Minutes – General Meeting

Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations

General Meeting

February 13, 2013

City Hall- 8^th Floor Conference Room

1. Call to Order:   The meeting was called to order by President Marilyn Mammano at 7:30 pm followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
2. Attendance: First Vice President Ron Centamore took the roll and declared a quorum.
3. Minutes: The minutes of the January 8, 2012 general meeting was unanimously approved upon a motion and second.
4. Treasurer’s Report:  Treasurer Madeline Treasurer circulated her monthly Report showing a balance as of January 31, 2013 of $7,686.18.
5. FLPD Capt. Louis Alvarez distributed the current Curfew Ordinance for the City which makes it a civil offense for children under 16 years old to be out between 11pm and 5 am on weekdays and midnight to 6 am weekends. He stated that the ordinance was not enforced because there was no place to bring children picked up for this kind of curfew violation. There was some discussion of how curfew violations were handled in the past.   Problems in this area are of concern to many of the neighborhoods. President Mammano suggested that we communicate with our County Representatives regarding this problem
6. Fire Rescue Chief Lorber alerted the Council that there were going to be security exercises at the port on March 20^th. Interested persons can watch the exercises. A reminder will be made at the March meeting.
7. Old Business:

• President Mammano reported that the Reapportionment Committee did not make any decisions at its last meeting and encouraged people to attend the future meetings. Dates are published on the City’s website.
• Pres. Mammano introduced Joy Ridell from the Florida Institute of Government who will work with us to develop a program concerning planning and running better meetings, increasing involvement in meetings, grooming leadership, and other topics of interest to members. Volunteers were solicited for a committee to focus on Better Meetings. Members who volunteered were: Betty Shelley, Linda Nugent, Lucy Hardy Shannon Harmeling, Donna Carson, Barbara Haggerty and Brucie Cummings.
• Mr. Centamore reported that 11 renewals have been received for the 2013-14 fiscal year. He emphasized the importance of getting current email addresses because much of the communications are electronic.
• Nominating Committee Report:   Past President Doug Sterner read the slate of nominees to be voted on at the March 2013 general meeting. He observed that the slate includes both experienced nominees and “new blood”. He read the bylaws on electing new officers and board members. Additional nominations will be taken from the floor before the election.

8. Public Participation Ordinance Committee: Olivier Turina reported that the committee had reviewed the proposed ordinance and, while they thought it was a step in the right direction, it was not ready to be recommended.   Upon a motion and a second, the Council voted on whether to continue the dialogue with the City and developers on modifications to the proposed public participation ordinance. The motion passed unanimously to continue discussions. The committee members are Mr. Turina, President Mammano, VP Centamore, Ray Dettman Corresponding Secty Mergenhagen, Charles Jordon and Donna Carson. Chair Mammano will communicate the Council’s position to the City Manager.
9. Diana Alarcon, City Director of Transportation and Mobility, presented further modification to the proposed Speed Hump Policy that acknowledged the Council’s concerns about how the policy would be applied around parks and schools and other public places as well as notice issues. The changes were positively received. The modified Policy will go to the Commission.

Ms. Alarcon also reported that the Shared Parking Ordinance  changes that went into effect for the barrier island were approved by Planning and Zoning Board for city-wide application.

11. Josh Freeman introduced himself as the Broward County liaison for Senator Maria Sachs.  He will be attending neighborhood meetings and is available to the communities. He encouraged residents in Senator Sach’s district to keep in touch. While many issues were raised by those in attendance. The Council’s Legislative Committee will coordinate the Council’s legislative priorities. Members who volunteered for the Legislative Committee were: Donna Mergenhagen, Lahronda Ware, Richard Johns, Tim Smith, and Dennis Ulmer.
12. Neighborhoods are encouraged to pass on volunteer hours to the City to be counted toward the Million Hour Challenge.
13. Stephanie Denham who coordinated Netdoor.com for the City stated that 42 neighborhoods have signed up on Nextdoor.com.  The company is recognized as one of the best tech start-ups and concerns about security, etc. may be unfounded.
14. For the Good of the Community.  There were numerous announcements about events taking place in March including the St Patrick’s Day Parade, CERT training. Ms. Lahronda Ware thanked all those who participated in the crime walk in Dorsey River Bend.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:40 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Rochelle Golub

Recording Secretary

Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations

General Meeting

January 8, 2013

City Hall- 8^th Floor Conference Room

1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by President Marilyn Mammano at 7:30 pm followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
2. Attendance: First Vice President Ron Centamore took the roll and declared a quorum.
3. Minutes: The minutes of the September 11, 2012 and November 13, 2012 general meetings were each unanimously approved upon a motion and second.
4. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Madeline Treasurer circulated her monthly Report showing a balance as of December 31, 2012 of $7,596.79.
5. Representative Gwendolyn Clark-Reid gave a report on legislation affecting North Broward Hospital District. As the result of an audit, it appears that no major changes are being contemplated. Ms. Clark-Reid also indicated that upcoming legislative issues concerned the implementation of the Affordable Health Care Act, parasailing, government ethics and the conduct of elections. Dennis Ulmer pointed out that the City Commission has listed its legislative priorities and stated that said list is should be supported by CFLCA, especially the need for relief in the area of Short Term Rentals. March 1^st is the deadline for filing new bills. The City Commission has retained 2 lobbyists to generate support for its “list”. Ms. Clark-Reid indicated that she appreciated the discussion on Short Term Rentals.
6. Old Business:

• President Mammano reported that the Reapportionment Committee has decided to recommend that no neighborhood be divided between districts like Progresso Village is currently split between Districts 2 and 3 and has identified the need to rebalance Districts 1 and 2 and 2 and 4.
• Mr. Centamore stated that renewals have been sent electronically and, where necessary by mail, to reps and presidents.

