Washington Park Neighborhood Preservation and Enhancement Dist.

Washington Park Preservation and Enhancement Council Meeting 09-

Nov 30, 2005

WASHINGTON PARK ENHANCEMENT AND PRESERVATION
COUNCIL MEETING
P O Box 1233
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311

September 1, 2005

Eugene opened the meeting at 7:05pm. Yvonne motioned to accept the minutes from August 4, 2005. Julia seconded the motion. There were no questions, we voted to accept the minutes.

Yvonne received a letter regarding a meeting by the Broward League Delegation on September 9, 2005 at 3:00pm. The deadline to file a bill for Annexation is October 7, 2005 by noon. Eugene plans to attend the meeting. We need to have a call meeting for residents to see if they want to file a bill. We need to see where we stand since some area will be annexed. We need to see if residents want to go into a City or still try to form a City. Assessments of taxes can?’t be controlled; Save Our Homes bill will help the rest of our tax bill. Saint George and West Ken Lark will be annexed on September 15, 2005. Only three Neighborhoods are left to be annexed. We could do a voluntary bill to go to Lauderhill or Fort Lauderdale. We want to put the options to the residents to make a decision. We have heard that Parkway is going to Lauderhill. No City wants to take us; we will need to volunteer to go to a City. Once we know where our residents want to go, then we can talk to the other neighborhoods about where they want to go. In the next year about a hundred vacant lots will be sold. Then we will have about 750 homes. Eugene feels we should have the County mail out a letter for a call meeting. Sally Tillman-Watson said Don Stone would be at Franklin Park this month regarding Annexation. She said we couldn?’t go to any City until the other Neighborhoods decide. Eugene said we could do a voluntary bill because Saint George will be part of Lauderhill. We are contigious with Fort Lauderdale. Sally asked if Lauderhill was willing to come across 31st Avenue to take us? Eugene said if the bill takes, we could do a voluntary bill for Annexation. We already know what each City offers. Sally questioned if Saint George has the Enhancement Plan? Eugene said the bill that was written didn?’t include the Enhancement Plan. Sally asked if we do a voluntary bill do the cities have to take us? Eugene said no. Saint George and West Ken Lark didn?’t write a bill.

Yvonne suggested that Eugene get the information from the workshop on writing a bill and then we have the call meeting. We would then get the information to Ted Vitale to send out letters to the residents. We need to have the call meeting on September 16, 2005. Sally said that the County use to do the bill for the Neighborhoods. Eugene said he wants the information to work with the County to write the bill. Sally asked if we volunteer to go to a city would the County still write the bill. Eugene said yes, Palm Aire and Rock Island did a volunteer bill to go into Fort Lauderdale and the County wrote the bill. It was questioned why Fort Lauderdale didn?’t want us when we look better. It wasn?’t about how we looked, it was about getting money from the County. The County said no because the State says you can?’t give taxpayers money to a City. Sally said she felt sorry for Lauderdale Lakes because they wanted to take the Neighborhoods by sections. The residents wanted to all go at once. Sally said she would not be able to attend the workshop for writing a bill for Annexation. She asked when the call meeting is done will we make our decision based on the residents that attend the meeting. Eugene said we would base our decision on what will benefit the entire Neighborhood.

Yvonne received a letter from Commissioner Rodstrom?’s office regarding the 30th Year 2004/2005 Community Development Block Grant funding from Lafayette Hart Park Civic Association. It stated that the grant was rescinded and reallocated to the Washington Park Civic Association for providing housing repairs to eligible residents of Boulevard gardens. She called Susan and left a message to call her. Eugene wants a letter to Susan for a correction letter to be sent to residents. Per our Neighborhood Enhancement Plan Strategies and Policies to Enhance the District VI Policy 13 we serve as the point of contact to the County for County funded capital improvement projects. Sally said she wrote both grants for Lafayette Hart Park Association and Boulevard Gardens and it is a typo error. We do need a corrected letter to residents.

Yvonne said she spoke to Ivette regarding Commissioner Rodstrom attending the Civic Association meeting on September 8, 2005. She had spoke to Susan because we needed a follow-up on the issues from the town meeting. She also spoke to Brozard regarding our Community Center building. She had asked Susan to check on the James property in order to build a building where the trailer and shelter is now. At the Washington Park Civic Association meeting on August 11, 2005 the Chief said the fire station would still service our Neighborhood. The County has approved the budget for the next year. Cleaning of the drains will be every 90 days. Eugene said they would start to pickup debris from the Hurricane on Saturday. Broward Sheriffs Office should handle the issue with sex offenders living in our Neighborhood. Sally said the NAACP had their own meeting on the issue and gave out information and the website. It has been questioned about offenders living within 2500 feet of a school or park. This is still being worked on by BSO. Some residents feel Code Enforcement has singled them out. Eugene said he doesn?’t feel anyone has been singled out. Code Enforcement comes out for inspections and they look at everything on your property and the neighbors. Last issue was shabby construction in our Neighborhood. Every house we have referred a visit was made and a letter sent to the homeowner. The property owner has to pursue the problems with the County. The County will help them if they do. Some Contractors living in our Neighborhood have built houses with problems and will not correct the problem.
Sally said when she invited Commissioner Rodstrom out she gives him the items that the residents want answers to. Eugene said if complaints come to us we can go to the right contact with the County.

We have the kiosk holders for flyers and information for our Neighborhood on two of our entranceways. They were placed on the entranceways according to the information given from Natalie. Only two were installed due to the budget. The locations are Sunrise and NW 30th Way and Washington Drive. They will be used for advertisements of things happening within our Neighborhood. We can also list important telephone numbers. Some of the entranceways have power available. Eugene will follow-up on having light put in the signs. Yvonne motioned that accessibility to the kiosk be made from any Association or Organization to the Council. Julia seconded the motion. We voted yes to accept the motion. The President and Vice President of the Council will have the keys. If they will be out of town or unavailable they will leave the keys with another Council member.

Sally asked about North Fork River meeting with South Florida Water Management. The State will get information together to do a presentation to the residents. Jose Lopez went back to the legal department to have a consultant do a cost study. They asked for models to see how the real thing will appear. It will take six to eight weeks for the study to be completed. After the study is completed they will have the meeting with the residents. Sally asked if the consultant?’s fee would be taken from the $250,000.00. The answer is yes, but they will also check on additional funding for the River. Yvonne said she has the list of all the information requested for the study. Eugene said they have different materials that can be installed in a short period of time with different designs. The riff raft design from 441 to the Turnpike on Sunrise Boulevard is one of the designs. Sally asked if residents want the sea wall would they have to pay for it? Yvonne said there is funding available and we need to contact our Representatives. Eugene said if Sally becomes our State Representative she could lobby for the funding. Sally wants to see the same type of sea wall that Sweeten Estates has. Yvonne said the Developer put in the sea wall. Certain things don?’t need a permit. The Consultants are supposed to bring all this type of information back to the residents in the study. An Attorney living in Sweeten Estates thought the study was initiated by them. Sally provided her email address to Yvonne so she could send her information.

Meeting adjourned 9:00pm.