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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-02-2012 CITY OF OCOEE MINUTES OF HUMAN RELATIONS /DIVERSITY BOARD REGULAR MEETING HELD FEBRUARY 2, 2012 CALL TO ORDER Chairman Maxwell called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the Commission Chambers of City Hall, 150 North Lakeshore Drive. Member Boudokhane gave the invocation and Member Turner led the pledge of allegiance. The clerk called roll and determined there was a quorum present. PRESENT: Chairman Maxwell, Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins, Member Turner, Member Boudokhane, Member Cornell and Member Joseph ALSO PRESENT: Recording Clerk Williams, and Liaison Wright ABSENT: Member Snytkin, Member Rangaswamy, and Member Anjum (A /E) BUSINESS FOR DISCUSSION APPROVAL OF MINUTES January 5, 2012 Member Boudokhane, seconded by Member Cornell, moved to approve the January 5, 2012 minutes as written. Motion carried unanimously. Chairman Maxwell welcomed new member, Ms. Patricia Cornell and asked if she would like to address the board. Member Cornell greeted the board. MLK, JR. EVENT AND CELEBRATION DEBRIEF Chairman Maxwell asked each member to provide their perspective of the event. Member Joseph thanked the board for their hard work and patience during the planning process of the event. She suggested going forward being more mindful of the expectations of speakers and to acknowledge publicly during the event the many volunteers and service providers. Member Boudokhane apologized for an email she sent thanking members that excluded some members and thanked Member Joseph for securing such a great speaker (Lucas Boyce). Member Turner stated she was extremely pleased with all the activities surrounding the event (reception, parade and celebration) and looks forward to future events. Chairman Maxwell asked Member Cornell if she could provide a participant perspective of the events. Member Cornell stated she did observe the parade, but did not attend the after events, but has heard nothing but positive feedback from within the community. Vice- Chairwoman Hopkins echoed the comments of the other members, further adding she thought the board should also inform the speaker of their expectations, recognition of the Human Relations Diversity Board Minutes February 2, 2012 Page 2 of 6 volunteers should be added to the program and addressed throughout the event, and they will need to rent more chairs for future events. BUDGET Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins stated that the overall cost of the event is coming in well below budget. The last minute donations and sponsors really helped make it a successful event with minimal cost. Liaison Wright informed the board that Winter Garden waived the $200 fee for the stage and port -o -lets and that videography is still outstanding. Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins expressed her displeasure with the port -o -lets stating they were dirty and arrived two hours late. HONORARIUMS Vice- Chairwoman Hopkins stated $200 honorariums were budgeted for Jeffrey Redding, Allie Braswell and Garden Community Choir. Chairman Maxwell asked the projection date in getting the honorariums paid. He also stated that Allie Braswell mentioned he did not receive the honorarium due to him from 2011. Liaison Wright confirmed Allie Braswell did not receive an honorarium as budgeted and approved in 2011. Chairman Maxwell stated the board needs to incorporate in their process obtaining the proper documents necessary for payments at initial contact with an individual or organization. VOLUNTEERS Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins stated that a couple of volunteers at the event contacted her to volunteer again they were kids that had volunteered in past events. Also stating, the Police Explorers were a tremendous help. ESSAY WINNER Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins thought that having the previous year's essay contest winner read their essay at this event was a great idea, and it's better to have them sit down front with their family versus on the stage. Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins, seconded by Member Turner, moved to approve honorariums in the total amount of $1,000.00 as follows: $200 for Jeffrey Redding, $200 for The Garden Community Choir, $400 for Ocoee High School Band and $200 for Allie Braswell (in addition to the $200 owed from the previous year's event as budgeted and approved). Motion carried unanimously. Member Joseph inquired if Jeffrey Redding was getting $200 as a speaker in addition to being a choir member. Chairman Maxwell stated Mr. Redding's honorarium as a guest speaker was separate and apart from the choir. BLACK HISTORY MONTH "ESSAY CONTEST" Human Relations Diversity Board Minutes February 2, 2012 Page 3 of 6 Member Boudokhane stated she has been unsuccessful in finding an alternate location for the event due to the broadcasting constraints. Chairman Maxwell had suggested Ocoee High School which will provide more space for participants and their families, but Member Boudokhane has been informed they do not have the ability to broadcast the event live. Member Boudokhane stated the first place winners will be the only individuals that will read their essay at the awards ceremony, and the grand prize winner will be announced after all the essays have been read. Member Joseph stated the prize structure will be the same as in years past. Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins recalled it had been decided to award prizes of $20, $40, $60 for 1 St 2nd, and 3rd place winners with an additional $40 for the grand prize winner. Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins asked how many schools have been invited to participate in the event. Member Boudokhane stated 10 schools were contacted. Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins stated that will be awards of $120 per school, multiplied by 10, totaling $1200 for awards. Member Boudokhane said she will need to purchase refreshments. She estimates the cost to be about $400. Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins suggested allocating $2,000 for the total event cost. Member Boudokhane, seconded by Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins, moved to allocate $2,000 as total cost for the Black History Month "Essay Contest ". Motion carried unanimously. Member Boudokhane suggested sending a letter to the Publix corporate office asking them to be a yearly sponsor for all Human Relation Diversity Board events. Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins suggested asking per event instead of asking them to make a long -term commitment. SUB - COMMITTEE MEETINGS - BLACK HISTORY MONTH "ESSAY CONTEST" Delegation February 6, 2012 @ 7:00 p.m. - West Oaks Library Work Session February 9, 2012 @ 6:00 p.m. - West Oaks Library Judgment February 16, 2012 @ 6:00 p.m. - TBD Member Boudokhane, seconded by Member Joseph, moved to accept the progress report of the Black History Month "Essay Contest" as presented by Member Boudokhane. Motion carried unanimously. Liaison Wright inquired as to who will be following up with the schools about the essay contest and reminding them of the deadline. Member Joseph asked if Human Relations Diversity Board Minutes February 2, 2012 Page 4 of 6 Liaison Wright recommends they split the contact to the schools or have a single contact person. Liaison Wright suggested having a single contact person. Chairman Maxwell reminded the board that it was decided in the October meeting to award J. Lester Dabbs, Jr. a Community Service Award at this event. Chairman Maxwell will coordinate with Liaison Wright to send out an official invitation to Mr. Dabb's relatives located locally. He further, asked that seats be reserved down front on the night of the event for Mr. Dabbs, Jr. family. FIESTA DE COLORES Chairman Maxwell tabled the creation of a sub - committee for this event due to the absence of several board members. OPEN FORUM DISCUSSION Member Joseph would like the board to be more involved within the community to encourage citizenship (i.e. meet your neighbor, recognition of more national holidays). Create a committee that focuses specifically on fundraising year round. Member Turner echoed Member Joseph's comments of the fundraising committee, but would also like to have a cultural arts festival for all nationalities within the Ocoee community. Member Cornell was also excited about the cultural arts festival. Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins suggested the board partner with other organizations locally before taking on another big event. By partnering with other local organizations the board establishes notoriety. Member Boudokhane would like to outreach to disabled individuals and the singles within the community. Chairman Maxwell spoke to the board about the informal statement of Mayor Vandergrift at the MLK, Jr. Event and Celebration regarding organizing an "international day event." He further stated it is going to take open communication from all board members. Chairman Maxwell asked that the board be provided with a copy of the Florida Sunshine Laws. Recording Clerk Williams stated every new board member has been provided with a copy of the Florida Sunshine Laws. Chairman Maxwell asked that all the board members be provided with a copy of the presentation seminar created by Foley & Lardner in October 2003. Recording Clerk Williams Human Relations Diversity Board Minutes February 2, 2012 Page 5 of 6 will provide an electronic copy to the board members. Chairman Maxwell explained to the board that the chair or vice -chair is the person tasked with the responsibilities to ensure completion of event task. Further stating Liaison Wright is available for support, but the chairman is ultimately the person responsible for the event task. Chairman Maxwell requested that a presentation on Florida Sunshine Law be made to the board. Recording Clerk Williams will research the possibility of having this done and report findings back to the board. Chairman Maxwell asked that board members do not arbitrarily contact Liaison Wright and /or the clerk's office. Member Boudokhane stated she sought the assistance of Liaison Wright and Recording Clerk Williams when she encountered some technical difficulties. Chairman Maxwell asked that when board members reach a milestone in planning and execution of an event that he is made aware. Recording Clerk Williams reminded the board that email communications can quickly and easily become a discussion which violates Sunshine Law; emails should be distributed for informational purposes (make a statement) and should not ask questions or solicit input for topics to be discussed by the board. Chairman Maxwell asked Member Joseph to lead the fundraising committee. Member Joseph accepted and asked Member Turner to assist her. INTERNATIONAL DAY Chairman Maxwell gave the board some demographics of the city population. Asking the board to start brainstorming ideas for an event of this nature projecting 2013 as the year in which this event will debut. Chairman Maxwell acknowledged the entry of Mayor Vandergrift and asked if he would like to make any comments surrounding his vision for this event. Mayor Vandergrift explained to the board his vision for this event. Further discussion ensued. Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins gave some information about other days of international inclusion observed around the world (i.e. international day of family, culture languages, etc.). NEXT AGENDA - February 2, 2012 Black History Month "Essay Contest" Debrief Fiesta de Colores - creation of sub - committee MLK, Jr. Event and Celebration - creation of sub - committee Proposed budget for 2013 International Day Preliminary Planning - -- create a fact - finding committee Sunshine Law Review for board by city staff Human Relations Diversity Board Minutes February 2, 2012 Page 6 of 6 TREASURER Chairman Maxwell proposed to nominate a board member to act as treasurer for all HRDB funds, render reports to the board monthly, write letters of appreciation to sponsors. Member Cornell stated she has been HOA bookkeeper for eight years. Chairman Maxwell asked if she would consider accepting the position. Vice- Chairwoman Hopkins, seconded by Member Joseph moved to create the position of treasurer to track all HRDB funds in coordination with the board Liaison as allowed in the by -laws of the board. Motion carried unanimously. Chairman Maxwell called for nominations for the position of HRDB treasurer. Member Boudokhane nominated Member Cornell, who accepted the nomination. Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins, seconded by Member Boudokhane moved to close nominations. Motion carried unanimously. Member Boudokhane, seconded by Member Turner moved to elect Member Cornell as HRDB treasurer. Motion carried unanimously. QUESTIONS /COMMENTS Liaison Wright stated in the fundraising efforts they can refer potential sponsors to the City of Ocoee YouTube sight. Member Joseph inquired who will be responsible for creating the videography. Liaison Wright stated Mike does freelance work for the city. Member Joseph inquired if there is a template currently being used by the city to solicit sponsors. Member Boudokhane - none Member Turner - none Member Cornell - none Vice - Chairwoman Hopkins - none ADJOURN Adjourned at 9:02 p.m. Tisha Williams, Recording Clerk William Maxwell, Chair ' an