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MINUTES OF GMCA ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
  September 26, 2017
The meeting was called to order at 11:13 a.m. by President Pio Ieraci at Casa Calabria Restaurant in the Ocean Manor Hotel.
Board Members present: Ieraci, Berkowitz, Hamaker, Hashek, McBride, Nesbitt, Surdovel, Abruzzino, Adams, Adjemian, Bazerghi, Bendis, Bibace, Bindler, Cella, Friedman, Katz, Kessler, Larson, Ledbetter, Madenfort, Madgett, Mancke, Marcus, Sacca, Santiago, Sclafani, Short, Vega, Wasserman and Wenberg.
Guests present: Fort Lauderdale Police Department Officers Lau, Ryan, Levin.
Approval of Minutes - Minutes of the June 15, 2017 Advisory Board Meeting were approved.
Old and New Business
A moment of silence was held in honor of Rose Guttman, who passed away on August 7, 2017. Rose was an amazing Lady who served and enriched our neighborhood and city for many years.
Pio announced the following appointments to the GMCA Board of Directors: Ed Hashek, Director, and Fern McBride, Secretary.
Fort Lauderdale Police Department Officers Lay, Ryan and Levin were introduced. They explained having been assigned to bridges connecting the mainland to the island where they restricted entry to residents or confirmed visitors. Undercover officers who patrolled the area insured that no looting, etc. proliferated.
IRMA
Every major TV news channel worked 24/7 and provided excellent information.
Preparations: Each building has hurricane plans. Buildings that formerly coordinated prevention measures with neighboring buildings (seeing items left on balconies from adjacent rooftops, etc.). If resident fail to clear balconies prior to storm, buildings charge from $25.00 to $200.00 if removed by staff. Some balcony doors were blown off - bolts must be installed on balcony doors.
The day before IRMA, Pio visited each building to count number of people remaining on the Mile even though mandatory evacuation had been ordered. The number: 765
When evacuation is ordered get on a plane, leave. It is a misdemeanor to ignore a mandatory evacuation order. Emergency services are suspended. Buildings are required to shut down at a certain point - water pumps, elevators (should be placed on 10th floor), a/c.
Staff should not stay; no one should be appointed to be in charge. Hurricane plans are thoroughly explained/shared with tenants.
Impact resistant windows are not impermeable to water when wind speed exceeds about 54 mph. If impacted, there could be spider cracks but they will not shatter. Vortex created in apartments without impact resistant windows could blow out walls between apartments.
The increased beach width minimized damage from storm surge.
DURING THE STORM
Fountainhead: OK
L�Hermitage II: Had leakage under the windows; 2 security staffers voluntarily remained; leakage from above; mildew in walls.
Edgewater Arms: Had false fire alarm; 1 security voluntarily stayed; had a few window problems and lost power for 3 days.
Playa del Mar: Had a few medical issues; family member/caretaker were unavailable - they should be in these cases.
CRT Original: 70 unit owners stayed, 2 doctors remained and stocked medical supplies, 2 maintenance men remained and brought their families with them to stay. Power lost from Sunday to the following Saturday! Building�s transformers located in Il Lugano basement. FPL claimed they had power when they did not. Robbie Uptegrove, from Commissioner Robert�s office, was instrumental in getting their power back; Pio remained in contact throughout. Three people ended up in the emergency room.
Royal Ambassador: Because of Wilma experience the elevators were shut down, 1 maintenance person stayed; every apartment on the South side of the building got water in (with the good windows), gym, etc. flooded; no water in garage; no one in the building hurt.
Galt Ocean Club: 4 units were damaged; vent leakage; water in a/c shaft.
Galleon: Lost A/C for a day or two due to water leaking from cooling tower.
Playa del Sol: Lost vent turbines that blew off of roof � along with top of elevator shaft.
Regency Tower South: Suffered major infiltration - needs to be re-sealed.
- AFTER THE STORM
Assessment Mode: Assess damages, first assess exterior damages, write a detailed report for each apartment beginning on the top floor. To accurately assess if there is water within the walls, use a water meter.
Without exception, unit owners must provide a key to the association to afford access during an emergency (i.e. to remove furniture from balcony before a hurricane). Units with electronic / magnetic locks, keypads, etc. � must provide association with access code or override key. Failure to comply relieves association of any liability for forcible entry.
One of our buildings, before a hurricane, makes a list of people who will be alone in their units and contacts families well in advance.
Damages:
Discussed who is responsible for damages; buildings are responsible for some damage. Unit owners should have insurance and make claim to their insurance company first.
