January 28, 2014 Meeting 10:05 a.m.
COMMISSION MINUTES
ACTION AGENDA
MEETING OF JANUARY 28, 2014
(Meeting convened at 10:05 a.m., and adjourned at 12:09 p.m.)
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was led by Commissioner Dale V.C. Holness, District 9.
CALL TO ORDER was led by Mayor Barbara Sharief, District 8.
MOMENT OF SILENCE
In memory of West Park City Commissioner Sharon Fyffe.
In memory of servicemen and servicewomen serving our country. COMMISSIONER DISTRICT ATTENDANCE Sue Gunzburger 6 Present Dale V.C. Holness 9 Present Kristin Jacobs 2 Present Martin David Kiar 1 Present Chip LaMarca 4 Present Stacy Ritter 3 Present Tim Ryan 7 Present Barbara Sharief 8 Present Lois Wexler 5 Present
"BROWARD MEANS BUSINESS" MOMENT
CONSENT AGENDA A motion was made by Commissioner Gunzburger, seconded by Commissioner LaMarca and unanimously carried, to approve the Consent Agenda consisting of Items 1 through 36. At the request of the Mayor, Regular Items 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46 and 47 were transferred to the Consent Agenda.
Each item voted on the Consent Agenda was passed by unanimous vote of the Commission unless otherwise indicated by record vote.
The following items were withdrawn/deferred: 29, 30 and 45.
The following items were pulled by the Board and considered separately: 1C, 9, 10, 11, 24 and 27.
BOARD APPOINTMENTS
1. MOTION TO APPROVE Board Appointments
A. MOTION TO APPOINT Rex Hardin to the Courthouse Task Force. (Mayor Sharief)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
B. MOTION TO APPOINT Ms. Lisa Aronson to the Broward County Planning Council in the category of “elected official and registered voter living in the district”. (Commissioner Jacobs)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
C. MOTION TO APPOINT Sheldon McCartney to the Historical Commission. (Commissioner Wexler)
(Commissioner Wexler pulled this item.)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved. As relates to the Historical Commission's meetings, the Board requested that language be revised in the Administrative Code and brought back to the Board, surrounding RSVP's and absences. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
VOTE: 9-0.
AVIATION DEPARTMENT
2. A. MOTION TO APPROVE Consent to Leasehold Mortgage between Broward County and Diversified Aviation NP LLC; for Branch Banking and Trust Company, a Florida banking corporation; pursuant to the requirements of the Agreement of Lease between Broward County and Diversified Aviation NP, LLC; and authorize Mayor and Clerk to execute same.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
B. MOTION TO APPROVE Memorandum of Lease between Broward County and Diversified Aviation NP LLC; to provide notice to the existence of the Agreement of Lease; and authorize Mayor and Clerk to execute same.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
3. A. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-028 authorizing the Mayor to execute a Florida Department of Transportation, Joint Participation Agreement Grant No. 434539-1-94-01, in the amount of $64,830, to financially participate in the project to rehabilitate the apron pavement at North Perry Airport, and to authorize the County Administrator to make the necessary administrative and budgetary actions to execute the Grant Agreement and approve any non-monetary amendments to the Agreement. This Agreement requires a County match of $64,830.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
B. MOTION TO ADOPT unanticipated revenue Resolution 2014-029 in the Aviation North Perry Fund (4070) for the Aviation Department in the amount of $64,830 to rehabilitate the apron pavement at North Perry Airport.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
C. MOTION TO ADOPT budget Resolution 2014-030 transferring funds within the Aviation North Perry Fund (4070) in the amount of $64,830 from the North Perry Airport Fund reserves for the purpose of providing the cash match required to accept this Florida Department of Transportation Grant.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING DIVISION
4. MOTION TO APPROVE Local Area Program Agreement between Broward County and the Florida Department of Transportation providing for $303,000 in Federal funds to the County for sidewalk construction along the west right-of-way of Lyons Road from Florida’s Turnpike to the entrance of Fern Forest Nature Center, effective upon execution by the Florida Department of Transportation; and authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute same. (Commission District 2)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
REAL PROPERTY SECTION
5. MOTION TO APPROVE Memorandum of Understanding between Broward County, Landlord and Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO), Tenant, permitting temporary occupancy by Broward Sheriff's Office of a County-owned facility located at 624 NW 15 Way in Fort Lauderdale for a term of six months commencing on January 28, 2014 and terminating on July 31, 2014 with two 6-month renewal options at the discretion of the County, requiring BSO to pay the County all costs incurred by the County to operate, maintain and repair the property during the term of BSO's occupancy, or anticipated to be approximately $2,400 monthly; and authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute the same. (Commission District 9)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
WATER MANAGEMENT DIVISION
6. MOTION TO APPROVE Joint Funding Agreement among Broward County, Palm Beach County, City of Sunrise, City of Fort Lauderdale, City of Hallandale Beach, Town of Davie, City of Boca Raton, City of West Palm Beach, Lake Worth Drainage District and City of Boynton Beach for Third-Party Assessment of C-51 Reservoir Costs at an estimated cost to the County of $28,125 which is 18.75% of the total estimated cost of $150,000, effective upon execution; and authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute same.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
TRANSIT DIVISION
7. MOTION TO APPROVE First Amendment to the Wave Modern Streetcar Interlocal Partnership Agreement among Broward County, the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization, the City of Fort Lauderdale, the Downtown Development Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale, and the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority in coordination with capital stakeholders, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Florida Department of Transportation; revising language related to the City of Fort Lauderdale's capital financial contribution; and to authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute same.
(Per the Tuesday Morning Memorandum, Replacement of Exhibit 1. Original signatures for all of the other parties to this agreement were received and approved by the SFRTA on 1/14/14.)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
8. A. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-031 of the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, authorizing the Mayor to Execute and File a Supplemental Joint Participation Agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District 4, in the amount of $2,100,000, for a total of $19,250,000, to provide supplemental funding for operations and maintenance of the 595 Express Bus Service; authorizing the County Administrator to take necessary administrative actions; authorizing the Director of the Transit Division to execute extensions; and providing for an effective date.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
B. MOTION TO ADOPT unanticipated revenue Resolution 2014-032 to increase the Operating Grant Fund (8147) for the Transit Division, in the amount of $2,100,000, to provide funding for operations and maintenance of the 595 Express Bus Service.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
9. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-033 of the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, Authorizing the Mayor and Clerk to execute and file a Public Transportation Supplemental Joint Participation Agreement (JPA) for $9,308,986, which requires a match by Broward County for a total annual project cost of $18,617,972 to provide funding assistance to Broward County for transportation operating services; and providing for an effective date. The term of this supplemental JPA is from date of execution through December 31, 2014.
(Vice Mayor Ryan pulled this item.)
ACTION: (T-10:27 AM) Approved. The Board requested that information related to overall transportation costs be provided to the Board at the Board's Retreat on Friday, March 7, 2014. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
VOTE: 9-0.
COUNTY COMMISSION
10. MOTION TO DIRECT County Attorney's Office to amend Chapter 7, of the Broward County Code of Ordinances, relating to Licensure of Child Care Facilities; to codify changes to Chapter 402, Florida Statute, Rule 65C-22, and provide for more stringent standards related to nutrition, physical activity and screen time for children. (Commissioner Kiar)
(Commissioners Jacobs and Wexler pulled this item.)
ACTION: (10:31 AM) Approved with the Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated January 28, 2014, submitted at the request of the Human Services Department. The Board requested that staff find resources for child care facilities from programs such as the Tree Preservation Program and/or other programs to address landscaping so as to provide shade at child care facilities, as well as to revise language as to nutrition and milk and the promotion of outside activities, media time and technical support and bring information back to the Board in tandem with today's approval of this item while staying consistent with state and federal guidelines. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
VOTE: 9-0.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION
CULTURAL DIVISION
11. MOTION TO FILE semi-annual incentive report for the second half of Fiscal Year 2013 in accordance with Chapter 29, Part II, Section 29.17(h.) of the Broward County Administrative Code relating to the Cultural Division’s cultural incentive agreements.
(Commissioner Holness pulled this item.)
ACTION: (T-10:59 AM) Approved. The Board requested that staff bring information back to the Board as to identifying recipients being served. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
VOTE: 8-0. Commissioner Kiar was out of the room at the time of the vote.
REQUEST TO SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING
12. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-034 directing the County Administrator to publish Notice of Public Hearing to be held on Tuesday, February 11, 2014, at 2:00 p.m., in Room 422 of the Governmental Center to consider adoption of a proposed Resolution amending the Administrative Code, the title of which is as follows:
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, PERTAINING TO THE COMPLETE STREETS DESIGN GUIDELINES, AMENDING CHAPTER 25 OF THE BROWARD COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE; PROVIDING FOR NEW ROADWAY DESIGN ELEMENTS AS PART OF EXHIBIT 25.A, "MINIMUM STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY UNDER BROWARD COUNTY JURISDICTION"; PROVIDING FOR NEW DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING FOR SAFE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ACCESS; PROVIDING FOR NEW COMPLETE STREETS GUIDELINES; PROVIDING FOR INCREASED ROADWAY SHOULDERS AND NEW ON-ROAD BICYCLE FACILITIES AND DESIGN CRITERIA; PROVIDING FOR TYPICAL SECTION FOR TRANSPORTATION COMPONENTS, APPENDIX E; AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, INCLUSION IN THE BROWARD COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
13. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-035 directing the County Administrator to publish Notice of a Public Hearing to be held on February 11th, 2014, at 2:00 p.m., in Room 422 of the Governmental Center to consider adoption of a proposed Resolution, the title of which is as follows:
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF BROWARD COUNTY TRANSMITTING A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT OF THE BROWARD COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN INCORPORATING “COMPLETE STREETS” POLICIES, TO DESIGNATED STATE AGENCIES; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
14. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-036 directing the County Administrator to publish notice of a public hearing to be held on February 11, 2014, at 2:00 P.M., to consider transmittal to designated State review agencies of a proposed amendment to the Broward County Land Use Plan text (PCT 14-1), regarding "Complete Streets," as an amendment to the Broward County Comprehensive Plan.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
15. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-037 directing the County Administrator to publish Notice of Public Hearing to be held on February 11, 2014, at 2:00 p.m., in Room 422 of the Governmental Center to consider enactment of a proposed Ordinance, the title of which is as follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, PERTAINING TO THE OPTIONAL ROADWAY DESIGN GUIDELINES; AMENDING CHAPTER 5, ARTICLE IX, OF THE BROWARD COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES ("CODE"), UPDATING TABLE XII OF SECTION 5-195, "OPTIONAL TRAFFICWAYS CORRIDORS CRITERIA," CONSISTENT WITH BROWARD COUNTY MINIMUM STANDARDS AND COMPLETE STREETS GUIDELINES; AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, INCLUSION IN THE CODE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
(Sponsored by the Board of County Commissioners)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
16. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-038 directing the County Administrator to publish Notice of Public Hearing to be held on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 at 2:00 P.M. in Room 422 of the Governmental Center, 115 South Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida to vacate a portion of a platted 12-foot-wide right-of-way measuring 3,116 square feet being a portion of Parcel A, Engstrom Plat located on Atlantic Boulevard, east of NW 30 Avenue in the City of Pompano Beach at no cost to the County; Petitioner: Race Trac Petroleum, Inc.; Agent: Creech Engineers, Inc.; Application for Vacation and Abandonment: 2013-V-07. (Commission District 2)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL LICENSING AND BUILDING PERMITTING DIVISION
17. MOTION TO DIRECT Office of the County Attorney to draft an amendment to Chapter 27 of the Broward County Code of Ordinances incorporating by reference the applicable Statewide Environmental Resource Permitting rules in accordance with the requirements of 373.4131(2)(b)2. Florida Statutes.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT
ACCOUNTING DIVISION
18. MOTION TO APPROVE travel outside the continental United States for the County employee on the attached summary in accordance with Volume 1 of the Administrative Code - Chapter 3, Part II, Section 3.10 - County Employee Travel.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
PURCHASING DIVISION
For Aviation Department
19. MOTION TO AWARD fixed contract to low bidder, Vancouver Airport Authority, for Automated Passport Control Kiosks, Bid No. Z1203908B1, for the Aviation Department, in the total amount of $460,000, contingent upon the receipt and approval of insurance.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
For Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department
20. MOTION TO APPROVE Interim Agreement with HLP, Inc. of Arizona for Chameleon Software and Services Agreement between Broward County and HLP, Inc. for Chameleon Shelter Management Software and Services annual licenses and maintenance, upgrades and website support for one year, from the date of execution, in the total amount of $27,840; and authorize the Director of Purchasing to renew the agreement for two one-year periods for the total potential amount of $83,520; and authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute the same.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
For Transportation Department
21. MOTION TO APPROVE Agreement between Broward County and Integrated Systems Research Corporation for Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD)/Automatic Vehicle Locator System Replacement with Single Sign-on and Real-Time Information, Request for Proposals (RFP) No. V1071706P1, for the Transit Division, in the contract price of $11,919,811 plus optional services in the potential not-to-exceed estimated amount of $640,000, for a total potential estimated contract amount of $12,559,811, with Full System Rollout to be completed within 15 months from the first Notice to Proceed and, upon Final Acceptance, up to seven years of Maintenance and Support Services for Licensed Software and Hardware; and authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute same. The Agreement will begin upon execution by the Board and terminate seven years from Final Acceptance with an option to renew the Maintenance and Support Services portion of the Agreement, on a year-to-year basis, up to a maximum of seven additional years.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
RISK MANAGEMENT DIVISION
22. MOTION TO APPROVE settlement of Claims 060605 and 030211 and to authorize County Administration and the Office of the County Attorney to execute the applicable settlement documents.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved. (Scrivener’s Error – See County Administrator’s Report: Currently reads: “The total settlement amount, for both accidents, is $485,264, inclusive of attorney’s fees and costs.” Should read: “The total settlement amount, for both accidents, is $479,500, inclusive of attorney’s fee and costs.”)
VOTE: 9-0.
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
BROWARD ADDICTION RECOVERY CENTER DIVISION
23. MOTION TO RETROACTIVELY APPROVE First Amendment to Agreement between Broward County and Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) amending the amount of the agreement to $1,224,995 and amending the term of the agreement to commence on July 1, 2013 and continue through June 30, 2014 for the continuation of substance abuse treatment provided to non-violent offenders sentenced to Adult Post-Adjudicatory Drug Court under a Contractual Services Agreement for Adult Post Adjudicatory Drug Court Expansion Operations in Broward County, Florida between the Office of the State Courts Administrator (OSCA) and Broward County; authorize County Administrator to take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions related to the agreement; and authorize Mayor to execute same.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
24. MOTION TO RETROACTIVELY APPROVE First Amendment to Contract No. 34305 between Broward Behavioral Health Coalition, Inc. and Broward County, effective July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, decreasing the County cash match requirement from $412,328 to $353,199, for a total decrease of $59,129, to adjust the amount of match based on the revised number of match-eligible services reimbursed; replacing exhibits for funding detail and state funding by program and activity; adding an exhibit for local match plan; authorizing County Administrator to take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions related to the agreement; and authorizing Mayor to execute same.
(Commissioners Gunzburger and Wexler pulled this item.)
ACTION: (T-11:06 AM) Approved. The Board requested that information come back to the Board as to outcomes. (Scrivener’s Error – See County Administrator’s Report: Fiscal Impact currently reads: “…County cash match requirement from $412,328 to $353,199…” Motion should read…”County cash match requirement from $412,328 to $353,210.) (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
8-0. Commissioner Wexler abstained from voting.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS DIVISION
25. A. MOTION TO APPROVE Agreement between Broward County and the Early Learning Coalition of Broward County Inc., for the purposes of collaboration and coordination of referrals of homeless children to receive subsidized childcare through School Readiness funding; effective upon execution and continuing until September 30, 2014, with four one year renewal options; authorizing the County Administrator to execute amendments to the Agreement subject to approval of same by the Office of the County Attorney, and authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute same.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
B. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator to execute Seventh Amendment to Agreement 09- CSAD-8367-01 between Broward County and Family Central Inc., from February 1, 2014 through September 30, 2014, increasing FY 2014 funding from $1,677,564 to $2,079,564 for the purpose of providing subsidized childcare services for special needs children from low income families; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
26. MOTION TO APPROVE Capital Project Funding Agreement Shell; authorizing the County Administrator to execute said contracts, which shall not deviate in any material respects from the form, subject to approval by the Office of the County Attorney.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
ELDERLY AND VETERANS SERVICES DIVISION
27. A. MOTION TO RETROACTIVELY APPROVE First Amendment to Contract No. 34304 between the Broward Behavioral Health Coalition, Inc. and Broward County, effective from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014, for the purpose of decreasing the contract amount by $485, from $976,123 to $975,638 to adjust the provision of Behavioral Health Program services to eligible elders with mental health and/or substance abuse problems; modifying contract language related to the method of payment; replacing exhibits regarding funding; and authorizing Mayor to execute same.
(Commissioner Wexler pulled this item.)
ACTION: (T-11:12 AM) Approved. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
VOTE: 8-0. Commissioner Wexler abstained from voting.
B. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator to take any and all necessary actions, including the execution of amendments or documents related to the funding and services under this grant agreement following approval by County Attorney’s Office, and to take the necessary administrative and budgetary actions; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date.
(Commissioner Wexler pulled this item.)
ACTION: (T-11:12 AM) Approved. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
VOTE: 8-0. Commissioner Wexler abstained from voting.
FAMILY SUCCESS ADMINISTRATION DIVISION
28. A. MOTION TO APPROVE Agreement Number 14EA-0F-11-16- 01-004 between Broward County and the State of Florida, Department of Economic Opportunity, in the amount of $4,564,110 from date of execution or March 1, 2014, whichever is earlier, through March 31, 2015, for the purpose of providing home energy assistance to low income households in Broward County that are at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines; authorizing the Mayor and Clerk to execute same, authorizing the County Administrator to take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions related to the Agreement, and authorizing the County Administrator to execute all amendments which do not increase the total Agreement amount above $5,100,000. This Agreement requires no County match.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
B. MOTION TO ADOPT unanticipated revenue Resolution 2014-039 within the Community Action Agency Grant Fund (LIHEAP Grant Fund 7486) in the amount of $4,564,110 for the purpose of providing home energy assistance to low income households in Broward County.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
C. MOTION TO APPROVE Budget Reconciliation Plan for the LIHEAP grant expenses, as required by the Agreement referenced in Motion A and attached as Exhibit 4.
