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Minutes 01-12-11 MINUTES OF THE VETERANS’ ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING HELD IN CONFERENCE ROOM “B”, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2011 AT 10:00 A.M. PRESENT Tom Kaiser, Chair Mark Bobich, Safety Administrator John Farrington Leslie McKinzie Stuart Preston Bridget Roberts Stanley Gavlick, Alternate Karl Washington, Alternate ABSENT James Bowman Rev. Richard Smith I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 9:58 a.m. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – All Hands The members recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. III. INVOCATION – Designated Chair Kaiser offered the invocation. IV. ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS – Newly Reappointed Members and Alternates The Recording Secretary called the roll. The attendance is noted above. V. AGENDA APPROVAL – January 12, 2011 Motion A motion was made and seconded to approve the agenda. A vote was called and the motion passed unanimously. 1 MEETING MINUTES VETERANS' ADVISORY COMMISSION BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JANUARY 12, 2011 VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - November 10, 2010 Motion Mr. Gavlick moved to approve the minutes. Mr. Preston seconded the motion that carried unanimously. VII. ELECTIONS: a. Chair Mr. Preston nominated Tom Kaiser as Chair. With no other nominations, Chair Kaiser accepted the position as Chair for another year. b. Vice Chairperson Mr. CJvlin Gavlick nominated Mr. Preston. With no other nominations, Mr. Preston accepted the position as Vice Chair. VII. COMMENTS: a. Visitors Chair Kaiser introduced Burt Richards, fund-raiser for veterans. Mr. Richards is involved with veterans throughout Palm Beach County and does all he can to help school children understand what veterans have done to help keep them safe. Mr. Richards, along with his boss, approached the School District and they have agreed all schools will be closed on Veterans' Day beginning in 2011. Mr. Richards distributed literature which provided a summary of benefits. He also provided a veterans' calendar for 2011. At this time, on the Comcast educational network, there is a documentary interview being telecast that was conducted with Alan Gerstel who is a former TV personality. The school curriculum must change to educate students about the wars. Mr. Richards said he would try to get press coverage for the Veterans/ Advisory Commission regarding the bricks campaign. He offered his e-mail address, stade2@juno.com. He requested information from the members and he offered to send 2 MEETING MINUTES VETERANS' ADVISORY COMMISSION BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JANUARY 12, 2011 the documentary that is being shown. Mr. Richards offered the members an opportunity to speak about their war records. He asked them to contact him. b. Chair After listening to Mr. Richards, Chair Kaiser felt the books were wonderful for school children and suggested contacting local Congressmen to get a supply of those books. Chair Kaiser reported that during the Veterans' Council meeting, there was a gentleman who did not qualify as an Alternate. There is no one on the board from the Jewish War Veterans'. Chair Kaiser asked for a motion to nominate Kurt Leuchter as honorary member of the Commission. Motion Mr. GJvlin Gavlick made the motion which was seconded by Mr. Farrington. The vote passed unanimously. It was reported that 100 bricks were put in. The Board will request permission from the City Commission to install another 100 bricks. This project will not be completed until spring of next year. Motion Mr. Farrington moved to ask the City for permission to install 100 additional bricks. Ms. Roberts seconded the motion that carried unanimously. IX. OLD BUSINESS: a. Veterans' Bicentennial Park Events: i. Veterans' Day, Vietnam War & Gold Star Mothers Monuments - November 11, 2010 Chair Kaiser reported this event was very successful and there were tremendous crowds. He reported speaking with representatives of the portable potty company and they offered to provide a discount in the future. 