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Minutes 01-15-14 MINUTES OF THE VETERANS ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING HELD IN CITY HALL, CONFERENCE ROOM B, 100 E. BOYNTON BEACH BLVD., BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2014 AT 10:00 A.M. PRESENT: Thomas Kaiser, Chair Lt. John Bonafair, Board Liaison Steve Anton Frank Bregoli Stuart Preston Karl Washington Stanley Gavlick, Alternate Robert Manson, Alternate ABSENT: James Bowman Bridget Roberts Roberto Moreno, Alternate I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Kaiser called the meeting to order at 10 01 a m II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE — All Hands The members recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag 1111. INVOCATION Chair Kaiser gave the invocation IV. ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS The Recording Secretary called the roll A quorum was present. V. AGENDA Chair Kaiser introduced Arnold May, of the Valencia Pointe Men's Club, Veterans Support Committee. The Valencia Pointe Men's Club donated the six flagpoles installed in Veteran's Park last year Chair Kaiser gave everyone a copy of the agenda and the press release for the Four Chaplains Memorial Service scheduled for Sunday, February 02, 2014 at 2 00 p m. Directions to the church were included Coffee and cake will be served after the ceremony All are invited Color guards are desperately needed for the event The members from Valencia Pointe will act as escorts Mr May stated they have started to publicize throughout their community Chair Kaiser stated an announcement has been put in the Sun Sentinel as well 1 MEETING MINUTES VETERANS ADVISORY COMMISSION BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA January 15, 2014 Chair Kaiser will be meeting with the Boynton Veterans to possibly move the Four Chaplains event to the park June 6 the anniversary of D -Day will be celebrated there as well. The French have not given any names of veterans who are due to receive medals since June. Some of the veterans have waited as long as one year for their medals Chair Kaiser received 100 names recently which will make holding ceremonies difficult, but it will get done Mr May inquired if medals will be awarded to those veterans who have passed away Chair Kaiser responded, unfortunately, this is not allowed Chair Kaiser gave Lt. Bonafair a few dates to present to the City for their approval for medal ceremonies to be held at the Civic Center The singer who sang the French national anthem and the Star Spangled Banner for the veterans over the years will no longer be able to participate because he now works full -time Mr Gavlick suggested someone in the Korean War Veterans as a backup Chair Kaiser will contact him Memorial Day is scheduled for May 25 at 2 p m.; however, there will be a need for people to come to the cemetery on Friday, May 23 Id beginning at 8.30 a.m. to place flags on the graves. Children helped last year, and hopefully will be able to help this year The usual BBQ at the American Legion will be held following the Memorial Day ceremony, however, this will not be advertised so people will come to the ceremony and not dust the BBQ The 70 Anniversary of D -Day, June 6 will begin at 10.00 a m ; however, if the French attend, the time will have to be moved up one hour to give them time to travel from Miami June 6 th is also the Anniversary of the Midway Battle that took place from June 4 -7, 1942 There will always be a ceremony on June 6 th at the Park The Boy Scout vigil is scheduled for September 19 This is the third year the Scouts are participating. However, because the City does not allow anyone to stay in the Park overnight or have open fires, the Scouts arrive at different times throughout the night Chair Kaiser will be requesting the City to allow at least two tents for one night so Scouts can stay overnight He explained pizza would be brought in during the evening and bagels for breakfast. There is less participation now because of the staggered hours and there is a concern the project will not continue because of this. Chair Kaiser called for a motion to request the City to allow two tents for one overnight stay for the Boy Scout vigil Lt. Bonafair will contact the City in this regard Motion Mr Preston moved to request the City for a one night variance to allow the Boy Scouts to stay overnight in the park Mr Bregoli seconded the motion that unanimously passed Chair Kaiser stated all of the mayor monuments are now complete in the Park with the exception of the Battle of the Bulge Chair Kaiser has asked Mr Preston to help with this project since he is a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge