July 8, 2016
In This Issue
CITY ADMINISTRATION
City Manager Jonathan E. Evans, MPA, MBA, ICMA-CM

Good Evening Residents, Business Owners, Valued Members of our Community, 

Richard "Harold" Sloan
Acting City Manager

It is my esteemed honor and pleasure to inform you that last night the City Commission appointed Richard "Harold" Sloan as Acting City Manager for the City of Haines City. For the last two years, Mr. Sloan has been a vital member of the City's Executive Management Team and is a fitting choice to serve in the interim until the City Commission determines a suitable candidate for the permanent position. 

During my tenure as City Manager, I grew to admire, respect, and trust Mr. Sloan's mental aptitude and persona; he will certainly serve this organization well during this transitional period. He is well respected amongst his peers and currently provides administrative oversight for both the Haines City Police Department and the Haines City Fire Department. 

With 42 years of law enforcement experience in addition to his recent involvement in economic development, budget preparation, and other ancillary tasks, Mr. Sloan is well-versed in municipal management. During this interim period, Assistant Police Chief Brian McNulty and Assistant Fire Chief Stuart McCutcheon will be promoted to the roles of Police Chief and Fire Chief. All these individuals possess graduate degrees from accredited institutions and are well respected amongst professional organizations as well as among their national and state-wide peers. 

Again, we are excited about these new appointments, and I will be working diligently to support these individuals during their transition. As a small notation, the City Commission has agreed in principle to extend my employment with the organization until August 12, 2016. This extension is intended to assist with finalizing some of the major components of the 2017 fiscal year budget as well as assisting Mr. Sloan in making a smooth and seamless transition. We congratulate all those who will be serving in their new capacity and wish them all the best.  

Respectfully submitted, 

Jonathan E. Evans, MPA, MBA, ICMA-CM
City Manager
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Human Resources Director Kandace Tappen

Haines City is hiring! Please visit us at hainescity.com/jobs to view a listing of positions open to receive applications.  When completed, your application and resume may be e-mailed to jobs@hainescity.com. For more information, please call Human Resources (863-421-9927). 
PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT
Parks & Recreation Director Auburn Taylor

Parks & Recreation Month
Since 1985, America has celebrated July as the nation's official Park and Recreation Month. In 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives officially mandated July as "Park and Recreation Month."
 
This July, we are celebrating the super powers of parks and recreation and all the ways these local, community resources add value to our daily lives.
 
We're challenging everyone to discover their super powers at our local parks and recreation facilities whether it's running a mile on our new trail and around Lake Eva Park or swimming laps at the Haines City Aquatic Center.
 
Various research studies are confirming that community parks and recreation, green space and time outdoors is critical for creating healthy, active and sustainable communities. You can experience the benefits by visiting our community parks and recreation any time of the year, and especially during Park and Recreation Month.
 
You can learn more about Park and Recreation Month and what activities Haines City has to offer by calling us at (863) 421-3700, or stop by the Community Center at 555 Ledwith Ave., Haines City, FL 33844.
 
Athletics - Volleyball
Volleyball Registration is open until July 22, 2016, or until full. A skills clinic will take place August 8th-9th. Practice will begin August 15th. There is a $30 registration fee, plus a one-time Parks & Recreation fee of $10. We also are looking for volunteer coaches as well. For more information please call (863) 421-3700.

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PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT
Parks & Recreation Director Auburn Taylor

Summer Teen Program in Haines City Gets Big Response with LEGO Robotics Club
The Haines City Library kicked off its LEGO Robotics Club last week with more than 30 teens participating as part of its summer-long teen program.
 
"The number of participants for the robotics club was a huge surprise-we only expected to get a dozen kids to come out," said the Haines City Librarian, Mary Ellin Barrett. "Now we are now gearing up with more robotics kits for participants due to the obvious outpouring of interest."
 
The Haines City LEGO Robotics Club meets each Wednesday at 3 PM at the Haines City Public Library. The club is part of a larger, national program called the FIRST LEGO League. The League is geared toward children and teens, ages nine to 14. The intent behind incorporating the LEGO Robotics Club with the Haines City summer teen program is to find 8 to 10 kids who are interested in participating on an official team that will attend competitions during the upcoming school year.
 
According to the League's website, the program gets youth engaged in researching "a real-world problem such as food safety, recycling, energy, etc., and are challenged to develop a solution. They also must design, build, [and] program a robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS® technology, then compete on a table-top playing field."
 
