The meeting was called to order at 11:05 a.m. by President Pio Ieraci at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.
Board Members present: Ieraci, Berkowitz, Hashek, McBride, Nesbitt, Surdovel, Abruzzino, Adams, Bazerghi, Bendis, Bibace, Cave, Cella, Ellison, Gounis, Hall, Harris, Katz, Kessler, Korn, Larson, Madenfort, Madgett, Mancke, Moyyad, Mullan, Papineau, Sarelakos, Sarkisian
Guests present: Fort Lauderdale District 1 City Commissioner Heather Moraitis� Assistant Melissa Coningsby; Sun Trolley Executive Director Robyn Chiarelli
Today is Eileen Bendis� birthday; sang �Happy Birthday� to Eileen!
Approval of Minutes - Minutes of the February 15, 2018 Advisory Board Meeting were approved.
Old and New Business
Pio introduced Melissa Coningsby, City Commissioner Heather Moraitis� Commission Assistant, who shared information regarding:
Galt Lighting - 21 light poles have been ordered and should be delivered in May.
There is extra police presence during Spring Break.
FDOT informed of AIA sidewalk damages.
Dog bags - will be working on this issue.
Adjusted rates for Beach Raker not finalized as yet.
Parking meters in front of Jon Paul Jewelers changed to 30 minutes.
Pio responded to and addressed the following issues:
There are several dog bags on the storm grates on the Mile. Dog bag stations are becoming more important as more dogs are residing on the Mile. Three to four dog bag stations will be established. Associations may be asked if their staffers will replace the bags as required.
Handicapped parking spaces in front of library now require disabled vehicles to pay, except for those with Florida toll exemption permits and disabled veteran tags.
Stressed importance of installing street lights and checking uplights. The street lights that are not working are a safety issue.
Attended an Urban Land Meeting: downtown Fort Lauderdale will be drastically changed; spoke to Mayor Dean Trantalis regarding inequitable water/sewer rates for association homeowners, which will be addressed at the April 18 City meeting where a new rate study will be approved for implementation by October.
Pio introduced Robyn Chiarelli from the Sun Trolley:
Meetings are being held to analyze the different types of services that are needed and are available, such as fixed routes or on demand. Also, those destinations that should be accessed by the Galt Sun Trolley Route.
Special Gift
Bruce Roberts� Assistant Robbi Uptegrove, who is retiring after many years of service was not able to attend our meeting. Fred Nesbitt will send a card and gift.
A letter will be sent to Bruce Roberts thanking him for his years of help and service to us and the city.
Engineered Life Safety Systems � ELSS
Pio is waiting for a response from Attorney Barry Richard and Attorney Moody.
Discussed why certain high-rise associations with catwalks may be exempt from retrofitting an ELSS.
Will continue to work on fire safety issues.
Galt Ocean Drive Street Landscape: Ed Hashek shared an update from John Jors.
Galt Mile Web Site � Newsletter � Eric Berkowitz
- February 2018 Website statistics: 612,242 Hits, 31,159 Unique Site Visits (first timers)
Articles posted during the past month include:
February 24, 2018 - 2018 ELSS Opt-Out: Weeks 3 - 6 - Across the state, high-rise association homeowners are facing a $multi-million assessment to fund retrofitting a fire sprinkler system that they legally opted-out of seven years earlier. When Governor Scott broke his promise and vetoed last year�s ELSS opt-out legislation, Statehouse Representative George Moraitis (R � Fort Lauderdale) and Association Advocate Ellyn Bogdanoff agreed to refile the bills in 2018, despite the enormous political obstacles to enacting legislation during an election year session. Since every Statehouse seat is up for grabs, along with 20 of the 40 Senate seats, deep-pocketed special interests are bartering with cash-strapped campaigning lawmakers for favorable votes. As a result, the 2018 committee process navigated by Moraitis' House Bill 1061 (HB 1061) and Senator Gary Farmer's companion Senate Bill 1432 (SB 1432) has degenerated into a minefield. Read on for Bogdanoff�s take on the legislation�s mid-session turmoil.
March 5, 2018 - February 2018 LaMarca Letter - In his February 2018 Newsletter, District 4 Broward Commissioner Chip LaMarca documents his contribution to the 9th Annual Southeast Florida Regional Climate Leadership Summit held in his Broward County backyard; reports the construction approval of a new Foreign Trade Zone by the Port Everglades International Logistics Center, LLC and the relocation of Horizon Terminal Services' auto processing facility within the port; alerts constituents to Broward�s upcoming 41st Annual Waterway Cleanup at marine sites across the County; announces a new Libraries Division program that provides lifelong library cards to native Broward residents and benchmarks another record-breaking Sea Turtle Nesting Season with a review of the obstacles that were overcome. However, his admonition to tighten compliance with the local beach lighting ordinance understandably elicits mixed feelings along the Galt Mile, where residents already spent tens of $millions adapting association lighting plans to minimize illumination of nesting habitat � more than any other community in Fort Lauderdale.
March 13, 2018 - Chuggling Chlorine Cocktails - In late February, a few Galt Mile residents sent emails to the neighborhood association asking about the acrid taste of their tap water. The complainants largely blame cross-contamination - as flooding and population growth increasingly overwhelm the City�s aging water / wastewater infrastructure, faulting City officials for the infiltration of sewage and seawater into our sinks and showers. Although the City should have commenced salvaging the crumbling infrastructure years earlier, its not why the water tastes like gym socks. In fact, the nasty water is deliberately confected by the Treatment Division of the Public Works Water and Wastewater Operations Section. In short, our Water Gurus temporarily alter the chemical purification process as part of a regular system maintenance program. For the 411 on the H2O, Read on....
Other Business
WAVE Streetcar: not decided yet - still under discussion.
Spring Break report: police response/presence has been excellent.
Fred Nesbitt: The building most impacted by the security patrol has not paid for this service (it paid GMCA dues - but not for the beach patrol).
Bob Korn recommended Dan Carey for elevator renovations.
Fred Nesbitt spoke about storm water rates being determined by �trips.�
Discussed Air B&B�s legislation; whether the state will mandate their rentals; if and when the bill might pass; amending our documents to prevent associations from becoming flop-houses; soliciting a legal resolution to this dilemma from association attorneys.
Treasurer�s Report - Fred Nesbitt
Adjournment - The next regular Advisory Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, April 19, 2018 at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:50 p.m.
Fern McBride
Fern McBride, Secretary
March 22, 2018
