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2A Bradford County Telegraph • Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013
Program aims to change kids by
getting involved, talking to them
BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
A new mentoring program being
offered to some public school
students in Bradford County
aims to instill important life lessons
and change the culture of
the schools for the better.
Pastor Byron Ramseur of the
Starke Church of God by Faith
told the school board Monday
that adults giving less than an
hour a week could make a difference
through the Talks mentoring
program.
These mentors are guided by
a curriculum developed by Drs.
Harold and Ollie Watts Davis—
“Talks My Father Never Had
with Me” for boys and “Talks
My Mother Never Had with Me”
for girls.
The curriculum begins with
something basic but important in
Ramseur’s mind—how to meet
some one. It’s all about the first
impression you make when you
shake someone’s hand and look
him or her in the eye, he said.
That’s far different from the
pervading culture in which kids
aren’t even talking to each other,
he said.
Much is covered, from common
sense wisdom to lessons
about building one’s character,
including self-discipline, the
power of positivity, loyalty, the
importance of grades, controlling
anger, avoiding gossip and peer
pressure, and even some advice
about the opposite sex. One topic
that caught Assistant Superintendent
Lisa Prevatt’s eye was the
chapter on moral restraint.
“I just really agree with that
concept and how important it is
that we help develop those moral
restraints within our students,”
she said.
The curriculum is a jumping
off point for adults to share their
own personal experiences and
life lessons with their students.
Unlike other intervention programs
that might only focus on
at-risk youth, the Talks program
groups kids into threes. Each
group contains one student who
is at-risk, but also one student
who excels in school and a third
who is somewhere in between.
This association allows them to
rub shoulders with someone they
might not have and learn to support
each other.
Ramseur handpicked the mentors
who will be participating,
and there is a board that will
oversee the program’s management,
including Sheila Cummings,
Valerie Gordon, Deanna
Coleman and Jim Lewis. Guidance
counselors in the district
have picked the 72 participating
children and gotten permission
from their parents. They are in
the third through eighth grades at
Starke and Southside elementary
schools and Bradford Middle
School.
This isn’t something organizers
want to do for a semester but
a program they want to continue
indefinitely and “build a culture
of wisdom,” Ramseur said. They
want to double the number of
students involved next year and
begin to change the culture in the
schools so that character and responsibility
are the norm.
Those involved are very excited
to get going, Ramseur said,
and they received the green light
they’ve been waiting for on Jan.
14 when school board members
gave their unanimous blessing.
Funding for the program is
coming from Starke Church of
God by Faith through its Bradford
County Faith Community
Center, the community outreach
part of its ministry.
Landfill eliminates audit issues
BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
Having corrected some lingering
issues of concern to auditors,
the New River Solid Waste Association
audit for the year ending
Sept. 30, 2012 contained no
adverse comments.
The association’s net assets,
or reserves, totaled nearly $31.6
million, with $11.2 million of
that being unrestricted and available
to meet obligations to customers,
member counties, creditors
and escrow requirements.
More than $6.2 million of unrestricted
assets are earmarked for
long-term care costs following
landfill closure, with additional
amounts set aside for disposal
cell construction and equipment
purchases.
Net assets were up by more
than $1.2 million over the prior
year due to increased revenue.
Tipping fee revenue was up
around 6 percent.
According to auditor Lora
Douglas of DDF CPA Group,
the only debt the landfill has to
speak of is its long-term care and
closure requirements. With expensive
projects down the line,
reserves will be needed to fund
them if the landfill wants to
avoid borrowing money.
“I think you should be commended
for being able to do
these projects, do the construction
yourself without borrowing
money,” Douglas said.
Total operating expenses were
up from $4.1 million to $5.7
million, primarily due to the
set-aside of money for landfill
closure and care. Personal service
costs were up slightly, but
materials, supplies and operating
costs were down.
Issues from prior audits had to
do with how the landfill board
handles waivers for waste disposal
costs as well as a plan for
what would happen with assets
and liabilities were the board to
be dissolved. Douglas said the
board did a great job of addressing
those issues.
