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remainder is funded by
City of North Port’s trans-
portaon impact fee rev-
enue.
Improving the quality o lie
along Sumter BoulevardFor many North Port residents, Sumter
Boulevard is a linear walking park. With
weaving sidewalks and decorave
street lamps, gazebos, and benches, it
is not uncommon to see residents en-
joying an evening stroll, walking their
dogs, rollerblading or bicycling along
this major roadway.
Improvements will connue to be
made along this gateway road through-
out the next several months. The
roadway improvements are designed
to help with trac ow and also im-
on capital improvement projects that
increase the capacity of system that
Winter 2011
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Planning or an energy efcient utureThe City of North Port began in 2010 to develop a sustainabil-
ity plan for an energy ecient future.
The plan will include both broad and specic recommenda-
ons and strategies to address the City’s projected develop-
ment throughout the next 15 years. The goals of the plan
include an overall emission reducon, energy savings, and
conservaon of the area’s natural resources. The funding for
this project came from the American Recovery and Reinvest-
ment Act of 2009.
As part of the process to develop this plan, the City launched
a Green Transformaon Survey, which can be found on the
City’s website. North Port also intends to create a cizen task
force to provide valuable ideas to include in the plan. For more
informaon or to take the survey, visit www.cityofnorthport.
com or call (941) 429-7234.
City saves with recycling program
In late 2010, the City of North Port Solid Waste Division
notched up the mandatory recycling program. Beginning in
November, the City’s Solid Waste Division began giving friend-
Green Acomplishments:
Looking Back at 2010
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Solar panels used to power ambulances
North Port Fire Rescue incorporated two new ambulances
into its eet in early 2010 that were equipped with solar pan-
els on the roof. Normally, when an ambulance is pulled into
the re staon garage, it is plugged into an electric power
source to keep all equipment charged. In this case, solar pan-
els will augment that power to help maintain the charge on
the equipment when the vehicles are out of the staon.
“The use of solar power in our emergency apparatus is in
keeping with our commitment to be good stewards of the
taxpayers’ money and the environment, while providing the
best equipment possible for our paramedics,” said Fire Res-
cue Chief Bill Taae.The purchase of these ambulances balances the need for pa-
ent care and comfort, responder safety, and long term dura-
bility while maintaining scal responsibility. The vehicles were
purchased for less than $151,000 each with funds provided
by the one cent sales tax. In 2010, the City of North Port also
broke ground on a new re staon on Cizens Parkway. Like
the Fire Rescue Staon on North Port Boulevard, the new sta-
on will have many green features incorporated to cut longterm operaon costs.
City making more reclaimed water
In 2010, the City of North Port celebrated the compleon of a
$20 illi i f i W T Pl
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LOOKING
FORWARDto 2011City Commission Chair Jim Blucher:
“In 2011, I am looking forward to the
economy to start a turnaround so that
people can get back to work.”
City Commission Vice Chair Tom Jones
“2011 will see the compleon of won-derful projects and the beginning of
others that will rocket North Port into
the future. I want us all to work togeth-
er and keep that momentum growing.”
City Commissioner David Garofalo
“My goal in 2011 is to engage others that
may not be so involved in local govern-
ment. It is absolutely necessary for us to
have involvement from our cizens for
us to move forward at any capacity.”
City Commissioner Michael Treub
“I am looking forward to a new manment team and geng North Port h
ed back in the right direcon thro
this economic downturn.”
City Commissioner Linda Yates
“I’m looking forward to cizens really c
ing together to address the issues and
vide soluons to the challenges ahead
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Residents can watch City
videos on iunes, Youube,and the City’s websiteNorth Port residents can now
watch City videos on iTunes, YouTube,
and the City’s website.
For more than a year, the City
has streamed its City Commission
meengs live on the City’s website.
Past meengs are also available to
be viewed. Residents can now sub-
scribe, for free, to the City’s podcast
on iTunes and watch City Commis-
sion meengs.
With the new upgrades, residents
also can watch the City’s half-hour
television show, “North Port Pres-
ents: The View From Here” on the
City’s website. (The show will con-
nue to air every Monday at 5 p.m.
on Comcast Channel 189).
