CITY ADMINISTRATION

The City would like to wish Russ and Fay Young, both former Councilmembers, the very best as they move from our fair City.  They will be missed. 

We would like to welcome Richard Reinlie to the Council.  He is replacing Fay Young.

We would also like to send our best wishes to Phyliss Amason who has retired after 20 years with the Library.

The City Council passed 5 ordinances in 2006:  Ord. 2006-01 Water & Sewer Rate Increase; Ord. 2006-02 PUD & PMDD Height Limitations; Ord. 2006-03 Flood Prevention; Ord. 2006-04 (Did not pass); Ord. 2006-05 Ad Valorem Millage of 3.40; Ord. 2006-06 Adopt FY 2006-07 Budget.

The Council approved 10 resolutions:  Res. 2006-01 Emergency Hurricane Supplement Forestry Grant; Res. 2006-02 Oppose Broadband Bill; Res. 2006-03 Sidewalk Project; Res. 2006-04 Support Air Force Housing; Res. 2006-05 Joint Land Use Study; Res. 2006-06 Support Referendum for One Cent Sales Tax; Res. 2006-07 By Pass Road at Hurlburt Field and Hwy. 20; Res. 2006-08 Support 46th Test Wing; Res. 2006-09 LAP Sidewalk Project; Res. 2006-10 Recreational Cooperative with Okaloosa County.

CH2MHILL OMI MARY ESTHER

Here I am writing another article addressing water conservation hopefully it is not getting to be an old subject but water conservation is one of the most important things we all can do to help our community. Conservation is one of the easiest things we all can do because we have control of how much water we use every minute of every day. People all over the world die from the lack of clean drinking water each day and we are so fortunate in this country to have quality sources of drinking water. But the sources of our drinking water are finite and conservation is the one way we can assure a safe and abundant drinking water source for future generations. 

Encourage your employer to promote water conservation at the workplace. Suggest that water conservation tips be put in the employee orientation manual and training program. Support projects that will lead to an increased use of reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and other uses. Promote water conservation in community newsletters, on bulletin boards, and by example. Patronize businesses that practice and promote water conservation. Report all significant water losses (broken pipes, open hydrants, misdirected sprinklers, abandoned or free-flowing wells, etc.) to the property owner, local authorities, or your water management district. Encourage your school system and local government to promote a water conservation ethic among school children and adults.

Support efforts and programs to create a concern for water conservation among tourists and visitors to your state. Make sure your visitors understand the need for, and benefits of, water conservation. Conserve water because it is the right thing to do. Don’t waste water just because someone else is footing the bill, such as when you are staying at a hotel.

For more water conservation tips visit the Northwest Florida Water Management District website at http://www.nwfwmd.state.fl.us/.

MAINTENANCE

The Oak Tree Nature Park Grant is complete and being closed out.  If you haven’t been through the park you are in for a treat when you do.  Final touches are being put on the South Bryn Mawr Park grant and it will be closed out too. Trees are being planted in O.T.N.P. to replace trees destroyed by the hurricanes and trees are also being planted at Pryor Park and S. Bryn Mawr Park utilizing the Urban Forestry Project. All City streets have been swept and gutters cleared of vegetation.

LIBRARY NEWS

The Mary Esther Library will be hosting the AARP Driver Safety Course on February 13th and 14th.  This is an 8-hour refresher course for drivers 55 and older.  Upon completion of the course, you may be eligible for a discount on auto insurance.  The Library is also having a special workshop, “Writing your Memoirs”.  This will be presented on February 22nd at 10:00 a.m.   A special Valentine’s Craft Night is planned for February 8th from 6:00-7:30 p.m.  This is for children 7-12 years of age.  Registration is required and space is limited, so call Ms. Marlene today!  For more information about these and other Library events, call 243-5731.

Community Development Services Department

Flooding: Part One

Flooding: Introduction

Heavy rain falls for days and days, building up too much water for groundwater systems to handle. Slowly, the water level begins to rise, creeping higher and higher until it floods into your home, submerging your furniture and belongings. In extremely bad cases, flash floods, with their rushing torrents of muddy water, sweep away houses, cars, trees, and people with ease. How can we, as humans, protect ourselves against this phenomenon? How can we learn, recover, and rebuild?

