November 2014.pdf Visit us on facebook! www.coab.us/facebook
November 2014
Nov 6 Charter Review Committee Meeting 5 pm
Nov 10 City Commission Meeting 6:30 pm
Nov 11 Veterans Day - City Offices Closed
Nov 13 Pension Board Meeting (North Conference Room) 6:30 pm
Nov 17 Code Enforcement Board Meeting 6 pm
Nov 18 Community Development Board Meeting 6 pm
Nov 20 Charter Review Committee Meeting 5 pm
Nov 24 City Commission Meeting 6: 30 pm
Nov 25 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory Committee 6 pm
Nov 27-28 Thanksgiving Holiday - City Offices Closed
December 2014
Dec 4 Charter Review Committee Meeting 5 pm
Dec 8 City Commission Meeting 6:30 pm
Dec 11 Pension Board Meeting (North Conference Room) 6:30 pm
Dec 16 Community Development Board Meeting 6 pm
Dec 18 Charter Review Committee Meeting 5 pm
Dec 23 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory Committee 6 pm
Dec 24-25 Christmas Holiday – City Offices Closed
December 2014
Dec 3 Wednesday Market – Bull Park 3-6 pm
Dec 6 Holiday Celebration and Tree Lighting – Town Center
Dec 10 Wednesday Market – Bull Park 3-6 pm
Dec 17 Wednesday Market – Bull Park 3-6 pm
Dec 18 North Beaches Art Walk – Town Center & Adele Grage 5-9 pm
Reception for the Artist – Adele Grage 5-9 pm
Dec 21 Songwriters’ Concert – Adele Grage 6-8 pm
Dec 24 Wednesday Market – Bull Park 3-6 pm
Dec 31 Wednesday Market – Bull Park 3-6- pm
www.coab.us/recreation
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www.coab.us • (904) 247-5800
CITY OFFICIALS
Carolyn Woods, Mayor
Mark Beckenbach, Mayor Pro-Tem
Maria Mark, Commissioner
Jonathan Daugherty, Commissioner
Jimmy Hill, Commissioner
Nelson Van Liere, City Manager
Donna Bartle, City Clerk
November 2014
Nov 5 Wednesday Market – Bull Park 3-6 pm
Nov 12 Wednesday Market – Bull Park 3-6 pm
Nov 16 Songwriters’ Concert – Adele Grage 6-8 pm
Nov 19 Wednesday Market – Bull Park 3-6 pm
Nov 20 Holiday Artisans’ Faire – Adele Grage 5-9 pm
Nov 20 North Beaches Art Walk – Town Center & Adele Grage 5-9 pm
Nov 26 Wednesday Market – Bull Park 3-6 pm
BEGIN YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING EARLY THIS YEAR
As the holiday shopping season quickly approaches,
keep in mind that we have wonderful local shopping
opportunities if you are inclined to look for special
gifts in a pleasant and calmer environment rather
than fight the traffic, crowds and madness of the
malls and big box stores. Our Town Center has
many wonderful small shops and will once again
be a colorful and festive holiday scene unique to any other in the Jacksonville area. The
North Beaches Arts Walk on Thursday, November 20th, will be the perfect opportunity to
enjoy the area and find special gift items at local shops and from Arts Walk participants.
Another great place to pick up special and unique gifts is at the Holiday Artisans’ Faire
on November 21st at the Adele Grage Cultural Center. This one night only event is
held from 5 to 9 pm and will feature exceptional artists displaying their unique gifts for
the holiday season. This is one event you don’t want to miss. So bring your family to
the Holiday Artisans’ Faire to enjoy refreshments and some festive holiday shopping.
Meetings are held in the Commission Chamber unless otherwise indicated.
* These events will be held at Adele Grage Cultural Center, 716 Ocean Blvd.
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Reminder – Irrigation Schedules Change on November 2, 2014
When the time changes from Daylight Savings Time to Eastern Standard Time on
November 2, remember to change the settings on your irrigation system.
During the fall and winter months, you are only allowed to irrigate one day per week,
before 10:00 a.m. and after 4:00 p.m. Know your days:
Saturday – Homes with odd numbered addresses
Sunday – Homes with even numbered addresses
Tuesday – Non-residential properties
Note that golf courses, cemeteries and recreational facilities such as ballfields are
not restricted to the one-day per week schedule as long as they irrigate before 10:00
a.m. and after 4:00 p.m. For more information on irrigation restrictions and water
conservation, go to www.FloridasWater.com.