The City of North Port launched a
YouTube channel last year and has
already posted several public ser-
vice announcements and other spe-
cial programming.
For more informaon, visit
www.cityofnorthport.com.
City of North Port
4970 City Hall BoulevardNorth Port, FL 34286
A C H I E V E A N Y T H I N G
Local business owners who are looking for ways to improve
their businesses can use their lunch hour to learn new skills.
The City of North Port will once again oer free lunch-
me workshops to help business owners sharpen their
entrepreneurial skills. The 2011 version of the popular Lunch
& Learn series will connue through October. The workshops
will feature mely topics designed to help business owners
improve their compeve edge during the current economic
climate. All sessions will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
in Room 244 at the North Port City Hall, 4970 City Hall Blvd,
North Port, FL 34286.
Lunch & Learn is a component of the City’s Small Business
Assistance Program which was created to increase the
number, size, and capacity of businesses in the City of North
Port. Last year, the Lunch & Learn sessions aracted nearly 150
parcipants and received support from SCORE, Florida Gulf
Coast University, the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce,
Helping Businesses Trive:
Entrepreneurs invited to
learn new skills
the Florida Small Business Development Center, State
College of Florida, the University of South Florida, and the
Small Business Development Services, LLC.
There will be a minimal cost to aend. A complete
schedule is available at www.cityonofnorthport.com.
Because of limited seang, parcipants a re asked to RSVP
by registering online at www.cityofnorthport.com or by
calling Donna Suggs at (941) 429-7240.
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PERMIT #9
Playul City USA
The City of North Port is one of 118cies and towns across the country
that earned recognion as a 2010
Playful City USA from KaBOOM!, which
is a naonal not-for-prot organizaon
commied to providing me and space
for America’s children to play.
With 23 parks spread throughout the
City’s 105-square-miles, the City of
North Port oers a number of outdoor
acvies for any age. Residents will
nd playgrounds, ball elds, tennis
and basketball courts, picnic shelters,
walking trails, indoor acvity centers,
boat ramps, and more. Within
recent years, the City has invested
nearly $600,000 in new playgroundequipment, picnic shelters, parking lot
resurfacing, soccer eld lighng, and
more.
With a Playful City USA designaon,
the City of North Port has pulled
together a commiee of dedicated
residents and business owners
willing to donate their me toward
enhancing the park experience. The
Playful City USA Commiee has been
working diligently on a number of
acvies to promote opportunies for
families to play. Includedin that work are a number
of neighborhood park
events. An event will be
organized this Spring to
highlight Kirk Park. The
Commiee also is working
on hosng a Play Day in
September.
“We are going to connue
our eorts through pro-
moons and let people
know where there are play staons
and the types of amenies we have at
our parks,” said Parks and Recreaon
Manager Bill Ward.
Spring 2011
April 2 May 14 June 18
Canine Awareness and Health
Fair 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.Te Canine Club Family Paw Park
2nd Nature Environmental
Festival 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Garden o the Five Senses
Kids Fishing Tournam
Fishing Clinic 8 a.m. toMcKibben Park
This is the rst me that Nor
been recognized in the Playf
program. To learn more abo
of North Port’s Parks and
Division, visit www.cityofnor
or call (941) 429-PARK(7275
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Get City news in your inboxVisit the City’s website at www.cityonorth-port.com and sign up to receive City newsand events in your e-mail inbox. Te City o North Port strives to give you the most up-dated inormation about what’s happening in your community.
Join an Advisory BoardInterested in taking a leadership role in your community? Joining a City adviso-ry board is an excellent way to get your voice heard. For more inormation, con-tact the City Clerk’s Ofce at (941) 429-7064 or visit www.cityonorthport.com.
The City of North Port will begin this Spring to
rehabilitate between 16 to 19 miles of local roads.
This is part of an ongoing eort by the Public Works
Department to rehabilitate the more than 500 miles
of local roads that are in need of repair. The North
Port City Commission approved $2.3 million this year
for the project. Through a comprehensive selecon
process, neighborhoods were idened o Biscayne
Boulevard, south of Price Boulevard; o South Salford
Boulevard, south of Price Boulevard; along Glenallen
Boulevard from Price to Biscayne Boulevards; and anarea along Pan American Boulevard, north of U.S. 41.
