September 15th Board Meeting

 Meeting Agenda

• Welcome and Introductions - Jeff Lyash, Judy Mitchell
• Election of Officers - Jeff Lyash
• Overview
  • Mission and Objectives - Jeff Lyash
  • By-Laws - Jeff Lyash
  • Ground Rules - Alan Bomstein
  • Community Involvement Group (CIG) - Judy Mitchell
• Sunshine/Public Records - Charlie Harris
• Round Table - Board of Directors
• Adjourn

 

Mr. Jeff Lyash called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m., at the EpiCenter, 13805 58

 

th Street North,

 

Largo, FL. He thanked Dr. Kuttler and St. Petersburg College for graciously making this facility

available for our initial meeting. Mr. Lyash reviewed the meeting agenda: Election of Officers,

review the Mission and Objectives, By-Laws, Ground Rules for meeting conduct, Community

Involvement Groups, Sunshine and Public Records to be covered by Charley Harris (Committee

Counsel) and Round Table. The following members introduced themselves:

Tony Satterfield, General Manager, Alden Beach Resort, Co-Chair, Stadium Options CIG

Richard George, President, Junior Achievement of West Florida, Co-Chair, Fan Support and

Involvement CIG

Chuck Sykes, President and CEO, Sykes Corporation, Chair, Corporate Support CIG

Robert Stewart, Pinellas County Commissioner, and Chair, Tourist Development Council

Craig Sher, President and CEO, The Sembler Company, Chair, Stadium Options CIG

Gregory Johnson, President, Pinellas County Urban League

Alan Bomstein, President, Creative Contractors

Jeff Lyash, President & CEO, Progress Energy Florida

Judy Mitchell, President, Peter Brown Construction

Russ Kimball, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Sheraton Sand Key Resort

Barbara Heck, President, CONA (Council of Neighborhood Associations) and Chair, Fan Support

and Involvement CIG

Ricardo “Rick” Davis, President, Bay Area Medical Supplies, Inc.

Steve Raymund, Chairman of the Board, Tech Data

Representatives from the principal stakeholders and liaisons to the Committee:

Joseph Zeoli, CDA Administration & Finance Director, City of St. Petersburg

Michael Kalt, Senior Vice President of Development, Tamp Bay Rays

Michael Meidel, Director of Economic Development, Pinellas County

Absent: Stuart Rogel, President and CEO, Tampa Bay Partnership, Liaison to the

Committee

Joe Bourdow, President, Valpak Direct Marketing Systems, Inc., Co-Chair,

Corporate Support CIG

Also present were:

Nancy Loeher, Community Relations Manager, Progress Energy Florida

CharleyHarris, Legal Counsel

Matt Mucci, Vice President Advocacy, Tampa Bay Partnership

Eva Andujar, City Clerk, City of St. Petersburg

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September 15, 2008 Minutes

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Concerning the Election of Officers, the following members were proposed and recommended by

Mr. Lyash:

Jeff Lyash - Chair

Judy Mitchell - Co-Chair

Alan Bomstein - Secretary and Treasurer. Committee Member Sher moved with the second of

Committee Member Johnson to approve the election of officers. Unanimous approval by

acclamation.

Chair Lyash reviewed the Mission: “A Baseball Community will serve as a community-wide effort

to identify what it will take to ensure major league baseball here is vital, viable and successful in

the long-term. All contributing members fully share in this fundamental proposition” and the

following three Objectives: (1) identifying, broadening and engaging fan support, (2) reaching out,

locally and regionally, to enhance corporate and community support, both in involvement and

sponsorships and (3) identifying and assessing possible new stadium locations, re-design,

financing, and development opportunities leading to recommendations to the community and

principal stakeholders. A general time frame to submit recommendations was discussed, but it was

clearly articulated the Committee will take as long as it needs to do a good job. In response to a

time frame, Mr. Kalt responded the sooner the better as we have acute business needs, but we do

not want to place an artificial time frame on the Committee’s work.

Chair Lyash provided a copy of the By-Laws and asked that questions be directed to Counsel, Mr.

Charley Harris, who will provide a report at the next meeting.

The Committee reviewed the Ground Rules and discussion ensued concerning what constitutes a

quorum for meetings or transaction of business, what is proper notice of Board meetings,

participation in meetings by conference telephone, etc. The Committee discussed whether public

input should be provided for at every meeting or at meetings where the Committee is hearing some

significant/controversial information or making a decision, time limitations for public input, etc.