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
OFFICE OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
29. MOTION TO APPROVE Second Amendment to Agreement between Broward County and Pro Sound, Inc., d/b/a Pro Sound & Video for Audio and Video Systems Upgrade for the Commission Chambers and Room 430 RLI No. R100800R1 for the installation of audio/visual improvements in Room 302 of the Governmental Center in the amount of $104,919, and; authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute same.
(Withdrawn for further staff review.)
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QUASI-JUDICIAL CONSENT HEARING
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION DIVISION
30. DISCUSSION: of plat entitled “Franklin Academy 6-12” (033-MP- 13). (Commission District 5)
(Deferred to February 25, 2014, at the applicant's request to resolve traffic concurrency.)
31. DISCUSSION: of plat entitled “2000 South Ocean Drive” (024- MP-13). (Commission District 6)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved the plat subject to staff’s recommendations as outlined in the Development Review Report.
VOTE: 9-0.
32. DISCUSSION: of New Findings of Adequacy for a plat entitled “Pines 184 Plat” (059-MP-03). (Commission District 8)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved the plat subject to staff’s recommendations as outlined in the Development Review Report.
VOTE: 9-0.
33. DELEGATION: Richard G. Coker, Jr. regarding request to amend the plat note on the Elite Plat (006-MP-08). (Commission District 2)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved per staff's recommendations.
VOTE: 9-0.
34. DELEGATION: Howard Jablon regarding request to amend the plat note on the I.C. Plat (122-MP-82). (Commission District 3)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved per staff's recommendations.
VOTE: 9-0.
35. DELEGATION: Dennis D. Mele, representing the City of Parkland, regarding request to amend the platted non-vehicular access line on Bruschi Property (001-UP- 11). (Commission District 3)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved per staff's recommendations.
VOTE: 9-0.
36. DELEGATION: Jeff Spear regarding request to amend the platted non-vehicular access line and modify conditions of plat approval on Bella Acre Estates (117-MP- 05). (Commission District 5)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved per staff's recommendations.
VOTE: 9-0.
END OF QUASI-JUDICIAL CONSENT HEARING
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REGULAR AGENDA
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DELEGATION
37. DELEGATION: Christine Timmon
ACTION: (T-11:13 AM) The Board heard the Delegation Request by Christine Timmon related to issues of red light tickets in Hollywood, Florida. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT
PURCHASING DIVISION
For Port Everglades Department
38. MOTION TO APPROVE final ranking of the qualified firms for Request for Proposals (RFP) No. R1174806P1, Parking Management Services for Port Everglades Department; the ranked firms are: 1 - SP Plus Corporation; 2 - Republic Parking System, Inc., and authorize staff to proceed with negotiations.
(Transferred to the Consent Agenda.)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
RECORDS, TAXES, AND TREASURY DIVISION
39. MOTION TO APPROVE staff's recommendation regarding the 2013 Tax Certificate Sales procedures to increase the minimum deposit amount for all registered bidders to $2,000 and extend the requirement to include subaccounts; require participants registering with Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) to further identify their type of business entity; require participants registering with EINs to upload additional verification documentation to verify their existence as the type of entity they have reported to be with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); and close the bidder registration process approximately five days prior to the actual sale date. (Deferred from January 7, 2014 - Item No. 21)
ACTION: (T-11:17 AM) Approved with the bullet points as outlined in the Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated January 28, 2014, submitted at the request of Finance and Administrative Services Department. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
VOTE: 9-0.
TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
TRANSIT DIVISION
40. MOTION TO DISCUSS and provide staff direction on proceeding with entering into an agreement between Broward County and the City of Miramar for the sale and purchase of City-owned land for the purpose of constructing a Park and Ride Facility to support the 95 Express Bus Service from Miramar as well as any associated agreements required for the construction and use of the Park and Ride Facility. (Commission District 8)
ACTION: (T-11:33 AM) Approved. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
VOTE: 9-0.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
PLANNING AND REDEVELOPMENT DIVISION
41. A. MOTION TO APPROVE two Broward Redevelopment Program (BRP) Interlocal Agreements (ILAs) for previously approved public improvement projects for the City of West Park ($980,807), and the Oakland Park CRA ($1,105,000) hereto as Exhibits 1 and 2; authorize Mayor and Clerk to execute said Interlocal Agreements; authorize County Administrator to disburse funds in accordance with the terms and conditions of said Interlocal Agreements; and, authorize the County Administrator to take the necessary administrative and budgetary actions. (Commission Districts 4, 8 and 9)
(Per the Tuesday Morning Memorandum, the original documents and final executed signature pages were received from all parties - the ILA's with West Park and Oakland Park.)
(Transferred to the Consent Agenda.)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
B. MOTION TO ADOPT budget Resolution 2014-040 transferring funds within the Community Redevelopment Fund in the amount of $2,085,807 to specific units representing specific projects within the Broward Redevelopment Program. (Commission Districts 4, 8 and 9)
(Per the Tuesday Morning Memorandum, the original documents and final executed signature pages were received from all parties - the ILA's with West Park and Oakland Park.)
(Transferred to the Consent Agenda.)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
COUNTY COMMISSION
42. MOTION TO NOMINATE Rod Braun to the Climate Change Task Force, for Commissioner Jacobs’ at-large board rotation appointment. (Commissioner Jacobs)
(Transferred to the Consent Agenda.)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
43. MOTION TO NOMINATE Richard Grosso to the Climate Change Task Force in the category of “universities/academic institutions” for an at-large appointment available to all commissioners. (Commissioner Jacobs)
(Transferred to the Consent Agenda.)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
44. MOTION TO NOMINATE Dr. Dorothy Sifuentes to the Climate Change Task Force in the category of “environmental organizations” for an at-large appointment available to all commissioners. (Commissioner Jacobs)
(Transferred to the Consent Agenda.)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
45. MOTION TO DIRECT County Attorney to draft an Ordinance amending Chapter 27, Article XIV, Broward County Code of Ordinances, to provide for a definition of "Street Tree" and to establish tree replacement requirements for street trees.(Commissioner Kiar)
(Withdrawn at the request of the sponsoring Commissioner.)
46. MOTION TO APPOINT Commissioner Stacy Ritter as the Commissioner participant in the mediation that will occur as part of the Chapter 164 process regarding the litigation filed by 18 cities seeking to compel a distribution of certain solid waste disposal assets. (Mayor Sharief)
(Transferred to the Consent Agenda.)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION
47. MOTION TO AMEND 2014 Broward County Board of County Commissioners’ meeting schedule to reflect changes to the January and February schedule.
(Per the Tuesday Morning Memorandum, Commissioner Gunzburger requests that a member of the Broward Restaurant and Lodging Association be added to the discussion roundtable at the Board's February 18, 2014, Workshop - Arena Status/Panther's Request.)
(Transferred to the Consent Agenda.)
ACTION: (T-10:23 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
48. MAYOR'S REPORT
A. COMMEMORATION OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
ACTION: (T-11:50 AM) Mayor Sharief reported that she attended the Sunrise Civic Center, the Hallandale Beach Parade and the City of Miramar Celebration for the commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
B. BROWARD CHAMBER OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS MEETING
ACTION: (T-11:51 AM) Mayor Sharief reported that she recently spoke at the Broward Chamber of Non- Profit Organizations Meeting as relates to programs that are being cut. Mayor Sharief hopes for success while advocating for funding in Tallahassee. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
C. LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
ACTION: (T-11:51 AM) Mayor Sharief reported that last week she met with the Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board and the Florida Association of Counties as relates to the County’s legislative priorities, as well as the Florida Association of Counties legislative priorities. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
49. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT A. CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL
ACTION: (T-11:52 AM) County Administrator Bertha Henry invited the public to attend a stakeholder’s meeting relating to the Convention Center Hotel that is being held at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center on Thursday, January 30, 2014, from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
B. PORT EVERGLADES NAMED “BEST U.S. HOMEPORT”
ACTION: (T-11:52 AM) County Administrator Bertha Henry gave kudos to Port Everglades for being named the “Best U.S. Homeport” by Porthole Cruise Travel Magazine. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA
COUNTY COMMISSION
50. MOTION TO APPROVE Broward County’s co-sponsorship and endorsement of the kickoff event for the Assist & Achieve: 150 in 1 Year Subsidized Business Program on February 6, 2014 at 7:30pm at the Miramar Cultural Center. (Mayor Sharief)
ACTION: (T-11:34 AM) Approved, as amended, eliminating funding activities. (Scrivener’s Error – See County Administrator’s Report: Currently reads: The initiative aims to equip 150 entrepreneurs in one year….and should read: This kick-off event will mark the beginning of an initiative aiming to equip…) (Refer to minutes for full discussion.) (See Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated January 28, 2014, submitted at the request of Mayor Sharief.)
VOTE: 9-0.
NON-AGENDA
51. “WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES”-COMMISSIONER HOLNESS ACTION: (11:53 AM) Commissioner Holness announced that Broward County Public Schools will be hosting “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” at Dillard High School, on Thursday, January 30, 2014, from 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
52. BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATIONS-COMMISSIONER HOLNESS ACTION: (T-11:54 AM) Commissioner Holness pointed out Black History Month celebrations at the City of Oakland Park on Saturday, February 1, 2014, and the City of Miramar’s Cultural Center on Friday, February 7, 2014, as well as a celebration at Lauderdale Lakes City Hall. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
53. INQUIRY OF MEETINGS-COMMISSIONER WEXLER ACTION: (T-11:55 AM) Commissioner Wexler referenced and made inquiry as to a stakeholder’s meeting at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center, as well as a Tourist Development Council (TDC) meeting. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
In response to Commissioner Wexler, County Administrator Bertha Henry noted that there is a meeting being held on Thursday, January 30, 2014 regarding the Convention Center Hotel expansion. As to the TDC Meeting being held on Friday, February 14, 2014, the TDC is holding a meeting prior to an upcoming TDC workshop, in which the Board requested that a TDC representative be present. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
54. AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKSHOP-COMMISSIONER WEXLER
ACTION: (T-11:56 AM) Commissioner Wexler encouraged the Board to attend an Affordable Housing Workshop being held at the Governmental Center in Room 430 on Wednesday, January 29, 2014, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.. (Refer to minutes for full discussion)
55. THANK YOU-COMMISSIONER WEXLER ACTION: (T-11:57 AM) Commissioner Wexler thanked the Board for their recognition of her being honored by the Areawide Council on Aging as the “Legislator of the Year.” (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
56. WHITE HOUSE TASK FORCE ON CLIMATE PREPAREDNESS AND RESILIENCE-COMMISSIONER JACOBS
ACTION: (T-11:58 AM) Commissioner Jacobs explained that the White House Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience is now holding their February 2014 meeting in Los Angeles, California instead of Washington. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
On motion of Commissioner Kiar, seconded by Commissioner Holness and unanimously carried, the Board approved Commissioner Jacobs attending the White House Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience in Los Angeles, California. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
VOTE: 8-0. Commissioner Ritter was out of the room during the vote.
57. RECEIVING AWARD ON BEHALF OF BROWARD COUNTY- COMMISSIONER JACOBS
ACTION: (T-11:58 AM)) Commissioner Jacobs noted that she will be receiving an award tonight on behalf of Broward County. The County is being recognized as having received the highest rating in sustainability. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
58. METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION SAFE STREETS SUMMIT-COMMISSIONER JACOBS ACTION: (T-12:00 PM) Commissioner Jacobs pointed out that the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Safe Streets Summit will be taking place on Friday, January 31, 2014. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
59. SUSTAINABILITY IN BROWARD COUNTY-COMMISSIONER JACOBS ACTION: (T-12:00 PM) Commissioner Jacobs commented that she received notification last night from the Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) that Secretary Gina McCarthy is coming to Broward County to hold a precedent about what Broward County is doing on the issues of sustainability. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
60. COMMISSIONER JACOBS NAMED CO-CHAIR ON A WHITE HOUSE SUBGROUP FOR THE ENVIRONMENT-COMMISSIONER JACOBS
ACTION: (T-12:00 PM) Commissioner Jacobs pointed out that she has been named as a co-chair on a White House subgroup for the environment. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
61. AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKHSOP-VICE MAYOR RYAN ACTION: (T-12:01 PM) Vice Mayor Ryan commented that he will be attending the Affordable Housing Workshop on Wednesday, January 29, 2014. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
62. AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKSHOP-COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER ACTION: (T-12:03 PM) Commissioner Gunzburger noted that she is looking forward to tomorrow’s Affordable Housing Workshop. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
63. AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKHSOP-COMMISSIONER KIAR ACTION: (T-12:03 PM) Commissioner Kiar noted that he is thrilled to know of Commissioners attending tomorrow’s Affordable Housing Workshop. Commissioner Kiar expressed that it is a good opportunity to try to find good compromises. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
64. HOUSE BILL 309-COMMISSIONER KIAR ACTION: (T-12:04 PM) Commissioner Kiar referenced House Bill 309, which pertains to specific authority regulating smoking on playgrounds. Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Professional Standards Director Edward Labrador will be preparing a letter to be signed by Mayor Sharief to send in support of House Bill 309. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
65. RESOURCE RECOVERY BOARD ASSET LITIGATION- COMMISSIONER LAMARCA ACTION: (T-12:05 PM) Commissioner LaMarca referenced the Resource Recovery Board Asset litigation. Commissioner LaMarca reminded the Board to remember that although litigation is a legal process, that the Board still serves all the cities of Broward County. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
66. DISTRICT 4-COMMISSIONER LAMARCA ACTION: (T-12:05 PM) Commissioner LaMarca pointed out that the last few weeks have been busy in District 4. Florida Atlantic University President John Kelly from District 4 was in the “running” and made it to the finals. In addition, Commissioner LaMarca pointed out that he spent some time participating in several Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
67. KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND SWEAR-IN OF THE BOARD OF THE NAVY LEAGUE OF BROWARD COUNTY-COMMISSIONER LAMARCA
ACTION: (T-12:06 PM) Commissioner LaMarca stated that he was honored to be the keynote speaker and swear-in the new Board of the Navy League of Broward County and their new President Deputy Port Director Glenn A. Wiltshire. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
68. SPEAKER AT THE GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE BOARD OF REALTORS-COMMISSIONER LAMARCA ACTION: (T-12:06 PM) Commissioner LaMarca noted that he was honored to speak at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Board of Realtors as relates to Six Pillars, as well as was honored to swear-in the new Board of Directors. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
69. FORT LAUDERDALE ROTARY-COMMISSIONER LAMARCA ACTION: (T-12:06 PM) Commissioner LaMarca noted that he was honored to speak at the Fort Lauderdale Rotary and also met Vice Mayor Ryan’s brother, Mike Ryan, as Mr. Ryan was honored with an award from the Rotary for his service. Commissioner LaMarca stated that he shared the good news about our economy and projects that are helping to move our community forward. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
70. STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE-COMMISSIONER LAMARCA
ACTION: (T-12:07 PM) Commissioner LaMarca pointed out that the State’s unemployment rate went from 11.1 percent to 6.2 percent with Broward County coming in at 5 percent. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
71. STREETSCAPE CHANGES IN LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA- COMMISSIONER LAMARCA ACTION: (T-12:07 PM) Commissioner LaMarca noted that streetscape changes were recently unveiled in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
72. BEACH RE-NOURISHMENT-COMMISSIONER LAMARCA ACTION: (T-12:07 PM) Commissioner LaMarca expressed that he wanted to clarify an issue that was printed in the newspaper this week as to beach re-nourishment. Commissioner LaMarca stated that permits have finally been received and that a delay is being experienced through the Biological Opinion of the National Marine Fisheries in Washington DC. In addition, Commissioner LaMarca stated that he has spent some time with folks in Washington DC advocating for the Port Everglades project, as well as advocating for beach re-nourishment. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
73. BUSINESS COMMUNITY FEEDBACK-COMMISSIONER LAMARCA
ACTION: (T-12:09 PM) Commissioner LaMarca referenced feedback from members of the business community as relates to projects. Commissioner LaMarca stated that the business community asked him to remind the Board that the business community does the hiring. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
THE BROWARD COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING OF JANUARY 28, 2014 10:00 A.M.
A meeting of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners, Broward County, Florida, was held in Room 422 of the Government Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 28, 2014
COMMISSIONER DISTRICT ATTENDANCE
Sue Gunzburger 6 Present Dale V.C. Holness 9 Present Kristin D. Jacobs 2 Present Martin D. Kiar 1 Present Chip LaMarca 4 Present Stacy Ritter 3 Present Timothy Ryan 7 Present Barbara Sharief 8 Present Lois Wexler 5 Present
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Barbara Sharief called the meeting to order.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Welcome to the Broward County Commission meeting for January the 28th.
(Strikes gavel.) We are ready to start. Thank you.
We'll have the Pledge of Allegiance, and I'll have Commissioner Holness lead us in the pledge today.
(THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WAS LED BY COMMISSIONER DALE V.C. HOLNESS, BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT 9.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: I’m sorry. Thank you.
As traditional, we will recognize a moment of silence.
We ask Commissioners to recognize our servicemen and women serving our country. I have a person that I'd like to mention this week.
We want to take a moment to recognize our West Park Commissioner Sharon Fyffe, who passed away on January the 13th.
She was a long-time resident of Broward County who helped to found the City of West Park. She was dedicated to the residents and continued to be active during her illness. And we are sorry to lose her.
Please keep her family in your thoughts and in your prayers.
Are there any other Commissioners on this dais that need to recognize anyone?
With that, we'll have a moment of silence.
(Moment of silence.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you. You may be seated.
The song that was chosen to lead us this morning was by our Commissioner, Commissioner LaMarca. It's called "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who.
Later today, you will hear "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" by Tears for Fears.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes.
MAYOR SHARIEF: That was a great one. I think I was six then.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
(Laughter.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: I'm just kidding.
Commissioner LaMarca, great song choices.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I hate you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: You hate me?
COMMISSIONER RITTER: I hate you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: I love you.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: In the form of announcements, Commissioner LaMarca and I attended Aero Turbine's relocation ceremony last week, and -- along with Governor Rick Scott. And with the help of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance and the OESBD, Aero Turbine moved their U.S. headquarters from Doral to Miramar.
I would like to at this time present a Proclamation to Mike King, the CEO. If you could join me at the podium. Gary Fayler, COO, and David Kroll, CFO of Aero Turbine.