The City of North Port rehabilitated 27 miles of local
roads last year, 17 miles in 2009, and 138 miles in 2008
and 2007 (which was the largest road project in the
City’s history).
In a connuing eort to improve water ow and
prevent neighborhood ooding, the City of North Port
is reconstrucng many of the water control structuresfound throughout the City’s more than 80 miles of
freshwater canals. Currently, work is being done to
improve Water Control Structure 132, located near
Jeannin Drive and Johannesberg Road. The City is
removing the corrugated metal pipe, installing three
new reinforced concrete pipes and a new xed weir.
The $460,000 project is being paid for by the Road and
Drainage District assessments.
The City’s water control structures maintain the
waterways at a certain desired elevaon (much like a
dam) to allow the storm water to be treated and ow
out of the area without ooding surrounding areas.
This is the ninth water control structure that has been
improved since 2007.
City rehabilitates
local roadways
City improves water
control structures to
prevent fooding
Scan with your smart phone to view
Achieve Anything: North Port
residents, employees recognizedCitizen of the YearAndy Gerberich was selected as the Ci-
zen of the Year for his community spirit
and personal commitment to the qual-
ity of life in North Port.
Andy donates much of his me and re -
sources to local organizaons. His help
is instrumental at community events
and acvies. Andy also is known for
his role in enhancing parks and creang
new recreaonal opportunies as Chair
of the City of North Port’s Parks and
Recreaon Advisory Board.
“He has to be one of the friendliest peo -
ple I know,” said a nominee about Andy.
“Whenever there is an event in North
Port, Andy is there to help out.”
Each year, the North Port residents
nominate candidates for the Cizen of
the Year. This program was established
to acknowledge and show appreciaon
to cizens who, over the past year, have
exhibited generous community spirit.
The Cizen of the Year was announced
at an annual awards luncheon on Thurs-
day, January 27, 2011 in conjuncon
with the City’s Employee Service Recog-
nion Program.
Congratulaons to all the no
Cizen of the Year, includin
Bonsky, Margie Ducharme, Ji
Renaud, Jusn Mahews, An
James Thiele, and John Wrub
Employees recognor achievement
Aaron Bourquin, network a
the Informaon & Technolo
sion, and Diane Marn, sta
in Public Works, received C
Service Awards.
Richard Berman, emergen
agement coordinator for Fire
received the Innovaon Awa
Police Ocer Robert David
awarded the Community Award.
Deputy Chief Sco Titus, Fire
was the recipient of the Lea
Award.
For more informaon, visit th
website at www.cityofnorthp
.
Employee of the Year
Darrell Smith, construcon coor-
dinator for North Port Ulies,
was named the Employee of the
Year for his dedicaon to makingthe City run as eciently as pos-
sible. Darrell always has a posive
atude and his work ethic invigo-
rates the workplace. He is an out-
standing employee who takes on
responsibilies that are above and
beyond his regular job dues.
Greenest Citizen Award
Karen Cramer received the Green-
est Cizen Award, sponsored by
the City’s Building Department.
Cramer, a fourth/h grade sci-ence teacher, led an environmental
club at Glenallen Elementary for 11
years and at Cranberry Elementary
for eight years. She connues to
lead the school club in a number of
acvies, including road clean-ups,
parades, community planngs,
benet drives, and more.
V i s i t c i t y o f n o r t h p o
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City graduates rst 28
North Port AmbassadorsThe City of North Port graduated 28
volunteers as part of a newly cre-
ated Ambassador Program. The new
Ambassadors will become directly
involved in markeng North Port as a
choice locaon for business, leisure,
and a residenal lifestyle.
The North Port Ambassador Program
was developed by a group of local
residents, business owners, students,
and City sta. The idea behind the
program is to provide an opportunity
for community stakeholders to spread
knowledge about North Port’s assets.
To complete the program, the gradu-
ates aended a three hour bus tour of
North Port and a three hour class.
The program is open to North Port
residents, both full-me and part-
me; business owners; members of
community organizaons; and anyone
who would like to promote the City.
For more informaon, visit the City’s
website at www.cityofnorthport.com
or contact Donna Suggs in the City
Manager’s Oce at (941) 429-7240
or at [email protected].
