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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-01-18 Special Meeting City Commission Meeting Minutes MINUTES DANIA BEACH CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING JANUARY 18, 2000 The meeting was called to order by Mayor Bertino at 7:45 p.m. Roll Call: Present: Mayor: John Bertino Vice-Mayor: Charles McElyea Commissioners: Jim Cali John Etling Bob Mikes City Attorney: Tom Ansbro City Manager: Mike Smith Recording Clerk: Nanci Denny 1. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH, FLORIDA, CONFIRMING THAT THE CITY WILL PROVIDE REASONABLE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL BROWARD COUNTY FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDICS DISPLACED AS A RESULT OF SUCCESSFUL ANNEXATION OF UNINCORPORATED AREAS BY THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH AND BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA . Attorney Ansbro read the title of the resolution. City Manager Smith explained that a bill had been filed by the City of Dania Beach with the Legislative Delegation to take part in an annexation referendum for the unincorporated areas of Broward County which would be competing with the City of Hollywood. One of the issues that needs to be dealt with according to the rules of the Delegation is a transition plan to explain how the City would deal with displaced county employees if the annexation was successful. The City has entered into a dialog with the President of the county Firefighter's Union as well as members of our own Fire Department, to absorb approximately four (4) Fire/Rescue employees now employed by Broward County. They would like to maintain seniority and the same level of benefits that they now enjoy with Broward County should they decide to join Dania Beach Fire Rescue Department. Adding this staff would not be a hardship on Dania Beach. He has received a letter from the Dania Beach Firefighter's Union stating that they do not object to this resolution. He recommended approval of this resolution. Commissioner Cali stated that if the City is serious about annexation, this resolution needs to be passed in order to eliminate county employees getting laid off or losing their jobs. MINUTES - SPECIAL MEETING 1 JANUARY 18, 2000 A motion was made by Commissioner Cali, seconded by Commissioner Etling, to approve this resolution. Commissioner Mikes asked that the City Manager send a letter to the County asking that further discussions be held on the projected use of Station 32. The motion passed on the following roll call vote: Commissioner Cali - yes Vice-Mayor McElyea - yes Commissioner Etling - yes Mayor Bertino - yes Commissioner Mikes - yes 2. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE GRANT ADJUSTMENT NO. 1 BETWEEN THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA, DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE, FURTHER, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. City Attorney Ansbro read the title of the resolution. Commissioner Mikes asked that Item 3 be heard first due to public input. ® Mayor Bertino moved to Item 3. 3. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR A FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH AND THE INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION, FOR THE ICE CUBE PROGRAM AT CHARLIE WILL THOMAS PARK; PROVIDING FOR UP TO $45,000.00 IN FUNDING FROM OCTOBER 1, 2000 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2001; FUNDING TO BE CONDITIONAL UPON AVAILABILITY FROM LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING; PROVIDING THAT THE SCOPE OF SERVICES BE PERFORMED AS SPECIFIED BY THE CONTRACT; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; FURTHER, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. City Attorney Ansbro read the title of the resolution. Mayor Bertino allowed this item to be handled as a Public Hearing. City Manager Smith explained that this funding would be for the time period between October 1999 through September 2000, which would be retroactive. He stated that the funds were actually being provided by the Local Law Enforcement Block grant. Bobbie Grace spoke in favor of the ICE CUBE program and requested that it be allowed to continue. She stated that communication is the key to implementing programs within the City. She felt that there is a lot of diversity in the City but believes that unity can be implemented. She explained that she was very critical MINUTES - SPECIAL MEETING 2 JANUARY 18, 2000 of Arlon Kennedy at first, but has seen change and a lot of positive things that ® have happened with this program. She does not want to see this program die, she wants to see the children rejuvenate themselves with computer skills and build a community that all will be proud of. She also supports the marchers and their program. Zachary Basco, local business owner, who donated computer equipment and volunteers his time to the ICE CUBE program, commended Arlon Kennedy and the ICE CUBE program. Ophelia Sanders, representing Greater Trinity Baptist Church, asked that their organization's name be removed from the Department of Juvenile Justice grant application. Teddy Bohanan, President