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HomeMy Public PortalAboutOctober 1996CURRENTS The Official Newsletter of the Town of Gulf Stream October 1996 PINE TREES PREVAIL IN TALLAHASSEE At the close of last year's session, the state legislature passed our bill to permit the replanting of Australian pines along North Ocean Boulevard. This was our third attempt to get this passed, and it turned out to be a charm. The Governor permitted the bill to become law in June without his signature. Getting the bill passed truly was a joint effort involving Town officials, residents and state politicians. Chief among these were our own Jeanne Breazeale and Eric and Betsy Hvide. The bill was sponsored in the House by Representative Bill Andrews of Delray Beach, with assistance from Ron Klein of Boca Raton. Senator Jim Scott of Ft. Lauderdale marshaled the bill through his side of the Capitol, with assistance from Senator Robert Wexler of Boca Raton. Gulf Stream owes a debt of gratitude to these individuals and the many others who made this a reality. To celebrate our success and to honor all of those involved, the Town will host an informal gathering on Tuesday, December 17, at 10:30 a.m. at the Town Hall, followed by a tree planting ceremony on AIA just south of the Sea Road intersection. All residents are invited but are requested to RSVP to the Town Hall by Friday, December 6, so that we may provide enough refreshments. With the trees approved, the Town will move forward with a landscape design program for the entire two-mile stretch of AIA within the Town. Two years ago, the Town was awarded a $250,000 grant for landscape design and construction. Work on the design has been held off pending state approval. BILL GWYNN RETIRES Fitter more than 30 years of service to the Town, most recently as the part-time Finance Director, Bill Gwynn has retired. He will, however, continue to operate his accounting practice in Delray Beach. Bill will be sorely missed by all who know him and have worked with him over the years. We are planning a retirement party for December and invite you to contact the Town Hall if you wish to attend. Succeeding Bill Gwynn is Bill Thrasher. Mr. Thrasher will work full-time as Finance Director and Assistant to the Town Manager. Mr. Thrasher comes to us well-qualified. His skills and knowledge include an MBA from Florida Atlantic University and work experience with ITT and Motorola, as well as owning hardware and,auto parts stores in Lake Worth. Most recently, Mr. Thrasher was Finance Director for the City of Pahokee where he achieved recognition as a Certified Government Finance Officer. Please stop by the Town Hall and introduce yourself to him. October 1996 CURRENTS Page 2 FIN HELPFUL REMINDERS FOR RESIDENTS OLD AND NEW • The Town currently is not under any type of mandatory water restrictions; however, we do have a lawn -watering conservation ordinance in effect year-round. Lawn watering is limited to Monday, Wednesday and Saturday for properties with an odd -numbered address, and Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday for properties with an even -numbered address. All watering must be done during non -daylight hours. • Garbage pick-up is on Tuesday and Saturday for residents east of the Intracoastal Waterway, and on Monday and Thursday for residents west of the Intracoastal. Recycling pick-up is on Saturday for residents east of the Intracoastal, and on Thursday for residents west of the Intracoastal. The Town pays extra to have all garbage and recycling picked up at your back door. Please do not take containers to the street. If your garbage or recycling is not picked up as scheduled, please call our solid waste hauler, BFI, at 278-1717. TAXES RISE TO MEET INFLATION For only the second time in seven years, the Town Commission approved a property tax increase. Over the last three years, taxes and other revenues have remained at the same level, while expenses have increased steadily with inflation. Although Gulf Stream has experienced a rise in new construction, the Town's tax base is growing at a rate of only one-tenth of the rate of inflation. The average property owner will see a 7 percent increase, although your rate of increase may vary depending on how the value of your property changed. Gulf Stream's taxes represent less than one- fifth of your total tax bill. The other moneys go to the County, School Board, and various special service districts. The Town has no control over the taxes or expenditures of these other agencies nor the valuation of your home. • Vegetative clippings are picked up by BFI throughout Gulf Stream on Thursday. There is a charge for this service. You may have your lawn service take your clippings, but you may not contract a hauler other than BFI to remove the material. Please do not place clippings out for pick-up before Wednesday. • Paint cans, used motor oil, batteries, tires and similar hazardous materials cannot be thrown out with your garbage. To dispose of these materials, please call the Solid Waste Authority at 930-2727 for more information. • For emergency police, fire or ambulance assistance, call 911. For non -emergency assistance, please call the Delray Beach Dispatcher (243-7800), who will send a Gulf Stream police officer to your home. All suspicious persons and incidents should be reported immediately to the dispatcher. If you simply have a question or need information, call the Town Police Station at 278-8611 Monday - Friday from 8 to 4. All calls for police service, though, must be directed to the Delray Beach Dispatcher. • Aviation enthusiasts please note that landing any type of aircraft anywhere in Gulf Stream is prohibited.