MOUNT DORA BUZZ - Government & Education news

LOCAL HEROES ASSIST IN AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE MICHAEL

10/15/2018

ABOVE: Photo by Mount Dora Firefighter Dara Hennessey with Central Florida Search and Rescue Team 4

It is the acts of courage and kindness that stand out amidst the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Michael. Firefighters from the Eustis Fire Department and Lake County Fire Rescue set out on a 10-day mission to be part of an Engine Strike Team deployed to provide assistance in Florida’s ravaged Panhandle.

Team leader Eustis Fire Chief Mike Swanson and team assistant Lt. David Ziegler from the Lake County Fire Rescue lead Engine Strike Team 501 which also includes personnel from Clermont Fire Department, Cape Canaveral Fire Rescue, St. Lucie Fire District, and Indian River Fire Department.

ABOVE: Engine Strike Team 501 lead by Eustis Fire Department and Lake County Fire Rescue.departments.

The strike team is now stationed in Chattahoochee, Florida, northeast of Panama City, where they continue to assist with recon, rescue, food and water deliveries, as well as 911 responses and filling in for departments that have been hit the hardest by the Category 4 storm.

Dara Hennessey, a firefighter with Mount Dora Fire Department was deployed with Central Florida’s Urban Search and Rescue Team: Task Force 4. Hennessey is a technical information specialist that researches disaster areas, develops action plans and manages technical information. This team is comprised of 46 specially trained firefighters from across Central Florida.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz here.

PARKING GARAGE PARTNERSHIP PITCHED TO MOUNT DORA

10/1/2018

ABOVE: The City's parking lot on Baker Street adjacent to the railroad tracks.

A seed was recently planted in Mount Dora. One that could significantly grow the number of downtown parking spaces.

At a September 27 workshop, representatives of G3 Development presented the City Council with a preliminary public-private partnership (PPP) proposal to build a parking garage with 488 spaces. The site combines contiguous lots currently being acquired by G3 with the city’s existing parking lot adjacent to the railroad tracks between Tremain and Baker Streets. The small part of Baker Street that dead ends and sits between the parking lot and the soon-to-be G3 lots would be the only other property included.

PPPs are often used to bridge funding gaps for costly government projects. These partnerships vary greatly, but allow a government access to a private company’s resources, which can include financial, design, construction, technical, management, and operational expertise according to its specific needs.    A well-negotiated PPP marries the strengths of the city and its corporate partner to add quality and cost-effectiveness to a project.

A prior study by the City of Mount Dora cited a parking shortfall of 275 spaces in the downtown core.   However, G3 estimates that 45,000 square feet of commercial space is currently vacant, and as more of that space becomes occupied, the parking deficit would probably increase.

The PPP is still in its embryonic stage, so it’s premature for renderings or detailed site plans. However, Gerry Guenther and his son, Austin, of G3 Development, stated the structure would have entrances on Charles and Baker streets to reduce impact on the residential neighborhood to the east. Additionally, the garage could remain within downtown’s critical 35-foot maximum height restriction.   To accomplish this, the structure would be two covered levels with a third uncovered rooftop level.

G3’s presentation included cost comparisons of two other parking solutions the city is already considering. The PPP garage would alleviate the current parking shortfall by yielding 488 parking spaces at a cost of approximately $17,500 per parking space plus a 10% contingency. The total estimated cost would be $8.5 million.

According to the developer’s presentation, a public parking lot at the post office site would yield 37 parking spaces, cost over $33,000 per parking space based on a land purchase price of $910,000, and incur a construction cost of $317,488 totalling over $1.2 million. Another option, the Gobie property on Third Avenue, would cost $924,000 and yield 43 spaces at a cost of approximately $21,500 per parking space. Both of those options would cost the city future property tax revenue and do not fill the city’s 275 space deficit. Additionally, each of those could have a 30% contingency, according to Gerry Guenther, however the City's amount could differ.

ABOVE: The lots on Baker Street that G3 is currently acquiring.