This Proclamation reads whereas Aero Turbine was founded in 1997 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Lease Finance Corp, one of the largest -- world's largest aircraft leasing companies; and
Whereas Aero Turbine is part of the aviation aerospace industry cluster, a target industry for the State of Florida and Broward County; and
Whereas the organization is completely dedicated to providing quality used aircraft and engine parts, including acquisition maintenance, management, and warehousing; and
Whereas Aero Turbine uses optimized networking systems to mobilize an outstanding team of internationally focused product line experts in order to quickly locate, acquire, disassemble, and ship engine and aircraft components anywhere in the world; and
Whereas the company's product solutions are tailored to the operational and financial needs, capacities, and goals of its customers, its customers have access to a variety of aircraft trading and leasing program -- programs including AeroTurbine flexible engine care solutions, care-free engine leasing and care-free material solutions; and
Whereas the new Aero Turbine Miramar facility is approximately 264,000 square feet -- that’s a closet --
(Laughter.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- and employs approximately 150 people and serves as the company's corporate headquarters; and
Whereas Aero Turbine projects the additional employment of 75 high-skilled, high-wage jobs in Miramar at an average annual wage in excess of 115 percent of the County's average annual wage;
Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Board of Broward County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, that the Board hereby designates Tuesday, January the 28th, 2014, as Aero Turbine Appreciation Day in Broward County, Florida.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Would you like to say a few words?
MR. KING: Sure. Sure. Thank you, Mayor.
I'll tell you, it's an honor to be here this morning. We had just an unbelievable event last Friday with -- with Governor Scott and the City of Miramar and -- and the County of Broward and -- and all of the -- the representatives.
You know, it's funny, when -- when I hear 1997, we've come an awful long way from -- from two employees in a single location in -- in Miami, Florida, to today where, you know, we're trading now over 500,000,000 in revenue. We have 80 -- we do business with over 86 countries around the globe. You know, we're 500 permanent and temporary employees. We've got a dozen office locations. And we do business today with some of the world's largest airlines and maintenance repair organizations globally.
So it's -- we’re -- like I said, we're thrilled to be here.
It came down to Texas and Florida, you know, when we looked at relocating our facility. And with all of the unbelievable effort from the County of Broward, the City of Miramar, and the State of Florida, you know, we -- we couldn't be more thrilled to relocate our facility to Miramar.
We'll have a footprint of over 200 employees in Miramar by the end of year. So we continue to hire and our business continues to run.
So -- so, Mayor Sharief, thank you very much.
Like I said, Gary and Dave and I are honored to be here this morning.
And we have a small token of our appreciation as well that we'd like to present you. This is a -- on top of this trophy, and it's a little -- is-- is the CSM 56 fan blade. This flies on -- for those of you who know Southwest Airlines, for example, this flies on a Southwest Airlines aircraft. This is the fan blade. You see this in the front of engine that makes the engine spin.
And on the plaque, we wrote we hereby present Mayor Barbara Sharief with our genuine gratitude for your outstanding support and commitment, with our greatest appreciation, management and staff of Aero Turbine, grand opening January, 2014.
Thank you, Mayor.
(Applause.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Wow, thank you..
(Pictures taken.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: I have my own.
MR. KING: You’ve got your own.
MAYOR SHARIEF: I was so jealous of Governor Scott last week.
(Laughter.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: He had one of these also. This is amazing. Thank you so much.
MR. KING: Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
MR. KING: Appreciate it. (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Oh. I’m going to do that right now.
And there are several others that are in our audience today that I would like to thank for allowing us to have this and make this happen.
Broward Swindell from our Broward Alliance is here, and I'd like for him to stand, and all the members of the Broward Alliance who are here in the audience with us today can stand, if there are any others.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: He just left with the company here, but thank you very much.
MAYOR SHARIEF: He did?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: He left.
MAYOR SHARIEF: They do an exceptional job, and we are -- we are so glad that we have that team with us working in Broward County. And Commissioner LaMarca sits on that -- that board as well.
BROWARD MEANS BUSINESS MOMENT
MAYOR SHARIEF: So last week, with the temperatures in the 40s, Broward County immediately activated its cold weather shelter, which served 529 individuals and families over two nights, and nearly 1800 for this season.
Our neighbors, like Robert, who are chronically illness -- chronically homeless and who is a veteran with long-term health conditions, was counted during this year's point in time count as he lived in a meter room behind a retail store.
As a result of the count, Robert is now connected within the Veterans Administration Health Care for the Homeless Program where he will not only receive health care, but will be assisted in finding permanent housing services.
Today's Broward Means Business Moment recognizes the contributions of the Homeless Initiative Partnership, which -- which assists up to 3,100 people per day per year, year round, with a host of housing and other health care and social services designed to help lay a foundation for personal independence and self-sufficiency.
HIP is a collaboration between Broward County and more than 18 public, private, and faith-based partners committed to ending homelessness in our community by 2015.
Entire families can do -- can and do experience homelessness. For years, this Commission has provided funding for child care for homeless families, freeing parents to secure employment, seek job training, or further their education.
In the last fiscal year, HIP ended homelessness for 655 persons. For example, John, who was chronically homeless on the streets for two years, is now permanently housed and has a behavioral health support service to help him -- him get back on track.
Then there's Jackie, a single mother of four, who was living on the streets. She was able to access an overnight shelter in a church through our community-based shelter program before she moved into her own apartment. She is now attending a work training program, and her children are in child care, where she moves towards self-sufficiency.
This, Commissioners, and my fellow Broward County residents, is called making a difference.
I believe we have some members of the Homeless Initiative Partnership in the audience, and I would like for them to stand and be recognized for their contributions to our community. And I believe our Director, Michael Wright, is here, as well. There he is.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: We appreciate all that you do for our community.
CONSENT AGENDA
MAYOR SHARIEF: As far as getting down to public participation, Commissioners, I'm going to go ahead and start by reading my marching orders.
And that's for those of you in the audience, please turn off your -- or silence your cell phones. While your music is soothing to you, it disrupts our flow of our business here. And we would appreciate that.
Any member of the audience who wishes to address the County Commission on any item on today's agenda, please come forward and fill out a speaker form located on the dais and furnish it to staff.
Once an item is called, no further speaker sign-ups will be allowed and you will not be allowed to speak.
Individuals who are interested in speaking on any item on the agenda, please come forward and sign up to be heard.
When you are called upon, you will have three minutes to speak.
Please keep your comments to the subject being discussed.
We ask that you address the Commission in a polite manner and that you refrain from making impertinent or slanderous remarks or personal attacks.
If you fail to do so, your microphone will be turned off and you will be escorted out of the chambers by the security or law enforcement.
We ask that you those of you in the audience respect the views of those speaking today. As such, we do not allow any applause, cheering, booing, or catcalls during or after speakers’ comments.
With that, our ground rules are set, so let's go ahead and go to the Tuesday morning memo.
Consent items are items numbered 1 through 36.
I request the following withdrawals and scrivener's errors corrections.
Withdrawals and referrals -- deferrals. Item Number 29 is withdrawn for further staff review.
Item Number 30 is deferred to February the 25th, 2014, at the applicant's request to resolve traffic concurrency.
Item Number 45 is withdrawn at the request of the sponsoring Commissioner.
Scrivener's errors. Item Number 22 currently reads the total settlement amount for both accidents is 485,264, inclusive of attorneys' fees and costs. It should read the total settlement amount for both accidents is 479,500, inclusive -- inclusive of attorneys' fees and costs.
Item Number 24, the motion currently reads County cash match requirement -- wow, say that fast three times -- County cash match requirement for $412,328 to 353,199. The motion should read County cash match requirement from 412, 328 to 353,210.
Fiscal impact currently reads cash match requirement in the amount of 59,129. Fiscal impact should read cash match requirement in the amount of 59,118.
Item Number 50 currently reads the initiative aims to equip 150 entrepreneurs in one year. It should read the kickoff event will mark the beginning of an initiative aiming to equip.
Additional information submitted. Item Number 7, replacement of Exhibit 1, original signatures for all of the other parties to this agreement was received and approved by SFRTA on 1-24-2014.
Item Number 41, the original documents and final executed signature pages were received from all parties, the ILAs with West Park and Oakland Park.
Item Number 47, Commissioner Gunzburger requests that a member of the Broward Restaurant and Lodging Association be added to the discussion roundtable at the Board's February 18th, 2014 workshop, arena status/Panthers’ request.
I request without objection that certain items be moved to Consent.
Those are Items 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, and 50.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Mayor, I'd like 50 to stay on Regular, please.
MAYOR SHARIEF: You'd like 50 to stay on Regular? Okay.
At this time can I have a motion?
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Move it.
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Second.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Move the Consent.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: You didn’t (inaudible).
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yeah, you have to ask for pulls.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Well, we can move it and then ask for pulls as well. I mean, it doesn't make a difference. So you can move it and then ask for pulls.
So we'll start on Commissioner LaMarca's end.
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: None? Okay.
Commissioner Kiar?
COMMISSIONER KIAR: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: None? Okay.
Commissioner Gunzburger?
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: 24.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Commissioner Ritter?
COMMISSIONER RITTER: None.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Vice Mayor Ryan?
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Item 9.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Commissioner Jacobs?
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Item 10.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Commissioner Wexler?
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Yes, thank you.
Item 1C, 10, 24, and 27 to recuse myself from voting, and then 50 to stay on Regular.
MAYOR SHARIEF: I did it.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Okay.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Yeah, I got you.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. Commissioner Holness.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: 11.
MAYOR SHARIEF: County Administrator?
MS. HENRY: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: County Attorney?
MS. ARMSTRONG COFFEY: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: County Auditor?
MR. LUKIC: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. And then from the public, I do not have any pulls at this point in time. Gretchen, is that correct, no pulls from the audience?
Okay. So we have a motion on the floor. Do we have a second?
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: So the Consent Agenda is Items 1 through 36 minus Items 1C, 10, 24, 27, and then Items 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, and 47.
Can I have --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: (Inaudible.)
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Did you put 9 on there?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible) 9.
MAYOR SHARIEF: I did 11. Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, and I have it in front of me.
So minus 9 and 11.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Okay. Let the record show that that passes.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 1C
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. We'll start off with Item Number 1C.
Commissioner Wexler.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Thank you, Mayor.
And this is actually my own reappointment. And the strangest thing happened, since I think most of us up here show Sheldon McCartney, and once he commits to be on something, he attends something.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Oh, Sheldon is a historian and he -- he renovated ,when he was in business many years ago, the old Davie school, his company did.
And I -- I checked with Legal, and I had my staff pull the -- the attendance policy, because before I reappointed him, I wanted to make sure that he was actually going to meetings.
And what we found out was that if you didn't RSVP to the meeting and showed up, you were counted absent.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: What?
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: I know. Exactly. That's what Legal and Administration said to me yesterday. But Margaret from my office had been meeting with Drew and it is absolutely correct, the interpretation.
But most of the committees -- the staff from the committees are not interpreting it that way, that if you actually show up, you're there.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: (Inaudible.)
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Really?
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Yeah, that if you -- if you forgot to RSVP, but you showed up at the meeting, you're not marked absent because you forgot to RSVP. That’s what --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Present.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Present, being there.
MAYOR SHARIEF: You’re not marked present.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Present. I'm sorry, actually being there, not on the phone --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- in person.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: So if they didn't RSVP, at least for the Historical Commission, they were marked absent, even though they physically showed up at the meeting. So --
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: What if they RSVP and don't show up, are they still marked present?
(Laughter.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: I -- that’s a good question. I don't know the answer to that one.
MAYOR SHARIEF: So --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: I would hope not. I would hope not.
So I would ask with -- if there aren't any objectors, that whatever glitch that is, that Legal take a look at it and, with administration, bring something forward to correct that --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Correct history?
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- misinterpretation. No, it -- it’s actually --
MAYOR SHARIEF: No, I’m just joking.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- it's actually the policy, and it -- it was open to interpretation. The Historical Commission staff is literally interpreting it.
So they're not doing anything wrong, but I never realized that the language was written in that way until this situation occurred.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
MS. ARMSTRONG COFFEY: If -- if I might, I think I've identified the thing that would have to be changed. Pardon me.
The Code actually provides, Commissioner Wexler is correct, failure to notify the board coordinator within the two-day time period shall be considered an absence.
So that's in the Code, and unless -- if this is a motion to direct, we'll just take it from here and bring that back before you.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: There aren't -- I don't -- I don’t think anyone objects to your fixing -- tweaking it in such a way that if you neglected to RSVP, but you did show up physically at the meeting you're not counted as if you never showed up.
That -- that -- that's all I'm asking for.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Is that okay?
MS. ARMSTRONG COFFEY: We'll bring a Code change back to you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you. Okay.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: With that, I move for approval.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
All right. Motion passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 9
MAYOR SHARIEF: The next item on -- that was pulled is Item Number 9, Vice Mayor Ryan.
VICE MAYOR RYAN: Item 9 is a supplemental appropriation for funding for public transit.
It's a match, 50/50 match between FDOT and Broward County.
The amount that is required from Broward County is $9,300,000, and a significant amount of that funding from Broward County will come from general revenue funds.
It caused me some concern, because, in our last budget, looking at the -- the history on funding for transit, we have some long range projections that are pretty scary as to the amount of funding that will be required from general revenue to continue our public transit operations.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Oh, you sound heavenly.
VICE MAYOR RYAN: So --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: All of a sudden, you're coming from above.
MAYOR SHARIEF: I think I reached forward. Maybe that gave him his heavenly sound.
VICE MAYOR RYAN: -- so, with that, I'd like to hear from the County Administrator on do we have anything planned to -- to have a -- a discussion about where we're headed with regard to public transit funding, and what options we might consider to, you know, protect, I think, our general revenue budget from having an ever larger piece of the pie being taken for -- for transit?
MS. HENRY: Yes, this is one of the items that we intend to discuss with the Board at the budget retreat. On March 7th, I believe, we're having a retreat.
So at that time we -- we -- we are a lot more specific about our projections, and we'll engage in a dialogue with you about our future with respect to that item, because you're correct, it is -- it is taking a larger and larger share as the -- the funds that we get from the gas tax continues to dwindle.
VICE MAYOR RYAN: All right. Thank you, Madam Mayor.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Vice Mayor, would you like -- Commissioner Jacobs, would you like to speak on the item?
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Just a -- just a point on that, and that is, not that that's what you're saying, Commissioner, but we often hear from how much --
MAYOR SHARIEF: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: -- public transportation is costing the general fund. We never talk about what those mast arms and synchronization and new asphalt and all the other things for roads are costing us, because that -- that is a cost that is also escalating, is also a cost whose contributing dollars through gas tax are on the decline as well.
So when we start to talk about how public transportation, in the same amount of space you move 60 people or one person, I think we need to have a conversation about the whole picture.
So when it comes up in budget, I just want to make sure when we talk about the escalating share of general fund dollars going to transit, we also need to understand the escalating share that's going to all other transportation needs as well.
MS. HENRY: And -- and we will certainly --
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Just for balance.
MS. HENRY: -- yes, we will certainly do that.
And -- and we were looking at this issue, at least on a staff perspective, much more broadly, because, as you know, we have an obligation that will soon be in front of this Board with respect to the -- to the Wave project. And from the Wave project, you're talking about any extensions of the Wave.
So it's a much broader conversation about our overall transportation cost and where ultimately we need to go.
So roads and -- and our Complete Streets Program all fit into that discussion.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
With that, do I have a motion?
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Move it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Move the item.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. I have a motion and a second.
All in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show that Item Number 9 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 10
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 10, Commissioner Jacobs as well as Wexler pulled this item.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Thank you, Mayor.
First, I wanted to congratulate the sponsor for bringing this item forward.
I'm super excited that we are tightening up our expectations for child care facilities.
My granddaughter happens to attend one of the most awesome day cares in the County. It’s not just because I think so. Our staff has also, as well as Family Central, talked about Baby Boomers in Pompano Beach on Atlantic is -- is an amazing facility. And one of the reasons why is its outdoor facilities.
And just not too far down the road from that facility is another one that -- that doesn't have such bragging rights.
Where our day care facility has little hills that they built for the children to push their wagons down, plenty of shade, either through natural shade through trees or through manmade structures. It is a -- a facility that truly is looking after little children.
Down the way, however, there's another one that doesn't quite do that. The only shade -- there's not a single tree for about a block around this facility. There are -- the only shade is a carport from Costco, one of those silver kinds of things that was pushed out against a chain-link fence. It is the most dismal environment for children.
And so while we seek to have child care facilities increase and improve their outdoor facilities for play, for physical activity, indeed, to go along with what the First Lady of our country, is to let's get moving and get this -- this attention to physical activity, because of our climate, there's a lot of day care facilities that don't send the children outside because they're -- they’re -- they’re in such deficit.
So the item correctly says you've got to deal with this problem. We want you to make a more -- a better environment outside for children.
What I would like to do is to have a second or tandem motion that kind of goes along today, and that is that we have a lot of resources as a County where we can help those -- those poorer day care centers, because, at the end of the day, it's their clientele and it's these little kids that really need to be protected.
And if they're looking at their bottom line and they don't have the kind of funds to make the changes that we're going to ask for in the ordinance, I would like us to be able to offer resources to help them in that regard.
So we have a Tree Trust program. We collect lots of dollars. Last -- we saw a report about a week ago, there's a lot of excess funds in there. In fact, most of those funds are not drawn down by cities. The County is the one that's using them.
So I would like us to get in -- involved in understanding, creating some sort of grant process or some sort of environment where, in -- in trying to go along with what this ordinance wants our day care facilities to do, they could reach back to the County and we would be able to help them either with landscaping, hooking them up with garden clubs that will come out and help them plant these things, there's a lot of schools that will do -- take these efforts on. But it's probably out of the reach of our average little day care center.
And so just to kind of even the playing field a little bit, that's what I would like to do.
In discussing this with staff, we came up with a lot of great ideas about the resources that the County has and how, if we just thought about it and packaged it appropriately, we could offer these resources to the -- to the day care facilities.
So that's what I'd like to do in improving it, and just want to thank you so much for bringing it forward. I wholeheartedly support it. I just want to tweak it a little bit.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: Sounds great. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Thanks.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. You take that friendly amendment, right? Wonderful.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: Absolutely.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All righty.
Commissioner Wexler.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Yeah, that -- that's a different conversation, and I -- I agree.
And I think that if it's possible through the tree preservation program, I'm not sure it is given the current language of the program, because I believe the money stays with the city that -- that's what I've been told, that it stays with the city. It's their money.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: It can't come -- right. So --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Yeah. So, having said that, I think it's a great concept. I know -- think I get where you're trying to go and can we assist. And also the horticultural programs at high schools and things such as that, build those partnerships. And we have a community, whatever Margaret Stapleton's department is, that department that should help promote working with not-for-profits.
And it's the little ones. It's those little -- and it's in those poorer communities of Broward County that don't have the resources in order to do -- it's the other part of what Commissioner Kiar is trying to do here.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: I’m going to.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Exactly.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And so I don't think it travels with it. It -- it travels next to it.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: In tandem.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Yeah, in tandem. And that's the word that you used as well, Commissioner.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: So -- and -- and I like that idea as well.