Holiday Celebration & Tree Lighting
Charge those camera batteries! The Beaches Town Center along with the Cities of Atlantic
Beach and Neptune Beach are sponsoring a holiday kick-off celebration on Saturday,
December 6th. The festivities will begin at 3:00 pm with a
bike parade through Town Center and everyone is invited
to decorate their bikes and join in the fun. There will be
many activities to keep the little ones busy including music,
dance performances, face painting, arts and crafts for all
ages and carriage rides. The Mayors of both cities will light
the community tree and Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive by
sleigh at 6 pm for the tree lighting and visit with the kids. For more information, go to
www.beachestowncenter.com.
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Dear Neighbors
November is famous for three things; elections, Veterans Day and
Thanksgiving. I for one am thankful for all three.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014 is the date for our national, state and
local elections. In my mind our elections are our way of preserving the
rights and privileges we enjoy from all of our hard won battles. For more
information about our elections you can visit the Duval county elections
office website: http://www.duvalelections.com. In addition, Keep It
Local, Florida specializes in the latest political and policy news affecting
Florida’s local communities. They claim, “We’re not partisan. But we do
have a point-of-view. Put simply, we believe in local control: The idea
that government closest to the people tends to govern best.” As a local
official I tend to agree, see what you think at http://keepitlocalflorida.
org. The Florida League of Cities is another great resource for local
concerns, http://www.floridaleagueofcities.com.
On Veterans Day we honor all the veterans who have fought our battles
of freedom for us. This year marked the 225th anniversary of the
signing of the Declaration of Independence. In short, this document
asserted our claim to self-governance and we as a nation, through our
veterans of foreign wars, have been helping others achieve this goal
throughout the world practically ever since. Please plan to attend the
ceremony honoring veterans at the Beaches Veterans Memorial Park in
Atlantic Beach on Tuesday, November 11th at 2 pm.
And finally, there is Thanksgiving, one of America’s original, best
known and favorite holidays. It is a time to relax, enjoy family, another
American original football, and most importantly to reflect on all of our
blessings and share our bounty. According to http://www.plimoth.org
“Today’s national Thanksgiving celebration is a blend of two traditions:
the New England custom of rejoicing after a successful harvest, based
on ancient English harvest festivals; and the Puritan Thanksgiving,
a solemn religious observance combining prayer and feasting.”
Blessings to you and yours,
Carolyn Woods
Are You Interested in Serving the City?
The City of Atlantic Beach has several volunteer boards and committees that provide a valuable service to the operations of the City. Citizens who are interested in serving their community through volunteer service are encouraged to complete
an application form which can be obtained from the City Clerk or from the City’s
website at www.coab.us. If you have any questions regarding the duties of the
boards and committees, please contact the City Clerk at 247-5809.
Boards and Committees Meeting Dates
Code Enforcement Board Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept & Nov
Community Development Board Monthly
Cultural Arts and Recreation Advisory Committee Monthly
Police Pension Board Monthly
General Employee Pension Board Monthly
Board Member Review Committee As needed Floodplain Management Program Update
The Building and Zoning Department recently submitted the 2014 recertification
package to the Insurance Services Office (ISO). The City of Atlantic Beach
Community Rating System (CRS) is based upon participation in the FEMA program
which allows discounts for flood insurance to residential and commercial property
owners. Currently, Atlantic Beach is rated as a Class 7 community which allows
a 15 percent discount for flood insurance. The CRS participation includes such
activities as outreach programs, maintaining floodplain management materials,
preserving open space within the floodplain, providing floodplain map information
to citizens, enforcing current building code and storm water management regulations
and maintaining City drainage systems. The Building and Zoning Department also
provides copies of Elevation Certificates for structures that have been built in the
floodplain. The City is pleased to participate in a program that offers such insurance
discounts. For additional information, contact us at (904) 247-5826 or stop by
the Building and Zoning Department at City Hall
“Be an Angel” Gift Tree
The City of Atlantic Beach “Be an Angel” gift tree is ready for “Angels” with a
selection of holiday gift ideas for children in need of a gift this holiday season.
Stop by the Adele Grage Cultural Center on weekdays from 8 am to noon and 1
to 4:30 pm to select a child from our gift tree and make this holiday “something
special” for a child in our local community. Please return wrapped gifts to the
Adele Grage Cultural Center at 716 Ocean Blvd., no later than 4 pm on Wednesday,
December 17th. For more information contact the Recreation and Special Events
Office at 247-5828.
ATLANTIC BEACH TOY DRIVE
Light up a child’s face and heart! The City of Atlantic Beach is holding a toy drive
for children in our north beaches area. Anyone wishing to participate can drop off
new unwrapped toys at the Atlantic Beach Fire Station, 850 Seminole Road by
Wednesday, December 17th. Contact the Recreation and Special Events Office at
247-5828 for more information.
Thanks for helping us make a child’s holiday season brighter.