Minutes for August 22, 2006
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DRAFT
Board of Trustees
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
7:00 p.m. – Building D&E
Madame Chairman Wilma Weglein called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Ms. Weglein led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Ms. McCahan called the roll. Mr. Carillion, Mr. Bailey, and Ms. Richards were excused. Mr. Malek was present as counsel.
Ms. Weglein welcomed Mayor Mazziati of the City of Palm Bay, and Lee Feldman, Palm Bay’s City Manager. Mr. Feldman commented the City of Palm Bay was a little troubled by some of the comments being made in the press and by the County Commission regarding the fire assessment. Mr. Feldman stated that “the reverse Robin Hood tax”, i.e., taking from the poor and giving to the rich was not something Palm Bay advocated. It was a side effect from Palm Bay’s battle with the county to be able to provide services to Palm Bay residents. Palm Bay proved in court the method the Count used to collect ambulance fees was unlawful. Mr. Feldman said Palm Bay is still in court attempting to obtain the right to provide ambulance services to Palm Bay residents. Mr. Feldman stated Palm Bay does not advocate fire assessments.
Mr. Keegan asked about developments along Micco Road where Palm Bay is annexing. Mr. Feldman said “we want to be good neighbors”. Palm Bay is the only city in Brevard County that has adopted a citizen participation plan which will require public meetings before projects go to the Planning and Zoning Board.
Ms. Weglein entertained a motion to approve the minutes of July 25, 2006. Ms. McCahan made a motion to accept. Second Ms. Donahue.
On page 4 of 7, correct doubled “potential”. Ms. McCahan’s understanding is that Mr. Bailey first abstained, then voted “no” on the site for the Veteran’s Building because he wants the impact on the Master Plan to be considered. Ms. Howard confirmed Mr. Bailey had “abstained”. On page 7 of 7, correct “bout” to “about”. Robin Phillips corrected her phone number to 663-1334. On page 2 of 7, correct “raid” to “raise”, and “Baord” to “Board.” On page 3 of 7, Ms. Weglein corrected “would not lease” to “should not lease”.
Ms. Weglein pointed out that on page 2 of 7, after the sentence “The Board concurred unanimously to return to this request in next year’s budget”, she had indicated “so ordered”. The recording secretary revisited the tape of July 25, 2006 and found that the minutes should reflect “Motion carried unanimously.”
The motion carried unanimously that the minutes of July 25, 2006 be approved as amended.
Ms. Donahue presented the treasurer’s report. [Exhibit A] Mr. Hunt commented he requested that Ms. Marsocci make a transfer which activated the $265,000 loan the Board previously approved from the Shopping Center Fund to the Special Operating Fund in order to pay for the weir project.
Richard Bleu asked Mr. Hunt to explain what’s happening with the maintenance building permits. Mr. Hunt responded the “logjam” of comments in the DRC and the County has been cleared and the permits should be forthcoming. Mr. Bleau said he believed Frazier Engineering had been hired only to oversee the design of the site plan. Ms. Weglein asked Mr. Hunt to bring a figure back on what the District has paid Frazier Engineering on the maintenance building project.
Nancy Eisele asked how long it will be before the financial statements are ready. Mr. Hunt responded the District has begun loading the figures into the financials. As soon as the audited figures come through on FEMA and insurance money, Mr. Hunt and the Financial Officer should be able to get something together in the next thirty days. Ms. Weglein asked when the audit would be back. Mr. Hunt responded he would contact Ms. Claiborne or Ms. Greene August 23rd. Ms. McCahan thanked Ms. Eisele for her contributions at County Commissioners’ meetings.
Tres Holton commented the motion at the commissioners’ meeting was to continue the public hearing [on fire assessment discussion] until “next Tuesday” [8/29] at 1:00 p.m. Mr. Holton commented Brevard County operates under a 10% cap, that is only a 10% increase in budget over the previous year is allowed. What has occurred is the lawsuit by the City of Palm Bay has created a domino effect in the Brevard County Budget. In previous years the County collected EMS fees countywide. The unincorporated part of Brevard County had a 2.2 fire millage. The $57 that was assessed countywide is $14 million dollars. When that is put “above the line”, which is what the County now has to do as a result of the lawsuit, it results in 18.69% above the previous budget which is 8.69% above the 10% cap. Next Tuesday’s meeting will address what kinds of exemptions and relief can be applied to those who are negatively affected and/or across the board cuts in County services to make up the loss in revenue. Barefoot Bay and Snug Harbor are the most affected by this. The County must make up over $30 million dollars with the new methodology.
A special act in 1974 set the 10% cap. Mr. Holton agreed to research “who” had authored the 1974 Act as Brevard County is the only county so capped in the State of FL. Mr. Holton explained the County delegation to the State Legislature would have to have approved it 100%. It could be repealed with another special act, but Brevard County is a fiscally conservative county.
We are still trying to obtain a project engineer to the District for the weir project from Bussen and Mayer.
Mr. Raff has dismantled most of the existing pier structure. Ms. Weglein commented a boat had collided with a submerged part of the pier, but there was no damage. Ms. Weglein commented on the anonymous letter she gets about why the pier isn’t done. She explained for the benefit of the anonymous person the District receives the payment when the work is completed.
The shopping center contractor expects to begin August 23rd. Ms. Howard commented she wanted to be present when the contractor started.
The contractor and the District inspected the canal to be cleaned on this date.
A bid was tendered for the greenhouse on Dottie Lane, but the District would like 3 bids. That project was #16 on the Board’s priority list.
