06/1993 Atlantic Beach CourierWilliam I. Gulliford, Mayor
Commissioners: 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
VOLUME 4, NO.2
JUNE 1993
'
City of Atlantic Beach
BOARDS
ADOPT A -MEDIAN
I hope you have seen the newly landscaped median at
CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD
the intersection of Atlantic Blvd. and Third Street (in front
of Famous Amos). The median will be easy to maintain,
George Bull, Jr. Heywood Dowling, Jr.
and will cut the normal cost of maintenance associated
John J. Venn Kathleen Russell
with a traditional grassed median. The City Commission,
Suzanne Shaughnessy Barbara Bonner
with some private funding assistance, committed to do the
Edward Martin
first median as an example of how the rest of Atlantic
(Meets 1st Tuesday every two months)
Blvd. could look. I would like to see all of the medians
landscaped in like manner but it is going to take private
donations to help the City achieve it. We are asking
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD
businesses and individuals to get involved in our Adopt -A -
Ruth Gregg Mary Walker
Median campaign and let's make the dream a reality. If
W. Gregg McCaulie Robert Frohwein
you are interested in helping, please call Carl Walker at
Don Wolfson Mark McGowan
247-5828 or Jim Jarboe at 247-5800. If you want to talk to
Patricia Pillmore
me about it at night or during the weekend, my home
(Meets 3rd Tuesday of each month)
number is 246-8389.
PENSION BOARD OF TRUSTEES
BEACHES HABITAT DINNER
Joseph Garvin Don Ford
In less than two years, four houses have been built in
John C. Fletcher, Jr. Colette Corliss
Atlantic Beach by Beaches Habitat. More are planned here
Richard White
as well as in Jacksonville Beach. These not only represent
added affordable housing, but also fulfilled dreams, and
not handouts, for those lucky new dwellers. It allows those
HOSPITAL BOARD
recipients of Habitat houses to pay for their houses
Dorothy Kerber, Atlantic Beach Representative
initially with sweat equity, and then reasonable mortgage
terms. It is a great program! The reasons I am so high on
the program are because Habitat encourages a high level
TREE CONSERVATION BOARD
of citizen participation, and it improves neighborhoods
John Weldon, Jr. Thomas Frohne
that are in decline and have problems with crime. We have
Carolyn Woods Hope VanNortwick
already seen a positive impact in the neighborhood where
Jim Pelkey
these houses have been built. Ultimately that means a
(Meets 3rd Monday of each month)
positive impact on your neighborhood too.
Beaches Habitat is going to have its first recognition
dinner on June 10th. Marcia Ladendorff of WTLV 12, an
RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
Atlantic Beach resident, will be our guest speaker.
Contributors and participants in this worth -while program
Donald Fagan Henry Batts
will be recognized. The dinner, to be held at the Sea Turtle
Jeff Croom Henry Isaacs
Inn & Restaurant will start with a reception at 6:00 PM,
Richard Riley
(Meets 2nd Thursday of each month)
(cont. on next page)
followed by dinner at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $17.50 per
person, and you can guess where any left over money will
be spent. I hope you, as a resident of this great community,
will make it a point to join us on June 10th, and hear about
a wonderful program, and some very special people. If you
want tickets, call the Beaches Habitat office, 241-1222,
between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM on weekdays, or me or
my wife, Harriet, at 246-8389 at night or during the
weekend. Seating is limited, so tickets will be sold on a
first come, first serve basis.
Habitat for Humanity is a program that is good for the
recipient, good for the participant, and good for the
community as a whole; it is alive and very well in Atlantic
Beach.
I will be leaving office in about five months and I
wanted to share several projects with you that I am
pushing to see completed, or well underway by the time of
my departure from office. In the next several weeks, the
first phase of Town Center will start. This is a great project
,,ince? it iq a inint vPntnrtI b_,t}veen p„r1,p and prj+atP
enterprise to improve the community. I think all of us will
be proud when it is completed.
