Community News for Melbourne, Florida Residents, CodeRED Emergency Call Out System

Hurricane Preparation Melbourne Utility Notices Melbourne Traffic Advisories Receive News Releases via E-mail

News Release Highlights   Free Shuttle Bus to be Available on July 4 Melbourne’s Independence Day to Include Community-Funded Fireworks, Parade Melbourne City Hall Relocation is Completed Council to Act on CDBG Recovery Act Funds Melbourne ‘Firefighter of the Year’ Honored   ‘Vision Plan’ Seeks to Shape the Future of Melbourne
Observance Salutes ‘911’ Emergency Communication Professionals Police Ask for Location Information with 9-1-1 Cell Phone Calls  DCA Notice of Intent - Comprehensive Plan Amendment   

Free Shuttle Bus to be Available on July 4

A free shuttle bus service is to be available on Independence Day so that spectators going to the Melbourne’s 9 p.m. fireworks display will not have to contend with limited parking in the vicinity of Claude Edge Front Street Park.  The buses will originate at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 Hibiscus Boulevard, where parking will be plentiful.

The bus service will not begin until 7:10 p.m. on July 4, since budget constraints have eliminated other activities at the park.  The park provides the primary viewing area for the fireworks display.  In previous years, afternoon entertainment and evening concerts were also provided at the park.

Buses are to depart for the park at 7:10, 7:50, and 8:10 p.m.  Buses are to return to the auditorium at 7:30, 8:10, 8:50, 9:30, and 10:10.  The bus transportation is being funded by a $1,350 contribution from Reiss Engineering, Inc.

The portion of New Haven Avenue between Front Street and Highway U.S. 1 is to be closed to traffic from  4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on July 4.  A section of Melbourne Avenue near Front Street will be restricted to eastbound traffic during the same period.  The Melbourne Causeway is to be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic from about 8:15 to 10 p.m. for safety reasons.  The boat ramp at Front Street is to be closed from 5 p.m. on July 3 until 9 a.m. on July 5.

The City co-sponsors an Independence Day parade organized by Honor America, Inc. and scheduled for 10 a.m. on July 4 in the historic downtown area of Melbourne. The parade is to begin on New Haven Avenue near the railroad tracks and proceed westward to Oak Street, then travel northward on Oak Street to the Liberty Bell Museum. 

The $11,000 cost of the fireworks display is funded by community contributions, with the majority of funding coming from private businesses. Event co-sponsors include Brevard County Parks & Recreation; Gray Robinson Law Firm; Harris Sanitation Inc. - a Waste Management Company; Health First Health Plans; the Melbourne Greyhound Park/Club 52; The B.A.C.K. Center; Bright House Networks; Certified General Contractors; Coastal Mitsubishi/Coastal Hyundai; Dean, Ringers, Morgan & Lawton, P.A.; Florida Today; Frazier Engineering; Public Financial Management, Inc.; and Sutton Properties of Melbourne.

Other contributors include Bolton Partners Inc.; Brandon Properties; Hoyman, Dobson, and Company; the Town of Melbourne Beach; Nabors, Giblin & Nickersen, P.A.; Land Design Innovations; Meehans’ Office Products; the Town of Indialantic; Ascension Catholic Church; Henderson Southeast Corp.; Modus Operandi, Inc.; Professional Administrators; Sorenson Moving & Storage Co.; and Joyal Construction.

Other contributors include Dorothy & Ira Adams, Frederick & Helen Baker, Jackie Burns & Family, Michael Crotty, Theodor & Helouise Doroghazi, Frank & Estella Driskill, James & Katherine Fletcher, Eric & Alice Griggs, W. Ann McDougall, Jerry & Peggy Oliver, Ed & Lee Palmer, George & Evelyn Pasonski, Pat & Bill Poole, Lorraine Proulx, Edward & Barbara Reilly, Jack Schluckebier & Denise Young, Kathleen Spatenga & Lori Spatenga-Newman, Pat Swatek in memory of Enid Swatek, and Norman Williams.

