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Lake Region Monitor USPS 114-170 — Keystone Heights, Florida
What’s inside
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Thursday, May 7, 2015 43rd Year — 1st Issue — 75 CENTS
City gives thumbs up to splash park
Golf club sells original nine holes Council cool to fire dept.’s proposal City streamlining sign grant process City manager gets raise, more time off, bigger retirement Insurer demands $204,871 from utility CCUA leak detection program saves 11.4 million gallons in four months County rejects restrictions on trailers
The Bentley Park splash pad in Bixby, Oklahoma is the inspiration for a similar project in Keystone Heights.
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, May 4 – The Keystone Heights City Council voiced its support for a proposed splash park, similar to facilities either recently opened or under construction in Lake Butler, St.
Augustine and Alachua. The parks, also called splash pads, splash zones and spray grounds, typically feature a concrete pad with water jets, geyser sprays, fountains, slides and other See SPLASH, 2A
Clay Electric linemen compete in statewide competition
Gallery hosts student show
Freemans win yard of the month Woman’s Club hears Youth Challenge students McRae Elementary March Terrific Kids Clay’s deputy school superintendent retiring Chiappini’s: still a strong presence after 80 years Indians fall in regional semifinals Profiles of Kingsley Lake Baptist pastor, youth minister Blanding museum accepts donation in honor of Chester Little Kiwanis supports relay, LAM Melrose principal, alumna brief club High school drama club goes to Oz
This work by Brandon Figurroa, an Interlachen High School sophomore, won Best of Show at the Artisan’s Way student art show. BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor MELROSE, May 3 – Artisan’s Way Gallery featured the work of art students from Interlachen and Keystone Heights high schools, during the Melrose First Friday Art walk. The Artisan’s Way event also included a reception and poetry slam. Judges awarded Brandon A JEA lineman simulates the rescue of an injured coworker Figueroa of Interlachen the Best during the 15th annual Florida Lineman Competition in of Show ribbon. Tallahassee. Photo courtesy of the Florida Municipal Katerina Cumbus of Electric Association. Interlachen, Justin Alexander of Interlachen and Haley Belden BY DAN HILDEBRAN of Keystone took the top three Monitor Editor TALLAHASSEE, April 18 – Lineman from Clay Electric Cooperative placed 18th in the journeyman team division during the 15th annual Florida Lineman Competition in Tallahassee, April 18. The team of Matt Hickey, Chip Ware, Damian Stewart and Jared Baldree competed in five events on 40-foot utility poles, replacing BY DAN HILDEBRAN transformers, simulating the rescue of a hurt coworker, repairing Monitor Editor wires and other tasks. HAWTHORNE, April 29 — Teams were ranked based on time with points deducted for not A 65-year-old Melrose woman following safety procedures. was killed after her Ford Ranger Crews from the city of Tallahassee, JEA and the city of Ocala collided, head-on, with another took the top three spots in the competition. vehicle on US 301. In a separate apprentice event, restricted to workers with four According to a Florida years of experience or less, Clay Electric lineman Leon Ridaught Highway Patrol report, Margaret placed 30th. E. Welter was driving the pickup The competition was sponsored by the Florida Municipal Electric Association and included teams from across the state.
places in the two-dimensional competition. Alexander, Kason Bell and Tavian Griffin of Interlachen teamed up to win the three-dimensional class. Helen McDaniel of Interlachen and Autumn Franklin of Keystone Heights rounded out the top the places in the division. Judges also recognized Jordan Ardley as most creative and Shelby Carter as most original. Both students are from Interlachen. Judges awarded honorable mention recognition to Jared
Barton, Savannah Bell, Zachary Bright, Brianna McCarty and Tiffany McLemore of Keystone and to Camdyn Arey, Dezarae Brinson, Cassie Cole, Richard Colonel, Katerina Cumbus, Rebecca Hattendorf, Sooji Kim and Hannah White of Interlachen. Artisans Way will continue to display the students’ works through the month of May. The gallery is open from 10 to 2 on Wednesday and from 11 to 5 on Friday Saturday and Sunday.
Melrose woman killed in crash northbound in the highway’s left, southbound lane, east of Lochloosa Lake, around 10:13 p.m., on April 29. The truck collided with a 2006 Chrysler Pacifica driven by Kacey Faircloth, 27, of Island Grove. The Chrysler was traveling southbound in the left, southbound lane of 301.
Also in the Pacifica were twoyear-old Kaleb Faircloth and three-year-old Kendra Faircloth. All three passengers in the Chrysler were transported to UF Health in Gainesville. According to FHP, as of Thursday afternoon, all three remain hospitalized, in stable condition.
