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Minutes 09-13-06 MINUTES OF THE VETERANS ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2006, AT 10:00 A.M. AT THE BOYNTON BEACH LIBRARY, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA Present: Thomas Kaiser, Chairman Robert Zimmerman, Vice Chair Morris Boruck David Buckner William Kull Karl Washington Stanley Gavlick, Alternate Stuart Preston, Alternate Carisse Lejeune, Veterans Advisory Commission Liaison Absent: Lester McKinzie Cramer Hegeman, Alternate Harvey Oyer, Alternate I. Call to Order Chair Kaiser called the board to order at 10:00 a.m. II. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag Chair Kaiser led the board in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Chair Kaiser called for a moment of silence for the recent loss of a Gold Star mother, Ms. Angelina Milano, and Rear Admiral Thomas Morris, who were honorary members of this Commission. III. Invocation Chair Kaiser gave the Invocation. IV. Roll Call of Members The Recording Secretary called the roll and declared a quorum was present. V. Agenda Approval/Minutes Approval Motion Mr. Kull moved to approve the agenda and minutes, seconded by Mr. Gavlick and unanimously approved. VII. Comments by Chair - None Meeting Minutes Veterans Advisory Commission Boynton Beach, Florida September 13, 2006 VIII. Comments from Visitors Chair Kaiser introduced a guest, Jim Stuart, from Boynton Beach/Lantana VFW Post 5335, Chair Kaiser's home post. Mr. Stuart showed some pictures to the board of N.E. 21st Avenue, the street on which the VFW Post 5335 was located. Trash alongside the street was an ongoing problem. He felt this street was treated as an alley because it looked like one. Adjoining it to the north was a strip mall that faced Gateway Boulevard. The strip mall had been upgraded, but its dumpsters were in the rear of the mall, facing the VFW Post. There were mattresses and all manner of trash on the street, some of which had been there for months. Mr. Stuart had written an e-mail copying the City administration, including the Mayor, and the City had cleaned up the refrigerators, tires, and other garbage. Robert Vandenberg with the City's Facilities Maintenance Department was frustrated and replied there was not a lot that could be done about dumping, practically speaking. The City did send out Vila & Sons Landscapers who applied sod to the south side of the road and put in some plants. One of the problems was the impression that, "If it looks like a dump, it is a dump." N.E. 21st Avenue looked like an alley. It was easy to dump there also, because there was very little visibility for the dumpers, since they were dumping in back of the stores. Two years previously, part of N.E. 21st Avenue was taken out in order to put in a utility project and the pavement had not been replaced. In order to drive onto 4th Street from N.E. 21st Avenue, it was necessary to drive on a sand road. One of his suggestions was to put in a surveillance camera. The City put up a sign saying the area may be monitored by video surveillance, but the sign had been taken down. They had tried to find clues to who was doing the dumping by looking through the trash, but could only find information pointing to a business (unnamed) on Congress Avenue in Delray Beach. Mr. Stuart declared the area had been cleaned up recently, but now there were several mattresses along the street. The City had a truck with a big clamp/scoop and they picked up bulk trash with it. He knew they went down 4th Street. Why did they not come down N.E. 21st Avenue to pick up bulk trash? All the VFW asked was that, 1) the special truck come by once a week or once a month and remove the bulk trash, 2) that the City not neglect 21st Avenue, and 3) resurface the road. The City should put it in the budget. There was only half a road where 4th Street met N.E. 21st Avenue. Chair Kaiser declared VFW Post 5335 was active in helping local veterans. It was a community- based organization that did nothing but good, putting on dinners so they could do more for homeless and all veterans. Motion Mr. Boruck moved to ask the City to please bring N.E. 21st Avenue into the list of streets that get cleaned up periodically. Ms. LeJeune suggested the motion should state that this Commission would like to petition the City to give some relief to VFW Post 5335 by having N.E. 21st Avenue cleaned up periodically. The veterans agreed. Mr. Kull seconded the motion that passed unanimously. 2 Meeting Minutes Veterans Advisory Commission Boynton Beach, Florida September 13, 2006 A question was asked about Code Enforcement, but Ms. LeJeune indicated Mr. Stuart had already written to the City, without much result. She would draft a letter to the City Commission with a recommendation they direct staff to take care of the Veterans Commission's request. She would write this letter on the board's behalf and have the Chair sign it. If it needed to be an agenda item, Ms. LeJeune would take care of this and advise the Commission of the meeting at which the item would be heard. This would allow the Veterans Commission to attend the meeting in support of Mr. Stuart's request. Hopefully, it could be cleaned up without going to the public forum. IX. Business Items A. POW/MIA Hi9hwav Sign Unveiling Chair Kaiser declared this would take place on Friday morning, September 15, at 10:30 a.m. in City Hall Chambers following the City Commission Agenda Preview meeting. He asked the members to wear their Post colors and place colors around the meeting place, but there would not be a parade. He also asked the members to try to get a good turnout. The City was supplying coffee and cake. Chair Kaiser commented that Ms. LeJeune distributed press releases about this indicating a start time of 11:00 a.m. but it would be acceptable to gather at 10:30. They would be presenting a plaque to Rep. Adam Hasner of the Florida State House of Representatives, to thank him for his help in moving this project forward. Chair Kaiser stated the City was going to provide bus transportation for the unveiling of the sign. Ms. LeJeune responded the bus would be able to take some of the guests, but not all. The air-conditioned bus held 20 people and there would be five City Commissioners and