Flooding: The Legend

Most people have heard the Biblical story of Noah and the Ark. God became upset with the people of the world and sent a flood to wash away everything and start anew. Choosing a good man named Noah, God told him to build an ark and take aboard a male and female of every type of creature. After this was done, it rained for 40 days and 40 nights, so heavily that the entire earth was covered with water. When the rains finally stopped, Noah sent out a dove. After sending it out twice, the dove did not reappear, letting Noah know that the waters had finally receded enough for the bird to find land. God then said that he would never flood the earth again to destroy mankind. He told Noah to remember what he said every time he saw a rainbow. In fact, evidence of a massive flood 5,000 years ago has been found in Iraq, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It spread over 30,000 square miles, drowning villages in river valleys. Many people believe this was “Noah’s flood.”

Flooding: What is a Flood?

A flood is the submerging with water of a normally dry area. Floods are caused by many things, including rainstorms, slow water run-off, earthquakes, broken dams, underwater volcanic eruptions and tsunamis, or hurricanes.People need water to live. The oceans cover three-fourths of Earth, making it the only blue planet in our solar system that can sustain life. We drink it, we bathe in it, and we swim in it. 65% of our bodies are composed of water. But when it floods, water has the ability to kill. In fact, most floods cause a lot of damage because they happen so unexpectedly.

Part two – What causes flooding in the next newsletter.

Make Your Home the Solution to Stormwater Pollution!

A homeowner’s guide to healthy habits for clean water As stormwater flows over driveways, lawns, and sidewalks, it picks up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants.  Stormwater can flow into a storm sewer system or directly to a lake, stream, rivet; wetland, or coastal water. Anything that enters a storm sewer system is discharged untreated into the water bodies we use for swimming, fishing, and providing drinking water. Polluted runoff is the nation’s greatest threat to clean water.

By practicing healthy household habits, homeowners can keep common pollutants like pesticides, pet waste, grass clippings, and automotive fluids off the ground and out stormwater.  Adopt these healthy household habits and help protect lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands, and coastal waters. Remember to share the habits with your neighbors!

Healthy Household Habits for Clean Water

Vehicle and Garage

Use commercial car wash or wash your car on a lawn or other unpaved surface to minimize the amount of dirty, soapy water flowing into the storm drain and eventually into the Sound.

Check your car, boat, motorcycle and other machinery and equipment for leaks and spills.  Clean up spilled fluids with absorbent material like kitty litter or sand, and don’t rinse the spills into a nearby storm drain.  Remember to properly dispose of the absorbent material.

Recycle used oil and other automotive fluids at participating service stations.  Don’t dump these chemicals down the storm drain or dispose of them in your trash.

Lawn and Garden

Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly.  When use is necessary, use these chemicals in the recommended amounts.  Avoid application if the forecast calls for rain; otherwise, chemicals will be washed away.

Select native plants and grasses that are drought-and pest- resistant.  Native plants require less water, fertilizer and pesticides.

Sweep up yard debris, rather than hosing down the areas.  Compost or recycle yard waste when possible.

Don’t over water your lawn.  Water during the cool times of the day and don’t let water run off into the drain.

Cover piles of dirt and mulch being used in landscaping projects to prevent pollutants from blowing or washing off your yard and into the Sound.  Vegetate bare spots in yard to prevent soil erosion.  

Home Repair and Improvement

Before beginning an outdoor project, locate the nearest storm drains and protect them from debris and other materials.

Sweep up and properly dispose of construction debris such as concrete and mortar.

Use hazardous substances like paints, solvents and cleaners in the smallest amounts possible and follow the directions on the label.  Clean up spills immediately and dispose of the waste safely. Store substances properly to avoid leaks and spills.

Purchase and use nontoxic, biodegradable, recycled and recyclable products whenever possible.

Pet Care

When walking your pet, remember to pick up the waste and dispose of it properly.  Flushing pet waste in the toilet is the best disposal method.  Leaving pet waste on the ground increases public health risks by allowing harmful bacteria and nutrients to wash into the storm drains.

