Volusia County, Florida



VOLUSIA COUNTY ECHO ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTESOctober 23, 2018MEMBERSSTAFFDamien Richards, ChairCarmen Hall, Community Services Operations ManagerGerard J. Pendergast, Vice ChairJamie Seaman, Deputy County AttorneyPam ClaytonJill Marcum, ECHO Administrative Coordinator Larry Donnelly, Jr. Patricia NortheyCyndi RitcheyRegina SantilliCatherine StorchJack SurrettCALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Damien Richards called the meeting to order at 3:03 pm. Roll was called. Member Larry Donnelly arrived after roll was called, Member Reggie Santilli was absent and Member Catherine Storch attended by phone.APPROVAL OF July 24, 2018 MINUTES Patricia Northey made a MOTION “To approve the minutes of the July 24, 2018 meeting”. Pam Clayton seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.STAFF REPORT:Carmen Hall, Community Services Operations Manager, gave the Advisory Committee a brief overview of the status of the open grants as reported by the grantees for the third quarter of 2018. She informed the committee that the City of New Smyrna Beach Otter Lake Park is complete and the final reimbursement request was submitted this month, she said that the Enterprise Preservation Society has nearly completed the concrete and brick work in the front plaza and are nearing project completion. The City of Orange City Mill Lake Park project is complete and final reimbursement request has been processed.Ms. Hall stated that the Marine Discovery Center project is nearing completion. She explained that a grant extension was approved for the City of Holly Hill Sunrise Park and the new expiration date is November 4, 2019.Ms. Hall went on to report that the City of New Smyrna Beach City Annex Restoration project hopes to bid the project out in mid-November and that the site work for the Live Oak Cultural Center is wrapping up and the interior work is underway. Volusia County Parks, Recreation and Culture Division Shell Harbor project has begun and a public meeting for Lemon Bluff was held in October. The Stetson University project is underway and is making good progress.Ms. Hall stated that the Ormond Beach YMCA project is complete and they are working on the final reimbursement request. City of Edgewater Whistle Stop Park is at 67% completion. The Florida Hospital Community Gardens project site plan is being revised. The City of New Smyrna Beach City Commission has approved the design and implementation for the 27th Avenue Beach Park. The City of Oak Hill Mary DeWees Park will be installing the playground equipment in October.Ms. Hall reported that all of the 2018 projects have installed their ECHO signage. The City of DeBary has completed their project and the final payment is being processed. The remaining 2018 projects are in the design/permitting stage.NEW BUSINESS:Heritage Preservation Trust – Public Access PlanMs. Hall explained the background of the Hotchkiss House Historic Acquisition Project and that an easement was placed on the property in anticipation that the Trust would submit a public access plan. She explained that the Heritage Preservation Trust has prepared a plan for the Advisory Committee’s review.Jamie Seaman, Deputy County Attorney, explained that in order to save the house at the time of the grant it had to be purchased quickly. She said that due to the quickness of the purchase there was not time to have a Public Access Plan in place and that was why the easement was placed over the property. She explained that the Trust was bringing a plan forward at this time and that if the plan was recommended by the Advisory Committee and approved by County Council the easement would be amended.Mr. John Dillard, Board Member of the Heritage Preservation Trust, presented the proposed plan, describing the amenities that would be created. The amenities include an ADA accessible path and a riverfront dock. Picnic tables and a kayak/canoe launch will be constructed as well.Pat Northey, Advisory Committee Member, asked if a wheelchair would be able to access the entire length of the dock. Mr. Dillard explained that the entire length would be accessible.Chair Richards confirmed that there were no additional funds being requested.Gerard Pendergast made a MOTION “To approve the Public Access Plan”. Pam Clayton seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.Ocean Center ECHO Gallery – Change of Scope RequestMs. Hall described the background of the completed 2008 project and explained that since the original scope was included as part of the Grant Agreement and Restrictive Covenant therefore any change in scope needed to be presented to the Advisory Committee and recommended for approval to the County Council.Tim Riddle, Deputy Director of the Ocean Center, presented the proposed scope changes. If approved the proposed changes will affect access to the gallery, staffing and the changing of art displays.Mr. Riddle explained that the doors closest to the ECHO Gallery could not be left open as originally planned for safety reasons. Mr. Riddle presented several ideas regarding how to better advertise the ECHO Gallery, including better way-finding signs, updating the informational kiosks and screens to include information regarding the Gallery as well as other ECHO related sites and events in the area. Mr. Riddle stated that they could also provide ECHO brochures and information at the information desk located in the west concourse. Ms. Northey expressed disappointment that the County was coming to the committee with a request to make significant changes that would lessen the requirements in the original grant description. She stated that many of the ideas Mr. Riddle had spoken about sounded good but none of them were included in the application. She stated in her opinion the changes were just to make the application less.Pam Clayton, Advisory Committee Member, asked Mr. Riddle to verify the timeline of changing out the art displays. Mr. Riddle said that the time was changed from two times a year to one time a year. Tim Baylie, Director Parks, Recreation and Culture Division, said that the art was changed approximately one time per