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Home My WebLink About03-2009 Newsletter PDFThe Village ofThe Village ofThe Village of The Best Place to Live Under the SunThe Best Place to Live Under the SunThe Best Place to Live Under the Sun March 2009 March Activity Schedule & Heritage Day—Page 9 Letters to Village Residents—Page 2 Continental Breakfast with the Authors of Palm Beach—Page 6 NPB Community Center Dear Village Resident, As you may have heard, earlier this month your Public Safety Department was summoned to the North Palm Beach Commu- nity Center, “outside” basketball courts in reference to an incident involving at least one firearm and numerous individuals. Fortunately for all, there were no reports of any injuries but there was evidence that several rounds were in fact fired on or near the basketball courts. In response to this incident, the Village immediately implemented very deliberate safeguards to ensure that there were no repeat incidents of violence. Recognizing that the Community Center, like all other Village facilities, is here for the enjoyment and pleasure of both you our resident and your guests, new security initiatives have been implemented to better ensure your safety while at the Community Center. These new procedures include a stepped up police presence, enhanced video surveillance systems, and security lighting. Ad- ditionally, effective immediately the basketball courts will close with lights out at 9:00 p.m. Citizens that presently utilize the north parking lot (adjacent to the basketball courts) will be redirected to the south lot for parking. The north parking lot will be closed to vehicular traffic and only used for scheduled special events or planned recreational activities. These security initiatives are designed to provide a safer environment for adults and children while using our recreational facili- ties. It is still incumbent on us all to be mindful of our surroundings, and should something appear amiss, report it immediately to a staff member or law enforcement. I do apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused but your safety and that of your guests is paramount to the Village. The Village of North Palm Beach is committed to providing the community with “The Best Place to Live (and play) Under the Sun.” Community News Vegetative Debris Removal Ordinance On January 8, 2009 the Village Council enacted a new ordinance. This ordinance addresses the generation and disposal of vegetative debris. Staff worked diligently to consider all aspects of collection and the quality of service that the residents have become accustomed to. As part of this process, we evaluated the needs of the residents and the capabilities of the Public Works Department. We wanted to ensure that the residents who painstakingly maintain their property are afforded the consideration of having the de- bris removed on the prescribed collection days. In order to do this, we have established certain parameters and guidelines that need to be adhered to. This will assist the Pubic Works Department in its task to continue to provide the quality of service for which it is known. One of the significant changes to the collection procedure is that if any person, group of persons, corporation or firm is paid a fee to perform tree trimming or landscape maintenance activities within the Village, they will be required to remove all yard waste generated by such activities. The Village will no longer collect this material. The Village will continue to collect all debris generated by the resident provided the resident follows the guidelines set forth in the new ordinance. The Village understands that this is a departure from the past and with that we will work with the residents to ensure a smooth transition. We are handing this letter and a copy of the ordinance to all individuals and firms that we see in our daily travel. We are also allowing a two month grace period to familiarize the residents and the maintenance crews of the requirements of the new ordinance. The Public Works Department will work diligently to educate everyone and eliminate any confusion that may arise. As always, it is our goal to maintain the Village in a pristine condition for all to be proud of. With your help, we can continue to profess that the Village of North Palm Beach is the “Best Place to Live Under the Sun”! Sincerely, Jimmy Knight, Village Manager Page 2—Community News www.village-npb.org THE VILLAGE OF NORTH PALM BEACH “THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE UNDER THE SUN” A message from the Village Manager Civic Education The Village of North Palm Beach will now provide monthly civic reviews to help residents learn or refresh their memory on how their government functions. Just What is a Florida City? In Florida, a city is a municipal government. The founding citizens choose the name, and in doing so, decide whether to call the municipality a city, town or village. There is no legal difference between the three. In other states, the governing structure is often dictated by the Legislature. A municipal government is a public corporation. The council, or commission, is the board of directors, elected by the stock- holders, who are the citizens. The