Swimming Pool and Spa

Drain your pool only when a test kit does not detect chlorine levels.

Whenever possible, drain your pool or spa into the sanitary sewer system.

Properly store pool and spa chemicals to prevent leaks and spills, preferably in a covered area to avoid exposure to stormwater. Storm drains connect to waterbodies!

Regular Meetings

Last Mon.    7 p.m.   Workshop

First Mon.   7 p.m.    Legislative

Last Wed.      5:30    OTNPMAC

First Tues.    5:30    Parks & Rec.

Third Mon.    5:30    Code Enforc.

Check online for latest postings at http://calendar.yahoo.com/ cityofmaryesther

OMI Mary Esther

There are a lot of exciting changes taking place in the City of Mary Esther besides the new library addition, work is about to begin on the wastewater treatment plant upgrade.

The plant upgrade is designed to give the plant operations team greater flexibility in meeting future growth and new regulations challenges. The plant upgrade is scheduled to take seven months to complete and will offer many trials as new equipment is constructed and older systems are taken off line.

The plants operations team knows that there is a lot of hard work and many challenges ahead to assist with transitioning to the new facilities but the professional and experienced operations team is ready to meet these challenges head on.

    Retrofitting Conserves Water and Preserves our Resources

Every drop of water does count and each person can make a difference to help preserve and conserve this important

resource. Because water is usually plentiful, easily available and inexpensive, we often consider it to be an almost limitless resource - it is not. Water conservation practices will help preserve our existing water supplies and help ensure that our water resources will be available for future generations.

Retrofitting is replacing, changing or modifying existing older plumbing fixtures in your home or business with those that are designed to save water. Older, water-guzzling plumbing fixtures should be replaced with low-flow or reduced-flow devices.

Retrofitting to save water will lower your utility bills. The more water that comes into your home or business, the more water there is that must be disposed of through sewer systems. This also costs you money. Many simple, easy-to-install water-saving devices will lower your water and sewer bills enough to make up for the initial costs within just a few months. A simple task such as fixing leaks could save you hundreds of gallons of water each year.

It has been estimated that a family of four could save between 10,000 to 20,000 gallons of water a year by repairing leaking faucets and toilets, installing low-flow aerators, placing dams or bottles in toilets, installing flow restrictors or replacing shower heads with low-flow ones.

1st Public Hearing September 5, 2006 7:00 p.m.

Second & Final Public Hearing September 12, 2006 6:00 p.m.

10 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT STORMWATER RUNOFF POLLUTION

• Use fertilizers sparingly and sweep up driveways, sidewalks, and roads
• Never dump anything down storm drains
• Vegetate bare spots in your yard
• Compost your yard waste
• Avoid pesticides; learn about Intergrated Pest Mgt. (IPM)
• Direct downspouts away from paved surfaces
• Take your car to the car wash instead of washing it in the driveway
• Check car for leaks, and recycle motor oil
• Pick up after your pet
• Have your septic tank pumped and system inspected regularly

WATER

Water is a finite resource - conservation is the key to maintaining a viable and sustainable drinking water supply!

Listed below are some interesting facts about water.

