MINUTES OF GMCA ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

MARCH 21, 2013

The meeting was called to order at 11:15 a.m. by President Pio Ieraci at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.

Board Members present: Ieraci, Berkowitz, Hamaker, Nesbitt, McBride, Adams, Aschner, Bazerghi, Bendis, Bindler, Casier, Custer, Dawson, Ezzeldine, Freismuth, Hashek, Kessler, Konstance, Korn, Mercado, Quintero, G. Tripoli and Vanek.

Guests present: Bruce Roberts, City of Fort Lauderdale District 1 Commissioner; District Director John Newstreet of Broward Commissioner Chip LaMarca�s office; Officers James Hancock and Keith Rohloff, Fort Lauderdale Police Department.

Approval of Minutes - Minutes of the February 21, 2013 Advisory Board meeting were approved.

Old and New Business

• Pio introduced Officer Jim Hancock, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, who stated that there was nothing new to report since our last meeting. Our area is being worked proactively and we should not hesitate to report suspicious activity.

• Pio introduced Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Bruce Roberts who shared the following:

  • Fire station � Station will be relocated pursuant to a land swap.

  • A1A lane markings will be redone in April or May.

  • Now that Dean Trantalis has replaced Charlotte Rodstrom as District 2 Commissioner, the City Commission is again restored to 5 voting members.

  • Working on a new budgeting process.

  • Search Committee for new City Attorney

• John Newstreet, Broward Commissioner Chip LaMarca�s District Director:

  • On April 29, Skye Patrick - former Assistant Director at the Queens Public Library - will replace Bob Cannon as Director of the Broward County Libraries Division.

  • The Galt Library has been funded.

  • Beach renourishment is going well; benefitting from positive funding and support.

Legislative Report

Pio read a 3/15/2013 progress report from CAN and CAI lobbyist Travis Moore about District 93 Statehouse Representative George Moraitis� House Bill 73.

Galt Mile Wine & Food Festival

• Pio read a preliminary report from BocaRaton.com promoter Russell Spadaccini. Having sold 1200 tickets, they reported a $5,000 loss. Although their original goal was to sell 1600 tickets at $55 each, the promoter and sponsors considered the event an unqualified success.

• Spadaccini and event sponsors requested a signed contract by 9/1/13 if we decide to repeat the event next year.

• Eric was thanked for overseeing the event on behalf of the Community Association and addressing last minute snafus.

• Pio requested feedback from Galt Mile associations.

Beach Renourishment

Sand from the Ireland�s Inn site was tested and approved for use in beach renourishment; possibly for Segment II.

Galt Mile Web Site � Newsletter � Eric Berkowitz

• February 2013 Web Site Stats: 622,545 hits; 14,300 Unique Site Visits (First Timers)

Articles posted during the past month include:

• February 15, 2013 - 2013 Omnibus Association Bill - The beneficiary of wisdom filched from a legislative catharsis, on December 28, 2012, District 93 Statehouse Representative George R. Moraitis filed House Bill 73. Building on the momentum of his successful 2011 Omnibus Association Bill (HB 1195), Moraitis and former Senator Ellyn Bogdanoff teamed up last year to file House Bill 319 and its companion legislation, Senate Bill 680. The third of three consecutive bills assembled from the combined wish lists of Condominiums, Cooperatives and Homeowner Associations across the State, the bills whizzed through vetting committees in both houses en route to an anticipated soft landing on the Governor�s desk � when disaster struck. When conflicted attorneys slipped a pro-lender amendment into the legislation, it enraged association supporters. During a subsequent series of events reminiscent of episodes from the Three Stooges, the legislation self-destructed. Having learned the hard way, a regretful Moraitis refiled for the 2013 session � without the scam amendment.

• February 25, 2013 - Galt Mile Wine & Food Festival - AGrab your significant other, your best friend or the whole gang and spend the most spectacular Saturday a Culinary Enthusiast can imagine along the most famous beach front condo strips in Florida. Please your palate, step into your stride and mingle among the best chefs in South Florida at the Inaugural Galt Mile Wine & Food Festival on Saturday, March 2, 2013 from 4 PM to 8 PM. Each of the participating chefs specializes in signature dishes with which they have become identified. To sample these extraordinary offerings, patrons would have to visit their various restaurants over several months and lay out big bucks. At the Galt Mile Wine & Food Festival, participants can achieve this in a few hours - and for a pittance. By the way, the spotlight it brings to the Galt Mile won't exactly hurt the value of our homes.

• March 5, 2013 - Galt Sun Trolley: Back from the Brink - Having survived an up-close view of the Abyss, the Sun Trolley�s Galt Mile Route has come roaring back from the brink of oblivion. On October 10, 2008, after promising to save the Galt Mile route, former Sun Trolley Executive Director Les Hollingsworth surreptitiously drafted a termination notice condoning its demise! When the GMCA revealed Hollingsworth�s betrayal, a phalanx of angry residents who attended the October 21, 2008 City Commission meeting convinced Commissioners to abort the termination. After giving Hollingsworth the boot, Interim Executive Director Chris Wren met with GMCA officials to script a new survival strategy for our besieged local bus service. Since then, connectivity upgrades engineered by Wren and Managing Director Patricia Zeiler turned the Galt Mile route into a shopper�s panacea; ridership has exploded and vendors have been pleading for status as a Sun Trolley destination site. Among a series of recent service upgrades, last month Imperial Point Hospital was added to the Galt Mile route. For the whole story - Read on...

• March 15, 2013 - Bad Bill: Negligence & the Rabbit Hole - In 2010, 2011, and again this year, Palm City Senator Joe Negron filed bills that seek to legally immunize Design Professionals (architects, engineers, landscape architects, interior designers & surveyors) to damages resulting from their own negligence. An outraged public convinced former Governor Charlie Crist to veto this anti-consumer gremlin in 2010 and lawmakers marooned it on the calendar in 2011. With design professional trade association lobbyists greasing a smooth ride in vetting committees, Senate Bill 286 is sliding through the legislative gauntlet. No other class of professional has ever been so completely financially insulated from the legal repercussions of malpractice, wrongful acts, or misconduct. Until now - along with doctors, lawyers, and accountants - these licensed professionals have been prohibited by statute from limiting exposure due to their own negligence. Once enacted, if an engineer designs a defective roof, oversees and signs off on construction deliberately peppered with building code violations, when it collapses later that day, the association would not even be legally entitled to an apology. This bill is a prime candidate for the 2013 session�s �Shaft the Public� award. Read why...

Other Business

• Pio met with downtown developers; they lament the ongoing conflict between Fort Lauderdale (in alliance with other Broward municipalities) and Broward County over funding inequities inherent in the �Emergency 911� Dispatch System.

• Gary Tripoli reported on a meeting at Edgewater Arms that was held to address the easement letter.

• Discussed the painted BLUE Winn Dixie Plaza; Eileen Bendis has been in touch with the plaza�s property manager at Kitson & Partners.

• Fred Nesbitt spoke about bicycles on the sidewalk, dog litter bags, and how sprinklers that are on around 7 a.m. soak pedestrians.

• Discussed homeless persons loitering in front of Winn-Dixie.

• WHEN YOU WITNESS OMINOUS OR SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY, CALL THE POLICE!

Treasurer�s Report - Leah Glickfield

The Treasurer�s report showed a balance of $12,797.25.

Adjournment - The next regular Advisory Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, April 18, 2013 at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:10 p.m.

Fern McBride
Fern McBride, Secretary

RETURN To GOVERNANCE

RETURN To MISSION STATEMENT

RETURN To BY-LAWS

RETURN To MEETING MINUTES INDEX

Click To Top of Page