June 2007.pdfVOL.3 NO.6JUNE 2007
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School is out and
summer is here.
Where has the
time gone? Many
of you are about to
leave for a well
deserved summer
vacation while
others will enjoy
the lazy summer
months at home.
Please be cognizant of your well-being,
that of your family and those that you
may come across.
Your elected officials are carefully
following the tax reform debates in
Tallahassee. Compromise will forge the
outcome of the referendum that will be
put to a vote statewide. Budgets of all
municipalities will be affected. I have
discussed this in great depth with our
City Manager and we are prepared to
explain to you, to the best of our
ability, the pros and cons as to the
compromise bill that we will have the
opportunity to vote upon this fall. It is
imperative that we understand in the
clearest of terms what this vote will
mean to each of us personally and to
our municipality collectively.
I am pleased to report that I have
requested and received from the U.S.
Navy their support of our efforts to
retain ferry service crossing the
St. Johns River at Mayport. It is my
intention to request through the
City of Jacksonville, as our county
representative, that the state of
Florida permanently fund future
financial shortfalls in order to maintain
Florida Highway A1A.
Your commissioners have joined me
in our effort to request that the Moody
shipyard site be developed in such a
fashion so as not to minimize the
adverse impact upon traffic patterns
at the western foot of the intracoastal
bridge at the point of ingress and
egress for this development during
peak times of travel, as well as during
hurricane evacuations. While the LUZ
city of atlantic beach newsletter
4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS
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For the 4th of July celebration each year,the City of Atlantic Beach co-sponsors the public fireworks
display in Jacksonville Beach.This display is designed and operated by professionals who are able to
minimize the danger of injuries and/or fires resulting from the fireworks.Each year,many of our
residents take lawn chairs to the beach and enjoy the show from Atlantic Beach.
Each year more than 10,000 people are taken to emergency rooms as a result of personal firework
injuries.The injured people are disproportionately under the age of 15 and a significant number of
these injuries result in permanent blindness.Additionally,more than 20,000 fires are reported to fire
departments as a result of 4th of July celebrations.
Considering the recent drought conditions and the wildfires in our region,the City of Atlantic Beach
strongly discourages the possession and/or use of personal fireworks and reminds residents that
fireworks that explode and/or fly are prohibited by state law and local ordinance.Plus,the resulting
smoke obscures the view of the public fireworks display on the beach.
Following a storm, it is essential that the City’s
drainage system work in order to minimize
flooding. Never place trees, limbs, and other
debris in the roadway,along curbs or in medians.
Our streets are actually part of the City’s
engineered stormwater system.This type of
debris placed or left in the streets will act as
a dam and can quickly result in widespread
flooding. Debris placed in the street could also
interfere with or prohibit emergency response
vehicles from reaching a call. Such storm
debris should be placed next to the roadway,
well clear of any interference with the street.
Also, be aware that yard debris can never be
placed on vacant lots, in parks, street medians
or on any unpaved streets. Placing debris in
these areas could create a safety hazard and is
likely to result in a fine to the property owner.
HURRICANE SEASON BEGINS JUNE 1
If a tree or large limbs fall on your property,
please ensure that any contractor you hire to
remove the tree is properly licensed to do this
type of work, and most importantly, verify
that the company or individual has insurance
coverage, including liability insurance, in case
his actions cause additional damage to your
home. He must also have Workmen’s
Compensation Insurance. Otherwise, you
could be liable if one of his workers is injured
while working on your property.
Unfortunately,big storms provide opportunities
for unscrupulous persons claiming to be
qualified to remove and dispose of storm
debris.There are numerous qualified tree
removal companies in the area, and all will
gladly supply their credentials upon request.
If you have large trees in your yard, it might
be wise to contact some of these companies
as part of your hurricane preparation planning.
Be aware that it is the responsibility of any
tree-trimming contractor, lawn service
provider or other contractor to remove and
properly dispose of trees and debris.These
private contractors are not allowed to place
debris along city streets to later be removed
by the City. Should we have such a storm, the
City’s Public Works Department will have a
large task in clearing public streets so that
emergency vehicles can reach properties and
residents can safely return to their homes.
Tree removal companies cannot be allowed
to delay or make this process more difficult.
Post Storm Green Waste and Debris Pickup
Use Caution with Contractors Removing Fallen Trees and Storm Debris
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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Committee has been non-supportive
of our position, we have requested
that Mayor Peyton intercede in order
that we not be placed at the mercy
of excessive traffic congestion at this
juncture.
