1. Art and Diseño

2015 Mayors
Fitness Challenge
Join Mayor Tom Laputka and your neighbors on a distinct,
purposeful ten-week wellness journey! The fitness challenge will be
from January 28 to April 8
Participants will enjoy:
•
Beginning and ending biometrics sponsored by
Florida Hospital Fish Memorial
•
10 week access to Four Townes YMCA
•
Weekly fitness activities provided by Mandatory Fitness
•
Pedometers
•
Access to health tips and recipes
•
Discounts at local establishments
•
Much more!
Achievement awards will be given to the top three losers
(based on highest percentage of body weight lost)
1st place $750 u 2nd place $500 u 3rd place $250
EARLY REGISTRATION
$25, Through January 28, 2015
In person: City of Orange City—City Hall,
205 East Graves Ave, Danielle Lung.
Online: Visit www.OurOrangeCity.com to fill out form online.
Payment will be accepted at the kickoff event.
By mail: Please mail in completed form and
$25 check made out to City of Orange City to:
ATTN: Danielle Lung, City of Orange City,
205 East Graves Ave, Orange City, FL, 32763
KICK-OFF EVENT REGISTRATION
$25, January 28, 2015, 5:30 pm
Location: Mill Lake Park, 207 E Blue Springs Ave
Orange City, FL
To participate in the Mayors Fitness Challenge,
you must be 16 years of age or older AND live or
work in Orange City.
For more information, go to
www.ourorangecity.com or call 386-775-5410
Sponsored by:
Town
News
Ca lenda r of Events
 January 24-25
Orange City Blue Spring Manatee Festival
at Valentine Park, 9 am to 5 pm
 January 28
Mayors Fitness Challenge Kickoff
at Mill Lake Park, 5:30 pm
 February 1
Food Truck Bazaar at former Kmart Plaza,
810 Saxon Blvd, 5 pm to 8 pm
 February 6
Movie in the Park: Maleficent
at Dickinson Park, 6 pm
 February 27-28
Orange City African American Heritage Festival
 March 1
Food Truck Bazaar at former Kmart Plaza,
810 Saxon Blvd, 5 pm to 8 pm
 March 6
Movie in the Park: The Lego Movie
at Dickinson Park, 6 pm
 March 27
 April 3
Children’s Craft Day at the Farmers’ Market,
9 am to 11 am
Movie in the Park: Hook at Dickinson Park, 7:30 pm
For more information regarding community events,
please call 386-775-5410.
www.ourorangecity.com
Winter 2015
CITy NEWs
painted and new fencing was installed
along the perimeter of the park
From Our
City Manager
Happy New Year Orange City! It is the beginning of another
successful year. With many great things to come, let’s take a look
back on some of the accomplishments we had in 2014.
•
•
To make our City even more walkable and provide
greater pedestrian safety, we replaced 2,495 feet of
sidewalks (N Holly Ave, S Holly Ave, Rose Ave, Albertus
Way, University Ave and N Oak Ave) and installed six
new ADA compliant ramps.
Landscaping was added to the medians along US
HWY 17/92 from Saxon Blvd to SR 472. The median
beautification enhances the appearance of Orange City
as you drive down the road.
•
The Waggin’ Trail Dog Park had a
public restroom installed
•
Phase One of Mill Lake Park was
completed. Mill Lake Park features
a restroom, picnic pavilions, a water
feature, lighting and an entry feature with beautiful
landscaping. Phase Two is currently in design.
•
After two years of hard work, Volusia County approved
our Community Redevelopment Area, which will aid in our
City’s redevelopment in the future.
•
We had a total of 147 new business tax receipts in 2014.
•
Our Fire Department responded to 4,930 calls in Orange
City. They also assisted in 37 infant car seat installations.