(COMMISSIONER RITTER LEFT THE ROOM.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And I think the direction is to staff, where do we find any -- any resources and how do we come up with developing a partnership and -- and bring something back to us.
Is that acceptable to you?
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Okay. I -- I -- I agree and I fully support that.
I -- I -- I did a little bit of research, and there's two things in here that I find -- and I think staff absolutely needs to be commended for the outreach that they did on this. It was phenomenal. And if you look at Exhibit 1 and you can see the multitude of meetings that they had in the community and the amount of people in -- in the day care arena that attended all of these meetings, it's -- it’s really -- see, you build it, they will come. So I wanted to say that.
The two things I have an issue with is the low-fat milk or skim milk.
I had my staff do some research -- research yesterday, and when this item comes back, Commissioner Kiar, I'm going to -- I didn't -- I do it as additional material, and we just did a very preliminary search, but the -- The Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatric Division doesn't see any correlation.
You -- in this item, you quoted another expert. You know, I guess just like lawyers, you can get experts to refute experts, just like you can get lawyers to refute lawyers.
I -- I know that from personal experience, getting my seven-year-old grandson to drink milk, let alone fat or skim milk is horrendous and the only way potentially -- he just doesn't like the taste of it. The only way that he can -- and I don't know how many of you know strawberry milk
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yeah.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Okay.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I grew up with it.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: That's so bad for you.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: That's so bad for you. That's right. It is. Do you know why it's so bad for you? A --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Because of the sugar.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- because of the sugar. Along with chocolate milk, along with the sugar. So, yeah, he was drinking low-fat milk, strawberry milk, low-fat milk, chocolate milk.
(COMMISSIONER RITTER RETURNED TO THE ROOM.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER; So I think that we need to make sure that we have a balance in here, as well --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- because we might be helping with fat, but we're hindering with sugar, and -- and -- which is fat, which is fattening. The --
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- deal is, back to what Commissioner Jacobs said, it's about activity, and it's about outside activity and -- and -- and being active, and promoting that.
I -- I -- I really -- unless we can get into homes also and change the lifestyle within a home, which should be a campaign of this community, as it is of the nation, then that's a whole different message as well.
So I would like you to consider when it comes back that it -- there be more language regarding the milk situation.
And the second thing that I asked staff yesterday to please clarify, I think I understand the intent, but the more I read the language, the more confused I got about screen time, media time.
I don't -- I -- I -- if something like Wii is being used in inclement weather, of which we have plenty in south Florida, for physical activity, say a half an hour of Wii time, whether it's exercise or -- or -- or bowling or whatever -- I've dated myself -- tennis, whatever it may be. Don't give me those looks. You know what I mean. That that -- staff said it -- they didn't -- that wasn't counting towards this.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Right.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: So if that's not counting towards this, then I think this needs to be made a little bit clearer of -- of what, you know, those -- those grandparents and those parents of younger kids, we know what the parent does. You sit in a car, you sit -- you sit in a restaurant, and they immediately have the iPad or the --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Phone.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- the little phone or the little portable -- whatever it is. I mean, they've got their own devices in orange and green and red with cute little pictures on it, and games, games, and -- and -- and, Grandma, can I -- can I buy this game? No, we don't ever buy a game. I don't -- I don’t ever buy a game. We may do some free games if they're non-violent games. I’ll do that. I don't even want to tell you what he downloaded the other day, and that's seven years old, all right, which I immediately deleted.
However, we do need to do something to get this under control. But, again, media campaign, because it's not just about that pre-school experience. And this is about after school as well, and the after school care programs that are provided at the public schools come under this -- these guidelines as well.
So I think we need to be very cognizant when homework is done online, that that's really clear that that's not part of that 90 minutes that you're referring to.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Absolutely.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. The next person in queue is Commissioner Holness, followed by Commissioner Kiar, followed by Commissioner Gunzburger.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Yes. This is a great idea and I'm fully in support of it.
But -- but, as Commissioner Wexler stated, how do we ensure that we help more? And -- and I think we ought to.
When I met with staff yesterday, I talked to them about that. And -- and I think there are some areas that we've got to look at. How can we help with coordinating -- we have a department that deals with this -- in ensuring that these schools or learning centers, early learning centers are given all the resources they can, and targeting, as Commissioner Wexler says, those areas with high poverty, high unemployment.
We know that it makes a difference in a child's life if we're able to help them at an early stage. And we know that, within those communities, if help is not given, then we end up paying for it later in life as a community.
So I -- I want us to explore how we do more in terms of helping these early learning centers connect with technical support.
I know we have a grant writing department that we could look to see how they can help with some grant writing or training or -- or opportunities to help these folks, and -- and -- and the Early Learning Coalition, I know they're represented here this morning, they're doing a pretty good job. But there's not enough resources that they have to do what needs -- what needs to be done.
So all of us will have to pitch in and help as much as we can to ensure that all the support that's given -- that can be given is given to these centers. And, again, especially those in high poverty, high unemployment communities, because it will make a difference in our nation.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you, Commissioner Holness.
The next person in queue is Commissioner Kiar.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
And, actually, I'm also very much -- is it possible, may I go after Commissioner Gunzburger. since it's my item? I would love to hear what Commissioner Gunzburger -- and -- and also --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Can I put you last then?
COMMISSIONER KIAR: Can I go last? That would be great.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. Perfect.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: So Commissioner Gunzburger, followed by Commissioner Ryan, then LaMarca.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: I'm going to give a different feeling about milk. You're talking about one child and how his reaction is.
I know my grandchildren, from the very beginning, as soon as they were no longer nursing, were put on low-fat milk because they thought it was so important not to build up fat in the body system and what it leads to in terms of cholesterol.
So I'm going to give a different report in terms of grandchildren, but I --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: -- it doesn't make me an expert, Commissioner Wexler.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: I'm just saying that I know that when they come to town, they won't drink skim, which I use, but they will drink one percent. So that I think it's an open question without any definitive answer on that.
When you talked about the places where these rules apply, and I heard Commissioner Holness talk about help in low income areas, that's part of what our after School at Your Library does, it -- it gives the children a place to come after school. They get homework help from certified teachers, but they're in our libraries, which doesn't give them outdoor space to be in.
Would those centers be covered under this particular act or ordinance?
MS. HENRY: Mr. Wright, if you can answer that question, please -- or Mr. Elwell. Okay. Sorry.
MR. ELWELL: Yeah. No, they're not, Commissioner, they're not included in this.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Okay. Because I -- I know that the ability to have outdoor activities are -- are not exactly included in our libraries.
MR. ELWELL: Yeah, these are for childcare centers only.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Okay. Fine.
Thank you. I’m done.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you Commissioner Gunzburger.
Next person is Vice Mayor Ryan.
VICE MAYOR RYAN: I want to thank Commissioner Kiar for bringing this forward because, you know, all three of these -- these new standards or regulations, whether it's nutrition or physical activity or the screen time, all, I think, address the issue, which I think is the number one health issue that we have in America, obesity. So all of these standards look to -- to bring about healthy lifestyles for kids at an early age, and that's a -- that’s a great idea.
I just wanted to make sure that with these day care centers, if they are working with funding from the federal Head Start program or a -- a State program, pre-K or such, that we are consistent with those regulations for those programs so that we don't jeopardize any of that funding.
And so I have spoken with the County Attorney and asked that we take a look at that to make sure that we don't jeopardize any of the funding for these day care centers.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you, Vice Mayor.
The next person in queue is Commissioner LaMarca.
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Thank you.
When I -- when I sat with -- with Mandy yesterday on the -- on this issue, I think it was a good idea, the nutrition aspect of it.
One of the -- one of the things, I guess, because you brought up milk, I started drinking skim milk as a kid and I still drink it. I guess it’s -- maybe it's a learned behavior. Of course, you want the chocolate and the -- and the strawberry and -- you know, one of the -- and I absolutely know that when Commissioner Wexler used this term, it wasn't with this intent, but that's what concerned me a little bit about this legislation -- about this -- this language.
And she used the term, if we can get into the house. And I know that's not what she meant, but that was when I used the term with big brother with Mandy yesterday. I said I want the education component to get into the house, and I want the -- I'm fine with us using our resources for marketing, but, obviously, this is about education, and some good examples were brought up here.
What I'd like to see is that we empower the people that -- who do an amazing job every day from our staff to empower the -- the early -- early learning centers with the proper resources, educate them on proper nutrition and exercise.
I guess two things. The Tree Trust is a great idea if -- if the early learning centers can access those funds. I don’t know that they can. But I know that you can't just build a new facility and have a tree canopy. You can’t just build a new place and have coverage.
And I don't necessarily want to get into running the businesses, but, at the same time, we want to have a good environment.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: The last thing I'll -- I’ll ask is what the -- what the fiscal impact is going to be from the County, other than the education and -- and marketing component, with any -- any physical improvements, that type of thing, or subsidies for that.
MAYOR SHARIEF: At this time, I'd like to call Mandy up to the mic if she's here. Can you come up and just answer some of these questions?
And also if you could just clarify some of the other items that we've -- you've already addressed from yesterday's pre-Board meetings?
You can go ahead.
MS. WELLS: Certainly. Mandy Wells, Director of the Community Partnerships Division. Just to make sure I understood your question, Commissioner, the -- the fiscal impact related to which particular area? You said --
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Anything. In other -- in other words, if -- in other words, if we're using existing staff and resources, that's fine. If we’re -- if we have to build upon that with additional staff or anything other than marketing materials, that type of thing, that's what I'm looking to find out.
MS. HENRY: Well, at this point, I don't believe that she would have an answer for that, because this conversation --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: She gave me an answer yesterday. I asked the same question.
MS. HENRY: Well, there were -- there were components of what has been asked of us that we're going to have to -- we're going to have to get -- I mean, you can share what you've shared, but --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yeah.
MS. HENRY: -- but what I heard sends us back to look at other aspects of the organization to see where we might be able to -- to -- to supplement. And I know we're just hearing about it today. So --
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Well, it’s -- I guess to make this comparison, it's not cooked yet. It's not evolved to where -- because we had some input from eight -- from nine other people up here. So, I mean, from what you know so far, what are we -- are we looking at marketing and -- and resources like that or what -- what addition?
MS. WELLS: I think the Administrator was -- actually hit it right on the head.
As far as the impact of the specific recommended --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MS. WELLS: -- ordinance changes, we don't believe there's any fiscal impact to --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Impact.
MS. WELLS: -- the organizations or us as an organization.
However, as far as the ideas that came up today with offering additional resources, education, awareness, exploring an initiative maybe with the Tree Trust Fund, that we would definitely need to flesh out and -- and quantity.
We also would be wanting to pull in some of our community partners. There is a -- a large community grant which already has money to do outreach ,and so we'd look at partnerships to, obviously, you know, defray it and maximize use of existing resources through the TOUCH Grant, which also does a lot of initiatives right now with public education. So we could really build -- build on that partnership.
But so to answer the -- the question of how much would it cost to do the extra pieces, that we would really need to -- to -- we'd need to work out --
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: So as our Agenda Item --
MS. WELLS: -- the impact.
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: -- 10 states right now there's no fiscal impact to do it as -- as written.
MS. WELLS: As written, we -- we --
MS. HENRY: There’s no cost.
MS. WELLS: -- we believe there is no fiscal impact --
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Okay.
MS. WELLS: -- to the organizations and the community, the child care centers, and us as a regulatory licensing agency.
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Okay. Thank you.
MS. HENRY: And just to supplement that again, the extent to which we -- we have existing resources to assist in this regard, we would do that.
And so I wouldn't be looking to add more money. We have -- we have resources and we would go to that first.
If we wanted to do something beyond that, we'd have to bring it back to the Board. So --
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Okay.
MS. HENRY: -- the goal would be --
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: When you say existing resources -- and -- and I'll finish with this.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Want to go again?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MS. HENRY: Like the Tree Trust Fund --
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Okay.
MS. HENRY: -- we --
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: But we're doing it out of different pots of money basically?
MS. HENRY: Yes.
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Okay.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you, Commissioner LaMarca.
Commissioner Jacobs -- I know you wanted to be last, Commissioner Kiar.
Commissioner Jacobs.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: I just want to clarify my point, and that is that there are lots of very poor day care centers out there. The disparity between the two that I talked about, they are less than a mile apart, but one is on asphalt with no trees, and we want to legislate physical -- outdoor physical activity.
What we're consigning those children to, to be encouraged to be out in this bad -- this not optimum environment versus the other one are two different worlds.
So when we say there's no fiscal impact to the day cares, I think that in essence we are. We’re asking them to do better by these children, and it’s super important that they do.
But then they have financial restrictions.
And so to the degree we're saying over here you've got to do it right, and over here we're saying and we're going to help you understand what resources are already in the community, what resources we may have existing in the County, and try to marry these two together, because some are just not advantaged like others, that's the point that I'm making.
And I'm not saying let's go out and throw a whole bunch of General fund dollars at this.
MS. HENRY: I didn’t think you were.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: And I don't believe that's what Ms. Henry thinks I said.
But I just wanted to make sure that both the -- the sponsor of the item and those who are watching understand that I would like to help us facilitate these changes, not just demand from on high that they happen, no matter how right-minded they are. Okay.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Wonderful. Thank you, Commissioner Jacobs.
The last person to close is Commissioner Kiar.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
And first I want to thank everybody up here for their suggestions and their input on this matter.
This is an issue that is incredibly important to me and, I know, incredibly important to everybody here.
And just a little interesting fact, I know everybody here likely knows that adult -- adult obesity and its related health consequences generally originate from childhood. But what you may not know is that child care centers play an important role in keeping children at a healthy weight, as they consume as much as 50 to 70 percent of their daily calories at child care centers.
So it -- and, as you know, Broward County, we license our child care centers. And this is an issue that was actually brought to me a few months ago from -- with -- and it -- it relates somewhat to the TOUCH Grant, which is administered by the Broward Regional Health Planning Council.
And the grant project is a collaborative effort of among more than 30 community organizations and coalitions focused on supporting public health efforts to reduce chronic diseases, promote healthier lifestyles, reduce health disparities, and control health care spending.
And they came to me and they said there are new national standards that had been put -- that are recommended that can provide our kids with a healthier lifestyle.
And, through administration, staff came in. They actually sat in on the meetings.
And then staff -- and I want to tell you we have an absolutely incredible staff.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Yes, we do.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: They -- they are -- and I’m -- in Human Services, they -- Mr. (Inaudible) is incredible, and Ms. Wiles is amazing.
They for months went out there and had a number of different meetings throughout the County where they invited just about every single stakeholder you could possibly imagine, and they went through this in -- in detail.
And what they came up with, what their recommendations are, is what came out of, one, the national standards, and also what the stakeholders thought would be beneficial to our children to implement.
And what amazes me is you all -- you all here know that when you try to make changes to different ordinances that affect large groups of people, and this would affect about 500 child care facilities in Broward County, which equates to thousands upon thousands of kids, there's usually lots of opposition to that. This, it was almost universal support for these changes. And I thought that was a very, very good thing.
So they definitely need to be commended.
And I just wanted to address a couple things. And I thought that, first, I want to -- to thank Commissioner Jacobs for her suggestion. I thought that was an excellent suggestion and something that I would -- I would also like to support, as well.
And I'm looking forward to as the County Attorney truly drafts this and determines what the legal ramifications are, as Commissioner Ryan said, I'm hoping that that can be brought into this as well.
I thought Commissioner Wexler had some very good points. And I just wanted to -- I have a couple answers to her points, but I wanted to -- and then I'll -- I’ll tell you where those came from.
And then I also want to let you know that I would like this to be not just a collaborative effort amongst all the stakeholders, but I would love for this to be a unanimously enthusiastically supported changes to ordinance from the County Commission as a whole.
And so I am willing to -- to work with everybody to try to -- to bring changes to this that would benefit our children.
But with regard to the milk, this standard was included in the Caring for Our Children, which was published in 2011, pages 39 to 40. It's endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, National Resource Center for Public Health and Safety and Child Care and Early Education. So it -- that's where it came from.
But you make a very, very good point, and -- because I want to let you know there is mixed research on this issue.
The reason that this was included in here is because staff couldn't find anywhere where the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a new opinion withdrawing their support for going to two percent or skim milk. But, as you mentioned, there is some research on the other side as well.
So as this comes back from the County Attorney, I -- I would hope that they would bring more research for us so we can determine, you know, what type of milk would be best for our children. I thought that was very, very good.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Is it a recommendation?
COMMISSIONER KIAR: It's -- it’s a recommendation as well.
So -- and the second thing is -- and I understand where the screen time sounded somewhat confusing. It definitely did. It needs to be clarified significantly.
To give you an idea, the State already -- already requires 15-minute increments for using the computer. The revisions to this part are addressing the amount of time children use non-computer electronic media, which is television, videos, movies, or video games. It reduces the time for using these items from one to two hours a day to 90 minutes per week.
Our goal in this was get the kids out so they can play and get more physical activity, rather than substitute that physical activity by watching Elmo or some type of -- or TV. We'd rather them be physical, and that's where it came in.
But it's something also I'm looking forward to staff working on.
Again, to Commissioner Ryan, I think you make some very good points, as well. As -- as the attorney goes through this, the Attorney’s Office goes through this, they'll determine whether or not we're in compliance with all of the different federal grants and everything, so that we can legally continue to pull down that money and, at the same time, operate fully.
And I appreciate also, you know, Commissioner Gunzburger and Commissioner Holness's point, as well. I think that this especially will -- if it is passed, will help many of the children who are in our low- income areas, and I would also like to focus heavily on that.
And finally, to Commissioner LaMarca, I always appreciate his concerns over the fiscal impact of things that we do. That's a -- it’s a very good thing.
And I guess my response to Commissioner LaMarca would be even though this particular draft has no fiscal impact according to staff, if it means that we're going to have to spend a little bit more money --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: -- to have something to -- for example, to put trees so kids have a little bit of shade, or to -- to make their lives a little bit better and to help them live a more healthier lifestyle, then that's money I'm willing to spend and something that is so worth it. With that said, I --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Can I have a motion?
COMMISSIONER KIAR: -- I move this item.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: That's my long-winded answer.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
(Laughter.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor of Item Number 10, say aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show Item Number 10 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
(COMMISSIONER LAMARCA LEFT THE ROOM.)
AGENDA ITEM 11
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 11 is the next item pulled. That's Commissioner Holness.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: I'd like to congratulate Mr. Bosworth and his team in the Cultural Division for the great work that they're doing for their access to the diverse community that exists in Broward County in your outreach.
But I look at this budget and -- and I see $84,000 dedicated to cultural diversity in a very diverse community.
