Winter Park City Talk

Sept. 23 City Commission highlights

There was a City Commission meeting held Sept. 23 in City Hall Commission Chambers. Below are a few highlights of decisions made at the meeting:

Mayor’s Report

• The 2013 Third Quarter Business Recognition Award was presented to Miller’s Hardware. Miller’s Hardware has been a staple in the Winter Park community since 1945. They are the oldest business in the downtown district still under the original family management, having grown from 9,000 square feet to more than 12,000 square feet since 1945. As a sign that Millers Hardware remains active in the community they were the largest seller for Winter Park Memorial Hospital’s “PINK OUT!” campaign to fight breast cancer. They have also been consistent in their sustainability efforts by collecting and recycling cardboard, propane tanks, batteries and other scrap metals. The purpose of this award program is for the Economic Development Advisory Board to formally recognize Winter Park businesses and commercial property owners. These companies demonstrate a commitment to the vitality of the city’s business climate by volunteering to expend both human and financial resources to insure the continuation of a vibrant local business setting. For more information regarding the Business Recognition Program or to download a nomination form, please visit cityofwinterpark.org/BRP.

• The Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC) Agency Certification Award 2013 was presented to the city’s Purchasing Division.

Consent Agenda

• The minutes of 8/26/13 and 9/9/13 were approved.

• The purchases and contracts were approved (for a complete listing, please visit cityofwinterpark.org/ccpackets).

• The Right of Way Use Agreement with Orange County for the future maintenance of the faux brick thermoplastic pedestrian crosswalks on Jackson and Harold Avenues at the intersection of Fairbanks Avenue was approved.

• The contractual grant agreements with Mead Botanical Garden, Inc., and the Winter Park Historical Association, Inc., for Fiscal Year 2014 were approved.

Public Hearings

• The second reading of the ordinance allowing the City Manager to make special exception for up to two dog events to be in Central Park and up to five dog events in other prohibited park areas for specific events was approved with an amendment.

• The request of the Winter Park Racquet Club to amend their conditional use approval for the existing facilities and operations to add a new tennis court and to rearrange their parking and driveways on their property at 2111 Via Tuscany was approved.

• The request of the Albin Polasek Museum to relocate the Capen House now at 520 Interlachen Ave. to the Polasek Museum at 633 Osceola Ave. and to amend the existing development agreement to revise the number of weddings, receptions and other events that may be held on the Polasek Museum property was approved.

• The first reading of the ordinance amending Section 34-30, Title and Ownership of Lots and Spaces in city cemeteries, to clarify the ownership interest that may be conferred and add a provision for the city to regain ownership of abandoned rights to be buried within a municipal cemetery was approved.

• The adoption of the Fee Schedule effective Tuesday, Oct. 1, was approved.

Budget Public Hearings

• The second reading of the ordinance adopting the millage rate was approved.

• The second reading of the ordinance adopting the Fiscal Year 2014 annual budget was approved.

A full copy of the Sept. 23 City Commission minutes will be available at cityofwinterpark.org the week of Oct. 14, pending approval by the City Commission.

National WateReuse Project of the Year Award

The WateReuse Association has awarded the City of Winter Park the “2013 WateReuse Project of the Year Award” for its Winter Park Estates Wastewater Treatment Facility. This award recognizes projects whose significance and contributions to the community continue to advance the water reuse industry. The Winter Park Estates facility was selected among 21 entries based upon demonstration of continued dedication to the water reuse community.

The high-quality reclaimed water that is produced at the Winter Park Estates facility is used for irrigation at two nearby golf courses in addition to a ballpark and cemetery. The facility is currently under plans for expansion to provide reclaimed water to local neighborhoods for home irrigation.

The City of Winter Park is committed to running the Winter Park Estates facility to the highest level of operation with no reported permit exceedences. Because the Winter Park Estates facility has irrigation-only customers and no other forms of effluent disposal, it only treats the amount of reclaimed water demanded. Excess wastewater is diverted to the City of Orlando’s Iron Bridge Treatment Facility. This process makes the best use of available local supply and demand for reclaimed water and provides Winter Park with savings on their potable water supply.

For more information regarding the WateReuse Association, please visit watereuse.org.

Urban Forestry meeting

On Monday, Sept. 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the city will hold an Urban Forestry Public Meeting to discuss its draft Urban Forestry Management Plan (UFMP). The meeting, which will be held at the Winter Park Community Center located at 721 W. New England Ave., will allow attendees to learn about the plan and provide input before it is presented to the City Commission Monday, Oct. 14.

The city realizes how important trees are to its community because they influence our health, environment, property values and quality of life. The UFMP is designed to help protect these valuable assets and continue to grow our forest as a renewable resource for us to enjoy today and for hundreds of years to come. Topics of concern to be discussed include trees in rights of way and how they will be maintained.

To learn more about the proposed UFMP, please visit cityofwinterpark.org/urbanforestry or email [email protected].

National Night Out

The Winter Park Police Department is proud to announce the annual National Night Out presented by their national sponsor Target, on Tuesday, Oct. 1, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Public Safety Facility located at 500 N. Virginia Ave.

Please join us to meet your police department officers and staff, learn of the various divisions throughout the agency and also benefit from the interactive displays and helpful resources in support of the theme of “Crime Prevention and Safety Awareness.”

Participants will include Victim Services Center of Central Florida, The Children’s Safety Village for free bicycle helmets and their proper fitting, Better Business Bureau, Office of the Attorney General, Orange County Consumer Fraud, Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center, and AAA. We will also welcome back Armstrong Lock and Security, Orange County Animal Services, Walgreens, Winter Park Lost Pets, Pookie’s Bow Wow Bakery, Pet Supermarket, Senior Resource Alliance and WellCare among many others. Recall shred source will be onsite for the opportunity to have documents shredded for FREE to protect yourself from identity theft and a medication/drug receptacle located in the lobby to allow for safe disposal of all expired, unwanted or unused medications.

This is a FREE event, so bring the entire family! Food will be provided by The Meat House, Dunkin Donuts, The Flour Shop, Chick-fil-A and Peak Season Pops to name a few. Fun children’s games and fantastic door prizes will also make for an exciting evening!

50+ FYI Expo

Don’t miss the Fall 50+ FYI EXPO hosted by the City of Winter Park on Thursday, Oct. 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the Winter Park Community Center located at 721 W. New England Ave. This active aging resource EXPO is presented by Orange County Commission on Aging, 50Plus Resource Network, Seminole County Triad, and the Senior Resource Alliance. Attendees will have an opportunity to get a flu shot from National Council on Aging’s “Flu+You,” obtain free health screenings, and attend free seminars on identity theft, self-defense, elder abuse, fall prevention, and Medicare 101. Attendees can also find out “what’s hot and what’s not” from trends in healthy lifestyle options to resources available. Area service providers, agencies, housing pros, health care representatives, Medicare specialists and other professionals who provide valuable products and services to the community will be in attendance to answer any questions related to their individual services. Special guest appearances will be made by magician and master balloon artist Todd Kay, jazz legend Miss Jacqueline Jones and classical guitarist Fred P. Hodes. Admission and parking are free. For more information, please visit 50plusFYI.org.

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