year. He explained that there was an ECHO Gallery Committee that chooses the art to go in the gallery. This year they chose three themes and those themes were approved by County Council. Mr. Baylie explained that the issue of insurance came up and slowed things down. He said that initially it was recommended to have the artists be responsible for insuring their own art, then it was decided that the County would insure the displays. He stated that by the time the issue was worked out they were out of compliance.Mr. Baylie went on to say that six months was really not enough time to choose the art, insure it and install it. He said he felt like once in twelve months was much more realistic.Gerard Pendergast, Vice Chair, stated that the Ocean Center should be living up to its original requirements. He pointed out that the marketing plan was out of date.Ms. Northey said that the application was just to address the current operating procedures. She stated that they were just making what they are required to do match what they are currently doing.Ms. Clayton stated that she felt there had been some good ideas discussed, but that they were things that should already have been being done. She stated that a lot of the events held at the Ocean Center were private and the public would have no access to the ECHO Gallery during those events. She asked if they had considered moving the gallery to an area near the information desk so they would be in compliance.Cyndi Ritchey, Advisory Committee Member, stated that she agreed that moving the Gallery to the main entrance made a lot more sense.Jack Surrette, Advisory Committee Member, stated that the application for scope change the Ocean Center should incorporate the positive things that have been accomplished to help compensate for the extractions. He suggested also adding things the Ocean Center wants to accomplish rather than just focusing on what they aren’t going to do.Mr. Surrette said that he felt the art being displayed was also a problem and asked if work from local artists had ever been used as a display.Ms. Northey explained that the gallery was originally supposed to be a special place to showcase local art but that it had not happened. She stated that the three million taxpayer dollars awarded had not been honored.Chair Richards summarized the comments, reminded everyone of the grant amount and stated that he felt that the meeting should have been a violations meeting rather than a change of scope meeting.Ms. Northey stated that she would like the Ocean Center to give the three million dollars back to ECHO.Ms. Seaman outlined the motion options, she stated that they could reject the amendment or reject it as presented and give them an opportunity to modify it. She went on to say that if they couldn’t modify it then the problem would go before County Council.Pat Northey made a MOTION “To reject the current amendment as presented and request the applicant to revise their application and resubmit it at a later date”. Jack Surrette seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.Suzanne Heddy, member of the public, interjected that she was a member of the ECHO Gallery Committee and was appointed by County Council to choose art for the gallery. She explained that the ECHO Gallery Committee meetings had been canceled or delayed several times. Ms. Heddy said that she had contacted Parks, Recreation and Culture but had gotten no response. She stated that the committee had other shows planned but due to lack of response nothing had happened.Mr. Baylie explained that the issue of insurance had to be resolved before any meetings could convene. Ms. Seaman stated that the Risk Management was responsible for the insurance.Chair Richards explained that the meeting was for the ECHO Grant Scope Change Application not for reviewing the Gallery art exhibits. He suggested including a proposition regarding the art changes in the revised scope.Ms. Seaman suggested putting a time limit on when the Ocean Center should submit a revised application.The Committee agreed that the documents should be submitted by the January 22, 2019 meeting and presented at the February 5, 2019 meeting.City of Daytona Beach – Critical Historic Acquisition and/or Stabilization ApplicationMs. Hall gave a brief introduction to the project, explaining that it was a Historic Critical Acquisition/Stabilization Grant application for the Jackie Robinson Ball Park.Beth Lemke, Planning Solutions, summarized the history of Jackie Robinson Ball Park, explaining that the ball park was on the National Register for Historic Places for hosting the first integrated ballgame in Florida. Ms. Lemke explained that the field was in bad shape due to the unusual rainy season in 2018. She stated that several ballgames had to be moved to a different location due to the condition of the field. The grant application is to replace the current field with synthetic turf. She said that the City of Daytona Beach was concerned they would lose the team if the field wasn’t updated.Mr. Ryan Keur, General Manager of the Daytona Tortugas, stated that the baseball industry was changing and that most fields are going to synthetic turf. He said that synthetic turf would allow the field to be used all year for various activities. He said that in his opinion synthetic turf would not change the historic value of the property.Chair Richards stated he wanted to address two things with staff and legal prior to going forward, the first was the staff notes stating that the project was deemed ineligible due to application being incomplete and insufficient documentation of urgency and second that maintenance was not eligible for ECHO funding.Ms. Hall reviewed the staff notes concerning the missing letters. Ms. Hall stated that the first items missing were a letters from the Volusia County Historic Preservation Officer and Local Historic Advisory Council. She explained that the afternoon prior to the meeting Ms. Lemke submitted one of the missing documents. The document was a letter from a Volusia County Historic Preservation Officer, that letter stated that “to preserve the integrity of the historic property, the conditions in the