Weekly Highlights Report Mar. 25, 2022 - City of Punta Gorda
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Weekly Highlights Report
Mar. 25, 2022
City Manager
City Manager Column – The Office of the City Manager is focusing on
projects, personnel, and policy in 2022. The focus on the three p's
delivers attention to the areas critical to delivering on our mission to
preserve and enhance Punta Gorda's identity as a vibrant waterfront
community, unique in character and history, and as a desirable place to
live, work and visit.
Public Works has several ongoing projects of note that improve
the quality of life for our residents. The final phase of Harborwalk West,
which includes constructing on-street parking, parking lot improvements,
and site furnishings, is readying to commence construction. Site survey
and layout are scheduled for the first two weeks in April. Coordination
with Florida Power & Light for pole relocations is underway. Nature Park will also have
enhancements added. A new Serenity Garden complete with a new walkway, benches, and a
bicycle rack are scheduled to begin construction during the month of April.
Way Finding Signage is another project that will enhance residents' and visitors' safety and
quality of life. Right now, the concrete foundations continue to cure. The contractor has provided
a tentative schedule for installation the first week in May. A project such as this requires
coordination with FDOT staff until the permit and project are closed.
One of the important engineering projects underway is the railroad crossing at McKenzie
Street. The railroad has completed its upgrades to the crossing. The City continues to perform work
on the roadway, storm sewer system, and sidewalk. Relining of storm drain pipes and inlet
modifications are underway. Installation of flowable fill has been completed. Road and sidewalk
base preparation continues with paving and pouring of sidewalks to follow in the next week.
In terms of personnel, the five-year staffing plan developed in 2021 was just the start of
creating a workforce to serve the needs of the residents of Punta Gorda. Key positions have been
added to the Fire Department, IT, Public Works, and the Police Department. These new positions
will enhance the quality of services provided to residents and increase efficiencies.
The City is taking a comprehensive look at annexation policies associated with utility
provision to provide maximum value to the residents of Punta Gorda. A key policy document that
will result from the work of the Urban Design Department is the new Land Development
Regulations (LDRs). The LDRs contain specific development standards for private properties and
specific requirements for parking, landscaping, architecture, and administrative processes and
procedures. A presentation regarding the Land Development Regulations takes place at the April
20 City Council meeting.
Another policy focus is canal maintenance. The proposed budgets for the fiscal year 2023
will be discussed at the next Canal Advisory Committee meetings. Burnt Store Isles will meet on
April 12 at 1:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers. Punta Gorda Isles will meet on April 18 at 1:30
p.m. in City Council Chambers. The public is invited to attend and will have an opportunity to
provide input for consideration by the Canal Advisory Committee and City Council.
As a reminder, the City is still accepting FY2023 Strategic Plan and Budget comments.
Input can be emailed to citymgr@cityofpuntagordafl.com. I look forward to sharing more of the
results of the focus on projects, personnel, and policy in future columns. Readers may reach City
Manager Greg Murray at citymgr@cityofpuntagordafl.com or by calling (941) 575-3302.
Canal Maintenance Budget Workshops – The proposed budgets for the fiscal year 2023 will be
discussed at the next Canal Advisory Committee meetings. Burnt Store Isles will meet on Apr. 12
at 1:30 pm in City Council Chambers. Punta Gorda Isles will meet on Apr. 18, at 1:30 pm in City
Council Chambers. The public is invited and will have an opportunity to speak.
Urban Design
Upcoming Events
Charlotte Harbor Event Center, 75 Taylor St. For additional information, visit
https://www.charlotteharborecc.com/events
Fishermen's Village events can be accessed at https://www.fishville.com/events/
Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce events can be accessed at
https://puntagordachamber.com/calendar-events/
Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce events can be accessed at
https://business.charlottecountychamber.org/events/calendar
Military Heritage Museum events can be accessed at https://freedomisntfree.org/#
Punta Gorda Isles Civic Association, 2001 Shreve Street, for all community event and class
information visit https://pgica.org/.
The Punta Gorda Historical Society will be hosting a variety of musicians in the Park on the second
and fourth Wednesdays of each month, through May 2022 from 4 to 6 p.m. Bring your own chair
and beverage of choice, peruse the Food Trucks for your dining pleasure. In lieu of admission fees,
the Punta Gorda Historical Society requests your donations for the ongoing maintenance of our
four History Park buildings. For more information visit www.puntagordahistory.com.
