November 2020.pdfNOVEMBER 2020
Nov 4 Environmental Stewardship Committee 6 pm
Nov 5 Code Enforcement Magistrate Hearing 2 pm
Nov 9 Commission Meeting 6:30 pm
Nov 11 Veterans Day – City offices closed
Nov 12 Pension Board 6:30 pm
Nov 16 Commission Workshop 6 pm (tentative)
Nov 17 Community Development Board 6 pm
Nov 18 ESC Outreach Subcommittee 6:30 pm
Nov 23 Commission Meeting 6:30 pm
Nov 26-27 Thanksgiving Holiday - City offices closed
DECEMBER 2020
Dec 1 Cultural Arts and Recreation Committee 6 pm
Dec 9 Environmental Stewardship Committee 6 pm
Dec 14 Commission Meeting 6:30 pm
Dec 15 Community Development Board 6 pm
Dec 16 ESC Outreach Subcommittee 6:30 pm
Dec 24-25 Christmas holiday – City offices closed
Updates and information on attending and participating
in meetings are published at www.coab.us/calendar.
N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 0 V O L . 1 6 N O . 1 1
C I T Y O F A T L A N T I C B E A C H
8 0 0 S E M I N O L E R O A D
A T L A N T I C B E A C H , F L 3 2 2 3 3
(9 0 4 ) 2 4 7 -5 8 0 0 /I N F O @ C O A B .U S
W W W .C O A B .U S
C I T Y C A L E N D A R
Is there space for
STREET TREES?
If so, the City of Jacksonville will
plant a tree in the right-of-way
in front of your home at no cost
to you. All that is asked of you is
to provide water and enjoy!
To get started, visit
www.coj.net or call 630-CITY.
Most residents will have contact with the Public Works
Department from time to time, even if it’s “our garbage
was not picked up today.” Here is some insight into how
we operate. We handle 50 or so telephone calls a day;
and emails – there are way too many to count. The
topics of those calls and emails include, but aren’t
limited to: permits, stormwater, parks, streets, buildings,
trash, recycling, yard waste, tree trimming and watering,
drainage, signs, barricades, traffic control, sidewalks,
beaches, landscaping, ponds and mowing. We do it all!
In addition, our department is responsible for preparing
and monitoring contracts for sanitation, janitorial
services, ditch spraying, storm debris removal, beach
cleaning, electrical service, engineering, asphalt,
landscaping, laboratory analyses for stormwater,
welding, street sweeping, surveying, utilities, and more.
A little further behind the scenes: the office personnel
are responsible for multiple documentation of erosion
control, vehicles, permits, sludge, electric, signs,
payroll, parks maintenance, sanitation, hurricanes,
employee information, budget, buildings, and inventory.
As you can see, we are not just about making sure trash
is picked up!
We know you see our crews cleaning out the ditch in
front of your home, or making sure the Howell Park trails
are clean. But who are these folks? We are 25 men and
women ranging in age from 24 to 74. We are a diverse
group hailing from Florida, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Iowa,
Louisiana, California, Ohio, Alabama, West Virginia,
Nebraska, North Carolina, the Philippines, the
Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. And two of us are
military veterans. We take tremendous pride in our
work. And although it’s not within our responsibilities,
we’ve been known to retrieve cats from trees and we
save baby sea turtles. Recently, one of our employees
helped a woman whose kayak was stuck at low tide on
the Dutton Island mud flats. The employee talked with
the woman, flashlight in hand, for four hours waiting for
high tide so she could float free. We truly love our jobs!
Now you know a little bit about us and what’s on our
plate. When you see us out and about, or put a call into
our department please know that compliments, in
addition to those requests, are always appreciated!
The election season is wrapping up – it’s time for all the
winners to get to work. Welcome aboard to the new
faces on the COAB Commission.
When you attend the Veteran’s Day celebration at
Beaches Veterans Memorial Park this year, please notice
the improvements that Public Works has made there.
Also, around the city you might notice new street signs
honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Many
thanks to Lenny Jevic for making that happen. Veterans
Day recognizes all who served -- thank a Vet today!
In spite of COVID-19 restrictions, City staff and the
Commission managed to complete the Parks Master
Plan with the assistance of National Park Service
personnel and input from the public. It addresses all the
Atlantic Beach parks, laying out existing amenities and
ideas for the future. For example, this fiscal year, we
have earmarked about $100,000 from the Convention
Development fund to create more parking along George
Street at Donner Park. Other examples are grant funds
being used to add a dune walkover at 12th Street and
new equipment for the lifeguard station. And the ½-cent
sales tax fund is paying for a walking track at the
Aquatic Gardens dog park.
When we plan park expenditures for the year, we try to
balance them among all the neighborhoods of the city.
In the past few years, playground equipment was
installed in several parks, and basketball courts were
repainted. This year saw bridge and walkover
replacement and new railroad ties laid in Howell Park,
and 120-plus trees planted in various parks.
An important guiding principle for the Commission has
been our priorities, set out each January in a retreat
setting. One of the more ambitious goals reads:
“Mayport Road: an initiative to improve safety, business
and cultural opportunities, quality of life, and
neighborhood identity.” To that end, the Mayor has
established personal and professional connections with
the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization
for transportation initiatives. A landlord has sponsored
the Saturday-midday and third-Friday-night food truck
market. Murals and facades are being added by
business owners using our grant programs.
Thanksgiving is nearly upon us. Be a good neighbor and
make sure others on your street are well-fed this
holiday. Count your blessings and be thankful.
Candace Kelly
ckelly@coab.us
BEHIND THE SCENES
COMMISSIONER'S
MESSAGE
CANDACE KELLY
DID YOU KNOW,
AB?
Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only holidays
that impact the City’s garbage collection schedule.
There will be no garbage, recycling, or yard waste
pickup on Thursday, Nov. 26. Thursday’s
scheduled service will be moved to Friday, Nov. 27;
Friday’s collection will be Saturday, Nov. 28.
Also, there will be no garbage, recycling, or yard
waste pickup on Friday, Dec. 25; Friday’s scheduled
service will be moved to Saturday, Dec. 26.
NO GARBAGE COLLECTION ON
THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS
The Atlantic Beach Police Department adopted a new
physical fitness policy on Oct. 1, 2017. Existing
officers had three years to take and pass the physical
ability test, and then would be required to pass it
annually beginning in 2020. All officers hired on or
after Oct. 1, 2017, are required to pass the physical
fitness test before being hired, and then once annually.
There are some provisions written into the policy for
remediation; however, the test must ultimately be
passed each year. The physical fitness ability test is
just one portion of the agency’s wellness program.
The Atlantic Beach Police Department recognizes that
overall good health is an essential attribute of a police
officer and the purpose of this policy is to set forth the
expectation that all sworn employees are
capable of meeting the physical demands of law
enforcement duty and that they have the physical
ability to perform the tasks set forth in the job
description for the position of a police officer.
We are pleased to report that as of Sept. 30, 2020,
every officer currently employed by the ABPD has
successfully completed the physical ability test.