WARNING….FLASHING RED LIGHTS….

BC- We hear the “belt tightening” VFD went CODE 3…Lights and Sirens…to help with the turtle hatchlings…Hmm….Maybe the “2-Hats” July 4th Co-Chairs and Coordinator/VFD Photog. Marc Furth think an assist offsets the July 4th beach fire display on 3/4 inch plywood!…

SENTINEL ONLINE…TODAY….

‘LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA – Dozens of disoriented baby sea turtles were rescued from a storm drain hours after they hatched on the beach this morning, officials said.

Environmental surveyors followed the hatchlings’ tracks from their sandy nest toward the storm drain, said Lou Fisher, of the Broward County Natural Resource Planning and Management Division.

The surveyors called firefighters, who then managed to pull the hatchlings out of the 15-foot drain, Fisher said.

City lights often confuse newborn sea turtles, who sometimes scramble from their nest toward the street instead of the ocean, Fisher said.

The turtles were moved to a dry, dark place and will be released into the ocean tonight.

full text link below….

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-turtle-rescue-bn070109,0,4959169.story

ON THE LOOKOUT…..MONITORING THE MONITORS….

Dear Readers…Last week this writer posted the July 4th meeting from June 22,2009…Coordinator Marc Furth told the committee he had a contract for monitors to come from 9-10 pm to monitor the beach during the fireworks…A reader sent an e-mail to say she had heard the monitoring was done by Nova University…I contacted PIO d’Oliveira and he sent back the info that it was Nova…from 9-11 pm and there was NO contract…I had Googled Nova turtles and up popped the website turtleinfo.org which I posted…Low and behold another reader was questioning the site and the fireworks on the beach…The reader also contacted Broward county Spec. Lou Fisher…who confirmed as well the site was suspect …the site is now shut down…and the reader is going to be monitoring the coastline with his group on July 4th…(info provided below) which will make the 1st reader who provided this writer with the Nova info some comfort!…

“As for the Turtle Hatchlings safety during the Fireworks.. We will be out in full force the entire day.  We will be monitoring the entire coastline and documenting the event for the State as a record of Illegal Harassment to the Sea Turtles for Hatchling Rescue and Recovery should anyone reading your blog in LBTS witness hatchlings on the beach during that time or any other time during nesting season.. Also please post the NOVA emergency number as well.. For we will both have our Volunteers in the field for that purpose..

Here are the Numbers for you

Our 24hr. Sea Turtle Oversight Protection Emergency # is 954 404 0025

NOVA is 954 328 0580

FWC 24hr dispatch * FWC from cell phones or 1 888 404 FWCC

Richard WhiteCloud
Sea Turtle Oversight Protection”

BAD SENSE OF HUMOR…OR CONDUCT UNBECOMING AN OFFICER….

We hear that after the disgraceful sullying of Chief Gooding that took place last night the Mayor walked in to see the Volunteers this morning…and was shocked and dismayed when a VFD member said quite matter of factly…”Wasn’t that fun last night!”…Not a hint of sarcasm….just a satisfaction of “payback”…towards the BSO!…UGH….Does the VFD offer a sensitivity training class?….YIKES!

TENT CITY….

We are now tented for the July 4th event…on July 1st…El Prado Park…and the surrounding area are out of commission …pun intended…for the $40,000.00+ event…

Speaking of the event we hear the VFD Board voted again for spending the big bucks from the never ending Booster Fund …$5000.00 for food and a barbecue for the VFD members and their families at the firehouse on July 4th!…Hmmmm…Let’s see it will be competing with a Town Event…and per PIO d’Oliveira…. no special permit is required for the large 100-150 person (per est. form the VM/Dep. Chief) event…DOUBLE STANDARD….No competing from the businesses… OUCH!…

Yep, the “UNITED WE STAND” sign is ready to go again for the July 4th event….the municipal workers were seen in the Town Hall parking lot putting it together in the pouring rain….A reader last night after seeing the finished sign …said maybe it should read…”UNITED WE STOOD”!….HA!….

more to come……..

Tags: local government, Local Politics, News, Public Safety, Scoops, sea turtles, VFD, VFD BSO
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WHAT’S UP WITH THAT?….

We hear,  from an observant resident that the turtle eggs are being moved!…This resident said she saw it and asked and although it was stated at the recent LBTS Turtle Workshop, that this was no longer being advised…it is in fact happening here!…The response to this citizen on why…was it was due to the noise and the lights…The eggs are going back into the sand by Sea Ranch Club…HMMM…July 4th Fire Display from that area of the beach…thanks to the Mc-Furth Gang and the turtle eggs are suddenly being moved?…OOPS!…

We hear the VFD has been out two times this week spraying foam on the building at the SW corner of Commercial Blvd. and Bougainvilla…for bees…After visit number one they left it looking like Christmas …..with caution tape across the streets access onto Commercial…Day two brought them back for another round…and more foam…more caution tape around the front of the empty store….Questions being asked…what kind of foam was used…environmentally approved foam that will not cause problems for our water system?….OOPS!….

