2015.11.03_TC_Minutes_Regular TOWN OF HIGHLAND BEACH
MINUTES OF TOWN COMMISSION MEETING
REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday November 03, 2015 1:30 PM
Mayor Bernard Featherman called the Regular Meeting to order in the Town Commission Chambers at
1:30 PM.
CALL TO ORDER:
Roll Call: Members present: Mayor Bernard Featherman; Vice Mayor William Weitz, Ph.D;
Commissioner Carl Feldman; Commissioner Louis P. Stern; and Commissioner Rhoda Zelniker. Also
present: Town Attorney Glen Torcivia; Town Manager Beverly Brown; Town Clerk Valerie Oakes; Police
Chief Craig Hartmann; Finance Director Cale Curtis; Public Works Director Edward J. Soper; Interim
Library Director Suzi Hayes and members of the public.
Pledge of Allegiance: The Pledge of Allegiance was given, followed by a minute of silence.
Civility Pledge: The Civility Pledge was recited by the Town Clerk.
1. ADDITIONS, DELETIONS OR ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA:
Mayor Featherman called for any additions or deletions to the agenda.
Hearing none, the agenda was accepted as presented.
2. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND REOUESTS:
Edward Neidich — 4740 S. Ocean Blvd. — The Board members receive a stipend of$25 per meeting.
My idea was to have a foundation established whereby the money given to the Board members could
be donated, on a voluntary basis, to a charity located in the Boca Raton Delray Beach area. The
municipality cannot donate to charities, but this could be done outside of the Town on a voluntary
basis. Commission Feldman — Although the stipend was not the main reason Vice Mayor Weitz
wanted to cut back the meetings, it was taken into consideration. What you are proposing is a great
idea. Vice Mayor Weitz — I thank you for your idea. Your recommendation, on a voluntary basis as
you suggest, would be a wonderful way of giving back to our community. I would certainly be in
favor of supporting your cause, if that would prevail. Commission Zelniker— It would be a great idea
if we could donate to our own Library. This way the money would come back to the Town to our
wonderful Library. Town Manager Brown — You could put a number of people in a bad position.
Town Commission Regular Meeting Minutes
Tuesday,November 3, 2015 Page 2 of 6
There are some people who look forward to receiving the $25 check. Commissioner Stern — I thank
you for the idea, but I am not sure it will hold much merit.
3. PRESENTATIONS:
None.
4. BOARDS AND COMMITTEES:
A) Board Correspondence:
• None
B) Board Action Report:
• None
C) Board Vacancies:
• Beaches & Shores Advisory Board—One (1) 3-Year Term
D) Monthly Board Meetings:
• Town Commission Workshop Meeting—November 24t`— 1:30 PM
• Candidate Qualifying Period begins November I Oh @Noon and ends November 24`h @Noon
• Town Hall Closed:
o November 11d'—Veteran's Day
o November 26th—Thanksgiving Day
o November 27th—Day after Thanksgiving
5. PROPOSED ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS:
None.
6. CONSENT AGENDA:
A) Cancellation of December 29, 2015 Commission Workshop Meeting.
B) Authorize the Mayor to Sign an Agreement with Matthews Consulting for Design, Engineer, and
Inspection Services (DEI) for the Water Main Replacement Project.
C) Authorize the Mayor to Sign an Agreement with Global Tech for Design, Engineering and
Inspection Services (DEI) for the Calcite Delivery System Replacement Project.
D) Minutes:
o September 24, 2015 —Special Meeting
o September 24, 2015 —Budget Hearing Meeting
o October 6, 2015 —Regular Meeting
o October 14, 2015 —Budget Hearing Meeting
MOTION: Commissioner Feldman moved to accept the Consent Agenda as presented.
Commissioner Stern seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Town Commission Regular Meeting Minutes
Tuesday,November 3, 2015 Page 3 of 6
7. NEW BUSINESS:
None.
8. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS—LEFT OVER:
A) Discussion on Authorization for Calling Board Meetings.
Town Manager Brown— We made an inquiry to all the Town Clerk's offices within the County
to find out whose authority it was to call Board meetings, who establishes the annual meetings
and when do you elect a Chairman. It is a consensus of all the municipalities that the Boards all
have a set schedule of meetings determined by the enabling legislation, either by ordinance or
resolution. Town Clerk Oakes and I recommend that we establish a resolution to set a chosen
month for their annual meeting. These meetings are held in December, and there have been
some comments made that people are on vacation during this time. Since October is the
beginning of the fiscal year, we are recommending that we prepare a resolution establishing
October as the annual meeting for each Board. At that time they can establish the dates and
times of meetings. In the case of emergency meetings, either the Town Clerk or I would be the
person authorized to call a meeting to order.
Discussion ensued regarding the various Boards and when and why they should meet. The main
Board discussed was the Code Enforcement Board, and whether they could meet on a quarterly
basis to make certain decisions on what they have in mind.
Town Attorney Torcivia — The Code Enforcement Board is a Quasi-judicial Board where they
make decisions on cases in front of them. It is difficult to envision them meeting if they have no
case before them.