Furthermore, your commission has
vigilantly opposed the removal of
the Atlantic Blvd./Kernan Rd. inter-
change overpass that was ratified
in the Better Jacksonville Plan. It is
essential that the proposed overpass
be constructed so beach citizens and
Jacksonville citizens living east of this
intersection have minimal traffic
obstruction during peak traffic times
and mandated hurricane evacuations.
In closing, I extend to former
Commissioner Rick Beaver and his
family our heartfelt sympathy for the
loss of Rick’s lovely wife, Fran. Our city
lost one of our finest ladies and we are
all blessed for having known Fran for all
these years. She has left a beautiful
legacy for her family and for our city.
HURRICANE PLANS AND
REENTRY PASSES
The City of Jacksonville website
(www.coj.net) provides detailed
recommendations for planning
before, during, and after a hurricane
on their Fire and Rescue Department’s
Emergency Preparedness page, under
the word “hurricanes.” The City of
Atlantic Beach website (www.coab.us)
also contains links to hurricane
evacuation information on the Police
and Safety main page.
Hurricane Reentry passes have been
distributed to Atlantic Beach residents
during the past several years, and those
passes continue to be valid. However,
if someone is new to the City of Atlantic
Beach or they have misplaced their
Hurricane Reentry pass, then additional
passes are available from City Hall
and/or the Atlantic Beach Police
Department, Monday through Friday,
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Jun 10 *Songwriter's Concert | 6 - 8 p.m.
Jun 11 City Commission Mtg | 7:15 p.m.
Jun 13 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg| 7 p.m.
Jun 14 Board Member Review Committee
Mtg | 5 p.m.
Jun 18 District Representation Study
Committee Mtg | 7 p.m.
Jun 19 Community Development Board Mtg |
7 p.m.
Jun 24 *Acoustics Night at Bull Memorial
Park | 6 - 8 p.m.
Jun 25 City Commission Mtg | 7:15 p.m.
Jun 26 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory
Committee Mtg | 7 p.m.
Jun 27 District Representation Study
Committee Mtg | 7 p.m.
Jun 27 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg|
7 p.m.
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www.coab.us •(904) 247-5800
JUNE 2007
Jul 4 Independence Day - City Offices
Closed
Jul 8 *Songwriter’s Concert | 6 - 8 p.m.
Jul 9 City Commission Mtg | 7:15 p.m.
Jul 10 Code Enforcement Board Mtg | 7 p.m.
Jul 11 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg |
7 p.m.
Jul 12 Board Member Review Committee
Mtg | 5 p.m.
Jul 17 Community Development Board
Mtg | 7 p.m.
Jul 22 *Acoustics Night at Bull Memorial
Park | 6 - 8 p.m.
Jul 23 City Commission Mtg | 7:15 p.m.
Jul 24 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory
Committee Mtg | 7 p.m.
Jul 25 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg| 7 p.m.
JULY 2007
Donald M. Wolfson
Mayor
The City of Atlantic Beach has recently begun using an emergency telephone notification system
called FirstCall Interactive Network.This system is used to notify citizens of emergencies (missing
children, active police emergencies, etc.), potential hazards (hurricane evacuations), or vital public
interest notifications (crime alerts, boil-water alerts, etc.).
Primary telephone numbers of residents and businesses in Atlantic Beach are included in the
FirstCall database.Additional telephone numbers such as cell, work, and unlisted numbers can be
registered directly by citizens through the FirstCall website.These phone numbers are not subject
to public disclosure.
For more information,call Officer Tiffany Layson at (904) 247-5859.
FIRSTCALL INTERACTIVE NETWORK:
QUICK NOTIFICATIONS FOR BEACHES RESIDENTS
For people who wish to register cell,
work, or unlisted telephone numbers
through the FirstCall website, follow
the directions below:
1.Go to www.firstcall.net.
2.Click on “Unlisted Number Registration”
3.Enter your name,address,city,state,zip,
and alternate telephone number.
4.Click on submit.(There is a clause that
states,“FirstCall will never use private
information for solicitation purposes or
sell information to any third parties.”)
For people who do not have Internet
service or prefer to register additional
telephone numbers by phone,follow the
directions below:
1.Call FirstCall’s toll-free registration line at
(866) 484-3264.
2.Enter your name,address,city,state,zip,and
alternate telephone number.A separate call
must be made for each additional number.
3.The system will provide a call back confirming
the registration.