June 2003 Record

INDIALANTIC
RECORD June 2003

DOUGLAS PARK CONSTRUCTION PROGRESSES

Construction activity continues in Douglas Park. Town Public Works personnel assembled a twelve-foot by twelve-foot gazebo in mid-May. The cedar wood construction is capped with a copper two-tiered roof and is situated on a concrete foundation.

Work remaining to be completed includes the construction of two handicap parking spaces, a walkway to connect the new gazebo with the existing pathway, a walkway to connect the existing pathway with the new handicap parking spaces and the sidewalk along US-192, and the installation of a drinking fountain along the east side of the park.

Replacement of seventy-two feet, or one-third, of the seawall was completed in mid-April by the Watauga Company. The Watauga Company, as the low bidder, was awarded the bid to replace the seawall in January, 2003, in the amount of $21,200.

Improvements to the park are being funded by a Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) grant for $50,000. The ceremonial check recognizing the availability of these State funds was presented to the Town by the late State Senator Howard Futch and State Representative Mitch Needelman on July 16, 2002.

John Kancilia, representing the Community Advisory Board of the American Heart Association, presents an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) to Police Officer Stephanie Altvater. Fire/Rescue Chief Tom Barker was instrumental in securing the $2,195 from the Heart Association for the AED which will be assigned to a police officer on patrol to provide a more rapid response to someone experiencing a heart attack.

PROJECT IMPACT
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS

Hurricane season begins June 1 and runs through November 30, peaking in mid-September. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts 11 to 15 tropical storms, six to nine of them hurricanes, and two to four major hurricanes with winds of at least 110 mph.

Brevard County Project Impact, designed to build disaster resistant communities, reminds you to trim trees and foliage to minimize damage in the event of a storm. Flying debris during high winds can break windows, puncture roofs or crush homes and vehicles. Because live electrical wires are a common hazard in and around trees, it is recommended that a professional tree trimmer be used.

For more information on emergency preparedness and special-needs registration for evacuation plans, contact Brevard County Emergency Management at (321) 637-6670 or log on to http://embrevard.com. Additional information is available at http://hurricanes.noaa.gov/

RECENT COUNCIL ACTION

April 15, 2003 Meeting

	awarded the Fourth Avenue Widening and Overlay bid in the amount of $71,632.50 to the low bidder, Ranger Construction Industries and approved a contract with Ranger in that amount
	proclaimed May 18-24 as National Public Works Week
	adopted Ord. 03-06 allowing and regulating beautification recognition signs
	established a Heritage Committee and appointed five members: Carol Andren, Denise Bozeman, Ed Fleming, Jenifer Marx and William Miller
	approved seeking County authorization to increase parking meter rates in Nance Park to $0.75/hr. as required by the lease agreement

May 13, 2003 Workshop

held a workshop to discuss traffic related issues

May 20, 2003 Meeting

	accepted 2001-2002 audit report
	approved an amendment to the Nance Park lease agreement with Brevard County by removing the requirement for the County to approve adjustments to parking meter fees
	approved a supplement to the US-192/Riverside Drive JPA to extend the time through June 30, 2004 to permit mast arm traffic signal installation
	approved 2004 art show and craft show dates – art show to be held January 17-18, 2004 and craft shows to be held March 6-7 and July 17-18, 2004
	approved Resolution 03-06 adopting an interlocal agreement with Brevard County relating to a proposed one percent (1%) discretionary infrastructure sales surtax and approved projects to be funded should the surtax be approved by voters in November – projects include drainage improvements; police/fire vehicles and building improvements relating to hurricane readiness
	agreed to table to 6-17-03 and seek citizen input concerning amending Sec. 17-103 requiring that a permit be obtained to park a recreational vehicle in front of the structure line for purposes of loading and unloading

UPCOMING BOARD AND COMMITTEE OPENINGS

The Budget and Finance Committee and Board of Adjustment will have openings, including reappointments in June and July. The Parks/ Recreation/Beautification Committee is looking for new members and volunteers are needed to serve on the Heritage Committee. Applications are available at Town Hall and on the web site – www.indialantic.com. For more information on meeting days and time for these or any board or committee, please call the Town Clerk’s office at 723-2242.