Soon, construction will start on a renovation and
expansion of the concession stand in Russell Park. It will
include activity rooms, a second floor press box, improved
concession area, restrooms and storage. It will be
architecturally compatible with the exteriors of the City
Hall and Public Safety buildings. Once completed, the
YMCA trailer will be removed from the park. In several
weeks we will begin paving Church Road between
Mayport Road and Francis Avenue. During the summer
we hope to make major improvements to Church Road
leading back to Donner Park on the west side of Mayport
Road. This project, in joint action with the City of
Jacksonville, will include sidewalks, better lighting and
landscaping. We will continue to make improvements to
Donner Park with the goal of making it a truly regional
park. We desperately need the additional recreational area,
and we want to make it attractive and safe for all who use
it. I will be pushing for sidewalk construction on East
Coast Drive between 10th and 12th Streets. With
completion of that strip, we will have sidewalks on all the
major roadways in Atlantic Beach except for several west
of Mayport Road.
In the next quarterly issue of this newsletter, and at the
end of my term as mayor, I will share some closing
observations, comments and thank some truly outstanding
people.
Bill Gulliford
Mayor
WHAT IF ANDREW HAD HIT
ATLANTIC BEACH?
• Once the evacuation had been completed there would
not have been police, fire, medical or rescue to help for
three or more days for those who decided to stay.
• Anyone who did not evacuate would probably be dead
or injured.
• More than 90% of the buildings would have been
destroyed.
• There would have been no power for weeks.
• City water and sewer would not have been available
for up to two months.
• Phones would have been out for weeks.
• Streets would have been blocked for weeks, so cars
would be useless.
1;K A, 10I
MYTH: Because of the shape of our coastline we are
protected from hurricanes.
TRUTH: Our coastline would see much worse damage
than was experienced in Andrew. The surge and waves
from an Andrew type storm would cause complete
flooding of the entire beaches area. Atlantic Boulevard
would be under six feet or more of water.
MYTH: Weather patterns protect our area from
hurricanes.
TRUTH: No scientific _reason exists to support that old
tale. We have experienced four hurricanes in the last one
hundred years. We have been LUCKY there have not been
more.
MYTH: "My house has been here for years; it can ride out
the storm."
TRUTH: Very few, if any, homes or buildings will be left
if an Andrew type storm hits our beach. Much smaller
storms would also cause great destruction of property and
loss of life.
MYTH: "I was here when Dora hit. I know all about
hurricanes."
TRUTH: Hurricane Dora was a small storm as hurricanes
go. It actually came ashore just north of St. Augustine.
Winds in Atlantic Beach were BELOW 90 miles per hour.
Winds in storms like Andrew can be more than 200 miles
per hour.
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In its preparations for the
hurricane is
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season, the city
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5
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compiling a of volunteers who
be help
5
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would willing to with
S
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preparations for evacuation or with
5
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any of the many tasks which would
be in
5
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involved the recovery process
hurricane.
5
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following a
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If you would like to volunteer to
help the city in this manner, please
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call Diane St. Laurent at 247-5800.
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11 CITY CLERK
The city will hold its municipal election on Tuesday,
October 5, 1993 to elect a mayor and two city
commissioners. Registration books will close thirty days
prior to the election. Register now to vote, or make any
changes in your registration such as name, address, or
political party. Don't procrastinate. Do it now.
We would like to request all our Atlantic Beach
businesses to make sure they are properly licensed. Florida
law requires that all businesses have at least two licenses,
one from the city in which they are located, and one from
the county. In some instances where a business is involved
in several different operations, several city or county
licenses may be required. Florida Statutes exempt certain
individuals and groups such as disabled veterans or
charitable organizations from the license fee; however,
those businesses are required to display their city and
county licenses to indicate to their patrons that they
comply with city zoning and other applicable regulations.
If you have any questions regarding your occupational
license(s), please call Maureen King at 247-5809.
.11NI 13 13 51419$"'1W
Two of our spring time activities which are now
behind us are our annual Easter Egg Hunt and Spring
Festival and we are happy to report that both events were
successful and lots of fun, Torrential rains were predicted
for the day of our Easter egg hunts so we had an Easter
party instead and everyone went away happy.
