roe called the roll and announced a quorum was present. III. Approval of Minutes of September 26,2005 Motion Mr. Orlove moved to accept the minutes of September 26, 2005. Ms. Winters seconded the motion that passed unanimously. IV. New Business A. Nomination for Naming of Intracoastal Park Clubhouse Former Board member Dan Winters sent a letter of nomination to Mr. Majors, recommending the Clubhouse at Intracoastal Park be named after Chair Pierce-Roe. The Board had already received a nomination from Ms. Lena Rahming requesting that the Clubhouse be named after a former Mayor, Mr. Sam Wright. Several Board members expressed feelings of support for the nomination of Chair Pierce-Roe, noting her tireless efforts to bring this project into existence. Many felt that INCA would very likely offer their support to Chair Pierce-Roe. Meeting Minutes Recreation & Park Board Boynton Beach, Florida November 28, 2005 It was determined that more information was needed in order for the Board to make a recommendation to the City Commission, so the Board members will speak to contacts in the community to determine the level of public support for the nominations before it. This item will be put on the agenda for the next meeting. Mr. Majors explained the project was "on the City's radar," but there would not be any groundbreaking any time soon. The City had a limited amount of revenue streams available for over fifty capital improvement projects in the Capital Improvement Plan. One of the significant challenges before the City was to repair the facilities at the beach, which suffered heavy damage during Hurricane Wilma. B. Hurricane Wilma Damage Summary Mr. Majors detailed the damage sustained by the City's parks during Hurricane Wilma. Little League Park was especially hard hit, losing three 85-foot light poles and at least two sets of bleachers. The fencing was extensively damaged as well. The building containing the press box and snack bar has been condemned by the Building Department. All three Lifeguard stands at the beach were destroyed, and Lifeguards were now using temporary stands. Structural damage occurred to roofs, pavilions, and the boardwalk. All but two of the lights in Oceanfront Park were lost also. Boat Club Park had extensive tree damage as well as minor damage to the restroom, bait shop and clubhouse. There was extensive tree damage at Boynton Beach Memorial Park Cemetery. Some cosmetic damage occurred to the rear exterior of the mausoleum, but it was quickly fixed. The Tennis Center suffered significant damage. A portion of the new and old fencing was damaged. Several light poles and fixtures need to be repaired. A little over half of the courts were playable at present and new lights were being installed. The only park still closed was Jaycee Park, which suffered extensive damage to its trees. Many other parks had a lot of tree damage and landscape debris. Fire Station #1 lost its roof; Fire Stations #2 and #3 had roof damage; and the Utilities building suffered damage. Fire Station #5 will have to be hardened to withstand stronger storms. The new fire station was not affected at all, since it had been designed according to the Miami-Dade Code, as are many new buildings. Mr. Majors pointed out that Boynton Beach could be proud of its Utilities Department and the fact that Boynton Beach never lost its water. Many Board members expressed admiration for the way the City Departments handled the storm. The Police Department was observed helping people everywhere, and this was very gratifying. The cleanup was much faster and better this year also. Chair Pierce-Roe commented on 17 telephone poles that were down along Federal Highway that were fixed very expeditiously. The Parks Department was out the next day after the storm removing downed trees from roadways. Mr. McVey commended Mr. Majors, Ms. Rivers, and the Parks & Recreation staff for all they had done at Little League Park. The Little 2 Meeting Minutes Recreation & Park Board Boynton Beach, Florida November 28, 2005 League Park Board had put together a committee on fundraising and would work with the City to try to assure the kids have a place to play. Mr. Majors added the City was going to work with the Little League Board to create a Planning Team to redesign the entire facility. They were considering changing from square poles to round ones, for example, since the square ones appeared to have more "drag" and the round ones tend to deflect wind. Mr. Majors declared that insurance would cover some of the damage and FEMA would come into the picture afterwards. He believed insurance covered everything except fencing. The deductibles, however, were steep. The City was still waiting for money to cover damage to the City Hall West Wing from last year's storms. Mr. Majors continued, saying the Recreation & Parks Department would work to bring all City facilities back on line as soon as possible. The City was analyzing its landscaping efforts and contemplating the purchase of some generators to enable it to bring facilities back into operation as soon as possible after a storm. The Senior Center was of particular concern, since many seniors depend on it for their meals and social contact. The City was also considering the purchase of some satellite phones to improve communication. Mr. Majors noted the City had learned it had to be able to stand on its own and deal with storm challenges, and not rely on the County, State, or Federal government. Individual preparedness was also stressed. Chair Pierce-Roe inquired whether the City planned any changes in the construction of the new Wilson Center in light of hurricane strength. Mr. Majors said it was already close to being eligible to become a hurricane shelter. Chair Pierce-Roe was concerned about the bank of windows on the Wilson Center and upon hearing the windows there were hurricane-resistant, commented this type of glass could still be shattered by a direct hit from a flying piece of plywood, for example. It was felt that all public facilities, including schools, would have to be analyzed in terms of hurricane resistance and improved as soon as possible. A discussion ensued about how the Recreation & Parks Board could work with and assist other City organizations during hurricanes. It was felt that Intracoastal Park would make a fine staging center for distribution of food, water, and other storm activities needing staging. The Board expressed interest in having a presentation by Deputy Chief James Ness of the Fire Department about the Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. This program trains volunteers in the community to be First Responders during emergencies to help people until Fire Rescue is able to respond. Mr. Majors will determine when Deputy Chief Ness is available to speak to the Board. Chair Pierce-Roe wanted to hear what CERT was all about so the Board could determine if there were any way the City's parks or facilities could be used to assist them. Chair Pierce-Roe asked what the Parks Department did to secure the parks when storms were expected. Mr. Majors stated that shuttering the buildings was the first priority. As much as possible, all loose materials are brought inside, such as garbage cans, picnic tables, and awnings. Personal preparedness was discussed also and how most people should be able to gather water and supplies to get through at least 72 hours on their own. Chair Pierce-Roe thought it was important for the City to get the word out to do this. Mr. Majors said the City was considering this and might even suggest obtaining supplies to last 5 days. 3 Meeting Minutes Recreation & Park Board Boynton Beach, Florida November 28, 2005 C. Monthly Report There were no questions on the monthly report, which is on file in the City Clerk's office. Mr. Orlove asked about the status of Southeast Neighborhood Park and a newspaper article he had seen about the City approving something in relation to it. Mr. Majors remarked it had been a zoning change. Mr. Majors stated they were close to going out to bid on the project. Among other things, they had to get a variance because the City and the community did not want a bathroom there. The variance was granted. The Building Board of Adjustment & Appeals granted the City a two-year period for the purpose of analyzing the bathroom issue and to make sure there were no problems. The Building Board of Adjustment & Appeals felt there had to be a bathroom where people played. The City felt the bathroom could become an "attractive nuisance" and provide a site for undesirable activities. Mr. Orlove added that as a neighborhood park, people should be able to go home and use their own bathrooms. If necessary, a bathroom could be added at a cost of about $100K. D. Items for the City Manager's Attention There were no items. E. December Meeting After discussion, the Board decided not to have a meeting in December. V. Discussion - None VI. Next Meeting The next meeting will be at the Senior Center on January 23, 2006. VII. Adjournment There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was duly adjourned at 7:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, ~thtc&kJ Susan Collins Recording Secretary (11-29-05) 4