Melbourne’s Independence Day to Include Community-Funded Fireworks, Parade

A fireworks display over the Indian River Lagoon is to provide the highlight of Melbourne’s Independence Day celebration. The display is scheduled for 9 p.m. on July 4 over the Indian River Lagoon just south of the Melbourne Causeway.

The $11,000 cost of the fireworks display is funded by community contributions, with the majority of funding coming from private businesses. “The generous contributions are ensuring that this traditional celebration can continue despite the current economic difficulties,” City Manager Jack Schluckebier said.  “Because of budget cutbacks, the music and other outside activities at Claude Edge Front Street Park had to be curtailed this year.”

The park provides the primary viewing area for the fireworks display.  Free bus transportation is to be provided between the park and the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 Hibiscus Boulevard, and is being funded by a $1,350 contribution from Reiss Engineering, Inc. Buses are to depart for the park at 7:10, 7:50, and 8:10.  Buses are to return to the auditorium at 7:30, 8:10, 8:50, 9:30, and 10:10.

The portion of New Haven Avenue between Front Street and Highway U.S. 1 is to be closed to traffic from  4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on July 4.  A section of Melbourne Avenue near Front Street will be restricted to eastbound traffic during the same period.  The Melbourne Causeway is to be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic from about 8:15 to 10 p.m. for safety reasons.  The boat ramp at Front Street is to be closed from 5 p.m. on July 3 until 9 a.m. on July 5.

The City co-sponsors an Independence Day parade organized by Honor America, Inc. and scheduled for 10 a.m. on July 4 in the historic downtown area of Melbourne. The parade is to begin on New Haven Avenue near the railroad tracks and proceed westward to Oak Street, then travel northward on Oak Street to the Liberty Bell Museum. 

Community Fireworks Fund Co-sponsors providing $1,000 include Brevard County Parks & Recreation, Gray Robinson Law Firm, Harris Sanitation Inc. - a Waste Management Company; Health First Health Plans; and Melbourne Greyhound Park / Club 52. Co-sponsors providing $500 included The B.A.C.K. Center; Bright House Networks; Certified General Contractors; Coastal Mitsubishi/Coastal Hyundai; Dean, Ringers, Morgan & Lawton, P.A.; Florida Today; Frazier Engineering; Public Financial Management, Inc.; and Sutton Properties of Melbourne.

Other contributors include Bolton Partners Inc.; Brandon Properties; Hoyman, Dobson, and Company; the Town of Melbourne Beach; and Nabors, Giblin & Nickersen, P.A., each contributing $250; Land Design Innovations; Meehans’ Office Products; and the Town of Indialantic, each contributing $200; Ascension Catholic Church; Henderson Southeast Corp.; Modus Operandi, Inc.; and Professional Administrators, each contributing $100; Sorenson Moving & Storage Co., contributing $50; and Joyal Construction, contributing $25.

Other contributors include Dorothy & Ira Adams, Frederick & Helen Baker, Jackie Burns & Family, Michael Crotty, Theodor & Helouise Doroghazi, Frank & Estella Driskill, James & Katherine Fletcher, Eric & Alice Griggs, W. Ann McDougall, Jerry & Peggy Oliver, Ed & Lee Palmer, George & Evelyn Pasonski, Pat & Bill Poole, Lorraine Proulx, Edward & Barbara Reilly, Jack Schluckebier & Denise Young, Kathleen Spatenga & Lori Spatenga-Newman, Pat Swatek in memory of Enid Swatek, and Norman Williams.

Melbourne City Hall Relocation is Completed

The relocation of Melbourne’s City Hall was completed and the new building was opened to the public as of noon on May 18.  Offices now located in the municipal building at 900 E. Strawbridge Avenue are to move to an adjacent, five-story structure just completed by Certified General Contractors, Inc., a Melbourne company.  The old municipal building, a two-story structure opened in 1964, is to be razed to make way for a parking garage.

Because parking spaces will be limited during construction of the parking garage, several City offices are to remain at a temporary location at 830 N. Apollo Boulevard until the garage is completed later this year.  Those offices include Code Compliance, Engineering, Personnel, and Risk Management.


