The meeting was called to order at 11:00 a.m. by President Bob Rozema.
Board Members present: Rozema, Ieraci, Berkowitz, Glickfield, Gill, Guttman, Alfano, Baldwin, Freismuth, Gilligan, Hamaker, Mayer, Persiani and Santiago.
Approval of Minutes - The minutes of November 17, 2005 were approved.
Old & New Business - President Rozema introduced and welcomed Fort Lauderdale Vice Mayor Christine Teel, who shared the following:
- She attended the opening of the King Tut exhibition and said it is breathtaking.
- Street lights on the Galt need to be totally re-done; having problem with suppliers and the variety of equipment needed. May take 6-9 months, hopefully sooner.
- Wilma clean-up work still in progress.
- Reimbursement for Wilma not received yet � could receive close to 100% of the $63 million but will not know for a year.
- The 32nd Street alley will finally be rehabilitated � blueprints, etc. are ready and will be going out for bid. Adjacent vendors must maintain alley.
- Trees on the Mile will be done as soon as possible; the whole city needs trees. After holidays, a date for the landscaping will be scheduled, hopefully by the end of January.
- Bob: Parks Director Phil Thornberg told him the buttonwood and palms would be replaced. If they had been replaced before Wilma, we would have lost them all.
- Spoke about Adopt-a-Tree Program.
- Rubber-wheeled streetcars/trolleys have been ordered for downtown area, plus transportation to and from convention center and hotels, etc.
- After Wilma, people felt they did not know what was going on. Information available on AM1610. Will establish a place/time to meet with constituents after a storm.
- Discussed generators.
Pio Ieraci
- Sapphire: Sold out! Least expensive units are $465,000 and units on East side of building are near $1,000,000. There will be two 12-story towers. Maintenance may include membership to Harbor Beach Hotel. Date for completion in contract: 2010. Units will be ready for delivery by end of 2007.
- Martorano will be moving into Denny�s when Sapphire moves out. This will resolve their parking problem.
- Discussion regarding the volume of traffic the new buildings will bring to the area.
- Bob Rozema: Hart Travel on corner of Galt Ocean Drive and 35th Street has moved out; the vacated space will be occupied by a medical center.
- Ralph Hamaker: There was heavy damage to the building on 34th Street � many businesses have closed.
- Discussed traffic light at corner of A1A and 32nd Street; belongs to FDOT.
- Discussed possible uses of the $100,000 for Galt Merchants.
Click Here for full report about Wilma�s overall impact. [Editor]
Opus South - Bob Rozema stated they are probably pulling out
Il Lugano - Ralph Hamaker - Construction has reached the second floor; there are two big cranes on the property; the project is at least one year behind schedule; the condo units are sold out, but not the hotel units.
Galt Mile Web Site � Eric Berkowitz - A sixth newspaper has been added to the web site: The Miami Herald. November - Hits: 575,228.
New articles include: Mayor Naugle�s Advisory Board visit on November 17, Association damage reports on the Mile from Wilma, beach damage from Wilma and annual flu vaccinations distribution foul-up.
Correspondence - Reviewed
Treasurer�s Report - Leah Glickfield reported $16,421.16 in our Treasury.
- Bob Rozema thanked the Board of Directors and Advisory Board for their support and loyalty during 2005.
Next Board Meeting - THE NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2006.
Meeting adjourned at 12:30 P.M.
Fern McBride, Assistant Secretary