Mr. Malek commented he was working with Mr. Holton on the charter amendments. Ms. Weglein commented the work shop August 28th concerns the DOR. August 31st concerns the charter amendments and the audit. September 14th is the employee handbook. Ms. McCahan said she wanted to know if “everyone” voted for “everything” in the DOR referendum. Mr. Hunt agreed to bring that information to the Board, and commented that all of the amendments had passed, they simply did get the required number of the majority.
Mr. Malek attended a meeting with the Torpy Group’s IT person, Ms. Donahue and her IT person, Mr. Hunt, Ms. Claiborne on the telephone, Mara Marsocci, and Ed Geer. The discussion centered around what the District needs from a computer point of view.
Ms. Donahue asked residents to phone her if they see vandalism at the pools.
Mr. Smith commented on unsigned letters the Trustees receive. He does not pay attention to unsigned communications.
Ms. McCahan commented the Brevard Health Alliance Mobile bus is in Parking lot A from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Friday. They take Medicare, Medicaid and other insurances. A registered nurse is part of the staff. If a resident must choose between food and medicine, this is the place to go.
Ms. McCahan commented that the Hannifys have approached Food and Beverage about having starlight Saturdays. The hours are 6 pm to 10 pm on September 16th. Interested parties bring their own food. Joe Armstrong has ordered patio lights, there will be a bar. Music will be CD’s. Come for an evening of swimming and dancing.
Ms. Weglein conferred with Ms. Voltz concerning development on Micco Road. The bids have come in at over a million dollars more than the County currently has to spend. Ms. Weglein gave a letter to the Board members she wrote Mr. Torpy and which still needed to be mailed. She gave Mr. Malek a copy. She said the letter is in response to a letter written by Mr. Hunt.
Walter Belanger commented it would help the viewing audience if the sign was posted on the table in front of the chairperson giving the date of the meeting. Mr. Geer said the date is on the CD the District sends Space Coast TV, but they edit the CD.
Min Bolon requested that Ms. Weglein read the letter she gave to the Board, and asked Ms. McCahan not to start her “3 minute time as part of the reading of the letter. Mr. Malek commented the letter was now a matter of public record, so it could be read. [Exhibit B, C, D] At the conclusion of the letter, Ms. Bolon asked, “And you are the liaison to the Community Manager, is that not correct?” Ms. Weglein replied, “Supposedly, yes. You wouldn’t think so, but I am supposed to be.” Ms. Bolon said, “My time would maybe start now?” Ms. Weglein commented, “I’d just like to say one comment more. I am not going to write any more letters. I think this is such a waste of time! And that’s not what I’m here for. I am here to work for Barefoot Bay and I am not going to get into this petty fighting of letter writing back and forth. And I’m sorry I had to do it, but I have integrity. Maybe Mr. Hunt doesn’t, but I do.”
Mr. Smith commented, “Ms. Chairperson, I think you owe me an apology. There was an uncalled for remark when we left the last meeting. It came out on TV and my people asked me ‘What does she mean by that’? And you said, ‘I’ll be here, John, don’t you worry about it.’ That was a direct remark to me, and I didn’t appreciate it at all.”
Mr. Hunt intervened in the ensuing cross-talk and cautioned the Board members “we should confine ourselves to business. This is not the forum for political tirades.” Ms. Bolon commented, “It was not a tirade. It was a very good letter, Ms. Weglein.”
Ms. Bolon inquired more about an IT person. Mr. Malek replied the process planned for bringing an IT person on Board had not changed. Ms. Bolon asked if a Human Resources person had been hired or would there be an in-house person trained for the position. Mr. Hunt responded there is a lady in the office who is working on personnel matters and doing a very good job of it. Ms. Bolon inquired about the leases. Mr. Hunt replied the square footage fees are a negotiated contract, as is the insurance liability.
Jeanne Osborne commented the health van is to be used for the entire area for all ages. Ms. Osborne thanked Mr. Hunt for his diligence in working with Brevard Health Alliance and making the facility available.
John Lochmandy commented on a letter to be written to Sheriff Parker by the District to engage Sheriff Park in the matter of deputies for Barefoot Bay. Ms. Weglein commented there had been a motion made, seconded and approved “by this Board” concerning the letter. Mr. Hunt replied, “That is not a resolution.” Ms. Weglein responded, “But it was a motion, and nothing has been done, George.” Ms. McCahan reminded the Board that vandalism is about $5,000 worth of vandalism a year, and the deputies will cost about $80,000 a year. She asked if everyone really wanted to spend $80,000 to recoup about $5,000 worth of damage? She suggested a workshop to work out the issue. Mr. Lochmandy said he’d rather pay for security than to pay auditors.
Ms. Howard requested a presentation by the Sheriff’s department on the costs of deputies in Barefoot Bay. Mr. Hunt commented he could secure a written proposal, and then the Board would have to decide how to pay for it. Ms. Weglein commented, “Why can’t we just write the letter to the Sheriff which is what the motion was, and was approved by the Board, to give him a strong letter stating that we would like to have some sort of support down here from his deputies? That’s all. That’s what the motion was all about. Mr. Carillion made the motion, I think Mr. Bailey seconded it.”
Nancy Eisele says she works at Winn Dixie, and of a morning there are usually one or two Sheriff’s cars in the parking lot. She asked why they aren’t in Barefoot Bay when they’re needed, like on a Saturday night. Ms. Weglein met with the South Mainland deputies and was told the substation was not where they were assigned. She mentioned it to Ms. Voltz as well. Ms. Eisele asked if it wouldn’t be better to have the deputies sitting in the substation rather than wasting gas sitting in their cars.
Ms. Weglein entertained a motion to adjourn. Mr. Smith made the motion. Second Ms. Donahue. The meeting adjourned at 8:21 p.m.
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