Town Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. Are we on? I want to welcome everyone to the April 21st, 2026 regular town council meeting. Time called for 6 p.m. Time is approximately 6.08. Meeting officially called to order. Roll call town clerk, please.

If we could all please rise, and Chief Rudy Habello, can you lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, please?

Once again, good evening, everybody, and welcome to our monthly meeting. First is on the agenda, presentations, proclamations. I believe we have none. Next is motion to set agenda, additions, deletions, removal of items and consent agenda, or changes to the agenda. I have none. Fellow council members? None. Town manager?

Welcome, Karen. Okay, next moving on the agenda, good and welfare. Do we have anyone for good and welfare? Before that, I just need everyone to consent changes the addition to the agenda item number 10. All in favor say aye. Anyone opposed? Item 10 is added. Going back to the agenda, good and welfare. Anyone for good and welfare?

Okay, moving right along. Mayor's report. I'm going to keep mine real quick. I just want to say that the Mayor's Speaker Series was a big success. I appreciate everyone that came. I know everyone enjoyed it. Aventura Hospital sent five physicians and they talked about women's health I want to thank Aventura Hospital for participating in our event, and I want to thank everyone who attended. Thank you for coming. It was a big success. Tonight, we're going to select both the park and the gym equipment. The town council, town manager and the staff have been working extremely hard on this. This is

Just wanted to thank the town staff for their phenomenal work on the park and on the Wellness Center Really you've you you've been amazing Thank You councilwoman Luskin I have no comment councilman Einstein well, that was quick I like to echo the vice mayor sentiments on the

tremendous job and transparency that the administration did all of the wellness presentation the The gym equipment the park equipment that we had the workshop on I think that was a tremendous meeting in which we were able to vet and which type of equipment we wanted, and also for the furniture package that is going into the Wellness Center. And last but not least, I got to go around while we were looking at audio video up there to kind of make selections. look at what needed done. So, you know, the town has had the opportunity to make their input on all of these items. And I think we're going

Thank you. Also, I want to add one more thing before I turn over you, Bernstein. I want to thank The committees that participated in the wellness equipment and the park equipment, the residents, they did a great job and really appreciate their input. And everything was taken extremely serious. And they were a tremendous addition to selection of what we selected.

And that's all my comments. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Bernstein. Close council comments. Town managers report.

Thank you town attorney. Do you have any update? Okay, moving right along ordinances first reading item number k1 ordinance of town council a town of Golden Beach amending the town code of ordinance chapter 24 personal article to retirement amending benefits amount and eligibility of deferred retirement Option plan. I'm going to turn that over to the town attorney Steve.

Okay, first I need a motion to approve. First, clerk, can you read into the record? I apologize. A little backwards today.

I have a first and a second. Town attorney went over it. Did council first? Did everyone understand it? Any questions? Nope. Close it to the council. Public? Any public questions?

It has no financial impact. Zero. Correct.

Okay. Okay. Public? Close it to the public. Roll call, please. Ordinance K-1.

Motion passes. Item L, ordinances, second reading. Item L2, ordinance of the Town Council, Town of Golden Beach, amending the Town Code of Ordinances, Chapter 66, zoning to amend piling requirements. Town Clerk, please.

Okay. Thank you. Town council, any comments?

So he brings up a good point. So the question is, so when it goes through the building process, the building permit process, do at that point, is it decided or is it?

What about his first example, pool pump?

Just a real question. Just as we're on this topic. So I've got one of those situations where the house that's being built across the street from us, you know, lateral to me. Their house is on a new elevation, and I see their physical pool pump now. They do have a retaining wall, but the pool pump is up pretty high, and so I can see the mechanicals currently. I assume they're going to have a bush or something camouflaging it. Yes. But should we make that a requirement? I don't know if it has to. It is. It is.

It's not. It's the building. It says in the code, building official. Right. Okay. Any other council comments? Any public comments? Close to the council, close to the public. Roll call L2.

Item two passes. Moving on to M, Quasarisu Resolution. Before I get started, there's two items, item three and four. Anyone that's going to speak on item three or four, if you could please stand up and face the town manager and town clerk. And she will swear you in. If you do not stand up and you're not sworn in, you will not be able to speak on these two items. So go on.

