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Minutes 11-30-21 Special Meeting Minutes of the City Commission Special Meeting Held Online Via the GoToWebinar Platform and In-Person at the City Hall Commission Chambers 100 East Ocean Avenue, Boynton Beach, Florida On Tuesday, November 30, 2021, at 4:30 P.M. Present: Mayor Steven B. Grant Lori LaVerriere, City Manager Vice Mayor Woodrow L. Hay James Cherof, City Attorney Commissioner Justin Katz Crystal Gibson, City Clerk Commissioner Christina L. Romelus Commissioner Ty Penserga 1. Agenda Items A. Call to Order - Mayor Steven B. Grant Mayor Grant called the meeting to order at 4:39 P.M. Roll Call City Clerk Gibson called the roll. A quorum was present. Invocation Vice Mayor Hay gave the invocation. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag led by Mayor Steven B. Grant The Commission recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Agenda Approval: 1. Additions, Deletions, Corrections Mayor Grant added Public Comments after Proposed Resolution No. 21-166. 2. Adoption Motion Commissioner Romelus moved to approve as amended. Commissioner Penserga seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. B. Proposed Resolution No. 21-166 - Approve and authorize the Mayor to sign Subrecipient Agreement between the City of Boynton Beach and Wells Landing, LLC for the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to cover the increased construction costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Grant disclosed he had email conversations with Wells Landing LLC and with Centennial Management, as did Commissioner Penserga. Vice Mayor Hay had no disclosures. Commissioner Katz stated he was happy the City, CRA and Centennial Management were working together on this project. They have been working for years to complete this project. They are getting many affordable workforce housing units, commercial on MLK Jr Boulevard, a new location for the Neighborhood Police Officer Program and it is a testament to the great relationship and quality work by Centennial as they secured tax credits from the State at no cost to the taxpayers. He was happy and indebted to the staff, CRA and Centennial for the project as the project is no longer a question mark, but rather an exclamation mark in the Heart of Boynton to continue to evolve and improve the conditions there. Vice Mayor Hay agreed. All he spoke to in and out of the area were excited about the project. He likened the fruition to arriving at the edge of the promised land as they were getting ready to cross over. He thanked all and stated he will be happy with the first shovel. Ms. Roque believed it was December 4th. Commissioner Penserga agreed with the comments. He recalled that with TIF aside, the funding request they originally had was more than four times the amount. Ms. Roque responded they were ready, willing and able and sometimes a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. They need to move the project forward and if the $500K is available now, they would rather take the American Rescue Funds now and whatever shortfall remains will be paid for by Centennial out-of-pocket. They thought it was smarter to move forward now and create an amazing community in Boynton Beach. Commissioner Penserga inquired if the quality would be reduced with the discrepancy and learned it would not. What Centennial submitted and what was approved is what they will build. There will be no change in quality. James Cherof, City Attorney, noted a reference to "we" has been made several times. He requested who the entity is that is referred to as "we". Ms. Roque stated Wells Landing LLC is the job, and whatever funds that were short would be taken from RS Construction and RS Development. There is still an ongoing contract with the CRA. There is $425K which the CRA will loan them and then take $1.6 million in TIF over 10 years. This is the best way to move the project forward. The total was $2.5M. Motion Vice Mayor Hay moved to approve proposed Resolution No. 21-166. Commissioner Penserga seconded the motion. Ernest Mignoli, 710 NE 7th Street, Apt 407, stated he comes to the meetings relative to the development and the projects and thought it was interesting the Commission holds meetings with important things that are not scheduled. He commented it seemed they have very partisan people on this Commission to the point where people come up to testify or talk about millions of dollars and they ask how they are doing. He asked what kind of thing is this. He noted the Vice Mayor calls this the promised land and he questioned what promised land is this. He asked where did you get that. He thought the Board was taking half a million dollars that should go to people who need their homes fixed up and without having their rents gouged. He thought they were feeding projects. He thought it was deal after deal. He noted the City Attorney and City Manager jump in and everything is on a first name basis and they get done whatever they want. The person who is running for mayor wants a certain type of development here. He was told people are notified of projects that are within 400 feet of their home. He opined people do not appear because they are in fear to come here, they are disrespected, character assassinated, and they have out-of-town lawyers that dominate everything. He asked how much longer is the Ft Lauderdale law firm going to dominate everything going on here. He asserted then that out-of-town people who move here are trying to make it like Delray Beach. Mayor Grant asked Mr. Mignoli if he wanted Boynton to be like Delray Beach. Mr. Mignoli replied he did not and he thought Delray Beach is a dump. Mr. Mignoli contended half of the businesses, developers and people from out of town come from Delray Beach to come to make Boynton like Delray Beach. The people and developers come here. Now they want to make Boynton like Delray with one-bedroom apartments. There have been comments made they are building near the railroad tracks and people like a little noise. He did not know where the Commission comes up with all these statements. He doesn't get the first name basis or how the law firm dominates things to the point that he knew last time at the meeting, it was not on the agenda, she should not have been up there talking, the Commission let her talk anyway and then the City conducted business. Then when he wants to speak, he cannot and then her husband said at the end he was glad he did not get a chance to speak. There were no comments online. Vote The motion passed unanimously. Mayor Grant opened Public Comments for items not on the agenda. Ernest Mignoli asked if the City Commission thought it was boring he was the only person out of 80K people that come here. He thought it was hard to believe how the City does business. He stated when you email the City Manager, or City Attorney or Board Members or the Mayor, they do not respond. He did not know if they block them. At the last meeting, there was another lawyer here, and anyone in Boynton Beach can have 49% of their home as construction. The law firm told the Board it is a state law, but Mr. Mignoli commented the Commission does not have to approve it and the Commission did not approve it. He questioned what would have occurred if he was not present and Meeting Minutes City Commission Boynton Beach, Florida November 30, 2021 did not approve it. He questioned what would have occurred if he was not present and thought the City Commission would have approved it. Mr. Mignoli commented this place will be a dump soon, overcrowded and one will not be able to drive anywhere. He commented there is a $118M building here, that is basically the Mayor's office. He does not have a law office, only a mailbox. He questioned when the next mayor gets here, who needs this kind of money. He suggested emptying the building out and making it public housing having $1,200 three-bedroom apartments for families. Now it is worth something, but instead the Commission keeps approving these projects and the statements you made. He will remember the comment, the Promised Land. He stated now the City Commission will be infusing religion into it and now the CRA is taking $500K that should have gone to people who need their homes fixed or where they are renting without being thrown out which is basically what the City Commission does each time he attends a meeting. He commented that every project is throw out regular people, get a developer, give him money through the CRA and the next thing you know, the $1,200 apartment is now $3,600. 2. Adjourn There being no further business before the Commission, Commissioner Katz moved to adjourn. Commissioner Penserga seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 4:56 p.m. CI/YO B TO► a; A CH l / r Mayor - Steven B. Grant I, Vice Mayor —Woodrow L. • " a L.sioner— Justin Katz Commissioner— Christina L. Romelus Comm i -u• � ga I 4 Meeting Minutes City Commission Boynton Beach, Florida November 30, 2021 ATTEST: I /i !. .' . ry- al Gibson, MM"., City Clerk (iltic-/A--04-Q-- 0_40E4 Catherine Cherry, Minutes S cialist 5