August 2006.pdfVOL.2 NO.8AUGUST 2006
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While touring
Europe this past
June, I found
myself comparing
what I saw and
experienced there
with what existed or had been
accomplished during more than a
decade of public service here in
Atlantic Beach. The thing which
struck me the most, and most
often, was the lack of trees and
barrenness of the inner city.
Because many of these cities had
their foundations laid out in either
antiquity, the Middle Ages, the
Renaissance or even the belligerent
17th or 18th centuries, they were
often established on hilltops,
rugged ridges and mountaintops
where defense was the main
consideration and real estate
was at a premium after the main
fortifications were built.
Consequently, there was little
room for trees, gardens, and parks.
Since safety still remains the priority
and tourism has made the historic
centers with their castles, churches
and ruins profitable, people continue
to live in the inner city, but that
they miss the natural environment
is obvious. I saw small balconies
overflowing with bougainvillea,
trumpet plants, cacti, succulents,
small palms and sagos. Beachside,
where houses were staggered up
the hill, helter-skelter and with one
on top of the other, balconies and
tiny yards blossomed again. In fact,
I was amazed that two and three
stories of a facade could be covered
with red or purple bougainvillea.
In short, I drew the conclusion that
city of atlantic beach newsletter
CROSSING GUARDS
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This year,August 7 will be the first day of
school for Duval County students.The
Atlantic Beach Police Department would
like to remind you, as summer vacations are
beginning to wind down, to prepare to slow
down in the posted school crossing zones.
Do you remember Charlie Rudd, the military
veteran who would smile and salute you as
you drove by his crossing guard station each
day? How about Mrs.Akers, who helped to
cross your children at 11th and Seminole,
and would give them cookies whenever they
paid attention to her instructions? Or more
recently, David Rouleau stationed at Seaspray
and Seminole who always dressed neatly and
properly in his white long sleeve shirt and
dress pants? To celebrate the holidays, David
would wear bunny ears at Easter or a
graduation cap to signal the end of another
school year.All of the City’s guards, past and
present, had one goal in mind, and that was
to see that your children’s journey to school
would be a safe one.
Can you remember a favorite crossing guard
from your school days? Are you interested
in becoming a crossing guard for the City
of Atlantic Beach? If so, contact Human
Resources at 247-5820.We provide a
comprehensive training program for School
Crossing Guards, according to the uniform
guidelines adopted by the Florida Department
of Transportation.We take your child’s safety
seriously.
Collect rainwater to use for watering plants and
rinsing off gardening tools! The Southwest
Florida Water Management District provides
instructions on a low cost way to install a rain
barrel at your house.You can purchase the food-
grade plastic 50-gallon drums for about $10.
A half inch rainfall can fill up your entire barrel.
In addition to saving water,you’ll be helping to
reduce the amount of storm water that would
settle around the foundation of your home or
run off into the local streams.
Learn how to make your own rain barrel at
http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conserva-
tion/rainbarrel/.They have directions plus a
short video.
Remember — Only water two days per
week,before 10 a.m.or after 4 p.m.!
RECYCLE THE RAIN!
The new access to the Mayport Road Post Office parking lot from Plaza Drive is now open.
Customers may now avoid making left turns across traffic on Mayport Road to reach the Post
Office.The driveway is just east of Mayport Road and allows southbound traffic to turn at the
Plaza Drive traffic light,then make a right-hand turn into the Post Office.Customers continuing
southbound may exit the parking lot on this same road and again use the traffic light to gain safe
entry onto Mayport Road.
TIRED OF RISKING LIFE AND LIMB TO REACH THE POST OFFICE?
MAYPORT ROAD POST OFFICE
ACCESS FROM PLAZA DRIVE NOW OPEN
city of atlantic beach newsletter
CALENDAR
Meetings are held in the Commission Chambers unless otherwise indicated.
* These events will be held at Adele Grage Cultural Center,716 Ocean Blvd.
** These events will be held in the North Conference Room at City Hall,800 Seminole Road.
Donald Wolfson
MAYOR
Jamie Fletcher
COMMISSIONER
J. Dezmond Waters, III
MAYOR PRO TEM
Sylvia Simmons
COMMISSIONER
Mike Borno
COMMISSIONER
Jim Hanson
CITY MANAGER
Alan Jensen
CITY ATTORNEY
Donna Bussey
CITY CLERK
CITY OFFICIALS
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men may live where they have to,
but if choice were possible, they
would choose a much more “green”
environment.