25 Facts About Water

1. The first municipal water filtration works opened in Paisley, Scotland in 1832.
2. More than 79,000 tons of chlorine are used per year in the United States and Canada to treat water.
3. Of all the earth's water, 97% is salt water found in oceans and seas.
4. Only 1% of the earth's water is available for drinking water.  Two percent is currently frozen.
5. About two thirds of the human body is water.  Some parts of the body contain more water than others.  For example, 70% of your skin is water.
6. There are more than 53,000 community water systems providing water to the public in the United States.
7. Public water suppliers process 38 billion gallons of water per day for domestic and public use.
8. Approximately 1.8 million miles of distribution mains carry water in the United States and Canada.
9. About 800,000 water wells are drilled each year in the United States for domestic, farming, commercial, and water testing purposes.
10. Typically, households consume approximately 30% of their water for outdoor use, such as watering the lawn.  Inside, toilets use the most water, with an average of 27 gallons per person per day.
11. In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act to ensure that drinking water is safe for human consumption.  The Act requires public water systems to monitor and treat drinking water for safety.
12. More than 13 million households get their water from their own private wells and are responsible for treating and pumping the water themselves.
13. Industries released 197 million pounds of toxic chemicals into waterways in 1990.
14. The average daily requirement for fresh water in the United States is about 40 billion gallons a day, with about 300 billion gallons used untreated for agriculture and commercial purposes.
15. You can survive about a month without food, but only 5 to 7 days without water.
16. Total water use (both indoor and outdoor) in a typical single-family home is 101 gallons per capita per day (gpcpd).
17. The average five-minute shower takes between 15 to 25 gallons of water.
18. You can refill an 8 oz. glass of water approximately 15,000 times for the same cost as a six-pack of soda.
19. An automatic dishwasher uses approximately 9 to 12 gallons of water while hand washing dishes can use up to 20 gallons.
20. If every household in America had a faucet that dripped once each second, 928 million gallons of water a day would leak away.
21. A dairy cow must drink four gallons of water to produce one gallon of milk.
22. One gallon of water weighs approximately 8 ½ pounds.
23. One inch of rainfall drops 7,000 gallons, or nearly 30 tons of water, on a 60' x 180' piece of land.
24. 300 million gallons of water are needed to produce a single day's supply of U.S. newsprint.
25. A person should consume 2 ½ quarts of water per day (from all sources of water, food, etc.) to maintain health.

CITY ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

The City Council will begin working on the 2007 FY Budget.  The meetings have been scheduled for July 17th, 18th, 20th, 24th, 25th, and 27th.  Please try to attend these meetings to see what is, and will be, going on in our City.  We hope you will join us!

STOP STORM WATER BACKUP

Did you know that those who live in Mary Esther are each responsible for keeping leaves, grass clippings and other debris out of the gutters, off the streets and sidewalks?  Much of the problem that results in clogged storm water drains is caused by this, and often it is your neighbors who are affected! 

Please help to prevent this by ensuring that no grass clippings are disposed of by tossing behind the backyard fence or are blown into the gutters or street.  Composting your yard waste is a very ecological option.  When a heavy rain is forecasted, you may want to check for debris buildup on grates for nearby storm drains.  For more information, contact the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) on the internet at www.epa.gov/nps or www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater .

FIRE DEPARTMENT

Can we find you in an emergency?

There’s nothing like knowing someone is out there waiting for your help, but you can’t find them!

Your address numbers can be a vital link to your safety.  A poorly-marked address can delay emergency response time when minutes and seconds make a difference between life and death.

Addresses covered by paint and shrubbery are hard to see. Night and weather conditions may affect their visibility also.  Many obstacles can make identifying one home from the next, time consuming when seconds are critical!  Also, let’s not forget your local mailman, UPS drivers, friends, and relatives who try to find your home.

A couple of helpful hints: on mailboxes, numbers should be at least three inches in height and should be located on both sides of the mailbox, as fire, police, and medical units may arrive from either direction. Also, for homes located on a single driveway, the numbers should be clearly visible on the home.  For homes you can’t see from the street, numbers should also be on a post located at the driveway leading directly to your home.

Check online for latest postings at http://calendar.yahoo.com/ cityofmaryesther or our website at www.cityofmaryesther.com.

LIBRARY NEWS

The Mary Esther Public Library expansion project is moving quickly ahead.  Drop by and watch the progress!

The Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative is sponsoring fun for the whole family with “Karl Koppertop – The Magic of Laughter”.  South County locations for this free program will be the Destin Community Center, June 19th at 10:00 a.m. and the Fort Walton Beach Library, June 20th at 10:00 a.m.  The program will also be presented in the Niceville Council Chambers, June 19th at 6:30 p.m. and the Crestview Library, June 20th at 6:30 p.m.

The Mary Esther Library Summer Library Program began on June 7th.  Kids from 7-12 are having a ball “visiting” Hawaii this year!  Youth Services is looking for participants in the newly established Young Teen Group.  For information on these and other exciting programs for the kids, call Miss Marlene at 243-5731.