The upcoming theme this year for the FIRST LEGO League is "Animal Allies." More details about the theme the upcoming completion will be released in August.
 
"The positive impact FIRST LEGO League has on participants is gratifying and well documented," touts the League's Web site. "Over 88% are more interested in doing well in school, and 87% have more interest in attending college."
 
"This LEGO program is a great way to get kids and teens excited about learning and informed about the other great things we are doing at the Library," said Haines City's Children's Librarian, Rachel Bowden. "Our goal is to get youth more comfortable in coming to the library through all of our programs this summer."
 
In addition to the LEGO Robotics Club, the Haines City Library's summer teen program includes a weekly arts and crafts program, held every Tuesday at 3 PM, and a "Get in the Game" reading program. The program encourages teens to read ten books from a list of 50 categories. With each book they read, their names are placed into a drawing to win one of three Kindle Fire tablets.
 
"The idea behind the summer teen program is to get teens more engaged with the Library in a comfortable and fun social setting," said Bowden. "The more they socialize in the Library, the more they see books. The more they see books, the more they use the Library."
 
For more information about the LEGO Robotics Club, summer teen program and other great programs at the Haines City Library, check the Haines City Library Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HainesCityPublicLibrary or contact Librarian, Mary Ellin Barrett, or the Children's Librarian, Rachel Bowden (863-421-3633).
CITY ADMINISTRATION
Acting City Manager Richard Sloan

Heat Safety
In an email received by Billy Abernathy, Polk County Emergency Management, Emergency Operation Center, Billy advises us on heat safety. Florida summers are hot; most summers see heat waves in one or more parts of the United States. Heat is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year and even more heat-related illnesses.


The Heat Index is a measure of how hot it really feels when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature. To find the Heat Index temperature, check our Heat Index Calculator. As an example, if the air temperature is 96°F and the relative humidity is 65%, the heat index--how hot it feels--is 121°F. The red area without numbers indicates extreme danger. The National Weather Service will initiate alert procedures when the Heat Index is expected to exceed 105°-110°F (depending on local climate) for at least 2 consecutive days.


During extremely hot and humid weather, your body's ability to cool itself is challenged. When the body heats too rapidly to cool itself properly, or when too much fluid or salt is lost through dehydration or sweating, body temperature rises and you or someone you care about may experience a heat-related illness. It is important to know the symptoms of excessive heat exposure and the appropriate responses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a list of warning signs and symptoms of heat illness, and recommended first aid steps. Some of these symptoms and steps are listed below.


Heat Cramps
Heat cramps may be the first sign of heat-related illness, and may lead to heat exhaustion or stroke.

Symptoms:
  • Painful muscle cramps and spasms usually in legs and abdomen
  • Heavy sweating
First Aid:
  • Apply firm pressure on cramping muscles or gently massage to relieve spasm.
  • Give sips of water unless the person complains of nausea, then stop giving water 

Heat Exhaustion

Symptoms:
  • Heavy sweating
  • Weakness
  • Cool, pale, clammy skin
  • Fast, weak pulse
  • Possible muscle cramps
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Fainting
First Aid:
  • Move person to a cooler environment
  • Lay person down and loosen clothing
  • Apply cool, wet cloths to as much of the body as possible
  • Fan or move victim to air conditioned room
  • Offer sips of water
  • If person vomits more than once, seek immediate medical attention. 

Heat Stroke

Symptoms:
  • Altered mental state
  • One or more of the following symptoms: throbbing headache, confusion, nausea, dizziness, shallow breathing
  • Body temperature above 103°F
  • Hot, red, dry or moist skin
  • Rapid and strong pulse
  • Faints, loses consciousness
First Aid:
Heat stroke is a severe medical emergency. Call 911 or get the victim to a hospital immediately. Delay can be fatal.
  • Move the victim to a cooler, preferably air-conditioned, environment.
  • Reduce body temperature with cool cloths or bath.
  • Use fan if heat index temperatures are below the high 90s. A fan can make you hotter at higher temperatures.
  • Do NOT give fluids. 

Never Leave Children, Disabled Adults or Pets in Parked Vehicles
Each year, dozens of children and untold numbers of pets left in parked vehicles die from hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is an acute condition that occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it can handle. Hyperthermia can occur even on a mild day. Studies have shown that the temperature inside a parked vehicle can rapidly rise to a dangerous level for children, pets and even adults. Leaving the windows slightly open does not significantly decrease the heating rate. The effects can be more severe on children because their bodies have not developed the ability to efficiently regulate its internal temperature.
 