Mar. 26, Pedal and Play in Paradise, Laishley Park. For more information visit
http://pedalandplayinparadise.com/
Mar. 27, Punta Gorda Symphony Presents Brass on the Lawn: Renaissance and Classics, 26300
Airport Road, for more information visit https://www.pgsymphony.org
Apr. 1, Port Charlotte Adventist School Walk-A-Thon, Laishley Park., For more information
contact mercado@pcadventistschool.com
April 2, Strongman Competition, Laishley Park Pavilions. For more information visit
https://www.facebook.com/events/2666695273476742/
Apr. 9, Loveland Center 5K Run, Laishley Park, 96 Nesbit St., For more information, visit
https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/PuntaGorda/LovelandCenterIncAbility5KRunFamilyWalk
Apr. 9-10, Bloom and Art, Art & Craft Show, Gilchrist Park, 400 W Retta Esplanade. For more
information contact blueribboneventsllc@gmail.com
Apr. 17, The Rock Calvary Chapel Easter Outreach, Laishley Park, 96 Nesbit St., For more
information contact rich.therockcc@gmail.com
Apr. 24, Punta Gorda Symphony Celebrates Judy Garland Centennial, 75 Taylor St., for more
information visit https://www.pgsymphony.org.
Apr. 30, Charlotte County Heart Walk, Laishley Park, 96 Nesbit St., for additional information,
visit
https://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=6422&pg=informational&type=fr_informational&sid=102
02022 Charlotte County Heart Walk: Event Master Page - Heart Walk - American Heart
Association
Apr. 30-May 2, Hibiscus Festival, Gilchrist Park, 400 W Retta Esplanade, contact
teresadesguin@iheartmedia.com or visit https://thehibiscusfestival.com/ for more information.
May 7, Bands, Brews, & BBQ, Laishley Park, 96 Nesbit St, For more information contact
jerry@smugglers.com
May 7, Girls on the Run of SWFL, Laishley Park, 96 Nesbit St, For additional information, visit
Charlotte County 5K Detail | GOTR Southwest Florida (gotrswfl.org)
May 7, Mental Health Walk, Gilchrist Park, 400 W Retta Esplanade, For more information contact
kpomerville@cbhcfl.org
May 26 – May 31, Healing Field of Honor, Laishley Park, 96 Nesbit St, For more information
contact adairjrobin@gmail.com
Lot Mowing Program
The City will begin a new mowing and edging cycle on Apr. 4.
Planning Corner
Resiliency Planning – Natural hazards take a high toll on
communities, but better managing disaster risks can reduce the
costs in lives and improve the quality of life. Planning and
implementing prioritized measures can strengthen the resilience of
a community. The City takes resiliency planning seriously and has
implemented numerous comprehensive plan policies, accepted
and updated the Climate Adaptation Plans (2009 and 2019), and
participates in the Hazard Mitigation Planning with the County.
The Plan, funded by the Department of Environmental Protection
and written by community stakeholders, through the direction of
the Coastal and Heartland National Estuary Partnership (previously known as the Charlotte Harbor
National Estuary Program) and the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, was accepted
by City Council in 2009. Over the last ten years, the City has implemented numerous strategies
identified in the Plan resulting in the following outcomes:
Seagrass acreage increased
Fertilizer ordinance adopted
Buyout of properties with flood damage
Relocation of the City's public works facility
Construction of new Emergency Management Center
Improvements to local building codes
The Comp Plan's policies require that the City review and update the Plan every ten years. In Oct.
2019, the City completed the 2019 Climate Adaptation Plan Update, which included a vulnerability
assessment. The assessment addresses public infrastructure within City limits, emphasizing coastal
flooding impacts to critical facilities and historic properties. Upon preliminary completion of the
vulnerability analysis, the City again engaged stakeholders and citizens to help inform and
prioritize vulnerable regions (focus areas) to develop the adaptation strategies. Currently, the City
is actively working on fulfilling the recommendations identified in the Plan and received funding
to implement one of the adaptation strategies identified in the Plan. For more information on the
Climate Adaptation Plan Update, please visit https://www.ci.punta-
gorda.fl.us/home/showpublisheddocument?id=9987
Public Works
Canal Maintenance
Seawall Replacement Projects - Punta Gorda Isles has 44 seawall replacement projects scheduled
for the fiscal year 2021/2022, and the seawall replacement contractor has ten projects under
construction and has completed eight projects. Burnt Store Isles has eight seawall replacement
projects scheduled for the fiscal year 2021/2022. The seawall replacement contractor has four
projects under construction and has completed one project. A seawall replacement project can
consist of multiple properties. A seawall project is not considered complete until the sod has been
placed.