The Friends of the Library are always looking for new members.  If you are interested in participating, please call us.  The Friends meet at the Library on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 11:00 a.m.  Light refreshments are provided and everyone is welcome.  

CITY ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

The City has received a “2005 Emergency Hurricane Supplemental Urban and Community Forestry Grant”! This grant is for a little more than $73,000. We are working in Oak Tree Nature Park to recover from the devastations produced by the 2005 hurricane season. The Council will begin working on the 2007 FY Budget in June. These meetings are generally held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please watch the paper and our website for exact dates. We hope you will join us!

The University of Florida and Okaloosa County Extension Services are developing programs to assist communities and individual homeowners with “stormwater runoff” related issues.

The program utilizes rain gardens throughout a development as an integral part of a retention system that helps to eliminate many of the pollutants that are currently running into bodies of water.

Rain gardens consist of both natural and cultivated plants, such as canna lilies, palmettos and azaleas that are grouped into a garden of approximately 200 square-feet either at the end of retention system or more ideally, placed in several spots along the retention system. These plants actually absorb many of the pollutants, such as pesticides and fertilizer, and greatly reduce the amount of runoff into waterways. Locally, Okaloosa County Extension Services implemented a 4-H program where approximately 15 area youths assisted with the development of a rain garden at the Extension Offices in Crestview. Extension Agent and Program Organizer Shelia Dunning says plans are underway to develop more rain gardens at the Extension Offices and to eventually help local developers incorporate these gardens into their stormwater master plans. “The rain garden concept is being actively pursued in the Central Florida region and is gaining popularity throughout the state. It is a relatively new concept, only being developed about five or six years ago, but has had some very positive results. Several of our local golf courses are using the concept and we hope to begin working with local developers to have them utilize rain gardens in their long-term stormwater programs and projects,” says Dunning.

OMI Water Department

As usual Mother Nature has been her unpredictable self doing a complete 360 degree turn around from the spring weather we had last year. Instead of seventeen inches of rain for March and April of 2005 we are barely at a half an inch for March and April 2006. Water conservation is a subject many people only think of when there are times of drought and mandatory water rationing is in effect but we don’t give conservation a second thought when we have an abundance of precipitation. It is incumbent on all of us to incorporate water conservation practices in our daily routines so they become second nature then when Mother Nature decides to deprive us of life sustaining precipitation our community will have already taken steps to ensure we have an adequate potable drinking water supply.

Please find listed below tips to get all of us started on the path to water conservation.

Bathroom - where half of and all water use inside a home takes place:Do not let the water run while shaving or brushing your teeth. Take short showers instead of tub baths. Turn off the water while soaping or shampooing. If you must use a tub, close the drain before turning on the water fill the tub only half full. Never use your toilet as a wastebasket.

Kitchen and Laundry: Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool. Wash fruits and vegetables in a basin. Use a vegetable brush. Do not use water to defrost foods; thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Scrape rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.Wash only full loads of laundry or use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the washing machine.We appreciate your cooperation in conserving our precious water resources.

MAINTENANCE

Work continues on the South Bryn Mawr Park FRDAP grant. The ornamental fence is installed, parking slots and sidewalks, picnic shelter with tables and BBQ grill, four swings with one being handicap accessible. Hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy this new park. The contractor, Northwestern, continues to install the new stormwater pipe, drop inlet boxes and conflict boxes. New sidewalk and landscaping to come. This project will last approximately five months. We thank the residents for their patience and understanding and we all look forward to the upgrade of this area.

Mr. Johnny Simmons retired after 21 years of diligent service to the residents of Mary Esther. We wish him well in his retirement.

LIBRARY NEWS

Pardon our dust! The Mary Esther Public Library expansion project began several weeks ago and is moving steadily forward. Late fall of this year is the estimated completion time. Everyone is invited to drop by and watch the progress! The Friends of the Library are always looking for new members. If you are interested in participating, please call us. The Friends meet at the Library on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 11:00 a.m. Light refreshments are provided and everyone is welcome. If you’d like to meet new people and make new friends, call the Library and see what programs are available. Remember, as a Mary Esther Library member, you are also a member of the Okaloosa County Public Library Cooperative. The strength of the OCPLC network offers patrons far more resources than are available at any one library. For information, call 243-5731. To find out what’s happening at your local library, take a look at our online calendar of events -- http://my.calendars.net/ocplc_me .

