12-1991 Atlantic Beach Courier1 if Ell III
William I. Gulliford, Mayor
)mmissioners: Lyman T. Fletcher, Glenn A. Edwards, Adelaide R. Tucker, J. Dezmond Waters,
Alan C. Jensen, City Attorney, Kim D. Leinbach, City Manager, Maureen King, City Clerk
City Of Atlantic Beach
BOARDS
George Bull, Jr.
Mattie Freeman
Heywood Dowling, Jr.
Herbert Moller
John J. Venn Barbara Bonner
Edward Martin
(Meets 1st Tuesday every two months)
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD
Ruth Gregg Samuel T. Howie
W. Gregg McCaulie Robert Frohwein
Don Wolfson Mark McGowan
(Meets 3rd Tuesday of each month)
PENSION BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Joseph Garvin Joan LaVake
Richard E. White Ronald W. Wingate
Alison Brown
J. C. Green
P.J. Wetherhold
HOSPITAL BOARD
Dorothy Kerber, Atlantic Beach Representative
John Weldon, Jr.
Carolyn Woods
Jim Pelkey
Sandy Sheppard
Thomas Frohne
(Meets 3rd Monday of each month)
RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
Donald Fagan Henry Batts
Jeff Croom David Turner
Richard Riley
(Meets 2nd Thursday of each month)
FROM THE MAYOR'S DESK
We approach this Holiday Season with many
concerns about the state of our economy, and with
numerous problems facing our country. For many of us,
it may seem difficult to get excited about the upcoming
holidays when barraged by stories about the homeless,
the jobless, a credit crunch, faltering businesses, and all
the bad news of our time. But maybe in all this
adversity, it is even more important to resurrect the old
and true meaning of this season; of giving, no matter
how little; of sharing with family, friends, and those we
do not know; of reflecting on what we have, no matter
how meager; and thanking God we have that.
Your Commission is well attuned to the conditions in
the economy, and the associated suffering, and we are
committed to holding down the cost of government to
you. Our employees didn't receive raises. I trust they
are glad they have a job; many people don't. We have
not been extravagant in our expenditures, and have
actively sought ways to save money. We have seen our
revenues from the State greatly reduced, but we held
the line on taxes. We are all sharing in the hard times.
Maybe there won't be as much under our Christmas
trees as in times past, but maybe we will all be drawn a
little closer together because of hardship. Isn't that the
real meaning of "community"? Let me suggest you find
someone less fortunate than you, and help them. It
doesn't have to be much; maybe even just the contact to
let them know there is someone out there who cares
about them. A cake, a card, a meal, or a smile goes a
long way to lift someone who is down. Our society has
been built on people caring for people, and the Season
we will soon celebrate is a wonderful time to further
express caring and sharing.
I hope this Holiday Season will be the best ever for
you and yours, not in a material sense, but in its true
spirit.
Happy Holidays,
Bill Gulliford
Mayor
Two Commissioners who, between them, have given
more than twenty years of faithful service to the city,
have retired. Robert B. Cook served on the Board of
Adjustment, and later, on the City Commission, and
John W. Weldon served on the City Commission in the
60's and again in the 90's. Both Commissioners were
dedicated to preserving the character and quality of life
in the city and gave unselfishly of their time to make
Atlantic Beach a better place to live. We will miss them.
Two new City Commissioners, Lyman Fletcher and
Dezmond Waters, were sworn into office on November
5, 1991. We welcome them both and look forward to
working with them.
City Commission meetings are held the second and
fourth Mondays of each month (except December when
the only meeting of the month will be held on Monday,
Dec. 9th). Please plan to come and meet our new
officials and become more involved in your community.
We want to make our citizens aware of a program
currently being run by Scotty's. For each $100,000 of
Scotty's cash register receipts
ccllccted, Scott,, ' r ill
donate building materials
worth $10,000 to Habitat to
build homes for those who
would otherwise be unable
to own a home. Receipts
may be deposited in collection boxes in City Hall, the
Adele Grage Community Center (716 Ocean Boulevard),
and the Police Station. If you send receipts with your
utility bill payment, we will make sure they are put in
the collection boxes. This is an opportunity to help the
less fortunate in our community at no cost, and we urge
our citizens to support this worthy cause.
Commissioner Edwards will be in attendance in City
Hall on Mondays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon, and on
Fridays from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. If you have a suggestion,
complaint, or just want to talk, stop by City Hall and
meet with Commissioner Edwards. No appointments
are necessary.