7. Consensus Committee Report: Chairman Donna Mergenhagen distributed the latest draft of the Report. The Report was unanimously approved with leave of the Board to reformat for distribution. It was anticipated that the Report would be presented at the January 15, 2013 Visioning meeting.
8. New Business: City staff made presentations (for information only) on the following new proposed ordinances:

• City Speed Hump Policy. Mr. Eric Czerniejewski, Mobility Manager, stated, in response to comments that the speed and volume criteria for speed humps would not change and that no additional criteria like land use (schools) would be added. He stated that in 2013 the City would be looking at other traffic calming devices besides speed humps. The City would be looking for ways to add respondents to the survey.
• Public Participation Policy. This policy, presented by Ms. Ella Parker, planner, focuses primarily on setting procedures to be followed by developers prior to submitting plans to DRC. Ms. Parker was asked about Code Reform and how neighborhood compatibility was going to be addressed. She stated that the work done was being reconsidered with respect to two (2) building forms but not with respect to neighborhood compatibility. There was spirited discussion about the proposal and Chair Mammano asked for volunteers to form a committee to prepare a response. Six members volunteered and the Committee will meet prior to the next general meeting.
• Modification of Park Buffer Requirements. Currently, where a park abuts residential property, a wall and landscape buffer is required. The proposal would eliminate the wall requirement and give the City the flexibility on the best way to handle the transition between non-residential and residential property. Currently in order to not build the wall the City must file a variance request some times with community support. Mr. Anthony Fajardo, planner, stated that he anticipates the ordinance change will be presented to the Commission on February 19. Members suggested that general support for more flexibility but were concerned about relying entirely on city staff to make that decision. Some other way should be explored to waive the wall but keep formal community input

Copies of the proposals will be provided to the Council for review and comment. Written comments were requested.

9. For the Good of the Community: Nominations for WOW Awards and Community Appearance Awards are encouraged. Ms. Mammano offered to assist neighborhoods in making nominations. Forms were available at the meeting and on the City website. On January 25-26, Broward County will be hosting conference and exhibition on solar energy (GoSolarFest).

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:05 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Rochelle Golub

Recording Secretary

Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations

General Meeting

November 13, 2012

City Hall – 8^th Floor Conference Room

1. Call to Order:   The meeting was called to order by President Marilyn Mammano at 7:30 pm followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. 
2. Attendance: First Vice President Ron Centamore took the roll and declared a quorum. We welcomed several representatives who had not been in attendance for a while. We welcomed City Manager Lee Feldman and Diana Alarcon and Stephanie Denham of his staff. 
3. Minutes: Review and approval of the minutes for the September general meeting was deferred to the next meeting. Candidates night at October General Meeting – no minutes.
4. Treasurer’s Report:  Treasurer Madeline Treasurer circulated her monthly Report showing a balance as of October 31, 2012 of $7,677.80.   
5. Law Enforcement Report: FLPD Captain Detrick provided this month’s report. He stated that there were not a substantial number of complaints that came in to FLPD about its handling of traffic and other matters during Hurricane Sandy; that initially FLPD called FHP for some assistance with traffic control; and that the traffic from the Boat Show was manageable this year attributing the lighter flow to outlying parking lots with buses to venues. Capt. Detrick praised residents for their patience about road closures as a result of the storm.  
6. Pantry of Broward Food Drive: Terrence Smalley gave a presentation about the work of the Pantry and passed out a flyer with contact information. He stated that the percentage of grandparents raising grandchildren who rely on the Pantry has increased over the past 5 years from 14% to 52%. Seniors range in age from 62 to 104.  He encouraged the neighborhoods to sponsor food drives and stated that school aged children could obtain service hours for volunteering. www.ThePantryofBroward.org  This year CFLCA will have a food drive in conjunction with the holiday party on December 11. 
7. Old Business:

• President Mammano reported that first Reapportionment Committee meeting was held and was principally organizational.
• President Mammano reported that the Citizen’s Committee of Recognition was accepting nominations and she encouraged neighborhoods to do so on their own or with the Council’s assistance. The Council has a permanent seat on this Committee.
• Nominating Committee for slate of Council officers has been convened under Past President Doug Sterner. Each district needs to be represented on the committee. Lester Williams volunteered to be on the committee for District 3 and Jackson Boren volunteered to for District 2. 