At the workshop, the city council agreed to explore the PPP option. At this early phase, the city would decide what it wants from such a partnership. The next step would be for the two parties to negotiate and structure a partnership that is mutually beneficial. Once that framework is worked out between the developer and the City Manager, the city council would vote whether to proceed. If either party decides a partnership isn't in their best interest, the city can proceed with its other options and G3 would build something else on their lots.

The Guenthers are local developers that have lived in Mount Dora for decades and have developed properties in Mount Dora, as well as other cities in Lake County. Their most recent downtown project is the purchase and renovation of the three-story building on the corner of Third Avenue and Baker Street. Pineapple Point, the undeveloped lakefront acreage next to Lakeside Inn, is also in their portfolio of properties.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz here.

MOUNT DORA CITY COUNCIL UPDATE: SEPT. 27

9/27/2018

By Marc Crail
District 4 City Council member

City Council held an afternoon Work Session which included discussions on several items. No Resolutions or Ordinances are voted on during Work Sessions so I'll concentrate on telling you about some of the more important items on our Regular Meeting Agenda which was jam packed. Please keep in mind that I am providing you with my own impressions of this meeting. I'm not speaking in any official capacity for Mount Dora City Council.

If you've gone by Gilbert Park this week you've probably noticed that the outdated and unsafe 28 year old wooden play structure on the south side of the park has been demolished and the site is being prepared for the installation of a cool new Intrepid Pirate Ship, a Jungle Dome climbing activity structure, a Spinner Plate, Double Balance Beam, Swings and Stilts. Despite what you might have heard or read elsewhere rest assured that this play area for kids aged 5-12 meets or exceeds all ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards so that children with a wide variety of disabilities can enjoy and participate in the activities and fun there. The new playground should be ready for kids of all ages in about a month.

Three Resolutions were finalized completing the months long budget building process. The millage rate will remain the unchanged at 6.3 mills for 2018-19. The city will collect an extra $400,000.+ due to increased property values. The final 2018-19 budget was approved as was the Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan. The capital or building projects in the next year will feature the replacement of our public works building and storage facility that will cost about $12 million but is sorely needed.?

For the majority of Mount Dora residents and businesses who are served my Mount Dora Electric (not those of us get our electricity from either SECO or Duke Energy) will see a decrease in their monthly electric bills next month. Due to lower fuel costs their bills will go down by 2.2% or about $2.55 per month.

You might have read or heard about a proposal before the Lake County Commissioners to accept a bronze statue of Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith which would be housed in Tavares in a County owned facility. Smith was born in St. Augustine and lived out his later life in Tennessee. He had nothing to do with Lake County and in my estimation Lake County should not under any circumstances accept this monument to a man who was a traitor to the United States and a supporter of slavery. The consensus of the council and those in the audience who spoke was that a resolution to that affect should be drafted and passed at our next meeting on October 4. The Lake County Commissioners will make the ultimate decision but Mount Dora will very likely join several other cities voicing our opposition. Housing General Smith's statue in Lake County would be a huge mistake and a step back to the bad old days.

I appreciate your interest in your City government.

What do you think of this Tibetan Proverb? "The secret to living well and longer is: eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure."

By Marc Crail
District 4 City Council member

DELAYS AT NIGHT EXPECTED IN MOUNT DORA

9/24/2018

Mount Dora drivers will experience delays this Monday and Tuesday nights, September 24 and 25, at the intersection of S.R. 46 and U.S. 441.

Single lane closures are scheduled from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. to allow crews to construct a northbound U.S. 441 left turn lane and add a left turn arrow to the traffic signal at the intersection.

Electronic message boards and detour signs will be posted to alert drivers. Flaggers will be present. Bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances could delay or prolong work.

Work on this section is scheduled to finish in spring of 2020. This 3-mile stretch of non-tolled road improvements includes widening S.R. 46 and U.S. 441 to six lanes, sidewalks and other pedestrian improvements, and building a flyover ramp for the heavy traffic that will be trying to get to the parkway.