•
Our Police Department received two notable grants in
2014. One is for a fully equipped bicycle safety training
trailer, awarded by the Florida Department of Transportation
(FDOT). The FDOT also awarded $10,327.68 in overtime
pay by the FDOT to perform enforcement and education
details at crosswalks and intersections
•
As a result of a joint effort between Orange City Utilities,
Orange City Fire Department and the Volusia County
Sheriff’s Office- Communications, Orange City’s Fire Class
Rating has been upgraded from a Class 4 to a Class 2,
putting us in the top two percent in the nation
•
Following the Citywide water meter replacement program,
Orange City Utilities now offers our customers an internet
based monitoring system called AquaHawk. This system
allows users to monitor water use, so they can avoid a
water bill surprise, steer clear of a big leak and see if water
saving changes are working.
•
Our Police Department expanded our bicycle patrol
by purchasing four additional bicycles and sending six
officers to the International Mountain Bicycle Association
School in St. Augustine.
•
During our 2014 Mayors Fitness Challenge, our
participants lost over 660 pounds!
•
All 449 City maintained fire hydrants were inspected and
flow tested
•
•
Phase One of our water distribution system improvements
was completed This consisted of the installation of new
and upsized water mains on West University, West
Central, West Dixon, Plum Drive, First St, Second St, Third
St, Sumner Ave and Lynn Ave. Phase Two of this program
will take place this year
City employees rallied together to help out those in need
this past holiday season. Staff participated in the 4th
annual ‘Feed the Need’ Volusia County Food Drive and
collected 3,382 pounds of food All food collected by our
employees was donated to the Sorosis Club’s Operation
Santa program.
•
I look forward to the opportunities and challenges that 2015 will
bring. I am proud to serve as your City Manager and look forward
to the future
Veterans Memorial Park received several upgrades.
Lightning detection equipment was installed at the splash
pad The walking trail was resurfaced and widened by one
foot. Vending machines were installed, the pavilions were
Orange City Town News
Cordially,
Jamie Croteau
2
www.ourorangecity.com
City of Orange City
Mill Lake Park Is Now Open
Orange City’s newest park is now open! Mill Lake Park (Phase One),
located at 207 E Blue Springs Avenue, features picnic pavilions,
benches, restrooms, a water feature, lighting and entry feature with
beautiful landscaping. We hope you and your family are excited to
have this new park.
Phase Two of Mill Lake Park is currently in the planning phase.
Construction should begin this year and includes more picnic
pavilions, an overlook of the lake and a multi-purpose path,
great for intense runs in the morning or a nice leisurely stroll after
work. For more information about Orange City Parks please call
386-775-5447.
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Orange City Police Department News
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) awarded the City
of Orange City a fully equipped bicycle safety training trailer under
their Safe Routes to School Grant Program. The award includes:
8x22 foot tandem axle, enclosed aluminum cargo/bicycle trailer,
34 bicycles, training wheels, PVC signs, station markers, 18” traffic
cones, Bill Nye Bike Safety DVD and a tire gauge.
details at crosswalks and intersections. The main objective of this
effort is to reduce traffic crashes and fatalities involving pedestrians
and bicyclists through the use of selected traffic education and
enforcement operations. The program began in November. The
police department has stopped 25 pedestrians and 24 bicyclists who
have violated various Florida State Statutes specific to pedestrians
and bicyclists. Very few citations have been issued, as the purpose
of the program is to educate violators.
The Orange City Police Department was also awarded $10,327.68
in overtime pay by the FDOT to perform enforcement and education
Orange City Town News
3
www.ourorangecity.com
CITy NEWs
Upgrade to Orange City’s
Fire Class Rating
Police Officer Burns Saves
a Resident’s Life
Officer
Christopher
Burns received Orange
City Police Department’s
Life Saving Pin at the
December
9
Council
Meeting, for saving the life
of Ms. Donnette Jackson.
Officer Burns responded
to a call at the Circle K Gas
Station at 2661 Enterprise Rd in Orange City. Officer Burns found
Ms. Jackson in her vehicle and could immediately tell she was in
distress. Officer Burns knew he had to act quickly. Upon finding no
pulse, he immediately pulled her from the automobile and began
CPR. Officer Burns continued life saving first aid until Ms. Jackson’s
care could be transferred to the responding paramedics and fire
rescue personnel. His quick response was credited by hospital staff
with saving the life of Ms. Jackson.