8. New City Speed Hump Policy. Ms. Alarcon, Director of Mobility for the City stated that before the City presented the new to the Commission, staff wanted to get input from the Council. She presented an outline of the policy changes. Requests for speed humps to calm traffic would still be reviewed on a street by street basis. HOA’s would have to submit a letter of support for a request to make sure that the impact on other streets within a neighborhood was considered. Affected homeowners would be surveyed. An engineering study would be conducted to see if traffic was within parameters for speed humps.  City Manager Feldman stated that funding for speed humps would be borne entirely by the City; if they were approved, the City would pay – otherwise they would not be permitted. Some comments were made about the policy but given the time limitations, the City was asked if the policy could be posted on the Council website with an opportunity for future comments. The City agreed. City Manager Feldman stated that it was intention however to bring the new policy before the Commission in January. 
9. Review of Consensus Committee Report. Donna Mergenhagen reviewed the last draft of the report asking those present to only voice those points about which they disagreed. For the most part, those in attendance agreed with the points to be included in the final report. A final version will be prepared and submitted for a vote of the membership. 
10. New Business

• Holiday Party on December 11. Council will supply main course and beverages. Guests are asked to bring a dish to share.
• Volunteer needed to handle refreshments for January 2013 meeting (as well as subsequent months.) 

11. For the Good of the Community:  Charles Jordon of the Sailboat Bend Civic Association and the Trust for Historic Sailboat Bend and Dave Braiburn of the Broward Trust for Historic Preservation talked about their submission to the FEMA 2012 Challenge seeking funds to develop a pilot program to assess the ability of historic structures to withstand disasters and for homeowners to self-assess structural damage, etc. 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:10 pm. 

Respectfully submitted,

Rochelle Golub

Recording Secretary

MINUTES

August 14, 2012
General Membership Meeting
8th Floor Conference Room, City Hall

CALL TO ORDER 7:30 PM

ROLL CALL – After a call of the roll by the Treasurer, it was determined that a quorum was present

REVIEW AND ACCEPTANCE: Meeting Minutes – June 12, 2012. Amended to reflect discussion and vote on proposed changes to City-wide parking regulations. Approved as amended.

TREASURER’S REPORT – On a motion and second Treasurer’s Report was approved without objection.

POLICE REPORT – Capt. London had nothing to report and no issues were brought up from the floor. Doug Sterner presented a request from the Officer Bryant Peney Scholarship Foundation that the Council again sponsor a table at their upcoming fundraiser. Motion made and passed to sponsor a table at a cost of $250.00.

GUESTS –City Manager Lee Feldman – spoke about an initiative designed to expedite the permitting process. One feature of the proposal would be to require developers of level 3 or 4 projects to meet with neighborhoods first to present their project for comments from the effected neighborhood. The developer would be responsible for reporting on the outcome of the meeting including comments by the participants. Their report would then become part of their application to DRC. The proposed ordinance change will be discussed at the City Commission conference meeting on August 21^st.

Mr. Feldman also reported on the telephone Town Hall meetings held so far noting that they are very pleased with the results. Although the current round is focused on the visioning process, the City is committed to future telephone town hall meetings on other topics. Results of the poll questions within the town hall calls are available on the City’s website.

Mr. Feldman also promised to provide the Council with an update on the NDCR (Neighborhood Development Criteria Review).

Rick Keiser – Outlined the services available to HOAs from the City’s Print Center. A full range of printing, copying and graphic services (including newsletters, flyers and posters) as well as mailings are offered at discount prices.

Ian Wint gave a presentation on the City’s Geographic Information System and the Maps that are produced. There is a wealth of information on the City’s web page.

Stephanie Denham – Gave an update on the City’s Visioning Process. She handed out kits entitled “Meeting in a Box” and explained how to use them effectively to focus discussions among neighbors.

She also explained a new program called Nextdoor Fort Lauderdale which is a way to create a private social network for your neighborhood.

NEW BUSINESS:
Election of 1^st Vice President – Nominations from the floor were accepted and Olivier Turina nominated Ron Centamore which was seconded by Steve Gillespie. No other nominations were offered and Mr. Centamore was declared the winner by consensus.

OLD BUSINESS
1) Marilyn reported that our website revamp is nearing completion and explained to members how to update their information.

2) Marilyn also reported on the Council’s efforts to weigh in on the new City parking proposals. She and other Council member have met with Diane Alarcon in order to raise a number of concerns some neighborhoods have with the proposed changes. The chief concern is that the proposal takes a one-size-fits-all approach. Ms Alarcon will recommend that the City go forward with the proposal for the Beach and not for the entire City until a list of issues was addressed by the City’s consultant and discussed with the Council.

There being no further business the meeting adjourned at approximately 9:00pm

Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations
General Meeting
June 12, 2012
City Hall- 8th Floor Conference Room

1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Acting President Marilyn Mammano at 7:30 pm followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

2. Attendance: Corresponding Secretary Donna Mergenhagen took the roll and declared a quorum.

3. Minutes: The minutes of the May 2, 2012 general meeting were unanimously approved upon a motion and second.

4. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Madeline Treasurer’s Report by showing a balance as of June 1, 2012 of $8,398.79 was unanimously approved upon a motion and second.