Comm. Feldman — If a member of the Board has a question, they should go to the Town
Manager, and if it is an action item, the Town Manager should decide whether they have a
meeting or not.
Vice Mayor Weitz—The idea of this discussion was to establish some continuity by the Town in
the way our Boards meet, and we are doing this. I value our Boards and the people who serve on
these Boards, but I believe that unless you have an agenda and a purpose, it is not a discussion
group or a group sharing ideas. These Boards do incur costs for the Town, both in time and
money.
Comm. Stern—I concur with Vice Mayor Weitz. There is no reason to have a meeting just for a
discussion.
Comm. Zelniker — I agree that the Boards should be managed by the Town Manager. We also
have a Code Enforcement Officer who should be contacted if there is an issue in this Town.
MOTION: Vice Mayor Weitz moved to establish a Resolution for the provisions of the various
Boards meeting under the criteria defined by the Town Manager. Commissioner Feldman
seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Town Commission Regular Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, November 3,2015 Paze 4 of 6
9. REPORTS—TOWN COMMISSION:
A) Commissioner Zelniker — I would like to thank all of the veterans in our community. Next
Wednesday is Veteran's Day and let us remember all those who served our country.
B) Commissioner Feldman — I received many calls from residents thanking me because they had a
savings this year on their tax bill. This is mainly because of the hard work of this Commission
and the concessions they made in the budget enabling them to cut the millage rate.
C) Commissioner Stern — We will be doing Light up the Holidays this year on Monday, December
7d' at 5:00 PM with surprises and a special treat. There will be only one performance group that
night, the Dimensional Harmony Choir of Boynton Beach High School, and they are fantastic.
They have been selected to go to London for a music festival on December 27t`.
D) Vice Mayor Weitz—The Dimensional Harmony Choir is a group that is not to be missed. These
are bright and talented young men and women. Next week is Veteran's Day and we need to
support and remember all our veterans. We will be flying the POW Flag in commemoration and
honor of all those who served our country. At this time I want to congratulate Commissioner
Stern who is going to Washington to receive a very prestigious award for having served on the
National Committee for Adoption for 35 years. Comm. Stern — Thank you for your kind words.
The National Foundation for Adoption was established in 1980, and I was on the Founding Board.
We are working very hard in the adoption and foster care programs for many children in this
country.
E) Mayor Bernard Featherman—We have Commissioners that stand out in so many ways. I want
to commend our Commission for the fine job they have done in reducing operating and
administrative costs and lowering the millage rate. We are very optimistic about our financial
budget outcome for the fiscal year 2016/2017, if we continue to do for our residents what we did
this year.
10. REPORTS—TOWN ATTORNEY GLEN TORCIVIA:
No report, but I share everyone's good wishes for Veteran's Day.
11. REPORTS—TOWN MANAGER BEVERLY BROWN:
We would like to encourage all our residents to display the flag on Veteran's Day. The Library has an
art opening on Thursday night at 5:00 PM. I would like to wish Commissioner Feldman Happy
Birthday.
Town Commission Regular Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, November 3, 2015 Page 5 of 6
12. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND REQUESTS RELATED TO AGENDA ITEMS DISCUSSED AT
MEETING ONLY:
Peter Rodis, 3224 S. Ocean Blvd. — I feel there should be a meeting of every Board, at least on a
quarterly basis. I also want to congratulate the Commission on reviewing the budget on a line by line
basis which helped reduce our taxes.
Edward Neidich, 4740 S. Ocean Blvd. — I served on the Code Enforcement Board in Nassau County,
and I do not believe that the Code Enforcement Board falls under quasi-judicial because they are a
citing agency and not a determining agency. Therefore, they could meet whenever they would want
to.
Carl Gehman, 1123 Highland Beach Dr. —I am on the Code Enforcement Board and believe that there
should only be a meeting when there is an issue.
Town Attorney Torcivia — In response to Mr. Neidich's comment, there is a difference between
Nassau County and Palm Beach County. In Nassau County the Board is part of the prosecuting arm,
and in Florida it is different. The prosecuting arm is the Code Enforcement Officer and the Board is
the judge.
Esen Balin, 3912 S. Ocean Blvd. — I would like to find a way to have our residents come to the
Commission meeting and get more involved with the Town. Mayor Featherman — Our meetings are
also televised on Channel 99. 1 am also having Coffee with the Mayor on Wednesday, January 13,
2016 at 9:30 AM in the Library where the residents can find out what is happening in Highland Beach,
and share their concerns and suggestions.
13. ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business to come before the Commission, Mayor Featherman called for a
motion to adjourn the Regular Meeting at 3:15 PM.
MOTION: Commissioner Stern moved to adjourn the regular meeting at 3:15 PM. Motion was
seconded by Commissioner Feldman, which passed unanimously.
Town Commission Regular Meeting Minutes
Tuesday,November 3, 2015 Page 6 of 6
APPROVED:
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Bernard Featherman, Mayor
William Weitz, Vice Mayor
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1 Feldman, Commi inner
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o Zelniker, C missioner
ATTEST:
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Valerie Oakes, CMC, Town Clerk Date