The Council has approved and submitted to the County a list of projects which would be funded by the 1 percent sales tax increase if the proposal is approved by County voters in November.

GENERAL FUND BUDGET SUMMARY

                                          Approved         Proposed

                                          02/03                 03/04

 Town Council                         13,889             12,689

Administration                      209,546           222,781

Professional Services             42,735             40,050

General Services                  437,615           490,992

Law Enforcement                  950,947        1,038,188

Fire Control                          454,612           446,345

Protective Inspection             102,974           110,523

Roads, Streets, Parks          444,027           370,543

Recreation/Beautification        80,720             20,741

Capital Improvements             10,000             10,000

DOUGLAS PARK IMPROVEMENTS NEAR COMPLETION

 The delivery of a picnic table will complete recent improvements to Douglas Park.  The table, made of recycled materials and  handicap accessible, has been ordered for placement next to the newly installed drinking fountain.

 Two handicap parking spaces and additional walkways have recently been completed.  These improvements join the twelve-foot by twelve-foot cedar wood gazebo that was assembled by Town Public Works personnel in mid-May.  The gazebo is situated on a concrete foundation.

 The Watauga Company, as the low bidder, replaced one-third of the seawall in mid-April, 2003, for $21,200. 

 These improvements were funded by a Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) grant for $50,000.  Staff will recommend  projects in other parks for future FRDAP funding cycles. 

RECENT COUNCIL ACTION

 June 17, 2003 Meeting

·      renewed contract with FDOT for reimbursement for maintenance of non-paved portions of US-192 and SR-A1A

·      approved an amendment to the Landscape Mowing and Maintenance Agreement with Fertig’s Sharper Cuts extending service through September 30, 2004

·      renewed the agreement with Brevard County and Space Coast Emergency Medical Services P.A. for medical direction supervision of Town rescue services

·      approved a Temporary Construction Access and Staging Consent of Use Agreement for the Brevard County Shore Protection Project

·      adopted Ord. 03-07 increasing meter fees in Nance Park to $.75/hr.

·      discussed amending Sec. 17-103 – parking/storage of recreational vehicles – no action taken

·      authorized Councilman Benevente to attend the Florida League of Cities’ Annual  Conference as the Town’s voting delegate

July 15, 2003 Meeting

·      approved extending the pest control contract with Apex through September 30, 2004

·      approved FY-03  budget adjustments for the General Fund and Enterprise 2 Fund

·      approved contracting with BSE Consultants for construction, engineering and inspection services related to mast arm installation at Riverside Drive and Fifth Avenue – fee to be paid by FDOT

·      approved the installation of stop signs on N. Riverside Place approximately 350’ north of Fifth Avenue

·      set tentative millage rate for FY-04 at 5.0089 (the current rate)

·      set date for first public hearing on the millage rate and budget for 7:00 pm on September 3^rd, set final public hearing on September 16, 2003 at 7:00 pm

·      set budget workshop for 6:00 pm on August 19^th

·      tabled Ordinance 03-08 regarding Sec. 15-20 – Parking, commercial vehicles, trailers or heavy vehicles,  until August 19 pending clarification of terms

·      received update on legislative issues from State Senator Mike Haridopolos

POLICE BEAT

 Indialantic and other municipalities throughout the country will again participate in this year’s “National Night Out.” From 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. on Tuesday, August 5, 2003 the Indialantic Police Department is asking the residents of Indialantic to turn on their front porch lights and spend the evening outside with their neighbors and members of the police department. “National Night Out” is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention along with strengthening police and community partnerships. 

The Police Department is looking for youth volunteers under the age of 18 to participate in a “Beach Clean up Detail” on August 9, 2003. The detail will start at 8:00 A.M. and will end no later than 11:00 A.M. Anyone interested in volunteering some time to help keep our beaches clean should contact Officer Terry Tenpenny at 723-7788 or e-mail ttenpenny@indialantic.com

 The Beachside Police Explorer program is now accepting new membership applications. The age range to be a member is 14 years of age (or in the eighth grade) to 21 years of age. The main purpose of the Police Explorer Program is to have experienced police officers work with youth in order to expose them to the police profession and to teach them some of the skills required to become a police officer.     