Thank you. M3, a resolution of town council approving a variance request for the property located on 317 Ocean Boulevard, seeking relief from setback requirements.

Hold on. Item number M4 is a resolution town council approving a variance request for the property located on 317 Ocean Boulevard seeking relief from the side and step in setback requirements.

Okay, before we go on that, I need a motion to approve on that. I need a second. Second. Okay, town manager.

Can I ask a question on that before we say that?

The second part of this, but before you get off the set, pull up that picture.

Which I don't know why they... Can't they do the 20 feet the other direction toward the house?

Yeah, the first one you had. First page. With the picture. That's the back of the house. There you go.

Does the second one relate to the first one?

Alex, are you saying this is currently there?

So it has four car, with the second story is there also? Yes, yes. It's all there.

Yeah, I don't agree with that. I definitely don't agree with you. What's good for the goose, good for the gander. Can't let one people, these people do it and not someone else to do it. I don't care. I agree. If it's an existing home.

No, if it were existing and they were not going 20 feet further, you know, so they're not, they're adding. They're adding to the base. Quick question. Scott Schlesinger's house. Okay, he's close his Outstruck whatever you want to call those structures, right? They're close to the road, right? He has two little garages garages, but they're they they're not back. The code wasn't different then but they're not they're not attached.

They're not attached different scenarios.

That's a different scenario the Gate in front of Joel Newman's house, like his front gate.

You could not even see what's behind that area.

And I don't know if that is current, if someone else could get, you know, how Joel Newman's.

It's like a, you know, 14 foot wall. They say, though, from the other side of the street, it's only six feet off the ground.

You can get that today. Can you put that house up again? He brings up a good point. So with the wall being that low, you can see it?

You can see it, but the other thing is there are other houses that are closer to the main road.

Aesthetically, it looks... Are we opening up Pandora's box by allowing this and other people saying, oh, you went, you know, one thing that's sort of sacred is the setbacks.

But they currently have a six-car garage, correct? They currently have four cars.

According to the picture, there's three on the right.

But Steve, correct me if I'm mistaken. if we allow it, okay? And someone argues, someone's building a new house, and someone argues, says, hey, I don't care if it was an existing home. You let them go within the setback. I mean, you're setting, as Ken said, you're setting almost like a precedent that they have a leg to stand on, don't they? You can't say, because they're an older home, we let them do it, but a newer home, we can't. I mean, how do you set that precedent?

But someone's going to come in next week and go and set an example.

Let's say the house next door to them. They knock it down. And they say, I want to build the same house that's next door to him, to me, exactly the same, with the garages just where they are, with a gatehouse, whatever it is. I just want the exact same house. And we say, no, you can't do it. You've got to have your garages back. It's not right. I'm just.

He's right. It's not fair. And I don't care whether it's a new home or not. You're setting, you know, what's good for one should be good for the other person.

Go back to the original picture. On the property line.

Where would you put the other structure? Go back to the picture.

By the way, in those garages that you're playing, what is there now?

I know, but what's there now? Asphalt? Right now, yes. Okay.

They're getting 800 square, how much is 800 square feet on the ocean right now? Conservatively?

Not that that should be important. Well, again, I think the bigger argument is what we have to do is a setback. And that is something that we've always.

Steve, am I wrong? Are we all wrong? Can I have been that the next guy that comes in and says knocks down the house, whatever, or and says, hey, I would tell you how you are wrong.

No, but our code, I'm not opposed to it. I'm just following the code. We're here to follow the code. The other thing that's unusual.

But at the same time, we've always, always want A1A, the homes to be back further, not directly on A1A.

Hey, Alex, did the neighbors have to, no? No, they didn't object. Because it's not insane?

But Glenn, Mayor, we're going to go back to the original Reason we changed the code a few years ago and that it up It's sort of like a slap in the face to building regulation board You know like why show up if if they come in and they were 5-0 against this how much was the vote 5-0 5-0 You know, did they say well we did it looks nice, but we should have done it or I hear you You know, I just said 5-0 and now we say no I You know, come to me, come to your building regulation court, and we'll just throw it out the window.

