NORTH BREVARD COMMISSION ON PARKS & RECREATION
Minutes of the regular meeting of the North Brevard Commission on Parks & Recreation (NBCPR), an advisory board, held Thursday,
January 12, 2012, in the Brevard Room of the Brevard County Government Complex-North.
Members Present
Ted Beck, Chair
Arnie Benson
Dr. Ron Bobay
Rev. Vernor Clay
Rev. Glenn Dames
Randy Rodriguez
Ron Swank
Members Absent
Barry Gainer
Neta Harris, Vice Chair
City of Titusville Elected Officials/Staff Present
Martha Long, Council Member
Grace Galiano, Redevelopment Planner
Brevard County Staff Present
Kathie England, Administrative Aide to Commissioner Fisher
Jack Masson, Parks & Recreation Director
Terry A. Lane, North Area Parks Operations Manager
Jeff Davis, Jr. & Richard Tucci, Recreation Superintendents
Mike Rubacky, & John Dacus, Parks Maintenance Superintendents
Teri Shell, Administrative Secretary
I. CALL TO ORDER, INVOCATION, PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE & ROLL CALL
Chair Beck called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m., Rev. Clay
gave the invocation followed by the pledge of allegiance.
Motion by Ron Swank, seconded by Randy Rodriguez, to
excuse absence of Rev. Dames (if needed), Barry Gainer
and Neta Harris.
AYE: Beck, Benson, Bobay, Clay, Rodriguez and Swank
NAY: None
Carried 6-0
Rev. Clay needs to leave early tonight so we will re-arrange
the agenda items as needed.
Rev. Dames came in at 5:10 pm.
Introduced Martha Long, City of Titusville liaison.
Announced restrooms are inaccessible tonight due to hot water
heater leak and the water is turned off.
Bob Lay, Director for Emergency Management in Brevard
County, passed away and will be missed.
reimbursement of approximately another 1.8 million dollars.
FEMA originally awarded funds for damages done to the pier
and are now reviewing the claim after the repairs/replacements
are done (FEMA completed the original claim paperwork).
After completion of the pier, one or more FEMA
representatives raised questions about the process and the
documents that were submitted. There was a
misunderstanding on one of the documents, it was addressed
and is working its way up through the FEMA channels. We
have requested another meeting with FEMA. The 1.8 million
dollars is contracted to go back into the referendum projects
funding upon reimbursement.
B. Chair’s Report on Meetings
Chair Beck stated several items were discussed at the meeting
between Commissioner Fisher and the Chair, including the
Commissioner’s desire for a board member to be a liaison for
the Gibson Center to coordinate, talk to them and help them
all they can.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Discussed Old Business at this point.
Motion by Rev. Clay, seconded by Ron Swank, to approve
the minutes of November 12, 2011.
AYE: Beck, Benson, Bobay, Clay, Rodriguez and Swank
NAY: None
Carried 6-0
C. Advisory Board Members
Rev. Dames reminded everyone the Martin Luther King
Parade is Monday, January 16 starting at 11 a.m.
III. PUBLIC COMMENT
There were no public comment cards.
IV. REPORTS
A. Miscellaneous Reports & Updates—FYI
Mr. Lane stated that included in the packet are the
appointment letter for Martha Long as the City of Titusville’s
primary liaison and Rita Pritchett as the Alternate Liaison, and
the re-appointment notice of Dr. Bobay from the School
Board.
Mr. Lane gave an update on the FEMA pier funding issue.
Funding has not been de-obligated but is under discussion.
Mr. Masson, who is the primary contact with FEMA, stated
FEMA is still gathering information. We received about
approximately 1.2 million dollars already and have requested
Aproved February 9, 2012—NBCPR Minutes of January 12, 2012
Mr. Swank updated the board on the Causeway Improvements
Referendum project. He spoke with Ms. Thompson a member
of the Causeway Improvements Referendum Committee and
of the Renaissance Group. The Renaissance Group is not
taking an active lead in the causeway improvements; they
have however discussed some ideas with Commissioner
Fisher. Mr. Swank also spoke with Commissioner Fisher, we
are currently waiting for the funding issue with FEMA to be
resolved before moving forward Commissioner Fisher does
not support spending funds at this time. Mr. Swank stated
assuming funds do come in, the monies from the east side of
the causeway might be better spent on the west side to allow
citizens better access to walk the bridge.
Dr. Bobay reminded board of bond issues - we are going to
run out of money, there was maintenance money imbedded in
the projects, projects not yet started we may not be able to
complete.
Mr. Rodriguez stated any referendum funds that were used as
discretionary funds need to be replaced and not spent
elsewhere, this is not a good practice.