public corporation is formed to provide self-governance and a variety of services. The charter, which is a city’s constitution, is written to form the municipality and is similar to articles of incorporation. The charter sets forth the boundaries of the municipality, its form of government, the size of the council, and certain govern- ment processes. In Florida, the Legislature approves the incorporation through a special act, and the charter is approved by the citizens through a referendum. Besides being a public corporation, however, a municipality is an independent, general-purpose local government. General purpose means there is a wide range of services provided by the entity. Why Cities are Formed? Cities are the heart of the social contract. People first lived together for safety. As civilizations were created, people some- times lived with families, tribes or other communal entities. Scholars often look at Athens in ancient Greece as the first great city, with its democratic involvement of the public in government and its progressive services. As the centuries passed, safety remained a concern, but people also chose to live near one another for other reasons. To- day, when people choose to live near others and to share public infrastructure, such as streets, sidewalks, water and sewer systems and parks, they agree to abide by a set of rules. These rules are known as ordinances, which guide a city’s residents. Living in a city, in Florida, requires choice. As people look for a place to live, many things may af- fect their decision– such as distance from work, quality of schools, or other things that are impor- tant to them and their family. They also become part of the support to this government, to pay their share for utilities and services. In Florida, this often means they agree to pay city property taxes in addition to those they pay the county and the school district. With self-governance comes responsibility. Village Clerk Page 3—Village Clerk Village Boards Village Boards were created to advise the Council on present and future activities of the Village. Annual appointments to all Village Boards and Committees will be made in April. Positions with terms expiring 4/30/09 are as follows (the Council may appoint new members or re-appoint incumbents, at its discretion): Audit Committee 1 Member, 2 Alternates Code Enforcement Board 2 Members Construction Board 2 Members, 2 Alternates Golf Advisory Board 4 Members, 2 Alternates Library Advisory Board 2 Members, 2 Alternates Planning Commission 3 Members, 2 Alternates Recreation Advisory Board 2 Members, 2 Alternates Waterways Board 2 Alternates Zoning Board of Adjustment 3 Members, 2 Alternates Applications are available on the website www.village-npb.org or through the Clerk’s office at 841-3355. Appointees will serve for a period of 1 - 3 years, depending upon the Board. Deadline for ap- plications is Friday, 4/3/09. All applicants will be contacted for an interview with the Village Council. Village Municipal Election Due to pre-publication deadlines, final informa- tion on the March 10, 2009 Municipal Election was unavailable for inclusion in this newsletter edition. For current information, please visit the Village website www.village-npb.org and select Village Clerk and click on the elections link or phone the Village Clerk’s office at (561) 841- 3355. AAPR Tax Aid Free tax preparation service is available in the North Palm Beach Village Hall Council Cham- bers 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through April 15, 2009. Taxpayers should bring 2008 tax forms, W-2’s, 1099’s and other tax information along with their 2007 tax return. Taxpayers are also asked to bring proper ID. Page 4—Public Safety www.village-npb.org Chief Robert O’Neill Please join us in welcoming Chief Robert M. O'Neill the new Public Safety Director for the Village of North Palm Beach. After a long exhaustive search and interview process we have selected former Assistant Chief of Jupiter Police Department Robert M. O'Neill to serve this community. Chief O'Neill started his 25 year police career with Jupiter where he rose through the ranks to second in command of that organization. Chief O'Neill holds a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Florida Atlantic University, a Graduate Certificate from the University of Virginia and is a graduate of the prestigious F.B.I. National Academy. In addition to O'Neill's commitment to local law enforcement he also serves as an active duty reservist in the United States Coast Guard currently assigned to the Lake Worth duty station. Chief O'Neill is a resident of Jupiter where he lives with his wife Summer O'Neill of twenty years and their three sons Ryan, Patrick and Collin. Chief O'Neill is very active in his community and has been a youth sports coach with JTAA since 1985. He is also an active H.O.S.T. Mentor through the Palm Beach County School District and a current Godparent with the Head start program. Begin Exploring Your Future Today The North Palm Beach Police Explorer Post 911 brings local youth and law enforcement together through leadership, teamwork and training. The North Palm Beach Police Explorers is a group of young people ages 14-21 with a 2.5 or higher