WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS REPORT 7/15/05 - City of Punta Gorda

City Manager
WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS REPORT 12/23/2010
• Reminder - The government offices of the City of Punta Gorda will be closed on Friday,
December 24, 2010, and Monday, December 27, 2010 for the Christmas holiday, and Monday,
January 3, 2011, for the New Year’s holiday.
• City Manager and Finance Director met with Charlotte County Administrator, Sheriff and their
staff to discuss the County’s proposal to budget the Sheriff as a municipal services tax unit
(MSTU) on the FY 2012 tax bill. Costs associated with Sheriff services will be taken out of the
County’s general fund millage and transferred into a separate MSTU. Currently, City property
owners pay for jail, court and jail maintenance services out of the County’s general millage rate
as well as one-third of law enforcement costs. The chart below displays the change in millage
rates:
FY 2011 FY 2012
Fund Punta Gorda Unincorporated Punta Gorda Unincorporated
General 4.7331 4.7331 2.0707 2.0707
Public Safety MSTU 2.1551 2.6624 4.8175
Total 4.7331 6.8882 4.7331 6.8882
The County will present the proposal to City Council at the January 5 meeting.
• What is a confirmation light? A confirmation light is a white or blue light placed directly
above or below a traffic signal and which are utilized by Law Enforcement to halt "Red Light
Runners". Confirmation lights are visibly lit when the traffic signal is in the red "stop" position
and un-lit when the traffic signal is in the yellow or green phase. The confirmation light can be
seen from any direction when the traffic signal is red. This Law Enforcement tool provides
officers the opportunity to see "Red Light Runners" from a distance from any side of the
intersection. This effective tool has reduced the number of serious collisions and injuries at
signalized intersections.
While many of the traffic lights in the City already have confirmation lights installed, Public
Works staff recently installed a blue LED test bulb, in lieu of the white bulb at the US 41 - Aqui
Esta intersection. The blue LED light is brilliant in color and highly visible. It is also energy
efficient and low maintenance.
Public Works and Police staff are working together with the Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT) to obtain Safety funds through the State of Florida to replace existing
white lights throughout the City with the blue LED bulbs. City staff is also reviewing the need
for additional confirmation lights; if additional confirmation lights are warranted, funding will
also be requested through this program.
• City Manager met with State Representative Roberson and Punta Gorda chamber to address
questions pertaining to the Local Business Tax and identification of state licensed professional
working in the City. State Rep. Roberson confirmed to the group that he will be pursuing the
possibility of introducing a Bill to have State Statute amended to have only businesses charged
the Local Business Tax, thereby removing the burden from employees working for that business.
We will monitor the upcoming legislative session as to the progress of such an amendment. In
the meantime, the City still requests that local businesses provide the City Clerk with a list of
state licensed professionals working for them.
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Public Works Department
Engineering:
• Aqui Esta Road Improvements: Charlotte County is managing the contracts for the Aqui Esta
Road construction joint project for the Florida Department of Transportation and City of Punta
Gorda. Charlotte County has contracted Reynolds, Smith & Hill (RS&H) to be the primary
consultant to provide information to the public and oversee construction. Requests for project
information can be made by calling (941) 505-2408 or emailing art.powell@rsandh.com. For the
Project Status, Schedule and 3 Week Look Ahead, visit the City’s website http://www.ci.puntagorda.fl.us/depts/publicworks/engineering.html.
Bridge and roadwork continues with single lane
closures. Alternate routes will remain open.
• Burnt Store Road Widening: Charlotte County Public Works staff conducts weekly project
progress meetings with City staff, Prime and Sub-contractors. The Prime contractor is Boness
Construction and the bridge Sub-Contractor is Kelly Brothers. For project information, visit the
City’s website: http://www.ci.punta-gorda.fl.us/depts/publicworks/engineering.html. For Public
Information inquiries, contact the Charlotte County Public Works Project Manager, Gary
Grossman who is overseeing the project at 941-575-3600. The contractor replaced the regulatory
speed limit signage with the 35 mph construction speed limit signs for the duration of the project.
• Baynard Drive Resurfacing: Resurfacing has been completed.
• Henry St. Demolition & Debris Removal: Hydro seed installation was performed.
• Laishley Park Day Docks: Steel pilings installed; platforms and gangway ramps remain.
• Carmalita Drainage Construction: Approximately 1,500 ft. of electrical conduit was installed
on the south side of Carmalita from Taylor St. to Hazel St. Continuing with installation of
drainage pipe and structures.
• San Rocco Drainage Improvements: Staff is reviewing bid documents and preparing agenda
item for City Council on 1/05/11.
• Public Works/Utilities Campus: Welding and painting of materials for storage bin covers
commenced 12/22/10.
• Cooper St. Playground: Staff is negotiating scope of work and cost with selected consultant.
Punta Gorda Isles Canal Maintenance:
• The seawall has been set at 2511 Brazilia, 849 Bimini, 246 – 250 Freeport and 1631 Casey Key
Dr. Installation of new seawall cap for is underway at 2571, 2575 & 2569 Brazilia, 253 Freeport
and 2854 Sancho Panza. The cap is completed at 3932-3936 Crooked Island and 3830 St. Kitts.
• Backfill work was completed at 1226 and Lot 14 Riding Rocks Lane.
• Sinkholes were filled at 21 locations.
Burnt Store Isles Canal Maintenance:
• The seawall cap has been poured at 506-512 S. Crete. The cap is being formed at 109 San
Massimo Dr.
Right-of-Way:
• Call to all volunteers! The re-bricking of Trabue Avenue is scheduled for Saturday, January 8 th ,
2011. Everyone is invited to come and help restore this historic street to its original brick
condition. Additional details to following.
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• The City’s paving contractor completed paving on Ocean Dr., Sabal Dr. and W. Virginia Ave.
Permanent striping will be installed January 2011. Following the guidelines below should keep
your street smooth and help minimize future maintenance.
1. Possible dust conditions please keep house doors and windows closed and cars
in the garage whenever possible.
2. For the five days following the placement of the new asphalt, please:
Avoid sharp or fast turns, which can cause the asphalt to move making
ridges or ruts.
Avoid quick starts or stops which can cause the asphalt to separate.
Do not turn your wheels while the vehicle is stopped. Make turns
gradually while the vehicle is in motion.
Growth Management Department
Urban Design
• Staff continues to work on the Evaluation and Appraisal Report and anticipates the first draft will
be completed by the end of December. For the latest updates, please visit http://ci.puntagorda.fl.us/depts/growthmgmt/compplan.html.
• Staff met with property owner and developer regarding redeveloping a property in the Highway
Commercial zoning district.
Upcoming Events:
• First Alliance Church is hosting the annual Christmas Eve Services in Laishley Park, December
24, 2010, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. For additional information, please call (941) 625-7435.
• MY Promotions is hosting the annual Snowbird Arts & Crafts show January 8-9, 2011 in
Gilchrist Park. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
For additional information, call (239)995-9549 or www.mypromotions.com.
• Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Citywide Car Boot Sale, January 8, 2011, at
401 Taylor Street. Call the Chamber at (941) 639-3720 for additional information.
• Southwest Florida Honor Flight is hosting their annual Benefit Car, Truck & Motorcycle Show
January 16, 2011 in Laishley Park; show hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For details, call (941) 685-
9163.
• Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce is hosting the Annual Winter Sullivan Street Arts & Crafts
Show, January 15-16, 2011 on Sullivan Street between W. Retta Esplanade and W. Virginia
Avenue; show hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For information, call the Chamber office at
(941) 639-3720.
• Festa! Italia is hosting an Italian Food and Music Festival January 29-30, 2011 in Laishley Park;
festival hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. For additional
information, call (941) 769-2221 or www.festaitalianapg.com.
• 3 rd Annual Hands Across the Harbor - 8K Run; 5K Fun Walk; 15-20 mile bike ride on January
29, 2011. This year the event begins at Bayshore Live Oak Park, crossing US 41 South to
Gilchrist Park and return for a finish at Bayshore Live Oak Park. For additional information,
sponsorship and registration forms go to Press Releases at www.ci.punta-gorda.fl.us or
www.zoomersrun.com.
• St. Vincent De Paul is hosting the 2nd annual Walk for the Poor on January 29, 2011 at Sacred
Heart Church. This is a vital fundraiser to help the poor and needy of Charlotte County.
Registration will begin at 9 a.m. and the walk will commence at 10:30 a.m. For additional
details, please call (941) 575-0767 or www.svdpcharlottefldc.org.
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Police Department
• Police offer Holiday Travel Tips - The Department wishes each and every member of our
community a safe and happy holiday season. Here are some travel tips for driving in your car
while you travel to see your families during the holiday season:
Check the inside and around your vehicle prior to entering and be aware of your
surroundings before exiting your vehicle.
Don’t pick up hitchhikers.
Keep doors locked & windows rolled at all times. When parking, utilize the alarm.
Don’t let the gas indicator fall below ¼ of a tank.
Plan your route and check a map before you start out.
Park in a well-lit heavily traveled area. Try not to park next to a van, as you could be
pulled in through the sliding door.
Don’t leave valuables in plain sight. Lock purses, briefcases, laptops, etc. in the trunk.
Keep a cell phone with you and charged at all times.
Be aware of people in the area. Watch for suspicious activities and behaviors, call the
police if you see a crime or feel like you’re in danger. Leave the area.
If you find your vehicle has been broken into, call the police immediately. Don’t enter the
vehicle; get to a safe place to await police arrival.
• Members of command staff met with Charlotte Correctional Institution (CCI) officials
concerning mutual aid assistance, specifically capabilities of the CCI bloodhound team. While
CCI recently assisted the City in apprehended a fleeing felon, the bloodhound team can also be
summoned for missing children, alzheimer patients, etc. PGPD and CCI have established a very
positive working relationship and this commitment will continue in the future.
• The Buffalo Bills Backers donated $400 to Do the Right Thing of Charlotte County Inc. The
check presentation took place at Boomers in Port Charlotte during halftime of the Bills-Miami
Dolphins game on Sunday. The club also donated to Toys for Tots, For the Love of Kids, Big
Brothers/Big Sisters, Pop Warner, and Special Olympics. If you would like to nominate a child
for doing the right thing forms are available at the Punta Gorda Police Department, 1410
Tamiami Trail, and at all Charlotte County schools. Nominations also can be submitted online at
the Police Department’s website, www.puntagordapolice.com. Click on Do the Right Thing and
scroll down.
• Marine Unit led the Saturday Before Christmas Boat Parade through the outer rim canal from
the basin at Bal Harbor and Albatross ending in the basin at Colony Point and Via Paloma. The
parade, which lasted approximately two and half hours, had 21 vessels participate. The Marine
Unit also led the Burnt Store Isles Boat Club Lighted Boat Parade through the BSI canal system
on Wednesday. The parade, which lasted approximately one and half hours, had 9 vessels
participate.
Fire Department
• Off duty and volunteer personnel utilizing the antique fire engine (aka Santa’s Sleigh)
participated in the Good Shepherd Day School Christmas Celebration.
• The Punta Gorda Red Hats collected donations which were distributed by the department to the
Peace River Baptist Church and USMC Toys for Tots. Over $250 in Publix gift cards as well as
several children’s gifts, games, etc. were delivered.
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Utilities Department
• With the assistance of Procurement, the department was able to purchase a 400 KW generator
from South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) at a fraction of the price of a new
unit. Although used, this generator is in excellent condition and has very low hours of prior use.
It will primarily be used to power the Bal Harbor pump station during an extended power outage
and has the capacity to run the large pumps at the station which will satisfy peak demands. The
generator was inspected by our mechanics and a load test was completed during their inspection.
It performed flawlessly.
Water Treatment Plant
• Plant Operations: December 2009 Rainfall – 4.55” compared to December 2010 Rainfall – .90”.
Currently the treated water has 19 Grains of Total Hardness. Hardness is a measurement of the
calcium and magnesium ions naturally occurring in the raw water. At the current level the City’s
water is considered “very hard”.
• Reservoir Information: Current Reservoir Level – 5.32’; Record High for Dec 20 – 6.46’;
Record Low for Dec 20 – 4.98’; and 40 Year Average for Dec 20 – 5.18’.
Wastewater Treatment Plant
• Florida Rural Water tested the accuracy of the plant flow meters and only found one meter to be
of concern. This is an annual requirement at both the water and wastewater plants and typically
costs $200 per flow meter. However, Florida Rural Water provides the service for its members at
no charge and if found within limits no additional work is required by an outside contractor. This
service would normally cost the City about $1,500 per year.
Main Street Punta Gorda
• The 3rd Annual Wreaths Around Main Street, sponsored by Extra Space Storage, was another
success. This year’s theme was “Florida Christmas” and a total of 23 wreaths were entered by
area businesses and auctioned off to the ighest bidders. First Place was awarded to Spago Day
Spa for garnering the highest silent auction bid and will receive free ads in HarborStyle
Magazine and The Sun Newspaper. During the December 16, Thursday Night Gallery Walk the
wreaths were displayed in the Artisans Atelier at Herald Court Center for all to enjoy. Music was
provided by the Cooper Street Children’s Choir who did an excellent job – all that work for
cookies and punch!
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City Clerk
• Volunteers interested in serving on the City’s Boards and Committees can download an
Appointment Information Form and submit same to the City Clerk’s Office for consideration.
Board and Committee Vacancies
• Building Board (1 alternate vacancy) - Meets the 4th Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. in City Council
Chambers. Makes recommendations to City Council on the minimum qualifying requirements
for obtaining Certificates of Competency in the various construction trades and the fees for same.
Periodically reviews and holds public hearings on all building, electrical, plumbing, housing,
gas, fire prevention and other related codes. Reviews enforcement of all codes relating to
construction standards and acts as condemnation board in matters of violation of minimum
standards. Hears alleged complaints against contractors.
• Historic Preservation Advisory Board (1 vacancy) - Meets the 4th Thursday at 8:30 a.m. in City
Council Chambers. Identifies for the City Council historically significant structures and sites
that should be considered for designation as a "Local Historic Landmark" or be nominated for
listing on the Florida Master Site File and the National Register of Historic Places. Makes policy
recommendations for the protection of historically significant structures and sites. Makes
recommendations to staff regarding certificates of appropriateness for any demolition, variance,
sign or relocation of structures. Promotes public awareness of historic archaeological
preservation and its community benefits.
• Utility Advisory Board (2 vacancies) - Meets the 4th Monday at 9:00 a.m. in City Council
Chambers. Makes recommendations to City Council with regard to, but not limited to, revisions
to the utility construction standards, alleged billing discrepancies and review of utility drawings
and specifications.
New Businesses
• All persons, firms or corporations engaging in business or occupation within the City of Punta
Gorda are required to obtain a Local Business Tax (LBT) Receipt in accordance with Chapter 12
of the Punta Gorda City Code. As part of our effort to promote economic development and
vitality in our area, we offer the following list of new or transferred business within our
community this week:
KW Peace River Partners Realty – 1675 W. Marion Avenue
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