Deadline Monday 5 p.m. before publication • Phone 352-473-2210 • Fax 352-473-2210
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Lake Region Monitor • Thursday, May 7, 2015
Council cool to fire dept.’s proposal BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, May 4 – After two workshops to discuss a possible partnership between the city and the town’s volunteer fire department, city council members have, so far, shied away from the fire department’s offer to provide the municipality with fire and rescue services. Since April 2013, the Keystone Heights Volunteer Fire Department, an independent nonprofit corporation, has been barred from responding to fire and emergency calls, after leaders of the department and Clay County officials failed to agree on an operating contract. Prior to that date, county dispatchers sent out Keystone volunteer units, in addition to the county’s firefighters, to emergency calls. Earlier this year, fire department officials asked the city to consider partnering with the department. The partnership would authorize the department to answer calls within the municipality. City council members responded by scheduling workshops. During the first workshop, held on March 19, Fire Chief Kevin Mobley laid out a plan under which the department would provide fire and emergency services to the municipality. He recommended leaders from the two organizations first negotiate a contract. He then proposed the city and fire department negotiate automatic and mutual aid agreements with surrounding jurisdictions, starting with Clay and Bradford counties, and eventually extending to Putnam County. Mobley said that in addition to supplying additional manpower when necessary, an automatic aid agreement with Clay County would provide the city with specialized services and equipment such as for hazardous materials cleanups, urban search and rescue and trench rescue situations. Under questioning from council members, Mobley said none of the counties were under any legal obligation to sign automatic or mutual aid agreements, and each could decline to do so. He added, however, that local governments routinely agree to help one another for fire and emergency calls, and he saw no reason why Clay, Bradford or Putnam counties would refuse to sign such agreements with the city. Mobley also raised the possibility that Clay County may move its Station 11 from within the city of Keystone Heights to another area of southwestern Clay County. County fire officials have already attempted to build a temporary station north of the city on State Road 21 on Tower Hill, next to the offices of Helen Hersey Realty. However, those plans were scuttled when site preparation costs exceeded the county’s budget for the project. During the March 19 workshop, Mobley also said that some type of city tax revenue would be necessary for the department to meet its budget. “At some point,” he said, “we would need to create a tax for the municipality to supplement the KHVFD budget.” During a follow-up
workshop, on April 14, incoming city council member Dan Lewendowski said the municipality faced three options: the status quo, accepting the volunteers’ offer for providing exclusive fire services within the municipality or negotiating an agreement between the volunteer department and Clay County Fire Rescue. He said the third option would result in an arrangement similar to the agreement in force prior to April, 2013 in which the county and the volunteers worked together. The incoming council member said that the status quo was the least desirable option because it left manpower and equipment idle at the Keystone station. Although Mobley did not attend the second workshop, he said during the first session that the Keystone department has 21 certified firefighters and 20 support staff. Lewendowski also noted that the nonprofit corporation owns the largest fire tanker in Clay County. The council members who attended the second workshop expressed reservations about relying exclusively on the allvolunteer force for handling the municipality’s emergency calls, even though Clay County Fire See FIRE DEPT., 6A
SPLASH Continued from 1A
water-themed apparatus. Troy Stephens, president of the Friends of Keystone Parks, said his group has put together a plan for financing, designing and constructing the park, in addition to covering the facility’s operating costs for its first four years. Stephens, the proprietor of Keystone’s Frozen Pelican restaurant, said a thriving water park near Tulsa, Oklahoma inspired him to lead the effort for a similar facility in the Lake Region. He told city council members that his group hopes the municipality will contribute land toward the project. He added that his group is looking at an 18-month-long planning and construction process. He also said that in order to move forward with its plans, the group needs some type of statement of support from the council. Stephens said his group, whose partners include the Lake Region Kiwanis Club, has the resources to build the project somewhere in the Keystone Heights area. However, he hoped to construct the facility within the city. “We are going to build a splash pad,” he told the council.
“Whether it’s in the city or its in the county, it’s coming. The reason I can say that is because this isn’t your project, in the sense that you are paying for it. This is a private venture.” Stephens also said he planned to present detailed plans about the park to the council during its June meeting. Council member Brian Wilson, who has been trying to build support for a city swimming pool, complained that while his colleagues appeared ready to give Stephens a green light for the splash park, council members had not supported the pool. “The problem has been that the council, previously, has never wanted me to go forward with an ad hoc committee, to even discuss the options,” he said of his proposal. Wilson also said a pool would have a wider appeal than a splash park. “Since I’ve been on the council, I’ve been trying to find something that will benefit the community as a whole,” he said. “I have gone, myself, over to Lake Butler. I’ve taken my kids over there. I’ve not seen senior citizens taking part in that splash pad. I see an occasional teenager run through there, that’s about it. It’s mostly just little toddlers, little kids, and some older than toddlers.” Mayor Tony Brown told Wilson he could proceed with plans for his project in a similar fashion that Stephens is pursuing the splash park. “But I think we need to keep them separate, right now,” he added, “and let Mr. Stephens’ group run with what they want to do, and if you need to get a committee together, do it.” Council members did not commit land, money or any other city resources to the project. The council did not pass a resolution supporting the park, nor did it promise any other type of formal support. In addition, City Attorney Richard Komando warned Stephens that a future council could take a different position on this project. However, when commando asked council members if any of them planned to oppose the park, only Dan Lewendowski responded. “At this point in time, I don’t, and I just want to say thank you for your efforts,” he said to Stephens. “I really appreciate all that you were doing for the city. I look forward to June 1 when we will get the details and then I think we can make a fully-informed decision. So for right now, we’re all – you know – you’re doing great. Keep going.”
