IN BY 7 … & OUT BY 10 …
Dear Readers …the Commission sans an excused Comm. Sasser showed more swoosh than sweat when it came to dealing with the items on tonight’s agenda … The pledge was said… A second eloquent invocation was given by Rabbi Singer … The Mayor added onto the agenda the need to vote for an excused absence for Comm. Sasser who let it be known at the budget meeting last week he would be unable to attend…The VM made the motion with a 2nd from Comm. Clottey…and a 4-0 vote… The Mayor added on more dates for Congressman West to visit Jarvis Hall at the end of new business… Presentations were made with a longer than 5 minute opener from Broward League of Cities Mayor Debby Eisenger who commended the BSO for their quick response dealing with a car break-in at her home prior to her arrival…The Mayor spoke of the league…and what it offers to all as well as their stand on the County ethics code and what they have offered up to the Broward Commission on its impact to cities…They feel positive that those suggestions were heard …The Mayor was excited that she came stating she did not think a visit of this type had occurred in the past… The 2nd presentation on Coral Reef education would be deferred …Next up was the presentation made by AMR Chief Brooke Liddle commending VFD personnel for lifesaving 2 victims that he said were clinically deceased before aid was given by both the VFD and AMR resulting in being brought back…Those in the room had their photo op and walked down the dais to shake hands and be congratulated… Public Comments consisted of a woman from Port Royale in Fort Lauderdale (across the intercoastal) who explained the negative impact she felt the proposed development would have if built …She said she was going to commissions looking for support after finding none at the Fort Laud. P + Z Board… The President of the Bel-Air Residents Civic Association joined in on looking for support citing impact from the same development across from it for their neighbors…property values would take a dive..noise…debris and lack of sunshine plus binoculars peering down on Bel-Air Intercoastal fronted properties from those in the 8-15 ft. buildings being proposed to be built… Arthur Franczak came forward to speak about the millage and state the use of it being low may be producing a “hallow victory” when it is multiplied by property values… The results are “eye opening” he declared as he backed up his assertions by giving copies of his calculations to the Town Clerk for each member of the dais … Edmund Malkoon spoke of attending Diane Boutin’s memorial…reminiscing of his interactions with her and putting forth to go beyond the park furniture and sign put in place by her dear friend Sandra Booth in naming the public safety complex or the Chamber for her…He spoke of adding the north end portals to any plans to improve the portals as stated at the budget meeting as well as deal with the infrastructure …Rosalee Malkoon came to the podium after her son and stated she would not remain complacent as she stated she saw a lack of compassion for the widow of the hyperbaric chamber during her lien mitigation process from the Commission and felt the woman was owed an apology from them…(see previous post…no lack of compassion…just lack of stating the facts by both the widow and the gentleman who stood alongside her…in this writer’s opinion)… Bill Vitale came up to say don’t lower taxes…spend the Oriana million on the medians on El Mar…approve Tera Mar entry…kudos to AMR/VFD for their working together…and wanting the new sweeper to sweep residential streets 1x a month…The BSO report was next ..VM Dodd asked the Chief to explain the non-emergency number change in Aug. (see prev. post/Town website) …VMayor asked about the Communications Center cost FY 2011-12 …Chief Llerena said the cost will not be passed on to us… The VM also asked about the arrests made in report …The Chief responded (in backup)… passed 4-0….The VFD was up next …The VM asked about the FFII training shown in the report…The Chief explained it and said in Aug. 4 FFs will be FF IIs… VM Dodd also thanked the VFD for their involvement in the July 4th preparation…Comm. Vincent sounding more and more these days like a poor version (if that’s possible) of former VM McIntee spoke like he’s a buddy of the VFD about going on “mock up calls” with them …stating it was no surprise to him they did what they did to be awarded for their lifesaving awards..Comm. Clottey added her congrats and stated she was happy to have voted them back in as a Comm….passed 4-0…(electioneering hmmm….) …No questions AMR passed 4-0… Vincent said “Dittos to you as well”… The Town Manager was able to actually give the report and stated the update and problems with A1A …contract problems….cost …FDOT receiving an FDOT approved sub-contracted landscaping company ….BSO contract not proceeding in June…will do in July…Comm. bridge to be painted by FDOT…Coral Reef snafus …(prev. post)…bad weather as well as permits that ran out and besides the delays there are breaches again contractually …TAtty. involved…so more legal costs…OUCH!