Commission Report: June 2, 2009

Various city departments and/or individuals made the following monthly reports to the Apalachicola city commission at the regular scheduled June 2 meeting.

*Planning & Zoning Report
Planning & Zoning member Tom Daly appeared before the commission on behalf of P&Z chair Leon Bloodworth. Daly gave commissioners an overview of some of the activities currently undertaken by the zoning board, he stated that P&Z is reviewing the sign ordinance to simplify and speed up the process.

He further informed the commission that the zoning board is working with the Riverfront Park Committee to assist in working through some of the design changes recommended for the park. Daly also told commissioners that P&Z members are working on both a tree ordinance and an ordinance governing requests for temporary road closures.

*Chamber Report
Anita Grove, executive director for the Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce reported that several new businesses recently joined the chamber. She reported that Dawn Ivanovo bought the Market Street Dinner, now operated as Ivanovo’s Pizzeria, and that the Garden Shop has expanding to the building adjacent to its operation.

Grove further reported that Jonathan Ramsden, owner of My Photo T has also joined the chamber. According to Grove, Ramsden is a retired Air Traffic Controller out of Atlanta and operates a mobile T-Shirt printing company where he travels to various sporting events. While at an event, Ramsden take pictures of the winning teams, and then print, and sell the T-Shirts all onsite.

She concluded her report by stating that the Small Business Administration (SBA) would release the loan application for their new loan program on June 15.

*Library Report
Apalachicola Librarian Caty Greene reported to the commission that 556 patrons visited the library during the month of May; with nearly 300 of those visitors utilized the computers.

Greene also reported that the Workforce program hired Cynthia Taylor to work at the library primary in the mornings for 20 hours per week and that the library is expecting the arrival of other Librarian’s from Texas to assist with the summer reading program.

In addition, Greene informed commissioners that the library has decided to stay at their current location, and look into the possibility of renovating and expanding that site.

*Police Department Report
In his report, Police Chief Bobby Varnes reported that during the month of May his officers received 191 calls, made seven direct arrests, served six-warrant request, investigated two traffic accidents and issued 21 traffic citations for either speeding or running a stop sign.

Local business owner Beverly Hewitt, praised the Police Department for contacting her at 3:00AM on Friday to report that her business was left unlocked, she stated the at least three officers secured the building while awaiting her arrival. “Our police department is doing a wonderful job”, commented Hewitt.

Chief Varnes then reported on the Neighborhood Watch Program, he invited the public to get involved and attend the next scheduled meeting on June 15 at 6:00PM at the 6th Street Recreation Center.

*City Administrator Report
Betty Taylor-Webb told commissioners that she has scheduled for the third time a meeting with the Revolving Loan Committee to review recent loan applications, however each time she failed to obtain a quorum. Webb stated that at the next scheduled Loan Committee meeting, that if she were unable to reach a quorum, she would recommend that the city commission act in that capacity.

In her written report, Webb wrote that the School Board was to discuss the transfer of the Apalachicola High School property to the city at their June 2 meeting and that staff would mail the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Architecture services to local Architects and forward the RFQ to the media for advertising by June 5.