November 2008.pdfVOL.4 NO.11NOVEMBER 2008
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Mayport Road construction
continues towards com-
pletion, and with the
concrete work that will
better allow u-turns and
the landscaping going in
the medians, there is a
decided new look to the
road. Still to come is a few more weeks of
heavy construction as the top layer of asphalt
is put in place. In the near future, more work
will happen on Mayport Road as new signal
lights (hurricane proof) are put in place. Palm
trees with under-lighting at night will complete
the landscaping and make for a much more
attractive area both day and night. Atlantic
Beach and the Navy continue to cooperate
and support a strong Navy presence at
Mayport. The net effect of losing the USS
Kennedy and other ships has been a dramatic
loss in students at various beach schools,
primarily Finegan and Mayport Elementary.
Of concern is that when any school gets
down to operating at a low percentage of
total student capacity, the efficiency from the
School Boards financial perspective is degraded.
We simply do not want to see either of
those fine schools close, which would result
in busing our children out of the area. In
addition, the loss of Navy business to local
stores and businesses from a reduced Navy
presence has been a negative on top of the
general economic downturn. The Beaches
governments have always supported a
strong Mayport Naval Station and we value
the many sailors and their families that live
in our communities. Navy decisions on the
future of ships assigned to the Naval Station
are due out in November and we and our
congressional elected officials are monitoring
the situation closely.
city of atlantic beach newsletter
PROTECTING OUR LIQUID ASSETS
On November 7, 2008, our local television
station,WJCT,will be airing the important and
fascinating documentary,“Liquid Assets:The
Story of Our Water Infrastructure.”
Much of our nation’s water and wastewater
infrastructure – the systems that treat,
distribute, collect, and clean water – was
built nearly a century ago for a much smaller
population.Today,utilities must service expanding
communities and meet new regulatory
requirements with aging, overburdened
systems and shrinking budgets.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates
that over 20 percent of drinking water is lost
and 1.2 trillion gallons of storm water and
wastewater overflows every year due to leaks
and breaks in 800,000 miles of water pipe and
600,000 miles of sewer line across the country.
Projected costs range from $485 billion to
$1.2 trillion for needed improvements over the
next twenty years.
In Atlantic Beach, our water loss is much less
than that – averaging around 11 to 12 percent.
The City has an ongoing program of infrastructure
rehabilitation, though much work still needs to
be done.
“Liquid Assets” tells the story of our “hidden”
drinking water, wastewater, and storm water
systems from communities across the country
and the approaches the communities are taking
to solve problems.
“Liquid Assets”will air on WJCT on November 7,
2008 at 9:30 p.m.on DT 7.4 (Comcast 212).
Remember,water your lawn no more than
2 days per week—before 10 a.m. or after
4 p.m. For more information on saving
water,check out www.floridaswater.com.
John Meserve
Mayor
The City of Atlantic Beach has partnered with
the Public Trust Environmental Legal Institute
of Florida to create the Jacksonville Intracoastal
Salt Marsh Paddling Guide.The guide features
an impressive map highlighting launch points,
boat ramps, and even GPS coordinates for
paddlers to use when finding their way through
the jewel of Jac ksonville, the Intracoastal
Waterway. In addition to the map, the user will
find artist renderings of local flora and fauna,
passages from the likes of Rachel Carson and
John Delaney, and a history of this area which
was once known as “Illanda.” These guides are
free while supplies last and we hope that you
will use one on your next adventure to Dutton
Island, Cradle Creek, Castaway Island or any of
the other wonderful natural areas along the
Intracoastal Waterway.To request your free
guide visit http://jaxintracoastalpaddling.org.
INTRACOASTAL PADDLING GUIDES ARE NOW AVAILABLE
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE PHOTOS
To highlight some of the special events and activities that help define Atlantic Beach,the City is seeking
photographs from citizens that can be posted on the City website.Some photos may be posted for a
short time to highlight an event,while others may be posted for longer time periods to show off the
character of the City.A selection committee will review and select photos to be uploaded onto the
City website.
Anyone wishing to submit photos may do so by e-mailing digital photographs to ycalverley@coab.us
and providing a statement that gives the City permission to post the photograph.
CAB_NOV08.qxp 10/17/08 12:01 PM Page 1
city of atlantic beach newsletter
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.
John Meserve
MAYOR
John Fletcher
COMMISSIONER
Mike Borno
MAYOR PRO TEM
Paul Parsons
COMMISSIONER
Carolyn Woods
COMMISSIONER
Jim Hanson
CITY MANAGER
Alan Jensen
CITY ATTORNEY
Donna L. Bartle
CITY CLERK
CITY OFFICIALS
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www.coab.us •(904) 247-5800
CALENDAR
NOVEMBER 2008 DECEMBER 2008
Nov 10 City Commission Mtg | 6 p.m.
Nov 11 City Offices Closed | Veterans Day Holiday
Nov 12 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg | 7 p.m.