… Pat Himelberger…Asst. Muni Services Dir. found a cheaper alternative for phones in Town Hall etc…saves $18,000 but comes with a $3,5000 pre- payment penalty…Later on under item the cost is shown and what we get for the change..(seemed like a lot of money to change to accomplish what was desired)… TM met with VFD Chief Paine for new budget to be presented …spoke of new improved website …and asked for questions from Commissioners …Comm. Clottey wanted to know if service would be available for those to use their internet after a hurricane in the Town Hall area…The TM said if the the Town Hall/island were open it could be accessible at no cost …TM Hoffmann added that she had just found out there was a reduction in the tipping fees but we would have a problem seeing that reduction due to using Choice… The Mayor asked about the Choice contract and the end of it being near…TM Hoffmann replied it has a year and required a 6 month heads up to Choice and a need to sit down as a Comm. to discuss before that in Sept/Oct….The VM wanted to know the recycling impact as well …TM will look into it…passed 4-0 …TAtty. Trevarthen was absent former TAtty. Dan Abbott was sitting in..He had no report and asked for questions…none were forthcoming at that time… The Consent agenda items passed without discussion included a new $60,000 sweeper for Don Prince and his dept. as well as a contract with a new company for A1A… It would have been more cost effective in this writer’s opinion to have the new company do it all and forgo the new sweeper…The Mayor had that one right…unfortunately no Comm.member revisited the purchase… Also no discussion on extending the contract for Grau & Assoc. for a 2nd year at the same rate…all passed 4-0…Item 11a. ranking the sanitary sewer evaluations was pulled by the VM to ask about Tele-vac and if their townwide videos of the system would be provided to the company hired…Both Don Prince and the TM said it would …No other questions passed 4-0… 11b Emergency debris removal ..VM took it separately to comment he hoped we never needed to use it…Don Prince said “Amen”…passed 4-0 …(we piggybacked off another muni_)…. 11 f. was Village Grilles Friday night special event for 1 year… VM Dodd wanted to thank Dave for all he does in bringing people to town with his events…and asked Asst. TM Bentley about the Jan-April inclusion of 101 Ocean on the event citing problems in the past for 101 being on another business’ permit…Bentley said that would be addressed with the TAtty. to cover insurances etc… The Mayor also thanked Dave and said she was happy to see the additional officer for crossing A1A at Comm. Blvd. being picked up by Dave…Apparently she did not read and/or remember that the backup stated Dave was open to the idea…it was not a done deal…yet…Comm. Clottey thanked Dave as well but thought both lanes (east and west El Mar) would not be shut down unless it was for public safety… Now it appeared it would be for season with 101 Ocean…The TM seemed to agree with Clottey and said that language could be added …Bentley said they met with the businesses as well as BSO and traffic engineers…It would depend on the band and the event…Clottey wanted public safety language inserted…The VM wanted to hear from the applicant first…Dave Gadsby came up and spoke as well on the walk around meeting that included the TM and staff and all involved were for both sides being closed due to the size of the crowds… The Mayor questioned if the valet would be moved (that was also in the backup)…The answer was yes… The outcome after Comm. Vincent corrected Dave on his directions (Dave said n/s instead of e/w) …and asked Bud Bentley who would make that decision…and Bentley said it would depend on the band…be done prior to the event and it would be trial and error …was a passing vote of 4-0 ….The Commission really went swoosh through the ordinances and the resolutions… The