They were not in favor because they didn't like it.

They were opposed to design. That's what we hire them for.

But very quickly, they could have. I mean, it could have gotten by the code if they said it had a hardship.

But they like this question. Is he? Town Manager, in your opinion, as to what you've seen going on for 20 years of your tenure, do you feel that the next time we have a code revision of the ocean that we should allow this type of setback?

If they build a garage, they build a garage. Okay. When they build this garage, do you have to come up to GNAD?

It looks very nice. Okay. Any public comments? Close it to the public. Roll call.

So Alex explain it in layman's terms because I'm totally lost On the second floor.

From here to here, How much feet is that?

From the property line. Instead of 10 feet, it's got to be further in.

When we did this code, because I can't wrap my head around why we, did some of this stuff. Right.

And I had that fight. Ben, that was when we were on council. Yeah. So if he goes parallel to his bottom floor and just draws, that's what he wants to do. Is that correct?

Okay. How is that affecting his, he's still going to be 10 foot back on a second floor or how many he's going to be 10 foot back. Correct. From the step. How's that going to affect his neighbor? Did we pass this because we didn't want people looking down on the neighbors next door? For an aesthetic law.

Yeah, but that's an aesthetic, but it didn't work. No, it didn't work. If they wanted to not make a box house, then they should have made a code that-

And when all is said and done, aesthetically, how is this going to look?

Yeah any other come comments? Close it to the council any public comments But roll call please Mayor singer no vice mayor Mandel.

Thank you, guys. One out of two, you're batting 50.

Okay, moving right along. Item number N, major project update, overview of the current active town projects by the town manager.

Can I ask a question? When will the site work start on the parks and when are we closing the tennis courts and the pickleball courts?

Okay, that's it. That's it. Okay moving on to consent agenda There are four items on the consent agenda item number 05 official minutes of the March 17th 2026 regular Town Council meeting item number 06 Resolution of Town Council approving a budget amendment number one for the 2025-2026 fiscal year operating budget. Item number seven, a resolution of Town Council approving a contract with CTC Disaster Response Inc. for disaster recovery services. And item number eight, a resolution of town council authorizing a proposal from Southeastern Engineering Inc. for the roadway improvements to Massini

You motion to approve? Motion to approve. You second? Second.

Okay, any council comments I didn't know any public comments I

Yes. Alex, quick question. When we start this, we're doing the basketball court and Padel court the same time, right?

Okay. All right. Roll call, please. Go on.

Just with regard to the shade trees, the one oak tree that we bought, I think it was under Waskura and Stanley Feynman. I forgot where they brought that oak tree from, but they paid- Central Florida, I remember. Yeah, it was about $10,000. And let me tell you, it didn't get you much wood. It was about nine feet tall. It was like the Dr. Seuss Christmas tree that tried or could- Oak trees are really expensive. I mean, when they're in bloom, they're great. And if there's another type of tree that can provide... We're on item number nine. Oh, I thought you were talking about trees.

This is the park. He just said that. We're on item number nine. I want to stick to this subject.

Rather have a wishing well and a tree. Well, it was for the fact.

Yeah Going back to trees. I mean, I love the trees with the large Umbrella coverings and stuff young circle is the perfect example But if you go by young circle after a hurricane the northern trees that you plant down here They can't withstand it. They just the top acts like a top-heavy like a parachute and they just go right down. They have to be righted again.

Item number nine. Roll call, please. Sorry, got that.

Town manager, if I could suggest something for you, I think you should invest in maybe a dog. And this way you can at home, you can talk to him and he'll listen nonstop.

Item number 10, a resolution of town council. I've been twice the amount of time. He could talk to the dog all night long.

Dog would sit there, wag his tail, and his boyfriend's visa would have been a three.

Did you hear Ben's comment? That's why Glenn has two dogs. Oh, that's right.

Thank you. Item number 10, a resolution of town council awarding audio and visual equipment contract to the town wellness center.

Need a motion to approve? Motion to approve. Second?

Just to clarify, I think, though, if the other bid has to be all-inclusive with wiring and everything like the first bid. And the TVs. Any council comments? No. Any public comments? No. Roll call, please. Item number 10.