5. Law Enforcement Report: FLPD Lt Patrick Hart provided this month’s report urging the neighborhoods to prepare for hurricane season. He also announced that a new ordinance dealing with the retail sale of synthetic marihuana and bath salts is being drafted but that it could be as much as 6 months before we see the products off the shelves of convenience stores.

6. Guest Speakers: Mr. Greg Stuart, Executive Director of the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization talked about the role of the BMPO presented an overview of work in progress and the work planned. BMPO will spend over $8.6 billion in funds channeled back to the state by the federal government on transportation in the County over the next 20 years. Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties each have their own MPO’s based on historical geographical separation, even though the tri=county area functions as one metropolitan area. Specifically with respect to Fort Lauderdale, Mr. Stuart talked about the street cars in the downtown area explaining that since rails do not move, growth can be planned reliably around that type of transportation. He stated that there were no plans to widen any more streets and that some streets that were widened may be narrowed again. He mentioned that with the deepening of the Panama canal, commercial rail business would increase. He stated that within 2 years Tri-Rail passenger lines and commercial lines on along Dixie would merge. He also stated that within the next 4 years, $35 to $40 million would be spent on sidewalks. Mr. Stuart spoke very positively about the “Complete Streets” plan and urges elected officials to incorporate “Complete Streets” in their planning. The work of BMPO can be tracked on its website at www.browardmpo.org.

Susan Torriente (who recently spoke to the Council about climate change and sea level rising) addressed the membership about Visioning 2035 in Fort Lauderdale. She stated that the staff and committee were studying other cities’ approach to visioning and believed it most effective when tied to strategic planning. Input from the entire community is key to success. To that end, staff will speak when invited to neighborhood meetings; there is an interactive website [http://ourvisionftl.com]; a tool called “meeting in a bix” has been created; telephonic town hall meetings are scheduled. Mayor Seilor will host a telephone town hall meeting on June 25; Commissioner Rogers on July 17; Commissioner DuBoise on a tbd date in July; Commissioner Roberts on August 30 and Commissioner Rodstrom on September 14. The goal of the committee is to complete the visioning by the end of the year.

President Mammano asked for a volunteer to serve as the Councils liaison to the visioning process. Susan Howell volunteered and was so appointed.

7. Election of CFLCA President: Acting President Mammano turned the gavel over to First Vice President Betty Shelley who asked for nominations from the floor. Marilyn Mammano was nominated and seconded. No other nominations were forthcoming. VP Shelley closed the nominations. A voice vote was taken and Ms. Mammano was elected unanimously.

8. Membership Report: Paid active membership of the Council is 33 member neighborhoods.

9. For the Good of the Community: There were many promotional handouts available to the members present including planting at Stranahan Park on 6/16; mixitcurbit Recycling Program rollout; the Salvation Army; and the Code Awareness and Safety Expo on 6/23. Mr. Moyer of the Salvation Army enlisted support for the protection of its collection boxes.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:05 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Rochelle Golub
Recording Secretary

Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations
General Meeting
May 10, 2011
City Hall- 8th Floor Conference Room

1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by President Doug Sterner at 7:30 pm followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

2. Attendance: 1st Vice President Marilyn Mammano took the roll and declared a quorum. . Ms. Mammano noted the individuals who were representing Civic Associations for which the 2011 dues have not been received. Representatives were urged to get duplicate (or original) renewals and checks in as soon as possible.

3. Treasurer’s Report: There was no Treasurer’s Report because Mr. Gabe Ocasio Davila was not in attendance.

4. FLPD Police Report: Acting Major Mike Gregory stated that residents are still using “911” for inappropriate non-emergency reasons. that do not involve a serious and immediate threat to person or property. The non-emergency number is 954-828-5700. He said that the current crime trend showed an increase in “confidence” schemes in parking lots and on the streets. He observed that vehicle burglaries commonly included the theft of something else. He warned against assisting in a “crime of opportunity” by leaving valuables in the vehicle visible to the thief. He stated that the FLPD was preparing for special city events including Haitian Flag Day on May 18, Memorial Day Beach Party and July 4 and hurricane season. President Sterner raised a concern about police officers who made insensitive and insulting comments to victims in the that could also indicate that the police did not take investigation of the crime seriously. Other representatives added experiences. Acting Major Gregory said victims should file complaints because such behavior is not tolerated.

5. Visioning Committee: Tim Smith gave a presentation about the 2011 Fort Lauderdale Visioning Committee. While plans have been commissioned for individual neighborhoods, there has not been an attempt to develop a comprehensive master plan for the whole city since 1985. Tim said that the 2011 Visioning Committee was directed to look forward 25 years. The Committee intends to gather data and surveys on a broad inclusionary basis from al 62 neighborhoods and 14 business organizations, and many civic organizations (rather than only talking to a core of recognized civic and business leaders) as well as young adults “20 under 20”. The City Commission has authorized $54,000 to hire a consultant to coordinate the survey phase. Over the summer, City staff will compile facts and statistics about the City from data accessible to them. It is hoped that the final phases – developing the Plan and implementing the Plan would be funded and supported by the Commission. He noted that all three finalist for City Manager supported the idea of a “vision plan” by which to govern the City.