GPA (grade point average) and good moral character, who have an interest in learning about law enforcement as a possible career. Ex- plorers learn about the law, court procedures, police patrol techniques and organizational skills. The Explorers Program provides youth with an opportunity to work side by side with police officers and observe their daily duties. Additionally, the North Palm Beach Police Explorers attend all special events and contribute numerous hours of volunteer services to their community. The North Palm Beach Police Explorers compete against other explorers in both local and state competitions. Without exception they place among the top in all events. The ex- plorers compete in the following scenarios: In-Progress, Traffic and Felony Stop, Bomb Threat, Traffic Crash, Crisis Intervention, Active Shooter, Physical Agility, Bicycle Patrol, Search and Arrest, and Crime Scene. If you are interested in working with a team of dedicated in- dividuals that desire law enforcement as a career, please contact Officer Angela Dallesandro at 841-3300. K9 Cole The Department of Public Safety is happy to announce that following an emotional loss of our first Police K9 Atos, we have acquired a new member to our police family. The Department’s new K9 is a twenty-two month old German shepherd born here in the United States to German bred parents. Officer Kaminski our K9 handler along with his new police K9 “Cole” is presently in the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office K9 Training Academy where they must meet rigorous certification standards as set forth by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. We look forward to them retuning from training real soon! Alarm Yourself A working smoke alarm can mean the difference between life and death. Smoke alarms are designed to wake you up in the event a fire starts in your home. If a smoke alarm is working it will provide the necessary warning and the time needed to escape from your home and away from the fire. A smoke alarm can only protect you if it is working. By maintaining your smoke alarm(s) you can cut your risk of dying in a home fire by as much as half. Make certain your smoke alarms work when you need them. Follow these steps: 1. Install smoke alarms near all of the sleeping areas in the home. Smoke alarms are designed for one function - to wake people up in the event of a fire during the night. 2. Check your smoke alarms on a regular basis to make certain they still work. Although smoke alarms are in 92% of American homes, nearly one-third do not work be- cause of worn or missing batteries. 3. Change your smoke alarm's batteries once a year. Changing these batteries once a year is one of the sim- plest, most effective ways to reduce your risk of suffering a death or injury from a fire in your home. One of the selection committee members wrote, that Robert O'Neill demonstrated great insight in his decision making process, compassion for other people, both employees and the community, a genuine understanding of all facets and levels of the law enforcement structure as well as probably his most important attribute, his com- munication skills. The report goes on to state that additional areas where O'Neill excelled were his insightfulness and appreciation of human interaction, his "buy-in" to the concept of true community policing and his genuine commitment to the position. Public Safety From the Golf Shop Tennis Classes & Activities Congratulations to our winners in the December 14th Couples Event. 1st Low Gross 73 1st Low Net 63 2nd Low Net 67 3rd Low Net 68 Paul Russell Jeff Roth Don Wilson John Campbell Mary Gilchrist Lyda Roth Anne Licursi Jeanette Campbell 4TH Low Net 70 4th Low Net 70 4th Low Net 70 Manfred Mach Tim Peters Jim Schott Sabina G-Mach Jean Peters Jane Schott The golf course has continued to stay busy this winter and for that I would like to thank the members, the residents and all the golfers who utilize our facility. The Village has a wonderful golf course that will only continue to improve in its condition as it matures. For our part we need to do as players what we can to help with the daily conditioning of the golf course. The raking of the bunkers seems to be a particular issue, proper golf etiquette is to rake your bunker after you play your shot; rakes are available in the bunkers and on the golf carts. The maintenance crew rake the bunkers every morning so they will be in perfect playing condition for that day. It is our job to keep them that way for all of the golfers who are still playing after we have finished our round. The second issue is divots, it is our job as players to fill in our divots with sand, which is pro- vided on every cart. If we all get into the habit of filling in our divots as well as a few others that were not properly filled in, our fairways will be nicer for our everyday play. Lastly, we need to be aware of the ball marks or pitch marks on the greens. Every shot that flies onto the green will leave a pitch mark. For our greens to continue to be superb and top quality we need to repair our own ball mark and look for 1 or 2 others to repair on every green. We have a great golf course and golf club and I believe we all would like the golf