Board of Governors Minutes, February 24, 2011
Board of Governors
Minutes
February 24, 2011
The Board of Governors met at Fairchild Gardens, Classroom “A”, Coral Gables, FL at 7:30 p.m. Present were: Rene Guerra, President; Jose Bared, Vice President; Secretary, Bill Box; Treasurer, Tony Argiz, Directors: Trish Bell, Albert Tano and Daniel Canel. Mr. Guerra welcomed the Board members and membership for attending the meeting and called the meeting to order.
Minutes: Cat Committee – Daria Feinstein
A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of January 14, 2011 as circulated to the Board. All were in favor.
Cat Committee Recommendations for Funding & Support Letters:
Mrs. Feinstein was invited to address the membership by the President. Mrs. Feinstein stated the newly appointment Cat Committee, after researching several options available, was fortunate to have found Sparkle Plenty Services. Mrs. Feinstein stressed her Committee’s priority of humane treatment of cats. Mrs. Feinstein suggested approximately 135 cats are currently feral and abandon within our community. She recommended $15,000 to $20,000 to address this concern. Ms. Deborah Jeans of Sparkle Plenty Services addressed the Board. She gave a brief history of herself and her company. Mrs. Jeans stated she works with several local vets at cost to re-habilitate cats. She explained that she has worked within Gables Estates for the past five years at the direction of Ms. Silvania Dacanha Juncadella whom has donated her time and money addressing stray, abandon, diseased and injured cats. Ms. Jeans recommended an informative questionnaire be given to the membership requesting proper identification of all sponsored cats be provided to the Administrator as well as non sponsored cats being sited on their property. Ms. Jeans stated she has several cats up for adoption which were trapped within Gables Estates. Ms. Jeans stated feral cats can not be relocated to another area as it is against the law to do so.
The President gave a brief history regarding the Club’s involvement with this matter and acknowledged that $1,200. in donations had been made with an additional private donation of $300. Mr. Guerra recommended to the Board that allocations of money be given to address this issue. He stressed, due to the lack of projected sales this fiscal year, the Board must be conservative in their actions until such funding becomes available.
The President reminded those present that major investments to the Community from the Club are taking place as per the City agreement to repave Casuarina Concourse and Leucadendra Drive as well as install safety enhancement decorative pavers for the Leucadendra Drive/Arvida Parkway Traffic Calming Circle, Traffic Calming Islands on Casuarina Concourse, and bridges on Arvida Parkway and Leucadendra Drive.
The President stated he agreed with the Cat Committee and their recommendation that there must be a joint effort between the Club and Club members raising funds. He also mentioned the membership survey results showed an overwhelming support to address this concern. The President asked for a motion for the Board to allocate $6,500. for this endeavor and that a letter go out to the membership asking for private funds as well. Discussion took place. Mr. Argiz so moved and Mr. Bared seconded the motion. He stated that Sparkle Plenty Services did a fantastic job and was confident in their ability to serve our community. Dr. Albert questioned the ultimate goal. Ms. Jeans answered to control the feral cat population through spay and neutering, removing disease and injured cats and working to eliminate the spread of disease. Dr. Albert stated this is a long term commitment and agreed education information should be provided to the membership to stop behaviors that encourage growth of the feral population. Mrs. Feinstein stated she reserved the right to come back before the Board if the private donations did not match the needs as she did not want to do a half hearted job. All were in agreement and the motion passed unanimously.