1
On Saturday, January 18, 1992
from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, the
Committee will sponsor its first
annual "Atlantic Arbor Fest" to
observe and celebrate Florida
Arbor Day. On this date, local
nurseries and tree farms will sell ti
and shrubs at the best prices avail.
The varieties will include Oaks,
Magnolias, Myrtles, Hollies, and Dc
to name a few.
The project is designed to increas
awareness of the value of trees in o
community and, in turn, to help bei -
Atlantic Beach for generations to come. This is a perfect
time of the year for tree planting.
Watch for additional information and details in our
local newspapers as the date for "Atlantic Arbor Fest"
draws closer.
In further observance of Florida Arbor Day, the
Committee is also sponsoring a series of planned
activities and programs for Atlantic Beach Elementary
School beginning on Monday, January 13, to help
educate our youngsters on the importance of trees in
our environment. Each student will be given a tree
seedling to take home and plant, and hopefully, to
watch it grow.
The above projects are an important undertaking for
the Committee and volunteers are needed. If you have a
little time to share, please contact Carl Walker,
Beautification Coordinator at 247-5828, weekdays from
8:00 AM until noon.
In addition to the Arbor Day festivities, the
Committee will be considering many other major
projects. Please give us the benefit of your time and
talents. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of
each month in the Conference Room at the City Hall
beginning at 7:30 PM. Come join us!
We thank you for the many nominations for "Yard of
the Month" which resulted from the form in the last
issue of the Courier. The last three selections have
been: Mr. Lowell Breeding, 975 Camelia St., Mr. and
Mrs. Barry Brubaker, 43 Forrestal Circle S. and Mr.
and Mrs. John B. Mizell, Jr., 522 Clipper Ship Lane.
Remember you don't have to use a form to submit a
nomination for this monthly award. Give us a call and
let us know the address - we'll do the rest.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
STORM WATER UTILITY
(S.W.U.) — Many of you have noticed a new charge
on your latest utility bill for the S.W.U. In answer to
many questions regarding this fee:
1. $9.00 Quarterly Fee — Each Residential Unit is
charged at the rate of $3.00 per month.
2. Purpose of Fee — The fee will provide necessary
monies to prepare a S.W.U. Master Plan, design
plans, and construct much needed drainage
improvements. We will purchase new ditch
cleaning equipment and increase street sweeping.
3. Collected Fees — There are legal constraints that
prohibit these monies from being used for
anything other than drainage improvements or
maintenance.
CAPITAL PROJECTS
We are close to completion of the new lift station near
the Sea Gardens Condominiums on Seminole Road.
After completion, all residences in the City of Atlantic
Beach will be serviced by the City water and sewer
plants.
The expansion of the Buccaneer Sewage Treatment
Plant is underway with the construction of the Surge
1 •1 1
WJ 91 LIJ DI IJ DI r, .
BICYCLE LAWS & SAFETY
The Police Department expects to see many new
bicycles on the street
during the Christmas
season, and we hope
that the following
information will be
useful to you. Bicycle
accidents are one of the
leading causes of
injuries in young
people, and we want to
prevent any of our
Atlantic Beach children
from getting hurt while
biking.
According to Florida Law:
• A bicyclist must obey all traffic controls and laws.
• A bicyclist must use a fixed, regular seat for riding.
• No bicycle may be used to carry more people than the
bicycle is designed to carry.
• A least one hand must be kept on the handlebars
while riding.
• Parents must not knowingly allow their child to
violate these provisions.
• When riding on a sidewalk, a bicyclist has the same
rights and duties as a pedestrian, but the bicyclist
must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians.
• Between sunset and sunrise, a bicycle must be
equipped with a white front light and a rear reflector
and red light.
• A bicyclist is prohibited from wearing a headset,
headphone, or other listening device other than a
hearing aid while riding.
• A bicyclist riding slower than the flow of traffic
should ride as close as practical to the right hand
curb of the roadway unless passing, making a left
turn, or to avoid hazards.
The Atlantic Beach Police Department will be
utilizing a bicycle patrol throughout the city, and we
have found that verbal warnings are largely ineffective.
Please comply with these laws, and call your Police
Department whenever you have questions about bicycle
safety.
We wish you a joyous and safe holiday season.
COMMUNITY CPR TRAINING
CPR training is now available to the community
through the Atlantic Beach Fire Department. If you are
interested in this program, please call the fire station at
247-5802 for details.
