The meeting was called to order at 11:10 a.m. by President Pio Ieraci.
Board Members present: Ieraci, Berkowitz, Glickfield, Hamaker, Nesbitt, Oppert, McBride, Abruzzino, Bazerghi, Bindler, Nicholson-Brown, Dawson, Freismuth, Friedman, Gonzalez, W. Jordan, Katkin, Kelly, Mayer, Pyatt and Vega.
Approval of Minutes - The minutes of the June 17, 2010 meeting were unavailable.
Old and New Business
Pio introduced Chip LaMarca, who is running for the District 4 seat on the Broward County Commission.
Pio introduced Broward Mayor Ken Keechl, who shared the following:
The budget has not yet been passed; Keechl remains committed to a policy of not raising taxes.
Assured us that the funds allocated to beach renourishment are protected.
Regarding the Gulf Oil spill, since oil from the spill hasn�t reached Broward County, the briefings have stopped. If ever needed, there is a mitigation plan..
A strict ethics code was passed; adopted by an 8 to 0 vote.
The community effort to save the library appears effective; the petitions and letters are having the desired impact.
Pio introduced Fort Lauderdale Police Department Acting Major of Police District 1 Michael G. Gregory, who shared details of his background. He has been with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department for 23 years and is a native of Fort Lauderdale. During his tenure, he�s served in the Department�s 3 bureaus, including Patrol, Street Level Narcotics, Upper Level Narcotics, Racketeering and Intelligence units and Administration. He discussed crime statistics and spoke about the red light camera enforcement program. A question was raised about bicycle registration. The City of Fort Lauderdale requires the registration of all bicycles. He agreed to organize a fast-track process for registering bicycles at a convenient Galt Mile location. His telephone number is 954-828-5700.
Galt Ocean Drive Street Landscape
Chepo relayed a request from the City for a letter from the Galt Mile Association asking that the trash containers be moved. Pio will write the letter.
The sidewalk benches will be refurbished soon.
He lamented the �trashy� condition of the parking lots across from the Ocean Manor and Ocean Sky.
Beach Renourishment
Pio spoke to Steve Higgins, who is retiring on 1/1/11. Eric Meyers will take over for him, although Steve will be consulting on the project. The plan to dump sand north of Anglin�s Pier at Commercial Boulevard will be merged with the main project. We are told Segment II will go forward in the Fall of 2011. Although DEP Secretary Michael Sole automatically renewed the necessary State permits, the project will also require revisiting the Federal permit process. The project will add 100-150 feet of beach, which would erode to 80-120 feet.
Galt Mile Roving Security Patrol
Crime on the Galt is minimal due to our proactive security measures. Those buildings that have not paid were reminded to do so.
Galt Mile Web Site � Newsletter � Eric Berkowitz -
Since ad sales continue to exceed $700 per edition, no subsidy has been required. Some local businesses have requested copies of the newsletter for distribution.
- August Web Site Stats: 807,791 hits; 11,784 unique site visits (first timers)
The past month�s articles:
August 22, 2010 - It's MY Money... and I Want it NOW - Time is running out... with a bullet. Five years ago, Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma blew through the Galt Mile, tearing out windows, shutters, and exterior doors as if they were Kleenex. Cars were tossed around Association parking decks like toys along with interior furnishings that were evacuated from units that lost balcony doors. The damage to Galt Mile Associations ran in the $tens of millions. State insurance statistics indicate that less than half of the damage was reimbursed. While deductibles account for about half of the shortfall, the balance of the repair costs were never paid. Since many insurance carriers repeatedly postponed consideration of submitted claims, frustrated associations either agreed to a substantially smaller benefit settlement or simply threw in the towel. Over the past year, many South Florida associations and individual unit owners have been made whole by previously uncooperative insurers. How about you! If you file your claim now, you will beat the upcoming deadline...
