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The City Quarterly
Newsletter l a k e c i t y, f l o r i d a •
PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING UPDATE
lake city
florida
Mil-Con, B r a m e Architects & Associates and the City of Lake City have made significant progress. The twenty n i n e Police and Fire Dispatch Center, left. Public entrance and lobby, right. thousand square foot Public Safety Building Project will be the future home of the Lake City/Columbia County Fire Department and the Lake City Police Department. This is the first new construction facility for both departmental organizations. During the past few months Mil-Con and their subcontractors have built footers, plumbing systems, electrical systems, reinforced concrete walls, installed a below ground storm-water system, built and installed roof trusses, installed structural steel, installed steel stub wall, over head air ventilation system on the first and second floor and the list goes on and on. Much has been accomplished. A few of the elements of the project we will see in the near future will be the installation of a slate gray steel root: concrete floor with drains in the fire truck bay storage area, and
INSIDE Girls Club ........................................2 Recreation Department ....................3 United Way ..................................4-5 Department News ........................6-7 New Employees................................8
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the installation of concrete foundation for a radio antenna tower. Additional observations will include the construction of brick walls on the exterior of the building, the relocation of power pole by Florida Power and Light Company, replacement of a fire hydrant by the City of Lake City, Public Works Department and the list goes on and on. Much work is underway. There are many elements of this project beyond those descnoed above that will not be easily noticed. Most of these elements are interior construction, electrical system, air system, water systems, phone systems, computers system, radio systems, power system, other Communication systems and the list goes on and on. Much work is yet to be accomplished. During the past few month steps have been taken to move this project from a two-phase project to a Fire Department Station One. single-phase project. That effort has moved major elements of this project ahead of our plan schedule. Despite excessive rainfall in recent months, weeks and days, this project is within budget and is within our scheduled time of completion.
A LETTER FROM THE CITY MANAGER
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ATHLETICS A BIG THANK YOU to the Columbia Youth Football Association, the City of Lake City and the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners for their help with the resprigging of “A” Team Memorial Stadium. Employees from the City’s Parks and Brad & Jody relocating sprinklers Recreation Department and the County’s Public works department provided all pre prep and post prep site work. The CYFA contributed $3600.00 dollars to the project. The little league football season began with the annual jamboree on August 18, 2003. There are a total of sixteen teams, ten teams in the Junior Midget and six in the Midget leagues. Two new teams were added to the program this year. Welcome to the Junior Midget “Zaxby’s Raiders from the Winfield Community and the Midget League addition features the “Tradition Homes Indians” of Ft White. Games are played Monday through Thursday nights at Memorial Stadium. Mario Coppock, Athletic Director spent six days in Atlanta at a training academy and workshop for youth sports administrators. The academy was sponsored by the National Alliance for Youth Sports and will provide Mario with the CYSA certification upon successful completion ofthe written exam. Over 400 recreation professionals and administrators ITom throughout the country were in attendance. Many ideas and strategies for developing and implementing youth sports programs were discussed.
GIRLS CLUB 1) We are now the home of “American Girl Book Club”. We have a representative of the AG Book club come in and introduce the girls to new books and encourage learning and fun through reading. The girls receive bookmarks, buttons, and grin pins during each session. This program is free for our members and has been very popular with our girls. 2) Girls Club received another $10,000.00 from Winn Dixie Charities. A BIG thank you to Ms. Crocker. 3) We now have a Library with many books thanks to the local prisons. Columbia and Jasper Prison had a book drive for Girls Club we received over a 1,000 books. Thanks to everyone who donated. 4) Don’t forget to plan to come out to the 2nd Annual Halloween Safe House this year at Girls Club. We will have many give a ways...don’t forget to wear your favorite costume.
Discounts and club membership information for Universal Studios, Arabian Knights, Medieval Times Dinner Theater, Sea World, Busch Gardens, Wet-n-Wild, Wild Waters, Silver Springs and Six Flags Over Georgia also available!
Please see Kathy in Human Resources. Page 2
On December 20, 2003, an elderly lady was crossing NW Davis Ave. and tripped on a mound of concrete that had been spilled on the street. The mound was about twelve inches wide and three inches high. When the lady fell, she broke her wrist. This accident victim was recovering from knee replacement surgery and was leaving her doctor’s office when this happened. Several nurses happened to be watching her as she was crossing the street and saw her fall. The nurses called the city immediately and reported the accident. Since Davis A venue is maintained by the city, public works was called and the concrete mound was removed within minutes. This small concrete mound cost the city $7,500.00. The city was deemed liable for this accident due to the fact the the nurses claimed that the concrete mound had been there for years. It is our responsibility to maintain city streets and sidewalks in a way that is safe for all citizens. This is a true story. The money lost in this incident is money that the city could use for many projects that could make this a better place to live and work. This story should point out how important it is to report or repair any small hazard~ that you see. Sometimes you may not have time to repair the hazard, but every truck has a radio that you can pick up and report to the appropriate department. It is not one person’s responsibility to find these problem, but every single employee in the city. We all should be more observant during the day while walking within the city. So the next time you see a crack in the sidewalk, a stop sign blocked by limbs, or some other type of growth, please report it to someone and let’s reduce this type of problem.
