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Minutes 03-12-08 MINUTES OF THE VETERANS ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12,2008 @ 10:00 A.M. AT CITY HALL, CONFERENCE ROOM B, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA PRESENT: Tom Kaiser, Chair Morris Boruck Stanley Gavlick Thomas Krabill Stuart Preston Karl Washington Robert Zimmermann Chuck Magazine, City Liaison ABSENT: David Buckner, Alternate Daniel Fuller, Alternate Lester McKenzie I. CALL TO ORDER - Tom Kaiser, Chairman The meeting was called to order at 10:05 a.m. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - All Hands The members recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. III. INVOCATION - Designated Chair Kaiser gave the invocation. Cramer Hegeman had passed away and he was remembered by the Veterans members. Chair Kaiser advised he had attended the ceremony at the church. IV. ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS The recording secretary called the roll. A quorum was present. V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES, January 9, 2008 & February 5, 2008 (Special Meeting) - Heard Out of Order. Motion Mr. Krabill moved to approve the agenda. Mr. Boruck seconded the motion that unanimously passed. Meeting Minutes Veterans Advisory Commission Boynton Beach, Florida March 12,2008 VI. AGENDA APPROVAL, March 12,2008 Chair Kaiser reviewed the agenda and there were no changes made. VII. COMMENTS BY CHAIR Chair Kaiser hoped to receive information about the monument at the meeting. He reminded the members Memorial Day was approaching and they would be at the Cemetery. He hoped the children from St. Josephs School would participate in helping to help place the flags at the Cemetery. He announced the Veterans Council presented a plaque to the school at their Veterans Day Ceremony. The children made drawings about their feelings about Veterans. He advised on Sunday, the Girl, Boy and Sea Scouts were at the school and they acknowledged those youth that support them. The Memorial Day Ceremony would take place at 2 p.m. in the afternoon and they would place the flags at the Cemetery. He assumed the American Legion would hold the collation after the ceremony. Refreshments would be available and he urged members to invite family and friends. Chair Kaiser explained he recently sold his home and moved to Delray Beach due to his health deteriorating. Mr. Kaiser announced he was in touch with Jeff Livergood, Public Works Director, who planned to pave the street in front of the VFW in April. The members discussed the litter problem has worsened since the signs were installed. Chair Kaiser thought surveillance would greatly assist in diminishing the problem. Public Works has been made aware of the problem. VIII. COMMENTS FROM VISITORS None. IX. OLD BUSINESS: a. Four Chaplains Day, Sunday, February 3, 2008 Chair Kaiser explained the church did a nice job with this event. He explained the collation was a last minute item and the Church was most accommodating. He explained he would like to have a collation after the Veterans Memorial Ceremony and he would speak with the church about it. He explained he would bring in Subway sandwiches and beverages. At the last meeting of the Veterans Council he advised they should have some extra money from the inscribed bricks campaign and they should have a monument to the Four Chaplains. He has been in touch with the Four Chaplains Association, who, in turn, advised monuments to them were almost non- existent. Chair Kaiser was requesting a listing of monuments to Four Chaplains from the association. 2 Meeting Minutes Veterans Advisory Commission Boynton Beach, Florida March 12, 2008 b. Veterans Memorial at Bicentennial Park Mr. Magazine distributed copies of the memorial and copies of an article from the Boynton Forum. He noted there were forms at four different city facilities for individuals to purchase bricks. Chair Kaiser requested the members distribute the forms. Mr. Magazine spoke with Jody Rivers, Parks Superintendent, about the tentative schedule for the Veterans Memorial. The target completion date was June 6, 2008. Chair Kaiser advised the schedule put a great of pressure on Lake Worth Monument; he spoke about the delays the monument experienced which could have been avoided if the monument had been reviewed in the beginning of the process. He thought it was unfair. He announced they did not ask the City to pay for the monument. The monument started at $30K and the bricks would help defray the cost. On May 1, 2008, the groundbreaking would occur. He did not understand the delays and it was making the veterans uncomfortable. Mr. Zimmermann announced Boynton Beach would be the first city in Palm Beach County to have a memorial to veterans. He wanted a collation after the Veterans ceremony at the church and recommended inviting the children who help to the ceremony. He thought it would be nice for youth to partake in the event. There were no objections. General Irzyk was invited, who was at D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, but he was scheduled to be in Belgium in June. There would be only a few speakers. The Jewish Veterans would provide a speaker who was also in the Battle of the Bulge. Chair Kaiser noted there should be a ground breaking for the Veterans Memorial and the veterans should be a part of it. He requested the City let them know when the it would occur. He had a drawing of the monument and he asked for comments on it but none were received. It was noted there would be benches at the monument. Chair Kaiser would check the price of the benches so any additional benches would be uniform. Chair Kaiser explained the veterans were giving the monument to the City. Chair Kaiser thought the City emblem should be displayed on the monument, but a comment was made the City may not want that. There would, however, be a sign in the front of the park identifying the park and the City emblem would be on it. The veterans liked the idea of having the City emblem on the monument with the veteran's emblems around it. Chair Kaiser advised any veterans needing assistance or having any questions should contact Mr. Magazine, the Board Liaison who would assist them accordingly. c. Brick walkway sponsorships Chair Kaiser explained the brick walkway is important and the veterans need to raise a lot of money. He explained they wanted to purchase a Four Chaplains' plaque, the same size as the Submarine Plaque. It was thought the bricks and the plaques would 3 Meeting Minutes Veterans Advisory Commission Boynton Beach, Florida March 12, 2008 be the same size. The bricks were 4' x 8', and could accommodate up to three lines with 14 characters per line. Chair Kaiser indicated the bricks were fairly easy to sell and if each veteran sold one brick, it would help. Once installed, the City would replace vacant bricks with inscribed ones, which would be pavers, similar to the brick walkway at the Children's Schoolhouse Museum. X. NEW BUSINESS: a. Memorial Day, May 25,2008, Boynton Beach Memorial Cemetery On Friday, May 23rd, the veterans would place the flags at the Cemetery and on Sunday afternoon, there would be a 2 p.m. ceremony at the American Legion, followed by a barbeque. b. Veterans' Memorial Unveiling, June 6, 2008, Bicentennial Park This event is scheduled for June 6, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. Chair Kaiser commented press coverage helps garner support for the effort. Mr. Magazine commented since Mr. Buckner moved and he would need to resign his position on the Veterans Advisory Commission. Chair Kaiser requested the members think of viable candidates who may be interested in serving. Application forms are located in the City Clerk's office. Chair Kaiser thought a representative from the Disabled American Veterans may be appropriate. XI. BENEDICTION, MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER Chair Kaiser gave the benediction, followed by a moment of silent prayer. XII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, there was consensus to adjourn at' 10:39 a.m. ~~~ Catherine Cherry Recording Secretary 031808 4