August 30, 2010 - Broward Ethics: Bait and Switch - After the FBI spent two decades filling Miami and Palm Beach jail cells with corrupt politicians, Broward County emerged as �Rat�s Nest Central�. With the Feds breathing down their necks, Broward Commissioners who twice ignored voter mandates for an ethics code finally cobbled together the Broward County Ethics Commission. Despite repeated attempts by County Commissioners to undermine their efforts, the Ethics Board finalized a credible Ethics Code on February 19, 2010. On August 10, 2010, the Broward Commission met to either endorse the Ethics panel's handiwork or reject the voters' will for a third time. When the Commission eviscerated the code's enforcement component and approved a hollow shell, the electorate went ballistic. A few days later, they voted to return some of the code's extracted teeth, claiming it was all a big mistake! Residents watching the proceedings kept looking for a cartoon car filled with cops in big hats and funny costumes.
September 7, 2010 - Roberts: Late Summer City Update - In his late Summer Newsletter, District 1 City Commissioner Bruce Roberts offers a snapshot of City programs in various stages of development. The August 17th Commission Meeting marked the end of the City Commission�s mid-Summer hiatus. Convinced by the Budget Advisory Board that using $17 million in Reserve funds to partially plug the projected FY 2011 budget�s $31 million shortfall was inherently evil, Commissioners charged Interim City Manager Allyson Love with locating additional spending cuts to squelch the deficit. Roberts reviews the Thor Guard lightning prediction system recently installed in 13 Municipal Parks, the red light camera enforcement system installed at 9 City intersections, progress with the City�s evolving noise ordinance and a new regional partnership created to access Federal HUD Funding. Wrapping up, Roberts reminds constituents about several free upcoming Citizens Crime Alert meetings hosted by authoritative law enforcement icons and his own twice monthly pre-agenda meetings. Check it out!
September 14, 2010 - Keechl Summarizes New Ethics Code - Ken Keechl is pleased with the recent approval of an ethics code for Broward County Commissioners. Unlike many of his peers on the County Board, the Broward Mayor never viewed compliance with the 2002 and 2008 electoral mandates as a blot on the Commission�s integrity. Instead, he believed that their eight-year delay in passing a viable ethics code further fueled a public perception of impropriety, unnecessarily postponing a remission of the County�s scarred reputation. Although Keechl opposed the County Commission�s adulteration of the version created by the Ethics Commission, he believes that the amended code approved by his peers contains enough of the original version to provide an effective deterrent to corruption. A longtime supporter of ethics reform, Mayor Keechl�s September 2010 Newsletter summarizes the new code�s major elements and optimistically envisions a prospect for future improvements. On the whole, he�s right!
Other Business
Pio spoke to Mayor Jack Seiler about the City�s 100th Anniversary celebration planned for next year.
Pio will write a letter regarding the misquoting of square footage for insurance purposes.
CAMP is holding its Annual Trade Show 2010 on Saturday, October 23, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood.
The Wage & Salary Survey is almost done and will be distributed at the Presidents� Council Meeting in October. Since L�Ambiance and Ocean Manor did not participate, they will not receive the report.
Fred Nesbitt reported that the rebuilding of Fire Station #54 is still in negotiation. The consultant report stated that it needs to remain on the barrier island.
There is a Central Beach Alliance Meeting tonight (9/16/10).
Leann Barber and Teri Claire were introduced and thanked for their hard work and efforts in keeping our library open.
Eric was thanked for the excellent work he does with the web site and the newsletter.
Pio passed out an A1A Resurfacing project brochure.
Il Lugano is extending its $119.00 nightly rate indefinitely.
Pio shared a letter dated 9/20/1999 and a City Commission of Fort Lauderdale Resolution affirming that signs prohibiting bicycles may be posted on Galt Ocean Drive.
Treasurer�s Report - Leah Glickfield
The treasurer reported that we have a balance of $10,238.21.
Next Advisory Board Meeting - The next regular Advisory Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, October 21, 2010 at Nick�s Italian Restaurant.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:00 p.m.
Fern McBride
Fern McBride, Secretary
SEPTEMBER 16, 2010