“Can’t get to it? Let us do it!”
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, April 30 – The membership of the Keystone Heights Golf and Country Club voted to sell its original nine holes to Scott Kicklighter and Bobbie Hayes during a membership meeting. The sale of what members refer to as “the Donald Ross nine,” follows the sale of the course’s newer nine holes to Billy Jackson earlier this year. Jackson subsequently lease the nine holes back to the course, for a nominal payment. The transactions come after two years of financial difficulty for the nonprofit golf club. The organization’s money problems reached a peak last December, when the Florida Department of Revenue seized the club’s bank accounts for payment of unpaid sales taxes and unemployment compensation premiums. In addition to back taxes, the club also had a mortgage with a local bank, and a lease for golf carts. Kicklighter is a Lake Region financial advisor, and Hayes has a background in golf course management and construction sales. Kicklighter said the pair intends to rename the course Lakeside Links of Keystone Heights. “The course needs to be rebranded because of the condition it has gotten into the last couple of years,” Kicklighter said in a telephone interview. “People need to know that it’s not the same-old-same-old. “They are going to see clubhouse renovations and they are going to see a better playing surface.” Kicklighter and Hayes purchased the land and buildings for $60,000, although they anticipate investing additional money into the property. When asked how much he thought the total investment might come to, Kicklighter replied , “it’s going to take some cash.” As part of the deal, the new owners agreed to honor the club’s current membership and pricing structure through the fiscal year. Kicklighter said he hoped to have the playing surface rehabilitated by the fall. “You won’t be able to recognize the place in October,”
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Kiwanis supports relay, LAM
Lake Region Kiwanis Club President Tina Bullock presents a $500 check to Bear Brian of the Starke Kiwanis Club for the Bradford-Keystone-Union Relay for Life. The Keystone Heights – based club also recently made a $2,317 contribution to Lake Area Ministries from money the group raised during its April 5 Easter Sunrise Service. he said. He added that his vision for the property extends well beyond golf, and includes beach volleyball facilities, possibly a restaurant, and a venue for weddings and other special events. “It’s not just about the course,” he said. “I don’t care if you’re running a restaurant, a sports bar or a golf course. Everybody
is in competition for everyone else’s entertainment dollar.” “I want to bring it back to where it’s the center of entertainment for Keystone again,” he said of the property. The sale has yet to close, however Kicklighter and his partner are already investing time and money into the track, See GOLF, 4A
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Thursday, May 7, 2015 • Lake Region Monitor
3A
Melrose principal, alumna, brief club
High school drama club goes to Oz
BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, May 1 — The principal and a former student of Melrose Elementary School told the Keystone Heights Rotary Club about the history of the 128-year-old institution and how it is faring today. Jason Reeves is completing his first year as principal of Melrose Elementary School. Raised in Orange Springs, he still resides there today, and has worked in the Putnam County school system for 19 years. Reeves said much of Melrose Elementary’s staff, as well as the student body, comes from the four-county area surrounding the campus. Out-of-district students must be approved by the administration. Reeves said those approvals are based on a student’s record of attendance, grades and behavior. “People want to go to Melrose,” he said. “Even if they’re not close by.” Reeves said one Gainesville couple, both of whom work at Santa Fe College, drive their daughters to Melrose daily, “because they have heard such great things about the school and the community. It’s based on a reputation that was earned far prior to me arriving.” Reeves said he started his teaching career at Robert Jenkins Jr. Middle School in
and it’s right there at the school.” life,” he said, “and if it’s missing in Melrose was built in 1882..