of the Dania Heights Civic Association, stated that she resented the derogatory statements that were made regarding TURN AROUND DANIA BEACH not having a focus. Ruther Carter stated that everyone needs to work together to do something about the drug problem in the City. Henry Moore spoke in favor of the ICE CUBE Program and asked the community to work together. Joel Azarkin commended Ruther Carter for the words she offered. He believes that technology and education is the only thing that will change the community, but also believes in accountability. He asked that the Commission rewrite the grant in a proactive way where it does not diminish the effects or what other groups have been trying to do in the City. Johnny Alexander asked that both the ICE CUBE Program and the TURN AROUND DANIA BEACH Program continue to support the youth. Herman Wrice from TURN AROUND DANIA BEACH, felt that there was a misunderstanding of the issues. He commended the grant that was written for the prevention of drugs, alcohol and crime, and to provide education for children. He stated that he had no intentions of stopping the grant. He also stated that his name was put in the grant without his consent and felt that it was put in the grant in a derogatory way. He would like the grant written in the correct way so that the program works effectively with children and it does not appear at the state level that he's incompetent and unfocused. Rita Smelcer with the Dania Housing Authority stated that Dr. Wrice has worked very well with the Housing Authority and assisted them in getting rid of undesirable residents who were using and dealing drugs. • MINUTES - SPECIAL MEETING 3 JANUARY 18, 2000 June Silvernale commended Herman Wrice and his TURN AROUND DANIA ® BEACH Program. She felt that Dr. Wrice was the only one who had come into the City with a program that starts to work on the drug problem. She felt that in order to fight the drugs in this City, all the organizations need to work together. She was offended by the wording in the grant that says "we have lost focus, we need a sense of direction and we need to learn how to be a volunteer....". She stated she had no problem with giving to the children or the ICE CUBE Program, but she was concerned about 96% of the grant being allocated for salaries. Kevin Dick, former Assistant to the City Manager, wanted to clarify the contents of the grant that was written. He stated that the proposal was the opinion of neighborhood groups from the neighborhood visioning workshops and a Town Hall meeting that was held. He explained that it was the opinion of neighborhood people that there was not enough of a spirit of volunteerism and that there was a lack of coordination among all the organizations within the City, so the grant was written to provide administrative support to promote volunteerism and to promote coordination among community groups. He stated that the approval of this grant adjustment would be a renewal of a grant that the Commission approved last year. He felt that approving the funding agreement between the City and the Institute for Community Empowerment would continue successfully driven programs that have helped to bring Dania Beach attention at the county, state and national level. He urged the Commission to pay great credence to the fact that all of these organizations are very well-intentioned and have the ability to ® work together. He asked that the Commission and city staff foster their working together and that the City continue to fund a program which has helped the City bring in more dollars, more attention and more positive people, including private businesses that pay taxes to the City. Jimmy Peterman stated the Mr. Kennedy was running a very fine program at the ICE CUBE. Clara Randall stated that she didn't know of any drug program that is working in the Saratoga Apartments, and that there was no involvement with the kids where she lives. She stated that she had volunteered over 1,000 hours at the ICE CUBE and felt that it was very discouraging, "when you're trying to do the best that you can do for your community and children and you're being bashed." She urged the Commission to leave the ICE CUBE alone. Albert Jones stated that this issue needed to be addressed behind closed doors. He explained that $150,000 was being brought into the Community and $35,000 being paid out. He stated that Modello Park was in a desperate situation before this program began. He urged the Commission to do the right thing by passing this resolution. Arlon Kennedy read the following from the grant: "currently there are several ® organizations operating in the Community that appear to be well intentioned but MINUTES - SPECIAL MEETING 4 JANUARY 18, 2000 with no clear and collective.....". He felt that the important word was collective. He stated that it was not focusing on one organization, was not demeaning any organization and was never written that way; the statement was not the opinion of one individual, it was the opinion of Dania Beach residents who came together to share their vision for this City; it was the resident's feeling that there were a lot of well-intentioned organizations operating here all wanting to end drugs, all