A separate audit addressed escrow
for landfill closure, which
ended the year at $9.33 million,
up from $9.17 million. This exceeded
the minimum required
funding by $1.76 million. The
increase was due to interest and
investment income, not deposits
by the board.
Revenue from interests and investments
is a fraction of what it
used to be since the board brought
its deposits into compliance with
Florida law, which is conservative
in the handling of public
funds. Nevertheless, Douglas
said the association might want
to consult with someone who
could advise how to make those
deposits more profitable while
complying with the law.
Some other highlights of the
year:
• The landfill’s required contribution
to the state retirement
plan was nearly cut in half to just
under $45,000 because the state
required employees to contribute
3 percent from their paychecks.
• Cell 6 construction was completed
for $5.3 million.
• Levy County continued its
disposal contract through Sept.
30, 2024.
• A change in California regulations
stalled the landfill gas-toenergy
project being conducted
as a new source of revenue for
the association.
• A $2.35 surcharge on Alachua
County’s tipping fee was
instituted after an 18-month
waiver. Funds are being deposited
in escrow for future landfill
construction. There has been no
progress in discussions to extend
the county’s contract beyond
2018 and potentially eliminate
the surcharge.
In other business:
• Officers on the association
board remain unchanged for the
coming year, with Baker County’s
Mark Hartley as chairman,
Bradford’s Eddie Lewis as vice
chairman and Union County’s
Wayne Smith as secretary/treasurer.
• Construction of the gas flare
system is substantially complete
and employees were ready to
begin training, according to Joel
Woolsey from Jones, Edmunds
and Associates, who provided
the monthly engineering update.
For regulatory consistency,
permit approval from the Florida
Department of Environmental
Protection for facilities like
New River has been centralized
in Tallahassee, he reorted.
This is considered a positive for
New River Regional Landfill.
Woolsey said they have a good
relationship with the state after
working at that level on multiple
projects.
The next permit will be for the
slope modification on an existing
landfill cell, which will be
receiving excavated waste from
another cell and then closed. The
area being excavated will be used
for future expansion. However,
because the process had already
begun prior to Jan. 1, the FDEP
state office will work with the
district on this last permit.
Finally, Woolsey addressed
the need for a borrow pit on an
as yet undeveloped portion of
New River’s property known
as Phase II. Connecting the developed
portion of the landfill
with this new area will require
road and bridge construction, but
this won’t be for the borrow pit
alone. Eventually, waste disposal
will move to the Phase II area,
Fulbright Scholar Dr. Regiani Zacarias of
Brazil.
Talent show set for Jan. 25 at Woman’s Club
Valentine’s dance
coming up
BY MARY W. BRIDGMAN
Special to the Telegraph
The Woman’s Club of Starke
is doing its part to support the
Bradford Food Pantry with a talent
show featuring performances
by local bands and vocalists on
Friday, Jan. 25, at 6 p.m. Admission
is by donation, with canned
which consists of adjacent acreage
acquired from the state.
According to the audit, construction
of Cell 7, scheduled to
begin in 2014, is estimated to
cost $7.6 million. This final cell
on the Phase I property is an underfunded
commitment, along
with the commitment to permit,
develop and construct the borrow
pit for future daily cover. Phase
II development is projected to
or other nonperishable food
items and cash gladly accepted.
Free refreshments including
sandwiches, tea, coffee, cookies
and other homemade desserts
will be served.
The Food Pantry Benefit will
be closely followed by the club’s
biggest fundraiser of the year—
a Valentine’s dinner, dance and
silent auction. Admission is $25
per person and will go toward
replenishing the club’s finances
following the construction of the
new metal clubhouse roof.
Dr. Bill Little of Santa Fe College.
The January Woman’s Club meeting was well attended.
See AUDIT, 4A
Deejay Steve Bowley will provide
music for entertainment and
dancing, and Supervisor of Elections
Terry Vaughan will emcee
a round of The Newlywed Game
for the enjoyment of attendees—
regardless of how long they have
been married. There will be a silent
auction as well. The dinner
will feature Cornish game hens
and wild rice with all the trimmings,
and luscious desserts.
Wine, beer, coffee, tea and soft
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