Government & Education news

Mount Dora Middle School Principal Earns "Principal of the Year" Award

10/24/2018

Above: Stein at MDMS in 2015

Only a few short years after joining Mount Dora Middle School as its top administrator, principal Jacob Stein increased the school’s performance by a letter grade and made positive strides in various academic areas, according to the school district.

Today Lake County School Superintendent Diane Kornegay announced Stein’s win as Principal of the Year for 2019-20. Stein now qualifies to be considered for the statewide Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership This award honors leaders who have spearheaded initiatives to increase student performance and promote safe learning environments, often through partnerships with parents and community members.

Stein began in Lake County School in 1998 as an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher at Eustis Middle School. He went on to teach science at Mount Dora High, hospital homebound students and coached swimming. He was appointed Assistant Principal at Windy Hill Middle School in 2006, Assistant Principal at East Ridge High School in 2010 and Principal at Mount Dora Middle School in 2015.

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.

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LOCAL COYOTES: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

10/16/2018

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Above: FWC coyote photo by Beverly Batts.

Nope, that wasn’t a skinny dog you saw cross the street. Coyotes are typically shy and elusive, but encounters with humans are on the rise in Florida as the animals can lessen their fear of people. However, no humans have been the target of attacks in Florida, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC).

Adult coyotes in Florida typically weigh between 20 and 35 pounds and have been found throughout the state. This medium-sized relative of a domesticated dog has proven extremely adaptable and can be found in rural, suburban and urban settings.

Catherine Kennedy, a biological scientist with FWC, will be hosting an educational workshop on November 8 at W. T. Bland Library in Mount Dora. Kennedy’s goal is to minimize adverse impacts by wildlife on human populations. She hopes that by promoting wildlife awareness, coexistence with native species will be possible. This presentation will discuss coyotes in Florida - their biology, their history, and common conflicts, as well as strategies to reduce conflicts and keep pets safe.

The workshop is open to all Lake County residents and starts at 11 a.m. No advance registration is needed. Below are five tips for coexisting with coyotes.

5 TIPS FOR LIVING WITH COYOTES:

What attracts coyotes to a neighborhood?
According to FWC, Coyotes are highly adaptable and smart. They may live in wooded or other habitats near your neighborhood and go where there is food. Never intentionally or unintentionally feed coyotes. These opportunistic feeders can be attracted to pet food, trash, or to the rodents and other animals that are attracted by it.   Eliminating potential sources of food and securing garbage in animal-proof containers will encourage coyotes to move elsewhere in their 5-10 square mile home range.

What should I do if I see a coyote?
Coyotes rarely pose a threat to people, especially adults. They can be curious but are also timid and generally run away if challenged. If a coyote approaches too closely, waving your arms and making loud noises (air horns, yelling, banging pots and pans will typically cause a coyote to leave an area). You may need to increase and continue hazing efforts until the coyote is effectively deterred and leaves the area for good. There are several methods of hazing that are effective with coyotes. Vary your methods of hazing so that the coyote does not become desensitized and the hazing is still effective.

How to protect a child from a coyote?
If a coyote approaches a child, the animal can be startled away by an adult yelling loudly first and then moving towards the coyote. This gives the adult an opportunity to lift the child as quickly as possible and back away from the animal. Do not run from a coyote, as this may trigger the animal to chase. Teach children to recognize coyotes. If children are approached by a coyote, have them yell and move slowly inside.

How can I protect my pets from coyotes?
Coyotes prey on domestic cats and small dogs. Most coyote attacks on pets occur either at night or at dusk and dawn when coyotes are typically the most active. Free-roaming pets are particularly at risk, so keep cats indoors and walk small dogs on a short leash. Be sure fences are 6 feet high to prevent coyotes from jumping over, and check along the bottom for holes. Problems with coyotes can be significantly reduced if outside attractants (pet food and unsecured garbage) are removed.

What should I know about their diet and behavior?
Coyotes feed on small animals like rodents, rabbits, lizards, snakes, insects, white-tailed deer fawns, small wild pigs, as well as grasses, fruit (watermelon, persimmons and wild berries), grains, fish and carrion. They can also prey on livestock, mainly calves, sheep and chickens.  Coyotes can live singly, in pairs, or in small family groups. They breed once per year in the winter, denning in thickets, brush piles, hollow logs or burrows. Litters average six pups that are usually born in spring after about 60 days of gestation.  (Source FWC)

10 Ways to Stay Safe with Florida Bears

Coyote encounters or attacks can be reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission by calling 888-404-3922. 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.

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LOCAL HEROES ASSIST IN AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE MICHAEL

10/15/2018

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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.

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PARKING GARAGE PARTNERSHIP PITCHED TO MOUNT DORA

10/1/2018

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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.