Reeves
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Palatka. He remained there for five years, and then spent six years at Interlachen High School before moving to Interlachen Elementary, where he spent seven years. “So I’m hoping Melrose will parlay into at least eight years,” he said. Melrose is less than half the size of Interlachen Elementary. “It’s got a great staff and they take care of business,” Reeves said. “They know what to do ... They know what the expectation
is with safety and quality instruction.” Reeves said one unique strength of the Melrose campus is the school’s safety patrol. “It’s a big deal at Melrose,” he said. “They usually have around 30 fifth graders on the safety patrol, so you bump into one everywhere you go.” He added that the program allows the students to take a trip to Washington, DC. each May, an opportunity other Putnam County students may get in the eighth grade. Reeves also talked about a new initiative at the school, a sixth-grade honors class, which prepares students for the Cambridge Advanced Studies Program at Q.I. Roberts Jr./Sr. High School. “We have 23 students in that sixth-grade class,” he said. We’ve selected the students for next year and its based on academics, character, responsibility.” Reeves said the Melrose Youth Sports Association is another unique opportunity available to Melrose Elementary students. “That’s another big deal in Melrose that not all communities have,” he said. “It’s a great program, a lot of participation
THE
Pictured (l-r) top row: Angelica Lindquist (Glinda), William Forsythe (Tin Man), Anna Fields (Witch) and Kevin Hilary (Oz). Middle: Andrew Koehler (Lion) Bottom:Nate Anderson (Scarecrow), Caitlin Charrier (Dorothy) and Rachael Bush (Toto). Photo by Delia Hillary. BY PATRICIA L. WILLIAMS Keystone Heights High School KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, May 4 — Keystone Heights Drama went to Oz this past weekend with their spring musical: “The Wizard of Oz.” The show was the 40th
production staged by the group. Drama Club members went the extra mile to earn enough money to pay the royalties for this production so they could offer free admission to the children of Keystone ages 12 and under.
Upcoming drama club productions include “Night on Broadway” on May 15 at 6 p.m. and the hilarious comedy: “The Acting Games” on Tuesday, May 19 at 6 p.m.
Reeves said the parent-led and community-supported program draws many students from the surrounding areas, including Interlachen. “Extracurriculars can mean a world of difference in a child’s
in a community, you can really tell.” Reeves introduced Pat Dougherty to Rotary Club members. She talked about the history of the campus. Dougherty said the first school
The school’s gymnasium, which stands on the campus today, was constructed from the wood of the original 1882 structure. The second building, built See MELROSE, 4A
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BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, May 4 – Keystone Heights City Manager Terry Suggs told the city council, during a community redevelopment agency meeting, that he and his staff have reduced an eight-page sign grant application to one page and are coordinating with sign vendors to simplify and facilitate the sign grant process. The council, acting as its own community redevelopment agency, approved a sign grant
program last year to coincide with upgrades to the city’s sign ordinance. The grants would help business owners within the municipality to purchase signs that comply with the new sign rules. Council members have proposed footing up to 80 percent of the cost of signs with a cap of $2,000. However those numbers have yet to be finalized. During the May 4 meeting, Suggs said he contacted four sign vendors, one based in Keystone
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Heights, two based in Bradford County and one in Orange Park. He added that the Keystone company pulled out of discussions after determining it could not fulfill the city’s requirements for the program. The Orange Park company has sent a packet to the city explaining how it would proceed with the program. The two Bradford County sign makers have indicated a willingness to cooperate with the city, but have yet to formally submit proposals. Suggs said that with the city preselecting sign vendors and creating packages grant applicants could choose from, he hoped to speed up and simplify the grant application process, while ensuring that new signs comply with the city’s sign ordinance. Suggs told council members that he hoped to begin accepting grant applications in June. He also said he continues to seek local sign vendors for the next round of grants.