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MOUNT DORA CANDIDATES ANSWER 10 KEY QUESTIONS

9/24/2018

From left: Donnie Stroud, Kate Bellamy and Crissy Stile. (Photo by Mount Dora Buzz)

What's the best way to find out what candidates really think? Pull out all the safety nets.

That's exactly what happened when Mount Dora Buzz recently gathered all three Mount Dora City Council candidates together. To help voters make the most informed decision, the candidates were required to leave their cell phones and campaign surrogates behind. The goal was to ensure the written answers would be their own. The questions were unknown to the candidates in advance and everyone had one hour to write and proofread their answers.

On November 6, Mount Dora residents will cast their votes to fill the at-large city council seat. The three candidates vying to serve the entire city are Kate Bellamy, a small business owner; Crissy Stile, a small business owner; and Donnie Stroud, a retiree. Below are their unedited answers published in their entirety and in alphabetical order by candidates' last names.

1. growth

QUESTION: As Mount Dora continues to grow with new residential and business development, what should the city do to ensure responsible growth?

BELLAMY: I think that with growth in a city things need to be planned carefully. We must provide adequate parking and safe roadways. It is important to have a solid plans and a vision for what the future will bring.

STILE: Our city has already experienced significant growth. To ensure responsible growth we have got to budget necessary funds to upgrade our emergency services. Our fire department's response time is currently twice what it should be. Our police department reports twice as many traffic stops in 2017 as it did just four years ago. It is vital that our public safety has an opportunity to catch up with the growth of our city.

STROUD: Strictly follow and enforce our zoning and building codes, but be a city that works with developers, not against them. Developers like to work with cities that consistently follow and enforce “the rules.”

2. BIKE TRAIL

Above: The Tremain railroad trestle is planned to be modified and preserved as part of the Wekiva Trail.

QUESTION: In order for Mount Dora to be connected to the Wekiva Trail, the vast bicycle and pedestrian trail that connects to Florida's Coast-to-Coast Trail, the city has to pay $1 million dollars to fund its share of the project. Do you support this? Please briefly explain.

BELLAMY: I think that being a part of the Wekiva Trail is extremely important for Mount Dora. The exposure and the opportunities that the trail can bring to Mount Dora could be amazing.

STILE: Over the past 3.5 months I have knocked on over 1800 doors throughout the city. Our residents are excited about the Wekiva Trail. This 15-mile trail will connect Mount Dora to over 200 miles of Central Florida's most beautiful assets: parks, lakes, wildlife and all of nature. This is a must as far as planning goes.

STROUD: I do. $1 million will be a good long-term investment to a do [sic] Mount Dora to Central Florida’s growing bike trails. It will not only open Mount Dora up to more bike riders, but will also benefit our own citizens. I’m for it.

3. DOWNTOWN RECYCLING

QUESTION: Downtown Mount Dora currently doesn’t have an adequate recycling program for businesses. Do you believe improving this should be a priority? Please briefly explain.

BELLAMY: Yes, we have to start recycling for tomorrow. This is a huge part of my platform. Downtown produces an unbelievable amount of recyclable materials. There is enough money and recycling to support a program. It is time to be responsible and do the right thing.

STILE: Particularly as a downtown business owner (bookstore on Fourth), I am embarrassed that we do not recycle. With permission from our city manager, I was given the opportunity to meet with every department head. I have spoken at length with our public works director regarding recycling. I understand trying to get people to deposit recyclable materials in the proper receptacle on street is nearly impossible. However, there is no reason our downtown shops and restaurants should not be recycling all of our cardboard, glass, plastic, packaging materials, etc. I will work to bring recycling to Mount Dora when I am on council.

STROUD: Nothing is as ugly as a landfill. You can spot easily. I support recycling not only for the downtown, but all of Mount Dora. Both as a community and as a nation, we need to step up our recycling effort.

4. NORTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD

QUESTION: What do you feel is the biggest issue or issues facing Mount Dora’s East Town neighborhood? What could the City do to help?

BELLAMY:  The northeast side of town needs their own representation. In order to restore their part of town, they need a voice. A voice from someone who lives there and cares about their needs.

STILE:  In my department head meeting, I specifically asked what is being done to improve the Northeast. This area of town is blighted and our Northeast residents deserve better. The City needs to capitalize on the rich history in the Northeast. The number one way to make the most effective improvement to the Northeast is to listen to the residents. Let’s hear what they want, what they need.

STROUD:  The city has established a Northeast Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to address this issue. They have the ability to request funding from the city council for streetscape, sidewalk, roadway, drainage, building renovation, and more. I would like to see the CRA look at improving First Avenue as it will become the new front door to Mount Dora.

5. fire assessment fee:

QUESTION: Do you support a flat fee for each home or one that is based on a home's square footage? Or do you have a different idea?

BELLAMY: I support a flat fee. A standardized fee seems like the fairest way to go.

STILE: At the all-day budget workshop in July, which I was the only candidate in attendance, the idea of a fire assessment fee based on square footage was presented by a council member. Our Deputy Fire Chief had a great response to this proposal. First of all, whether you live in a 900 square-foot home, a 5000 square-foot mansion or a high-rise condo you get the same emergency response. Secondly, our fire response also includes EMS. In a meeting I had with our city manager, I was excited to learn that all future first responders are required to be trained paramedics. The size of your home doesn’t matter when you’re having a heart attack.

STROUD: I am against assessment fees. They are just another form of taxes. Assessment fees are per home not based on value. So a mansion pays the same fee as a modest home. Fire department should be funded like almost all other city services-out of general funds.

6. DOWNTOWN PARKING

QUESTION: The city is in the process of acquiring land to add public parking lot in downtown Mount Dora. Do you believe the added surface parking lots will provide adequate additional parking? If not, what do you support to increase it?

BELLAMY: No, the surface lots are just a Band-Aid. In the future we are going to need much more parking. We are growing and it’s going to take a parking garage to solve this problem. I think we need to look at building a garage at the old Post Office.

STILE: We have adequate surface lots. Currently, the lot on Third Avenue between Baker and Tremain is rarely used. We also have permission from the Methodist church to use their lot (except Sundays). Both of these lots are within two blocks of downtown. Building a parking garage at the current Post Office site would be a great solution to our parking problem once we fully utilized our surface lots.

STROUD: I support multiple surface lots scattered around the city. Residents want to park near where they shop. Multiple surface lots are the next best thing to more street parking.

7. INNOVATION DISTRICT

QUESTION: What would you like to see developed at the planned Innovation District around Wolf Branch Road?

BELLAMY: I would like to see an area full of high tech businesses. Perhaps a satellite college facility from UCF. I also believe we need to make sure that we provide affordable housing for the workers that will be there.

STILE: It makes sense to develop the Innovation District commercially. Warehouse and industrial is what the city is targeting. In an effort to maintain our city’s growth and keep the Innovation District inclusive, I’d like to see walking paths, the amphitheater so many have talked about [sic]. We could have a theater under the stars. I just don’t want to see the new district created to be “separate“ from the rest of our city. I’d like all of our neighborhoods and districts to make Mount Dora whole.

STROUD: I would like to see businesses that will make a long-term investment in Mount Dora by buying land, erecting buildings, installing equipment, and hiring employees. I think the Innovation District would be a good location for a major hospital. The hospital would spin off other health-related businesses and medical office buildings. I think the area could also support manufacturing due to the new road network.

8. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

Above: The current state of part of the City's Public Works building.

QUESTION: Capital improvement projects take significant planning and funding. What are your top three priorities for near-term (two years) capital improvement projects and what are your three priorities for long-term (five years) projects? Please list.

BELLAMY: I honestly want to do some more research on this topic before I give my final answer.

