2A The Herald-Advocate, January 6, 2005 2005 Continued From 1A J~~LVZ -: '" " it,5 "V:, Fax. (863) 773-01 .~, ~t11d Ta. P&iffce, Wuehufa, FL 339 ~di~ih. FL sew; achkesvmflgs Z6, iFCerlAdvocaftePO. B, sdots Thuisay5p.t ~ Bos'-- ,~ k' Florda': -1Pt Jr 4$ 24- ." V4 t~~ henth Kelly's Column By Jim Hopefully 2005 will bring good weather and good fortune to Ha County and the rest of the United States. .' Hardee will produce a lot of oranges, beef, milk, vegetables and r ons that are good for people'. Health experts say people should eat r vegetables and fruits. Milk and beef are vital as well for good health. Some Americans are taking too many pills. It seems like there is a for everything. Some patients see the doctor and expect a prescription pills. Some health experts say people should get more sleep and exercise the new year.- Florida Gator fans are hopeful for a better 2005 under new -foo 'coach Urban Meyer. South Carolina fans are tickled with new head cc Steve Spurrier.; . Growing a garden could be a good 2005 idea for some folks. You get dirty and close to nature that way. Perhaps we should take time to do some more fishing in the newr Eating fish is good for you. Perhaps some people need to slow down and enjoy life more in 2 Itis easy to get too busy and be in too much of a hurry through life. Hardee County will also produce a lot of phosphate in 2005 which help produce fertilizer to feed the world. You cannot grow enough t crops without fertilizer. Hardee will continue to recover in 2005 from the hurricanes. S buildings will be repaired. Some will be torn down. New buildings wi constructed. Hardee will have its first name brand hotel open this year. The divided U.S. 17 highway project will open this year in Wauch 2005 should be a pretty good year for Hardee County and the re. Florida. But please. no hurricanes! -Telling The Truth .. ; By J. Adam Shanks Preacher I AM LIKE AN ANT It has happened again! I cannot believe it! And as irritating as it is, just funny enough to keep me from being mad. I went away for the holid and when I got back, I had a surprise for me. I went to my office to mr some copies on my "all-in-one" printer and I saw it. Actually, my wife it first and I heard her gasp! Ants have raken up residence in the printed In the past, they have taken up residence in one of my old compute Why? I cannot tell you but I can tell you that I have killed many an ant si finding them. trying to get them out of my printer. Obviously, I cannot p anything so I am sort of at a standstill in my office. I'm halted in my , all because of small, insignificant little ants. I have tried coaxing them I have tried to bribe them out, I have tried to knock them out. I have t turning the printer over and tapping on it to get the ants to let go (do noi this at home!). I have finally come to the conclusion that I, by myself stuck. I'm so irritated with them that I want to scream, but I guess that I going to have to be patient with them if I even want my printer back working order. After sitting down and resting from manhandling the heavy print have come to a realization. I'm like that little ant. I get myself into tight uations for who knows what reason! I get in places that God does not w me in. God tries to coax me out by showing me His love in His Word. tries to bribe me out with blessings and love. God even knocks me sometimes as he disciplines me (Hebrews 12). Sometimes it even feels God turns the world over on me as my world goes upside down to try bring me back to Him. But, in the long run, it says that God is patient. Listen to these w( S'from 2 Peter: "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.." (3:9-10 NASB). ... God is n-atient toward me wishing that I will come to repentance on own. How amazing it is, because I know that I ha\e let him down and not deserve such righteous patience and love. My prayer to God is th will come to such pleasing repentance and be prepared on that day when "heavens will pass away" and "the earth and its works will be burned Are you prepared for such a day? Remember that patience will only last so long! I'm telling the truth! J. Adam Shanks is minister of the Church of Christ in Wauchula. He cai e-mailed at jastas@surjbest.net. - new single-family subdivision off Heard Bridge Road. It will be, a retirement community complete -., with a clubhouse and pool. There will be a parking area on the east end for recreational vehicles and erN boats. Roads, curbs and sidewalks 8. will be installed soon. A recap of the county and munic- ipalities, their 2004 accomplish- merits and plans for 2005 follows. COUNTY 255' County Manager Lex Albritton and his staff, along with the-rest of 657 the county, are not in a "normal. sit- uation." Several projects have had ae,. to be put on hold, as the storms 7 have consumed every effort since 1o0 August, Albritton said. The customer complaint system, which was to have been imple- mented this year, has been delayed. '" A custom package has been pur- chased instead to track and monitor. the scheduling of work of the Road .. and Bridge Department. 