We were blessed with beautiful weather for our Spring
Festival. We enjoyed the St. Johns River City Band, Polly
B Dance Academy dancers, Body Arts ballet and karate
demonstrations, Jack Ellmore's adult karate
demonstrations, Pizzaz and the Musical Magic Show and,
the hit of the day, the Donner Park Community Center
Chorus.
If you need the services of any of our exhibitors,
please call Rose at 247-5828.
If you need a place for a meeting, a wedding or
anniversary, or if you would like to teach a class or if you
need a place for your group to get together to play cards,
the Adele Grage Community Center is available. Please
call Rose Blanchard at 247-5828 for information regarding
the use of the center. Also if you would like to schedule an
activity at any city park, call Rose to get your free permit
for use of the facilities.
You are invited to attend the dedication of another
Habitat house in Atlantic Beach at the corner of Francis
Avenue and Simmons Avenue on June 5. Habitat hours are
from 10:00 AM to Noon, Monday through Friday. If you
would like to volunteer to help in their work or have other
enquiries, you may call them at 241-1222.
SUMMER ACTIVITIES
The following activities are planned for Summer in the
Parks & Recreation Department.
DONNER PARK COMMUNITY CENTER
280 Church Road
June 21- August 20: -
• Free lunch program for children up to age eighteen.
• Summer Camp will be held Monday through Friday
from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM for children aged six
through twelve. This will not be a day care program
and children must be in school to attend. These rules
must be enforced and no exceptions will be allowed.
ADELE GRAGE COMMUNITY CENTER
716 Ocean Boulevard
This facility will be open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
and citizens are encouraged to use this facility. Activities
at this center will include:
• Atlantic Beach Experimental Theater (ABET) Summer
Drama Camp will be held from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Monday through Thursday from June 28 through
August 7. For information, call Beth Robertson at
246-0480.
• A free lunch program will be offered at the Adele
Grage Community Center and will be subject to the
same rules as the Donner Park program.
JACK RUSSELL PARK
• The YMCA summer camp will again take place in
Jack Russell Park from June 14 through August 10.
Call 744-2233 for information.
Newsletter Staff
Maureen King
Trudy Lopanik
Donna Bussey
City of Atlantic Beach Courier
800 Seminole Road
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
r---------------------
r Fun at
the Beaches
Aquatic r
1
Purchase a one-year membership
1 at the Beaches Aquatic Center 1
I for the family ONLY 123500 1
Individuals ONLY $15000 _9
Includes: I
Swim Lessons, Swim
1 Team, 24 -hour -use ---- 1
1 exercise room, -: 1
volleyball, paddle �A
1 tennis, 24 -hour -use
I lap swimming, aqua 1
1 exercise and a monthly 1
1 covered dish dinner. 1
Call 246-3822 or 246-3006
L---------------------1
Bulk Rate
U.S. Postage
PAID
Jacksonville, FL
Permit No. 1645
IMPORTANT
Telephone Numbers
Police & Fire Emergencies............
911
Police & Fire Non -Emergencies.......
249-5606
Police Records ................
249-4629
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 ..................
247-5810
City Manager ................
247-5800
Finance Director ...............
247-5800
Public Works ................
247-5834
Purchasing ..................
247-5818
Utility Billing ................
247-5816
Newsletter Staff
Maureen King
Trudy Lopanik
Donna Bussey
City of Atlantic Beach Courier
800 Seminole Road
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
r---------------------
r Fun at
the Beaches
Aquatic r
1
Purchase a one-year membership
1 at the Beaches Aquatic Center 1
I for the family ONLY 123500 1
Individuals ONLY $15000 _9
Includes: I
Swim Lessons, Swim
1 Team, 24 -hour -use ---- 1
1 exercise room, -: 1
volleyball, paddle �A
1 tennis, 24 -hour -use
I lap swimming, aqua 1
1 exercise and a monthly 1
1 covered dish dinner. 1
Call 246-3822 or 246-3006
L---------------------1
Bulk Rate
U.S. Postage
PAID
Jacksonville, FL
Permit No. 1645
but could not afford to pay the registration fees. The Police
Department accepted donations from the two Rotary clubs
in Atlantic Beach and from private citizens who wanted to
support the children. As a result, all of the children were
registered and able to participate in Little League for the
spring season.
