Plant City Times &
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
A PARTNERSHIP WITH
IN THIS ISSUE SPORTS
INSIDE
We conclude our 2014 Primary Primer.
Summer children’s David Ruiz reps program celebrates Plant City at camp faith in song, dance. in Argentina. PAGE 12
PAGE 10
OUR TOWN
+ Hope VBS lends a helping paw Hope Lutheran Church’s vacation Bible school adopted a project to raise money for the K-9 Comfort Dog program of Lutheran Church Charities. Throughout the week of VBS, the children brought their offerings and placed them in the special “comfort dog bank,” designed by Hope member Libby Voigtmann. By the end of VBS, participants had collected $500 for the K-9 comfort dog program of Lutheran Church Charities. Hope also welcomed local therapy dog Bonnie and her owners, George and Cassandra Banning. The Bannings shared with participants Bonnie’s duties at South Florida Baptist Hospital, area schools, nursing homes and the library. The comfort dogs of Lutheran Church Charities are used in times of national crisis and have seen service in event of tornadoes and other natural disasters, as well as times of tragedy such as mass shootings. Individual Lutheran congregations also employ comfort dogs to help bring comfort to hurting members at home, hospital or nursing homes.
FREE • FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014
PAGES 8-9
leadership by Amber Jurgensen | Managing Editor
Plant City commissioners select Michael Herr as new city manager The city will host a meeting Sept. 2, to approve the employee agreement. Herr’s first day will be Sept. 22. Five candidates and five hours later, Plant City commissioners agreed Aug. 19, to enter contract negotiations with the man they would like to see at the city’s helm. The commission selected Michael Herr, of Lakeland, as its top choice. Herr currently serves as public works and utility services administrator for the City of Tampa. The day after the commis-
sion’s selection, Interim City Manager David Sollenberger sent an email to city employees confirming the selection. The commission will hold a special meeting Sept. 2, to approve the employee agreement with Herr. His first day in Plant City is scheduled for Sept. 22. “I believe Mr. Herr will provide excellent administrative leadership (that) Plant City
Michael Herr said he is excited about several Plant City projects, including Midtown. “Plant City is open for business,” he said. “I can help with that.”
will need as it moves into the future,” Sollenberger wrote. Herr’s selection comes after commissioners hosted two days of public interviews with its five finalists. Before the motion to select Herr, commissioners also discussed Wayne Saunders as a finalist. Vice Mayor Bill Dodson also mentioned Gary Shi-
Amber Jurgensen
SEE CITY MANAGER / PAGE 4
WHO GOES THERE?
CLASS ACT
by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer
Walden Lake considers 24-hour gate monitoring The community association is working with the city on options to increase security. For months, members of the Walden Lake Community Association have discussed a plethora of issues regarding safety, security and unwanted guests in the country club community. Now, Walden Lake leaders have arrived at a potential solution that would affect every resident in the community: 24hour monitoring at all gates. WLCA President Jim Chancey currently is discussing with city officials the possibility of fully gating Walden Lake. Because the community’s roads are maintained by the municipality, closing the gates requires city approval. Currently, the community’s
Photo by Amber Jurgensen
+ Lions Club pays hospital bill The Plant City Lions Club was able to pay off the last of Gabriel Brannan-Buehl’s medical bills. Gabriel, 3, had lost one of his eyes to an eye cancer. The Lions Club raised $2,800 to cover the cost of his treatment at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, in Miami. “I know lions are courageous, but they also have a really big heart,” said Jen Brannan, Gabriel’s mother.
, 3&
This week’s winner is
Linda Wheelock See her photo on PAGE 15.
Students from throughout Plant City zipped up their backpacks, boarded school buses and reunited with friends and teachers on Tuesday, Aug. 19, for the start of the 2014-15 school year. See page 6 or visit PlantCityObserver.com for more back to school coverage and exclusive photos.
toast of the town
SEE WLCA / PAGE 4 by Amber Jurgensen | Managing Editor
IN OTHER NEWS
YMCA to honor George Banning at 12th Strong Leader Award Dinner Banning is a longtime member of the Plant City Family YMCA and a former board president. For five days a week, George Banning is up with the rising sun, making it to the Plant City Family YMCA just in time for spin class. He even goes on Monday mornings, the same day he has Rotary Club meetings at 7 a.m. That means Banning is on the bike by 5:30 a.m. Banning’s dedication to his health, the fellowship and the facility has attracted the attention of many members at the YMCA. They all have coffee in the mornings in between biking and private personal training drills. His dedication also attracted the attention of the YMCA staff.
This year, Banning has been selected as the 2014 YMCA Strong Leader. He will be honored at an Aug. 26 banquet. “I was very overwhelmed,” Banning said. “I was very appreciative of the offer. There were a couple other candidates I thought should receive it.” Banning was surprised when he learned of his selection. He didn’t realize that, when he was called into a meeting to explain the sport of pickleball, the YMCA staffers were setting him up to announce his award. Since November, Banning had been trying to convince the YMCA to bring pickle-
George Banning ball to the facility. The sport, which originated in California, is played using a tennis net, ping-pong paddle and a Wiffle ball. It’s a less strenuous
replacement for racquet ball. In June, they decided to bring pickleball in, but not before Executive Director Rick Gould approved it. Gould already had approved it but played along with the charade. When Banning entered the meeting, they told him he had been selected at the Strong Leader. Banning served on the YMCA Board from 2001 to 2010 and was president. He’s been major donor chairman and even chairman of the Strong Leader banquet.
SEE BANNING / PAGE 4
INDEX Calendar.......................2
• The board received two quotes for guard shack painting: Jeff Walden Painting ($1,200) and McAdoo painting ($2,400, with the inclusion of special roof coating). Island Painting and TRW Enterprises will soon submit quotes, as well. • Repairs to the three bridges along the trail are underway, and the board expects them to be completed by the end of August. • A resident of Walden Reserve has cut an Emerald Forest fence that borders the property. This is a civil matter between the two subdivisions. The board will discuss the installment of a section of fencing within Emerald Forest that would block the view from the yard of the resident who cut down the original fence.
Vol. 2, No. 4 | One section Crossword...................15
Obituaries...................11
Sports.........................12
Weather ......................15
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