6,; Early ifi January 2004, .the, Hardee Lakes Park opened for *.. weekend fishing. cs-: The county acquired the property iop' for the development of the industri- al park and turned it over to the Industrial Park Authority. Ro, The widening and resurfacing of ', Crewsville Road, from SR 66 to Sweetwater Road, has been com- pleted. Work on Murphy Road began. Culverts were installed and the resurfacing of the first three miles was accomplished. Plans are to complete resurfacing this year. Albritton said that the county is still in the recovery process and restoration efforts will continue for months. The county faces a diffi- cult cleanup, which it is unsure of how to facilitate. Expect to see" debris lingering as demolition and rdee rebuilding takes place. SEmergency funding for housing mel- has been made available, and addi- more tional funds are expected. These funds are much needed, as over 1.400 homes were severely dam- i pill aged or destroyed. These monies n for, have come through Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and from SHIP (State se in Housing Initiative Program) funds. Major road work is on the hori- zon. The county is still assessing tball : the damages caused by the hurri- oach canes and continuing negotiations with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for can their repair. These repairs will con- tinue through 2005 and even into 2006. - year*,.-, Another-iecessary project is the expansion of the landfill to the two 005. five-acre cells, which should take place during the first quarter of 2005. will There will also be restoration to food the Mosaic-owned land 'where debris was handled. The implementation of FEMA's ome long-term recovery plan is a joint 11 be effort between the county and the municipalities. These groups will come together and prioritize, see- ing what they can do, Albritton htila. commented. With the expected completion of st of the effluent pipeline in February. the use of temporary spray fields will no longer be necessary for the" distribution of the treated waste- water from the Wauchula Hills plant. There will also be continued expansion of water and wastewater lines in Wauchula Hills for the new K-8 school and the industrial park. The Development of Regional Impact (DRI) will be';reviewe4 for the airport and the expansion of phosphate mining. All in all. Albritton said, "We're just trying to do our day-to-day activities." lays SCHOOL BOARD lake Hurricane damage leaves much saw ..to be done in the upcoming year. r. Work has begun on the once-con- ers. demned Wildcat Stadium, which ince should be ready for fall football rint season. .'?- " york Also, repairs have-been going on out. at the Community, Recreation' ried Complex pool, which was unable to t try be used during the swim team's am season. : am Replacing fencing and finishing k in resodding at the boys baseball and girls softball complexes will hope-' er, I fully be complete before the start of sit- their seasons in February. ,ant A big goal is continued recovery, God from the hurricanes, said out Superintendent Of Schools Dennis' like Jones. There are general repairs and that must be made to, all county schools.Theroofing project contin-. ords ues at the high school and repairs are being made to covered walk- ways. - Although the work will not be' completed this year, the K-8 school is also a high priority. Plans for the school were put into action in 2004 as contracts totaling $35.8 million were approved. ,Preparations for .my building recently began at the site. 1 do An official ground-breaking will be iat I this month., Despite delays, the K-8 the school is still scheduled toopen in up." August 2006. t for : On the academic side, Jones said he would like for students to do as n be well on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test as possible. The testing is in March, and teachers are most concerned about getting the students prepared. Another important' goal is to review the disaster preparedness plan so that the county's schools might be better prepared in the future by having needed supplies and equipment on hand. "It's nearly five short months. after the hurricanes. We've made remarkable progress due to the efforts of our own folks, the gen- erosity of individuals, businesses, organizations and other school dis- tricts across the state," said Jones. "There's a lot left to be