In the discussion that followed the presentation, many representatives took the position that it is futile to develop a master plan if the City Commission was not compelled to made decisions in accordance with the plan. It was also suggested that CFLCA officially get involved in the work of the Committee . Both ideas will be discussed at the next Board meeting.

6. Florida Neighborhoods Conference. Hal Barnes gave an update on the Conference to be held in Ft Lauderdale on July 7,8,and 9, 2011 at Pier 66. Early registration of $50 closes June 1. Registration is limited to 200 Information and registration can be found on line on the City website and at floridaneighborhoodsconference.org.

President Sterner announced that the CFLCA would provide subsidies for 4 persons who had never attended the Conference before –one from each District – on a first come first serve basis.

7. Ms. Mergenhagen reported that there were many events scheduled through the end of the year for the Centennial celebration. If a neighborhood wanted access to displays, plaques, children’s’ trunks, etc, call Shannon at 954-828-4743. The calendar of events is on the City website. Susan Gilles’ historian contract is over in July with one more workshop to be scheduled in June.

8. By-Laws Committee: Ms. Mergenhagen circulated the By-Laws Committee’s suggested revisions to those in attendance. She recommended comments in June and a vote in July. A representative noted that the summer was a bad time to hold a vote. The Committee will still take comments on the proposed revisions and will discuss the best time for a vote.

9. Audit Committee: Betty Shelley announced that the audit committee could not perform the annual audit in a timely manner because insufficient information was provided. Therefore, the audit is delayed.
10. Counsel Corner. President Sterner announced that CFLCA would be preparing a monthly news article for the associations to include in newsletters or email blasts to better publicize the work and activities of the Counsel, neighborhoods and the City.
11. President Sterner announced that District 2 Rep Shirley Smith is recuperating from knee surgery. He also thanked Rock Island for providing refreshments.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Rochelle Golub
Recording Secretary

Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations
General Meeting
March 13, 2012
City Hall- 8th Floor Conference Room

1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by President Doug Sterner at 7:35 pm followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

2. Attendance: First Vice President Marilyn Mammano took the roll and declared a quorum.

3. Minutes: The minutes of the February 14, 2012 general meeting were unanimously approved upon a motion and second

4. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer’s Report showing a balance as of February 1, 2012 of $7,859.67 was unanimously approved upon a motion and second.

5. Law Enforcement Reports: FLPD Captain Detrick provided this month’s report announcing that the Fort Lauderdale Air Show would occur on April 28 and 29. 2012. There is a new promoter and a different footprint for the event which will be air only – no marine acts. Flight hours will be from 12 to 4 pm. The event will coordinate with Fleet Week. Chief Joanne Lorber (fire rescue paramedics and emergency management services) reminded the meeting of the “See Something – Say Something” campaign being run through the FDLE. Recording Secretary Donna Mergenhagen distributed flyers at the request of FLPD Captain London with tips on how not to be a victim.

6. City Manager Feldman addressed the meeting stating that city staff was working very hard and he hoped they were responsive to the neighborhoods. He thanked the Council for its support and invited the members to feel free to come and talk to hi. He stated that he is starting the budget process.

7. Guest Speaker: City Forester Gene Dempsey has been with the City for over 15 years . He was invited to speak about the recent outbreak of the Rugose Spiraling Whitefly (or Gumbo Limbo Spiraling Whitefly) that has moved north from Miami and is infesting trees and plants in Fort Lauderdale. He said that the City was treating this Whitefly by releasing native black lady bugs who eat the whitefly. It will take 2 to 3 years for this treatment to run its course and residents should not panic. He discussed different types of treatments a resident can take if a tree is infested in his/her property that is causing inconvenience. There is more information on the City’s website and Mr. Dempsey is available to speak HOA meetings or to individuals. In October he moved from parks and recreation to city works. His number is 954-828-7704. There was praise for the City’s “Adopt a Tree” program and a lively discussion about how trees could be planted in swales without the cooperation of the landowner. South Middle River has planted over 2,000 trees in its neighborhood but still ran in to some resistance. Ms. Mergenhagn suggested that the Council create a committee to keep track of how the program can best be implemented by neighborhoods.

Broward School Board Member Katy Leech spoke at the meeting. She praised the new School Board Superintendent for his efforts to evaluate the budget and make cuts without impacting services and redirecting money to improve programs. In response to a question about charter schools in Fort Lauderdale, she stated that there are good and bad points to charter schools. She said there would not be any new schools in Fort Lauderdale because Fort Lauderdale is under enrolled.