FIRE SAFETY TIPS
• With the cool weather upon us, please double check
your smoke detectors for proper operation.
(1) Change battery at least once a year.
(2) Clean dust from inside the detector.
(3) Check to see that the indicator light is lit.
• Keep areas around portable heaters clear of
combustible items and be sure not to leave heaters
unattended while lit.
• Unplug all Christmas lights before going to bed or
before leaving the house for any period of time.
ADELE GRAGE
Although the building is not "ready for prime time",
the following activities were held in the ADELE
GRAGE COMMUNITY CENTER in the past month:
Bridge Clubs, Arts & Crafts Clubs, LeLeche Group and
of course, the VERY SUCCESSFUL -BOOK SALE
conducted by the Friends of the Library, Beaches
Branch.
OUR DECEMBER CALENDAR:
December 5th — 6:00-8:00 PM
Our THIRD CHRISTMAS TREE
LIGHTING CELEBRATION AT JACK
RUSSELL PARK. Santa arrives at 6:00
PM. Enjoy Santa and all the other
activities which include bands and
choirs, face painting, free balloons and
treats from Publix.
December 7th — 9:00 AM -Noon (Family Project)
r -11- 1— e_1_-,
vOlii LOGvUtlluuii�c_Lci uuU ticliuiu6y v
popcorn and cranberries for the Center's
tree. Bring a family ornament with your
family's name and 1991 on it and we
will hang it on our Community Tree
each year!
Please Note: Christmas is for children and
we have some very needy children in our own
community. We invite the Atlantic Beach
citizens to pick a tag from our "Giving Tree" at
the Community Center. Return the wrapped
gift with the tag and ,Santa will deliver the
gifts December 24th. We have the names of six
families who have one or two children whose
Christmas could be a whole lot brighter ...
with a gift from you.
27 1:00-3:00 PM Special Safety Presentations
by Atlantic Beach
Police Dept.
30 2:30-3:30 PM Beaches Library Story -
Tellers Hour
31 10:00 -Noon Safety at Home & Away
(Atlantic Beach Fire Dept.)
January
2 10:00 -Noon Jacksonville Zoo Outreach
Program & Display
3 1:00-3:00 PM Slide Presentation
(Animal Control Officer, `BJ")
We hope our neighbors in
the Donner and Jordan Park
areas are enjoying their NEW
PLAYGROUND
EQUIPMENT! We know it
has been long in coming ...
but now you have it - ENJOY
IT!!!
The Community Center has a container to receive
non-perishable foods, ALL YEAR ROUND! This
donation will be delivered to B.E.A.M. on a regular
basis to be distributed among needy families.
"The right of children to play, to sing and to
dance, the right of youth to sport for sport's sake;
the right of men and women to use leisure in the
pursuit of happiness in their own way, are basic to
our American heritage."
— Harry Truman
BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!
SCHOOL'S OUT
**0
ACTIVITIES:
6
December
23 10:00 -Noon
CHRISTMAS PARTY!
Admission: a gift for a child
of your age
(under $5.00)
24 10:00 -Noon
A Movie!
27 1:00-3:00 PM Special Safety Presentations
by Atlantic Beach
Police Dept.
30 2:30-3:30 PM Beaches Library Story -
Tellers Hour
31 10:00 -Noon Safety at Home & Away
(Atlantic Beach Fire Dept.)
January
2 10:00 -Noon Jacksonville Zoo Outreach
Program & Display
3 1:00-3:00 PM Slide Presentation
(Animal Control Officer, `BJ")
We hope our neighbors in
the Donner and Jordan Park
areas are enjoying their NEW
PLAYGROUND
EQUIPMENT! We know it
has been long in coming ...
but now you have it - ENJOY
IT!!!
The Community Center has a container to receive
non-perishable foods, ALL YEAR ROUND! This
donation will be delivered to B.E.A.M. on a regular
basis to be distributed among needy families.
"The right of children to play, to sing and to
dance, the right of youth to sport for sport's sake;
the right of men and women to use leisure in the
pursuit of happiness in their own way, are basic to
our American heritage."
— Harry Truman
BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!
Tank. We have completed repairs to the combined
outfall line at Sherman's Point on AlA (Mayport Road).
The new sidewalks along Seminole Road are nearly
completed and work along Main Street between Levy
and Dutton Roads is progressing well. We thank all the
residents affected by these projects for their patience.
