The meeting was called to order at 11:10 a.m. by President Pio Ieraci.
Board Members present: , Berkowitz, Glickfield, Hamaker, McBride, Abruzzino, Bindler, Nicholson-Brown, Casier, Freismith, Gonzalez, Jennings and Katkin.
Approval of Minutes - The minutes of the March 18, 2010 meeting were approved as corrected.
Old and New Business
George Moraitis: George Moraitis, who is running for State Representative, District 91, to replace Ellyn Bogdanoff, was introduced. Mr. Moraitis shared his background, experience and views regarding the fire sprinkler issue, jobs, corruption, etc.
Heidi Berkowitz: Heidi Berkowitz, who is running for District 13 County Court Judge was introduced and spoke of her education and background. Along with other information, Ms. Berkowitz called our attention to the fact that she is running against a judge who sat on the bench for 24 years without having been challenged.
Andy and Kathy Mitchell of Ireland�s Inn were introduced. Andy gave an update on the Ireland/Mitchell family and the project�s new buildings. Approvals were received in December of 2008 but they ran into financial obstacles. Andy announced that financing is in place as of April 14. They have a new partner, George Perez, as well as silent partners. The resulting consortium is called PRH Fairwinds.
Our guest, Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Vice Mayor Bruce Roberts, sent his regards but was unable to attend the meeting due to a case of food poisoning.
Pio spoke about House Bill 561 � �Sprinkler Retrofit Relief Bill�:
The bill is in lock down at this time. Statehouse Representatives Ellyn Bogdanoff and Matt Hudson�s House Bill 561 will be folded into its companion Senate legislation, Senators Mike Fasano and Jeremy Ring�s Senate Bill 1196. Since the encouraging meeting with Governor Crist at the Riverside Hotel, he has remained silent about his intentions for the bill once engrossed by the legislature.
There are other provisions in the bill that affect us (other than sprinkler retrofit), such as a litany of insurance fixes, an opt out provision for elevator back-up generators, postponement of retrofitting an elevator special access key until elevator is replaced or requires major modification, manual fire alarm opt out for structures less than 4 stories, foreclosure cap increased from 6 to 12 months (or 1% of mortgage value), sanctions for unit owner delinquencies (common area use rights, voting rights, etc), association to directly collect rent from owner-delinquent tenanted units, Internet and Communication services can be obtained pursuant to a bulk contract and deemed a common expense (like television services), and dozens of other condo and co-op regulatory improvements.
There is a Community Advocacy Network (CAN) Advisory Board Meeting on April 16 � Pio will forward information made available from this meeting. Our next meeting is not until after the legislative session is over. Acclaiming their informative value, Dott stressed that we should read the emailed CAN reports that we are sent.
Sun Trolley
A Sun Trolley meeting is taking place at the Galt Ocean Mile Reading Center now. Funding will run out in September, however, they are working on eliciting contributions from the beneficiary vendors at potential additional destinations, such as the Galleria, so the Sun Trolley can be fiscally self-sufficient.
Galt Ocean Drive Landscaping
Pio shared an email from Customer Operations Manager Linda Gee of the City of Fort Lauderdale Utilities Department regarding the location markings for underground utility lines. Responding to an inquiry from Commissioner Roberts, the email indicates that the City is anticipating a statutory resolution during the legislative session.
Pressure sprayers are inadequate for removing the stains left by contractors in front of our buildings.
Beach Renourishment
Quarterly conference calls are held on the beach renourishment. The call for the second quarter is coming up shortly. We are looking for some aggressive, definitive timelines. Hope to also have positive news on both the FCCE Project and the Segment II start date. While the State permit is in place, the Federal permit is not.
Galt Merchants
Pio will ask Christopher Sheehan to represent the Galt Mile Shops.
Galt Mile Roving Security Patrol
As of this date, there are still two buildings that have not paid, which will affect all of us. A meeting with the Boards of those buildings will be arranged.