The Police Department supports the use of mobile
video recorders in all patrol cars for the protection of the
officers and to assist in court proceedings. However, there
was no funding available to purchase this equipment for
the Police Department and after reading about this
problem in the local newspaper, a citizen offered to
purchase and donate one unit. The unit has now been
installed in a police car for use on the street. Additionally,
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) has contacted
the Police Department and offered to provide several
mobile video systems at no cost to the Police Department.
These units will be installed as soon as they are received.
In March a citizen contacted the Police Department
and offered to donate a car. This vehicle has now been
received and has been assigned to a detective in criminal
investigations.
An intern joined the Police Department in May and
will remain with us for several months. During this time
she will be learning about law enforcement while
performing services within the department. Such a system
benefits the education of the intern while providing
valuable manpower to the department.
These contributions have assisted the Police
Department in its efforts to provide the highest quality of
service in a cost effective manner. The Police Department
appreciates these donations and commends the individuals
and organizations who have helped to make the Police
Department a positive force in the community.
POLICE UPDATE: The Police Department has
demonstrated a significant increase in the number of
arrests for drunk driving during the first quarter of the
year. With the addition of the new video recording system
to some of our patrol cars, we strongly recommend that
you do not operate a vehicle after consuming alcoholic
beverages.
Atlantic Beach officers and detectives broke a burglary
case that led to charges of multiple burglaries and the
recovery of jewelry, electronic equipment, cameras, and a
stolen automobile. The Atlantic Beach burglaries totalled
well over $100,000.00.
Our officers also seized about seventy-five pounds of
marijuana. The marijuana was growing in a house in
Jacksonville but the transactions were taking place in
Atlantic Beach. Several suspects were arrested in
Jacksonville and Atlantic Beach as a result of this
investigation.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
Since we are in the growing season and grass and weeds
seem to appear overnight, we would like to make everyone
aware of our vegetation and nuisance ordinances:
Section 23-36 provides that grass, weeds, etc. should
not be allowed to exceed a height of twelve inches, and
section 12-1(3) prohibits any lot or premises from
becoming neglected so as to become a detriment to public
health due to weeds or trash. Under both sections, after
proper notification, the city may correct the problem at the
expense of the property owner.
SOLID WASTE COMMITTEE
Mark your calendars now for the Fourth Annual Fourth
of July RECYCLO-RAMA (formerly called the Trash
Bash) on Sunday, July 4, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Jack
Russell Park. Members of the Atlantic Beach Solid Waste
Committee invite you to join us for food, drinks, music,
prizes and games to celebrate four years of recycling in
Atlantic Beach. See Ricky Raccoon, backyard composting
demonstrations, photo displays of recycling facilities, and
much more! If you would like to volunteer to help at this
event or if you would like to join the Solid Waste
Committee, please call City Hall or committee chairman
Theresa Todd at 249-1864.
BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE
The planning done by the Committee over the winter
months has resulted in several major enhancement projects
becoming reality!
Our Mayor, elsewhere in this issue, has written about
our "Adopt -A -Median" program based on the recently
landscaped Atlantic Boulevard median. We are proud of
its appearance and enthusiastic about similar plantings in
the remaining medians.
We appreciate the fine cooperation shown us by local
merchants who contributed to the landscaping of Ahern
Street, east of Sherry Drive. This was the Committee's
first joint partnership undertaking and the response was
overwhelming. To those hardy souls who withstood the
heat on Saturday, May 15, our heartfelt thanks for your
help with the planting. Those efforts were rewarded with a
new, improved "look" that will serve as a prototype for
other such projects.
A total of 52 trees have been planted on the property
surrounding City Hall. This was made possible by our
being awarded a matching grant from the Florida Forestry
Department. These trees will be enjoyed for years to come.
