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Minutes 05-08-13 MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD HELD ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2013, AT 7:00 P.M., IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS CITY HALL 100 E. BOYNTON BEACH BOULEVARD, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA PRESENT: Vince Piraino, Chair Matthew Graham, Board Liaison Willie Swoope, Vice Chair Wendy Kelly Irma Khoja Margaret Newton Carol Porter Lesha Roundtree Floyd Zonenstein Dana Rushing, Alt. ABSENT: Ben Lowe 1. Openings A. Call to Order Vice Chair Swoope called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. B. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag The members recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. II. Roll Call The Recording Secretary called the roll and determined a quorum was present. III. Approval of Minutes from April Meeting Mr. Zonenstein moved to accept the April minutes as written. The motion was seconded by Chair Pirano and unanimously passed. IV. Announcements None. 1 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, FL May 8, 2013 V. Approval of Agenda A. Additions, Deletions, Corrections A request was made to hear Item VIII, Special Business, City Manager Presentation before VII. Old Business. B. Adoption Motion Mr. Zonenstein moved to approve as amended. Chair Pirano seconded the motion that passed. VI. Public Audience None. VIII. Special Business A. City Manager Presentation Carisse LeJeune, Assistant City Manager, offered to address Items B and C for the Board. First she introduced Matt Graham, Human Resources Manager, who volunteered to serve as the Board Liaison. The Education Initiative was started by former Commissioner Marlene Ross, and it is no longer a goal or objective of the Commission. While the initiative has merit, it was put on the back burner. Ms. LeJeune apologized if much effort went into the item, but the City must refocus. Staff will start their strategic planning process in May and June and they will have more information then. She hoped to be invited back to discuss the strategic plan results to the Board when they are complete. Ms. LeJeune introduced Eleanor Krusell, the new Communications Manager. Ms. Krusell replaced former Public Affairs Officer, Wayne Segal. She works in the City Manager's office and is a social media expert. One task assigned by the City Manager was for Ms. Krusell to partner with Ms. LeJeune to undertake advisory board reviews. They would look at the various Boards and their missions and determine what could be done to assist them. Along those lines, the Community Relations Board is the first Board they decided to work with. Ms. LeJeune distributed a brief survey and requested each member answer the 13 short questions to help them move forward as they conduct their evaluation. Ms. LeJeune explained this was part of a larger civic engagement program. Last year, a presentation was made to the prior Commission to recruit more people to volunteer in 2 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, FL May 8, 2013 the City. This survey would allow them to find out how the members feel the Board is doing, about its mission and goal, and take that information and work with individual Boards to determine whether to make any changes. She also distributed a handout that listed the different Boards and their responsibilities. She highlighted the responsibilities of the Community Relations Board. Self- addressed envelopes were given and the members were requested to answer the survey anonymously, mail them back, or drop them off at City Hall or the City Manager's Office. She reiterated all Boards would participate in this survey. The following questions were asked: ➢ When would the survey be completed, results tabulated and changes implemented? Ms. LeJeune explained they are working as quickly as they can and hoped to make a presentation to the Board in July. The deadline for the Community Relations Board to respond was May 22nd, but time was of the essence. ➢ Ms. Newton questioned the validity of the Board as far as the City was concerned. She expressed she was not notified in the proper amount of time when a meeting was changed and inquired whether the Board was important to the City. Chair Pirano also commented they had scheduled an event. They sent out press releases and notification regarding a Code Compliance Educational Seminar two months prior to the event. He was contacted about a week before the event to change the location due to the election. He opted not to change the location and cancelled the seminar. He felt it made the Board look incompetent. Ms. LeJeune explained the City Clerk is very good about notification. Part of the problem was the Board did not have a liaison at that time. There were also unforeseen staffing changes. As to importance, all Boards and members are important to the City Commission and the City. Their goal is not to diminish any Board, but help them, as civic volunteers, be more effective. If they have to change the structure, goals and objections, then that is what they will do. The purpose is to make the Boards the City's greatest resource and to engage citizens. ➢ Vice Chair Swoope was not sure the survey addressed this. He agreed the Board has struggled with how to be a resource and commented the Board does not have the tools needed to be effective with the Commission and community at- large. Ms. LeJeune explained the City has tried to start a civic engagement program. The City Manager went to the City Commission and requested hiring a Communications 3 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, FL May 8, 2013 Manager. With Ms. Krusell's knowledge and experience, especially in the area of social media, it was hoped she could do a better job for the City and advisory boards. Once she knows what the established goals, responsibilities and directives for advisory boards are, she can help get that message out to the community. They are working very hard towards that end and were seeking to change the way they engage citizens. ➢ Mr. Zonenstein attends the City Commission meetings and each month, citizens complain. He commented at no time does any Commissioner say go to the Community Relations Board as they are the Board that hears complaints and concerns of the citizens. He pointed out this has been ongoing since 2008 and it is frustrating. Ms. LeJeune responded when citizens come to City Commission meetings to alert the Commission of an issue, they speak under Public Audience. They use social media to contact the City and let staff know about their issues and complaints. Ms. LeJeune hears three to five complaints a day. With the way technology and the City has progressed, citizens feel they have a more direct route by going to the City Manager via the web. If that is the case, perhaps after the information is collected, the City can establish a different mission and goal for the Board. The City did not want to let go of any volunteer. (Ms. Rushing left the dais at 7:26 p.m.) ➢ Chair Pirano inquired how effective the current method is and the