BUCKLE UP FLORIDA
You Drink & Drive. You Lose. -Combined Enforcement Campaign November 21, 2003 - January 4, 2004
The holiday period between Thanksgiving and New Years is a time of celebration. Unfortunately, many people will act irresponsibly by driving impaired and not wearing safety belts, turning what should be a happy time of year into one of needless tragedy. From November 21st to January 4th, law enforcement wilt be out in force to make the holidays safe on Florida’s roads, conducting special Dill enforcement and making sure that all motorists are wearing safety belts. The message is clear: if you drive impaired or don’t wear a safety belt, you will lose. About Us Buckle Up Florida is a Department of Transportation program that works with law enforcement statewide to increase safety belt usage in Florida. Outreach is done through the news media, advertising, community events, and internal communications within Florida businesses. By inserting this short announcement into your newsletter, you are helping us reach our goal of saving lives on Florida’s roadways. Thank you for your consideration. For additional information, please contact Jennifer Marko, Public Information Liaison, at 904-620-4782 or email imarko@unf.edu. For more information on Florida’s safety belt laws, visit our web site at
www.buckleupflorida.com
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Rec. Dept.
“BACK TO SCHOOL BASH” 2003
THE RICHARDSON COMMUNITY CENTER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF WAYNE JERNIGAN, IDS ASSOCIATES, VERNA INGRAM AND MIKE FELTON; THE COPS PROGRAM, SUPERVISED BY OFFICER LA VAUGHN WYNN AND AUDRE’ WASHINGTON SPONSORED A “BACK TO SCHOOL BASH” FOR THE STUDENTS ON JUY 25, 2003. WE WERE PLEASED TO HAVE MAYOR KIRKLAND, COUNCILMAN JEFFERSON, SHERIFF DEPARTMENT DEPUTIES, LAKE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION OFFICERS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO CAME TO HELP US MAKE IT A SPECIAL DAY FOR THE STUDENTS. PRIZES, AWARDS, TROPHIES, FREE FOOD AND DRINKS WAS GIVEN TO THE STUDENTS. WE WOULD LIKE TO ESPECIALLLY THANK OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD, ROGER LITTLE, PAULA OWENS, THE MAINTENANCE STAFF AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS FOR THE HELP AND ASSISTANT GIVEN TO US.
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N OMM IKE FELTO OK); RDSON C THE RICH VERNA INGRAM, M N WYNN (THE CO FF H A , T G JERNIGAN OFFICER LA VAU WN AND OTHER S O R M N B A IO ARLOS PROGR CREAT PPOCK, C S AND RE GUEST MARIO CO ERS OF THE PARK ”. OUR SPECIAL Y B R F D M E N M A “FISH ARKS A ECTOR, P $5.00 ENT GAVE DEPARTM ROGER LITTLE, DIR CH MEMBER PAID US. A S E WA DELICIO E N T. DEPARTM T. THE FOOD WAS N IO T A E RECR EVEN FOR THE A PIECE
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COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL HOMECOMING PARADE THE RICHARDSON COMMUNITY CENTER WILL HAVE A FLOAT IN THE COLUMBIA IDGH SCHOOL HOMECOMING PARADE ON OCTOBER 3, 2003. STUDENTS FROM THE BLACK HISTORY ART CONTEST; THE 8TH BASKETBALL CLASSIC AND THE AAU GIRLS AND BOYS BASKETBALL TEAMS WILL BE FEATURE.
Reminder!
Connie Sanders has candy bars for sale at a $1.00 each for the Richardson Middle School Chorus. Proceeds will be used to purchase sheet music, new equipment and pay for field trip performances. The chorus performed at the VA Medical Center for the POW/MIA remembrance ceremony on September 19, 2003. Thank you in advance for your support!
COMING UP WITH THE CITY:
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United Way?
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United Way?