Drawing that conclusion validates a
large area of my public life. Early on
in my first campaign, newspapers
tagged Lyman Fletcher and me as
the “green twins,” referring to our
intent to preserve and enhance the
City’s canopy. Under the leadership
of Mayor Bill Gulliford, we began
our first tentative steps in the revi-
talization of Atlantic Boulevard —
a revitalization which reached its
culmination and completion when
Kelly Elmore brought Greenscape
of Jacksonville to negotiate with
FDOT and finish the project. The
Tree Conservation Board has now
existed for more than a decade with
great success in influencing home-
owners to preserve the trees on
their property. Finally, the City
Manager has been insistent that we
spend “tree board fines” as quickly
as possible on planting trees
throughout the City with the inten-
tion of creating a cool tree canopy
down the major streets of Atlantic
Beach as well as compensating for
tree removals. Tree conservation —
both preservation and renewal —
have become and remain everybody’s
responsibility. Let’s all keep up the
good work!
J. Dezmond Waters, III
Mayor Pro Tem
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
The City’s Annual Campout Under the
Stars Family Fun Day is scheduled
for October 7 & 8. This year’s event
will feature live animals, a bonfire,
music, food, games, and much
more. Registration is $10 per site
and begins August 1. For additional
information, please call 247-5828.
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www.coab.us •(904) 247-5800
Did you know it is illegal to set your trash
out prior to 6:00 p.m.the night before your
scheduled trash day or that empty trash
containers are required to be brought in by
midnight on the same day your trash is picked
up? City Code:Section 16-3
What about yard debris? You are limited to no
more than five cubic yards a week,not each
day but a week.No single item may exceed five
(5) feet in length or forty (40) pounds.If what
you’re putting out for pickup looks too big,it
probably is.If a contractor (including your lawn
service) trims your palms or cuts down a tree
and says don’t worry,the city will pick it up,
WORRY! City Code:Section 16-5
Yard debris may not be placed on vacant lots,
City medians,parks or right-of-ways.These
are considered to be illegal dumps,are subject
to a fine and delays pick up of debris.
Residents living along streets with separate
medians (e.g.Plaza,Selva Marina,Saturiba,
and other roads in the Selva Norte and
Oceanwalk areas) are reminded they are to
place their waste on their side of the street,
not in the medians.
For additional information concerning trash
and yard waste pickup call Public Works at
(904) 247-5834.For reporting violations of
City Code call (904) 247-5855.
TRASH AND YARD DEBRIS REMOVAL
Aug 7 *Neighbor-to-Neighbor Beachside Chat
| 7- 8:30 p.m.
Aug 8 Neighbor-to-Neighbor Beachside Chat -
Jordan Park Community Center,1671
Francis Avenue | 7- 8:30 p.m.
Aug 9 Neighbor-to-Neighbor Beachside Chat -
Donner Park Community Center,2072
George Street| 7- 8:30 p.m.
Aug 9 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg| 7 p.m.
Aug 10 Neighbor-to-Neighbor Beachside Chat -
Oceanside Church of Christ,1029 Snug
Harbor Court | 7- 8:30 p.m.
Aug 10 **Pension Board of Trustees | 6 p.m.
Aug 12 Fun Run on the Beach - Atlantic Beach
Lifeguard Station | 6 p.m.
Aug 13 *Songwriter’s Concert | 6-8 p.m.
Aug 14 Budget Workshop | 5 p.m.
Aug 14 City Commission Mtg | 7:15 p.m.
Aug 15 Community Development Board Mtg |
7 p.m.
Aug 17 Board Member Review Committee
Mtg | 5 p.m.
Aug 22 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory
Committee | 7 p.m.
Aug 23 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg | 7 p.m.
Aug 27 *Acoustics Night at Bull Park |
6-8 p.m.
Aug 28 City Commission Mtg | 7:15 p.m.
Aug 30 Budget Workshop | 5 p.m.
AUGUST 2006
Sep 3 *Songwriter’s Concert | 6 - 8 p.m.
Sep 11 City Commission Mtg | 7:15 p.m.
Sep 12 Code Enforcement Board Mtg | 7 p.m.
Sep 13 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg | 7 p.m.
Sep 14 Board Member Review Committee
Mtg | 5 p.m.
Sep 19 Community Development Board Mtg |
7 p.m.
Sep 17 *Acoustics Night at Bull Park |
6 - 8 p.m.
Sep 25 City Commission Mtg | 7:15 p.m.
Sep 26 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory
Committee | 7 p.m.
Sep 27 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg | 7 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 2006
The City of Atlantic Beach currently has vacancies on the Cultural Arts and Recreation
Advisory Committee.If you are interested in serving on this Committee,we would like
to hear from you immediately.The City also has a Code Enforcement Board,Community
Development Board,two Pension Boards — one for police employees and the other for
general employees,and a Tree Conservation Board.For information about the responsibilities
of a specific committee or board,or to obtain an application form,please contact the City
Clerk at 247-5809 or visit our website at www.coab.us.
BOARD/COMMITTEE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED