pq fall pdf pages.qxp - City of Plantation

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Get to Know The City of Plantation is deeply appreciative of the hard work, dedication and community spirit exhibited by the many volunteer organizations throughout the City. From large-scale fund raising efforts to the simple act of making a new family feel welcome – volunteer efforts supporting the existing governmental structure are what give Plantation its “hometown” feel. This quarter we would like to feature the Plantation Newcomers Club. The Plantation Newcomers Club motto is, “There are no strangers, just friends who have never met.” The Newcomers Club was organized to help newcomers adjust to the community by encouraging friendships, developing new interests, working on service projects and helping charitable organizations. Club members meet the third Tuesday of every month; either for lunch or for an evening general meeting with a special program. Dues are $20 per year. This active club has many activities: FOOD & FUN: Out to Lunch, Saturday Night Gourmet, casual dining, Couples Night Out SPECIAL INTERESTS: Book club, discussion & craft groups GOING PLACES: Day trips, travel club, theater clubs FITNESS & GAMES: Golf, tennis, walking, Bridge, Bunco, Scrabble, Mah Jong HELPING TODAY’S YOUTH DEVELOP HEALTHY HABITS Mark Hartman, CPRP The City of Plantation Parks & Recreation Department has begun actively promoting a variety of physical activities to counter the epidemic problem of overweight or obese youth in our community. City staff monitor with great concern the alarming statistics on obesity and an insufficient amount of physical activity among even the youngest members of our community. The concern is about the increasingly sedentary lifestyle of today’s youth, who are engaged in screen time activities such as video games and Internet surfing. Studies show that children spend about 4.5 hours a day watching television, videotapes or DVD’s, playing video games and using the computer and Internet. The National Recreation & Park Association (NRPA) reports that approximately 15 percent of America’s youth are overweight or obese; this rate has tripled over the last 40 years. And about one third of all youth report an insufficient amount of daily physical activity. The statistics are especially alarming considering the consequences already being reported. Since the 1990’s the prevalence of adult onset disease in youth, such as Type II diabetes and heart disease, has grown dramatically. The combination of an unhealthy diet and physical inactivity is creating a disturbing trend toward disaster. 8 Plantation Quarterly Fall 2005 PLANTATION NEWCOMERS CLUB For more information go to www.plantationnewcomersclub.com or e-mail Carol Leveritt, Membership Chair, cleveritt@bellsouth.net. You can also write to: Plantation Newcomers Club P.O. Box 16543, Plantation, FL 33318 Fit Together GET TOGETHER Passport INFORMATION Pamela Rohr, Passport Clerk The City Clerk’s office serves as a Passport Acceptance Facility for the U.S. Department of State. Applications are processed between the hours of 9:00 a.m. thru 2:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday, appointments preferred. Please call 954-797-2236 to make an appointment. Anyone applying for a U.S. passport would need: proof of U.S. citizenship (certified birth certificate or certificate of Naturalization), 2 recent identical photos and a valid identification (drivers license, Florida ID card, or a foreign passport). All proof of citizenship is returned with your passport. All applicants must be present including minor children. Anyone under the age of 14 requires both parents or a notarized letter of consent from the non-appearing parent with a copy of his or her ID. Passport fees for adults are $97.00; $67.00 in check or money order is the passport fee and $30.00 is the application fee; children 15 years of age and under fees are $82.00; $52.00 in check or money order for the passport and the $30.00 application fee. Routine applications are processed in 5-6 weeks. Expedited service is available for an additional $60.00. These applications are processed in 2-3 weeks. For all emergency passports 14 days or less you MUST call Miami Passport Agency and have proof of travel. If you need any forms to apply for your passport, renew or amend your passport please stop by the City Clerk’s Office. If you have any questions, please call 954-797-2236. To respond to this obesity epidemic, the Parks & Recreation Department is moving young people off their couches and onto the playing fields. The operative word is PLAY. We believe the motto that parks, recreation and prevention is a true formula for success. Plantation Parks & Recreation is partnering with area schools and hospitals to stage an attack in this Battle of the Bulge. Increased recreational activities can alleviate many of the adverse affects of a sedentary lifestyle. The American Planning Association (APA) has noted that, “Physical activity opportunities in parks help to increase fitness and reduce obesity.” In Plantation, we seek to provide just such opportunities, while at the same time, inform and educate the public about healthy lifestyle choices. Our recreation programs are fighting the alarming national trend toward obesity by providing safety and structure, a sense of belonging, improved relationships with peers and adults, and providing opportunities to learn new skills in a supportive, healthy environment. First among these efforts is a new program called Fit Together. The program is geared toward 12-15 year olds, and is a fun way to get healthy and active, make friends, and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Come join us in the parks and get fit together, and fit for life! For more information on the Fit Together program, see Recreation Quarterly, page 10.
Ask City Hall FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Do I need a permit to remove a tree? You will need a permit from the Landscape Architecture Department to remove trees even if the tree is badly damaged or dead. You can reach the Landscape Architecture Department directly at 954-797-2246 and they can give you more information. The City suggests also checking with your homeowners association. They may have their own regulations about tree removal. When will construction along University Drive and Broward Boulevard be completed? Work is under way along University Drive between Broward Boulevard and I-595 in Plantation. This project will include repaving University, adding drainage, extensive landscaping, bike lanes, new street lights, sidewalks and closing or restricting several median openings that have allowed for crossovers and left turns. Completion is expected this fall. For updates visit the Florida Department of Transportation website at www.dot.state.fl.us. Construction continues on Broward Boulevard from University Drive to west of State Road 7. Improvements to this three-mile section of Broward Blvd., include construction of a seawall along the canal bank and adjoining sidewalk, new streetlights, repaving, landscaping, closing/revisions to some median openings and a new bridge at NW 70th Avenue. Completion is expected by August, 2006. How do I apply for a City job? For information on City of Plantation employment opportunities and application procedures, visit the City’s official website, Plantation.org. Once there, you can review available positions and job descriptions, download applications, learn about employee benefits, and more. You may also obtain employment information by visiting the Personnel department located in City Hall at 400 NW 73rd Avenue. For general information, contact the Personnel Department at 954-797-2240 or via e-mail at Personnel@Plantation.org. The City of Plantation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. How do I get a brick entryway? The beautiful brick entry walls you see throughout Plantation are the result of the Brick Entryway Partnership Program. A neighborhood makes a request to the City for approval to have an entryway feature constructed for their community. Once an application is approved, the City Engineer makes a determination as to where the entryway can be placed, what style can be used and what the cost will be. The neighborhood splits the cost of the project with the City, and the Engineering Department administers the project on their behalf. If you would like more information on the Brick Entryway Partnership Program, please contact the Engineering Department at 954-797-2282. Does the City have a first time homebuyer program? The City of Plantation does partner with the Community Redevelopment Agency of Florida to provide programs to assist individuals with the purchase or repair of a home in Plantation. For information, such as the various programs available and qualifications, please visit their website at www.crafla.com. You can also apply online via this site. Where do I report code violations? The Code Compliance Division is under the direction of the Police Department. Code complaints may be made to the Police Department at any time during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) by dialing 954-797-2267 or after hours by dialing 954-797-2100. Code complaints may also be made to individual City departments. All highly imminent hazardous code violations should be immediately reported by dialing 954-797-2100. The Police, Fire/Rescue or other emergency specialists will respond to these emergencies. Non-hazardous complaints will result in the initial call being handled by personnel from the Police Department. The appropriate specialized inspector will complete action follow-up. When can we expect the completion of the golf course? As you drive by the golf course, you can see our construction team is making great progress. The club house is taking shape, trees and grass are being planted, and most of the holes are evident. Despite delays from the hurricanes last year and the rainy weather we are experiencing this season, we are moving along almost as planned. Rather than then original anticipated date of September, we expect construction to be completed November 2005. We were told last year that we could use clear bags for leaves? Now I am being told no. Which is it? Waste Management tested a pilot program last year which allowed residents to place leaves and other yard waste in clear bags and put them out with their regular trash pick up. After careful examination, it was determined that the program would be cancelled. Residents can still place leaves in clear bags, but the bags will only be picked up every other month with bulk trash. Other yard waste such as branches, hedge trimmings, etc., need to be bundled and tied into sections no more than four-feet long, weighing less than forty pounds. These items can be placed out with regular garbage pick-up as long as they are accompanied by at least one blue bag, which can be filled with regular garbage. As always, should a resident decide not to wait until bulk pick-up to dispose of leaves, they may bring the leaves and any other horticultural item the horticultural transfer station at the Public Works compound for disposal. For more information on Waste Management see page 14. Who do I contact to rent a City facility? To rent any of the City facilities, you need to contact the Parks and Recreation Department. You can reach them directly at 954-452-2518. Don’t forget to visit our newly designed website at www.Plantation.org Plantation Quarterly Fall 2005 9
Page 1 and 2: Fall 2005 Vote! SPECIAL ELECTION Au
Page 3 and 4: MAYOR Rae Carole Armstrong CITY COU
Page 5 and 6: H U R R I C A N E S E A S O N 2 0 0
Page 7: Plantation Gateway SUCCESSFUL ECONO
Page 11 and 12: OFFICERS OF THE MONTH APRIL Detecti
Page 13 and 14: Container Gardening QUESTION: I jus
Page 15: Sewer Backup WE MAY BE ABLE TO HELP

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