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.
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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. |
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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. |
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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)
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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. |
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|
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. |
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‘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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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