Orange City’s Fire Class Rating has been upgraded from a Class
4 to a Class 2. The ISO rates approximately 49,010 cities and
communities nationwide, on a scale of one to ten, with ‘one’ being
the best rating. Of these 49,010 communities, 750 were ranked,
along with Orange City, as a Class 2. Only 60 communities earned
the ISO’s highest rating, Class 1. This puts Orange City in the top 2
percent nationwide
“Whether it was me, or any of my brothers or sisters in the Orange
City Police Department, we all would have responded the same,”
Officer Burns said. “We are here to help our community. I’m glad I
was able to make a difference that morning.”
What this means for you
Our fire rating plays an important role in the underwriting process
at insurance companies. Property owners are encouraged to
contact their insurance agency to make them aware of the new
rating to receive the reduction. For more information regarding this
ISO Rating upgrade, please contact 386-774-5462.
Ms Jackson (who was present at the meeting), her four children
and seven grandchildren—with two more on the way—are very
appreciative also.
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Carpenter Avenue Water Main Replacement
Ave. will be approximately 10,500 linear feet (about 2 miles). Also
included in this project is the replacement of smaller water mains
with larger 6-inch water mains on Almond Street, West Graves
Avenue, May Street and W. Pine Street. 22 new fire hydrants will be
installed on the new water mains as part of OC Utilities’ continuing
efforts to improve fire flow coverage within our service area. The
completion of this project will represent a significant upgrade to
Orange City’s potable water distribution system.
Orange City Utilities is currently finalizing the design of the Carpenter
Avenue Water Main Replacement Project with construction
anticipated to begin within the year The purpose of this project
is to provide enhanced flow and pressure for fire protection and
to improve water quality by reducing the age of the water in the
distribution system This project will consist of the replacement of
the existing 6-inch water main with a new 12-inch water main that
runs along Carpenter from West Rhode Island Avenue to West New
York Avenue. The total length of new water main along Carpenter
Orange City Town News
4
www.ourorangecity.com
City of Orange City
2014 Orange City Holiday Events!
Thank you to everyone who participated and attended our
holiday events. Without you, they would not have been a
success. Thank you to our Parade Grand Marshal Missy
Chaves. Also, thank you to our parade judges, Nick Conte
of the Orange City Alliance, Carly Hamid of University High
School and Sandra Wilson of the Gateway Center for the
Arts They had a hard time picking the winners, since all of
the floats were amazing!
Christmas Parade Winners:
Holiday Lighting
Contest Winners:
Best Band: University High School
Most Christmas Spirit: Girl Scout Troop 868
Best Light Display: C&S Towing
Most Innovative: Robert and Marilyn Austin,
1833 Monastery Road
Most Creative: Creative Arts Learning Academy
Best Use of Color: Robert Shirk, 2872 Doe Run Trail
Best Overall: The Sorosis Club
Best Overall: Carlton and Wanda Hamm, 540 Heather Lane
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Connect
With Us!
Like us on facebook! www.facebook.com/CityofOrangeCity
Download our app! OC Cares
Check out our Website! www.ourorangecity.com
Orange City Town News
5
www.ourorangecity.com
City Council
Message
Mayor Tom Laputka
more pedestrian traffic to our “old downtown”, and more appeal
to shop and live in Orange City.
Pull out your pen and paper! One thing the New
Year usually brings is New Year Resolutions! It’s
time to work towards a better self. Whether
it’s to visit elderly loved ones or lose weight;
now is the time to kick start new beginnings.
Challenge yourself to be the best that you can be. Make your
resolutions and go for it!
Our medians continue to look beautiful-- the palms are
beginning to leaf out, the flowering foliage is doing well, and I
have received many positive comments about how attractive the
medians look. One out of town citizen remarked to me “I was
driving down 17-92, and wasn’t sure if I was still in DeLand or
in Orange City when I saw the medians and said, oh yes, I am
in Orange City—the medians are so beautiful.”
For many Orange City residents, January not only brings a
sense of new beginnings, but also a chance to make the most of
our new park! Mill Lake Park opened for public use on January
7 after the completion of Phase One. Phase Two will include a
1.2 mile, multi-use trail around Mill Lake and a floating fountain.