And I'm just hoping that in the future we can find additional resources to ensure that we are celebrating the diversity that exists,
And, with that, I move the item.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. Commissioner Ritter.
COMMISSIONER RITTER: I'm not quite sure where -- where you see that, Commissioner Holness. I mean --
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: (Inaudible) one -- one category.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible) one category.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: There's diversity all over.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: In one (inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER RITTER: I mean, if you take a look at Exhibit 1, which is page 3 of 6, under cultural investment program, you've got, gosh --
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: I'm speaking in terms of what's dedicated to that. There's an item that addresses that issue towards the end of it. It says Cultural Diversity Program.
I'm not saying that there's not cultural diversity existing elsewhere. I'm saying in this instance, cultural -- Cultural Diversity Program, CDP, has 84 -- had 84,000 dedicated to it. That's all I'm saying.
COMMISSIONER RITTER: I know, but you used the number 4,000 in your opening remarks.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: I said $84,000.
COMMISSIONER RITTER: Okay. I'm sorry. I only heard 4,000.
Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. Commissioner Gunzburger, followed by Commissioner Wexler.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: There is diversity. And as a -- you're talking about have a set aside. But I think what's more important to our diverse community is to embrace all that is out there. And there are lots of other categories where we have culturally diverse organizations applying for and receiving money.
And as they graduate out of small organizations, they get to be majors, et cetera, our regionals, so that I think that we are really reaching out to as much of the community as possible.
If you look at our funding, Commissioner Holness, as opposed to Miami-Dade's funding, we are at a little over 3,000,000, Miami-Dade is over ten times more. And with more money, you can do a lot more.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you, Commissioner Gunzburger.
The next person in queue is Commissioner Wexler.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: I think part of the misnomer is the way that staff actually designated it for us to interpret here.
When you -- the first page of the exhibit is the recap of the 2.6 million dollars. And absolutely Commissioner Holness is reading this right. Under Cultural Diversity Program, it says $84,000.
(COMMISSIONER LAMARCA RETURNED TO THE ROOM.)
(COMMISSIONER KIAR LEFT THE ROOM.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Ha, but there's -- if you go back and peel the onion and -- and go into it and see under -- and I'm just going to throw out a couple of names here. Under Community Arts Education Partnership, there are a multitude of individuals. I don't know what they are. I don't know if they're Hispanic. I don't know if they're Caribbean. I don't know if they're from Chechnya. I don't know if they're from -- from an island. I -- I have no idea. But I would imagine that they -- and I hope that they reflect the diversity of our community.
The Creative Investment Program --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- the Creative Investment Program, when you look at this, I happen to know some of these. The Body and Soul Dance Company, the Bengali, the India (inaudible), there are -- there are a multitude. There are Hispanic names here. There’s all -- I mean, what we could ask of staff is who they are serving, the community that they're serving, and that it is a diverse community that they're serving.
Because reading it the way that it's presented, and particularly Commissioner Gunzburger, who is our appointment to the Cultural Council, the way that this is presented to us, when you look at the first page, that's -- that’s the line item.
But when you go back into the information itself, I think that we will see a greater distribution of the dollars.
And I would ask as a follow up to this that the staff provide us with that information. I'm looking under --
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: I -- there's a problem.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: There's a problem?
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: They don't ask for your ethnic background or your racial background when you apply for a grant. That's not allowed under some of the money that we get in.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: I'm not asking for that. I'm asking who they are -- who does Brazilian Voices serve? Are Brazilian Voices primarily singers from Brazil?
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: No, they're -- they’re singers that live in the north end of the County that are of Brazilian background.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Well, that's what I -- that’s exactly what I just said.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Right.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: They're from Brazil.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: But they're Broward residents now.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: I understand that.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible) she said.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Right. Okay.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: I understand that. But I think that --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Right.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- there's a number of them that will be very easy to determine --
MAYOR SHARIEF: The diverse culture that they serve.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Thank you. Thank you, Mayor.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Yes. Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Yes. That's it? All right. Okay.
So with that --
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Move the item.
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- I have --
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Great job, Mr. Bosworth.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Oh, he’s doing a wonderful job.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Wonderful. Okay.
So can I have a motion please?
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: So moved.
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show Item Number 11 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
(COMMISSIONER KIAR WAS NOT PRESENT FOR THE VOTE.)
AGENDA ITEM 24
MAYOR SHARIEF: The next item that was pulled from Consent is Item Number 24. That was pulled by Commissioner Gunzburger and Commissioner Wexler.
Commissioner Gunzburger.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: I was really concerned, when I asked the question, with the answer. The answer -- the answer that I always am looking for when I'm evaluating where money is going to is outcomes. And when I asked for the previous year's outcomes for this organization, I was --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: -- I was given, again, goals rather than outcomes, which doesn't tell me how successful they are.
And the answer said due to database issues with the managing entity, we have not been successful in obtaining our outcomes report to determine performance. However, as soon as said report is released, we will provide the Board with a copy.
This really isn't very acceptable. I don't know what's wrong. They've been up and operating, what is it, two years?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: One year.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: One year. That -- that the database should have been in place by now, I would think, and I'm --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: -- I’m quite -- oh, you -- you're dismayed, too.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: And that's what's bothering me, that I want to know that our money is going to an organization that fulfills its mission.
And I'm wondering if by delaying this by up to 30 days we could get the answers and what it would do.
I don't want to kill an organization, but I'm concerned without knowing whether they're successful or not.
MAYOR SHARIEF: County Administrator.
MS. HENRY: Yes, as -- as you can see, that this is -- this is retroactively approved. So it goes -- so there have been considerable expenses that have incurred to date in order to get -- you know, to kind of keep -- keep from having a gap in the service.
(COMMISSIONER KIAR RETURNED TO THE ROOM.)
MS. HENRY: So it's something that we are -- we know that this -- this Board is interested in and we will get it.
We're advised that -- that we're generally on track, but I -- I really can't answer the specifics until we get it. But --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: May I?
MS. HENRY: Please.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: May I?
MAYOR SHARIEF: Yes.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Commissioner Wexler.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: First of all, like our conversation last week, this item is about BARC. Okay? This is not only a retroactive item, but the BBHC is not performing this service. The County is performing this service.
So the data that you're talking about, if it's specifically for this small amount of money, the majority of BARC clients are funded through the County's budget, I'm sure that Mr. Elwell or someone else out there could get you our outstanding performance record that is there.
So this is not BBHC. BBHC is funding --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- for the County to do this at BARC for these number of beds.
That -- that -- that's what it is, because you’re -- you’re -- I mean, you seem to be thinking that this agency, which is not really an agency --
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: No, I'm talking about BARC.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Okay. Well, BARC is us.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: I know that, too.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Okay. Well, maybe we can get an answer.
MS. HENRY: And -- and, again, let me just -- we're trying to clarify.
With the change, we now report information to the managing -- managing entity. So the extent to which -- I mean, we can provide our own data. I don't know -- I mean, I thought what you wanted us to do was to -- I mean, we do, but, again, this is -- we report this information to the managing entity.
I would like for them to have a report that comes back to us so that they can confirm what we're putting into the data that we're meeting our obligations.
So if you -- if you want the information from our staff, we can do that.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: That would be fine.
MS. HENRY: Okay.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: I don't need it from the managing entity. I know what a great job BARC does. I -- since years ago, since Marie was there. So that's how far back I go.
But I -- Mr. Elwell looks like he'd like to talk if you --
MS. HENRY: Mr. Elwell.
MR. ELWELL: Good morning, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Commissioners. Let me clarify a couple things.
This is -- this issue, this data issue is across the entire network of -- of the managing entity.
Something happened when they tried to merge all the data with all the providers and somehow it got all mixed together. So they're having a big difficult time trying to sort this data out.
We asked them when that would be done. They had no answer for us.
So it's not just BARC. It's all the providers in the network, and there are, you know, almost a hundred of them. So that it's an issue across the board.
Just -- and I think the -- the other issue is this is money that we get from the managing entity.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Yeah, so we don’t want to (inaudible).
MR. ELWELL: It's about $4,000,000 a year that we get to support a small portion of BARC's budget.
So it really is a larger issue and we're trying to sort that out. That's why we did not have a performance report for you.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Well -- right. Because we used to administer the budgets in the past until the State changed the rules.
And I just hope that they can get this straightened out because it's critical.
And I'm not picking on BARC. I know BARC. It's just that I think there's a problem, and you've absolutely confirmed that.
MR. ELWELL: Okay. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: And with that, I'll move it.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. All those in favor --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: For the record, Mayor, I have to read the following into the record.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Thank you.
I will be abstaining on Item Number 24 due to a perceived or potential conflict consistent with Ethics Advisory Opinion 07-5.
I don't believe that I have a conflict preventing me from voting at this time, nevertheless in an abundance of caution, and pursuant to Section 286.012, I will abstain from voting on this item.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you, Commissioner Wexler.
All those in favor of Item Number 24, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show that the item passes 8 with one abstention.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH COMMISSIONER WEXLER ABSTAINING FROM VOTING.
AGENDA ITEM 27
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 27, as Commissioner Wexler, you pulled this?
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: For the same statement, Mayor.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Since I serve on the Board of Directors of the BBHC, I'm abstaining from voting to avoid the possible appearance of a conflict.
Pursuant to Section 286.012, I will abstain from voting on this item.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Move it.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Move 27.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All right. Do I have a second?
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. All those in favor of Item Number 27 signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show that Item 27 passes 8 with one abstention.
Okay. That will take us to --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: We’re up to 37.
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- give me a second. I just want to make sure I've got everything here.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Is she here?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yeah. She’s in the third row.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Did we pull -- nobody pulled Item 31.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH COMMISSIONER WEXLER ABSTAINING FROM VOTING.
REGULAR AGENDA
AGENDA ITEM 37
MAYOR SHARIEF: We're on Item 37 now.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 37 is a delegation request. Can I have Ms. Christine Timmon please come forward?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: No.
MS. TIMMON: Good morning, Mayor Sharief and Commissioners.
I'm basically here this morning to speak to the people who have to go through Hollywood, Florida.
I spoke with most of the people in your offices and they tell me that my issue really does not concern Broward County Commissioners. And I'd like to thank Sean especially. He's such a great help on the phone.
Well, what happened, I got a red light ticket in Hollywood, Florida. I had no objections to paying it. I went to court. I was thinking that they were going to roll the tape, show you what you did. You pay the money if you did and leave.
No, eight of us were there. Eight African-American women and a white fellow was there. The Judge told us, all of us, you all give me $65 and $125 for court cost, 190, you leave out of here, State won't even know you were here. But if I have to turn on a video to show you what you did, if you want to defend yourself, you need to pay me $125 to run that video. And guess what? Even if you're guilty, you still owe that, and if you don't have it on you today, I'm adding it to the charges, and then I'm going to judge the degree of guilt, however guilty I may think you'll be. It could be anywhere from 350 to over 600, plus I'm going to give you some points, and some of you can't take points, and you may have to go to school.
So how many people can afford to take that risk? So we were forced into paying -- to -- to -- to dealing with this 190 because we were scared to turn on the video because of what he said.
It was like a shakedown. It was terrible.
So I filed a complaint about this in the courts. I'm going to go to court on it March the 5th. I'm sure they're going to try to get it dismissed without hearing, but if they do that, I'll go to federal court. I've got nothing else to do.
But I'd like to say to you I think the cameras are fine. It's just that some people cannot have any program without using it inappropriately.
Now there's so much messes going on, you've got Tallahassee talking about stopping it altogether. You've got Hallandale Beach, they quit theirs.
There's some stuff going on with those cameras that's not right. What we saw when he let the man see his for free, the man wasn't even guilty. But we were afraid to turn the cameras on because he told us what he was going to do to us.
Everybody should be allowed to see what they're charged with in court. You should not have to pay $125 or anything to see the charges against you. You have a right to face your accuser, but not in the courts in Hollywood.
So I'd like to say to you, you should know this, since you're Commissioners, when they say Broward County, they think of you. So people think you're in with this stuff that they're doing because they're using Broward County courts to execute this.
And I just think it's terrible.
The red light camera is a good thing to have, but some people got to mess up -- you just can't do nothing right with some of these people.
Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. Thank you, Ms. Timmons.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
AGENDA ITEM 39
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. The next item on our agenda is Item Number 39.
Commissioners --
MS. HENRY: Mayor?
MAYOR SHARIEF: Yes.
MS. HENRY: I just want to make sure that the -- that the record reflects that the item as presented has been modified.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Yes.
MS. HENRY: There's additional agenda material that's been distributed.
And we, in essence, we're specifically changing our recommendation now to go to what I think we will call a single good faith bidder rule.
And if you'd like to have staff come to the podium to have a -- a further explanation, we're happy to do that.
But otherwise, I just wanted the record to be clear that what the staff is proposing is the -- is the process that came through in the additional agenda material.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
What I would like to do, since I have four audience speakers, I'll have staff come up so that they can explain the change, and then I'll have the speakers come up so then everybody is aware when it's their turn to speak what the change is.
So could you please come forward?
MS. HENRY: Dr. Miller.
We have Dr. Miller and Mr. Kennedy.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Dr. Miller and Mr. Kennedy?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes.
MS. HENRY: Yes.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you for coming.
DR. MILLER: Good morning, Commissioners.
We -- as Ms. Henry indicated, based on the opinion from the County Attorney's Office, we have changed our -- our rules and procedures in this matter on the tax certificates as outlined or in the memo.
And we'd be happy to answer any specific or detailed questions you have.
And I've brought Mr. Kennedy with me, who is the Director of RT&T, if there's any special or technical questions you have as well.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
Vice Mayor Ryan.
VICE MAYOR RYAN: If you could just walk me through logistically how you're going to change the -- what we have perceived to be an unfair practice where you have a -- a master account and then there's hundreds or perhaps thousands of sub-accounts, so when the -- the operator of the master account places a bid at a certain interest rate, then by one computer entry all of the sub-accounts are -- are able to place a -- a bid for purchase of that tax certificate at the same interest rate. How are you going to correct that process that will now, I guess, prohibit a -- a single computer entry?
DR. MILLER: I'll ask Tom to answer that question.
MR KENNEDY: Good morning, Commissioners. Tom Kennedy, Director of Records, Taxes, and Treasury.
First off, there won't be any master sub-account relationship anymore. We'll only have primary bidders, if you want to call them that. So that -- that relationship won't exist anymore at all.
In addition to that, we will ask the participants to sign an affidavit that they don't have a relationship, a financial relationship, with any other bidders in relation to the proceeds from a -- a certificate.
VICE MAYOR RYAN: All right. Because the -- the bidders, I mean, they may have some financial relationship through some kind of business dealings that would not be connected to the purchase of the certificate.
So -- so what is the -- the -- the separation in their financial arrangement?
MR. KENNEDY: Well, they -- they could. So -- so something that the -- the County Attorney brought out is, you know, you could have a landlord/tenant relationship that has nothing to do with the sale, or employee/employer relationship that has nothing to do with the sale, but it's still a financial relationship.
So we will have them sign an affidavit that they have no relationship with anyone else in the sale in regard to the proceeds of the -- the certificates.
VICE MAYOR RYAN: All right. And then the last question that I had is when you increase the minimum deposit for the registered bidders, is that -- I mean, you know, the -- the big -- the banks and -- and investment firms already have, you know, a significant amount of financial resources. I mean, how does that in any manner preclude, you know, the hundreds and thousands of -- of accounts that they may put -- you know, put together in order to -- to have a better opportunity, a more likely opportunity, to purchase these tax certificates?
What's the -- what’s theory that -- that you have by requiring this $2,000 deposit?
MR. KENNEDY: The $2,000 deposit is just -- we previously had a $1,000 deposit. We're raising that to $2,000.
We don't think that that will have an impact on really any of the bidders from a overall standpoint, because really you need to put down ten percent of what you're bidding to be able to -- to bid on properties.
So -- but it's just another -- you know, we have several other items in there. None of them are directly, I don't think, preclude people from having this sort of master sub-account relationship, but it does sort of slow the process down a -- or just puts additional items in place to -- to sort of help keep a -- a -- keep a governor on the -- on the process, I guess.
VICE MAYOR RYAN: Okay. Those are my questions.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you, Vice -- thank you, Vice Mayor.
(COMMISSIONER JACOBS LEFT THE ROOM.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: And thank you, Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Miller for coming forward.
I'm going to go ahead and start with the audience now.
On Item Number 35, we have speakers signed up. That's Todd Kliston, Howard C. Liggett, Joshua Schrager, and Ian Yorty. Can you please come to the front row?
We'll start with Todd Kliston.
You have three minutes.
MR. KLISTON: Thank you. I'll take ten seconds.
I -- I wholeheartedly support these recent changes that have been made, and I urge you all to pass this amendment.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
MR. KLISTON: Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Perfect.
Next, Howard Liggett.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Yes.
MR. LIGGETT: Good afternoon, Madam Mayor, members of the Commission.
And I'm here mainly to say thank you, to thank you and the County Attorney, Mr. Kennedy, you, Ms. Wexler, who started this.
And I remember a quote directly from you to the Sun-Sentinel that this was not a particularly sexy issue. And I agree with you, tax liens, tax deeds, perceived improprieties, actual improprieties, they're not sexy, probably closer to watching paint dry.
But the truth is that fairness is important, and the elimination of perceived impropriety and favoritism towards some who have gamed the system, that needs to be stopped.
And when I looked at the length of the memorandum I received from Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Miller, I knew that ample deliberation had been given to the problem.
And this is important. It's important not just to the citizens of Broward County, but to the citizens of -- of Florida.
What you've done here is sent a message, a very clear message, that bid rigging, that gaming the system is not going to be tolerated here in Broward County. And that's going to have a ripple effect, I can assure you, to other counties. And -- I I'm going to be the voice of some of that ripple effect taking it to other counties.
This is a great state, and, unlike the bid rigging that we've seen in the press for New Jersey and Maryland and Washington, D.C., and, candidly, ladies and gentlemen, some of those companies are doing business in Florida, and it is important that that same negative, corrupting influence does not take place here in this great state.
And I go back to thanking not all of -- not just all of you, but, Commissioner Wexler, you did yeoman's work in getting this out there in the forefront. And I know it wasn't easy.
And I think that every tax collector that is looking at what is taking place in their community, that it's not just the money, that if investors see that the sale is being done fairly, they will have plenty of would-be purchasers at that sale.
(COMMISSIONER JACOBS RETURNED TO THE ROOM.)
MR. LIGGETT: And, for me, to come back here two weeks after making that plea to all of you -- and, County Administrator Henry, I thank you so much -- this, to me, is my Broward means business moment.
And I thank you all very, very much.
(Laughter.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you, Mr. Liggett.