done, but we are on the road," he concluded. ,WAUCHULA City Clerk James Braddock, a new city manager and their staff will, face a different set of chal- lenges this year as they deal with city government changes' and rebuilding. , 2004 ,saw the completion of the sewer rehabilitation project in the northwest and southwest quadrants of the city. The police department and city administration moved into a new building at 126 S. Seventh Ave.' Also, City Commission chambers were constructed in the east wing of City Hall at 225 E, Main St. Construction continuedd on U.S. 17. The water drainage system has been addressed and larger pipes ,.have been added to alleviate flood- ing. Now to 2005. In short, the city of Wauchula plans to "be busy," said Braddock. The City Commission has inter- viewed three candidates for the new city manager position, to be, filled by February. City administra- tor of 11 years Jerry Conerly will . retire Jan. 31. The $6 million' effluent pipeline project is scheduled to be complet- ed in February. This will take treat- ed wastewater out to CF Industries. rather than into Peace River. , The city faces a number of issues dealing with code enforcement and the demolition and reconstruction of homes. It has received CDBG monies of $200.000 for housing rehabilita- tion. The City Commission also applied for $500,000 from the' Florida Housing Finance Association. The city anticipates additional funds to be released later on to continue community rebuild- ing efforts. The FEMA long-term recovery team recently left its plan, and the commission will keep that in mind during the rebuilding process. It is, all dependent upon funding, how-. ever. The four-laning of U.S. 17 is scheduled to be completed within the next six months. U.S. 17 North could be open as early as this month, with the opening of U.S. 17 South following, as soon as March. There were 12 or 13 sites receiv- ing storm damage, including the Little League complex where repairs will continue. Oak Street Park will be bustling with activity this year as improve- ments are in line to take place. Airport plans, involve building, more hangers and cleaning up the destruction from the storms. Preparations are being made for future annexation north of the city as engineers will assess laying water and wastewater lines to pro-' ,ide utility services in that area'. As a result of the .storms, the city's budget will reflect about a' $1.6 million' loss in revenue from the loss of both commercial and, residential customers. BOWLING GREEN- Cleaning up the city and improv- ing two parks are expected to be .highlights of 2005 in Bowling Green. ,. ,. Mayor Perry Knight said a- 'December City Commission meet'- ing revealed residents wanted the" city to lookbetter. "This will be a very high priority, indeed the No. '1 priority. We will enforce code enforcement. We will allow people enough time and opportunity. We will target vacant lots prior to Hurricane Charley and abandoned Vehicless" ' The mayor said County Commissioner Minor Bryant indi- 'cated Mosaic and other phosphate entities might help sponsor a cleanup along U.S. 17. Knight said there will be a big effort to clean up the city 'in all areas. Grants or other aid will be ,sought to help restore some side- walks. He said a group effort.might be formed to help a church that was damaged by a falling oak tree if the church members cannot do the job. City Manager. David Elbertson said the city has received two $200,000 state grants, to improve Pyatt Park and Bowling Green"' Community Park. Pyatt Park will get new bleach- ers; a new, concession station, bath- rooms, playground equipment, tee- ball field lights, fencing and a small bike trail. The community park project will improve the basketball court, get lights, fencing, bathrooms, apavil- ion and playground equipment. City Clerk Pam Northup said the city will try to recruit a couple of suitable businesses to the 20-acre, Centanino property that was donat- ed years ago to the city. The pre- ferred uses are industrial or recre- ation. Elbertson said the city will seek grants and other assistance for housing, infrastructure and busi- nesses. The city has received a $200,000 housing grant that will replace two or three homes destroyed by the. hurricanes. The homeowners had no insurance and must agree to live in the homes for five years. The city will seek another $500,000 housing rehabilitation grant. Over half the homes in the city received some damage from the hurricanes. ZOLFO SPRINGS "In 2005 we ,plan to focus on rebuilding our town," said Town Clerk Jack Logan. Looking back to 2004, the town saw major renovations completed' at Town Hall through a $77,000 DIntC Continued aging the landfill, recycling center, and disposal operations.. She recently added debris collection management because of the hurri- canes. She came to Hardee County as a 3,-year-old and attended Hardee County schools through the llth grade. She. graduated in Alabama while helping her sister there. "Theh I came back and married my Williamson high school sweetheart. and we',e been together for 20 years. We have iwo wonderful sons. Justin at Florida State Uni ersity and Daniel in 10th grade." She obtained an AA degree from South Florida Community College where she was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate. She is pursuing a bache- lor's degree in business manage- ment. 