8. Committee Reports:

• Centennial Time Capsule: Corresponding Secretary Donna Mergenhagen reported that the Council would need to sell 1,000 envelopes to break even. The Council has already missed opportunities to market the Time Capsule at recent City events. Given the City’s preferences for pricing and the timetable, she stated that she did not believe the Council’s continued efforts would result in a successful fundraiser for the Council.
A motion was made and seconded and unanimously approved for the Council to withdraw its support for the Centennial Time Capsule.

• Membership: Ms. Mammano stated that second notices for membership registration have been sent. There are over 60 recognized City neighborhoods and as of March 13, there are 35 paid members. April 1 starts the new fiscal year. There was a discussion about how we can improve the number of neighborhoods that become members. District Reps will call neighborhood presidents to encourage them to become members. If they say “no”, it will be helpful to understand why. Charles Kindred from the Landings talked about getting the word out about why it is beneficial for a neighborhood to be a member of the Council. Various members talked about sharing information to solve common problems, and the power of a united organization to get things done as compared to a single neighborhood acting alone. Ms. Mammano and the District Reps will work on a new updated more comprehensive “press package” for the Council.

• Mr. Kindred raised the issue of how a neighborhood could deal with boats and trailers in driveways and front yards. Steve Gillespie of Coral Ridge told him that there are already city codes in effect to handle that issue and advised him to contact code enforcement.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:05 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Rochelle Golub
Recording Secretary

Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations
General Meeting
February 14, 2012
City Hall- 8th Floor Conference Room

1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by First Vice President Marilyn Mammano at 7:30 pm followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

2. Attendance: First Vice President Marilyn Mammano took the roll and declared a quorum.

3. Minutes: The review and acceptance of the January 10, 2012 minutes were tabled.

4. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Madeline Klein distributed the Report showing an ending balance as of January 31, 2012 of $7,370.66. The Report was unanimously approved upon a motion by Betty Shelley and a second by Jackson Boren.

5. FLPD Police Report: Captain Lou Alvarez provided this month’s report. He reported that overall crime was declining but daytime burglaries were up. He stated that special details had been implemented in the past month and proved effective. He urged neighborhoods to contact NAT Teams for faster responses about solutions to neighborhood problems and answers to questions.

6. Guest Speaker: Assistant City Manager Susan Torriente made a presentation about the Draft Regional Climate Action Plan developed by the Southeast Florida Regional Compact Climate Committee consisting of representatives from Monroe, Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties. These four counties recognized the importance of planning for the effect of climate change and realized that they could have more impact in Tallahassee if they banded together as a Compact. The Compact represents over 5.6 million residents. Fort Lauderdale alone has seven miles of beaches and 300 miles of canals. The Plan is a five year plan that seeks to integrate efforts through existing agencies and infrastructures. There are about 100 recommendations in the Plan, including the implementation and funding of projects. The Plan is in the comment stage through March 16, 2012 and Ms. Torriente urged the neighborhoods to review and make comments. The Plan can be found at www.southeastfloridaclimatecompact.org.

Paramedic Chief Joanne Lorber also made a presentation at the meeting about emergency preparedness for county residents at risk. She distributed an informational handout that can be found at www.broward.org/AtRisk/Pages/Default.aspx. Ms. Mammano also raised the importance of registering with the City’s Code Red project which can be accessed from the City’s website.

7. Committee Reports:

• Centennial Time Capsule: Corresponding Secretary Donna Mergenhagen reported that the date to close the time capsule has been moved by the City to Memorial Day. The capsule will be displayed in the lobby of City Hall and is intended to be opened in 25 years. Individuals, neighborhoods, businesses, schools, organizations will be encouraged to participate. The cost of submissions will be kept low to encourage participation: submissions the size of a business envelope can be purchased for $5 and the size of a standard manila envelope (approx. 9 X 12) can be purchased for $15. Ideas for the types of things that can be submitted will be included in fliers and on a website. It is envisioned that there will be a 30 day window for the acceptance of submissions. CFLCA s waiting for the green light from the City to proceed.
• Charter Revision: Recording Secretary Rochelle Golub stated that at the last Committee possible revisions to the provisions on elections was discussed. She restated that the Committee was contemplating potential changes in four areas as directed by the Commission.
• Membership: Ms. Mammano stated that membership applications and renewals were being resent.

8. For the Good of the Community. CLFCA took time to remember Richard Mancuso who died after a long illness. Ms. Shelley spoke and others contributed stories and memories and observations about Mr. Mancuso. He was praised as a man of dignity who was dedicated to making the City a better place for all its residents. He worked tirelessly on the Ad Hoc Code Reform Project and it was suggested that the resulting document be dedicated to him. The position of Chairman of Committees of CLFCA was created for him because of his interest and involvement of Council activities. At the service held for him, his love of music and poetry and his songwriting was highlighted with a recording of a song he had written played at the end of the service. The City has made a proclamation for Richard and has named him Citizen of the Year. Those interested can make contributions to the Richard J. Fox Foundation for Prostate Cancer, P.O. Box 25581, Washington, D.C., 20027.