MR. LIGGETT: Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. The next person that we have is Mr. Joshua Schrager.
MR. SCHRAGER: Good morning. Thank you very much.
I was actually very pleased with the change in legislation.
Just to give you some background on our company. We're based here in Hollywood, Florida. We have ten employees. We are a tax lien company 365 days a year. We work in ten different states. And we feel that, you know, Broward County has been very good to us in terms of helping start our business, which began in Broward County. We have ten employees.
We also have a direct and indirect impact on other businesses that we work with in Broward County.
The change in legislation was -- I was very pleased with. I, you know, want to, you know, repeat what -- what Howard said.
We also understand the importance of fairness in the auction, but, also, wherever we go in the United States, we look very closely at what's in the best interest of the municipality -- of the government, the government that's selling their taxes, because for you guys, everyone will buy your tax liens, 99 percent of them, but there's a small amount that -- that won't, and that small amount that won't can reflect -- can -- can cause real problems for your community, the neglect of leaving that last property behind that decreases your tax roll, that causes crime and blight and attracts, you know, a perpetual bad element in -- in society that, you know, all these -- all these other services that you are providing to this community, you know, have to be enhanced and -- and -- and at a greater cost.
My concerns with the legislation, though, is that I think that it really is important that you address really the finer print of -- of what -- what's being proposed here.
The -- the larger investors, the ones that anyone will buy the same thing that they will buy, they can be very creative in the method in which they buy these tax liens.
And so when you talk about common financial interest, how does that affect a tenancy in common structure, how does it affect a mutual fund coming in where each individual one of you is your own separate investor and holds themselves out as this mutual fund of separate investors, but really they're just a roll up in the end?
So that's -- you know, and then the last thing is the separate legislation also -- and you can see this in -- in looking at what happened in 2012 in Hillsborough County, is that a lot of the larger companies will send overseas vendors to assist them and they'll crash your systems.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
MR. SCHRAGER: Thank you very much.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. The next person in queue is Mr. Ian Yorty.
MR. YORTY: Hi. Thank you, Madam Mayor.
I don't have any specific points to address on the item, but I'm available as your vendor that provides the -- the online tax certificate sale for you to ask -- answer any questions you may have.
And we do appreciate the direction that everybody has given on this item and we'll carry out as -- as you've directed.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
MR. YORTY: Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. With that, audience participation is over.
Back to this dais. I have a queue.
Commissioner Wexler is first.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Thank you.
Thank you for being here today, gentlemen, and Mr. Yorty.
Mr. Yorty is from Grant Street, and they are -- they are willing to do whatever is necessary with our staff in order to accommodate what is before us today for the next tax sale, which is May, May of this year.
And one of the things that I had asked of Mr. Yorty the other day was and how many other -- give me some intel, give me some inside information, and I'm not going to name any names of course, but are there any other counties that you're aware of that are moving in this direction as well for this year. And he named about four of them. And -- and I think that -- I think that we're going to see that movement across the State as -- as we move through this year and -- and the following year.
But I wanted to -- I'd really be remiss. This is as good as it gets, folks, gentlemen, that -- that came forward, and I know that quite a few other speakers came forward two weeks ago to address us as -- as well.
Mr. Liggett, when I said it wasn't sexy, money is, but this particular topic for me is foreign, and it's like learning another language, honestly. And -- and -- and so I -- I really needed to discipline myself, but, fortunately, I have a staff member who is really, really good at this stuff. And she's sitting in the back of the room. Her name is Sandy Yeager, and she's been following -- dogging this issue, as I know Ms. Henry, Ms. Coffey, Sharon Thorsen, who’s the point person, the Assistant County Attorney who is sitting there, in case we have any specific questions as well.
I must thank you for working so hard, both of you, on this topic, and, particularly, Ms. Henry, your staff for coming forward today with what I believe is moving us absolutely in the right direction.
(VICE MAYOR RYAN LEFT THE ROOM.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Is it a home run? No, but you know what? When we left here last time, we were still on home plate. We're now at least on third base.
And as far as I'm concerned, let's -- let’s see how it works this next year, and there's always room for improvement if necessary.
So good luck to us.
I again thank you very, very much, everyone who I mentioned, for moving it forward and getting us to this point today.
Thank you.
(VICE MAYOR RYAN RETURNED TO THE ROOM.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you, Commissioner Wexler.
With that --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Do you have any more speakers?
MAYOR SHARIEF: No, I do not.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Then I would move -- I would like to move the item for approval with the bullet points that came as additional material for Item Number 39.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Do I have a second?
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Second.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show it passes -- 39 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 40
MAYOR SHARIEF: The next item on the agenda is Item Number 40, motion to discuss and provide direction.
Do you have a motion or do you want to discuss something?
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: I’ve met with --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Commissioner Gunzburger.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: -- I've met with staff, and I think this is a great solution. Can't beat the price of $10 to get a new Park and Ride lot.
And I -- I'd like to move it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
All those in favor of Item Number 40, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show Item 40 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA
AGENDA ITEM 50
MAYOR SHARIEF: Last item on -- on the agenda is Item Number 50. It's a motion to improve Broward County’s co-sponsorship and endorsement of the kickoff event for the Assist and Achieve 150 in 1 Year Subsidized Business Program.
I'll go ahead and speak to this item, if you'd like, and then, I guess, Commissioner Wexler, you asked for it to stay on Regular.
So, Commissioners, if you look at your backup, this is a business program to support small business efforts, and since Broward means business this year, this is something that I'm going to volunteer my time and energies to try to assist with.
But I brought the item forward today because I would like permission from the Commission to allow our staff to participate in any way that they can to help this program to help Broward County businesses.
And with that, if you would like to speak, Commissioner Wexler, since you pulled.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Yes, I -- what I would ask moving forward, and you -- we received a yellow sheet as we sat down and the meeting actually started.
You had asked that this be put on Consent Agenda.
And, by the way, when I looked at it and tried to find information on what is Assist and Achieve 150 in 1 Year, there was zero information.
So then I went to the Miramar Cultural Center, which it indicates that at 7:30 on February 6th, the Miramar Cultural Center is going to have an event. And all I could find was a Jewish Muslim event that evening at 7:30 at the Miramar Cultural Center. And I said that can't possibly be it.
Then I walked down the hall to the County Administrator and said is there any other backup information for this?
Then what came out to us was actually the name of the company. It's not Assist and Achieve 150 in 1 Year. It is --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Avanze Corp.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: It’s what?
MAYOR SHARIEF: Avanze Corp. A-v-a-n-z-e, Corp, C-o-r-p.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Well, do you see that in our information?
MAYOR SHARIEF: I didn't type it.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Okay. Well, whoever prepared this information left out what it is.
MAYOR SHARIEF: The name of the business.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Who they are.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: The only thing --
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: No, no.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: This came out as additional information at 10:00 o’clock this morning, Commissioner Gunzburger. In the agenda item itself, which came out last evening, there wasn't one word that indicated what it is that -- that the -- this company is.
And so doing some research, I see that it is a for-profit company --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- that works out of Pembroke Pines --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- that does HR, and -- and I -- I guess job placement or help people with -- I -- that's what I want -- that's what I need to understand.
The agenda item additional material is so tiny, I can't read it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Not a problem.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: So could you share with us, please, what it is --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Absolutely.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- that they are, how long they may have been in business?
(VICE MAYOR RYAN LEFT THE ROOM.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And then I would like to ask of the County Attorney, as well as the County Administrator, you are utilizing the Advantage Marketing Ordinance that we have in place, which requires that the Board approve anything that -- which you're -- you’re following a process, but I think that the ordinance is very specific, also, as to who or what comes forward to us.
And if it's not, then I would wonder if it's just for -- if any for-profit company I could bring forward and ask that we assist them with their marketing and their advertising and raising money and using the County's logo.
And if that's the case, I think we're opening up Pandora's box here.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Well, first of all, I'll answer your first question. And that is, you wanted to know what the program does and what they're doing in this program and how long they've been open.
So the company has been around for four years.
This particular program that they started was started three years ago.
And what they were doing was they were asking people from the community who had businesses who were successful to come in and speak about their experiences and pass along information to others who are starting up companies or who are in the process of having, you know, issues as far as getting loans, marketing, that type of thing with businesses.
What the issue was is that they didn't have a commitment. So people would come and do a class and then they weren't coming back. And even though the classes were great, they had -- they didn't have consistency in the curriculum.
So this year they approached me and asked me if I would participate and if I would commit to the one-year program. And so I’ve done that.
On a personal level, I think that it's going to -- it’s going to be beneficial to our community, and I'm committed to doing that.
As the Mayor of Broward County, a part of my initiative this year is Broward Means Business, and as part of that I'm committed to doing that in our community.
What's different about what this program does from other programs that are offered out there is, one, that they will help someone with idea development, incorporation filing, the preparation, federal identification, obtaining the employer tax identification number, business plan writing workshops, which professionals like myself participate in. They have FPL. They have the Anna G. Mendez University that are participating in this.
So this organization has gone out and they've tried to create a curriculum that's consistent for business owners and startups so they can get through a program.
(COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER LEFT THE ROOM.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: In Broward County, we have programs from our Office of Economic and Small Business Development that help people who do business with Broward County.
These businesses in this program don't necessarily have to do business with Broward County. They're just doing business in Broward County.
So the next thing that they do is, besides the business plan writing and the workshops, they do marketing, business legal matters, tax principles to help people understand the tax principles of business, credit repair workshops, because lots of people who start businesses don't have good credit, bookkeeping workshops to show people how to keep their books appropriately, public speaking and leadership skills so people can learn to sell their businesses, financial and funding resources and capitals. And all of this is on their website, but if you --if you want me to keep reading this, I can. Logo design, business card design, letterhead and envelope design, website design, hosting and domain registration, e-mail signature design, e-mail blast template design --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Is that all part of the Assist and Achieve Program?
MAYOR SHARIEF: Correct.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Or is that their overall Avanze --
MAYOR SHARIEF: That is part of the Assist and Achieve program, and that’s -- these are parts of the segments that we're all participating in --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And do people --
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- over the course of the year.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- pay for that service?
MAYOR SHARIEF: Some of it they do. It's a $3500 subsidation -- subsidy from sponsors of the program, and then each participant in program will pay $150 a month for ten months.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Well, it sounds great, but I’m -- my concern is -- and I do have a concern that we are --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- opening up for a not for -- this -- this is not a not-for-profit. This is a for- profit company --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- that would be fund-raising as well as utilizing the sponsored by the Board of County Commissioners.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And I'm actually working with staff now on the abuse of our logo out there where I've gotten some direct mail that our logo was on it and it's never been approved --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- to be on it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: I -- I don't know if other Commissioners have, but I've gotten it and given it to our -- our staff.
I think that it's extremely important for us to consistently apply the Advantage Marketing, and by bringing it before the Board of County Commissioners certainly gets us partially there.
The other part is is that was it always our intent that, because we approve something, that I'm helping a for-profit company as -- again, this is not about Mayor Sharief.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Right.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: This is the Board of County Commissioners.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Well --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And when I see my logo out there as a Board of County Commissioners, I want to make sure that there is nothing --
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- well, part of it, Mayor -- Commissioner Wexler, the reason why I wanted to bring this forward is because I've done this for Metro Broward Corporation, I've done this for South Florida Regional Planning Council --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: But they're not-for-profits.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Exactly my point. And that's why I'm here right now bringing this before you, because, as Mayor of Broward County, this is an initiative that I want to support, and so I'm bringing it forward for that reason.
So, I mean, I understand your position. I understand where you're at.
But this is not about fund-raising using the Broward County logo. What this is about is about asking our staff to participate in a program and help them in any way that they can to help Broward County businesses.
And, with that, if I'm going out and I'm speaking, I want to be able to use my Broward County logo. If -- if I ask Sandy to go out and speak, I want him to be able to use his Broward County logo.
And in order to do that, I have to ask permission, and so that's why I'm here today.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And you know what? If -- if it said just that, I have no issue with that.
But it's also fund-raising using the County's logo, as well, for a for-profit company.
If they created -- and what you described for the Assist and Achieve sounds remarkable --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Well, we can take that out, because I -- that wasn't really my option -- my objective in this.
My objective was to be able to participate and have my -- have the County logo be used when I'm giving my speaking portion of it and when I'm participating, or if I ask County staff to come out and do a -- a presentation to try to help these vendors and these people to -- you know, to kind of go through the process.
So I'm okay with that.
(VICE MAYOR RYAN RETURNED TO THE ROOM.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: I don't have a -- I don’t have an issue, then, with that. It's the -- it’s the fund raising and it seems to be, you know, getting wild out there as far as raising funds or this and that.
And -- and -- and almost every week there is one of these on the agenda from one Commissioner or another. And this was the first one that was here that I didn't recognize anything that was in front of me.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And then again, when I went in to search something, I could find nothing under Assist and whatever the --
MAYOR SHARIEF: It's -- it’s www.avanzecorp.com.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Yeah, yeah, but I didn't have any of that information --
MAYOR SHARIEF: I understand. But --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- previously.
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- I -- I didn’t do that.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Now I -- now I do have that information.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And I -- I -- I -- my hesitancy is that it is a for-profit, and I would like to support it, but I can't.
If you -- if you take out the fund raising part of it --
MAYOR SHARIEF: I can take out the fund raising --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- then I'm good.
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- because that --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Then --
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- wasn't really my --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- then --
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- objective.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- then I'd be fine with it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Wonderful.
Commissioner Holness.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Yes, can we get staff input on this in terms of have they looked at it and -- and -- and -- and what would be required of them, what would they need to do?
MS. HENRY: If I -- if I might, yes, and Mr. McDonald, you can come -- you can come to the podium.
But when this issue was initially raised, I can tell you that Mr. McDonald has met with the principals and -- and clear -- and made it very clear that there are certain activities we would not participate in nor support, because it would be actually in conflict with what we're doing. And then there are pieces that we're not involved in that, at times, if they want us to come speak so they can have that other perspective, we would be happy to do that.
(COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER RETURNED TO THE ROOM.)
MS. HENRY: So if you can just elaborate on that --
MR. MCDONALD: Sure.
MS. HENRY: -- that would be great.
MR. MCDONALD: Good morning, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Commissioners.
And to you and your point, Commissioner Holness, we did have a chance to speak with the proprietor of Avanze Corp, and, at the end of it, per what the Mayor’s actually saying, we were saying that if going through Advantage Marketing we were allowed to use the logo, then we would be able to share our information about OESBD and small business, and also be able to provide resources to any individual similar to what we do with our How to Do Business with Broward --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MR. MCDONALD: -- at any setting.
And it was our understanding when the Mayor reached out to our office, she was already committed to doing the same, and though they had asked us to also participate, we had shared with the proprietor I couldn't do so under the office without getting advanced permission.
And then in working with the administration in OPC, we also noticed on the website that they were proposing -- they hadn't used it but they were proposing to use the logo.
And then that's when that flag was raised, so we got back in touch with the Mayor.
I personally got back in touch with the proprietor and said this will have to go through a process.
So what should have been done -- and I do apologize. I didn’t see the actual document.
We did review a document with OPC yesterday and it should have just simply been written as supporting the kickoff event to describe the services that's proposed, not a participant in the services throughout the year, not a participant in terms of any fund-raising, not even a participant in leveraging what they're going to be charging folks on their service side.
We provide a free service, we provide a service of extending what we do as a County to all of our residents and small businesses. And, from that perspective, I would love as much as possible with my staff to go out and tell all small businesses in the County about what we do.
So we were hoping what’s proposed today would allow the County to give permission that if the logo was used, then maybe I could go to this session.
But, at the end of the day, we had to get with the administration to make sure that was approved through the process first. So there is nothing that we see as a part of their kickoff event that conflicts with what we do as an office, but, certainly, we've been very clear even in a written communication some of the things that they would do as a part of their service down the road my -- myself or my office can't participate in.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Okay. So your -- your interest then is just primarily in the kickoff event, and not --
MR. MCDONALD: Strictly the kickoff event.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: -- in ongoing support.
MR. MCDONALD: That's a -- a written communication --
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Okay.
MR. MCDONALD: -- that I've already made through our office on letterhead to the proprietor.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Okay. Not the ongoing support, because I -- I understand where Commissioner Wexler is coming from in terms of the perception that we're supporting one business to make money by using our resources and it not be a non-profit business. And -- and I know I -- I went through the wringer myself when I came with a for-profit business --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And I did it to you.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: -- to -- to -- to actually do something -- one of our parks, to -- to promote the benefits, the huge benefits, and -- and -- and the company wasn't for profit. So it is --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: So I'm consistent?
I'll move the item if you're done.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: I'm done.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Well, I just want to be clear about my item before you move it.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: I don't know.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: I'm going to be very clear about my item before you move it, Commissioner Wexler.
I just want everybody out there to know that, while County staff may just participate in the kickoff event, I have committed to personally doing my part to support this program and the small businesses in our community, and my commitment hasn’t wavered and is not changed.
And so I'm going to do that. And I want to make that clear. Okay?
So thank you for moving the item.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: With that clarification --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: But you’re doing that (inaudible).
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- I'll be happy to move it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: I am doing it as an individual Commissioner --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: She is. She is.
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- and -- and Mayor of Broward County.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And you’ve made that clear.
MAYOR SHARIEF: And I've made that very clear.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: And they’re not asking for money. I mean, some of the other people that we've approved have gotten thousands and thousands of dollars and nobody has really complained about that.
So I really don't know see why a company that's for-profit that, you know, is doing a support for service that we don't offer is getting this much flak. But okay. I'll take that.
Do you have a second?
COMMISSIONER RITTER: Yeah. Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. All those in favor of Item Number 50, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show that Item Number 50 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Michael.
All right. At this point in time we are actually done with our agenda.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible).
MAYOR SHARIEF: You want to do Good and Welfare?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Not Good and Welfare.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Not Good and Welfare. I mean --
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: You mean Non-Agenda.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: -- Non-Agenda.
MAYOR SHARIEF: That's where I'm going.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.) Okay.
COMMISSIONER RITTER: She's going.
MAYOR SHARIEF: I'm going there. I mean, you know, I'm moving it as quickly as you -all move. So --
(Laughter.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- I can only do it as fast as you move.
REGULAR AGENDA
MAYOR’S REPORT AGENDA ITEM 48
MAYOR SHARIEF: So the next thing on our agenda is our Non-Agenda, and so I wanted to give us a brief report.
I attended a few events to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. And I spoke at the Sunrise Civic Center on Sunday and Monday.
I participated in the Hallandale Beach parade and the -- attended the Miramar celebration.