STILE: Near term:

Three fully operable fire stations
Parking garage (7th Ave. and Donnelly St.)
Public Works building

Long Term:

Finish downtown streetscape
Develop further the Innovation District
Wekiva Trail to connect us to the C2C (coast-to-coast trail).

STROUD: The City is about to embark on a five-year capital improvement plan that could exceed $170 million. We need to spend on what we need, not what we want. My top three priorities for two years is [sic] as follows:

Build the cities third fire station
Rehab the Public Works complex
Continue expanding surface parking lot by building the lot at third Avenue and Baker Street.

For five years:

Complete the purchase of the post office
Connect to the Wekiva Trail
Improve our road maintenance

9. ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT

QUESTION: A downtown “entertainment district“ is currently being considered by the Mount Dora City Council. The district would enable people of legal drinking age to purchase alcoholic beverages at licensed downtown establishments and carry within the defined district. Do you support this? Please explain.

BELLAMY: Absolutely! An entertainment district would add to the downtown experience. Couples could walk to the lake with a glass of wine and watch the sunset. So many guests I have spoken to really want this to happen. I think we should give it a try.

STILE: The residents I’ve spoken to are very excited about a downtown entertainment district. While I am not opposed to the idea, I don’t see it adding any value to our town.

STROUD: I am against the so-called entertainment district, because I am against open-container drinking downtown. Open-container drinking does not fit Mount Dora‘s reputation as a family values community. Just because Eustis and Tavares does it, doesn’t mean that Mount Dora should do it. We are “someplace special.”

10. PINEAPPLE POINT

ABOVE: Elizabeth Evans Park which is adjacent to Pineapple Point.

QUESTION: Understanding this is privately-owned property, what should the key considerations be for developing Pineapple Point, the lakefront land between Lakeside Inn and Evans Park downtown?

BELLAMY: I think we just need to make sure that area is not spoiled with high-rise businesses that don’t fit into the footprint of Mount Dora. I hope the development will support our small-town charm and ambience.

STILE: I am in favor of working with property owners and business owners to develop our waterfront. I believe Pineapple Point is a prime location for an open-air market, open seven days a week. Another idea is an all-glass waterfront dining establishment. I would also like to see a nature excursion type operation, i.e. - canoe/kayak rentals, etc. I would not be in support of development that blocks our waterfront.

STROUD: We must respect the rights of the property owners to develop as he wants, as long as City zoning and building codes are followed. Personally if developed, I would hope that the owner and city could work together to install a public boardwalk for all to enjoy. This could be a good public–private partnership opportunity should both the owner and City agree.

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Copyright Mount Dora Buzz

MOUNT DORA CITY COUNCIL UPDATE: sEPT. 13, 2018

9/13/2018

By Dr. Marc Crail
District 4 City Council Rep.

I've selected several of the items from our Mount Dora City Council meeting held Thursday evening 9/13 that I thought you would want to hear about. Regular readers know my often repeated admonition that I am just one of seven City Council members so what follows are my thoughts which don't necessarily represent City Council as a whole.

The most significant decision to come out of our meeting was to establish our new Fire Assessment Fee at $219 for residences. This is up from $50 Fire Assessment Fee we've had over the past 3 years. The money collected from the soon to sunset $50 fee has been earmarked for the lease/purchase of 2 new fire trucks. Those new trucks have been in service now for about a year and they replaced 2 old vehicles which were outdated and costly to maintain. The $219 annual fire fee will be used to build 3 new fire stations over the next few years. Our fire and EMS response times are more than double the national response times recommended to keep our residents and our homes safe. Our response times are getting worse due to higher traffic volumes and the poor location of our 2 fire stations currently in operation. This is a big increase but public safety is our top priority and after a year of study and ongoing discussion this difficult decision had to be made. The vote was 6-1. For comparison Fire Assessment Fees in some nearby locations are Tavares $142, Lake County $193, Osceola $212 and Fruitland Park $213.

Another fire related resolution was the acceptance of a $1.29 million S.A.F.E.R. (Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response) Grant which will help cover the cost of additional fire fighters and EMS personnel. This grant was provided by the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security. That is good news.