course to be as finely conditioned as possible. Let’s do our part to help make the North Palm Beach Country Club the best! Respectfully, Mike HERITAGE FESTIVAL, SPRING FLING – Adult Mixed Doubles Round Robin – Friday, March 20th, 6:30pm. Please call to register 626-6515. Prices: members free, residents $5, nonresidents $8. HERITAGE FESTIVAL, CHILDREN’S TENNIS CARNIVAL – fun and games to include fastest serve contest, hit for prizes, junior tennis and tunes, and much more. Please call to register or for further details. Instructional Classes and Activities: • Intermediate Adult Tennis Clinics: Fri. & Sat. – 9am to 10am – skill development, doubles drills, and a supervised round robin. Prices: members $15, residents $17.50, and nonresidents $20. • Palm Beach County Women’s Tennis Association: Players needed for this season and next season. Competitive doubles match play for all levels with clinics and coaching from certified Professionals. Call the Club for details. • Private Lesson Packages: Series of five hours. Prices: members $250, residents $275, nonresidents $300. Work on your game and save on the regular lesson rate! A.C.E Junior Tennis Academy – Our spring is just starting and children may register for a prorated fee at any time during the session. This program is designed for children ages 4 to 17. All classes are after school and/or on Saturdays. Children are placed in an appropriate class based on their age and ability. Classes include: Little Juniors (4 to 7 yrs.) - Mon., Wed., Fri., and/or Sat.; Junior Development (8 to 17 yrs.) Tues., Thurs., and/or Sat.; and Junior Excellence (10 to 17 yrs.) Mon., Wed., and/or Sat.. Prices begin at $100 for members for once a week, eight week session. If new participants register with a friend or sibling a 15% discount will be given. If current participants register prior to the first class a 15% discount will also be given. A.C.E Adult Tennis Academy – call for details or to register for any of these programs: Adult Clinics Under the Stars, Drill ‘n Play Classes, Get Fit to Hit. Country Club Page 5—Country Club Saturday, April 4, 2009 7 p.m. Someone’s missing! Are you a cunning, resourceful team player? Are you great at clues? Join us for the fourth annual Mystery Night at the Library on Saturday, April 4, 2009 to search for clues that will unravel the mystery. Knowledge of books, authors, and library resources will be very helpful! Beginning Monday, March 16th, you may present your library card at the desk to receive your ticket to MYSTERY NIGHT. Mystery Night is limited to 24 adult patrons. *Tickets are required. MYSTERY NIGHT Library What’s Happening In the Library Page 6—Library CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS March is Dr. Seuss’ birthday month. We will be reading his books and celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! Tales for Twos & Threes Tuesday, March 10, 2009 from 10:00am -10:15am (Each child must be accompanied by an adult.) Story time Fun for Fours & Fives Saturday, March 14, 2009 from 10:00am -10:30am Book Buddies For ages 6-8 Saturday, March 28, 2009 from 10:00am -10:30am GENEALOGY CLUB The TreeSearchers Genealogy Club will hold their March meeting on Tuesday, March 17th at 7pm in the Obert Meeting Room. If you have Irish ancestors, this might be the meeting for you. Everyone is welcome! If you have any questions, please call Sue at 841-3383. *The Library will be closed Saturday, March 21, 2009 for Heritage Day NORTH PALM BEACH BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson (Leader: Marie Flynn) March 17, 2009 10:00am ASK ABOUT OUR NEW PLAYAWAYS! KEEP THE BEAT WITH BILL MYERS, March 14, 2009, 2:00pm CANCELED: TED BELL LUNCHEON Saturday, March 7, 2009, 11:30am at the Embassy Suites REPLACED WITH: CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST FEATURING THE AUTHORS OF PALM BEACH *Sponsored by Friends of the Library Saturday, March 7, 2009, 11:00am *$10.00 Per Person NPB Recreation Center, 603 Anchorage Dr Authors: Richard A. Marconi & Debi Murray www.village-npb.org Page 7—Parks & Recreation Parks & Recreation March Activity Schedule Resolve Peer-led support group meetings involving infertility issues are held at Anchorage Park on the 2nd Monday of each month at 6:30 pm. Resolve is dedicated to providing timely and compassionate support, education and advocacy for all women and men facing the crisis of infertility. For more informa- tion, contact Karen Schneider at 214-0377 or kschneiderlcsw@yahoo.com. Chess Club Palm Beach Chess Club meets every Saturday from 9am to 4pm at the Anchorage Park. It is located at 603 Anchorage Dr. in the Art Building. The Club is open to all players. The fee is $2 per person per Saturday. Bring chess board, pieces, chess clock, score sheets and pen/pencil. For more information call John Dockery at (561) 762-3377. www.palmbeachchessclub.info Annual Heritage Festival & Parade Spring Camp Hey kids - take a break from the books, with NPB Recreation! Spring Break Camp is for youth 7-13yrs of age. It features, games, indoor/outdoor activity, local field trips: Lion Country Safari, Calypso Bay Wa- ter park, Roller Skating, Movies in the Gym, and more... The fees is $150.00 for the week. This camp meets at the Commu- nity Center