City of North Port
4970 City Hall BoulevardNorth Port, FL 34286
A C H I E V E A N Y T H I N G
Florida’s climate means that we oen see major rain events
and tropical systems that can signicantly impact our lives. The
City of North Port is encouraging all North Port residents to
evaluate the potenal risk of ooding for your property and
beer prepare.
Flooding in our City is primarily caused by heavy rains associated
with various weather systems, including frontal passages,
intense summer thunderstorms, and the rains and storm surge
associated with tropical systems.
As mapped by FEMA on September 1981 Flood Insurance RateMaps (FIRM), the City’s Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) is
located primarily near the Myakkahatchee Creek, which ows
north to south through the City, and along the Myakka River. In
these areas, oodwaters can cover streets and yards with lile
warning. Past rain events have seen porons of major roadways
such as Sumter Boulevard and local roads in the North Port
Estates being rendered impassable due to ood waters.
The City connues to pursue opons to upgrade the City’s
stormwater system and beer handle such situaons. In
recent years, the City has focused its aenon on repairing
failing water control structures, priorizing canals for dredging,
Residents encouraged to
evaluate the risk o fooding
cleaning up canals and ditches, and working with the
Southwest Florida Water Management District on more
accurate ood mapping.
However, there are acons that you can take to become
beer informed about the ood issue and how to beer
protect yourself and your property. The City has posted a
wealth of informaon at www.cityofnorthport.com. Click
on the Flood Informaon menu item under the Planning,
Zoning, and Engineering Department. You can also contact
Elizabeth Wong, the City’s Stormwater Manager, at (941)
429-7090 or at [email protected].
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PERMIT #9
High quality drinking waterThe City of North Port’s Myakkahatchee
Creek Water Treatment Plant recentlywas named the best water plant
for its size in Florida by the Florida
Secon of the American Water Works
Associaon.
This summer, the City of North Port
will make upgrades to further improve
the quality of the water and create a
high-quality water system that will be
reliable year round.
The water treatment facility, located
o of North Port Boulevard, was
originally constructed by General
Development Company in the 1950s.
The plant is strategically located on
property that borders the intersecon
of the Myakkahatchee Creek and theCocoplum Canal, two of the City’s
major sources of drinking water. The
water treatment plant is a surface
water plant and treats the water from
the canal and creek for drinking.
“Our water plant has been around for
a long me,” said Cindi Mick, Ulies
Director. “Our sta certainly needs
to be complimented on operang an
extremely labor intensive plant and
ensuring the plant runs as eciently
as it does.”
Servicing more than 18,000 customers,
North Port Ulies is consistently
looking at ways to improve its
operaons and water quality. This
summer, the City of North Port will
celebrate the groundbreaking of
a new groundwater and reverse
osmosis system, which will be
constructed and integrated into the
exisng water treatment facility.
The project will create an addional
source of drinking water for North
Port and help maintain good water
quality, parcularly during the dry
months.
Currently, the City pulls water from the
Peace River during the drier mes of
the year. While the new upgrade is not
expected to replace the Peace River, the
City will be able to produce high-quality
drinking water from its own water
supplies year round. This will mean less
water will be pulled from the Peace
River, especially during drier periods.
This also translates into long term cost
savings because the cost to produce
water locally requires less pumping
and, thus, less energy, Mick said.
The new groundwater and reverse
osmosis system will draw water from
wells, which will be constructed near
the exisng water treatm
The well water will be tr
reverse osmosis to reduce
of chlorides and other
solids. The highly-treated w
then be combined with thsurface water from the City
water plant to achieve the
and water quality. The wate
be distributed to North Po
customers.
“The blend of the two is a
mix,” Mick said. “Cizens wil
of the water quality and tast
Construcon is expected
as early as August and
completed by Summer 2012
informaon, call (941) 240-8
Summer 2011
August 2 August 13 September 24
National Night Out
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
North Port High School
Back to School Resource Fair
9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Morgan Family Community Center
Family Fun Day
Time to be Announced
Highland Ridge Park
V i s i t c i t y o f n o r t h p o r t . c o m
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Morgan Family Community CenterThe North Port City Commission, along with the communi-
ty, celebrated the grand opening of the new Morgan Family
Community Center in early June.