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Lake Region Monitor • Thursday, May 7, 2015
City manager gets raise, Insurer more time off, bigger demands retirement $204,871 BY DAN HILDEBRAN increase every single year.” from utility Monitor Editor Brown said he felt comfortable KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, April 20 – The Keystone Heights City Council awarded City Manager Terry Suggs with a five percent salary increase, an additional 40 hours of annual leave and larger contributions to his retirement plan, during an April 20 council meeting. During an April 14 workshop, City Attorney Richard Komando, who has been representing the council in negotiations with Suggs, noted that since taking the job in 2012, Suggs has earned a master’s degree and is making progress toward professional certification in public management. Komando also said that as far as he knew, there were no performance issues with Suggs, and that everyone agreed he was doing a good job as city manager. During that same workshop, council members agreed to combine Suggs’ vacation and sick time into personal leave and increase it from 200 hours a year to 240 hours. Incoming Council Member Dan Lewandowski said during the workshop that Suggs attends all city events, is involved in the community, and even stood in for Mayor Tony Brown during a county function when Brown was unable to attend. He added that Suggs also oversaw the city’s farmers market during several months last year, a responsibility in added to his normal duties. When discussing a raise for Suggs, Mayor Tony Brown and Council Member Brian Wilson argued that increasing Suggs’ pay from $59,000 to $62,000 was excessive. Wilson said that based on his business experience, he could only approve an increase of around 2.5 percent. “I think Terry does a wonderful job,” Wilson said, “and it has done wonders for our city since he’s been here. I just have a hard time stomaching what I consider to be a large
with leaving Suggs’ salary at $59,000. He added when he voted for a nine percent raise for Suggs in 2013, many of his constituents complained. “I took a big hit when I voted for nine percent” he said. “At that time, I thought it was well deserved, because we had not given him a pay raise, we had not given him an evaluation. But on the other hand, the people that came and gave me their opinions didn’t care about that. What they cared about was the big nine percent, and nobody else gets that kind of pay raise most of the time.” “We have to, as an employer, be fair,” countered Council Member Steve Hart. “I know what some professionals make, and $62,000 is not a great deal of money.” Heart also said he made the $62,000 salary motion for Suggs based on his reading of city manager earnings in the municipalities of Archer, Bunnell, Hawthorne and Trenton. The salary data was compiled by the Florida League of Cities. In addition to a base salary of $62,000 over the next three years, Suggs will also receive cost-of-living adjustments from zero to three percent, based on the consumer price index. The council also agreed to increase the municipality’s contributions to Suggs retirement plan by one percent per year, over the next three years. Komando said that not every component of Suggs’ compensation increased under the new contract. He said that the manager’s original agreement contained six month’s severance pay in the event Suggs was terminated without cause. Komando said the Florida Legislature limited severance pay for municipal employees to 20 days, and therefore reduced Suggs’ severance.
GOLF
Kicklighter said Hayes will oversee the operations of the course. He also said he hopes to eventually lease the new nine holes from Jackson, reuniting the 18 holes into one course. In a separate telephone interview, Jackson said he is open to discussions with Kicklighter and Hayes. He added, however, that he has not yet met with the new owners.
Continued from 2A to take advantage of the critical, spring growing season. “We are fertilizing this week even before we have signed on the dotted line,” he said. “The number one priority is bringing the surface of the course back,” he sdded. “At the end of the day, what golfers want first is the surface. The clubhouse can be the Taj Mahal, but if you don’t have a good surface, they’re not coming.”
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BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor MIDDLEBURG, April 21 —The homeowners insurance company for a Doctors Inlet man is demanding over $200,000 from the Clay County Utility Authority. A law firm representing USAA wrote in a letter to the utility that the insurer has paid $205,871.11 to Richard DiBella for a loss that occurred on April 27, 2014. DiBella, a physician and retired Navy captain, told a Jacksonville television station that after hearing a loud boom, he rushed into a bathroom and discovered raw sewage spewing into the room, two or three feet into the air. The material quickly spread throughout the home, forcing DiBella out of the Doctors Lake Drive residence for over eight months while contractors repaired the damage. USAA claims the sewage backup was caused by a failed CCUA check valve. The utility’s Executive Director, Tom Morris said, during an April 21 board of supervisors meeting, that the utility offered to settle the claim for $111,300. He added that the offer was rejected by the homeowner and that the insurer is now demanding nearly double that amount. “We, of course, don’t intend to pay that”, Morris said, “and have notified our insurance company and they will be defending us in this dispute.” The demand from USAA includes over $12,000 for replacing contents within the home and over $23,000 for eight months of living expenses while DiBella was forced out of his house.
CCUA leak detection program saves 11.4 million gallons in four months BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor MIDDLEBURG, April 21 — The executive director of the Clay County Utility Authority said the utility’s leak detection program has conserved over 11 million gallons in a four-month period and has saved customers nearly $54,000 from December, 2014 through March, 2015. Tom Morris said the program notifies the utility whenever it’s advanced metering infrastructure detects continuous water usage over three consecutive days. Based on those notifications, CCUA workers conducted 1,399 home visits from December through March to notify customers of probable leaks and to assist them in determining the cause of excess water usage. During one such visit in March, a CCUA worker discovered a case of vandalism, in which someone had broken a window in a Fleming Island home, inserted a garden hose through the window and turned on the water. The case remains under investigation by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. “We are getting, just, outstanding feedback from our customers on this,” said Morris of the program . “We also shared this with the water management district and they’ve actually asked us to write a paper and conduct a symposium on it.”
