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MINUTES OF GMCA ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

May 21, 2015


The meeting was called to order at 11:25 a.m. by President Pio Ieraci at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.

Board Members present: : Ieraci, Berkowitz, Hamaker, Nesbitt, McBride, Abruzzino, Adams, Bazerghi, Capriani, Cella, Claire, Fox, Friedman, Gabrielle, Hashek, Katkin, Katz, Larson, Marshall, Pohan, Pyatt, Solewin, and Vega

Guests present: Fort Lauderdale Police Department Officer Zach Baro.

Approval of Minutes - Minutes of the April 16, 2015 Advisory Board Meeting were approved.

Old and New Business/Guests

  • Pio shared an update from Robbie Uptegrove, Commissioner Roberts� Assistant:

    • The A1A project will start at the end of June 2015.

    • A public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 27 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall to discuss the Galleria Mall�s $1 billion addition of 7 mixed use towers under flexible land use codes enacted in a 2013 municipal ordinance. The Innovative Development (ID) process trades zoning concessions for �community benefits� (i.e. walkability, public realm green spaces, efficient building form and mixed uses on the ground level). The meeting will address how the high density development may impact traffic patterns, municipal services, local schools, etc. Pio will send out relevant ID Zoning information

  • Pio introduced Fort Lauderdale Police Officer Zach Baro, who shared the following:

    • City of Fort Lauderdale crime rates are at their lowest level in 30 years.

    • Memorial Day: The bridges at 17th Street, Las Olas Blvd. and Sunrise Blvd. will be monitored by officers using tag readers and narcotics sniffing dogs. Extra officers on the beach and other areas will enforce a �no tolerance� policy all weekend.

    • Fred Nesbitt announced an increase in mounted patrols and cycles; and observed that local foot patrols are continuing.

    • Predictive policing protocols were credited for the improved crime statistics

Galt Ocean Mile Street Landscape - Jos� �Chepo� Vega

  • Chepo and Pio spoke to Mark Almy regarding a meeting with him next week to discuss a plan to improve how trees are planted along the block, the level trimming of hedges, trimming low hanging branches, etc.

  • Fred Nesbitt stated that the City received a large grant to repair/replace/maintain sidewalks; this project will be beginning next year.

Beach Renourishment

  • Pio: The Beach Renourishment is still scheduled to begin November 1, 2015.

Galt Mile Reading Center - Terry Claire

  • Announced that the library will be offering a full program during the summer months.

  • Arranging a meeting with Commissioner LaMarca to discuss the Galt Mile library facility�s cramped quarters.

  • Expressed appreciation for the Galt Mile Advisory Board�s contribution to the Friends of the Library

Galt Mile Security Patrol

  • Pio reminded members that the cell number for the beach patrol should only be used by building security or the building manager.

Galt Mile Web Site � Newsletter � Eric Berkowitz

  • April 2015 Web Site Stats: 679,799 hits, 16,898 Unique Site Visits (First Timers)

Articles posted during the past month include:

  • April 15, 2015 - Lawmaking Realtors Pursue Profits - Among the most controversial 2015 association bills are House Bill 611 filed by Rep. John Wood (R - Winter Haven) and companion Senate Bill 736 filed by Sen. Kelli Stargel - known as the �estoppel certificate� bills. Owners of properties governed by a community association must provide buyers or lenders with a statement of their financial status with the association prior to selling or refinancing their homes. As per State law (s. 718.116(8), F.S.), a condo seller (usually through a realtor or title company) will ask the association for a summary of his or her property's association debt as of a certain date - known as an Estoppel Certificate. Drafted by realtors and supported by title companies, the legislation was designed to flip the script, and shift the cost of preparing estoppel letters from the realtors� paying customers (sellers) to the associations � an attempt to saddle the seller�s neighbors (that�s us) with the expense. Not surprisingly, the bills' legislative sponsors are both realtors who will directly benefit if successful. Golly Gee Willikers!!!

  • April 26, 2015 - Gypsy Dent Grifters Sting Galt Mile - On your way out of the supermarket, while juggling groceries earmarked for the trunk, some guy parked next to you points out a dent in your car. Inveighing that this is your lucky day, he holds out a business card and mentions that he is an auto body repair technician who just got home from a long day at the service garage. What might ordinarily cost you $700 - $900 at the auto body shop, he will do for a mere $250. What�s more, you can watch as he restores your vehicle�s former glory. How can you go wrong? After carefully eyeballing his embossed laser-cut business card, you agree. When you wake up tomorrow, and you realize that you actually gave a stranger $250 to destroy the finish on your car, you�ll spend the day struggling with whether you should file a police report � or make believe it never happened. You�re not alone � Gypsy Dent Scammers have arrived on the Galt Mile!

  • May 10, 2015 - LaMarca: Early Spring Update - In his April � May 2015 message to constituents, Commissioner Chip LaMarca opens by reporting his receipt of an elusive federal permit for the long-awaited Galt Mile beach renourishment and projects a November project kickoff. After applauding county measures to conserve water, LaMarca reviews Broward infrastructure improvements, citing fiscal hallmarks achieved by Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, "Green" Paratransit and Express buses launched by Broward County Transit and construction of a Biogas Cogeneration Electric facility that will morph organic waste into electrical power for the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Pompano Beach. LaMarca also updates the controversial entry of transportation network companies (i.e. Uber, Lyft, etc.) into the Broward market, a local microcosm of a simmering conflict between unregulated web-based services and their traditional brick and mortar counterparts, which may change how the world does business!

Other Business

  • Discussed which associations allow food on their pool decks.

  • Pio raised the question: Are approvals of service animals/emotional support animals by any member association transferable to other member associations? Since the respective administrative documents, bylaws and enacted rules of each sovereign member association determine its specific approval criteria (subject to Federal Law), they are not bound by the criteria applicable in neighboring associations. Therefore, such approvals are not transferable.

Treasurer�s Report - Fred Nesbitt

  • The Treasurer reported a balance of $14,659.53

  • Invoices for the $250 annual dues will sent to member associations in June.

  • Expressing gratitude for our recent contribution, a thank you note from the Friends of the Galt Mile Reading Center was read by the Treasurer.

Adjournment - The next regular Advisory Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, June 18, 2015 at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:50 p.m.

Fern McBride
Fern McBride, Secretary

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