from 8am-5pm. Reg- ister online starting Feb. 14th or in person at Anchorage Park. Contact Bill at the Community Center for more information. Circle the Date: Saturday, March 21, 2009. Make sure you are going to be in town and leave the day open to attend the annual Heritage Parade & Festival! The parade will be Saturday morning starting at 11am. It travels from Village Hall north on US Hwy #1 - 1 mile to the Country Club. The Heritage Festival is held on the driving range of the NPB Country Club from noon- 7:00pm. We will have entertainment, music, dancing, food, rides, games and more. Something for everyone! From 7pm – 11pm the action moves poolside with more food, music and dancing. Onstage 4pm – 7pm, classic rock band OPM will entertain with an irresistible repertoire of rock, pop, blues and fun. Various groups will perform all day long on the main stage including Howell Watkins Drum Line, Coquettes Dance Troupe, Keep Flippin Gymnastics, Legacy Martial Arts, Taylor Norris, Char-Mar Dance and more! New this year, and open to all, is a belly flop contest and a great legs contest. For more details, application forms, etc. please call the Recreation Dept. at 841-3386 or visit the recreation pages of www.village-npb.org Page 9—Parks & Recreation Registration for Spring Classes with the Recreation Dept. will be through March 13th. You can register online beginning February 14th. Space limits prohibit us from posting the activity schedule in this newsletter. Complete class schedules will be available at the recreation centers or on the recreation pages of the Village web- site, www.village-npb.org. In addition to the classes below, some of the classes we offer: Jazzercise, Tap/Jazz, Tae Kwon Do, Yoga, Country Dance, Table Tennis, Ballroom Dance, Computer, Swing-Salsa-Merengue, Bellydance, Clay Play, Special Needs Camp, Hip-Hop and more! Green Thumb Gang Kids, Join the Green Thumb Gang! Learn about plants and how to grow them. Develop a life-long love of gardening and respect for our environment. In this class you’ll help create a butterfly flower garden mixed with some veggies & herbs. You’ll take a plant home each week that you can watch grow, bloom and produce! Saturdays at 1:00pm starting 3/28/09. Instructor: Karen Hopper Fee: $55/3wk Bellydancing The rewards of belly dancing are strengthening the abs, hip and thigh muscles. Losing inches is a natural result as you dance to the rhythm of this ancient art form. This class is of- fered on Thursday evenings at 6:30pm with Meredith Blue. Meredith has been dancing and teaching for over 10 years. For more information, call her at 252-5972. Fee: $75/8wk Men’s Over 40 Basketball League Adam Magun will be coordi- nating a new basketball league for men on Tuesday evenings starting March 24th. The cost is $500/team. Registration informa- tion – contact Adam at 841-3389 (after 2:00) This league will ac- cept a maximum of 6 teams. Village Players present "The Sunshine Boys" a comedy by Neil Simon. Performance dates are March 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21 at 8 pm and March 8, 15, 22 at 2:30pm. This production is held at the NPB Community Center. Fold out of Village Calendar (Pages 7 & 8) VILLAGE NEWSLETTER 501 U.S. HIGHWAY 1 NORTH PALM BEACH, FL 33408 ************** ECRWSS POSTAL PATRON NORTH PALM BEACH, FL 33408 Advisory Board Meeting Schedule Audit Committee …………………………………………… on call Code Enforcement Board ………………………………… 1st Monday, on call, 6:30 pm Construction Board of Adjustment …………………………on call Golf Advisory Board …………………………………………2nd Monday, monthly, 5:00 pm Library Advisory Board …………………………………… 4th Tuesday, monthly, 7:00 pm Pension Board - General Employees………………….......on call Pension Board - Police & Fire ……………………………...on call Planning Commission ………………………………………1st Tuesday, monthly, 6:30 pm Recreation Advisory Board …………………………………2nd Tuesday, monthly, 7:30 pm Waterways Board …….next to last Tuesday, monthly, (except June, Aug, & Dec), 4:00 pm Zoning Board of Adjustment ……………………………….on call NORTH PALM BEACH VILLAGE COUNCIL William Manuel Mayor David B. Norris Vice Mayor Darryl C. Aubrey, Sc. D. President Pro Tem Edward M. Eissey, Ph.D. Councilman T. R. Hernacki, P.E. Councilman ♦ ♦ ♦ Jimmy Knight Village Manager Melissa Teal, CMC Village Clerk ♦ ♦ ♦ Village Council members may be contacted through the office of the Village Clerk at 841-3355 or by email at npbclerk@village-npb.org All meetings are held at the Village Hall 501 U.S. Highway One North Palm Beach All meetings are open to the public. Permanent Garbage Pickup Schedule Mondays - Garbage only Tuesdays - Trash, Bulk Items & Vegetation Wednesdays - Garbage only Thursdays - Trash, Bulk Items, Vegetation & Recycling Fridays - Garbage only Please Recycle Country Club Administration 691-3421 Golf Shop 691-3433 Pool 691-3427 Tennis 626-6515 Restaurant 691-3430 Community Development 841-3365 Finance 841-3360 Library 841-3383 Public Safety: Emergency 911 Non-Emergency 848-2525 Public Works 691-3440 Recreation 841-3388 Anchorage Park 841-3386 Community Center 841-3389 Village Clerk’s Office 841-3355 Village Historian 841-3371 Village Manager’s Office 904-2122 Upcoming Council Meetings Thursday, March 12, 2009, 7:30pm Thursday, March 26, 2009, 7:30pm