NOW is the time to join your neighbors in being a part
of a progressive group dedicated in enhancing our
community. Meetings are the second Wednesday of each
month, beginning at 7:30 PM in the City Hall Conference
Room.
SANITATION
We would like to remind our residents that garbage
needs to be placed in closed 30 -gallon containers or sealed
plastic bags. Also, to avoid back injuries to our sanitation
workers, please do not exceed the weight limit of fifty
pounds.
The Jacksonville household hazardous waste facility at
2675 Commonwealth Avenue, is open every Tuesday from
8:30 AM to 11:30 AM and from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM, and
the second Saturday of each month from 9:00 AM to 3:00
PM. This facility collects household chemicals such as
paint thinner, paint stripper, gasoline, pesticides, pool
chemicals, acids, drain cleaners, lead -acid batteries, and
rechargeable batteries. If you need additional information
you may call the hazardous waste facility at 630-0973.
WATER TREATMENT PLANTS
The Atlantic Beach water plant improvement project is
nearing completion. A tour will be planned when the
ptujeci is complete and residents interested in participating
in this tour should contact the Public Works department at
247-5834 in early June for information regarding
scheduling of this tour.
The Buccaneer water plants are currently being
rehabilitated to provide continued reliable service.
We have noticed many residents watering their yards
between the hours of 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM and would
like to remind them that this is in violation of the St. Johns
River Water Management District regulations and may
result in a $50.00 fine. This regulation also pertains to
private wells. Water is wasted through evaporation when it
is applied during the hottest hours of the day, and if you
are on city water it is also very expensive to water at this
time. For more information regarding water restrictions,
please call the St. Johns River Water Management District
at 1-800-232-0904.
PUBLIC WORKS
We have excavated and reshaped ditches throughout
the city, most notably, the ditches at City Hall and the
ditch through the Donner subdivision. These ditches
required many man-hours to clean and we hope our
citizens will assist in keeping our city clean by reporting
to the Police Department anyone seen dumping shopping
carts or other debris in the ditches.
KEY PROJECTS
We are beginning sewer line rehabilitation on 9th and
Ahern Streets and the construction of a new sewer line
along Seminole Road from 17th to 18th Street.
In the Oak Harbor Subdivision, we have begun
televising and cleaning lines to reassess their current
condition.
Preliminary permitting work is underway for the
expansion of the Atlantic Beach Wastewater Treatment
Plant at 1100 Sandpiper Lane.
PUBLIC WORKS WEEK
May 16 to May 22, 1993 was proclaimed by the
Mayor and City Commission as Public Works Week in
Atlantic Beach. We will announce the employee voted
Employee of the Year by his or her peers in the next
newsletter.
The Fire Department is asking for your help in raising
funds for the purchase of an automatic defibrillator. This is
a vital piece of life saving equipment which would give
our Fire Department personnel the ability to assess a heart
attack victim's heart beat and possibly convert it to a
normal rhythm. With this equipment the survival rate can
be increased from 8% to 30%. The equipment costs
approximately $7,000.00 and donations may be mailed to
Kirk Wendland, Finance Director, City Hall, 800 Seminole
Road, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233. Checks should be made
out to the City of Atlantic Beach and should be clearly
marked "Defibrillator." If you would like additional
information about this equipment please call the Fire
Department at 249-5606.
Beginning Memorial Day weekend, lifeguards will be
on the beach seven days a week. Please follow their
directions so you may enjoy the beach safely.
The Fire Department is continuing to offer CPR
courses on Saturdays at the fire station. We also offer fire
safety home inspections and fire extinguisher classes.
REMEMBER TO THINK FIRE SAFETY, AND CALL
US; WE ARE HERE TO HELP.
DONATIONS HELP POLICE
DEPARTMENT
Over the past several months, contributions from
citizens have helped fund several police projects that were
otherwise unfunded.
City employees identified children who wanted to
participate in the Atlantic Beach Little League Association
(cont. on next page)