We approved the purchase of property located at the corner of N. Baker and E. 3rd. Ave. which will become a surface parking lot for about 60 cars and will have restrooms for downtown visitors. This is one step in the quest for more convenient downtown parking. The cost of this property is $795,000. Community Redevelopment funds and Discretionary Sales Tax Funds will be used to pay for this purchase.

The lengthy project to rebuild the cul-de-sac on Magnolia Ending (Dogwood Mountain) that was severely damaged during Hurricane Irma is finally nearing completion. The estimated road and drainage completion date is the end of October. FEMA funding should eventually help pay for the lions share of this work.

I'd like to share a quote from Booker T. Washington who said; "A lie doesn't become truth, wrong doesn't become right, and evil doesn't become good just because it's accepted by a majority."

Thank you for allowing me to serve as one of your representative on City Council. Tonight was an example of how tough some decisions are to make. Trying always to make the best use of tax dollars while providing for the safety of our residents is a balancing act.

Dr. Marc Crail
District 4 City Council Rep.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz here .

MOUNT DORA CITY COUNCIL UPDATE: AUG. 28, 2018

8/29/2018

By Marc Crail
Mount Dora City Council Member, District 4

Three meetings were all rolled into one marathon afternoon/evening beginning at 3:00 and wrapping up shortly before 11:00. I've said this before but it bares repeating... I am not the spokesperson for Mount Dora City Council and I''m only one of the seven members so what follows here is just my opinion of a few selected items that I thought you might be interested in reading about.

We began with a Work Session that included a positive report from our Auditors and a review of our proposed 2018-19 budget which is still being tweaked but is getting close to being finalized. Our City Manager thinks that there will likely be no millage increase this year. You might recall that our millage rate was set last year at 6.3 mills. Because of property value increases this year we will collect some additional money and should be able to back off from the 7.0 mill rate that you saw on your recent TRIM notice. This has not been finalized yet but it seems likely to me. One other piece of good news is that we believe that Mount Dora will be approved to receive a "SAFER Grant" which would help pay the salaries of new fire fighters over the next several years.

The Regular Meeting included several important items.

On a 5-1 vote we passed a resolution giving preliminary approval for 387 new single family homes to be built as a PUD (Planned Unit Development) on 155 developable acres off of Round Lake Rd. just north of Round Lake School. There will be lots of green space, walking and bike trails, ball fields, a pool, and a tot lot playground. Two entrances to the development are planned to/from Round Lake Rd. and a traffic light is being constructed right now on the corner of Round Lake and Wolf Branch Roads.

Parking solutions for downtown have been sorely needed for a decade or more. Rather than building a monolithic parking structure which I believe would not fit in well, we are concentrating on developing smaller surface parking lots. We approved a Capital Improvement Revenue Note which is a bank loan for up to $4 million at 3.85% to begin purchasing several properties near the corner of Third Ave. and Baker St. consisting of an old barn and some houses that will soon become a parking lot with 60-85 spaces and much needed rest rooms for downtown visitors. Please don't let that $4 million figure confuse you. This parking lot and restrooms should cost about half of that but we can (should we choose to) also use the same loan to fund a second surface lot which could be located on Donnelly St. where the post office sits now. No decision has been made on that Donnelly St. lot and the property owner hasn't said yet if that property is going to be for sale. If it becomes available, we are "pre-approved" to get the funds to purchase it if we decide to do so. CRA funds are available to be used to repay the bank loan.

The owner of the Renaissance Building located at 411 N. Donnelly St. would like to construct a deck to be used for outdoor dining above the sidewalk on the front side of the building. Although the design looked appealing to me, on the advice of our Historic Preservation Board and our Planning & Zoning staff we declined to approve it on a 5-1 vote.