Item to discussion, direction, town manager. Presentation of recommendations of the town equipment for the Wellness Center.

It's nothing is clear. Oh, it's not your fault. Go with the mic and come closer to us. Yeah. Yeah. Come closer to us. You can come up here.

What is this thing here? That's a treadmill.

What is the purpose of that air bike? High intensity.

How many uprights? Zero. Well, I think uprights. Yeah, I think you need uprights. You need uprights because we, the gym, there are always people on the uprights. The only thing I would add on the cardio equipment, which is my opinion, is I agree with Councilman Bernstein, two uprights and the rowing machine, there's always, it's nice to have two of them in case someone wants to compete with the other person. Yep.

No, only one row. We have one row there.

And I don't know, I haven't seen this machine in a while, but I remember, do you remember the cross country thing? The NordicTrack. What was that?

We'll do. Yep. Does that get used more than anything? Go on. And then after that, you have a.

So you got the bars, you got the ropes. Oh, yes. You got the bars.

That's going to be a great machine. Turnberry has one that's just one.

But it does have a safe, like a, if you go up an inch.

So this is a... No, this has a thing on the bottom. No, you're talking about the Smith machine.

anatomy all the way in the first floor on the right. There's two pages.

Well, let him do the dead weight first. It might be the room there. What's in the dead weight room in the left?

Can you have a flat bench here? That's like one little one that's... No, and then you have machines here for chess. How many machines you got?

You could do the same, but then you could add legs and everything else.

Do it on the other machine, don't you have it?

Alex, don't you do your pecs in that? I don't.

I don't have any pecs. Where is that right now? The other three of them.

You got two rooms. Yeah, but you might have group fitness. I'm fine with it.

No, that's for the heavy guys. You squat that too.

I like the stretching area where it is, though.

No, but this one, this one goes down, right? Like the side backs? Do those arms go down?

Just a free bench that you can adjust to incline or decline?

You want the heavier bar. They are 45-pound bars, aren't they? Yeah, they're all bar bars.

Real quickly, on these benches that move, and again, going back to Turnberry's benches, those are really hard to move. They have wheels, right? They have wheels, but the ones at Turnberry are... Really hard.

It's just that women, I know some of these benches are movable from stations. You said like, you know, if you have the bench in a Smith machine, you could bring it, you know, you're short. You could move it, but sometimes it's not such an easy move.

Yeah, understood. All right, what are the other pieces of equipment?

What sled? You said there was a sled. Yeah, so she's providing that sled. Can we get that?

Anybody got a Tylenol over here? I do. Do you? This is the one you sent me.

Perfect. Always room to add always got dumbbells to five pound increments from five pounds up to 75.

Are we going to have metal detectors on our doors for those free weights, for those dumbbells? To walk away? It's a problem. It's not a freaking power giant. We have cameras on these weights that they don't walk away, the dumbbells?

They're not going to walk away with dumbbells.

People walk out with the dumbbells? So how do you prevent that?

That'd be great to put an air tag on them. I'd love to find out. I'd love to do that.

Einstein does not like it. I would ask your son about this rower. No, I'm just going to ask.

It's for the older people. It's not for younger people. So here's my question.

Do we have any kettle bells? Yes. Yes. Through Life Fitness.

No, I'm just saying in anatomy, it's red. Yes.

Like I said earlier, quick question on the Peloton. So when you go into the Peloton, I've been at some hotel things and whatever else. If you're not a subscriber, can someone go into that Peloton and just plug in your name and we get a subscription service as part of the deal? Or how's that?

Is that going to be a yearly charge to us? Of course. Yes. Yes.

Yeah, their own grommets. But he's saying to have them both on the outside and in the room.

Any other questions on the equipment? Any on the equipment? You guys good?

Secretary? Hey Kelly, can you add Alex town manager brings up a good thing the boxes, you know, you have the box that you could jump on and stretch on That's on yours you have the boxes Perfect.

Thank you, Jeff. Thank you, Kelly. Thank you, Jeff. Thank you, Jeff. Thank you, Kelly. Alex, can you go over the next meeting dates?

Okay. We'll do that before. Okay. With that, I'll make a motion to adjourn. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Good job, good timing.