probably Rep. Hasner and whoever he brought along with him. She would give preference to the members of the Veterans' Commission, but the bus would not hold all the Commissioners along with all the members of the Veterans Commission and their wives. Ms. Lejeune commented that there was more than adequate parking available at the Gulfstream Mall. Chair Kaiser stated they also planned a moment of silent prayer for Rear Admiral Thomas Morris, who recently passed away. Rear Admiral Morris was in charge of the Battle Monuments Commission for the U.S. and monitored battle monuments in cemeteries around the world. He was an Honorary Member of the Veterans Commission and would be sorely missed. He was a man who worked tirelessly on behalf of veterans. A participant at his funeral mentioned Rear Admiral Morris had worked for and obtained a Purple Heart for a veteran who had waited for it for 20 years. Chair Kaiser noted they would be making a donation to the Boy Scouts in honor of Rear Admiral Morris. Although Chair Kaiser was very gratified to have the sign at long last, he still felt it was being put up in the wrong place. He believed it should be on Federal Highway going north just above Gateway Boulevard and one going south just north of Hunter's Run development. Ms. LeJeune advised she had called Mr. Pollock, who stated it should go across from the Gulfstream Mall on Federal Highway. Chair Kaiser noted Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Hypoluxo, Lantana, and Delray Beach had these signs now and he was trying to interest the City of Boca Raton in it, but believed there must be someone there against it. He could see no reason why any City should refuse a gift of $800 from the State. The veterans in Boca Raton should be made aware of this. 3 Meeting Minutes Veterans Advisory Commission Boynton Beach, Florida September 13, 2006 B. Veterans Day This event will take place at the Intracoastal Park on Federal Highway in Boynton Beach on November 5, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. There was a misprint on the agenda saying the event was going to be on November 11. C. Four Chaplains Sunday This event was to be held on the first Sunday in February 2007 at 2:00 p.m. at Temple Beth Kodesh. The Color Guard should attend. Mr. Gavlick would be taking over for the Treasurer. x. New Business Items 1. Flaos for Memorial Day at Boynton Beach Memorial Park Cemetery Ms. LeJeune mentioned the Veterans Commission had asked her to investigate a means of helping the veterans in the placement of the flags at the Cemetery for Memorial Day 2007. She had spoken with the Recreation & Parks Department and they needed a little more information. Their recommendation was, however, that the Veterans Commission work with the Boy Scouts or Eagle Scouts to assist in locating the veterans' graves and the placement of the flags at the individual gravesites prior to the event. The members thought it would instill pride in the Scouts to participate in this activity. Chair Kaiser mentioned finding the graves was challenging since they were not together. Also, the veterans placing the flags had to bend down in the hot sun to place a large number of flags. It was challenging at best. He questioned using the Scouts since they might have to place the flags on a school day. They could not wait until Saturday to place the flags since it might rain and they would not be in place for the ceremony on Sunday. Ms. LeJeune remarked the reason she suggested obtaining help from an outside organization was that the City workers at the Cemetery would have to be paid overtime and there would be other demands on the City budget if they did the work. The board discussed the possibility of having the Scouts place the flags over two or three Saturdays prior to the event. Mr. Buckner will investigate this and get back with Chair Kaiser with a report. Chair Kaiser suggested Ms. LeJeune invite the Scouts to the meeting on Friday for the POW/MIA flag event. Ms. LeJeune stated there was also the cost factor of the rods or sleeves for the flags to be considered. Mr. Gavlick believed she was speaking about sleeves into which the flags could be inserted. Ms. LeJeune asked the City Clerk's office inquire through the Cemetery about the cost of these sleeves. Chair Kaiser felt individual holders would be more permanent. Approximately 800 holders would be required. The sleeves could be placed about eight inches into the ground with about three inches showing up top. It had to be flat against the stone to avoid lawn mowers. A ballpark figure of $1600 was mentioned for the Sleeves/holders. 4 Meeting Minutes Veterans Advisory Commission Boynton Beach, Florida September 13, 2006 A discussion ensued about the possibility of painting/marking the veterans' graves with fluorescent paint on a corner of the headstone to make finding them easier. Ms. LeJeune advised no changes could be made to any headstone without the permission of the families. Ms. LeJeune suggested the Veterans Commission ask Commissioner Ensler if he would be willing to give them money for the sleeves from his Community Investment Funds. If not, they could request it from one of the other Commissioners. The members explored another idea for the flag placement project and will report at the next meeting. 2. Veterans Day/Boy Scout Potential Event Chair Kaiser mentioned that twenty-five years ago in Lyndonhurst, N.Y., they started bringing the Boy Scouts to the MIA Day. It started with only two troops, and ended up with 15-17 tents full of scouts on an overnight event and the event was still going on each year. Each one of the Scouts took turns walking around the Veterans' monument. The veterans spoke to the Scouts about Veterans Day. Chair Kaiser had run this event for 7 years. They had hamburgers and hot dogs in the evening and breakfast in the morning. He thought it would be a great project to start in Boynton Beach. The Scouts were given Merit badges for attendance. XI. Benediction, Moment of Silent Prayer The members observed a moment of silent prayer and a benediction. XII. Adjournment Since there was no further business before the board, the meeting was duly adjourned at 10: 50 a.m. Respectfully submitted, ~d1J/;&J Susan Collins Recording Secretary (09-13-06) 5