turnaround for problem resolution. Ms. LeJeune explained complainants receive a response within 72 hours. Otherwise, first contact is made and citizens are given a timeline when the issue can be dealt with. Ms. LeJeune agreed to find out how many inquiries are made each week. The inquiries the City Manager's Office receives are usually escalated because the citizens are not getting resolution from the front line or the department's themselves. Since Monday, she received five emails that were specifically addressed through the City Manager's Office. A citizen can go to the website and send a direct message to any department and that information is tracked. ➢ Chair Pirano thought this could be overwhelming, at times, for staff as the City is understaffed. He inquired if citizens could be notified that there is a Board to hear their issues and the Board escalate the issue for them. Ms. LeJeune did not know what would encourage citizens to do that. Chair Pirano noted when he came on the Board, there were citizens appearing, but then they stopped. He was never told about the procedure to follow. Ms. LeJeune explained the Board was established when there was community conflict and it was a perfect forum for citizens to air their grievances. There were community 4 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, FL May 8, 2013 members that did not feel comfortable coming to City Hall or complaining to chief officials and the Board provided a neutral forum. When that happened, the Board was an incredibly valid and useful Board. In the current day, however, the public had avenues to pursue direct notification and that was why the City wanted to do the survey. After a review and evaluation, perhaps the Board's energy and talent can be used to move the City forward. She explained the City has a brand new Commission and a dedicated staff. They want to improve the City and Ms. LeJeune thought it was a great opportunity for all to work together to determine where to focus their energies. Ms. Newton had served on the Board during that time and agreed with Ms. LeJeune. Ms. LeJeune explained there is a lot of community relations assistance needed in the City. She explained they will go through the process and come back and share their findings. They may have the opportunity to brainstorm with the Board in the future and develop something that would benefit the community. (Ms. Rushing returned to the dais at 7.34 p.m.) Vice Chair Swoope thanked Ms. LeJeune for her comments and welcomed Matt Graham, the new Board Liaison. The new members also made a brief introduction. Dana Rushing, an employee at Bethesda, Cornell Institute Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic, has worked at Bethesda Hospital for nine years and wanted to be involved with the Committee. Carol Porter, Boynton Beach resident, stated she was a freelance writer and photographer. VII. Old Business A. Code Enforcement Presentation i. Revised Date — June Chair Pirano inquired if the members wanted to wait until July for the presentations since that would allow for two months publicity. Discussion followed whether to defer the event in case the Board was dissolved; however, Chair Pirano thought dissolution would not happen that fast. He suggested July would be appropriate. He agreed to contact Ms. Springer, from Code Compliance, to set the date. There were no objections from the members to schedule the event in July. Mr. Graham also provided his email address to the Board. 5 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, FL May 8, 2013 ii. Advertisement He thought they could advertise the event on the water bills and asked Mr. Graham to do so, as the prior Board Liaison, John Huntington was able to do so. Mr. Lowe can contact the press. iii. HOA This event would also be advertised via various homeowner associations. III. Special Business A. City Manager Presentation This item was addressed earlier in the meeting. IX. New Business A. Sensitivity Training and Community Relations ➢ Presentation ➢ Date There had been discussion at the last meeting about residents complaining at a City Commission meeting about police officers and volunteer police officers approaching the senior citizens about their handicap tags and requesting proof they were eligible for them. The senior citizens felt they were rude, were being harassed and sensitivity training should be mandated. At the last meeting, the members talked about possibly having a presentation from the City about the handicap decals. The presentation would be made by the Boynton Beach Police Department. Mr. Zonenstein, who serves as a Citizen on Patrol volunteer, explained the volunteer has been suspended and the case is still being reviewed. Last week, at a parking enforcement meeting, the Police advised the team how to conduct themselves. They can take the license number down and send a ticket, but cannot stop anyone or detain them until the Police arrive. The individual can drive away if they want. Mr. Zonenstein explained one must represent the City in a way the public would respect and this was part of the training. As to having a presentation, it was noted it was not necessarily supposed to be a presentation to the community; rather, it was that sensitivity training should be taught to volunteers before they go out into the community. The Board thought this could help the Police Department when they train their volunteers. 6 Meeting Minutes Community Relations Board Boynton Beach, FL May 8, 2013 A suggestion was made to invite Officer Swan, who is in charge of parking enforcement, to the next meeting, to provide an update on what is planned and what is in effect. An inquiry was made if a representative came to the next meeting, whether the complainant should be invited to the meeting; however, the Board opted not to do that and after further discussion, decided to table the item to the June meeting. B. Citizen Complaint Form Approvals Needed? Proposed Revisions (if any) A copy of the form distributed last month was reviewed. Vice Chair Swoope inquired if the Board could legally use the form and whether there would be any changes to the form before being used. Discussion followed they would need approval to change the form, as it was used in the past. It did not have the City seal or logo on it. It was suggested this item be tabled because the Board may be revised and that Mr. Graham hold off investigating the matter until that time. This could be addressed in June when they receive an update on the surveys. In the meanwhile, the members could review the form for changes and to ensure it would be consistent with the mission of the Board. Chair Pirano agreed to contact the City Manager's office to get an update on the survey. Motion Mr. Zonenstein moved to table the complaint form until they receive an answer from the City. Ms. Kelly seconded the motion that unanimously passed. X. Adjournment There being no further business to discuss, Mr. Zonenstein moved to adjourn. The motion was duly seconded and unanimously passed. The meeting was adjourned at 8:01 P.M. Catherine Cherry Recording Secretary 050913 051313 3 hrs. 7