Last Wednesday I spoke at the Broward Chamber of Non-profit Organizations meeting. It is unfortunate that some of these programs are the first to get cut during our hard times, but they provide such a needed resource to our community. And at this time we -- our residents have a greater need for our help, and I hope to be successful in advocating for funding when I go up to Tallahassee on the 5th and the 6th of -- of February.
Last Wednesday, I met with the Sun-Sentinel editorial board and the Florida Association of Counties to discuss the County's legislative priorities and the State of Florida, Florida Association of County's legislative priorities.
It was a productive meeting and I'll be following up this week by meeting and traveling to Tallahassee with Florida Association of Counties to meet with Governor Rick Scott and the staff from the Florida Association of Counties.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
AGENDA ITEM 49
MAYOR SHARIEF: With that, I'd like to know if the County Administrator has a report.
MS. HENRY: Just very briefly.
I'm aware that many of you have met one on one with our master planner for the Convention Center expansion and headquarters hotel.
I'd like to announce that they're having a -- a stakeholder meeting on Thursday, January 30th, from 10:00 to 12:00.
So we're inviting the public to come out if they have any comments on -- on the work that we're doing or provide feedback.
(COMMISSIONER RITTER LEFT THE ROOM.)
MS. HENRY: So I just wanted to find one -- one other opportunity to get that information out.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: It’s what date and where?
MS. HENRY: It's Thursday --
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Yeah.
MS. HENRY: Okay? From 10:00 to 12:00 at the Convention Center.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Thank you.
MS. HENRY: Okay. And also kudos to, again, our port. We have been named the best U.S. Home Port by Porthole Cruise Travel Magazine. It's cruise travel. So that's the area where we really want people to know about our port and the amenities that we have.
So, again, kudos to our port, and that's all I have.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
NON-AGENDA
AGENDA ITEM 51
MAYOR SHARIEF: The next person is Commissioner Holness, we'll start on your end today.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I know.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: I just wanted to announce that on Thursday, January 30th, scholastic -- ScholarCentric and Broward County Public School will host Walk a Mile in My Shoes, a discussion with black male high school and college students and how to fix the education system, with special guest speaker Dr. Ivory A. Tollson. This going to be at Dillard High School Thursday, January 30th, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m..
AGENDA ITEM 52
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: And as we approach Black History Month, there will be a great number of events, I'm certain.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: The City of Oakland Park will have a Black History Month celebration on Saturday -- Saturday -- Saturday, February 1st, 2014, entitled "The Freedom Train on Dixie" from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
It's a family event and it will start at the downtown art parks at 34th Court and Dixie Highway and will continue along Northeast 12th Avenue at the City Hall. There will be music, food, dance, art displays, and plenty for everyone.
And I also know that in Miramar, they're having an event there on February 7th at the Cultural Center, 6:00 to 9:30, and this will deal heavily with Marcus Garvey, one of -- a leader in the black community in the early days. So that's -- that’s an event there.
Also on Saturday, the City of Lauderdale Lakes will host a senior games domino tournament for those who are 50 and over at their City Hall, multi-purpose center.
AGENDA ITEM 53
MAYOR SHARIEF: Commissioner Wexler.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Thank you. I just have a couple of brief things.
I believe that I had read, Ms. Henry, that the -- February 14th, the TDC is having a special meeting regarding the Panther -- or the use -- I -- I'm not sure I quite recall whether it was header -- headed Panther conversation or TDC spending. But that's in -- what you announced for the 30th is one for the community? Could you tell me --
MS. HENRY: Okay. So --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- maybe what the difference is?
MS. HENRY: -- the -- the one that I announced for the 30 -- the 30th is regarding the Convention Center headquarters hotel and expansion.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Okay.
MS. HENRY: So was -- it’s really --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: That’s just -- okay.
MS. HENRY: -- just a continuation of what we're doing.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: All right.
MS. HENRY: The meeting on the 14th, if you recall, you asked -- the Board asked that we have a representative from the Tourist Development Council, or representatives, at the table when this -- when we have the discussion at the workshop, and so this is their meeting in advance of that.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Okay. So they --
MS. HENRY: Just so that they have a representative.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Super. Thank you.
MS. HENRY: Okay.
AGENDA ITEM 54
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Secondly, tomorrow is a joint -- and I don't know if, Commissioner Kiar, you're going to talk about it or not, but I know you and I and, I guess, Commissioner Gunzburger, I found that out from a lobbyist yesterday, are -- are going -- Marcy. She told me that you -- you were also going to be attending the -- the workshop tomorrow. But let me finish my -- my sentence.
The Affordable Housing Workshop is going to be had in Room 430 tomorrow and we were invited, I believe through the Planning Council?
MS. HENRY: Yes.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And it's a joint meeting of the Planning Council, the League of Cities, and they wanted the Board of County Commissioners.
And I believe that they're going to set it up as interactive, and, actually, it's not going to be divided up that we're in an audience listening to them talk. We're actually going to be part of the -- the -- the meeting itself.
And I -- I -- I would hope that as many Commissioners see fit to attend the meeting tomorrow as possible. It's from 10:30 to noon in Room 430.
AGENDA ITEM 55
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And, lastly, I want to thank you, colleagues, for taking out an ad last week. I was honored by the Areawide Aging -- the Areawide Council on Aging at their 34th installation dinner as, of all things, Legislator of the Year, haha.
So I appreciate your support of -- of that recognition.
Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
AGENDA ITEM 56
MAYOR SHARIEF: Commissioner Jacobs.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Okay. The first thing is the White House Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience has decided to not hold their February meeting in Washington but to move it to Los Angeles.
So I am traveling to Los Angeles, but it turns out I need your all's approval to do that because it's not -- I wouldn't need it if we were in Washington, but I do.
So I was going to bring an agenda item for it, but if we could do it today with a vote on Non- Agenda, that would make things a lot easier.
So it is to move the entire nationwide task force to Los Angeles instead of California.
I will be going along with Dr. Jurado, who will be attending. Her budget will cover her portion of the trip.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: I’ll move it.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Second.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: Okay. Thank you all.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
There you go.
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: That’s right. You've got to do it completely, don't you?
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
(COMMISSIONER RITTER WAS NOT PRESENT FOR THE VOTE.)
AGENDA ITEM 57
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: The second thing is, it's -- I'm really excited to announce that tonight I'm going to be accepting an award on behalf of the County for -- we jumped into a program, as a pilot, called the Star Awards Dinner, and basically what it does is it looks at sustainability of communities across the country, so you'll have people from all over the United States that will be at this meeting.
And Broward County is being recognized as the -- as having received the highest rating. All four stars that you can attain, we did.
It's -- it’s -- what's interesting about Broward County's application and participation in the pilot is it's not just the environmental aspects of sustainability that you would think, but the award also looked at the issues of education, equity, transportation, housing, public health -- health, and cultural arts.
So when we stacked up all that we're doing in that regard to being a sustainable community, along with the environmental aspects, we were a shoo-in.
And so I'm really excited and proud of our staff for helping us get there.
AGENDA ITEM 58
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: And on Friday, the MPO Safe Streets Summit is taking place. We will begin with a B-cycle bike ride, and -- and the event will explore the safety, health, and economic benefits of the streets designed for all users. So really excited about that.
AGENDA ITEM 59
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: And then, finally, last night around 6:30, we had a call from the EPA, and we're not quite sure exactly what the event is, but Secretary Gina McCarthy is coming to Broward County to hold a press event about what Broward County is doing on the issues of sustainability and wanted to -- to highlight Broward County.
So it's all --
MAYOR SHARIEF: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: -- it's pretty cool and it's all in the works. And I'm not sure exactly how that's going to take shape, but we will be putting out a press release shortly to announce that.
AGENDA ITEM 60
COMMISSIONER JACOBS: And then, finally, really excited to share that the White House chose -- they divided the task force into four different categories, the one of them being the built environment and -- and energy, and they have chosen their co-chairs for each of the four subgroups.
And I have been named as a co-chair, along with Mayor Nutter of Philadelphia, on the issue -- the subgroup for the built environment.
So really excited about that opportunity to continue to move what Broward County is doing to the -- forward in the national spotlight.
And, with that, that's it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
AGENDA ITEM 61
MAYOR SHARIEF: Vice Mayor Ryan.
VICE MAYOR RYAN: I just want to confirm to the Board that I will also be attending tomorrow's meeting regarding affordable housing.
It's an important meeting, because I have found that in our discussions with the cities, there's some level of misinformation with regard to what the County is doing on various matters that affect the cities, and specifically when -- in the past, when we were dealing with the CRAs and the recent resolution that -- that we passed, the County passed, that confirmed that the CRAs, at the conclusion of their -- their term, their current 30-year term, would not be renewed without approval of the County Commission, there were a number of municipal officials that came to me that thought that their existing CRAs would be terminated early.
Now, I'm not sure how that type of misinformation is generated, but I would not like to see that type of -- of misinformation with regard to the need to look at the -- the County's rules with respect to affordable housing.
So hopefully we can have a -- a discussion that is not so much of a turf battle, but rather looking at the larger picture of the importance of having a consistent and a successful affordable housing program throughout Broward County.
Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
AGENDA ITEM 62
MAYOR SHARIEF: The next person -- Commissioner Ritter said she has none, so the next person is Gunzburger, Commissioner Gunzburger.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: I have none except to say I'm looking forward to tomorrow's meeting on affordable housing.
I have been so frustrated on so many times when we know that the need is there but, because of the current menu, the need is unmet.
And that's why I will be there.
(COMMISSIONER HOLNESS LEFT THE ROOM.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
AGENDA ITEM 63
MAYOR SHARIEF: Commissioner Kiar.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
And I just wanted to brief say something on that topic as well. I -- I'm really thrilled to see that there are going to be so many of us attending tomorrow, because I think it's a good opportunity for us to sit down with the cities and the stakeholders and try to find a -- a good compromise where we can work together. I think it’s a -- so I think it's a very, very good thing. I'm looking forward to attending as well.
AGENDA ITEM 64
COMMISSIONER KIAR: One other thing that I -- two other things I wanted to bring up, and, actually, this is an issue that really is -- the -- the lead on this issue has been Commissioner Gunzburger from the beginning. So I actually should have sent Representative Edwards to your office. I apologize that I didn't.
Representative Edwards' office and -- and -- and Katie Edwards called me to ask if the County would write a letter articulating why we -- we are in support of her House Bill 309, which pertains to giving us specific authority to regulate smoking on playgrounds.
And what I had informed her was I can't write something on behalf of the County Commission.
So I spoke to Ms. Henry and also Mr. Labrador, and, if it's the will of this Commission, Mr. Labrador will prepare a letter to be signed by the Mayor so that we can send it in support.
And the other thing I just wanted to mention, and this is just something I thought was very, very good. Mayor Sharief very quickly mentioned the speech that she gave on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. And I wasn't in attendance so I didn't hear it. But the Sun-Sentinel was nice enough to put it up on -- you know, in -- on the Sun-Sentinel online for us to read, And it was an excellent speech and I definitely encourage everybody here to read it, because I thought it was one of the best speeches that I read in a very long time. It was an excellent job.
So --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Wow, thank you.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: --with that said, that's -- that’s all I have for today.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you, Commissioner Kiar.
AGENDA ITEM 65
MAYOR SHARIEF: Commissioner LaMarca.
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Thank you.
On Friday, the 17th of January, we all participated in the RRB asset litigation joint meetings in -- with the cities in Broward County, and I just want to remind us that we need to remember throughout the process, it is a legal process and there are legal actions being taken -- that are taking place, but it's important to remember that, you know, we all serve the same residents of Broward County. We all go home to the same cities. I don't know anybody up here that lives in unincorporated Broward County. And I think they expect us to work well -- to work together. Now, we'll keep that in mind moving forward.
AGENDA ITEM 66
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: The past two weeks have been quite busy in District 4.
We all learned of the new President at Florida Atlantic University, John Kelly from Clemson University. We had one of our own District 4 residents in the running. He did not make it, but made it to the finals.
Spent some time last week with the Kiwanis West in Deerfield Beach for the MLK celebration, as well as the parade on Monday in Deerfield Beach. And I had the opportunity to speak at their -- at the celebration at West Side Park. We also had the opportunity to go to Pompano Beach and celebrate there, as well, and they had some fantastic entertainment, and it was a wonderful turnout.
(COMMISSIONER HOLNESS RETURNED TO THE ROOM.)
AGENDA ITEM 67
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: I was honored to be the keynote speaker and swear in our new board of the Navy League of Broward County, and their new president, our own Deputy Port Director Glenn Wiltshire a week ago Saturday.
AGENDA ITEM 68
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: And keeping with the speaking events, it must have been a run of them, but I was on in order to speak at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Board of Realtors about the Six Pillars program that we're working on through Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, and then swear in the new board of directors.
AGENDA ITEM 69
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: And, finally, I was honored to speak at the -- as the program speaker at the Fort Lauderdale Rotary. I shared with them the good news about our economy and the projects that are helping move our -- our community forward.
And I also met the other Mike Ryan, which is Tim's brother. It's not the Mayor of Sunrise. I believe he had an award as well from the -- from the Rotary for his service.
AGENDA ITEM 70
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: The Mayor highlighted the good news from Aero Turbine, but the real good news was the announcement that was made that from the last three years the State's unemployment went from 11.1 percent to 6.2, but the surprise was not what the State's unemployment was. The surprise was our ability to let the Governor know that it's 5 percent here in Broward County.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Yeah.
AGENDA ITEM 71
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Finally, on Sunday -- I think he was very surprised with that.
Finally, on Sunday, the long-awaited Streetscapes changes in Lauderdale by the Sea were unveiled at the new Anglin’s Square. I invite -- invite everyone to come down and spend some time in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.
AGENDA ITEM 72
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: I also want to clarify an issue that was brought in the front page of the paper this week about beach renourishment. Just wanted to make sure everyone knows that we have finally received our State FDEP permits, and the delay that we still have now is through the biological opinion of the National Marine Fisheries in Washington, D.C.
It's a priority for all of us here in Broward County because our beaches are the primary reason that visitors come to our County, and it's a critical issue for those who live there.
Spent some time with about a dozen folks from Broward County and all different industries in Washington, D.C., advocating on both the port project as well as the beach project at the Army Corps.
And they're still aware, by the way, Commissioner Gunzburger, that they owe us 12.4 million dollars. They must have a running tab in their office. But they do -- they are aware of it.
We let them know that, listen, as well -- as well as you owe us the money and we're expecting you to reimburse us for future projects, we want to get moving and actually put sand on that beach, so.
AGENDA ITEM 73
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: One last thing, the -- the projects that we do here, be they public or public/private, I heard -- I had some feedback from members of the business community that asked me if we hire people as County Commissioners.
I said what do you mean? He said, well, although you do a lot of big projects in Broward County, it's -- it’s we who do the hiring, we in the business world that have to do the hiring and do the HR and do the insurance and all that.
So they asked me to make sure that I let everybody -- reminded everybody of that.
So with that, I appreciate your time.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you, Commissioner LaMarca.
County Auditor's Office, Ms. Kathy?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Nothing.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you for filling in today.
County Attorney?
MS. ARMSTRONG COFFEY: Nothing, Mayor.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. With that, the meeting’s adjourned. Thank you.
(THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 12:09 P.M.)
(THIS IS NOT A VERBATIM TRANSCRIPTION OF THE MINUTES.)
Public Hearing 2:11 p.m.
PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES
ACTION AGENDA
PUBLIC HEARING OF JANUARY 28, 2014
(Meeting convened at 2:11 p.m. and adjourned at 2:31 p.m.)
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was led by Commissioner Lois Wexler, District 5.
CALL TO ORDER was led by Mayor Barbara Sharief, District 8.
COMMISSIONER DISTRICT ATTENDANCE Sue Gunzburger 6 Present Dale V.C. Holness 9 Present Kristin Jacobs 2 Present Martin David Kiar 1 Present Chip LaMarca 4 Present Stacy Ritter 3 Present Tim Ryan 7 Present Barbara Sharief 8 Present Lois Wexler 5 Present
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1. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-041 to vacate a portion of a platted canal maintenance easement measuring approximately 13,217 square feet, lying over, across, through and under Parcel C of the Sunrise Golf Village Section Twenty-one Part Seven Plat located south of NW 29 Manor in the City of Sunrise at no cost to the County; Petitioners: Broward County Highway Construction and Engineering Division, for and on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners; Application for Vacation and Abandonment: 2013-V-11.(Commission District 1)
ACTION: (T-2:12 PM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
2. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-042 through 2014-043 to vacate the following: A) 40-foot-wide and 50-foot-wide platted access easements and B) 10-foot-wide and 15-foot-wide platted utility easements all lying over, across, through and under Parcels A and B of the Farm Store - Davie Plat located at the southeast corner of Nova Drive and College Avenue in the Town of Davie at no cost to the County; Petitioners: 6650 LLC. and F.S. Stores, Inc.; Agent: The Mellgren Planning Group; Applications for Vacation and Abandonment 2013-V-08 and 2013-V-09. (Commission District 7)
ACTION: (T-2:12 PM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
3. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-044 of the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, granting renewal of a non-exclusive franchise to Coleary Transport Company, Inc., to provide cargo handler services at Port Everglades, for a ten-year term commencing February 26, 2014 and ending February 25, 2024, providing for non- discrimination/applicable law; providing for severability; providing for an effective date; and authorizing the Mayor and Clerk to execute the franchise.
ACTION: (T-2:13 PM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
4. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-045 of the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, granting renewal of a non-exclusive franchise to Coleary Transport Company, Inc., to provide stevedore services at Port Everglades, for a ten-year term commencing February 26, 2014 and ending February 25, 2024, providing for non- discrimination/applicable law; providing for severability; providing for an effective date; and authorizing the Mayor and Clerk to execute the franchise.
ACTION: (T-2:14 PM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
5. MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution 2014-046 of the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, granting renewal of a non-exclusive franchise to Coleary Transport Company, Inc., to provide steamship agent services at Port Everglades, for a five-year term commencing February 26, 2014 and ending February 25, 2019, providing for non- discrimination/applicable law; providing for severability; providing for an effective date; and authorizing the Mayor and Clerk to execute the franchise.
ACTION: (T-2:14 PM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
6. MOTION TO APPROVE Second Amendment to Restated Lease Agreement between Broward County and Crowley Liner Services, Inc.; and authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute the same. This is the second of two public hearings. The first public hearing was held on January 14, 2014.
ACTION: (T-2:15 PM) Approved.
VOTE: 9-0.
7. MOTION TO ENACT Ordinance amending the Broward County Comprehensive Plan to adopt Broward County Land Use Plan map amendment PC 13-3, in the City of Fort Lauderdale (Commission District 9), the substance of which is as follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE BROWARD COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN; AMENDING THE 1989 BROWARD COUNTY LAND USE PLAN MAP LOCATED IN THE CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ACTION: (T-2:15 PM) Filed proof of publication and enacted the Ordinance on January 28, 2014 to become effective as provided by law. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
VOTE: 9-0.