NEW FACES IN TOWN

Flex Fitness of Florida - 834 N. Miramar – Health Club

National Heritage Securities Financial – 105 S. Riverside, Ste. 110 – Financial Services

Netter Real Estate – 230 Fifth Avenue – Real Estate Broker

Complete Inspection Systems, Inc. – 122 Fourth Avenue – Software Consulting

Oceanside Deli, Inc. – 147 Fifth Avenue – Restaurant

Sunshine Electrical Scooter – 131 Fifth Avenue – Retail

Beachside Physical Therapy – 408 Fifth Avenue – Physical Therapy

The Best Medical Practice – 225 Fifth Avenue, Ste. 6 – Medical Services

Natural Medical Labs, Inc. – 225 Fifth Avenue, Ste. 6 – Medical laboratory

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

* Ranger Construction Industries has been authorized to widen and resurface the 300 and 400 blocks of Fourth Avenue. The contract for $71,632.50 will result in a two foot wide area being trenched along the north and south sides of the street. The trenched area will be filled with asphalt and these sections of the street will be resurfaced. Work should be completed by early July.

Bid packages are being prepared for the installation of mast arm signals at the Riverside Drive/US-192 intersection. Once the bid is awarded and a contract approved, the mast arm signal installation should take about nine months—six months to fabricate the mast arms and three months for the actual installation. Construction for the turn lane began about eighteen months ago with the mast arm installation being the final component. Florida Department of Transportation funds are being used to cover project costs.

Sidewalk sections will soon be added where none now exist along the south side of the 400 block of Second Avenue, the south side of the 300 block of Third Avenue, and the west side of Ramona Avenue between Second and Third avenues. The Town has secured monies totaling $18,313 from the Transportation Impact Fee Trust to connect the existing sections of sidewalk in this area.

POLICE BEAT

Summer is here and school is out. It’s time to get outside and enjoy those beautiful central Florida summer days. You may have plans to spend the day at a park, catch a movie or leave town for a few days. Whatever your plans, please remember a few simple steps that will help protect your personal property.

When leaving your house – Be sure to lock your doors and windows. Indialantic enjoys the luxury of having a lower crime rate than some of her sister cities, but crime and criminals do exist. More often than not, burglars are opportunistic criminals. They look for easy targets, such as houses with unlocked doors and windows, or garage doors that are left open over night. Whether leaving the house for an hour or leaving the house for the evening, take the extra minute to make sure your house is secure. If you have an alarm on your house, don’t forget to arm it before leaving.

When parking your car at the beach – Vehicle burglaries at the beach (Wavecrest, Watson, Tampa) usually increase during the summer. If you park at the beach, make sure your vehicle is secure before you walk away. Roll your windows up and lock your doors. Do not leave valuable items such as purses, wallets or cell phones in open view - conceal them under seats or in trunks. Take only as much money as you will need for lunch or drinks and leave the rest at home. Do not hide keys in wheel wells or under bumpers. Burglars prowl the beaches and watch people who do this. In less than a minute they can retrieve your key, enter your vehicle, take what they want and walk away.

Report suspicious activities/vehicles/persons – Most Indialantic residents are familiar with the vehicles and people that normally pass through their neighborhoods. If you see a vehicle and/or people in your neighborhood that just don’t seem like they belong, please give us a call. Your active participation in reporting suspicious persons and activities can help prevent crimes in your neighborhood.

Get to know your neighbors – Talk to the people in your neighborhood and get to know some of their routines (i.e. times they leave for work, times they get home from work, vehicles they drive or vehicles that may be on the property when they are not home, etc.).

Become involved in Neighborhood Watch Programs – Contact Officer Terry Tenpenny at 723-7788 for information on starting or continuing a Neighborhood Watch program on your block.

Taking a few minutes to ensure that your property is safe can save you the misery and the frustration of having to deal with police and insurance reports. Don’t forget to lock up and have a safe summer!

