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MINUTES OF GMCA ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

NOVEMBER 15, 2012


The meeting was called to order at 11:13 a.m. by President Pio Ieraci at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.

Board Members present: Ieraci, Berkowitz, Glickfield, Hamaker, McBride, Nesbitt, Oppert, Surdovel, Abruzzino, Adams, Bendis, Bibace, Bindler, Casier, Dawson, Freismuth, Friedman, Katkin, Kessler, Korn, Lyons, Pohan, Pyatt, Rollo, Solewin, Tripoli and Vega.

Guests present: City of Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Bruce Roberts; John Newstreet, representing Broward Commissioner Chip LaMarca; Officer Tom Gestal, Fort Lauderdale Police Department.

Approval of Minutes - Minutes of the October 18, 2012 Advisory Board meeting were approved.

Old and New Business

Galt Mile Security Patrol

Report will be available for our next meeting.

Beach Renourishment

Discussed easement letter received by Associations as a precursor to beach renourishment. Since Advisory Board cannot render legal opinions, associations must solicit opinions from their respective attorneys.

Legislative Report

Please send any thoughts on the upcoming session to Pio.

Galt Mile Street Landscape - Chepo Vega

Chepo reported that things are �under control� and that he continues to take many pictures. Sidewalks are being leveled to eliminate tripping hazards. Also, he discussed how trees on the Mile must be rid of low hanging branches that threaten pedestrians. Ralph questioned why FDOT is using a different colored aggregate to patch the sidewalks on 34th Street.

Galt Mile Web Site � Newsletter � Eric Berkowitz

  • October Web Site Stats: 676,036 hits; 21,925 unique site visits (first timers)

Articles posted during the past month include:

  • October 12, 2012 - Summer of Scam � 2012 - An eclectic group of sleaze bags logged in substantial overtime this summer. Each of the following scams either threatened or victimized Galt Milers during the stickiest June through August in years. Thousands of cash-strapped utility customers were stung by a low-tech nationwide fraud using a hook based on the weather, the political climate, Facebook and the �allure of the freebie�. Another scam targeted the men and women who manage our homes, threatening their license and livelihood. The last one, conceived by our clever Governor, will insure that the State of Florida maintains its squirrelly reputation as the nation�s mortgage fraud �Olympian� while the Venice of America perseveres as �Fraud Lauderdale.� Curious? Welcome to Florida�s 2012 Summer of Scam!

  • October 23, 2012 - A Constitutional Junkyard - Of the five methodologies available to amend the Florida Constitution, citizen initiative petitions and legislative Joint Resolutions are the most common. This year, Republican legislators cobbled together several failed bills that withered under Committee Review or public scrutiny. Using partisan pressure to eke out the required two-thirds majority in both houses, they prepared 11 Joint Resolutions for ballot eligibility. Since the ballot process barely skirts the public radar, politicians can promote openly anathematic issues with little fear of political reprisal or constituent backlash. To inoculate their handiwork against the same fatal public scrutiny that buried the bills from which they were sourced, they were mixed in with a fistful of poorly timed tax exemptions and a few amendments so fatuous that Constitutional watchdogs on both sides of the aisle concede them as �filler�. To avoid the wallet pounding that could follow ticking off �yes� or �no� based on creatively spurious ballot titles, Read On...

  • November 2, 2012 - What's That Strange Taste? - Last November, more than a dozen Galt Mile residents sent emails to the neighborhood association complaining about the odd taste of their tap water. Several of our neighbors surmised that vengeful kids, having been ejected from the beach on Halloween by the Galt Mile Security Patrol, somehow sabotaged their association's water. In fact, the City of Fort Lauderdale�s Water Services temporarily altered the chemical purification process as part of a regular system maintenance program. On October 27, 2012, Galt Mile Community Association President Pio Ieraci sent a notice to member associations alerting them to a repeat performance of last year�s purification effort. Entitled, �Free Chlorine� the City Newsletter message mirrored a notice posted on the City website exclaiming �Preventive Maintenance of Drinking Water System Set for October 30 to November 20, 2012�. The text of the message is as follows:

  • November 11, 2012 - Nest Feathering 101 - A Florida Bar Primer - The Florida Supreme Court has delegated to The Florida Bar the duty to investigate and prosecute allegations of unauthorized practice of law (UPL). The Standing Committee on Unlicensed Practice of Law supervises circuit committees (which investigate UPL reports and submit findings to the statewide standing committee). A formal advisory opinion is then filed with the Florida Supreme Court. On March 28, 2012, then Chairman George Meyer of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar (RPPTL Section) sent a request to the Standing UPL Committee to determine whether certain activities constitute the unauthorized practice of law if performed by Community Association Managers. On September 21, 2012, the Committee determined whether the performance of 14 specific activities by a CAM manager constitutes UPL. Amid accusations of nest feathering and despite several badly skewed rulings, each violation is punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to one thousand dollars. Since UPL is a criminal offense in the State of Florida, insurance or contractual indemnification provisions are often inapplicable - for managers AND/OR board members who play lawyer.

Other Business

  • Ireland�s Inn � Project is controlled by �The Related Group� Chair Jorge Perez and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, although Andy Mitchell retains a partnership interest.

  • Commissioner Roberts was asked about the two Fort Lauderdale Amendment questions on the November 2012 ballot concerning municipal elections and the sale of real property; neither of which passed.

  • Fred Nesbitt asked who owns the trees on the beach. You must have a permit to plant the trees, but the Association that plants them owns them.

  • Discussed State DEP mandate to build dunes.

  • Discussed enabling Beach Raker to reallocate sand displaced by Sandy back onto the beach. Pio will distribute the required permits to member associations on request.

Treasurer�s Report - Leah Glickfield

The treasurer�s report showed a balance of $13,215.00.

The following buildings have not paid their annual association dues: Caribe, Plaza East, Royal Ambassador and Il Lugano. The Tides at Bridgeside Square (a new member association) has been sent a statement.

Next Advisory Board Meeting - The next regular Advisory Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, December 20, 2012 at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:52 p.m.

Fern McBride
Fern McBride, Secretary

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