8. MOTION TO ENACT Ordinance amending the Broward County Comprehensive Plan to adopt Broward County Land Use Plan map amendment PC 13-5, in the City of Fort Lauderdale (Commission District 4), the substance of which is as follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE BROWARD COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN; AMENDING THE 1989 BROWARD COUNTY LAND USE PLAN MAP LOCATED IN THE CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ACTION: (T-2:22 PM) Filed proof of publication and enacted the Ordinance on January 28, 2014 to become effective as provided by law.
VOTE: 9-0.
9. MOTION TO ENACT Ordinance amending the Broward County Comprehensive Plan to adopt Broward County Land Use Plan map amendment PC 13-11, in the Town of Davie (Commission District 5), the substance of which is as follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE BROWARD COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN; AMENDING THE 1989 BROWARD COUNTY LAND USE PLAN MAP LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF DAVIE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ACTION: (T-2:22 PM) Filed proof of publication and enacted the Ordinance on January 28, 2014 to become effective as provided by law.
VOTE: 7-2. Commissioners Gunzburger and Wexler voted no.
10. MOTION TO ENACT Ordinance to adopt a proposed amendment to the Administration Element of the Broward County Comprehensive Plan, the title of which is as follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE BROWARD COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BY AMENDING THE ADMINISTRATION ELEMENT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ACTION: (T-2:27 PM) Filed proof of publication and enacted the Ordinance on January 28, 2014 to become effective as provided by law.
VOTE: 9-0.
11. MOTION TO ENACT Ordinance to adopt a proposed amendment to the Capital Improvements Element of the Broward County Comprehensive Plan, the title of which is as follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE BROWARD COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BY AMENDING THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ELEMENT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ACTION: (T-2:28 PM) Filed proof of publication and enacted the Ordinance on January 28, 2014 to become effective as provided by law.
VOTE: 9-0.
12. MOTION TO CONSIDER adoption of a Resolution 2014-047 Amending the Administrative Code, the title of which is as follows: A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, PERTAINING TO TAXIMETER RATE FEES, AMENDING CHAPTER 40, "FEES AND OTHER CHARGES, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT," PART VI, SECTION 40.37, ENTITLED "CONSUMER PROTECTION FEE SCHEDULE," TO INCREASE THE ORIGINATION FEE FOR PASSENGERS PICKED UP AT FORT LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, INCLUSION IN THE BROWARD COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ACTION: (T-2:28 PM) Approved. The Board requested that staff comprehensively review wages for taxi drivers beyond the Living Wage. (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)
VOTE: 9-0.
THE BROWARD COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING OF JANUARY 28, 2014 2:00 P.M.
A meeting of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners, Broward County, Florida, was held in Room 422 of the Government Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 28, 2014
COMMISSIONER DISTRICT ATTENDANCE
Sue Gunzburger 6 Present Dale V.C. Holness 9 Present Kristin D. Jacobs 2 Present Martin D. Kiar 1 Present Chip LaMarca 4 Present Stacy Ritter 3 Present Timothy Ryan 7 Present Barbara Sharief 8 Present Lois Wexler 5 Present
PUBLIC HEARING
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Barbara Sharief called the meeting to order.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. Good afternoon. This is our -- our Public Hearing and we're going to start at this time the meeting of January 28th.
I would like to call Commissioner Wexler to lead us in the pledge.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: All right.
(THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WAS LED BY COMMISSIONER LOIS WEXLER, BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT 5.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: You may be seated.
Okay. So this is our Public Hearing. We're calling it to order.
If there is anyone from the public that wishes to be heard on an item, you must please fill out a speaker card. and once the item is taken up, you will not be allowed to speak.
AGENDA ITEM 1
MAYOR SHARIEF: I'll take up Item Number 1.
Item Number 1 is a motion to adopt a resolution to vacate a portion of a platted canal maintenance easement measuring approximately 13,217 square feet.
There are no public speakers signed up for this item.
The Public Hearing is open.
Seeing that there’s nobody signed up to speak, the Public Hearing is closed.
Back to the dais for a motion.
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Move it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: I got a motion.
Do I have a second?
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show Item Number 1 passes.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 2
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 2 is a motion to adopt a resolution to vacate the following: 40-foot wide and 50-foot wide platted access easements, a 10-foot wide and 15-foot wide platted access utility easement.
There are no audience pulls or no audience participation cards.
The Public Hearing is now open for Item Number 2. Seeing no one from the audience wants to speak, I'll close Public Hearing.
Back to the dais.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Move it.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show Item Number 2 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 2
MAYOR SHARIEF: Motion to adopt -- Item Number 3 is a motion to adopt a resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, granting renewal of a non-exclusive franchise to Coleary Transport Company, Inc.
I have speakers only if there is information that the Commission needs.
Is there anyone on the Commission dais?
Okay. Seeing no one coming up for it to the microphone, we're going to close the Public Hearing.
Back to --
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Move the item.
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- this dais.
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show that motion number -- Item Number 3 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 4
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 4 is a motion to adopt a resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, granting renewal of a non-exclusive franchise to Coleary Transport Company, Inc.
I have audience speaker cards only for questions only.
Is there anyone else from the public that wishes to be heard?
Seeing none, Public Hearing is closed.
Back to the dais. Motion?
COMMISSIONER RITTER: Move it.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Second.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Move it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show Motion Number 4 -- Item 4 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 5
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 5 is a motion to adopt a resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, granting renewal of a non-exclusive franchise to Coleary Transport, Inc.
I have only speakers signed up if questions are necessary.
Anyone else from the audience wishing to be heard on Item Number 5?
Seeing none, the Public Hearing is closed.
Back to the dais.
COMMISSIONER RITTER: Move it.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show Item Number 5 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 6
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 6 is a motion to approve the second amendment to restated lease agreement between Broward County and Crowley Liner Services, Inc., and authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute the same.
I do not have any speakers signed up.
Anyone from the audience wishes to be heard on this?
Seeing none, the Public Hearing is closed.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: Move it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Back to the dais.
COMMISSIONER RITTER: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show Item Number 6 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 7
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 7 is a motion to enact the ordinance amending the Broward County Comprehensive Plan to adopt Broward County Land Use Plan Amendment PC 13-3.
There is one speaker for informational purposes only on Item Number 7.
Anyone else wish to be heard on this item? Seeing none, Public Hearing is closed.
Commissioner Holness.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Yes, thank you, Mayor.
This property had sit vacant for a long time. What was planned was for higher density than what we have here. It is really located very close to the Tri-Rail station, which would allow for some transit- orientated development, mixed use, I was hoping for.
Nonetheless, we have someone who is here willing to do this development, and I'm grateful that they're here, primarily because of the developer. Mr. Gatlin and his team has done a tremendous job in ensuring that there's outreach to the community around this property to get them involved, to get them engaged, but not just for their input, but also to ensure that they're participating in the economic opportunity that's being created.
Minority Builders is an organization that's been around for 43 years, and, in fact, their office is a short walk down the street from this property. It's on the same street, 27th Avenue, not even a block away.
And -- and they reached out and create a partnership to ensure that there's full engagement on the economic development side of this. They reached out to the Urban League, to OIC, to other entities that are within the area.
And -- and I'm hoping that, as this development goes forward, that the community around this area will benefit in terms of jobs, yes, but also from a business perspective, that some of the business owners that can provide services to the organization, whether it be in construction, accounting, legal, or accounting, that they are also included in the process.
Unfortunately, Wal-Mart, who will be the bigger benefactor of this site development that we are granting here, hasn't been as forthcoming, hasn't been at the table to the extent that I believe they ought to, haven't been as open and as willing to ensure that there is participation from the people around this area, from those businesses that, unfortunately, will be affected by this development, some positively, some negatively.
And -- and in terms of the economic opportunity for businesses, for the smaller business, for women and minority-owned businesses to be at the table to do business with them, that hasn't been as forthcoming.
And -- and -- and through this whole process, I've decided that until Wal-Mart is willing to really make a better effort, I'm not shopping there. And I think the community around ought to think about that also. And hopefully I can come back here at some other point in the future and says, you know what?
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: They really actually came to the table and are willing to ensure that the opportunity for all the people in this area is there and that they're reaching out and they have good, robust outreach to the community through mediums that are available to these communities.
Because the developer has done such a great job, I have no hesitancy in supporting this as it moves forward, and -- and -- and would make the motion to approve it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Well, I'm going to go ahead and allow the person who’s here on behalf of the development to respond, because they asked -- said if we had any -- if we needed any info, and I think you have made some --
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: I -- I'm not asking for any --
MAYOR SHARIEF: You don't want a response?
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: No.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Well, I think that they should speak to some of the things that Mr. -- Commissioner Holness has put out there in terms of Wal-Mart, if that's the case.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: They're just -- -- they’re just the developer.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: I know that. They are, but --
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: They're not the owner.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: He complimented the developer.
MAYOR SHARIEF: I know he complimented the developer --
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: He didn’t have a problem with the developer.
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- but he has a problem with --
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: I don't think --
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- who the developer’s working with.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: -- Wal-Mart is here.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Is Wal-Mart here?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: No.
MAYOR SHARIEF: No?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Of course -- no. That's who he was --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: -- talking about.
MAYOR SHARIEF: I know who he’s talking about.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Is Sam here?
MAYOR SHARIEF: Who’s Sam?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Sam Walton.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Oh. Lovely.
Do you want to say something, Commissioner Wexler? Did you have your hand up?
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: I did -- I did, but not in a different -- on this item, but a different question --
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- if I may.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Uh-huh.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Thank you.
I actually thought that the development was going to be up against Broward Boulevard, but in looking now at the photograph and the diagram, I see that it's -- the vacant property is still there and vacant.
Does anybody know if there's any --
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: There will be.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- development plans or anything going forward with those other parcels?
And for Mr. Lochrie -- thank you, Ms. Boy, but if you'll answer that first part.
And then the second part is, how -- how high is the building that -- and/or signage so that it can be seen from Broward Boulevard? Right? Do you have that kind of work-through as well? Okay.
MS. BLAKE BOY: Good afternoon, Barbara Blake Boy, Broward County Planning Council Planning Council.
I would just note that the -- the land use that's adjacent to Broward Boulevard is part of their entire --
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: (Inaudible.)
MS. BLAKE BOY: -- development site.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: It is.
MS. BLAKE BOY: It's already designated commercial.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: It is.
MS. BLAKE BOY: It's just not demonstrated on this map because there’s no --
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: They didn’t -- they didn’t need to change --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Okay.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: -- it on there.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: That’s what --
MS. BLAKE BOY: -- land use change there.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Okay.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: That was already --
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Thank you. MS. BLAKE BOY: Okay.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Because -- so it was that -- that that's behind it that needed the designation.
MS. BLAKE BOY: Correct.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Correct.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: The -- good. Then I -- you don’t -- you -- I've answered my own question then for --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: See how good she is? She is.
Thank you, Barbara.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Wexler.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Move it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All right. With that, I had a motion. Do I have a second?
COMMISSIONER RITTER: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor of Item Number 7 signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show Item 7 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 8
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 8 is a motion to enact an ordinance amending the Broward County Comprehensive Plan to adopt Broward County Land Use Plan Map Amendment PC 13-5.
I have public speakers signed up only for informational purposes only.
Is there anyone else in the audience who wishes to be heard on Item Number 8?
Seeing none, the Public Hearing is closed.
And back to this dais for a motion.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Move the item.
COMMISSIONER KIAR: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show that Item Number 8 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 9
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 9 is a motion to enact an ordinance amending the Broward County Comprehensive Plan to adopt Broward County Land Use Plan Map Amendment PC 13-11.
I have public speakers only for questions or information purposes.
Are there anyone else from the public here that wishes to be heard on this Item Number 9?
Seeing none, the Public Hearing is closed.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: Back to this -- once I get back to the dais, you can speak. I'm closing the Public Hearing.
The Public Hearing is closed. Jesus.
All those -- back to this dais for a motion.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: The next person -- I have a queue. I'm trying to run the meeting. All those --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible.)
MAYOR SHARIEF: -- I'm running it. I'm running it along.
I have a queue. Gunzburger, then Wexler.
Commissioner Gunzburger.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: This is a poster child of why I am attending the meeting tomorrow.
It was frustrating to me that Davie, claiming that there's more than enough affordable housing, that they don't need to have affordable rentals, and when they told me, well, some of them are not market rate, but a one-bedroom at over 1100, I think is pretty high for affordable.
And I know that I -- there is no reason not to allow this to go forward, but I think we have to do better so that people who want decent affordable housing have opportunities in the future.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Is that it?
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: That's it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Gunzburger.
Commissioner Wexler, you're next in queue.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And this actually is in my district --
MAYOR SHARIEF: (Inaudible.)
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: -- and I completely concur with my colleague, Commissioner Gunzburger. This -- this and a couple of others recently have been the poster child -- children.
And Davie I know recently had a meeting of their Council on Affordable Housing. So they are looking at actually tackling the issue within their community.
They have a moratorium, like the City of Coral Springs. They're one -- one of two. And when they do their study, they, of course, pull in all of their mobile homes. And we know that you don't want to sit through a mobile home, if God, forbid a hurricane hits Broward County, or even anything close to it.
And so I have a real difficult time as to what is in the mix.
I think -- and I'll make this statement and then I'll -- I’ll -- I’ll leave it alone until tomorrow, is that everybody in every new development in Broward County should have the opportunity to -- to live there and -- and -- and have housing that is affordable, not just identified in a particular community or area of a city or a town.
And, with that, I -- I'm not going to move the item. I'm just -- I did not support it for transmittal, and I'm not going to support it now, although I know Marcy’s done a very good job for her client and it will be supported here.
Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: That’s it?
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: I’m done.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. Vice Mayor Ryan, you're next in queue.
VICE MAYOR RYAN: When we look at the -- the backup material on this item, the staff notes that the pricing of the rental units in this development are affordable to moderate income families.
So, I mean, it's -- it’s kind of like halfway there.
But, you're right, I mean, there's nothing that we can do, because we have not addressed the changes that we feel are so -- so long overdue for affordable housing.
And this is going to be -- I wouldn't call this the poster child. I -- I would say that -- I mean, there’s -- there's some good things about the location of -- of this development on a major transportation corridor. So it meets one of the important objectives that we have with regard to transportation. And there’s a -- there are some surrounding amenities that are within walking, biking distance, and it's close to the -- to the educational -- Broward College and the rest of the educational facilities in -- in eastern Davie.
So I think there's a lot of good on this development, and I'm going to support it.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you, Vice Mayor Ryan.
At this time can I have a motion?
COMMISSIONER RITTER: Move it.
COMMISSIONER LAMARCA: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor, signify by saying aye. All opposed?
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: No.
COMMISSIONER GUNZBURGER: No.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. Let the record show that the item passes 7 to 2, Item Number 9.
VOTE PASSES 7 TO 2 WITH COMMISSIONERS GUNZBURGER AND WEXLER VOTING NO.
AGENDA ITEM 10
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. The next item is a motion to enact an ordinance to adopt a proposed amendment to the administrative element of the Broward County Comprehensive Plan, the title of which as follows: an ordinance of Broward County, Florida, adopting an amendment to the Broward County Comprehensive Plan by amending the administrative element, providing for severability, and providing for an effective date.
I do not have any speakers signed up for Item Number 10.
Is there anyone out there that wishes to be heard on Item Number 10?
Seeing none, the Public Hearing is closed.
Back to this dais for a motion.
COMMISSIONER RITTER: Move it.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor of Item Number 10, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show Item Number 10 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM11
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 11 is a motion to enact the ordinance to adopt the proposed amendment to the capital improvements element of Broward County Comprehensive Plan, the title of which is as follows: an ordinance of Broward County, Florida, adopting an amendment to the Broward County Comprehensive Plan by amending the capital improvements element, providing for severability, and providing for an effective date.
There are no speakers signed up for this item.
Is there anyone from the public that wishes to be heard?
Seeing none, the Public Hearing is closed.
Back to this dais for a motion.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Move it.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Second.
MAYOR SHARIEF: All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show Item Number 11 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AGENDA ITEM 12
MAYOR SHARIEF: Item Number 12 is a motion to consider adoption of a resolution amending the Administrative Code, the title of which is as follows: a resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, pertaining to tax meter rate fees, amending Chapter 40, Fees and Other Charges, Environmental Protection and Growth Management Department, Part 6, Section 40.37 entitled Consumer Protection Fee Schedule to increase the origination fee for passengers -- passengers picked up at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, providing for severability, inclusion in the Broward County Administrative Code, and an effective date.
Is there anyone from the public that wishes to be heard on Item Number 12?
I do not have any speaker cards.
Seeing none, the Public Hearing is closed.
Back to this dais for a motion.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: Madam Mayor?
MAYOR SHARIEF: Commissioner Holness.
COMMISSIONER HOLNESS: I think this is a good move in the right direction, but I think overall we ought to look to see how we probably take a further look at the taxi drivers, particularly, and -- and how we put some things in place to ensure that they have a way to make a living.
We -- we -- we talk about the airport and -- and -- and the fact that we want to make sure that we have a living wage for the folks there.
Well, if you look at the study that was done by FIU, you'll see that, really, taxi drivers are really not having a -- a -- a -- a living wage. I mean, they’re -- they barely exist on what they make, working very long hours just to feed their families.
We ought to come back and look to see how we can address this issue probably from a comprehensive standpoint and looking at that study, whether we do a workshop or something to look at the whole picture and see what adjustments we can make and how we can do something better than what we're doing now to help them in the process.
And -- and -- and there are some ideas out there that I think we can look at.
With that, I'll move the item.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. Commissioner Wexler.
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: Just a comment. I -- I wanted to acknowledge staff and how swiftly this was moved along. I've never seen anything be done so quickly in this place, Ms. Henry, and that -- that -- that's terrific. I think it was in December that we gave direction, and January isn't even over, and the ordinance is being changed.
And that's remarkable, and that's a positive.
Thank you.
MAYOR SHARIEF: Thank you, Commissioner Wexler.
Is there anyone else?
COMMISSIONER WEXLER: And I'll second it. MAYOR SHARIEF: Okay. So I need a second. You got a second on the motion.
All those in favor of Item Number 12 signify by saying aye.
All opposed?
Let the record show Item Number 12 passes unanimously.
VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
MAYOR SHARIEF: And with that, our Public Hearing is concluded, and we are actually adjourned.
(THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 2:31 P.M.)
(THIS IS NOT A VERBATIM TRANSCRIPTION OF THE MINUTES.)