In addition, a number of upcoming community events were announced including the Victoria Park Spring Clean Up on March 10 which is the same day as the City of Fort Lauderdale St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Event sponsors were encouraged to send electronic fliers to Ms. Mergenhagen who would email them to all of the Council members for distribution to the neighborhoods.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:55 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Rochelle Golub
Recording Secretary

Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations
General Meeting
November 8, 2011
City Hall- 8th Floor Conference Room

1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by President Doug Sterner at 7:32 pm followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

2. Attendance: First Vice President Marilyn Mammano took the roll and declared a quorum.

3. Minutes: The minutes of the October 11, 2011 were unanimously approved upon a motion by Steve Gillespie (Coral Ridge) and a second by Betty Shelley (2nd Vice President).

4. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Madeline Klein distributed the Report showing an ending balance as of October 31, 2011 of $7,810.80. She noted that the accrued interest from the Ascencia CD had been deposited in the checking account. The Report was unanimously approved upon a motion by Ms. Mammano and a second by Mr. Gillespie.

5. FLPD Police Report: Assistant Chief – Chief of Operations Steve Kinsey provided this month’s report. He talked about the institution of community meetings within the three police districts. He stated that the intent was to hold three monthly meetings within each of the three districts. The main purpose of the meetings is to exchange information and share resources with the residents. There was some discussion about whether monthly meetings were optimal use of time for all concerned. Assistant Chief Kinsey also reported that there was some progress being made in the area of juvenile justice; that fingerprinting for metal recycling can reduce recent crime wave; that Swap Shop is the primary place for the sale of stolen goods.

6. Announcements and Introductions:
• President Sterner announced that the CFLCA was going to host a Candidates’ Forum on January 17 from 6pm to 8pm at City Hall before the City Commission elections on January 31, 2012. Ms. Shelley and Ms. Mammano requested volunteers from general membership to work on the committee overseeing the event.
• President Sterner announced that the December general meeting would be devoted to the Annual Holiday Party. CFLCA would supply turkey, ham, paper goods, and beverages. Those who attend are requested to bring “pot luck”.
• Heather Stein from the Public Works Dept. stated that they were reaching out to the neighborhoods through the civic associations to spread information about energy conservation. She described a high efficiency toilet rebate program in effect for homeowners through Conservation Pays. More information is available at 1-800-270-9794 or conservationpays.com.
• Alena Alberani from the City’s Smart Watt program informed the membership that they were available to attend neighborhood meetings through March to talk about energy conservation and distribute tool kits valued at $100. Schedule by calling 954-713-0940 or register for an existing workshop at www.mods.org/energy/.

7. Committee Reports:

• Education Advisory Board: Ms. Shelley stated that the Board has been revitalized by the appointment of new members a new vice chairman. She said the board is working on a uniform code of conduct that should solve recurring problems.
• Charter Revision: Recording Secretary Rochelle Golub stated that the Committee had a workshop with the Commission about priorities for revising the City’s Charter. The Committee raised the issue of the enforceability of study results adopted by the Commission on future acts or failure to act by the Commission. This issue was advanced by the CFLCA. The Commission was of the opinion that this was a matter of good governance and policy and not a charter issue. The Commission did request the Committee to look at revisions to Articles III, IV and VIII.
• Centennial: Ms. Mammano read a report by Corresponding Secretary Donna Mergenhagen thanking Imperial Point, Coral Ridge and Sailboat Bend for sponsoring October events and reminding neighborhoods that there are still opportunities to use the tools created for the Centennial. If interested, fill out the form on the website or call Shannon at 954-828-4743.

8. Ad Hoc Code Reform Committee. It was the consensus of the membership that it was not appropriate to bring the Committee‘s report to a vote at this meeting and that the Committee should present the final report in writing to the membership. In the meantime, the Committee could attend the P&Z Board workshops and make an oral presentation when the Board takes comments.

9. Ms. Mammano stated that she had gathered a lot of information from the City and from the Neighborhood Conference in July about topics ranging from running better meetings to newsletters to increasing attendance at association meetings. She requested input from the member associations about the topics that interested them.

10. A special election was held as noticed for District 3 Representative. Dr. Magdalene Lewis was nominated and unanimously approved. A special election was held as noticed for District 4 Representative. Brucie Cummings was nominated and unanimously approved.

11. Park Goals Committee Report. In February 2009, the Parks Goals Committee chaired by Mr. Sterner and including: Abel Conejo (Lake Ridge), Denis Ulmer (Lauderdale Manor), Mark Boyd (Progresso Village), Marilyn Marcus (Bermuda Riviera), Betty Hays (River Run), Debra Van Valkenburgh (Chula Vista Isles) with input from Earnest Jones, Park Ranger Supervisor, published a report for consideration by the CFLCA as the official policy of the Council about increasing green and preserving green space in the City. The report which appeared to have reflected the consensus of the neighborhoods had not been formally adopted. Tarpon Bend and other communities had contacted the Council regarding recent talk about using a piece of Hardy Park for a fire station highlighting the importance of the Council having an official policy on the subject matter. City Manager Feldman asked to address the membership about Hardy Park. He accepted responsibility for the proposal as a cheap way to accomplish the goal of a new well-placed fire station; he apologized that he was unaware of the prohibition on the use of the land for any other purpose. He noted that the process of consideration of the proposal prevented any wrongful action by the City. The Report was distributed to those present who had not yet read it and it was discussed. Ms. Golub noted that the Report contained outdated facts and appendices which should be deleted. Ms. Mammano moved to adopt the Report without the appendices and facts about park rangers. The motion was seconded and it passed unanimously.