We are continuing to work toward the possible creation of a downtown "Entertainment District' which would enable adults to carry beer, wine or other adult beverages on the streets in that area. After a discussion among council members and suggestions from the community our legal counsel will incorporate the latest suggestions into a draft ordinance to be considered as a pilot program at our next meeting. More on this soon!

With the recent passing of Senator John McCain we have been reminded of the bravery and old fashioned patriotism and integrity that defined his life of public service. My favorite John McCain story demonstrated his decency when in the midst of his 2008 campaign for

President he quickly but politely intervened when a woman in his Town Hall event audience began to make untrue, disparaging remarks about McCain's opponent, Senator Barack Obama. "I can't trust Obama. He's an Arab," she said implying that Obama was not an American. "No ma'am." McCain said as he took the microphone back from her. "He's a decent, family man, citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign is all about. He's not."

In my estimation, that is what America should be all about.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve as your District 4 City Council Representative

Marc Crail
District 4 City Council Representative

LOCAL SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER HAS LOCAL ROOTS

8/24/2018

Sometimes you can do the most good right in your own backyard. That’s exactly what one Tavares Police Officer discovered when Lake County Schools set out to improve the safety of its schools.

Tavares Police Department stepped up to assist and added an officer at Tavares Elementary School. Officer Melissa Robinson, 32, a Eustis native and mother of four, became the school’s first resource officer and welcomed the young students back to school last week.

Robinson began her career in law enforcement in 2005 at age 19 after graduating from Eustis High School the previous year. She has been with TPD since 2013 with various duties including road patrol, traffic, investigations, and SRO.

Robinson is excited to work with children and to provide them a safe environment, as well as someone to look up to.

This year Lake County Schools, with assistance from Lake County Sheriffs Office and local police departments, have added SROs in local elementary schools in addition to middle schools and high schools.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz here .

AFTER A SERIES OF DEBACLES, MOUNT DORA TERMINATES LAW FIRM

8/22/2018

During a special meeting held on Tuesday, August 21, 2018, the City of Mount Dora City Council voted unanimously to sever ties with the firm of Stenstrom, McIntosh, Colbert & Whigham, P.A.

The discontinuation was based on a number of factors which resulted in the City Council’s lack of confidence in the firm’s ability to properly represent the city.

Specific factors which contributed to the discontinuation of service with the law firm began with the negative interactions by one of its attorneys with city staff members in 2017 and continued with the code enforcement advisory issue surrounding the Starry Night mural which garnered national negative publicity and the publicly embarrassing de novo hearing last month for a proposed Boathouse Row restaurant, as well as an overall lack of satisfactory service from the law firm.

During the special meeting to discuss the law firm's future, council members were united in their severe lack of confidence in the City's legal representation and voted unanimously to terminate the relationship.

The City will soon issue a request for proposals for municipal legal services. Meanwhile, the law firm of Bell and Roper, another firm that represented the City during the Starry Night mural litigation, accepted the council’s offer to serve as interim City Attorney.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz here .

LAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS INTRODUCES NEW ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS FOR STUDENTS

8/17/2018

After the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, earlier this year, many school districts have reviewed their security and safety measures. In the continual effort to keep students and staff safe, Lake County Schools is collaborating with local law enforcement to implement the A.L.I.C.E. method, which is an acronym for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate

This summer all Lake County Schools staff were offered training in the updated procedures that incorporate the the principles of A.L.I.C.E. The district believes this approach empowers everyone to use his or her best judgment in each unique situation.

“Now after thoughtful preparation we are prepared to share the concepts in age-appropriate ways with our students.” said Jimmer Roy, the district’s Safety & Security Specialist.

According to Lake County Schools, this method is sometimes referred to as “Run, Hide, Fight,” whereby running out of the building may be the best option, but at other times, it’s safer to barricade and hide. Fighting an assailant or throwing objects to disorient and distract him is a last resort to be used only if there are no other options. The goal is to give students and staff the best opportunity for survival.

Safety drills will begin later this fall, and parents will be notified in advance. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. To get the area's top stories in your inbox once a month, sign up for the free monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz here .