wanting to see prosperity in the City, but none working together; however, there was not one organization among them that had the focus or intention of trying to pull them together and the residents wanted someone to help coordinate that effort. Mr. Kennedy stated that there was nothing in the grant that gives the Institute of Community Empowerment credit for anything, it simply states that it will play a role in helping to insure that there is coordination. He explained that The Institute of Community Empowerment has a full time staff working to insure that there is a focus on the problems and concerns that are bothering the citizens of Dania Beach and is prepared to coordinate these efforts. He reported that over the past year they were successful in pulling together the residents of College Gardens and the Modello Park neighborhoods to develop a neighborhood plan. Mr. Kennedy reported that there are approximately 125 children participating in the ICE CUBE program after school, who are not out in the streets learning to sell drugs, but learning how to use computers and how to search the world-wide web to help them with their school projects. He believes in unity and he has tried to pull the people of Dania Beach together to solve some of the problems that exist. He explained that they are currently participating in a $3,000,000 grant to continue to provide employment opportunities for low income people, of which $37,000 was set aside to create one of three neighborhood communications centers at Thomas Park. He reported that a T-1 telephone line has already been installed to facilitate the internet access and to provide a web server to allow residents to seek information on jobs and other opportunities, and they are currently developing a list of job sites, programs and services that will provide opportunities and outlets for the youth to get involved in. Mr. Kennedy also urged the Commission to do the right thing. Bill Ridenger from Turn Around Ft. Lauderdale, felt that the statement regarding his organization not being focused, was an insult to the organization. Robin Coatsworth suggested that the Commission take the names of the organizations who were objecting, out of the grant and apologize to them publicly. Mildred Jones was very upset about the drug problem in her neighborhood and did not like the fighting that was going on. She asked that this issue be settled tonight in a positive way. MINUTES - SPECIAL MEETING 5 JANUARY 18, 2000 The Mayor closed the public hearing. Commissioner Cali stated that it was time for a change and that we need to work together. He agreed that the TURN AROUND DANIA BEACH program does work to take back communities from the criminal element. He also believes that Mr. Kennedy and the ICE CUBE program has made a difference in that community. He felt that the language in the grant and the amendment could be worked out between City staff, Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Wrice. He saw no reason why the ICE CUBE and TURN AROUND DANIA BEACH could not work together. Commissioner Cali asked City Manager Smith to explain the KABOOM grant. Mr. Smith explained that the City had been successful in obtaining a private foundation grant in the amount of$36,000 for the purpose of building a park on January 26. The park will be built in one day with a collaborative effort among community organizations such as the Housing Authority who provided the land, volunteers which are being coordinated by the TURN AROUND DANIA BEACH organization and the City. He pointed out the need to coordinate and collaborate if things are to be accomplished in the City. He also stated that he had met with Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Wrice privately in his office Commissioner Cali gave Robin Burns of Childrens Home Society, recognition for finding the Kaboom grant and bringing it to the attention of Dania Beach officials. Mayor Bertino reopened the public hearing. Sophie Steele stated that TURN AROUND DANIA BEACH qualified for the Kaboom grant and they have worked very hard on the playground and with the children. Mayor Bertino reclosed the public hearing. Commissioner Mikes blamed previous Commissioners for not doing something about the drug problem years ago. He felt that Dr. Herman Wrice's organization, TURN AROUND DANIA BEACH, was making progress on solving the drug problem within the City. Mayor Bertino reopened the public hearing. Bobbie Grace blamed Commissioner Mikes for not wanting to get involved in cleaning up the drug problem in her neighborhood. Ruther Carter stated that we were a City of pride and we need to stop blaming one another and begin to work together and end this meeting in peace. MINUTES - SPECIAL MEETING 6 JANUARY 18, 2000 Ella Williams stated that her community has given BSO stacks of names of drug dealers and she resented the statement that they are not trying to work on the drug problem. Reverend Ronald Carter had participated in several marches with the Turn Around Dania Beach organization and was very disturbed by a statement claiming that their organization had cleaned up the drug problem in Modello Park. He also stated that we must work together for the betterment of this community