County rejects restrictions on trailers BY DAN HILDEBRAN Monitor Editor Clay County commissioners rejected an update to the county land development code that would have placed additional restrictions on commercial trailers parked in residential areas. Under the current rules, commercial vehicles are defined as motor vehicles or trailers weighing more than one ton. The rules prohibit such vehicles from being parked on residential properties for more than 24 hours. During the Feb. 10 county commission meeting, a citizen complained that the one-ton definition excluded most utility trailers, such as those used by landscaping businesses. During the commission’s April 14 meeting, Holly Parrish, the county’s director of economic and development services, recommended modifying the county’s land development code to restrict utility trailers to parking in back or side yards only, within residential neighborhoods. The proposal defined utility trailers as those exceeding 12 by six-and-a-half feet and allowed parking in front yards for loading or unloading. Commissioner Ronnie Robinson said the issue should be handled by homeowners associations, and not the county. “I think we’re opening a big can
of worms in the unincorporated areas of the county with this particular ordinance, and it’s going to be much larger than what we realize,” he said. Commissioner Wayne Bolla said that the problem of business owners parking commercial vehicles and trailers on residential lots is not limited to areas within homeowners associations. He also said that some homeowners associations do not have the capability to restrict parking of commercial trailers within their jurisdictions.
MELROSE Continued from 3A
in 1927, lasted until it burned down on Christmas in 1945. During the two years in which the replacement was built, students attended classes in area churches. The 1947 structure remains today. Until the late 1960s, the Melrose campus offered classes through the 12th grade. The school competed in six-man football, playing teams from Anthony, Waldo, Chiefland, Cedar Key and other small communities. . In 1968, Putnam County school officials closed Melrose High School and transferred students to Interlachen. Dougherty said the loss of the upper grades hurt the town’s community spirit and identity. She added, however, that with the establishment of the Melrose Youth Sports Association, much of that spirit was regained.
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Thursday, May 7, 2015 • Lake Region Monitor
5A
Woman’s Club hears Youth Challenge students
Freemans win yard of the month
Worth Noting Fresh Start Fellowship Recycle sale Friday, May 9, 9-4 Saturday, May 10, 9-noon Fresh Start Fellowship is at 7191 SR 21 North. Saturday is Dollar-bag Day. Rain or shine. This sale helps support local ministries, such as Lake Area Ministries and Answers Resource Center. Faith Presbyterian Church From Here to Eternity Tuesdays through May 19, 6:30 to 8 p.m. This seven-week seminar explores topics of preparing for eternity, including faith aspects, family dynamics and communication, caregiving and caring for caregivers, estate planning and making final arrangements. The public is invited and there is no charge. For questions or directions call Marilyn Robertson 352-245-2188 or email
[email protected] .
Sally Linton, president of the Woman’s Club of Keystone Heights, presents a $300 check to Rosa Rivera-Valez and Carter Richter, students of the Florida Youth Challenge Academy. Photo by Kay Alvarez. Dale and Marilyn Freeman
BY TONI DAVIS Garden Club of the Lakes Early Kindergarten KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, Orientation April 30 – The Florida Thursday, May 14, 6 p.m. Federation of Garden Clubs, Help your child succeed in Garden Club of the Lakes has Kindergarten by attending awarded the April Yard of the Month to Marilyn and Dale See NOTE, 26 Freeman, 4446 SE 3rd Place, McRae Elementary School
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near the Keystone Golf and Country Club. The Freemans have been in Keystone Heights for 10 years. They are now selling their beautiful home and verywell-planned and maintained yard to move to Orange Park and be near their children. Marilyn and Dale have included several points of interest in their yard with large beds, trellises, gazebo, and a pergola over their patio that is covered with a very fragrant confederate jasmine that is in full bloom. Some of the plants Marilyn and Dale have in their yard are azaleas crepe myrtle, sago palms, a huge rabbits foot fern, petunias, vinca,
knockout roses, jack oaks, lantana, daylilies, ligustrum, magnolias, poinsettias, aloe in bloom, night blooming cereus, philodendron, society garlic, spider plant, tulip tree, African iris, plumbago, camphor tree, amaryllis, impatience, and a most unusual Grecian rope. Men and women in the Lake Region with an interest in gardening are invited to the Garden Club of the Lakes meeting at Faith Presbyterian Church located at SR 21 and Southeast CR 21B in Midway. Meetings involve sharing seeds, cuttings, plants, friendship and experience. The Garden Club has a horticulture-related
BY NORA GAUCK Woman’s Club of Keystone Heights KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, April 21 — The Woman’s Club of Keystone Heights held its monthly meeting on April 21. Carter Richter and Rosa Rivera-Valez, Florida Youth Challenge Academy cadets, were the featured guest speakers. The students spoke about their reasons for attending the academy and the importance of it in their lives. Sally Linton, president of the Woman’s Club, presented the
pair with a $300 check for the academy’s scholarship fund. Also during the April 21 meeting, Peggy Dixon, past owner of PK Flowers, gave a demonstration on flower arranging and then made beautiful door wreaths. Two Woman’s Club members won these as door prizes. Nancy Malcui was the winner of the Spring Fling drawing. She won a sitting with professional photographer, Chris Alvarez. Joseph and Claire Crawford drew all of the tickets for the many other prizes.
educational program and refreshments at each meeting. Meetings take place September through May on the second Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. We would
love to have you join us. To nominate a Yard of the Month, please call Jackie Host at 352-473-8095 or Toni Davis at 352-475-3146.