'She began working at the landfill in 1991 and steadily rose to the top position. She has had a couple of articles presented at national con- ferences in Salt .Lake City; Utah and published in SWANA, the Solid Waste Association of North America journal. The first was on David vs. Goliath, and why expan- sion is more feasible than transfer stations. She has helped plan expansions at the Hardee landfill. one which will open in the next couple of years. .Another article. co-authored with engineers, was on the unique baling operations used here Since then., some large facilities, such as Volusia County, have used the com- paction by balers prior to landfill placement to more efficiently use' landfill space. ,{" Williamson has had, experience - in accounting anid working with. county budgets, with three different 'departments and three different budgets. working with auditors to ensure best use of funds to operate the solid waste operations. "I am looking forward to this,' and excited about the challenges. It will .be tough to jump in as well-as :continue landfill operations arid debris management until someone It requires a great deal of bold- ness and a great deal of caution to make a great fortune, and grant. The building was made handicap accessible with bathroom railings and a front ramp. New air conditioning, drop ceilings and electrical wiring were also included in the repairs. Additionally in 2004, the- town was able to purchase two new police cars. The town proudly celebrated its centennial at the end of October. At this time, there are many houses throughout Zolfo Springs that are in need of roofs, or even complete rebuilding. Other plans are to rebuild the police station, destroyed in the hur- ricanes, providing the-, police department with a new more mod- em facility. Grants are being pursued to aid the housing rehabilitation efforts, as well as the repaving of the storm-damaged streets and the repairs and expansion of the sewer and water plants, Logan said. Staff writer Jim Kelly contributed to this report. i From 1A else is ready to do that," said Williamson. She joins staff already in place, Ginny Stone, Judith George and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) employees Julie Doner and Robin Albritton. PUBLIC SAFETY "Mike is certainly going to do a good job due to his experience and years of service in the fire depart- ment. He is a seasoned employee and was selected for his additional qualities which make him excellent for the position," said Albritton. Fire-Rescue Chief 'since 2002, Choate began in fire-rescue as a volunteer in 1989, shortly after his graduation from Hardee High. He is a second-generation firefighter, following in the footsteps of his. father. James "Cork," Choate.. . He has, of course, completed paramedic schooling, 'as well as rescue, fire inspector, arson investi- gation, fire officer and other cours- es. He became lieutenant in 1996, deputy chief In 2001 and moved up to the chief position when it became available in 2002. In his new role, Choate continues as fire chief, and -will depend on Deputy Chief DaniHarshburger to back him up. Choate will coordi- nate the fire department, emer-, Choate agency management, 9-1-1 address- ing and veterans affairs, about 50 employees. "We've already had a great rela- tionship with all the departments in public safety. I am enthusiastic, ready for the ,new challenge. I appreciate the opportunity and the confidence the county manager has had in me," said Choate. Immediate priorities are rebuild- ing the Bowling Green and Zolfo Springs substations, that .were destroyed by the recent hurricanes. "It reduces response time, whether it is fire or medical care, the patient is always our concern. I also want to strengthen and harden the EOC (Emergency Operations Center) to be more efficient and prepared for natural disasters, although I hope we don't have any more hurricanes here," concluded Choate. when you have got it,it requires ten times as much wit to keep it. Ralph Waldo Emerson A"'H A lxDxD E kj_N C U N Y'! -FAIR Mon,. Sun,. Febr.uary.21,o 27