Flagler Model Land Neighborhood Association

Minutes from General Membership Meeting of June 22, 2003

SUMMARY

This meeting represented the second organizational of the Flagler Model Land Neighborhood Association.  Meeting was held on June 22, 2003 at 7 PM at the Opus 39 Restaurant & Gallery located at 41 Cordova Street. Don O’Dell presided at this meeting.

MINUTES OF MEETING

·        Don O’Dell introduced Mayor George Gardner. The Mayor spoke briefly and expressed his interest in the outcome of this neighborhood organization since it provided a unique opportunity for residents and businesses to develop a dialogue and jointly form positions that were of value to all the neighborhood occupants.

·        Don O’Dell introduced Paul Williamson, Director of Public Affairs and they spoke about and introduced to the audience the new Neighborhood Council Office, whose role it will be to assist neighborhoods organize and to enable residents to bring concerns to elected officials. Cathy Dupont is the individual that has been hired to fill the coordinator role.

·        Don O’Dell introduced Donna Webb, Director of College Relations for Flagler College who will participate with residents in addressing any neighborhood issues that involve the college.

·        Don O’Dell introduced Wilton Rooks from the Lighthouse Neighborhood Assn. Wilton is the Provisional President of the Neighborhood Council. Wilton provided a progress report on the neighborhood associations forming in St Augustine.

·        As a follow-up to the first organizational meeting held on June 1, 2003, Linda Forsyth presented highlights from the meetings held by the volunteers following the first meeting to further develop the neighborhood organization. Items reported on were: the list of concerns the attendees had identified at the first meeting, the slate of provisional officers, suggested committees to address concerns and the provisional by-laws. Each of these items was on the agenda items for tonight’s meeting.

·        Debra Madaras presented the position on membership dues and that, until the neighborhood association was formalized at the first fiscal year meeting in the fall, membership dues would be a volunteer contribution.

ACTION ITEMS and RESOLUTIONS

·        Provisional officers were introduced and agreed upon by simple majority:

o   Provisional President                    -          Jason Mauro

o   Provisional Vice President          -          Don O’Dell

o   Provisional Treasurer                    -          Debra Madaras

o   Provisional Secretary                    -          Linda Forsyth

·        Provisional By-Laws were presented, discussed and voted upon. Of major concern and discussion was the role of businesses in the neighborhood association. Businesses were defined as (1) licensed as a business and (2) property was owned. Businesses would also include non-profits located in the neighborhood (i.e., churches, schools). The presented by-laws included 2 choices: (a) businesses would be eligible for membership but would be non-voting members or (b) businesses who met the above criteria would have one (1) vote. These positions were presented by Ejo Fox (representing option a) and Les Thomas (representing option b). The issue was then voted on by the attendees and option b to include businesses as voting members carried 21 – 17. Requests to instruct the provisional Board of Directors to rephrase verbiage to be re-presented and re-voted on at the fall membership meeting was denied.

·        Other items on the provisional by-laws that were addressed include:

o   Article VIII – Amendments. As written, amendments would require a 60% majority agreement of the membership to be effective however, the attendees of this meeting requested and carried the requirement to be a “simple majority”.

o   Article II – Membership, Section 2 regarding full voting membership a suggestion from the floor was that business tenants that do not own their property but are licensed and rent a facility in which to conduct business should be included as auxillary members. This suggestion was not voted on but will be reviewed by the board and may be presented at the fall membership meeting.

·        As written and with the above-noted changes and voted items, the provisional by-laws were adopted until formally presented at the annual meeting. E-mails and other forms of communications will notify the members of when the annual meeting will be held, tentatively scheduled for end of September/beginning of October.

·        Any request for agenda items are to be forwarded to Linda Forsyth via e-mail or phone.

·        Last item for the agenda was to discuss the provisional committees that will be established to address neighborhood concerns and to request volunteers to serve on these committees. Five (5) committees were established. Participants and Chairs of committees (c ) are noted.

o   Traffic /Parking – Tom Kavenaugh (c ), Alan Sklar

o   Flagler Issues – Harvey Simms (c ), Marcia O’Dell, Warren Butler, Lynn Gilchrist, Donna Webb.

o   Good Neighbor – Ginny Bullard (c ), Debra Madaras, Linda Forsyth, Becky Greenberg, Suzie & Jerry, Isabel, Jean Courter, Don LaForte, Ms. Deborah

o   Preservation/Beautification – Chris Martyn (c ), Don LaForte, Les Thomas, Marcia O’Dell, Charlie Melson

o   Membership/Publicity – Ross Forsyth (c ) , Cathy Oakes