Dine. Shop. Buy. LOCALLY
Benefit Local Civic & Community Groups
Our community merchants support local Civic, Educational, Student and School Activities including: • Band • Football • Pop Warner • Baseball • Softball • Tennis • Golf • Student Clubs • FFA • KRA • 4-H • Scouting Groups & Explorers • Churches, Church Groups & Events • Senior Citizens Organizations • Food Banks • Health & Wellness Programs • Veterans Groups, Organizations & Events
When local businesses do well, so do students and local organizations which help build and strengthen the fabric of our community. Your local merchant wants to help support these community groups and activities, but they need your support in order to continue. Fulfill your family’s wants and needs by buying locally! Invest in your own community by supporting local businesses.
Build Communities’ Economic Foundations
Supporting local small businesses including restaurants, goods and services means investing in our present and our future : • Keep money in the neighborhood. Locally owned businesses recirculate 70% more money back into their own local community than big box chain stores and restaurants. • Embrace what makes us unique. Where we shop, eat, work, play and hang out makes our communities home. If we wanted to live someplace that was like everywhere else, we wouldn’t be living in this region of Florida. • Get better service. In a local business you know the person behind the counter and they know you. They have a deeper understanding of the products and services they are selling and they take the time to serve their customers. • Create & keep good jobs. Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and account for the vast majority of job growth. Growing local businesses mean more jobs for residents and more taxes to invest in our own communities, churches, schools and groups.
SUPPORT • STRENGTHEN • BUILD OUR COMMUNITY
6A
Lake Region Monitor • Thursday, May 7, 2015
NOTE
Lake Region Kiwanis Club 8th Annual Our Country Day 5k-“Small Towns are the Keystone of America”
Continued from 5A early orientation. The orientation will include interaction with kindergarten teachers, refreshments and take-home activities children and parents can work on over the summer. Melrose United Methodist Church Fish Fry Friday, May 15, 5-7 p.m. $9. Carryouts available. Answers Prom Salon May 16 Answers will be hosting a Prom Salon on the day of Prom, May 16. This will give girls attending Prom the opportunity to have their hair and/or make-up done. This is a luxury that would not otherwise be available to many of these young ladies. If you have expertise in hair or make-up and would like to donate your time and talents, please contact Answers at 352-473-1000. Melrose African-American Festival Saturday, June 13, 10 a.m. SR 26 and CR 219
Registration through July 3 This 5k (3.1 mile) run is open to all runners and walkers. Wheelchairs & baby strollers are permitted. No bikes, skates, skate shoes, skateboards or scooters allowed. $20 through June 27, 2015 $25 from June 28 through July 3, 2015. $30 on Race Day. No refunds. Professional chip timing by Milestone Race Authority. The race will be timed and scored by Jaguar Timing Systems electronic bib tag. Your entry fee covers the cost of the disposable chip, which does not need to be returned. All runners/walkers must have an entry number to participate in the event. The run begins at 8:00 a.m. The roads will reopen at 9:30 a.m. Visit ItsYourRace.com to register online. http:// OurCountryDay5K. itsyourrace.com. T-shirts to all pre-registered entrants. Late and race day entrants are not guaranteed a t-shirt. Proceeds will benefit Lake Region Kiwanis Club youth programs & Lake Area Ministries.