12. For the good of the Community. Announcements were made about various events to take place within a week of the meeting including the Rotary Club’s Power of 1 Hour event in conjunction with Veteran’s Day on November 12 and the renaming of a street for Jerry Cooper.

13. The Council thanked Bermuda Riviera for providing refreshments.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:10 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Rochelle Golub
Recording Secretary

Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations
General Meeting
October 11, 2011
City Hall- 8th Floor Conference Room

1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by President Doug Sterner at 7:35 pm followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

2. Attendance: Corresponding Secty Donna Mergenhagen took the roll and declared a quorum.

3. Minutes: The minutes of the September 13, 2011 were unanimously approved upon a motion by Genia Ellis and a second by Betty Shelley.

4. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Madeline Klein distributed the Report showing an ending balance as of September 30, 2011 of $7,880.36. She announced that the Board had voted to deposit the accrued interest from the Ascencia CD in the checking account and roll over the CD. The Report was unanimously approved upon a motion by Genia Ellis and a second by Ron Centamore .

5. FLPD Police Report: Officer Luis Alvarez provided this month’s report. He stated that Chief Adderley had adopted “intelligence led policing” and had formed an ILP Group. ILP was implemented in Hillsborough County and after an initial rise in crime, incidents went way down. FLPD sent officer to review ILP in Hillsborough County. The theory behind ILP is that 60% of the crime is committed by 6% of criminal offenders labeled “prolific offenders”. The FLPD want the prolific offenders to know that FLPD knows them. Instead of investigating crime from an area basis, crime solving is approached based on information gathering and knowledge of the whereabouts of the prolific offenders Crime analysts work together in one room gathering information from street officers, neighborhoods, and informants. There is cooperation among area police departments fostered by the Tri-County Crime meetings about patterns of crime. He also announced that given the success of the use of portable finger printing tools, the FLPD had ordered some additional units.

6. Announcements and Introductions:
• President Sterner introduced Julie Richards from the City Manager’s Office who will be attending the general meetings.
• Chaz Adams from the Public Information Office was in attendance and President Sterner thanked him for his presentation at the last meeting.
• Hal Barnes of Neighborhood Services stated that they were working on the review of the NCIP applications.

7. Tim Smith, former chair of Visioning Committee gave some background and introduced the current chair Randall Vitale. Mr. Vitale stated that the Committee had requested the Consultant to make sure that the whole city was considered in Phase 1 as the projects moved to Phase 2. He stated that the Committee was working hard and will hold open houses throughout the City to give information and receive input. The Consultant will review the input and post information on the Committee’s website: fortlauderdalevision.org. He stated that the Committee hoped to solicit as much input as possible through various means. Individual and neighborhood comments were welcomed and could be submitted online.

8. Ad Hoc Code Reform Committee, represented ar rhe meeting by Charles Jordan, President Sterner and others, gave a history of the evolution of this most recent attempt at code reform instigated by CFLCA. Prior to 2007, in response to the real estate boom, citizens came to the CFLCA to express concerns about the trends in residential development. Richard Mancuso chaired a committee of diverse professionals that prepared a report that was presented to the City Commission. The City Commission voted to take on the issue of residential code reform in 2007. A consultant, Winter and Co., was hired. City staff presented the Winter & Co. Phase 1 report at the CFLCA September General Meeting. Since that time, the Council’s Ad Hoc Code Reform Committee met and Gus Carbonnell compiled comments in a document distributed at the meeting. It was decided that the Committee would continue to meet and bring a recommended response to the membership at the November General Meeting.

9. Committee Reports:

• District Representatives reported that Target has adopted a school in Lauderdale Manors and is redoing the school library. This is a school that the EAB has also been working with; the plans for the Swimming Hall of Fame renovations are on line; Juanita Gray from Rock Island stated that SMART was very successful in her neighborhood.

• Centennial: Ms. Mergenhagen reviewed the highlights of the Centennial celebrations through the end of the year and encouraged members to check the calendar on the City’s website.

10. Tom Andrews of Riverside Park Residents’ Association made a presentation about a product that they developed called “PooPylon” designed to act as a cost effective pet waste bag supply station. The City’s Engineering Department is prepared to recommend the product to the Commission for no-fee engineering permits provided it is approved by the CFLCA. After the presentation and discussion, the CFLCA voted unanimously as follows: The Council applauds the efforts of the Riverside Park Residents’ Association to come up with a solution to an on-going problem. The Council endorses PooPylon as an option for neighborhoods that choose to use it subject to City staff’s approval and conditions.

11. The Council thanked Harbordale for providing refreshments.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Rochelle Golub
Recording Secretary