The next Neighborhood Watch meeting is scheduled for Wednesday August 13, 2003, at 6:00 P.M. in the Town Council chambers. All Indialantic residents are invited to attend and learn about whatis happening in their community. Active participation and discussion is strongly encouraged. 

Recently we have received several reports of a suspicious person being seen or strange noises being heard in or around peoples’ yards. These reports have been received during late night or early morning hours and have been confined to an area south of Eleventh Avenue and east of S. Palm Avenue. As always, residents are asked to call the police department immediately, regardless of the time of day, to report any suspicious persons or activities in their neighborhoods. Extra patrols by both uniformed and plainclothes officers have been assigned in response to these reports. 

Chief Troy Morris   

CODE AWARENESS
Cathy Spafford

 This column is intended to  inform residents of ordinances which may not be known.  Please be an informed citizen and help keep our Town beautiful. 

Sec. 5.5-68(b)-Lawns - requires that all grass areas and lawns  be properly maintained in a neat and attractive manner.  Any grass area or lawn allowed to grow in excess of eight (8) inches in height shall be considered a violation of Town Code.

FIRE FACTS

 High temperatures and humidity stress the body’s ability to cool itself and heat illness becomes a special concern during hot weather.  There are three major forms of heat illness – heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke – with heat stroke being a life threatening condition. 

The following simple precautions can help prevent heat illness:

§         Drink lots of liquids – non-alcoholic, caffeine free

§         Wear light weight, light colored clothing when outside

§         Condition yourself for working in hot environments - start slowly and let your body adjust over a few days

§         Take a break if you start feeling overheated

 Also, it has come to my attention that some residents have been receiving phone solicitations stating that the solicitor represents the Indialantic Volunteer Fire Department.  Please be advised that the volunteers have never and will never solicit by telephone.  It is the policy of this Department that once a year, in October, a mail out fund drive is conducted.  Funds previously donated have purchased such things as a marine rescue boat, a transport vehicle, an all terrain vehicle for rescue on the beach and an extrication tool for people entrapped in vehicle accidents.  Please be assured that any donations received are exclusively used to enhance the capabilities of your volunteers.  If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at 723-0366. Thank you for all of your support through the years!

 Tom Barker, Fire Chief

üTown Hall will be closed Monday, September 1 – Labor Day

 üSummer coverage of the beach by County lifeguards will end August 6^th.  Weekend only coverage will continue through September 1^st

 üQualifying dates for the November 4, 2003 election will be August 21 through September 4, 2003.  Seats to be filled are:  Council Seat 1, currently held by Deputy Mayor Bogert, and Council Seat 2, currently held by Councilman Benevente.  Packets will be available in the Town Clerk’s office

 FREE EXOTICS REMOVAL

Brazilian Pepper – also known  as Christmas Berry and Florida Holly – is an aggressive invader that spreads rapidly.  The bushy trees produce dense thickets that kill other vegetation and chemically suppress the growth of understory plants, destroying food and shelter for wildlife. Covering more than 1,000,000 acres in Florida, it is the most widespread exotic plant in  the state.

 The most effective way to treat Brazilian Pepper is by a method known as cut-stump - cutting the tree as close to the ground as possible and applying an herbicide to the stump within five minutes of cutting.  The herbicide must contain the active ingredient glyphosate or triclopyr.  The best time to treat Brazilian Pepper is when it is not fruiting.

 To have Brazilian  Pepper trees removed free of charge, contact Jack Dearhammer at 726-6509 or the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program  staff at  633-2046 or e-mail at pepper@brevardparks.com.

 MAKE A DIFFERENCE

 The St. John’s River Water Management District provides the following tips to protect the Indian River Lagoon:

 ·      Reduce fertilizer use - use drought resistant native plants

·      Reduce the use of pesticides – use bug repellent plants such as marigold and garlic

·      Hand weed instead of using herbicide

·      Plant trees

·      Conserve water – fix leaky faucets, use low flush toilets, water lawn once a week or during early morning hours