We hear the VFD once again chose to follow AMR on a medical call for a gentleman at the Beach Pavilion…who had chest pains…The firetruck was parked ion El Mar and crew was standing around…..We hear they were blocking the entry to the Pier parking lot and  were not too quick to move …that is until cameras starting clicking! OOPS!…We hear as first responders there is nothing the VFD could have done for this type medical call……So why take the truck out in the middle of the day to muck up traffic in the middle of town?…OOPS!

On that same day, last  Thursday the schools were out…the beach was packed and the water was choppy…this writer and daughter were at Aruba Beach Cafe’ for lunch and never observed any VFD- Beach Patrol on hand to cover such an active day…Despite reassurance from the VFD Fire Chief afterward upon picking up a public records request for the Beach Rescue incident reports (to be posted later) that they were out there…a look at the firehouse as we left showed the ATVs there…OOPS!…

The new canopy is now up for the firetrucks…and we hear now there is no room for the VFD boat that was stationed alongside?…OOPS!…

We hear there is to be a shade session at 6 pm on Tues. June 9th…in between the 5 pm budget workshop and the 7 pm Commission meeting…BUT…the Town is supposed to respond in filing a motion by June 8th!…So that means the Town is either filing a motion PRIOR to direction by the Commission or missing the deadline!…OOPS!…

Usually the Commission meeting backup is ready by 3 pm the Friday but yesterday, at 3 pm we were told they were just getting started due to an item being added late…HMMM…A big no no according to the agenda deadline rules…so no backup in Town Hall we were told…that afternoon before Town Hall closed at 4:30 pm……although it would be online shortly before or after close of business…(it was)…The item..it seems was Comm. Silverstone’s…new business…..while an item Comm. Dodd put on before the deadline was removed by the Manager without his consent……another  big no no…OOPS!…(Agenda/ commentary to be posted soon)…

The Hi-Riser this week (6/4/09) has an article about the “Totters” by Fallan Patterson…which looks at the “dismissed” item put back on the last agenda by Comm. Dodd looking for an Ordinance to prevent scavengers from taking the recyclables from the Right-Of-Ways thus keeping a certain element out of our neighborhoods..(leaving them able to “scout ou”t our homes) and keeping the recycle revenue percentages coming back to the Town…….The VP of Choice Environmental, Mike Savino said “LBTS is involved an Interlocal Agreement with 27 other cities in which the cities get a check for the recyclable materials they collect. The product [in the swale] belongs to the homeowners” ..(this was verified by the Town Atty. in the backup for the item)…”You can’t go rummaging through people’s stuff and making a mess, we try to deter it, report it if we see it.”…Comm. Sillverstone is quoted after these comments saying ‘he is not opposed to people collecting material from the recycling bins, but is concerned that if more people come around, their scavenging might affect the percentages the town receives.’ …”I can feel for those people. I’d rather them do this than less industrious things.”…UGHHH!…. Comm. Dodd said he wanted stop the risk right now by to ‘ give the police permission to tell “totters” who wish to pick up these materials “Not in this town. Why risk these types of people driving around our neighborhoods?”…(previous 5/26-27/09 Comm. meeting post)…An owner of a recycling center commented on collecting from the general public and the costs…saying ” In the last eight or nine months since things turned south, people are more aware they can be environmentally friendly and get a little money for it.”…OOPS!…

BC- From the article it clearly reaffirms the timliness and the necessity for the item Comm. Dodd put on, although it was hypocritically dismissed by the “Gang of 3″…OUCH!…

Public Notices…Sentinel…Few and far between are actual Town RFPs …still waiting on the Parking RFP…(and after we saw no newspaper RFP for fireworks display)…what shows up…The Invitation To Bid…on the Bel Air Entry signs! …..

6/6/09…(excerpt/ synopsis…full text in Sentinel..Town Hall)…

Invitation To Bid

ITD-09-06-04 …Town of LBTS …is accepting sealed bids for entryway signs…The work consists of the construction and installation of 2 concrete sign. The work will include demolition of existing signage, removal and relocation of existing landscaping ,installation of  proposed uplighting, installation of proposed curbing, connection to existing electrical service, restoration of asphalt, concrete, landscape and irrigation conduit.All work performed shall ne in accordance with the contract/Town of LBTS…Interested parties may contact the Project Engineer Shaun Bamforth P.E. for information. Copies of plans and specifications may be obtained from Town…Sealed proposal to be received by 2 pm July 7,2009..will be publicly opened and read out loud….