Council to Act on CDBG Recovery Act Funds
NOTICE  Of  Availability  And  Public  Hearing  On  The  Community  Development  Block  Grant  Recovery  (CDBG-R)  Substantial  Amendment  To  Annual  Action  Plan  For  Fiscal  Year  2008-2009 (Proposed Amendment)
 

Melbourne ‘Firefighter of the Year’ is Honored

The Melbourne Fire Department honored a ‘Firefighter of the Year’ at a recent ceremony that continued a tradition of saluting one or more firefighters for their performance on the job and volunteer service in the community.  This year the recipient is Lt. Shane Leech, cited for his positive influences in the department, his mentoring of others in the fire service, and his assistance in training Melbourne’s firefighters.  He has been with the department for 10 years and has served as a lieutenant since May of 2008.

The annual honor, along with quarterly awards that lead up to the annual selection, are part of an effort to recognize those who excel as the traditional tasks of firefighters continue to evolve.

Assistant Fire Chief Joe Sunday points to training levels in the department as an indication of the amount and complexity of work needed in preparation for emergency responses. Melbourne’s 127 firefighters usually spend more than 1,300 hours in training each month.  About 900 hours of training focuses on techniques and strategies for fire responses.  Another 400 hours is devoted to the extensive medical training required of first responders.  Additional, specialized training prepares firefighters for unusual situations such as hazardous chemical spills and marine and aircraft emergencies.

“These extensive training activities, along with the ongoing maintenance of stations and equipment, are critical to our readiness,” Sunday said.  “The training is one reason that fire department vehicles are frequently out in the community even when there is no emergency,” Sunday said.  “Even though the work that the fire department does is critical to the community, much of what is required on a day to day basis goes on behind the scenes.”

Sunday noted that onlookers are sometimes concerned about the number of fire and rescue vehicles that respond to an emergency incident.  “There is always a reason, even if it is not obvious to onlookers,” Sunday explained.  “We have to arrive on the scene with the resources that may be needed to mitigate loss of life and property.”  At a structure fire, for instance, that means that four vehicles will be dispatched.  In planning responses, the department follows standard operating guidelines, countywide medical protocols, and recommendations from the National Fire Protection Agency and the Division of State Fire Marshall.

Sunday explained that responses to medical incidents involve both the Melbourne Fire Department and Brevard County.  “Typically, a Melbourne rescue squad with two paramedics or emergency medical technicians will be dispatched as the advanced life support first response.  The Melbourne firefighters stabilize the patient and prepare the person for transportation to the nearest hospital.” An ambulance that will be used for transport is sent to the scene by Brevard County Fire Rescue.

Between calls, firefighters participate in other activities away from stations.  Sunday explained that the work can include building pre-planning, hydrant inspections, and area familiarization.  “Being familiar with the buildings and street locations not only provides for a quicker response, but also makes the firefighters knowledgeable of potential hazards at an emergency scene.”  As they work a twenty-four hour shifts, firefighters also stop to purchase their daily provisions while performing other tasks.

‘Vision Plan’ Seeks to Shape the Future of Melbourne

The opinions and preferences of current residents of the City of Melbourne are reflected in ‘Vision Plan 2020,’ a document that seeks to provide a blueprint for growth of the municipality.  The plan, which has been reviewed and approved by the City Council, is available at the City’s web site (www.melbourneflorida.org).

The 65-page plan reflects public comment gathered during a series of workshop meetings in which topics ranged from transportation and jobs to the environment, the visual appearance of Melbourne’s buildings, and opportunities for recreation and night life.  The plan was drafted by Land Design Innovations and City planners.

“The adoption of a vision plan is strongly recommended by the state Department of Community Affairs, and is intended to be a planning tool that examines both current and future conditions,” said Cindy Dittmer, Planning and Economic Development Director. 

Dittmer explained that an approved vision plan would provide direction as the Melbourne’s state-mandated comprehensive plan is updated. “The vision plan will form a basis for amending the comprehensive plan to assist in making it a more effective long-range planning tool,” Dittmer said.  Melbourne is preparing to complete a major update of the comprehensive plan, which the state requires every seven years.

