BROWARD COUNTY CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION JULY 12, 2006

Transcription

1 BROWARD COUNTY CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION JULY 12, 2006 MEMBERS PRESENT: ALSO PRESENT: Commissioner Hayward Benson, Jr. Michael Buckner Mayor Debby Eisinger David Marc Esack Patricia Good Hazel K. Petey Kaletta Mark Ketcham Dr. Mark Lieberman Joseph Maus Mayor Lori Moseley Burnadette Norris-Weeks Robert Penzic Commissioner Hazelle Rogers Bruce Rogow Dr. Irving Rosenbaum Jodi Jeffreys Tanner Richard Jay Weiss Pete Corwin, Assistant to the County Administrator Jeff Newton, County Attorney Brad Seff, Real-Time Reporter (Mr. G. Wil Trower teleconferenced this meeting.) (A copy of the sign-in sheet identifying those present is filed with the supplemental papers to the minutes of this meeting.) A meeting of the Broward County Commission was held on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 at 10:00 a.m., in Room 430 of the Broward County Governmental Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I. WELCOME Mr. Pete Corwin, Assistant to the County Administrator, opened up this meeting by welcoming everyone in attendance to the Commission meeting. II. INTRODUCTIONS (All Board members introduced themselves.) 1

2 III. ELECTION OF CHAIR (At the request of Ms. Norris-Weeks, the Board proceeded with Item 5.) (Later in the meeting.) On motion of Mr. Weiss, seconded by Mayor Eisinger and unanimously carried, the Commission nominated and elected Mayor Lori Moseley to serve as Chair. IV. ELECTION OF VICE CHAIR Mr. Corwin informed the Board that Commissioner Mena had expressed an interest in serving as Vice Chair. A motion was made by Ms. Norris-Weeks and seconded by Commissioner Benson, to nominate Hazelle Rogers to serve as Vice Chair of the Commission. A motion was made by Dr. Lieberman and seconded by Ms. Good, to nominate Commissioner Mena to serve as Vice Chair of the Commission. At this time, Ms. Rogers gave a brief summary of her qualifications and experience, which included being: Past President of the Broward League of Cities. Member of the Management & Efficiency Study Committee. One of the founding members for the State Road 7 corridor. Member of the VisionBroward Executive Committee. The Chair stated that Commissioner Mena is an elected commissioner in Coral Springs who has been in office for approximately two years. The Chair called for a vote on the first motion on the floor, which was to elect Ms. Rogers as Vice Chair of the Commission, which passed unanimously. 2

3 V. DISCUSSION a. Budget b. Executive Director & staff c. Attorney d. Other Business Mr. Corwin explained that this Board needs to recommend a budget to the County Commission so an Executive Director and staff, along with outside counsel, can be hired. The work of the Management & Efficiency Study Committee has been completed, so Mr. Corwin suggested the Board might be interested in hiring Patricia West, who served as their Executive Director. Mr. Corwin also suggested that a subcommittee be formed to work with him over the next several weeks to develop a budget, which will probably be in the $550,000 - $600,000 per year range. This would be a flexible budget that could be amended. Mr. Newton, County Attorney, added that his office will be assisting the Charter Review Commission prior to the hiring of outside counsel. Mr. Weiss suggested the Board elect a Chair and Vice Chair at this point to run the meeting. (At this time, the Board proceeded with Item 3, Election of the Chair.) (Later in the meeting.) The Board continued their discussion on whether to hire Patricia West, who had served as the Executive Director of the Management & Efficiency Study Committee, along with her staff. A motion was made by Dr. Rosenbaum and seconded by Commissioner Benson, to hire Patricia West as the Commission s Executive Director, and allow her to choose her own staff. Broward County staff agreed to furnish all Board members with Patricia West s resume. Mr. Corwin clarified that if hired, Patricia West would be a contractual employee employed by this independent commission. The Chair now called for a vote on the motion on the floor, which passed unanimously. 3

4 The Chair now asked if there were any volunteers to serve on the Budget Subcommittee. Commissioner Benson, Ms. Norris-Weeks, Mr. Maus, Mr. Trower and Ms. Tanner all volunteered to serve on the Budget Subcommittee. In regard to the hiring process for outside counsel, Mr. Corwin explained that in the past, letters of interest had been sent out with a subcommittee short-listing potential candidates. Ms. Norris-Weeks suggested Sam Goren be considered for the open position, and asked if he could come before this Board to give an overview of his qualifications. A discussion ensued among the Board concerning the process for hiring an attorney. On motion of Ms. Tanner, seconded by Dr. Rosenbaum and unanimously carried, the Commission agreed to form a Legal Subcommittee who would send out an RLI and initiate the hiring process for an attorney for the Board. The Chair now asked if there were any volunteers to serve on the Legal Subcommittee. Mr. Weiss, Ms. Good, Mr. Penezic, Mr. Buckner and Dr. Lieberman all volunteered to serve on the Legal Subcommittee. Ms. Norris-Weeks suggested staff be directed to send out the invitations to the firms that participated with the Management & Efficiency Study Committee, which had been the basis for her recommendation of Sam Goren. Commissioner Benson suggested that the Commission get a copy of the internal procedures and rules that were utilized by the last Charter Review Commission, so the current Board can see to what extent that they may be applicable today. Ms. Rogers added that we also need to look at prior recommendations that were made to the previous Commission. After a brief discussion, Mr. Newton advised the Board to not have the Legal Subcommittee meet, at this time, without having it properly advertised. Mr. Newton advised the Board about the Sunshine Law, where you need to have open public meetings that are reasonably noticed with minutes taken. Along with that, no two members should be meeting to discuss matters that may come before this Board for action. 4

5 When the Legal Subcommittee does meet, Mr. Corwin agreed to distribute ahead of time, a draft letter of interest. Mr. Newton suggested a letter of interest be sent out to those individuals or firms that may have been part of the process or who have expressed an interest before, as well as a solicitation in a local newspaper and some ethnic publications as well. A discussion ensued on meeting dates for the Budget Subcommittee, with Mr. Corwin explaining that this Board cannot have a budget until August 15, 2006, because that is when the County Commission comes back from summer recess. The Chair announced that the meeting for the Budget Subcommittee is scheduled for August 7, 2006, at 10:00 a.m., at the Governmental Center. The Chair announced that the meeting for the Legal Subcommittee is scheduled for August 7, 2006, at 11:00 a.m., at the Governmental Center. VI. NEXT MEETING DATE Mr. Corwin suggested the next meeting take place between August 7 th and August 15 th, so any recommendations made by the subcommittees can be formally adopted. After a brief discussion, the Commission agreed to meet on August 8, 2006, at 10:00 a.m., at the Governmental Center. Based upon today s discussions, Mr. Corwin agreed to provide the Budget Subcommittee with a draft employment agreement that would be patterned after the agreement Ms. West had with the Management & Efficiency Study Committee. Mr. Weiss agreed with earlier comments made by Ms. Norris-Weeks and suggested Mr. Goren attend the next meeting and give an oral presentation to the Board and review what the last Charter Commission had done. Mr. Corwin agreed to invite Mr. Goren to the next meeting. The Chair announced that starting in September 2006; this Board will meet on the second Wednesday of each month, at 11:00 a.m. 5

6 VII. AJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Commission at this time, on motion made, seconded and unanimously carried, the meeting adjourned at 11:05 a.m. This meeting was recorded on CD number