TAtty. read each one…sidewalk cafes…no pub comment…Mayor said it had been discussed a the roundtable..no Comm. comment passed 4-0…Same for the signage and bikes TAtty… Mayor stating a rep from the bikes was in the hall …no public comment…Rep was atty for the company from Coker and Feiner in Ft. Laud…Yep, Readers may recall the name Coker as in Atty. Richard Coker who had run-ins with former Comm. McIntee in 2007 in LBTS… (old names pop up often in this meeting… Craven + Thomas…Keith + Assoc)… The VM asked about the problems of full kiosks …Mr Feiner said they were monitored by personnel and alternative locked places could be used until the town was more “saturated” with kiosks in the future… He also addressed the cost…$5 1st 30 min….1st half hour free…surcharge of 50 cents after that and higher cost the longer bike used…swipe cards available…1 yr membership $45.00 …passed 4-0…Next was ordinance to change code requiring TAtty. to look at all contracts…TM stated now that will happen over $15,000…under that amount TM will take over with TAtty. approved forms.. The Mayor said they discussed it at roundtable …no pub/Comm. comments …passed 4-0…Use of Jarvis Hall …same drill TAtty..Mayor …No pub/Comm. comment…passed 4-0… Resolutions …Lowered fire permit and inspection fees …lower by 50% …read by TAtty… Chief Paine addressed the changes…and TM said it was likely due to no full-time Fire Marshal ..only part-time (Chief Paine)… Comm. Vincent said he had call wanting to know if it meant 50% reduction in fire assess. fees…NO!… It was clarified …passed 4-0 after no pub comment…Reso for going back to 2 commission meetings a month…Reade by TAtty…Mayor stated roundtables were not working…no pub/ Comm. comment…passed 4-0 …Resolution for new purchasing manual…just as the others were done read by TAtty…Mayor said it was a long time coming…and discussed prior…TM spoke of 2 typos…adding a 0 to make one limit 2000.00 and a change to a paragraph on pg. 48…no pub/Comm. comment passes 4-0… Quasi Judicial Public Hearing was held for Diamonds and Doggies to pass a conditional use application for it to be located next to Kilwinns and Cocoyoghurt…The swoosh became a sweat for the owner/applicant when Comm. Vincent tried way too hard to micro-manage and help the guy out… It was downright comical…to minus or add to the 10 pound weight limit to thwart a potential “gotcha” if a puppy exceeded the limit… and the noise if the door was opened or closed …In the end the applicant looked like he was begging for Comm. Vincent to stop so the expected vote would go through… It did passed 4-0…amended to allow dogs to 12 lbs…The only public comment came after Bob Fleishman came up needed to be sworn in and said “Pass it now! We want this dog store!”… They took a break …Came back a 9 pm for Comm. Comments …Comm. Vincent was up first but was having difficulty pulling up his comments..Comm. Clottey went next …offered condolences to George Crossman’s family saying he would be missed as well as offering sympathy to Town Clerk White on the passing of her mother…. (White was not at the meeting)… She asked for all to come out for the 4th and meet your neighbors…get sweaty watching the parade and see fireworks at the beach…Comm. Vincent also offered condolences to both Town Clerk White and George Crossman’s family stating he was a neighbor as well…He then went off to do some PR for the Town staff as well as himself saying he promised to lead and he has done so…He asked all to thank the staff for what they have done …He cited also the Master Plan (Readers know where I stand on this one…polar opposite from Vincent) … The Mayor thanked all for the public comments made…spoke of the Beach clean-up on the 2nd and again on July 5th at 9 am …She thanked the Vice Mayor for taking on July 4th and hoped he had better weather than she encountered …She extended her condolences as well…and did the familiar we want to hear from you on the budget… The Vice Mayor discussed Hillsboro Inlet and thanked Aruba Beach cafe and Village Grille for adding 2 water slides at the beach for the 4th of July…from noon -4pm… He went through the activities offered all day long on the 4th …(see prev. post/Town Website/Scoop site) …VM Dodd also spoke of the Master Plan and his desire to expedite the downtown area as well as to do one or more south end of town residential “blocks” to keep in-line with the UM “1 block” improvement…This balances out business and residential improvements…what UM called the common areas as well as your front