How Fast Can the Sun Heat a Car?
The sun's shortwave radiation (yellow in figure below) heats objects that it strikes.  For example, a dark dashboard or seat can easily reach temperatures in the range of 180 to over 200°F. These objects (e.g., dashboard, steering wheel, child seat) heat the adjacent air by conduction and convection and also give off longwave radiation (red in figure below) which is very efficient at warming the air trapped inside a vehicle. Shown below are time lapse photos of thermometer readings in a car over a period of less than an hour. As the animation shows, in just over 2 minutes the car went from a safe temperature to an unsafe temperature of 94.3°F. This demonstration shows just how quickly a vehicle can become a death trap for a child.
UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
Utilities Director Mike Stripling

Changing a Fire Hydrant
The Utilities Maintenance crew changed out a fire hydrant at the intersection of South 10th Street and Alta Vista Drive.  The fire hydrant was a 1989 Muller and the bury line was 1 ˝ feet above grade.  The purpose of a bury line on a fire hydrant is for the built-in breakaway in the event a car hits the hydrant. If the hydrant is set with the bury line above the grade, a vehicle could catch the hydrant barrel and damage the water main and the piping to the hydrant.  The hydrant was replaced with a 3 feet 2015 M&H hydrant.

The Utilities Maintenance Division thanks the following employees who were involved in the replacement of the fire hydrant: Patrick Gill, Pipeline Repair Lead; Ellis Crews, Pipeline Tech; Jonathan Jackson, Pipeline Tech; Jonathan Vice, Plant Maintenance Worker; Chris Taylor, Program Tech; and William Lindsey, Plant Maintenance Worker. 



UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
Utilities Director Mike Stripling

Lunch and Learn Recap
Haines City held its first of many "Lunch and Learn" classes on June 23, 2016.  The Florida Friendly Landscaping Principles were presented by Anne Yasalonis from the Polk County IFAS Extension Program.  We would like to thank our community for the attendance and interest in the Water Conservation Program, our expectations were exceeded.  

With Water Conservation becoming more and more to the forefront, Haines City will continue to offer classes and programs that our residents can use to implement water conservation practices.  Haines City's next "Lunch and Learn" class will be held on August, 30th, 2016, featuring "Vegetable Gardening".  To register for this class, please visit http://polkgardening.eventbrite.com3
 
UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
Utilities Director Mike Stripling

FDEP Awards Water Conservation Grant Funds
FDEP awarded $693,265 to the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI), and $637,350 were dedicated to Polk Regional Water Cooperative (PRWC).  The participating applicants for the funding are as follows:  Haines City, Polk County, Lakeland, Winter Haven, Dundee, Auburndale, Lake Hamilton, Lake Alfred, Polk City and Lake Wales.  Southwest Florida Water Management District will be administrating the funds.
 
The approved projects are as follows: 
  • Indoor Water Conservation Incentives:  Toilet Rebates, Water Conservation Kits that include Faucet Aerators, Low Flow Shower Heads, Toilet Leak Detectors and an information package.
  • Outdoor Best Management Practices:  Florida Friendly Landscaping Rebates, Smart Irrigation Controllers and Wireless Rain Sensors.
  • Florida Water Star Builder Rebate:  Rebates to home builders who build according to Florida Water Star Standards and pass inspections.

Funding is scheduled to begin October 1, 2016.  Haines City Utilities Department will provide additional information on the upcoming Water Conservation Projects at a later date. 
UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
Utilities Director Mike Stripling

Industrial Pretreatment Program Objective 
The objective of the Pretreatment Program is to prevent the introduction of pollutants that would interfere with the treatment plant's operation, pass through the plant and interfere with the receiving waters, or adversely affect worker's health and safety. The program meets this objective by continuously evaluating the wastewater of new and existing facilities, issuing wastewater discharge permits and monitoring permitted industries by regularly sampling wastewater discharge and conducting comprehensive facility inspections.

National Pretreatment Program 
The Clean Water Act of 1972 sought to restore and preserve our nation's waterways by eliminating discharges of pollutants. As a component of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permitting Program (NPDES), the Pretreatment Program was formed to address discharges from industries to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). Under Pretreatment Program regulations, industries must meet certain limits for pollutants in their wastewater. These regulations ensure that heavy discharges and toxic pollutants from industries are not discharged to the POTWs and, in turn, possibly to the receiving stream.