D. City of Titusville
Ms. Long is happy to be the new City liaison. Tuesday night
the City Council approved a resolution to add an additional
$147 thousand for the North Brevard Senior Center
Stormwater retention pond/walking trails project making the
total amount just under $1.5 million in support of the project.
E. North Area Parks Operations Staff
Mr. Lane stated the Martin Luther King parade is Monday,
January 16, at 11 a.m. and will finish in the Isaac Campbell Sr.
Park. Following the parade, there will be a fun family festival
in the park.
V. REFERENDUM & OTHER PROJECTS
A. Construction Report –
We are anticipating moving dirt in February for the entrance
road to Chain of Lakes Park. This project is not dependent on
the FEMA reimbursement funds, funding is already in place.
B. North Area Referendum Projects Report
Mr. Lane reported on the referendum projects report; there
was not a lot of activity due to the holidays.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Dwight Seigler – Inquired if something could be done about
dog mess on the bridge. The bridge is owned by the state and
is not under the jurisdiction of either Parks or the City. The
City supplied doggie mitt stations at both sides of the bridge.
Ms. Long appreciated his concerns and will make the City
Council aware. Perhaps the City can install signs requesting
dog owners police themselves and other dog owners.
Mr. Seigler inquired the status of the vacant coordinator
position at Cuyler. Mr. Lane explained that position was cut
from the budget over a year ago. There is a vacant recreation
leader position that Parks is looking to possibly upgrade.
Furthermore, Mr. Davis and Mr. Tucci, Recreation
Superintendents, both have assumed the responsibilities for
coordinator positions.
VI. OLD BUSINESS
A. Recreation Partner/Gibson Gym
Currently there is a recreation partner agreement with Hope
for North Brevard (HNB) to run the Gibson Center Gym and
one with Titusville Police Youth Foundation (TPYF formerly
Titusville Police Athletic League) to run the Annex or Thrift
Store. Both groups provided information on the past years
activities.
TPYF has paid the utilities, custodial and insurance for both
the gym and the thrift store for the past year (approximately
$1,400 per month). They have paid out over $30 thousand
dollars to different organizations, families and children for
Aproved February 9, 2012—NBCPR Minutes of January 12, 2012
activities during the last year. This year they desire to return
to their original intention of assisting youth one on one with
membership or assistance for those proving their need
throughout Titusville not just at the Gibson Gym and no
longer desire to pay the electric bill of approximately $800 a
month for the gym. They do desire to continue running the
thrift store.
Mr. Loud, President of TPYF was unable to attend tonight due
to another meeting. The TPYF Board of Directors will vote
on Mr. Loud’s proposed plan at their next board meeting,
which is January 23. As a non profit organization the Board
of Directors is required to vote on this issue.
Mr. Lane read into the record the motion from the April 14,
2011 meeting:
Motion by Randy Rodriguez, seconded by Neta Harris, to
accept Blessed Boundaries Inc. / YMCA / Hope for North
Brevard Inc. as partners in recreation for the full use of this
facility, if they choose to partner with PAL, or perhaps more
correctly if PAL chooses to partner with them that would be
fine. My Motion is for the use to go to Blessed Boundaries
Inc. / YMCA / Hope for North Brevard Inc.
AYE: Beck, Bobay, Clay, Gainer, Harris, Rodriguez
NAY: None
Carried 6-0
Rev. Dames inquired if there was a time frame on signing the
recreation partner agreement. Mr. Lane stated both HNB and
TPYF have agreements that will expire in August 2012 unless
renewed. Rev. Dames stated the original recommendation for
Blessed Boundaries, YMCA, and Hope for North Brevard
never changed and that he still desired to enter the agreement.
Mr. Lane stated the current agreement would need to be
modified. When questioned about only HNB entering an
agreement, Rev. Dames indicated they were in negotiations to
move forward and initially attorneys were involved to figure
out how to merge the entities and they were not able to work it
out.
Mr. Beck expressed his concern a lot of the projection from
TPYF did not pertain to Parks & Recreation programs and
questioned why the money was going to other groups when
they gym needed funds.
A discussion ensued about the intent of the original motion
passed on April 14, and the gentlemen’s agreement between
HNB and TPYF for use of the gym and annex (thrift store
location) and the agreement between them that TPYF would
pay the electric bill and provide insurance for the rest of 2011,
which they did. Parks would like to have as many groups
come together as possible and continue to make the Gibson
center a success.
Trey Gordon, Executive Director of HNB, reviewed the email
and distributed literature on HNB the activities, events, uses
and future plans for the Gibson Center. Mr. Gordon stated at
the past meeting, it was made clear HNB needed funding
assistance from TPYF’s thrift store or they would need to
vacate the building so HNB could run a thrift store. At present
all funds have been used to run programs, assistance is still
needed. HNB desires Parks to assist and support HNB by
either insisting TPYF assist financially or asking TPYF to
vacate the building. Mr. Gordon applauded his volunteers for
their time and efforts and for presenting a positive activity for
kids in the community.