doors… Old Business went just as quick as the ordinances/Resos …Don Prince said it would not exceed $30,000 (it’s at $29,429)…Mayor said that was great asked about the liability/maintenance …Don said contract would be coming to Comm. to approve that… Comm. Vincent asked who would pull permit for project…Don said Town and sub-contractors would work under Town… TM said Don did a great job…passes 4-0…New Buisness was delegate for Floria League of Cities 85th Annual Conference…Clottey was going …The Mayor stated she was going…Clottey said Mayor should be delegate…VM 2nd it …passes 4-0…Fort Lauderdale’s Port Royale and the involvement of out Town was discussed much longer with only Comm. Clottey wanting to spend the $1,500 on Planner Cecelia Ward to pursue Fort Lauderdale’s Commission on going ahead with the buildings…The others had concerns over using taxpayer funds although Atty. Abbot aid if they deemed it a public benefit they could justify it… The Fort Lauderdale P + Z passed it 9-0 and now Bud Bentley explained it was up to one Fort laud. Comm. to put it on by July 15th to address it to move forth…have public input…approve…amend or deny it… Comm. Clottey said it could happen to other residents on the Intercoastal in town….(Tall buildings are already across the water from residential properties in the south end) …The Mayor was concerned on the ICW for impact from more boats etc… She said they should contact Fort Laud Comm.s on their own as Comm. to Comm… Comm. Clottey made a motion to go ahead with paying the planner…received no 2nd…After the Mayor asked her if she wanted the Comm. to contact the Fort Laud Commissioners she did so although she did not follow the TM’s recommendation for the Mayor to send it…stating it should be from the whole Commission…passes 4-0 ….The telephone replacement was presented by Pat Himelberger the consultant turned Asst. Municipal Service Dir. who stated they will save alot over At&T …The TM added it will now allow for residents to leave voice messages after hours and contact separate employees…cost $31,225… The VM asked about any lines needing changing and was told it would be minimal …Seems alot of money for VMail …Selection of Continuing Professional Services for Municipal Construction, Repair & Maintenance Projects …Town Manager said 12 firms had all or some of the services …It would save time going out for services to have these companies on board …One company from 1st table was taken out due to lack of background info received..Dollar amounts also not included thus far…She would bring them back individually since this was the first time doing this in order for the Commission to see the contracts … No discussion passes 4-0…Last was a new ATV for the VFD …The VFD Chief explained the 2007 purchase was not his and did not know why they were chosen…He went on to state the uses and the need…The Mayor spoke of seeing one in the water …reporting it to the Chief with phone pics taken…He fired on e VFD member and the other was reprimanded for both the act and saying it did not happen…Comm. Vincent asked about monitoring use and unnecessary use on the beach… The Chief responded as expected …Vincent went on to talk about the dress code of those on ATVs and representing the Town and that he had spoken to “Danny” Chavez about it…The Chief said new manual requires dress code…Vincent perked up asking if that was after he implemented it… (This was brought to the VFD many times since 2007 by other commissioners)…VM Dodd asked if the sale proceeds from the old ATVs would go into the vehicle replacement fund and the TM stated it would depend on who bought the ATV which fund it would end up in…passes 4-0…Last item was Congressman West to come to Jarvis Hall …First the Mayor said they should wait for Comm. Sasser but they decided to go ahead…After some confusion on the Mayor’s part of when Labor Day is…The first choice was Sept. 28…then Oct. 17th…ending with a tentative Oct. 18th…which is a Tuesday…at night… They adjourned 4 minutes before 10 pm…More swoosh than sweat…
Link to video…. http://lbts.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2
Tags: Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Mayor Roseann Minnet- Vice Mayor Stuart Dodd- Commissioner Birute Clottey- Commissioner Chris Vincent- Town Manager Connie Hoffmann, LBTS Agendas/Meetings, local government, Local News, Local Politics, Opinions, Public Safety, Scoops, The Lauderdale-By-The-Sea June 28 2011 Commission Meeting ... More Swoosh Than Sweat ...