Buildings will have a stench in their hallways if power is lost and refrigerated items spoil.
Individual damage relief can be claimed until 11/21/17 by going to: fema.gov - and filling out claim form. If approved, money will be deposited in your bank account.
Clean-up:
Pio will find out the status of debris removal since the debris could pose a health hazard.
Florida Department of Environment Protection is responsible for replacing the sand on our beaches; we are waiting for information regarding this issue.
Special thanks to Robbie Uptegrove of Commissioner Robert�s office; she did a fantastic job!
Pio will gather hurricane evacuation plans from our buildings and consolidate the information.
Sprinkler Retrofit � ELSS: Pio explained status of ELSS - George Moraitis and Ellyn Bogdanoff are actively working to mitigate the ELSS retrofit requirement. Ellyn has requested funding for forthcoming activity. George is trying to get the governor�s cooperation in the 2018 legislative session which begins in January. The bill will be sponsored again and it is essential to know the governor�s intentions. If the governor vetoes the bill again, an option would be to file an injunction against the state fire marshal for mandating an ELLS with partial sprinklers since we have already opted out of a sprinkler retrofit.
Galt Ocean Drive Street Landscape: Pio read a memo from John Jors to Mark Almy addressing our landscape issues. The rehabilitation of A1A are almost finished and the landscaping phase is about to be completed. Chepo commented on the danger posed to pedestrians by bent trees, and suggested replacing buttonwoods with hurricane resistant trees and shrubs, stating that palm trees native to Florida are more appropriate. Monument beds on the Mile need to be refurbished.
Busses: They have caused damage and Broward County Transit has not relocated them off the Galt Mile
Galt Mile Web Site � Newsletter � Eric Berkowitz
- August 2017 Website statistics: 512,311 Hits, 21,825 Unique Site Visits (first timers)
Articles posted during the past month include:
July 24, 2017 - ELSS Retrofit - Round 2 - In response to a May 4, 2016 Declaratory Statement authorizing local Fire Marshalls to demand that thousands of Florida high-rise associations retrofit a $multi-million Engineered Life Safety System, Statehouse Representative George Moraitis teamed with Senator Kathleen Passidomo and association advocate Ellyn Bogdanoff to enact legislation enabling associations to forego this regulatory scam. Governor Rick Scott promised to withhold a veto if the bills were amended to require approval by 2/3 of the association�s voting interests to forego an ELSS retrofit - in lieu of a simple majority. Although the legislation was amended as suggested, he didn't keep his word. On June 26, 2017, the Governor vetoed the legislation. At a subsequent July 18, 2017 meeting with Galt Mile officials, Moraitis and Bogdanoff agreed to refile the legislation in the 2018 legislative session. Here's what happened...
August 8, 2017 - July 2017 LaMarca Letter - In his July 2017 LaMarca Letter, District 4 Broward Commissioner Chip LaMarca explores how improvements to Terminal 1 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) - jointly funded by the County and Southwest Airlines - benefitted both stakeholders and travelers; cites the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance for contributing to the County�s regional leadership in job growth; and warns constituents to prepare for the seasonal threat of hurricanes through November and the active transmission of Zika by mosquitoes that proliferate during South Florida�s May through October rainy season. Check it out...
August 22, 2017 - Galt Sun Trolley & BCT Bus Bunco - In his June 2017 Newsletter, District 1 Commissioner Bruce Roberts marked the Sun Trolley's 25th anniversary by applauding a litany of new services. Not surprisingly, he failed to mention that petulant bureaucrats at Broward County Transit (BCT) celebrated by defunding the Galt Mile Sun Trolley Route. Not to worry - Sun Trolley Executive Director Robyn Chiarelli has assured Galt Mile officials that the service will not be interrupted or reduced. As observed by Galt Mile President Pio Ieraci �BCT is no friend to the Galt Mile.� A BCT Bus layover has been blocking a handicap access ramp on Galt Ocean Drive since construction commenced on A1A. The busses often park on the sidewalk, or extend into the street and impede or block traffic (including an EMT). When asked by the City to relocate the Route 72 bus layover outside city limits, BCT officials instead agreed to return the busses to their original site at 41st Street and A1A when construction is complete, presumably in September. By the way, if a few more Galt Milers ride the Sun Trolley each month, BCT will be forced to restore the choked funding. For a snapshot of the Galt Link's bumpy evolution, and a summary of the BCT bus blockade.
Treasurer�s Report - Fred Nesbitt
Adjournment - The next regular Advisory Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, October 19, 2017 at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.
Fern McBride
Fern McBride, Secretary
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