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MINUTES OF GMCA ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
  December 14, 2017
The meeting was called to order at 11:18 a.m. by President Pio Ieraci at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.
Board Members present: Ieraci, Berkowitz, Hamaker, Hashek, McBride, Nesbitt, Surdovel, Abruzzino, Bazerghi, Bibace, Bendis, Cella, Korn, Larson, Madgett, Wenberg
Guests present: Fort Lauderdale District I City Commissioner Bruce Roberts; District 1 City Commissioner-elect Heather Moraitis; Fort Lauderdale Police Department Officers T. Gestal and T. Lau
Approval of Minutes - Minutes of the November 16, 2017 Advisory Board Meeting were approved.
Old and New Business
Pio introduced our new District 1 Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Heather Moraitis, who addressed several issues including tourism, the homeless and State issues
Pio shared information regarding:
Received a complaint from jeweler Jon Paul about the inadequate customer parking at his location.
A future three level Publix/Condo/Parking structure is under consideration.
The Sun Trolley Galt Route has been suspended due to insufficient ridership.
Turtles: discussed a federal permit to allow the relocation of eggs to unpopulated coastal sites and adequately illuminate beach neighborhoods
Pio introduced City Commissioner Bruce Roberts, who spoke of:
A revised Bahia Mar Project
Boat Show, which brings in huge money to Fort Lauderdale
The City plan to upgrade aging infrastructure
Discussed WAVE system
Fort Lauderdale Police Department Officers Gestal and Lau were introduced. They addressed several issues including:
Importance of keeping eyes and ears open
Locking car doors, removing fobs from inside of cars and concealing jewelry, packages, etc.
Discussed homeless on the Galt
Told about extreme traffic noise on A1A from 12 midnight to 2:00 a.m.
Engineered Life Safety Systems � ELSS: Ellyn Bogdanoff has notified supporters that George Moraitis will refile the ELSS opt-out bill during the 2018 legislative session. Senator Gary Farmer will file the companion bill in the Senate. Commissioner Roberts observed that the City/County can be supportive of this effort
Galt Ocean Drive Street Landscape: Ed Haskell reported for John Jors.
Three different tree species are being tested at five locations. After the testing period, damaged Silver Buttonwoods will be replaced.
- Galt Roving Patrol: Participants want to continue to increase hours; will schedule an annual meeting to review the patrol; The Palms and Auberge may join; good response from Coral Ridge Towers meeting with officers.
Galt Mile Web Site � Newsletter � Eric Berkowitz
- November 2017 Website statistics: 456,458 Hits, 22,018 Unique Site Visits (first timers)
Articles posted during the past month include:
November 11, 2017 - October 2017 LaMarca Letter - In his October 2017 constituent update, District 4 Broward Commissioner Chip LaMarca anticipates legislation that may provide a reliable funding source for renourishing eroded beaches and maintaining (and/or sand bypassing) coastal inlets - where 85% of the downdrift sand is lost to tidal erosion. LaMarca thanks FDOT for awarding Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) $27 million, half the $54 million pricetag of a planned five-gate remote terminal east of Terminal 4, reviews a plan by President and CEO Stacy Ritter of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau to increase the agency's investment in digital advertising while using predictive analytics to harvest consumer feedback, welcomes prospective pet owners to "Roll with the Big Dogs", an incentivized invitation to bring home a supersized pet pooch with a Hefty Bag of free supplies. Since the county finally awoke to the need for a regional plan to fortify infrastructure increasingly overwhelmed by rising sea levels, LaMarca closes by recruiting constituents to help document tidal flooding in their neighborhoods during the autumn King Tides - generating data useful for mitigating the local impacts.
November 21, 2017 - Beach Funds, Hot Spots & the Wish List - After twenty years of knocking heads with foot-dragging bureaucrats in Tallahassee and Washington DC, while fending off demagogues who view tidal erosion as the �wages of sin� for befouling pristine barrier islands, delighted Galt Mile residents spent 2016 watching an armada of trucks ferry sand from upstate mines to severely eroded north Broward beaches. For two decades, officials advocating for beach renourishment argued that the beaches were indispensable to State and local tourism economies and provided the only real protection for people and property threatened by hurricanes and tropical storms. At the outset of the Segment II beach fix, Broward Beach boss Nicole Sharp assured Galt Milers that when the protection was tested, and storm surge snatched up yards of new beach, any eroded "hot spots" could be refilled without another excursion through regulatory hell. When fate sent Irma, Sharp rolled up her sleeves...
November 30, 2017 - Roberts: Go Big Go Fast - In his November/December 2017 Newsletter, District 1 City Commissioner & Vice Mayor Bruce Roberts updates progress for "Go Big, Go Fast!�, a comprehensive initiative launched by the City of Fort Lauderdale Public Works Department to improve, replace or enhance the City's aging infrastructure. Roberts details the status of 18 projects central to upgrading the City's water and wastewater system. He enumerates ongoing District 1 projects in Palm Aire West, Bayview from Sunrise to Commercial Boulevards, Twin Lakes and Lake Estates. Completed projects in 8 District 1 locations include the installation of speed humps, radar signs, striping/swale work and flexible delineators. Roberts provides a County email address for reporting downed stop signs and lists upcoming November and December events. He offers news-hungry constituents email updates while providing contact information for Robbi Uptegrove, his invaluable Commission Assistant.
December 8, 2017 - November 2017 LaMarca Letter - In his November 2017 LaMarca Letter, District 4 Broward Commissioner Chip LaMarca outlines how the recent expansion of Slip 2 in Port Everglades will enable the berthing of today's longer ships adjacent to the newly renovated Terminal 4, including Holland America Line�s Pinnacle-class ships, Princess Cruises� Royal-class ships, and those of Carnival Cruise Line - currently the primary user of the newly extended berth; welcomes the 9th Annual Southeast Florida Regional Climate Leadership Summit to the Broward County Convention Center in mid-December; exhorts Broward taxpayers to take advantage of early-payment discounts for recently received property tax bills; applauds County Veterans Services Officers for helping Broward�s 127,000 veterans navigate the Veterans Administration System for benefits. While noting how the recently elevated ratings of bonds issued by Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport will enhance the airport's long term financial stability, LaMarca also observes how FLL cured an FAA dilemma that might have cost hundreds of $millions with a $2.5 million high-tech fix.
Other Business
Pio will send out schedule so member associations can sign up for 2018 President Council Meeting dates.
Pio: Funding is available to rebuild/repair damaged dunes.
Holiday gifts were presented to Chef Phil and our waiter Bobbie at Nick�s Italian Restaurant
Treasurer�s Report - Fred Nesbitt
Adjournment - The next regular Advisory Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, January 18, 2018 at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:50 p.m.
Fern McBride
Fern McBride, Secretary
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