Crews filled depressions at 10 locations.
Crews manufactured (60) 10'ft., panels.
Crews patched/repaired (30) of seawall caps/seams.
Crews removed one large piling.
Seawall Replacement Schedule - The annual Seawall Replacement Work Program can be found
on the City of Punta Gorda website under Canal Maintenance https://www.ci.punta-
gorda.fl.us/home/showpublisheddocument/12550/637643718591830000. Every year the City
replaces approximately 12,000 linear feet of seawall. By utilizing the Seawall Assessment Data,
the seawall replacement program is planned a year in advance (unexpected seawall failures or
seawalls that are inspected and found to be at extreme risk of failure are given top priority and may
bump planned projects to the following year).
Canal Maintenance Budget Workshops - The proposed budgets for the fiscal year 2023 will be
discussed at the next Canal Advisory Committee meetings. Burnt Store Isles will meet on Apr. 12
at 1:30 pm in City Council Chambers. Punta Gorda Isles will meet on Apr. 18, at 1:30 pm in City
Council Chambers. The public is invited and will have an opportunity to speak.
Engineering
Railroad Crossings McKenzie Street – The railroad has completed its upgrades to the crossing.
The asphalt and sidewalk installation is complete. The road has been reopened. Final grading,
ground cover installation and cleanup are continuing to be completed. Final cleanup should be
completed next week with final striping of the road to be completed at a later date.
Boca Grande Drainage Improvements – Bi-weekly design project update meetings continue.
The revised 90% plans are in staff review with responses to be returned to the engineer by the end
of the week. Pending is submittal to the Southwest Florida Water Management District for permit
review. The second round of the 2023 Cooperative Funding Initiative meeting is scheduled for
Apr. 7 for the Southern region. City and engineering firm staff are completing the statement of
work for the DEO Rebuild Florida CDBG-MIT funding
grant opportunity.
Harborwalk 2B parking and upland improvement
project – Submittals continue to be received for review and
engineer of record approval. Site survey and layout is
scheduled for the first two weeks in Apr. Project information
signage has been installed at each end of the project limits.
FPL, City and contractor staff are set to review the new
power pole and guy wire locations post site survey lay out.
Trabue Plaques – Work has begun on restoration of the
pillars with repairing and stucco.
Wayfinding Signage – Sign installations are tentatively
scheduled for the first week in May.
Fire
Employee Appreciation Luncheon – The fire department
hosted an employee appreciation cook out this week.
Administrative staff cooked hamburgers and hotdogs for
three shifts in a row and for all three stations including the
county ambulance staff that reside in the city stations. This
was just a way to let our firefighters know how much they
mean and how appreciated they really are.
Police
Police Department Records Requests – Did you know that
you can submit public records requests for the Punta Gorda
Police Department online by visiting ww.pgpdrecords.com?
Public records can also be submitted by mailing your
request to PGPD Records Unit, 1410 Tamiami Trail, Punta
Gorda, FL 33950.
Open Positions
Police Officer Testing - The police department conducts new hire testing continually in order to
be prepared for future openings. We are currently accepting applications for the position of Police
Officer. We will be holding a virtual testing process in June. Applications must be received by
May. The written exam will be completed online anytime between June 1, and June 9, with virtual
oral board exams conducted via Zoom on June 20, and June 21. We are currently only accepting
applications from candidates who are currently law enforcement certified or Equivalency of
Training (EOT) eligible.
Internship Program - The police department is currently accepting internship applications for the
Summer Semester and Fall Semester of 2022. Our internship program is open to college students
and high school seniors interested in gaining educational experience in law enforcement, criminal
justice, and small government administration. Spots fill up quickly and the selection process can
be competitive, so we encourage potential interns to apply today! The deadline to apply for the
Summer Semester of 2022 is Mar. 4.
Volunteers in Policing (VIP) Program - The police department has an active and diverse
volunteer program including vehicle patrol, bike patrol, marine patrol, community services, and
more. We are always looking for dedicated volunteers. Members of the community interested in
volunteering are encouraged to contact the Volunteer Staff Coordinator at (941) 575-5536 or by
emailing vip@pgorda.us.