The vision plan that is to be considered by Melbourne’s City Council outlines efforts to foster both business and residential activities in the two traditional downtown areas and along the commercial area of Babcock Street.  Mixed-use activities would be encouraged along roadways that serve as main corridors.  Extensive efforts would be made to improve transportation opportunities, including accommodations for pedestrians, bicyclists, and mass transit.

The vision plan also proposes an ‘urban service boundary’ to indicate areas where Melbourne already provides municipal services or will in the future, a step that could expedite planning activities by allowing local approvals of ‘Future Land Use Map’ amendments to Melbourne’s comprehensive plan that now need state or regional review.

Police Ask for Location Information with 9-1-1 Cell Phone Calls

The use of cell phones to replace traditional telephones at homes and businesses may cause location information to be inaccurate or incomplete when emergency 9-1-1 calls are made.  The Melbourne Police Department is recommending that all callers using cell phones recognize that they must report a location to ensure that a response will target the right address. 

Commander Jim Gibbens explained that location information that is electronically reported to emergency call centers may not be completely accurate.  “Even when the person using a cell phone is inside a structure, the mapping system that is used for 9-1-1 calls may be off by one or two houses.”  The Melbourne Police Department has experienced calls that indicated an apartment complex but not the unit from which the call was made. 

“Many citizens who buy or receive cell phones as gifts may believe that their phone will always reveal their exact location if 9-1-1 is called.  We would like people to be aware that the phones may not really do that,” Gibbens said. 

Police make these recommendations to help citizens utilize 9-1-1 emergency call services: 

-- If you use a cellular phone and you can only provide one piece of information, it should always be the location of the incident. 

-- If a residence has a phone but service is not connected, it still should allow you to dial 9-1-1 as long as there was phone service in the residence at some time. 

-- Cellular phones that do not have service still may have the capability of dialing 9-1-1.  Many people give their old cellular phones to children to play with and don’t realize that they still have the capability to make emergency calls. 

-- If you dial 9-1-1 by accident, do not hang up.  Stay on the line with the call-taker so they can verify your information and confirm that it was a misdial.  If you hang up, the call-taker will need to call back to verify information or send an officer out to make sure there is no emergency.

Observance Salutes ‘911’ Emergency Communication Professionals

The critical role of the people who receive ‘911’ emergency telephone calls is being saluted by the City of Melbourne as the municipality celebrates National Public Safety Telecommunications Week on April 12-18.

Last year the telecommunication staff working in the Communication Center of the Melbourne Police Department responded to 54,402 calls to the emergency number and facilitated communication activities for almost twice that number of incidents involving police officers.

Police Commander Jim Gibbens said Melbourne is joining agencies around the world in honoring the thousands of men and women who respond to emergency calls and dispatch emergency professionals, along with rendering life-saving assistance to citizens.  The annual observance is sponsored by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International.

Mayor Harry Goode and Melbourne’s other elected officials on Tuesday recognized telecommunication employees through the presentation of a proclamation during a City Council meeting to declare the local observance.

“On a day to day basis there are many instances of our telecommunications staff directly benefitting the community through their hard work and professionalism,” Gibbens said.

As an example he noted that Communications Officer Wendy Luszczewski has been honored by the Police Department with this year’s ‘Telecommunications Officer of the Year’ award.  She is credited with identifying a murder suspect through information gathered during phone conversations initiated by a ‘911’ call late last year.  “It was because of Wendy’s good judgment and her exceptional questioning of a caller that detectives gained enough information to charge a suspect with second degree murder,” Gibbens said.

In another instance, Telecommunications Officers Joannah Booth and Jennifer Hayduk were saluted by the department for the way in which they assisted the victim of an armed robbery and provided officers with critical information that allowed the arrest of two suspects.

The Communication Center that serves Melbourne is typically staffed with a shift supervisor, a police dispatcher, a fire dispatcher, teletype operators, and call takers.  The staff responds to 911 emergency calls as well as non-emergency phone calls. Along with dispatching fire and police responses, the center staff works closely with other local agencies and has the ability to communicate with state and federal agencies.

Top of Page  -  Melbourne Home Page  -  Traffic Advisories  -  Receive News Releases By E-mail