To meet the summer recreation program staffing needs HNB
completed a facilities use permit prior to entering into a
recreation partner agreement. They ran the gym starting in
late May freeing staff up to run the summer programs.
Barry Forbes, Treasurer HNB, stated they had agreed to
accommodate TPYF as long as they were getting the financial
support they needed. He requested that if TPYF stays that
there would be a formal written agreement TPYF would pay a
fixed amount of $14 hundred per month to use the facilities to
Parks who would in turn pay the utilities. This would help
prevent any further or future confusion.
Mr. Lane explained upon request for clarification that both
agreements were a one year term agreement both ending in
August 2012. Both have a termination clause to abandon the
agreement with a thirty day notice to termination or renewal.
Either organization could also give Parks a thirty day to renew
or terminate their agreement. Either party would have fifteen
days after the thirty day notice to remove property from the
facility. Mr. Lane further stated TPYF has been told a
decision to pull funding may result in termination of their
agreement giving them a thirty day termination notice and
fifteen days to vacate the building. As another option either
or both agreement could be amended or terminated and new
agreements entered into indicating how much each
organization would pay for the cost of electricity or rent.
Since the TPYF board has not met yet, this board discussed
notifying TPYF of this boards concerns and thoughts to assist
TPYF in making their decision.
Currently the electric bill is paid by Parks, TPYF has been
reimbursing Parks for that expense as per their gentleman’s
agreement with HNB through December 2011. Parks will pay
the January 2012 electric bill and ask TPYF to reimburse us
for that expense as approved by Mr. Masson, the Department
Director. TPYF was providing insurance as well through
sometime in February 2012, HNB now has their own
insurance coverage.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Susan Canada – Titusville – There are several not profit
organizations leasing facilities like the gun range that pay $10
a year, if they could pay $10 to $30 a month that money could
then be used toward the Gibson electric bill. Submitted
recommendation that we start charging the not for profit
groups a monthly fee.
Motion by Rev. Clay, to table this business until we hear
back from them at our next board meeting which is in
February 2012.
There being no second the motion was withdrawn after a
lengthy discussion on the subject.
Mr. Lane agreed to attend the TPYF board meeting on
January 23 and inform them of this boards thoughts and
concerns.
Board continued discussing the issue, expressing concerns
about sounding intimidating, threatening, or dictating.
Representation from TPYF will be asked to attend the
February 9 meeting to give their decision and answer
questions. Parks and this board want both groups to succeed
and can not let the Gibson Gym fail. There will be no more
gentleman’s agreements, everything will be in writing.
Motion by Ron Swank, seconded by Dr. Bobay, for this
board to provide information to TPYF the following
information and we will let staff extract, from the
conversation we’ve had, pertinent bits of information, and
keep positive relationship not threatening as discussed,
provide some of the list of items discussed and concerns we
have and provide information to TPYF for their meeting.
Amended motion to include they need to attend and
answer questions at our next meeting February 9.
Note: Rev. Dames abstained from vote as he is part of HNB
agreement.
AYE: Beck, Benson, Bobay, Clay, Rodriguez and Swank
NAY: None
Carried 6-0
Rev. Clay left to keep another appointment and Rev. Dames
left for an emergency.
VII. NEW BUSINESS.
A. Election of Officers
Chair Beck passed the gavel to Mr. Lane for election of Chair,
and he opened the floor for nominations. Mr. Rodriguez
nominated Mr. Beck as Chair. Mr. Benson seconded. No
second required. Mr. Swank asked to close the nomination and
call for a vote.
Ted Beck was elected Chair as follows:
For Ted Beck: Beck, Benson, Bobay, Rodriguez, Swank
Mr. Lane congratulated Mr. Beck and passed the gavel back to
him for election of Vice Chair. Mr. Beck nominated Dr.
Bobay as Vice Chair. Mr. Swank nominated Rev. Dames as
Vice Chair. Mr. Swank asked for nominations to be closed
and called for a vote.
Rev. Dames was elected Vice-Chair as follows:
For Dr. Bobay: Beck, Benson
For Rev. Dames: Bobay, Rodriguez, Swank
Mr. Masson stated Parks will be arranging a ground breaking
ceremony in February for the Senior Center Storm Water
Project. Information will be sent out.
The meeting adjourned at 6:40.m.
Aproved February 9, 2012—NBCPR Minutes of January 12, 2012
Respectfully submitted,
Ted Beck, Chair
ts
Aproved February 9, 2012—NBCPR Minutes of January 12, 2012