Readers…keep you eyes and ears open…and keep the information coming …Thanks!…

more to come…

Tags: local government, Local News, Local Politics, News, Public Notices, Scoops, Sea Ranch Club, sea turtles, VFD
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10 AM- 12 PM JARVIS HALL….

There will be a Broward County Sea Turtle & Lights Workshop today from 10:00 -12:00 at Jarvis Hall…Public Welcome…

more to come….

Tags: Places To Go, Scoops, sea turtles
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COUNTING ON A TURTLE PERMIT…..

HMMMM…Today the Fireworks  RFP is  online on the Town website………

7 pages…shell size…time between firing shells…….number of personnel……and the location…on the beach behind El Prado Park…including  last on page 7 a permit for special events …conditions for marine guidelines..below…

‘SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT CONDITIONS FOR MARINE TURTLE PROTECTION
Field Permit No.
1) The following conditions ate required for special events for the protection of marine turtles during the marine
turtle nesting season. The nesting season is March 1 – October 31 in Brevard, Indian River, St Lucie, Martin, Palm
Beach, and Broward counties, and is May 1 – October 31 in all other coastal counties in Florida.
2) All structures proposed to be constructed in marine turtle nesting habitat and left out overnight shall have 3 feet of
vertical clearance beneath them, at least 7 feet of horizontal clearance between the supports where they meet the
beach, and shall be located as far landward as possible. Any structures or materials not meeting these criteria must
be removed by sundown each day. All staging and storage of event equipment and materials shall be off the beach.
3) The use of heavy equipment is prohibited, and the use of street vehicles to transport event equipment is prohibited
except on beaches where public beach driving is allowed by local ordinance. A lightweight, ATV-type vehicle with
10 p.s.i. or less ground-to-tire pressure may be used for equipment transport if allowed by local ordinance. Use of
vehicles shall be minimized, and restricted to event set-up and break-down.
4) In order to place structures on the beach, surveys for marine turtle nesting activity must be ongoing, and have been
conducted daily for 65 days previous to the event date or since the beginning of marine turtle nesting season. It is
the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that nesting surveys have been conducted in accordance with the
following conditions:
a) All nesting surveys shall be conducted by qualified persons who hold a valid marine turtle permit issued by the
FWC pursuant to Florida Administrative Code Rule 68E-1. No materials or equipment may be set up on the
beach until the applicant has coordinated with the marine turtle permit holder.
b) Nest surveys shall be conducted daily between sunrise and 9 a.m. during marine turtle nesting season. No
activity shall occur in any location prior to completion of the necessary marine turtle nest survey and protection
measures.
c) Nests deposited within the event area shall be marked and left in place unless natural factors threaten the
success of the nest. Any nests left in the event area shall be dearly marked and the actual location of the clutch
determined- A circle with a radius often (10) feet, centered at the clutch, shall be marked by stake and survey
tape or string. No activities shall enter this circle and no adjacent activities shall be allowed which might directly
or indirectly disturb the area within the staked circle. During marine turtle hatching season (July 1 – October
31), no structures or materials which could impede the progress of turtle hatchlings may remain seaward of a
nest overnight
5) No lighting associated with the event is authorized after 9:00 psa. during the marine turtle nesting season.
6) No water from the structure or event area shall be allowed to run onto the beach where it could impact adjacent sea
turtle nests.
7) In the event an unmarked marine turtle nest is exposed, or a dead, injured, or sick marine turtle is discovered during
the event, the marine turtle permit holder shall be notified immediately such that appropriate conservation
measures can be taken. Within 24 hours of any such occurrence, a report of the incident shall be faxed to the FWC
Bureau of Protected Species Management at (850) 921-6988.
8) The permittee shall not disturb existing beach and dune topography and vegetation. No excavation of sand
landward of the mean high water line is permitted. Any temporary minor disturbances in the sand (including ruts,
depressions, holes, or mounds) shall be filled in and raked smooth with hand tools each evening’

BC- If this is a go acceptable to do….. then again …..the pavilion could not be built after season because?….

full RFP link below………

http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/

Tags: local government, Local Politics, sea turtles, update, Updates
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WHO KNEW….CHEN & ASSOCIATES SITE…LBTS ENGINEERS…

Tags: lbts engineers, lighting, Local Politics, Scoops, sea turtles, Web News
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