To apply for employment or for more information, please visit www.pgpdjobs.com or contact
our Employee Development Coordinator at (941) 575-5571 or by email at
employeedevelopment@pgorda.us.
Utilities
R.O. Plant
Water Treatment Plant Operations
56.8 MG delivered to the distribution system with a 8.1 MG daily average
Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority Emergency Interconnect – Receiving
1600 gallons per minute from the new Interconnect (Phase 1 Pipeline). Sending 1250 gallons per
minute from the tank on 17 (Phase 1A Pipeline).
Rainfall Mar. 2021 .30" Mar. 2022 0.50"
Hardness is a measurement of calcium and magnesium ions naturally occurring in the raw water.
Currently "moderately hard" – Grains of Hardness 10 ppm – Total hardness 172 ppm
TDS Mar. 24 – Current 296 ppm, Low 296 ppm, High 656 ppm, 12 Year Avg. 485 ppm
Reservoir Mar. 24 – Current 5.04', Record Low 4.87', Record High, 6.18' 57 Year Average 5.21'.
Wastewater Treatment
Maintenance –Team members were able to haul and inject 210,000 gallons of bio-solids to field
seven this week.
Operations – The average daily flow for the past week was 2.70 million gallons for a total of
18.90 million gallons of wastewater being treated this week.City Clerk
Candidate Packets Now Available – Candidate packets for the 2022 City General Election are
now available through the City Clerk's Office, City Hall, 326 West Marion Avenue. The 2022
General Election will take place on Nov. 8 and will include City Council Districts 1, 2 and 4.
Councilmembers serve a two (2) year term and are elected at-large. Only opposed candidate races
will appear on the ballot. If more than two candidates seek election for any one district seat, a
primary election must be held on Aug. 23 (11 weeks prior to the General Election). Qualifying for
the 2022 General Election cycle begins Jun. 13 at noon and ends on Jun. 17 at noon. For
information or questions regarding qualifying, please contact Karen Smith, City Clerk, at (941)
575-3369 or email pgclerk@cityofpuntagordafl.com. Questions regarding voter registration, vote-
by-mail ballots or precinct and polling information should be directed to the Charlotte County
Supervisor of Elections Office at (941) 833-5400. Candidate forms can also be obtained online
from the City's website at https://www.ci.punta-gorda.fl.us as well as from the Division of
Elections website at https://dos.myflorida.com/elections.
Current Board and Committee Vacancies (Volunteer Appointment Information Form)
Board of Zoning Appeals – (two alternate) Meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday at 4 p.m. in
City Council Chambers. City residency is required. Seven-member board with two alternate
members. Three-year terms, maximum of three terms or partial term plus two more terms.
Financial disclosure required. Makes recommendations to City Council on variances to City Code.
Code Enforcement Board – (two alternate) Meets monthly on the fourth Wednesday at 9 a.m. in
City Council Chambers. City residency required. Seven-member board with two alternate
members. Three-year terms, maximum of three terms OR partial term plus two more terms.
Financial disclosure required.
Historic Preservation Advisory Board – (one alternate) Meets monthly on the fourth Thursday
at 9 a.m. in City Council Chambers. City residency required. Seven-member board with two
alternate members. Two members must reside within the Historic District. Three year terms,
maximum of three terms OR partial term plus two more terms. Identifies for the City Council
historically significant structures and sites that should be considered for designation as a "Local
Historic Landmark" or be nominated for listing on the Florida Master Site File and the National
Register of Historic Places. Makes recommendations of the policies for the protection of
historically significant structures and sites. Makes recommendations to staff with regard to
certificates of appropriateness for any demolition, variance, sign or relocation of structures.
Promotes public awareness of historic archaeological preservation and its community benefits.
Police Officers' Pension Board – (one City resident member). Meets quarterly and as called in
City Council Chambers. Five members – two City residents at-large, two general employees and
one member appointed by the Board. Four-year terms, no maximum. Financial disclosure required.
Charged with management of the General Employees' Pension Fund.
New Businesses
All persons, firms or corporations engaging in business or occupation within the City of Punta
Gorda are required to obtain a Local Business Tax (LBT) Receipt in accordance with Chapter 12
of the Punta Gorda City Code. As part of our effort to promote economic development and vitality
in our area, we offer the following list of new or transferred business within our community this
week:
Meraki Hair Studio, 425 Cross Street, Unit 112You can also read