NEEDLE DISPOSAL
We hope to have stickers and
pamphlets printed soon regarding
the proper disposal of needles and
syringes. Improper disposal can put
Sanitation Workers at great risk. If
you have any questions, please call
the Public Works Department at
247-5834.
As mentioned in the September newsletter, lined
landfills will not accept yard waste after January 1,
1992. To comply with this state law, the City of
Jacksonville will contract to build a yard waste
mulching facility (or facilities), probably in Bayard or on
Kings Road, which will be completed in January 1992.
The yard waste from Atlantic Beach will still be picked
up but in a separate collection and it will be hauled to
the closest mulching facility. (You will receive specific
information in January on pickup days, etc.) Since the
mulching facility will be farther from Atlantic Beach
than the Girvin Road Landfill (where our garbage goes)
it will cost more for us to haul it there. You can help
keep costs down by reducing the amount of yard waste
you put out: leave your. grass clippings on your lawn to
recycle nutrients and compost other materials in your
backyard. Also, the Committee is looking at building a
mulching facility at the Beaches.
The Solid Waste Committee has been working
diligently to incorporate the results of the survey on
solid waste issues into local ordinances. Some of the
highlights of the survey and corresponding actions are
as follows:
RESULTS
ACTION
49% of households put out
reduce garbage collection
garbage three or fewer
to three days a week
times a week, 70% of
(plus yard waste once a
households thought three
week, recyclables once
times a week garbage
a week)
collection was enough
73% of households placed
change to curbside
their garbage at the
pickup instead of 20 ft.
curb
from the curb
49% favored a volume develop volume based
based garbage rate rate structure and get
structure public input on
(41% were opposed) implementation
All Atlantic Beach residents are invited to join the
Committee as we look at issues such as recycling,
garbage collection, landfills, yard waste
composting, and volume based garbage rates.
Committee meetings are held the third
Wednesday of each month at 7:30 PM
in the Conference Room at City Hall.
For more information, contact
Committee Chairman Theresa Todd at
249-1864.
Just a reminder — we now recycle
magazines and metal coat hangers, _-
as well as newspapers, glass,
plastic and aluminum cans.
Keep up the good work and
encourage your neighbors to recycle!
With the advent of cooler weather, Florida snakes are
on the move. If you spot a snake in your yard and would
like to have it identified or removed,
please call the police dispatcher and
someone will be sent to assist you. In
addition to our Animal Control Officer,
we have a private citizen who is Vi knowledgeable about Florida snakes and
will assist. A free brochure about
poisonous snakes is available in the
lobby of the Police Department.
We have many stray cats and hungry raccoons in our
city, and they are attracted to pet food which is left out
of doors. To avoid these problem animals, please feed
your pets indoors or at least remove or dispose of the
food at night. If you have problem animals that need to
be trapped and relocated, please call Animal Control at
246-1648 to be placed on the waiting list. A copy of the
trap policy can also be obtained in the lobby of the
Police Department.
Please continue to abide by the laws for your animals
while in public places. Dogs should be leashed and
tagged, and the owner should carry a pooper scooper
and dispose of their dog's waste. Although conditions on
the beach may prevent the Animal Control truck from
operating effectively, our Animal Control Officer is also
assigned a bicycle to continue beach front enforcement.
NOMINATE 1NEIGHBOR
1
Who has the best -looking yard in your
neighborhood? The Beautification Committee would
like to know so that they can be considered for
recognition for their talents!
If you have a nomination, fill out the information
below and mail it to City Hall, 800 Seminole Road to
the attention of the Beautification Coordinator. Or,
just drop it by City Hall. If you don't know the name
of the resident, just give us the address.
Name of Nominee:
Address:
Your Name and Phone Number: (Optional)
-------------------------J
City of Atlantic Beach Courier
800 Seminole Road
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
Police & Fire Emergencies
911
Police & Fire Non -Emergencies
249-5606
City Hall (Information)
247-5800
Animal Control
246-1648
Garbage & Trash
247-5834
Parks & Recreation Department
247-5828
Recycle Hotline
247-5834
Building Department
247-5826
City Clerk
247-5809
City Manager
247-5800
Finance Director
247-5800
Public Works
247-5834
Purchasing
247-5818
Utility Billing
247-5816
J.E.A. (street lights)
396-5310
Tax Collectors Office
630-2000
Property Appraisers Office
630-2025
Newsletter Staff
Maureen King
Dorothy M. Strain
Bulk Rate
U.S, Postage
PAID
Jacksonville, FL
Permit No. 1645