The new 33,300 square foot center targets youth acvies
but is a mul-use facility to meet the interests of the enre
community. The center features an expanded gymnasium,
state-of-the-art tness center, teen lounge, game room, large
mul-purpose room, ample meeng space, a dance room,
full kitchen, and an outdoor social area. The facility, situated
in Butler Park, 6207 West Price Boulevard, is located next to
Heron Creek Middle School and across the street from North
Port High School.
The total cost of the project was nearly $10 million (which
included construcon of the community center, outdoor bas-
ketball court, new road access, addional parking, and site
improvements for a future aquac facility). Funding came
from the sale of escheated lots and the City’s general fund.
For more informaon, call (941) 429-PARK.
Atwater Community ParkThe North Port City Commission opened a new baseball com-
plex at Atwater Community Park at the end of June.
The community park includes four Lile League elds, one
“major league” eld, a two-story concession building, a picnicfacility, and walking trails. The 25-acre parcel is adjacent to
Atwater Elementary School with access o East Price Boule-
vard via Song Street.
Funding for the park totaled over $4.8 million from impact
fees, one cent surtax and the City’s general fund. Future
phases of construcon are planned for the park as addional
funding becomes available that may include a playground fa-
cility and a splash park.
This park is the rst park to be constructed east of Cranberry
Boulevard. The park also provides the North Port Area Lile
League organizaon the opportunity to host tournaments
and further grow their program. For more informaon, call
(941) 429-PARK.
Fleet Maintenance Facility The City recently broke ground on a new Fleet M
Facility at the Public Works Department’s complex
the northeast corner of Price and Chamberlain Bo
The new 37,500-square-foot facility will take abouconstruct. The building will house the Fleet Divisi
City Public Works Department’s administraon. A
the 12 work bays, the facility will include 15,000-s
of oce space, a fueling staon, a washing staon
The North Port City Commission awarded the cont
ruary 2011 to Mills-Gilbane in the amount of $6,22
funding to build the facility is being pulled from the C
al fund, road and drainage district fees, re rescue d
the City’s ulity enterprise fund, and solid waste dist
Since the early 1980s, the City’s Fleet Division ha
out of a facility o Pan American Boulevard. Fleet
has increased from 150 vehicles in the early 1980
than 500 today. For more informaon call (941) 24
Fire Rescue Station 84The City of North Port will soon celebrate the op
new Fire Rescue Staon 84 on Cizens Parkway. T
is located behind the Publix shopping plaza near P
vard and Toledo Blade Boulevard.
For the past several years, Fire Rescue Staon 84 ha
erang out of a modular buildi ng on the Public Wo
ty near the corner of Price and Chamberlain Boule
new facility will be named in honor of Captain Ea
who passed away earlier this year.
In addion to housing a 75 foot ladder truck and an athe new 11,700-square-foot facility will house the
nical Rescue Team and will be used as the supply he
for the Fire Rescue District. Space has been provide
nozzles, reghng foam, equipment, gear, and sup
lipad is located behind the staon for emergency p
Funding for the $2.1 million project came from a co
of impact fees and one cent sales tax dollars. For m
maon, call (941) 240-8150.
New Achievements:
Watch CommissionmeetingsThe City of North Port oers live
streaming video of the North
Port City Commission meengs at
www.cityofnorthport.com. Stay
engaged while in the comfort of
your own home.
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2012 Fiscal Year BudgetThe City of North is in the process of devel-
oping the 2012 Fiscal Year Budget. Budget
workshops are scheduled for July 20-21, 2011,
during which the North Port City Commission
will set the maximum millage rate. For more
informaon, visit www.cityofnorthport.com
or call (941) 429-7107.
Police Department addsnew K-9 to unitThe North Port Police Department added
a new canine to its K-9 unit. Cammo, a
Belgian Malinois, will take the place of K-9
Gino, who is rering. The funds to purchase
Cammo were donated by Larry Dispar,
an aorney from the Tampa/New Port Richey are
who has family in law enforcement, believes that t
is a very important element in Law Enforcement
informaon, contact the North Port Police Depa
(941) 429-7300 or visit www.cityofnorthport.com.
V i s i t c i t y o f n o r t h p o r t