Regular Meetings

Last Mon. 7 p.m. Workshop

First Mon. 7 p.m. Legislative

Last Wed. 5:30 OTNPMAC

First Tues. 5:30 Parks & Rec.

Third Mon. 5:30 Code Enforc.

Second Tue. 6:30 Trans. Cmt.

Check online for latest postings at http://calendar.yahoo.com/ cityofmaryesther

Community Development Services Department/Code Compliance/ Planning and Zoning Division

Xer-i-scape

/`zir-e-skap\n.[Greek xeros, dry]:

Water Conservation Through Creative Landscaping

Preserving Florida’s valuable freshwater resources through water conservation is becoming more and more important. Outdoor irrigation can account for 50 percent or more of the average homeowner’s water use. A water-conserving Xeriscape will save money on water, energy and maintenance bills and will help preserve the state’s valuable freshwater resources. Xeriscape originated in the arid western US. Contrary to the image of rock and cactus gardens, Florida’s Xeriscape resembles lush traditional gardens. Through carefully planning, they use 30 to 80 percent less irrigation water.

Seven Steps to a Successful Xeriscape

Design: There are two principal elements to a Xeriscape design; the site analysis and planting plan. Group plants with similar water requirements. Increase shade areas to decrease the water needs of plants. Preserve areas of native vegetation.

Analyze the Soil: Add organic matter to flower or vegetable gardens before planting to increase the water-retention ability of the soil.

Plant Selection: Select plants appropriate for the soil.Natural-zone plants require only natural rainfall Drought-tolerant zone plants require minimal irrigation. Oasis-zone plants require frequent watering. Limit these areas as much as possible

Use Turf Wisely: Consolidate area or consider alternatives to ease maintenance and water requirements.

Irrigate Efficiently: Set the time each irrigation zone to correspond to the needs of the plants grouped within that zone. Check the system weekly to ensure it is operating properly.

Mulches: Use mulches for walkways, as well as within the planting beds.Mulches reduce watering, weeds, erosion, etc.

Maintenance: Water and fertilize plants only as needed. Excessive amounts promote problems and increase pruning and mowing requirements Raise lawn mower blade(s) to promote more extensive root growth.Prune shrubs to natural height and shape.

DROUGHT-TOLERANT PLANTS

Trees native Pines; Oaks Southern red Cedar American Holly Dahoon Holly Yupon Holly Flowering dogwood cultivated Weeping Elm;Tanerine

Palms native Cabbage Palm;Purotis Palm;Saw Palmetto;Needle Palm;cultivated Washington Palm;Phoenix Palm;Lady Palm;Bamboo Palm;Windmill Palm

Shrubs native Firebush;Simpson Stopper;Walter’s Viburnum;Wax Myrtle;cultivated Oleander;Chinese Juniper;Azalea Hybrids;Indian Hawthorn;Cape Jasmine;Gardenia

Groundcovers; native Beach Sunflower;Wild Petunia;Muhly Grass;cultivated Purple Queen;Shore Junipers;Gold Mound Lantana;Cast Iron Plant

Vines native Yellow Jasmine;Coral Honeysuckle;cultivated Mandevilla;Confederate Jasmine

A reminder to our valued customers in reference to garbage pick up dates:

Monday and Thursday: Household Waste; Tuesday: Yard waste (bagged or bundled in 3’ lengths). Bulk Items pick up is on Friday, however you need to contact Waste Management at 862-7141, especially if you have refrigerators or freezers that need to be picked up. They will schedule an appointment with you.

Curb side containers are required to be moved from the curb within 24 hours of collection in accordance with City of Mary Esther Code of Ordinances.

Click to view other newsletters:

March, 2006 Newsletter

December, 2005 Newsletter

October, 2005 Newsletter

July, 2005 Newsletter

May, 2005 Newsletter

March, 2005 Newsletter

June, 2004 Newsletter

December, 2003 Newsletter