and to make Dania Beach a great city. Commissioner Etling thanked Ruther Carter for her very eloquent statement that this was not a time for fighting or disagreement but was a time for peace. A motion was made by Commissioner Etling to approve the grant, perhaps by clarifying the language that has caused some disagreements. Mayor Bertino pointed out that Item 3 was being heard at this time which was the resolution approving the funding agreement between the City of Dania Beach and the Institute of Community Empowerment. Commissioner Etling stated that he was trying to bring some rational peace back and trying to move things forwards, and whatever particular item we're on at the moment, we are on one item, which is the betterment of our community. Mayor Bertino explained that a motion would be appropriate to approve Item 3. A motion was made by Commissioner Etling, seconded by Commissioner Cali to approve Item 3. Mayor Bertino pointed out that the whole problem is the wording in the grant that states "there are currently several organizations operating in the community that appear to be well-intentioned but with no clear and collective focus." Commissioner Etling reminded Mayor Bertino that he was referring to Item 2 and the motion was made on Item 3. Commissioner Mikes stated that if he ever has someone approach him and say someone in one program is asking us not to cooperate in a drug fighting program being run by another part of the City, he would make a motion to terminate that individual's program. Arlon Kennedy stated that he had participated in the very first meeting that was held by Dr. Herman Wrice, and he also participated in the last march that was held. He reported that his organization has been and continues to be a supporter of TURN AROUND DANIA BEACH. He explained that the statement that was in ® question could be stricken from the grant. MINUTES - SPECIAL MEETING 7 JANUARY 18, 2000 ® Commissioner Mikes stated that he wanted the groups to work together on the drug problem within the city. Arlon Kennedy stated that the City has the support and commitment of the Institute of Community Empowerment to be cooperative in this process. Vice-Mayor McElyea agreed that this issue should have been resolved behind closed doors. He stated that he has participated in some marches and agreed they have made a difference. He also felt that the City needed every bit of grant money they could get, and that the entire City needed to be on the same track. The motion failed on the following roll call vote: Commissioner Cali - yes Vice-Mayor McElyea - no Commissioner Etling - yes Mayor Bertino - no Commissioner Mikes - no Commissioner Etling questioned the dates that were in the resolution dealing with the funding agreement in Item 3. City Manager Smith explained that the dates were wrong in the resolution listed on the agenda. The funding agreement between the City and ICE CUBE should have been ® October 1, 1999 through September 30, 2000. Mayor Bertino asked the City Manager if the program could be run by the City. City Manager Smith stated that someone from the City could be designated to run the program. He explained that the ICE CUBE is an organization headed by Arlon Kennedy; that the funding for this organization, which pays for Mr. Kennedy's salary, is from federal funding which is called Local Law Enforcement Block Grant funds, the same source that funds the TURN AROUND DANIA BEACH organization. He explained that the other Item (No. 2) is the DJJ grant which includes additional staff members, who have a different scope of services. He also explained that the DJJ staff, the ICE CUBE staff and City recreation staff all work in collaboration at Charlie Will Thomas Park and that the coordinating element for all of this is Mr. Kennedy and his organization which is called ICE CUBE, Inc. Commissioner Etling stated that all of this does not make sense because the person who initiated all of this divisiveness has no interest in seeing any advancement, they are looking strictly for antagonism to exist. Commissioner Mikes suggested that Item 2 be continued to the next regular meeting, to allow staff to investigate how the City can run the program and not lose funding. ® Commissioner Cali questioned the City Attorney about whether or not the Department of Juvenile Justice would have to approve the new operator in order to approve the grant. MINUTES - SPECIAL MEETING 8 JANUARY 18, 2000 City Attorney Ansbro recommended that Item 2 be deferred for two weeks to allow him time to examine the grant and contact the Department of Juvenile Justice. A motion was made by Commissioner Mikes, seconded by Vice-Mayor Mc Elyea to postpone Item 2, until staff can get answers from the Department of Juvenile Justice. Commissioner Cali - no Vice-Mayor Mc Elyea - yes Commissioner Etling - yes Mayor Bertino - yes Commissioner Mikes — yes A motion was made by Commissioner Etling, seconded by Commissioner Cali to continue the Special Session to January 25, 2000. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned. r__12 ZLZI -COMMISSIONER C� J'07 - ACTING CIPY CLERK RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED BY NANCI DENNY MINUTES - SPECIAL MEETING 9 JANUARY 18, 2000