The monument will cost approximately $2,000, the cost to be shared between the Veterans Advisory Commission and the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge December 15 is also the day Glenn Miller passed away and there will be a concert in the Park in his honor While flying to France to entertain the troops, his plane flew over a two square 2 MEETING MINUTES VETERANS ADVISORY COMMISSION BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA January 15, 2014 mile area over the English Channel where British bomber planes were known to dump their bombs instead of landing with them A British navigator, who told his story 50 years later, said when the bomb doors opened, he saw a plane flying at a lower altitude that was hit by one of the bombs dropped by the British which hit the wing Glenn Miller was thought to be on that plane The Battle of the Bulge monument will be placed next to the monument of the Cuban Missile Crisis which is the last space available. Chair Kaiser called for a motion for the Veterans Council and the City Veterans Commission to share the cost of the monument for the Battle of the Bulge Motion Mr. Preston moved to approve the motion for the cost to be shared between the Veterans Council and the City Veterans Commission Mr Bregoli seconded the motion that unanimously passed. Mr Preston suggested that Chair Kaiser speak with Mr George Fisher and Chair Kaiser will contact him The Battle of the Bulge will be another ceremony done yearly at the Park in addition to the Four Chaplains, June 6` D -Day, the Boy Scouts and Veterans Day This makes five yearly events held in the Park as opposed to only one Starting in the Fall, Chair Kaiser would like to reach out to the local schools to bring their children to the Park on field trips for educational purposes Chair Kaiser asked the members to reach out to anyone they might know to get school children to the Park Chair Kaiser discussed the issue of medals again and stated he, along with Mr Gavlick and Mr. Leuchter, met with the French gentleman who mentioned wanting to have a medal ceremony at a ballpark. This is an idea that perhaps can be accomplished Anyone that has any contacts with any of the ballparks will let Chair Kaiser know Chair Kaiser directed the members' attention to Mr May from the Valencia Pointe Men's Club who donated the flagpoles Mr. May expressed interest in coming to the Park each time there is a ceremony to raise the flags so that members of the Men's Club could attend the ceremonies as well Mr May commented there may be a conflict in his schedule for Memorial Day and Veterans Day because they are trying to get their calendar committee to celebrate these events either the day before or the day after as the Veterans Commission does. The actual days of these mayor events are too competitive to get speakers or color guards VI. OPEN DISCUSSION Lt Bonafair reported he has been asked by the family of PFC Michael Metcalf, who was the first soldier from Boynton Beach to die in the line of duty in Afghanistan, to erect a bronze statue in his honor in Veterans Park. The family and friends of Private Metcalf would raise the funds to pay for the bronze bust and the cost to install it Lt Bonafair presented the sketch with the dimensions and the artists that would create it, Frank Varga and Rick Beau Lieu 3 MEETING MINUTES VETERANS ADVISORY COMMISSION BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA January 15, 2014 Chair Kaiser asked members to hold discussions of this issue for the next meeting of the Commission. Mr Bregoli brought to Chair Kaiser's attention, the mother of Private Metcalf, Kim Metcalf, is an honorary member of the Veterans Advisory Commission Mr Gavlick was concerned that if one person is allowed to have a personal monument erected, it would open it to more private individuals wanting the same Chair Kaiser reiterated this would all be discussed at the next meeting. Mr Gavlick commented there are currently three openings for honorary members and he wanted to nominate Mr. Arnold May of the Valencia Point Men's Club Veterans Committee to fill one of those positions Chair Kaiser explained there is a process that must go through the City Clerk's office but does not see any issues for adding Mr May as an honorary member Lt. Bonafair will speak with the City Clerk's office in regards to how to proceed VII. BENEDICATION, MOMENT OF SILENCE Chair Kaiser gave the benediction, followed by a silent prayer VIII. NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE HELD ON MARCH 12, 2014 IX. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Board, Chair Kaiser adjourned the meeting at 10:34 a m A. 9GC�C, race Morales 1/15/14 6 hours 4