Nov 13 Pension Board of Trustees Mtg | 6 p.m.
Nov 18 Community Development Board Mtg |
6 p.m.
Nov 24 City Commission Mtg | 6 p.m.
Nov 25 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory
Committee Mtg | 7 p.m.
Nov 26 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg | 7 p.m.
Nov 27 City Offices Closed | Thanksgiving Holiday
& 28
Dec 8 City Commission Mtg | 6 p.m.
Dec 10 *Tree Conservation Board Mtg | 7 p.m.
Dec 16 Community Development Board Mtg |
6 p.m.
Dec 23 *Cultural Arts & Recreation Advisory
Committee Mtg | 7 p.m.
Dec 25 City Offices Closed | Christmas Holiday
& 26
SPECIAL EVENTS
Artisans’ Holiday Faire and Wine Tasting
November 20 — 5 to 9 p.m.
Adele Grage Cultural Center
The Cultural Arts and Recreation Advisory
Committee is hosting an Artisans’ Holiday Faire
featuring 10 or more Northeast Florida artists.
Unique and exceptional gifts for the holiday
season, music, refreshments, and wine-tasting
are offered during this one-time-only event.
Please join us!
Holiday Gift Tree & Toy Donations
The Holiday Gift Tree begins December 1 and will
be located at the Adele Grage Cultural Center.
Visit the center and select a child and gift to
make this holiday “something special” for a child
in our community.
Donations to the Toy Giveaway Party for Beaches
Children also begins December 1. New toys can be
dropped off at the Atlantic Beach Fire Station or at
the Donner Community Center before December
18. The Giveaway Party will be held Saturday,
December 20. For more information, contact Gail
Baker, Recreation Coordinator at 247-5828.
Annual Holiday Celebration & Tree Lighting
Beaches Town Center
Saturday, December 6 — 3 to 8 p.m.
The Beaches Town Center will kick off the holiday
season with the annual holiday celebration and tree
lighting on Saturday, December 6. The festivities
will begin at 3 p.m. with a bike parade through
Town Center and many activities to keep the little
ones busy including music, dance performances,
face painting, arts and crafts, hayrides and train
rides. The Mayors of Atlantic Beach and Neptune
Beach will light the community tree, and Santa and
Mrs. Claus will arrive by sleigh at 6 p.m.
Holiday Sing-along
Bull Park
Saturday, December 13 — 6 to 8 p.m.
Songs of the Season, Florida “snow” and a visit
from Santa will once again take place at Atlantic
Beach’s annual Holiday Sing-along at Bull Park.
Parents, children and community members of all
ages are invited to join us for an evening of
karaoke-style caroling, refreshments, and fun!
For more information about upcoming events,
visit the City of Atlantic Beach Calendar (Parks
and Recreation) and Special Events page at
www.coab.us/events or contact Recreation and
Special Events at 247-5828.
TREE ADOPTION PROGRAM
The City has begun planning for this year’s tree adoption program.The intent of this program is
to augment and maintain the City’s tree canopy by planting native trees in or near the City right-
of-way. In exchange for a resident’s agreement to adopt a tree and maintain it, the City will
purchase and plant the trees at a mutually agreed upon location.Anticipated tree options include
Live Oaks, Drake Elms (for locations under or near power lines), tree form hollies and crape
myrtles.Tree adoption forms will be available in early December and can be picked up at City
Hall, Public Works or downloaded from the City’s website (www.coab.us).
Many residents have noticed the Bay trees in
their yards,city rights-of-way and parks are dead
or dying.The Asian Ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus
glabratus) is killing Red Bay trees along the coast
of South Carolina and into northern Georgia and
northern Florida.The beetle kills the trees by
injecting a fungus into the stem that cuts off the
flow of water.The dead trees do not represent an
immediate hazard and should be stable in all but
a direct hit by a tropical storm, but should be
considered for removal.Debris from these trees
should be disposed of as trash and not mixed
with green waste to be used for mulch.The City
has begun removal from parks and rights-of-way
and has budgeted additional funds for the
upcoming fiscal year, prioritizing those near
streets,trails or park boundaries.The City will
only remove dead trees on public property.
Removal of dead trees on private property will
be the responsibility of property owners.Please
call Public Works at 247-5834 with questions
or contact Larry Figart,urban forester with the
Duval County extension service,at 387-8850.
RED BAY TREES DEAD OR DYING
HOLIDAY SANITATION PICKUP
Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, there will be no pickup on Thanksgiving Day.Thursday’s
scheduled service will be Friday and Friday’s collection will be Saturday.
ABET PRESENTS SANDERS FAMILY CHRISTMAS
Musical Comedy | Connie Ray | December 5 - 20, 2008
Sequel to the popular hit “Smoke on the Mountain.” The Sanders family keeps the audience laughing,
clapping and singing along with over two dozen Christmas favorites.A richly entertaining, wildly
infectious musical.
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