FIRE DEPT Continued from 2A
LEGALS LRM Legals 5/7/15 NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE A public sale of the contents of the following self-storage units located at KEYSTONE HEIGHTS SELF STORAGE, Location 1- 7378 Sunrise Blvd, Keystone Heights, FL 32656, Location 2-7350 SR 100, Keystone Heights, FL, AND Location 3- 1029 SR 100, Keystone Heights, FL., will be conducted at the three separate locations back to back on May 30, 2015 at 11:00 am. Registration will begin at 9:00 am at 7378 Sunrise Blvd, Keystone Heights, FL. A $50 Cashier’s Check or Money Order due upon registration, they will be returned at the end of sale, or when your winning unit is cleaned out. All units contain household goods, unless otherwise indicated. Unit numbers and names of tenants are as follows: Location 1- 7378 Sunrise Blvd, Keystone Heights, FL. P001 Abandoned Hydrodyne Boat S012 Abandoned Unit Location 2- 1029 SR 100, Keystone Heights, FL. K126 Tina Wheeler K127 Geneva Smith K143 Debra A. Crawford K093 Abandoned Unit Entire contents of the following units will be sold to satisfy a lien & other charges according to Fl. Statues 83.806. Seller reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to withdraw any unit from such sale. Open bids only. CASH payments ONLY. Contents to be removed within 72 hours of sale. All vehicles are sold “AS-IS PARTS ONLY” 5/7 2tchg 5/14-LRM
Rescue would remain the first responder for all medical calls. “If we are going to protect the citizens of Keystone Heights,” asked outgoing council member Paul Yates, “do we not need a combination department, which requires one or two paid firefighters at the department, ready to go?” “They’re not committing to a 100-percent response,” he added, referring to the first draft of Mobley’s proposal. “Their response time is probably double that of the Clay County...team. In the first year, they’re only going to have one firefighter on the truck when it responds, and we don’t know who that firefighter is going to be. I want the volunteers, but not by themselves.” Other council members said they agreed with Yates, and that they hoped for a combination of services from the two agencies. However, Mayor Tony Brown said that based on the fire department’s and Clay County Fire Rescue’s inability to come to terms prior to April 2013, an agreement between the two organizations now appears unlikely. “My understanding, as of today,” he said, “(is that members of) the Keystone Heights Volunteer Fire Department would have to become Clay County volunteers,” he said of the terms previously demanded
by county fire officials. That is a condition that the Keystone volunteers have so far refused. “And I’m going to tell you,” Brown continued, “they’re going to stand their ground on that. They’re not going to change.” However, the issue of control over the department’s leadership, staffing, recruiting, budget and training may prove to be a sticking point should the city go forward on negotiations with the volunteers. Mobley make clear during the March 19 workshop that the contractual relationship he envisions allows the department to maintain its independence. “The contract is a method for each entity to exercise, cooperatively, its respective powers and privileges, in order to further a common goal,” he told council members. However, during the April workshop, city Attorney Richard Komando told council members that if the city relied on the volunteers exclusively for fire protection, referred to council members as Option Two, city leaders would have to exercise far more control than Mobley proposed under the draft contract. “ If you were to look at Option Two, and the city becomes exposed to liability … as your legal counsel, I wouldn’t recommend that the city take on the liability without the ability to guide or control. I would advise you to have as much guidance and control over the volunteer fire department as possible if you are going to take over the responsibility of overseeing them.” Brown, who has long-standing ties with the fire department, said the group must rethink how it operates. “I can tell you right now,” he said, “the fire department is going to need to know, if we go with Option Three, (working) with the county, or if we go with Option Two, they are still going to have to answer (to someone), and they’re going to have somebody watching them and in full control. It’s not going to be like it was 30 years ago.”
McRae Elementary March Terrific Kids
(L-r) Front row: Isaiah Chapman, Mason Strickland, Kylie Norman, Morgan Vanstev– Fornshell, Xander Hobson and Ezekiel Barnard. Middle row: Gracen Dieter, Elizabeth Fish, Whitney Adams, Devan Baker, Anastasia Junk, Kelsey Tidwell, Savannah Hem, Joann Mason and Phommarin Tour. Back row: Ty Hornsby, Principal Marcus Dooley, Sion Farquharson, Kaleb Hall, Brandon Gann, Tomas Harrigan, Brantley O’Brien, Chantell Hall, Richard Guo, Timothy Seager, Boston Roberts and Nicholas Rodriguez. Photo courtesy of McRae Elementary School.
Bass tourney benefits Haven Hospice One hundred and fiftyone boats participated in the 11th annual Northeast Florida Association of Realtors Bass Tournament on April 25, which raised $35,256 to benefit the unreimbursed programs and services provided by Haven Hospice to patients and families in Palatka and the surrounding areas. This was an increase of 38 boats and $7,000 raised from the 2014 event. A total of over $250,000 has now been raised since the tournament’s inception. Contestants headed out at safe light while the Family Fun Day hosted by NEFAR began at 11 a.m. Twenty vendors hosted booths for families and
fisherman including Reel Fishy Apparel, Florida Fish Wildlife Conservation and Lake Area Watersports. More than a dozen teams walked away with cash prizes including Tournament Winners Larry Cahan and David Cahan, Biggest Fish Winner Wayne Martin, and Average Joe Winners Keith Ford and Roger Helm. Stalvey’s BBQ cooked rib and chicken dinners at the event for attendees and donated the proceeds of their sales to Haven Hospice. NEFAR Putnam Council Chairperson Becky Williams has seen participation more than double since she began organizing the tournament three
years ago. “Previously I had no experience in fishing as a sport and now local fishermen are following me on Facebook because I know the results for all of the bass tournaments that are happening.” Williams added the Family Fun Day element to the tournament which has contributed to the overall success of the event. She is also passionate about Haven Hospice because of the care her mother received. “When we found out Momma had cancer, they told her she had three to nine months. She died at home 31 days later, and Haven Hospice was there to help us.”
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