historic description should be retained”. She went on to say that the description in the historic register included the baseball diamond, grass infield and cut out dirt baselines. She said that the State Division of Historic Resources said that the treatment was not recommended because it would impact the character and integrity of the ballfield. In order determine whether it would affect the ballfield to the extent that it would be delisted they would need more information and offered to do a courtesy review.Ms. Lemke stated that the officer didn’t have all the information about the project. She said that a change was needed to keep playing on the field and that the grass doesn’t affect the historic preservation. She stated that with her experience and credentials she feels that it does meet the Secretary of State standards. Ms. Lemke submitted a letter from the City of Daytona Beach Preservation Officer.Ms. Seaman explained that the Historic Preservation Critical Acquisition and/or Stabilization Grants were created because the historic community was concerned that in an off cycle process a historic structure could be lost. She stated that there are very specific criteria that have to be met to meet that off cycle process, other than that a historic project should come through the regular grant cycle.Chair Richards stated that one of his questions was why it was coming in off cycle when they had known that there was a problem since last December when they applied for a grant from another agency. He said that they could have submitted this application with the regular cycle.Mr. Keur stated that it was due to the rapid deterioration of the field. He said that they couldn’t wait three months because the season would have started by then.Ms. Lemke said that they only had through February to complete the project so that the baseball season could begin.David Waller, City of Daytona Beach Public Works stated that the field was located on a high water table that affected the field during storms. He stated that this has been a problem for maintenance since acquiring the field.Chair Richards stated that maintenance was not funded by ECHO.Ms. Lemke stated that she understood that the committee saw it as maintenance but that it wasn’t. She said it was about being able to play baseball.Chair Richards said that the application should have come through the regular cycle and does not see the emergency as it pertains to ECHO. He asked Ms. Seaman if it met the requirements for an emergency grant. Ms. Seaman explained that the application requires a letter from the local Historic Board and that the application does not include that letter. She stated that the letter that Ms. Lemke submitted was a letter of opposite opinion from the City Historic Office, which does not meet the requirements of the application. She said that she was struggling with whether or not the project was an emergency, but that it was up to the Advisory Committee to decide.Ms. Seaman stated that the application was incomplete and ineligible.Ms. Clayton asked if this was the first time the field had deteriorated.Ms. Lemke stated that it has been a problem historically and that the urgency was to be able to play ball.Ms. Clayton stated that she did not feel that it was a true emergency.Mr. Surrette asked if there was a plan to deal with the grass and stabilize it in a way that it could be used this year.Mr. Keur said no, that they had tried that the year before.Ms. Ritchey asked if the field was underwater due to Hurricane Irma. She stated that she understood that the damage to the field would get worse with play and that she felt it was an emergency similar to a wall falling apart.Ms. Northey said that she disagreed completely and that it was a public works problem. She stated that it was not up to ECHO to provide maintenance to the field as an emergency grant. She stated she was offended that ECHO was being asked to fix a public works problem.Ms. Northey expressed that she was also concerned about the historic issues.Mr. Pendergast stated that looking at the budget it seemed like Daytona Beach had no skin in the game. He said that the other grant would cover less than fifty percent and that the numbers don’t add up correctly. He stated that he didn’t understand why the city is asking for help when there would be a savings of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars per year in maintenance if the turf went in.Mr. Donelly said that he did not feel that it was an emergency and that they should be required to apply with everyone else. He stated that he personally felt like artificial turf would take away from a historic site.Chair Richards agreed that he would definitely want clarification as to whether or not this would affect the historic designation.Pat Northey made a MOTION “To reject the emergency grant application and direct them to come back during the regular process”. Larry Donnelly seconded the motion. The motion passes 8 - 1.Old BusinessDutton House Status UpdateMs. Hall reminded the committee that the grant awarded to Dutton House was completed and that the issue was a lack of public accessibility to the facility.Matt Branz, Member of Dutton House Board, stated that the problem was the lack of available funding to complete the project. He explained that they felt that focusing on finding an outside party to bring the project to completion was the best option. He said that they had several possible solutions come up over the years but that they had all ended up not coming to fruition.Mr. Branz said that they were still looking for any opportunity.Ms. Northey asked Ms. Seaman what would finding a private buyer mean for ECHO.Ms. Seaman said that she couldn’t answer without seeing plans for it. She said that there must be some kind of public use after it is restored. She went on to explain that the restrictive covenant would expire in 2026.Ms. Seaman stated that Dutton House was still acting in good faith by continuing to seek a solution. Ms. Northey agreed.Advisory Committee Member CommentsNonePublic ParticipationNoneMeeting was adjourned at 5:12 p.m. ................
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