3 MEETING MINUTES VETERANS’ ADVISORY COMMISSION BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JANUARY 12, 2011 ii. Desert Storm & City-sponsored monuments, Sunday, January 16, 2011 (including French Awards presentation) The French dignitaries will be present. The City will provide two pop-up tents. Chair Kaiser will meet with Tom Balfe regarding tent placement. Lou Galterio will sing two songs and the Black Choir will sing Eternal Fathers and unveil the Black monument. There will be a Color Guard, and the French National Anthem, as well as The Star Spangled Banner, will be played. There will be room for the French colors. nd iii. Black Veterans’’, Female Veterans’, 442 Regimental Group Veterans’’ monuments – Friday, September 2, 2011 Chair Kaiser went to the church today and gave a personal donation. Part of the cost of their monument and bench will be shared with them. It is anticipated that there will be st a contribution by March 1. A film on the Black Tuskegee Airmen was requested. There is a meeting of the ladies’ organization on the fourth Saturday of the month at the VA Medical Center. Chair Kaiser offered to attend this meeting with Ms. Roberts. iv. National POW/MIA Remembrance Vigil, Boy Scouts, - Friday, September 16, 2011 (tentative) This is a great project for the Scouts. Chair Kaiser will approach the Scouts to see if they want to participate. v. Veterans’ Day – Friday, November 22, 2011 Representatives from Valencia Lakes want to install six flagpoles that are 20 feet in height. They will put them up the night before Veterans’ Day, Memorial Day, and Fourth of July and remove them the day following the holiday. Chair Kaiser said he has begun collecting interment flags. They fly these flags at the VA th Cemetery on Long Island 365 days a year. On Flag Day on June 14, there will be a ceremony at the Legion. The media will be notified of the ceremony and the fact that th the first flag will be flown beginning on June 13. th vi. Afghanistan War Monument & Pearl Harbor 70 Anniversary Commemoration – Wednesday, December 7, 2011 th December 7 is the anniversary of Pearl Harbor. There will be a commemoration on that day. 4 MEETING MINUTES VETERANS’ ADVISORY COMMISSION BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JANUARY 12, 2011 vii. Iraqi War Monument – TBD The Iraqi War Monument ceremony will take place some time next year. thth The 70 anniversary of the Battle of Midway as well as D-Day is on June 6. These are two of the greatest conflicts of WW II. th Mr. McKinzie feels slighted as an Air Force veteran. During WW II, the 8 Air Force suffered more wounded, dead, MIAs and POWs than any other group in the armed forces. It is important to memorialize this fact. Chair Kaiser advised the next Veterans’ Council meeting would be held on the first Tuesday in May. He recommended bringing this issue before that group. Four Chaplains Sunday would be held in three weeks at Temple Beth Kodesh. b. Memorial Day Commemoration – Sunday, May 29, 2011 – 2:00 PM – Boynton Memorial Park th Memorial Day is observed this year on Friday. On May 27, the flags will be placed at 8:30 a.m. Contact with the school is imperative for the children to place the crosses on the graves. Mr. McKinzie reported that during the Legion meeting, it was voted to place two plaques; one plaque for Harvey Oyer and one for his father. Chair Kaiser said both of them are memorialized on the same bench. He suggested putting both of them on one plaque. There will be a Memorial Day service associated with the placement of this plaque. c. Donated flags and poles along center walkway (tentative) The flags were discussed earlier in the meeting. d. Membership requirements for Veterans’ Advisory Commission – City Ordinance Change The membership requirement was denied by the City Commission. e. City Advisory Board Ethics Training Ethics training was announced. 5 MEETING MINUTES VETERANS’ ADVISORY COMMISSION BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA JANUARY 12, 2011 f. Honorary Member Appointments This item was discussed earlier in the meeting. X. NEW BUSINESS: a. Other None XI. BENEDICTION, MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER Six trees were placed in Israel. The members participated in the Benediction and remembered Chuck Magazine, who was hospitalized, in their prayers. XII. NEXT BOARD MEETING – Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. XIII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Veterans’ Advisory Commission, the meeting properly adjourned at 10:50 a.m. Janet M. Prainito, MMC City Clerk Transcribed from one (1) Recording 02/25/11 – 2 hrs. 6