Galt Mile Web Site � Newsletter � Eric Berkowitz -
- February 2010 Web Site Stats: 906,635 hits; 13,110 unique site visits (first timers)
The past month�s articles:
March 18, 2010 - Bogdanoff on Broward Ethics Bill - For two decades, federal investigators surgically removed a battalion of crooked politicians - along with enabling lawyers and lobbyists - from Miami and Palm Beach, leaving Broward to stew in its own juices... until now! The Broward Ethics Commission finally formulated the ethics code mandated by Broward voters in 2002 and 2008. At its heart is an Inspector General empowered to issue subpoenas, take testimony under oath and investigate any reasonable suspicion of misconduct. To accomplish this, the Broward Delegation asked Republican Ellyn Bogdanoff and Democrat Ari Porth to file the legislative basis for asking Broward voters to decide whether an inspector general should look into complaints of waste, mismanagement and abuse by public officials and refer violations to the state attorney�s office. After filing House Bill 1425, delegation members in cahoots with elements of the Broward Commission tried to sink the bill in partisan sludge. In her early session update, Bogdanoff confirms her intention to see this through, as desperately sought by Broward residents. Read on...
March 24, 2010 - 2010 Assn Omnibus Bill - Condo & Co-op - Three weeks into the 2-month 2010 legislative session, bills impacting associations are dancing through committee minefields en route to a single omnibus association bill. Sharing center stage are Representative Ellyn Bogdanoff�s House Bill 561 and bicameral counterpart Senate Bill 1196 by Senator Mike Fasano, heirs to last year's vetoed Senate Bill 714. In addition to providing sprinkler retrofit relief and fixing a score of expensive insurance inequities, the 2010 legislation goes a lot further, balancing financial reporting requirements, shielding confidential contact information from identity theft, relieving the onerous mandate to retrofit an elevator access key, enabling the bulk purchase of communication and internet services, allowing suspension of common area use rights and voting rights for delinquent owners, and a wide range of other legislative corrections. For a summary of these provisions and how they apply to condominiums and cooperatives... Read on...
March 31, 2010 - George and Charlie on the Galt Mile - On Thursday, March 4th, Galt Mile Community Association President Pio Ieraci was surprised by a late afternoon telephone call from one of Senator George LeMieux�s staffers in Washington DC, who asked if Ieraci could arrange a March 8th Town Hall meeting for his boss - four days off. Pondering potential benefits to the neighborhood - other than providing residents with an opportunity to �Meet Your Senator� - Ieraci hatched a plan with several other GMCA officials. In an exercise bordering on wishful thinking, they aspired to leverage delivery of LeMieux�s requested Town Hall meeting for an opportunity to meet with the Senator�s close friend and ally, Governor Crist. They needed to make the Governor understand the disastrous consequences of requiring unit owners to fund an unnecessary $multi-million sprinkler retrofit. Specifically, they wanted to insure that Crist wouldn�t veto Representative Ellyn Bogdanoff�s sprinkler retrofit relief bill. Inexplicably, despite a chain of unexpected and discouraging twists and turns, it appears that the long shot may have succeeded!
April 10, 2010 - State Settles 31-Year Gaming Quagmire - The wide disparity of lawmaker sentiments about gambling has long precluded State officials from agreeing on a coherent gaming policy, dooming past attempts to negotiate a profit-sharing pact with the Seminole Tribal Council. A $3.2 billion budget shortfall and the actualization that Florida gambling is a $7 billion bell that cannot be �unrung� has finally ended 31 years of dogmatic �moral� posturing that often cloaked a thinly veiled �turf protection� strategy by lawmakers from jurisdictions with tourism-based economies or pari-mutuel constituents. A House panel birthed a $1.5 billion deal approved by the Governor and the Tribe offering a larger first year budget infusion than any of its derailed predecessors - $437 million. The compact additionally assists pari-mutuel operators while leaving the door open to future licensing for casino-based mega-resorts comparable to the Bellagio or The Venetian in Las Vegas.
Other Business
Treasurer�s Report - Leah Glickfield
The treasurer reported that we have a balance of $9,298.47. Our treasurer will be making a deposit of $500, bringing our balance to $9,798.47.
Next Advisory Board Meeting - The next regular Advisory Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, May 20, 2010 at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:25 p.m.
Fern McBride
Fern McBride, Secretary
APRIL 15, 2010