Results of Membership Survey: The President gave the following report to those present:
2/24/2011 – Net Results of Membership Survey 2011
| GABLES ESTATES CLUB, INC. MEMBERSHIP SURVEY TOTALS | ||||
| Wackenhut Services | ||||
| Vehicle Officers Patrolling the Community: | Excellent | |||
| Gatehouse Officers Stepping Outside to Greet Incoming traffic: | Excellent | |||
| Boat Patrol Officer Patrolling the Waterways: | Excellent | |||
| Courteous: | Excellent | |||
| Resolving Problems: | Excellent | |||
| Time of Response Adequate (YES/NO): | Yes | |||
| Off Duty Police | ||||
| Continue with Off Duty Program for our Community: | Excellent | |||
| Do you see the Off Duty Officer’s presence in the Community: | Excellent | |||
| Cameras | ||||
| Increase Waterway Camera Coverage: | No | |||
| Increase Perimeter Camera Coverage: | No | |||
| Community Events & Existing Format | ||||
| Annual Block Party: | Good | |||
| Annual Boat Parade: | Good | |||
| Annual Halloween Party: | Good | |||
| Annual Meeting with Hors D’oeuvres and cocktails: | Good | |||
| Wild Animals Within Our Community | ||||
| How important is it to control wild animals (cats): | Yes | |||
| Should Funding Be Made Available for this Project (YES/NO): | Yes | |||
| Club Administrator (Kathleen Richardson) | ||||
| Availability: | Excellent | |||
| Resolving Concerns: | Excellent | |||
| Providing Information: | Excellent | |||
| Supervisory: | Excellent | |||
| Lighting | ||||
| Arvida Parkway: | Excellent | |||
| Arvida Drive: | Excellent | |||
| Arvida Lane: | Excellent | |||
| Cas. Concourse: | Good | |||
| Leucadendra Drive: | Excellent | |||
| Entrance on Arvida Parkway: | Excellent | |||
| Entrance on Cas. Concourse: | Good | |||
| Bridge on Arvida Parkway: | Good | |||
| Bridge on Leucadendra Drive: | Good | |||
| Islands on Cas. Concourse: | Good | |||
| Common area islands on Arvida Parkway: | Good | |||
| Common area islands on Leucadendra Drive: | Good | |||
| Common area islands on Cas. Concourse: | Good | |||
| Tennis Court grounds on Leucadendra Drive: | Poor | |||
| Landscaping | ||||
| Arvida Parkway: | Excellent | |||
| Arvida Drive: | Excellent | |||
| Arvida Lane: | Excellent | |||
| Cas. Concourse: | Good | |||
| Leucadendra Drive: | Good | |||
| Entrance on Arvida Parkway: | Excellent | |||
| Entrance on Cas. Concourse: | Good | |||
| Bridge on Arvida Parkway: | Excellent | |||
| Bridge on Leucadendra Drive: | Excellent | |||
| Islands on Cas. Concourse: | Good | |||
| Common area islands on Arvida Parkway: | Good | |||
| Common area islands on Leucadendra Drive: | Good | |||
| Common area islands on Cas. Concourse: | Good | |||
| Tennis Court grounds on Leucadendra Drive: | Good | |||
| Entrance Bulletin Board | ||||
| Should the Club advertise activities on the entrance bulletin Boards (YES/NO): | Yes | |||
| Should the Club enhance and increase the size of the Bulletin Boards (YES/NO): | No | |||
| Should the Club keep the same size of the current Bulletin Boards (YES/NO): | Yes | |||
| Handyman/Landscaper (Jose Orozco) | ||||
| Rate Condition of Maintenance of Entrances: | Good | |||
| Rate Condition of the Maintenance of the Lights at the Entrances: | Good | |||
| Overall Landscaping of Common Areas: | Good | |||
| Clipping Pile Hedges | ||||
| Continue Clipping Pile Hedges program on membership right of ways (YES/NO): | Yes | |||
| Future Services | ||||
| Provide Gables Estates Club Office at Gables Estates: | No | |||
| Provide Gables Estates Club Office as Near as Possible to Gables Estates: | No | |||
| Pursue Legal Options to Ensure City of Coral Gables Increases Canal Depth: | Yes | |||
| Install Entrance Flag at Cas. Concourse (same as Arvida): | Tie | |||
| Install Fountain with Water at Arvida/Leucadendra Drive Circle: | No | |||
| Create a Children’s Park setting within Gables Estates: | No | |||
| Scanning Gables Estates Financial Records: | Tie | |||
| Replace Landscaping Circle on Leucadendra/Arvida with Water Fountain: | No | |||
VARIANCE REQUEST 50 CASUARINA CONCOURSE: – Bill Box, Chair of the Architectural Board:
Mr. Box informed the Board of the variance requests for mooring piles from 50 Casuarina Concourse. He stated all immediate adjacent neighbors submitted letters of approval as well as the Architectural Review Board headed by Ramon Pacheco. Discussion took place. Dr. Tano moved to support the variance requests, Mr. Argiz seconded the motion and all were in favor. (see attached letter )
February 25, 2011
Martha Salazar Blanco,
Zoning Administrator
City of Coral Gables
405 Biltmore Way
Coral Gables, Florida 33134
Re: Mr. and Mrs. Armando Codina, 50 Casuarina Concourse, Gables Estates, Coral Gables, FL 33143
Dear Mrs. Salazar Blanco:
The Gables Estates Architectural Review Committee (in house) and the Gables Estates Board of Governors having met on February 24, 2011, reviewed the request for the following variances:
- Allow the proposed two (2) dolphin mooring piles to extend 40’ feet (13’ feet from existing piles) from the bank of the property vs no mooring piles shall be placed or set in the water bodies which shall be located at a greater distance than twenty-five (25) feet from the bank of such water or waterways.
- Allow the proposed two (2) dolphin mooring piles to extend 13’ feet from the adjacent property vs all mooring piles, docks and /or similar structures shall maintain the same minimum setback from the adjacent owner’s property line extended as established for the main structure permitted on each building site, except as described for specific properties and the Mahi Canal in Appendix A.