Numerous other suggestions were discussed including the planning of outreach activities to solicit

public input which would be the sole purpose of the meeting. Mr. Bomstein to draft appropriate

language and bring back to the Committee.

Mr. Meidel expressed concern that the key liaisons be a separate body from the Board (not

included as non-voting members or ex-officio members of the Board) so that we are able to impart

information from the Board to outside parties and back to the Board. Chair Lyash indicated we

will ensure this is incorporated into the Articles of Incorporation/By Laws.

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September 15, 2008 Minutes

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Roberts Rules of Order shall prevail, the Chair shall control the agenda, minutes will be provided

to members and available to the public on the website, keep the citizens informed of our activities

and process we are using toward a final report and recommendations, the Co-Chair will act as

spokesperson, etc. Mr. Bomstein to make corrections discussed and distribute at the next meeting.

Chair Lyash stated the Committee will initially meet twice a month particularly as we move

through the phase of getting informed and may be less frequent as we move into a more analytical

phase and be tied more directly to milestones, etc. We may or may not meet on October 1.

Ms. Mitchell discussed the Community Involvement Groups who have a critical role in broadening

the span of community involvement and who will be doing much of the heavy lifting. They will

determine how they will operate, each CIG will create their membership and we suggest the Chairs

and Co-Chairs review the 300+ applicant submissions when establishing their respective group.

Board Members have been appointed as Chairs to each CIG and the Co-Chairs will be an outside

selectee. The size of each CIG will vary based on the topic they cover, their outreach, etc., but

it has to be a group the Chair can manage and fulfill their mission. Each CIG Chair and Co-Chair

to report at the October 17 meeting on their proposed membership, brief the Board on their Work

Plan (how they will proceed), etc. Mr. Harris indicated members can be added to the CIGs as

needed. Additional CIGs can be added if the scope of a CIG is too broad or if other areas/issues

need to be addressed. Approval or ratification of CIG membership will be done at the discretion

of the Chair and Co-Chair, starting with the nominations made to date but not constrained to that

and the identified membership of the CIG will be reported back to the Board to have an

opportunity to see who, why and raise objections, if any, but not formally approve the members.

Mr. Charley Harris reviewed Florida’s Government in the Sunshine Law and Public Records Act.

The Sunshine Law applies to any gathering of two or more members of the same board to discuss

matters which will foreseeably come before that board for action. When the Law applies, the

meetings must be open to the public, reasonable notice must be given and minutes taken. Mr.

Harris reviewed the penalties involved and expressed concern regarding the inadvertent violation

of the Sunshine Law. The Sunshine Law applies to the CIGs and suggested this type of

conversation take place when their membership is in place, CIG meetings must be noticed and

open to the public. Mr. Harris responded to specific questions from the Board and CIG chairs,

reviewed when certain communication can occur between staff which falls outside of the Sunshine

Law, etc.

Mr. Harris reviewed the Public Records Act which includes all documents, papers, letters, emails,

etc. made or received or connected with the transactions of official business of this Board

and CIGs. It was suggested that all Board communication copied to Nancy Loehr, Records

Custodian for the Board. The Board can share ideas and thoughts via e-mails, etc. with other

Board members, but it is a one-way communication. Anything provided to this Board is a public

record. There was extensive discussion regarding why these meetings fall within the Sunshine

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Law. Because this Committee was created at the request of an elected official and is doing fact

finding and will make recommendations, Mr. Harris stated complying with the Sunshine Law is

the prudent thing to do. Prior to the formation of the CIGs to identify membership/composition,

process, procedure, etc., the CIG Chair and Co-Chair can meet to discuss these issues without a

noticed meeting. Any discussion concerning the ultimate charge of the committee, i.e., how to get

more fan/corporate support should be done in a properly notice meeting. Mr. Harris to speak with

the CIG Chairs individually to provide them a comfort level concerning application of the

Sunshine Law.

Chair Lyash indicated the next meetings are scheduled for October 1 and October 17 at which time

we will discuss and revisit and finalize the By-Laws. Board Member Heck was asked to draft a

proposal on an initial public outreach effort (one or more meetings) - structure, proposed dates,

etc. for discussion at our next meeting. Board Members to submit via e-mail, to the Chair, topics

they feel they need to be educated on, questions related to those topics to build a knowledge base,

etc. The Chair will review the e-mails and draft proposed future agendas at the next meeting.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m.

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A Baseball Community (ABC) Meeting

September 15, 2008 Minutes

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