City Commission Excerpts 12-05-06Meeting Minutes
Regular City Commission
Boynton Beach, Florida December 5, 2006
B. New Space for the Police Department
Chief Immier reported they needed between 5-7K square feet of leased space to relieve the
congestion in the existing Police Department. They planned to move Investigative Services
(approximately 22 individuals) and if enough space could be found at the right price, the Code
Enforcement group (approximately 16 individuals) as well. This would only be a temporary
situation until a permanent headquarters for the Police Department became a reality. Mr.
Bressner indicated the permanent facility for the Police was scheduled to begin in 2008. Chief
Immier favored the Congress Avenue location, since It had enough space to move the Code
Enforcement staff, who were operating in a sub -standard facility at present. This location was
also the least expensive.
The Commission discussed the pros and cons of the following three properties: 1425 Gateway
Boulevard, 2500 Quantum Lakes Drive, and 3200 South Congress Avenue.
Although the Gateway and Quantum Lakes Drive properties would be more expensive,
Commissioners McKoy and McCray believed it was important to have a visible Police presence in
the north end and so they discounted the 3200 South Congress Avenue location and preferred
looking into the two northern possibilities more closely.
Lee Wische, 1302 S.W. 18a' Street, spoke: in favor of the Gateway Boulevard location, since
It was across from a high school where there was trouble. Mr. Wische felt that relocating to
Gateway Boulevard, the intended home of the permanent facility, would foster a feeling of
security among the residents due to the Police presence. He also referred to a population
explosion in the north end, to which Commissioners McCray and McKoy also alluded. Mayor
Taylor did not agree that the population explosion was confined to the north end.
Mayor Taylor was In favor of the lower cost of the South Congress Avenue facility and preferred
to defer to the Police Chiefs judgment in his preference for that facility, since it would be up to
him to make it work.
Motion
Commissioner McKoy moved to ask staff to continue discussions on the two locations identified
in the north end. The motion failed for lack of a second.
Chief Immler suggested if the Commission approved, they could consider a larger amount of
space in the 1425 Gateway Boulevard location, so Code Enforcement could be included. This
met with general approval, except Mayor Taylor believed this would increase the cost
substantially.
Motion
Commissioner Rodriguez moved to allow Chief Immler to pursue a lease agreement for 3200 S.
Congress Avenue to house Investigative Services and Code Enforcement. Mayor Taylor passed
the gavel to Commissioner McKoy and seconded the motion. The motion failed 2-2.
Commissioner McCray hoped they could look around a little longer and bring more north end
options back to the Commission. Chief Immler thought some other properties might become
available and they could keep looking. They might also be able to get a price reduction at 1425
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Meeting Minutes
Regular City Commission
Boynton Beach, Florida December 5, 2006
Gateway Boulevard if they took more space. Mr. Bressner suggested coming back at the second
meeting in January.
Motion
Commissioner McKoy moved to direct staff to negotiate a reasonable price for the 1425
Gateway Boulevard location and continue to look for other properties as well. Commissioner
McCray seconded the motion.
Commissioner Rodriguez asked how soon the move had to take place. Chief Immler responded,
the sooner the better.
Commissioner McKoy confirmed with Chief Immler the 1425 Gateway Boulevard had, enough
space to relocate Investigative Services and Code Enforcement, but the Quantum Lakes Drive
location did not. Chief Immler thought more recommendations or status could be brought to the
next Commission meeting.
Motion
Commissioner McCray moved to table the item until the first meeting in January. The motion
passed 4-0.
C. Report and Recommendation on Implementation Strategy for Boynton Beach
Assembly Project.
Mr. Bressner reported on the Boynton Assembly report that covered four areas: 1) Community
Relations/Govemance, 2) Infrastructure, 3) Economic Development/Neighborhood
Revitalization, and 4) Education and Community Services. This report was the result of
consensus reached at the recent Boynton Beach Assembly held on Hutchinson Island.
The next step would be the implementation of the report's recommendations. They had gone
through each of the items and made suggestions about how each of the recommendations
could be implemented. The main emphasis was to establish an Implementation Team made up
of the Mayor, City Manager, and five other individuals selected by the City Commission. There
would be a seven person advisory group that would present bi-annual progress reports to the
City Commission.
Commissioner Rodriguez asked if the task item teams would report to the Implementation
Team, and Mr. Bressner responded affirmatively. This team would present the reports to the
Commission on a scheduled basis. Commissioner Rodriguez asked if a time frame had been
Identified. Mr. Bressner responded it would depend on the item. For example, in setting up an
Economic Development program, some preliminary work would have to be done to determine
what shape the Economic Development Plan would be in. The question of budgeting for that
position was also an issue.
Commissioner Rodriguez thought they had done a great job on making recommendations and
suggestions, but he suggested quarterly reports instead of bi-annual reports for some of the
tasks. It sounded as if they would not get anything for six months. Mr. Bressner thought the
earliest they would see something was March or April of 2007. Commissioner Rodriguez thought
If they were targeting three years for completion of some of the items, the item would have
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