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August 2005.pdfVOL.1 NO.1AUGUST 2005 F R O M T H E M A Y O R If we experience a major storm this year,priority will be given to picking up yard debris that is bagged, containerized or cut to the normal size for pickup.Leaves and clippings should be placed behind the curb in plastic barrels, boxes or dis- posable plastic or waterproof bags.Tree trunks, stumps,limbs,and trimmings should be cut to a maximum of four (4) feet in length and weigh less than forty (40) pounds. To keep the drainage systems working please do not place trees, limbs, and other debris in the roadway or medians. The debris should be placed next to the roadway and not in the street where it will obstruct drainage. Yard debris may not be placed on vacant lots, City medians, parks, drainage easements or unpaved right-of-ways.This is considered illegal dumping, and is subject to a fine and delayed pickup. Residents living along streets with sep- arate 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 and not in the medians. NOTICE: If a tree trimming contractor, lawn service provider or other professional is hired by a private homeowner to remove trees and/or limbs, the contractor is responsible for removing the resulting debris. Private contractors are not allowed to place the debris at the curb to be removed by the City. With four named storms in July, the highest ever recorded in that month, it looks like we are in for another lively summer in Atlantic Beach from a weather standpoint. Maintaining good preparations is what we all have to do between now and October. Enough has been said in the news about emer- gency supplies, but having an overall plan of action, i.e., preparing our houses and grounds, and having an evacu- ation plan, is just as important. Last year many homes were without electricity for extended periods of time. Buying an emergency generator became a hot topic. One comment on the use of an emergency generator is they cannot be connected to the house grid without special circuits and hav- ing the right size generator, a very expensive proposition. Of course, if the whole area is severely damaged, fuel for the city of atlantic beach newsletter Letting the kids play in the hose during these hot, humid days sounds like fun. So here are some things to remember about your hose that can save water and keep your water bill low: • Outfit your hose with an adjustable shut- off nozzle that will automatically close when it’s released. When finished using the hose, shut it off at the faucet instead of the nozzle to avoid leaks. • Check all hoses, connectors and spigots regularly and repair any leaks promptly. Use hose washers between spigots and hoses to prevent leaks. • Do not leave hoses on while unattended. If using a hose sprinkler for watering,be sure to set a timer to remind yourself to turn it off. • Do not hose down driveways or sidewalks. Use a broom to remove dirt or debris. • If you wash your own car, park on pervious areas to do so. Consider having your car washed at a commercial facility that recycles their water instead. For more information on water conservation, check out the St. Johns River Water Management District’s conservation website at www.floridaswater.com. Remember – No Watering Between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM! SAVE WATER—HOSE TIPS FOR THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER (continued on back) HURRICANE CLEANUP: POST STORM YARD DEBRIS PICKUP aug.qxp 7/18/05 1:49 PM Page 1 city of atlantic beach newsletter CALENDAR Aug. 7 *Songwriter’s Concert |6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Aug. 8 City Commission Meeting | 7:15 p.m. Aug. 10 *Tree Conservation Board Meeting | 7:00 p.m. Aug. 11 **Pension Board of Trustees Meeting| 6:00 p.m. Aug. 16 Community Development Board Meeting | 7:00 p.m. Aug. 18 Board Member Review Committee Meeting | 5:00 p.m. Aug. 21 *Acoustic Night |6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Aug. 22 City Commission Meeting | 7:15 p.m. Aug. 23 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory Committee Meeting | 7:00 p.m. Aug. 24 *Tree Conservation Board Meeting | 7:00 p.m. AUGUST 2005 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. SEPTEMBER 2005 Sept. 11 *Songwriter’s Concert |6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sept. 12 City Commission Meeting | 7:15 p.m. Sept. 13 Code Enforcement Board Meeting | 7:00 p.m. Sept. 14 *Tree Conservation Board Meeting| 7:00 p.m. Sept. 15 Board Member Review Committee Meeting | 5:00 p.m. Sept. 18 *Acoustic Night |6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sept. 20 Community Development Board Meeting | 7:00 p.m. Sept. 26 City Commission Meeting | 7:15 p.m. Sept. 27 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory Committee Meeting | 7:00 p.m. Sept. 28 *Tree Conservation Board Meeting | 7:00 p.m. • Every person riding a bicycle has all of the rights AND all of the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle. This means that bicyclists must follow the same traffic laws as vehicles (i.e.stop at stop signs,signal when turning,etc.). • A bicycle may not be used to carry more people that it is designed or equipped to carry (there must be a sepa- rate seat for each person). • Bicycle riders and passengers under the age of 16 years MUST wear a properly fitted and secured bicycle helmet that meets nationally recognized standards for bicycle helmets. • A bicyclist must ride on the side of the road reserved for his direction of travel (same direc- tion as traffic is going). • At least one hand must be kept on the handlebars while riding. All of the bicycle laws in Florida can be found in the Florida Statute book, Chapter 316.2065. For further informa- tion about bicycle safety,contact Officer Tiffany Layson of the Atlantic Beach Police Department at 247-5859. FLORIDA BICYCLE LAWS (F.S. 316.2065) C U R R E N T S MAYOR’S LETTER (cont.) generator might not be avail- able. Generator fumes killed at least one person locally last year, so they are a stopgap solution at best. The Commission had a briefing recently by the Jacksonville Electric Authority. Since last year significant improvements to the system have been made, including a better ability to know just where the power outages are located. Better communications with our local government was promised, so, from an electrical power stand- point, I believe the community is in better shape. Hopefully we’ll dodge any major storm, but let’s be prepared just in case. City of Atlantic Beach Gets a New Look The City of Atlantic Beach has redesigned its monthly newsletter and has developed an all-purpose graphic for use on several of the city’s informational materials. The new banner-style graphic will initially be used as a mast- head for the city’s newsletter and Web site. As you can see, it features photographs of locations and activities specific to Atlantic Beach. Resized and redesigned to fit a single sheet, the city’s monthly newsletter will now be inserted and delivered along with residents’ utility bills. The city believes this method will be the most cost-effective and the most convenient for our residents. John S. Meserve Mayor aug.qxp 7/18/05 1:49 PM Page 2