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DEPARTMENT NEWS... Gas Department Changes have been taking place in the Gas Department. We would like to congratulate, Charles Turner on his accomplishments in learning the gas business. We consider him to be a valuable part of our department. We would like to welcome Brantley Robinson, who transferred from Public Works into the Gas Department to tackle the job of Utility Tech I. Amanda Brinkley has moved into Charles old role, promoted to Utility Tech ll. We would also like to congratulate her on her pregnancy and upcoming arrival in February. We have our fingers crossed for a girl, but either way she will be the proud mom of her third child. The Gas Department has had a facelift. After twenty years, we have new paint and flooring, and we are very proud of the new look. We have also improved the parking facilities for our vehicles in the Gas Department. A new parking cover was erected at the city barn. We now have a home for the piping truck and welding truck to stay high and dry. Administrative Secretary, Dee Dee Houk has been put in charge of heading up the United Way campaign for the 2003-2004 year and we look forward to all of the future events. The Gas Department is heading into the winter season, which is also our busy time of the year. We feel like we have a good staff of employees to handle anything that comes our way. This year should be a good one. Police Department: On July 26, 2003 the Lake City Police Department participated in the Columbia County Senior Services Meals on Wheels Program Annual Bowl-A-Thon. Our department was the top team raising a total of $4,970.10. Team participants were Team March of Dimes (Walk America) Captain Audrey Sikes, Photo of Officer David Greear and Operator Robert Officer Larry Shallar 4/5/2003 Strickland, Sergeant Joe Moody, Sandra Caslow, and Officer Chris Barfield. Thanks to the efforts of our team and departmental participants we were able to provide enough funds for 994 meals. These meals are provided to seniors in our area who are unable to provide for themselves. GREAT JOB EVERYONE!
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Purchasing Department THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT CHALLENGES EVERY DEPARTMENT TO HAVE A WINNER’S BLUEPRINT FOR ACHIEVEMENT FOR FY-2004 WINNER’S BLUEPRINT FOR ACHIEVEMENT: BELIEVE while others are doubting. PLAN while others are playing. STUDY while others are sleeping. DECIDE while others are delaying. PREPARE while others are daydreaming. BEGIN while others are procrastinating. WORK while others are wishing. SAVE while others are wasting. LISTEN while others are talking. SMILE while others are frowning. COMMEND while others are criticizing. PERSIST while others are quitting. Public Works: Brian Scott’s crew has completed 12” Water Main Project on Turner Road, and also completed the water main extension project to Gateway Baptist Church. Joe Allen’s crew is continuing construction work on the 20” water main from the storage tank West side of town to the new water plant located East of Lake Works getting ready to install City Community College. At the Public the CDS Unit in Lake Desoto. present they are installing the 20” main on Steedly Road which is Southwest of Lake City. Jr. Bullard is in the final process of completing the City’s work on Feagle Parking Lot at the Court House. Asphalt is expected to be laid the first week of October. Randal Anderson’s crew is continuing working on new sewer and water taps. Training of new employees on his crew is expected to be over soon and production level is expected to increase. Right-of-Way crews are continuing their never-ending maintenance projects. Public Works and the City welcome our new employee’s Ed Seabrooks, John Evans, and the new Task Master, Brent Ash. Water Treatment: Susan Gieger, Bill Estep and John Kropp have taken the Class “C” water Iicense examination, and are awaiting test results. Good luck to them. Lake City Water Plant won the United States federal award for Water Fluoridation Quality for the year of 2002. Forty our of over 200 Plants received this award. Congratulations to all involved.
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DEPARTMENT NEWS... DEPART Fire Department: One of the major focuses for the fire department this year has been continuing education. Both Chief Wilson and Asst. Chief Tunsil have recently been re-certified as Firesafety Inspectors. Re-certification is done every three years provided additional classes are taken within that time. Fire codes are updated or new ones added on a continuing basis and it is important for them to stay current with all of this information. Additionally, Capt. Frank Armijo and D/E Nathiel Williams recently became certified as Firesafety Inspectors. D/E Jeff Crawford is a certified instructor through Lake City Community College and has recently re-certified a majority of our fire personnel in CPR. This program will continue until all of the personnel have been re-certified. We also had ten (10) fire fighters attend classes at Lake City Community College to become certified as EMTs. The classes were completed in June / 2003. Those attending were: Lt. David Boozer D/E Randy Burnham Lt. Samuel Crews D/E Bobby Garbett Lt. Hank Rossell D/E Josh Wehinger Lt. Tim Westberry FFC Octavious Buiey D/E Dwight Boozer FSC Scott McCauley Several of our staff has attended the FL State Fire College since the beginning of this year. The 40-hour classes they have been certified in are: Congratulations are in order to Josh Wehinger - he was recently promoted to Driver Engineer. Way to go Josh !!!!! The annual MDA boot drive that is a tradition for fire personnel on Labor Day weekend was a better than expected success this year. Our fire fighters set a goal to raise $5000 and actually raised $11,896. Credit for the overwhelming success ofthis year’s fundraiser should be given to all of you as well as the citizens of Columbia County. If you took a moment to drop your spare change into the boot of a fire fighter standing in the intersections you should give yourself a pat on the back. Your generosity added up. THANK YOU!!! In their continuing effort to raise funds to purchase a Fire Safety Trailer, the fire department fire prevention program is holding a raflle for a golf cart and trailer. The drawing will be November 8, 2003. Raflle tickets will be available until right before the drawing on that day. The time ofthe raflle has not been set as of yet. If you wish to purchase a ticket, see one of our fire fighters. Most of them have tickets to sell.
