General Policy Committee Meeting

MINUTES

-
City Hall Auditorium
200 East University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
Members Present:
  • Mayor Ward, 
  • Commissioner Book, 
  • Commissioner Chestnut, 
  • Commissioner Eastman, 
  • Commissioner Saco, 
  • and Commissioner Willits 
Members Absent:
  • Mayor Pro Tempore Duncan-Walker 

A.
CALL TO ORDER - 1:01 PM

  

B.
ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

  
  • Moved byCommissioner Saco
    Seconded byCommissioner Eastman

    Motion: The General Policy Committee adopt the agenda.

    Aye (6)Commissioner Saco, Mayor Ward, Commissioner Chestnut, Commissioner Eastman, Commissioner Book, and Commissioner Willits
    Absent (1)Mayor Pro Tempore Duncan-Walker
    Approved (6 to 0)

C.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

  

1.
Approval of Minutes for the April 13, 2023 General Policy Committee Meeting

  
  • Moved byCommissioner Saco
    Seconded byCommissioner Willits

    Recommendation: The General Policy Committee approve the minutes from the April 13, 2023 meeting.

    Motion: Approved as recommended.

    Aye (6)Commissioner Saco, Mayor Ward, Commissioner Chestnut, Commissioner Eastman, Commissioner Book, and Commissioner Willits
    Absent (1)Mayor Pro Tempore Duncan-Walker
    Approved (6 to 0)

D.
BUSINESS DISCUSSION ITEMS

  

1.
2023-378 Presentation by Wild Spaces & Public Places on the Thelma A. Boltin Center (B)

  

Andrew Persons, Special Advisor to the City Manager, introduced the item.

Presentation given by Betsy Waite, Director of Wild Spaces Public Places

Presentation given by Peter McNeice, Project Manager for Wild Spaces Public Places

Presentation given by Carol Velasques Richardson, Cultural Affairs Manager

Roxana Gonzalez, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Director, spoke to the item.

Leslie Ladendorf, Assistant Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Director, spoke to the item.

Kathleen Kaufman, Historical Preservation Officer, spoke to the item.

Public Comment: Daniel Peterson, Pam Lahiff, Donald Shepherd, Suzanne Stapleton, Steve Roberts, Jeff Shapiro, Matthew Hurst, Elizabeth Hurst, Robert Mounts, Michael Hill, Melanie Barr, Joanne Auth, Johnathan Balk

  • Moved byCommissioner Eastman
    Seconded byCommissioner Saco

    Recommendation: The General Policy Committee 1) hear an update on the Thelma A. Boltin Center project and 2) provide direction to staff on how to proceed based on the options recommended by staff.

    Motion: Approve staff's recommendation of Option 2, a partial restoration of the Thelma Boltin Center. 

    Aye (6)Commissioner Saco, Mayor Ward, Commissioner Chestnut, Commissioner Eastman, Commissioner Book, and Commissioner Willits
    Absent (1)Mayor Pro Tempore Duncan-Walker
    Approved (6 to 0)

2.
2023-389 Ironwood Golf Course Budget-to-Actual Analysis for Fiscal Years 2020-2022 (B)

  

Andrew Persons, Special Advisor to the City Manager, spoke to the item.

Public Comment: Donald Shepherd

  • Recommendation: The General Policy Committee receive a budget-to-actual analysis for the Ironwood Golf Course for FY 2020, FY 2021, and FY 2022.

    Heard

  • Recess - 3:10 PM

    Reconvene - 3:32 PM

E.
MEMBER COMMENT

  
  • Moved byCommissioner Saco
    Seconded byCommissioner Willits

    Commissioner Saco: Addressed board vacancies and the probationary period restrictions impacting the board’s ability to do work. Recommend the waiving of the 60 days probationary period to enable board members to vote. The city plan board may not be able to function tonight, for instance, due to this restriction that is impacting volunteers, staff, business, and company times.

    Motion: Waive our rules regarding board members’ probationary period so the plan board’s newest member can participate fully in tonight’s meeting, with presence constituting a count towards quorum and vote. 

    Aye (6)Commissioner Saco, Mayor Ward, Commissioner Chestnut, Commissioner Eastman, Commissioner Book, and Commissioner Willits
    Absent (1)Mayor Pro Tempore Duncan-Walker
    Approved (6 to 0)
  • Moved byCommissioner Chestnut
    Seconded byCommissioner Book

    Commissioner Chestnut: expressed interest in adding a towing discussion to a future General Policy Committee Meeting.

    Motion: Moved that a towing discussion including all of the intricacies of towing is added to one of our upcoming General Policy Meetings in the near term.

    Aye (6)Commissioner Saco, Mayor Ward, Commissioner Chestnut, Commissioner Eastman, Commissioner Book, and Commissioner Willits
    Absent (1)Mayor Pro Tempore Duncan-Walker
    Approved (6 to 0)

F.
NEXT MEETING DATE - May 11, 2023

  

G.
ADJOURNMENT - 3:48 PM

  
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