Haines City Wastewater Treatment Plant
Wastewater treatment facilities are designed to treat domestic waste by physical, biological and chemical processes; however, industries often use heavy metals, chemicals, acids or other materials in their operations. In the sewer system, these materials have the potential to erode the sewer lines, produce explosive conditions and interfere with the treatment facilities. The Pretreatment Program focuses on reducing harmful pollutants discharged from industries to the POTWs that could interfere with the treatment process or pass through the treatment system. Local limits imposed by the program on industries ensure that the City of Haines City's Wastewater Treatment Plant meets their federally mandated discharge limits. The program also must monitor the quality of biosolids to ensure safe land application.

Industrial Users 
Although all non-domestic users are subject to Pretreatment Program regulations, most businesses will simply need to follow the requirement that they not discharge anything that adversely affects the sewer lines and treatment plant; however, those that are discharging significant amounts of waste may meet the technical requirements of the program. EPA has developed certain criteria to determine Significant Industrial Users (SIUs). SIUs include those sources that:
  1. Discharge on average 25,000 gallons of waste per day or more;
  2. Contribute a process waste stream making up 5 percent or more of the average dry weather hydraulic or organic loading capacity of a POTW;
  3. Have the potential to adversely impact the POTW's treatment processes; or
  4. Are subject to Federal Categorical Standards.
 
EPA defines certain processes as "categorical" in the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 405-471). These industries must follow federally mandated discharge limits and are known as Categorical Industrial Users (CIUs).
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Public Works Director Addie Javed

Employee of the Month 
Darryl Bradbury, Building Maintenance Supervisor, was recognized by the City Commission on June 16, 2016 as Employee of the Month. Darryl has been in his new role for only few months, but his dedication, work ethics and professionalism speaks volumes. 

In just a short time, Darryl has been successful in implementing a work-order system to track work flow, and providing for processes efficiency. 

Public Works team is proud of Darryl's accomplishments. Congratulations Darryl!
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Public Works Director Addie Javed

Lakes Appreciation Month and Clean up Events
The month of July is Lakes Appreciation Month, and during this month the City's goal is to promote the value of clean lakes, water bodies, and reservoirs. In the Public Works Department, one of the Stormwater Division's top priority is to protect human health and the environment. It is important for everyone to understand the importance of healthy lakes and water bodies in our community. 

Lakes provides drinking water, energy, food, and the means for recreational sport and play. City's lakes are an important natural resources for economic growth, and they help alleviate local flooding issues. Caring for the health of local lakes and water bodies protects the habitats and food resources for a diverse array of fish, aquatic life, and wildlife, including humans that depend on them. Lakes constitutes a highly valued water asset that adds to City's water reserves, and impacts local climate.
 
It is clear that as we enjoy and use lakes, we have to protect them. Lake pollution is caused by so many different activities, no one regulation or action will be enough to prevent it. Education and outreach aimed at changing individual behavior are key components to any successful lake protection effort. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's national lake assessment notes that poor near shore habitats, too many nutrients, invasive plants and wildlife, and other issues put our lakes at risk today. Limited resources and funding challenges to preserve the very programs that protect lakes asks for unique creativity to solve the lakes issues at hand.
 
Haines City residents can take action by helping in keeping America's waters clean. Join the City and our partners during the Lakes Clean up events scheduled in July. For more information please contact Public Works (863-421-3777).

 
 
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WOW (Watched Outstanding Work!)

Recently, Richard Myers and James 'Paul' Akins of the Public Works Department completed a re-striping of the parking spaces on Ingraham Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets in the Downtown Haines City area. It had been noticed that one of the parking spaces in this area was considerably smaller than others on the street. Upon examination of the spaces, it was determined that no 2 spaces were alike and that several were actually over-sized causing the smaller space to seem even smaller. 



The new spaces were laid out and it was determined there was adequate space to not only widen the smaller parking space, but to add 2 Handicap spaces to where none had been present before without losing any standard spots. Both employees came in early on a Friday and work was completed before most businesses opened.

Great Job Team! That's Outstanding Work!



The City of Haines City would like to thank all of our excellent, dedicated employees and volunteers who help make the City a great place to work, live and play. Have you "Watched Outstanding Work" within the City lately? Let us know at wow@hainescity.com.