Note: Property owners adjacent to 50 Casuarina Concourse submitted letters of approval as follows for this application:
Approval – 21 Casuarina Concourse, Mr. & Mrs. Cisneros
Approval – 70 Casuarina Concourse, Mrs. Vanessa Valle
Approval – 630 Leucadendra Drive, Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Leon, Jr.
Approval – 2 Leucadendra Drive, Mr. R. Eric Thyrre, Trust
Approval – 80 Casuarina Concourse, Dr. and Mrs. Richard Feinstein
Approval - 1 Leucadendra Drive, Mr. Francisco Unanue
Approval - 60 Casuarina Concourse, Mr. Roger Abboud
After careful consideration, the Architectural Review Committee and the Board of Governors voted to support the variance requests as noted above provide the applicant receives DERM’s approval and the City of Coral Gables approval. The application must have DERM’s approval as a prerequisite.
Please feel free to contact me, at the above number, if you have any questions regarding this matter. As always, thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely yours,
Kathleen Richardson
Executive Administrator to the
Board of Governors
CASUARINA CONCOURSE ENHANCEMENT FISCAL YEAR TO DATE:
The President went over the expenditures which took place this fiscal year for Casuarina Concourse. (see attached) He stated a total of $13,532.03 had been spent on improvements for Casuarina Concourse. He stated the City of Coral Gables hired a professional tree trimming service to trim and prun all the Oaks on the Casuarina
Concourse right of ways. The City has been performing this work for the past six weeks to date.
The President discussed the “wish list” provided by Mrs. Rava Fridman and explained that several of the items were the City’s responsibility and other private homeowners responsibility. He added the Board is continuing to address and receive bids for Mrs. Fridman’s landscaping requests, however, due to budgetary constraints no additional work will take place at this time and all streets within Gables Estates will be considered for enhancements in the future. Until funds are available it was agreed this matter would be tabled.
POSSIBLE WATERWAY CLEAN UP – DISCUSSION ONLY – BILL BOX, CHAIR
Mr. Box presented the following for discussion:
One of Gables Estate Club major goal’s is to have our waterways deepened and cleaned. The following might be a way through the Waterway Renaissance organization. I have outlined some details below.
I discussed our problem with Peter Hairston, CEO of a non-profit organization called Waterway Renaissance. I have seen his organization’s project to refurbish and repaint the bridge on Granada. He told me of several other waterway related projects in Coral Gables; they all appeared quite impressive. I wrote his contact information at the end of this email.
He told me that there were several governmental and private funding sources available for us to approach. If we attack the issue from a water quality and safety perspective, funding might be easier to procure. In fact, he is optimistic about this approach.
As I understand it, the basic plan would be for us to fund an initial assessment (less then $10,000) to define the scope of our problem and present our findings to a governmental agency – probably the City of Coral Gables. The City, Waterway Renaissance and the GE Club would then set about as a team looking for funding. Waterway Renaissance would be a key player at this stage, finding funds available and helping the City write the grant proposals, money matching programs, etc. All official applications would be handled through the City. Our part would be monitoring the process. Peter Hairston also said that his organization is experienced in navigating the various regulatory agencies due to their previous projects.
I think that this approach might hold promise. I asked him if he would be willing to make a brief presentation to the Board to answer any questions we might have – and he agreed. Perhaps he could make his case at the next available meeting if there is any interest.
Mr. Guerra suggested a written presentation package be prepared detailing what Watereway Renaissance can do, how they would proceed, what results can be assured to the Club. Once the package is ready a Committee can be educated and report back to the Board. Mr. Box, Mr. Canel, Mr. Moretti and Mr. Bared volunteered to serve on this Committee. Mrs. Audrey Ross stated this should be a “Joint Green Initiative” whereas the Club would be working with Private, City of Coral Gables and Federal Funding Grant money. Mr. Canel questioned the Administrator had the Gables Estates Finger Canals ever been cleaned. She responded no. She stated the City had received Federal Grant Funding for testing the silt for toxins and cleaning canals within Coral Gables. The main canal in Coral Gables benefited from this funding and promises were made that Gables Estates Canals would be addressed.
Mr. Bared questioned the delay regarding the Channel Markers at the entrance canals. The President stated he would have a meeting with Public Works to determine the status of the Channel Markers.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND DRIVE TO ENCOURAGE MEMBERSHIP VOTING IN THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES APRIL’S ELECTION:- JOSE BARED, CHAIR
Mr. Bared volunteered to work to encourage membership voting turn out for the April 12th City of Coral Gables Election.
There being no other business, Mr. Guerra moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:00 p.m. The motion was seconded by Mr. Box and all were in favor. The meeting was adjourned.
______________________________________
Mr. Rene Guerra, President
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Mr. Bill Box, Secretary