The annual MDA boot drive that is a tradition for fire personnel on Labor Day weekend was a better than expected success this year. Our fire fighters set a goal to raise $5000 and actually raised $11,896.
Waste Water: Projects Graham & Sons Electric removed the existing Motor Control Center and installed a new Motor Control Center at the Wastewater Facilities Bill Fish removing rags from the mechanical aerator in the Wastewater Treatment Facilities’
The Utilities I&I Crew performed smoke testing at TIMCO to locate and eliminate stormwater inflow into the gravity sewer system. Education Charles Johnson & Liston Pickren attended the Biosolids Management Systems Courses in Gainesville at the Treeo Center. Dave Clanton conducted a seminar at Southside Recreation Center for Utilities and Public Works personnel on “How to Properly Handle & Report Wastewater Spills & Releases” Several Utilities employees attended a seminar for Confined Space Awareness at Lake City Community College. conducted by FW&PCOA member Gene Bullard. Wastewater and Maintenance employees also attended the FW&PCOA Region 13 Short School at Lake City Community College on September 19th & 20th. The following subjects were covered under the weekend school curriculum: Water & Wastewater Safety Water & Wastewater Pump Repair & Troubleshooting Repair & Troubleshooting of gas chlorinators & chemical feed pumps.
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Welcome New Employees! Wesley Lang- Utilities Robbie Bowen- Utilities Ronald “Bill” Estep- Water Facilities Plant Stephen Shaw -Police Department Andrea New -Police Department Rebecca Miles - Police Department Linda Gernza - Police Department John M. Hilton - Police Department
CHRISTMAS FOOD BASKET DRIVE
GOOD JOB!
Stephen Shaw sworn in July 9, 2003
The next letter to be published has a deadline of XXXXXXXX, 2003 for information to be turned in to the Human Resource Office. We welcome pictures, and news of employees and events they would like to share with everyone through the City Newsletter. We need your input and ideas. Call 752-2031, ext. 227 or 267 with your suggestions and ideas for the newsletter.
Department Snap Shots!
Andrea New sworn in August 21, 2003
Police Department: Sergeant Keith Heston: Matthew Ryan Heston born 5/5/03 71b 9oz Officer Shawn Ragging: Shawn Patrick Raggins II born 5/20/03 91b1oz Officer Greg Williams: Gregory Antwan Williams, Jr. born 9/1/03 7lb 1oz.
If you are one of the few people who does not know Brian Eldridge, you’re probably new to the Lake City area. A “special” child, Brian is our claim, as his parents, to fame. Because of his outgoing personality and diverse interests, he is a delightfully special person and a very hard worker. Brian moved to Lake City in December of 1992. CARC was able to help find him Brian Eldridge, employee of Lake City’s employment so he could be as South Georgia-North Florida Veterans independent and self-sustaining Medical Center Escort Services, as anyone. Brian was a volunteer demonstrates to Representative Dwight Stansel his caring service to our local at the BAth, N.Y. Veterans veterans. Brian is a successful outcome of Hospital for four years, so when CARC community placement services. He he moved to Lake City, he and Representative Stansel encourage your current CARC membership support. volunteered for an additional three years. Because of the assistance Brian received from CARC, he was able to accomplish his dream of being a full-time employee at the VA hospital as a transport aide. Brian explained the needs of special children in Tallahassee, and assisted in fundraisers to help others. Without the assistance of CARC, Brian might have missed the opportunity to meet his potential as a person and never know what he was capable of accomplishing. Through the generous donations of citizens in Lake City, CARC will be able to continue to help many others reach their goals. Sharon E. Eldridge Lake City
Believe it or not, Christmas is just around the comer!!! At the beginning of November we’ll start gearing up to provide for the City of Lake City Employees’ Food Basket Drive. Last year we started out with 2 families, added another in the middle of the drive, and ended up providing for 5 FAMILIES through the generous donations of City Employees. This year we’ll aim for making a happier Christmas for 5 families right from the start. If we could do it in 2002, we can certainly do as much in 2003. Any questions should be directed to Deena Davis or Gloria Lewis in Customer Service, and if you personally know of a deserving family, please speak up!
Bo Dean with Hagemeyer donating air packs to the Fire Department.
NEW ARRIVALS!
The United States Federal Award given to the Water Facilities Plant for Water Fluoridation Qualtiy.