Detective Michael Connor

Public Works Update - Ron Cassedy

WHAT’S A RAIN GARDEN? Berms and mounds of dirt are being added to properties around town which may look good, but they require more watering and cause more runoff of rainwater and pollutants that end up in the Indian River through the storm system.

A “rain garden” is a man-made depression in the ground or a “bioretention area” used as a landscaping tool to improve water quality. The rain garden collects runoff from the roof, driveway and lawn, stores it and permits it to be filtered and absorbed slowly by the soil, much like a drainage swale. These landscape areas are planted with wildflowers and native vegetation to replace areas of lawn. A nutrient removal or “filtering” process takes place as water come in contact with the soil and roots of trees, shrubs and vegetation. This process accounts for the improved water quality. A rain garden allows 30 percent more water to soak into the ground than a conventional lawn.

(Florida Stormwater Education)

BUILDING CODE CORNER
Cathy Spafford

Contractors Licensing –The Town has entered into an interlocal agreement with Brevard County to establish a centralized and uniform system for the local regulation of registered contractors. As of May 22^nd County licensing personnel will be checking construction sites to verify that contractors are licensed. If not, a fine will be imposed and work will be stopped until a licensed contractor is on the site.

In order to lawfully engage in contracting, a contractor must be certified by the State of Florida or the Brevard County Contractor Licensing Board. An occupational license is not sufficient to secure a building permit.

Before hiring a contractor, it would be wise to:

Verify if the contractor has a valid State of Florida license by contacting the Department of Business and Professional Regulation at (407) 245-0750, (850) 277-9577 or (850) 488-6603
Verify if the contractor has a current Brevard County Certificate of Competency and can perform the specialized work - contact the Brevard County Licensing Regulation and Enforcement Office at (321) 633-2058

Code Enforcement News – Indialantic Code Sec. 5.5-65 states that trash container areas shall be maintained in a manner so as to provide maximum screening on all side exposed to the public view. For all residential districts, trash container areas shall be to the rear of the front building line.

FIRE FACTS

The Fire Department is looking for volunteers to input fire inspection data using the department’s computer program. Training will be provided. Anyone interested should contact Chief Barker at 723-0366.

ü Town Hall will be closed Friday, July 4

ü American Craft Endeavors is sponsoring its annual craft show July 19^th and 20^th in Nance Park

ü County lifeguards began staffing the two beach towers daily as of May 22 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. There will also be two roving patrols covering the beach between Nance Park and Eighth Avenue

Chicken Little and Ada Fortney, Story Tree Productions, entertain at the annual Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Parks/Recreation/Beautification Committee in Orlando Park

NOMINATIONS FOR BEAUTIFICATION AWARD

The Parks/Recreation/Beautification Committee is looking for nominations for the Town Beautification Award. Winners will be announced in the newsletter and be acknowledged with a temporary sign on the property.

Businesses and residences may be recognized for efforts to improve and beautify buildings and grounds. The Committee will visit the nominated locations and select winners. To nominate a building or property, contact Laurie Newman at Town Hall – 723-2242 or at lnewman@indialantic.com.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

JUNE
17 7:00 PM Town Council
24 5:30 PM Zoning and Planning

JULY
            15           7:00 PM        Town Council
            16           10:00 AM           Pension Board
            22           5:30 PM           Zoning and Planning

AUGUST
             11           10:00 AM        Parks/Recreation
             19           7:00 PM        Town Council
             26           5:30 PM        Zoning and Planning

The Volunteer Fire Department meets every Wednesday at 7:00 PM at the Fire Department, 216 Fourth Ave.

BEACH RENOURISHMENT COMPLETED

Beach renourishment in the South Reach was completed through the application of approximately 320,000 cubic yards of sand to the beach from Tenth Avenue to Flug Avenue. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company’s dredge, Liberty Island, began dredging sand from the Canaveral Shoals Borrow Area #2 on March 28, 2003, and ceased at the end of April.

This year’s component of the project was funded by a combination of Federal, State, and County tourism dollars totaling $3.5 million.

Through this phase of the project diffusers were added to the SR-A1A outfall structures at the end of Watson Drive and Fifth Avenue. This should lessen the erosion of sand east of the outfall structures during heavy rains.