Centrally located, Orange City residents and visitors can benefit
from this 20 acre, passive park by using it for family picnics or
birthday barbeques. The park benches, attractive landscape,
picnic pavilions and water feature, all make Mill Lake Park a
great venue for many family outings. This park will also prove
efficient as a venue for City events, starting with the Mayors
Fitness Challenge Kickoff event on January 28.
Your City Council wants your input at all our meetings as we
move ahead in this new year, so please attend, not just the
regular council meetings, but meetings related to the CRA, our
parks, our historic preservation board, etc., as we strive to keep
you all informed of our progress. Your views and opinions are
valued, and I want to thank everyone—our citizens and our
city staff, for their drive and hard work to make our city more
beautiful, more efficient, and the destination for businesses to
thrive and people to settle.
Michael Wright,
District 1
To stay current on City events and services, make sure to check
out our website at www.OurOrangeCity.com. You can also like
our Facebook page www.facebook.com/CityofOrangeCity
or contact City Hall (386) 775-5408. Have a smart phone?
Download our mobile app, OC Cares, to view our City and
report your findings to the proper department so it can be
addressed. Your Orange City officials and staff are here to
serve you!
An Interesting Observation about
Elected Officials
The U.S. Congress, both the House of
Representatives and the Senate, suffers a very
low approval rating and much criticism in recent times. My
experience as a City Council Member is that we too are not
immune to low opinions and criticism on occasions.
As a City Council Member, I, as well as other local elected
officials, are fortunate to have relatively frequent opportunities
to visit with our U.S. Congressional Representative, John Mica.
In fact, on this very day that I pen these words, I met with
Congressman Mica at his office in Deltona. My observations
are that he is an interesting, decent, and cordial gentleman who
knows the issues that we face in Orange City and is interested in
seeing Orange City’s citizens prosper. I can say the same about
other elected officials I have met, despite party affiliation or the
level of government in which they serve.
Bill Crippen At Large
It’s the start of another year, and I wish everyone
a Happy New Year. We have already started
the new year with the formal ribbon cutting
to open Mill Lake Park, Phase I, and I have
received several compliments on the new
park, weeks before the opening. It is a beautiful addition to
our parks, and many thanks to the County of Volusia for the
ECHO Grant that made it possible. This park was decades in
the making, and I can’t wait for Phase II to start!
The point is: If you have not had the opportunity to meet and
know your elected officials—any of us, I encourage you to do
so. I am confident that if you make this effort, you will find that
your elected officials are knowledgeable; they care about issues;
Our CRA is moving forward, and the CRA Board will be
undergoing training in the immediate future, as we start the
process for the revitalization of the designated area for the
CRA—another long-term project that will bring new businesses,
Orange City Town News
6
www.ourorangecity.com
City Council
Message
events, but without the community utilizing these tools, we would
not have the sense of place that we’ve come to know.
they seek to make a difference; and, while you may not always
agree with every position they take, they will be interested to
listen to your viewpoints; and you may very well give them some
perspectives that will help them make better decisions for the
future of Orange City.
Orange City also provides a safe community, so you can feel
secure walking around and getting to know your neighbors.
With the DARE program in elementary school, the fire station
tours for our students, National Night Out, our Fire Department
Open House, and much more, our public safety team strives to
make themselves known in the community and for our community
to feel secure.
Ron Saylor, District 2
Wow! Here it is, 2015 already. As I reflect
back and look forward, I see a lot going on but
also see some questions in our future.
Just remember, everything you do, no matter how small you
think it is, can mean a lot to another. Put value in your everyday
interactions and strive to make our community a better place.
The hard work and time put into the CRA over
the last few years has paid off. Our CRA was
approved, but it will take several years of saving funds to gather
enough to do what needs to be done in the future.
Vice Mayor Gary Blair,
District 5
In the last election, Amendment One passed with a strong vote
and will go into effect on July 1. But, as one newspaper put it,
“It comes with no instructions as to how it gets implemented”.
The amendment addresses the Nitrogen level in all of Florida’s
springs as a key item. This is very important to watch, as we live
in an older City with an older infrastructure. The amendment
includes doing away with septic tanks. No matter how you look
at that issue, it has major tax dollars writing all over it, leaving
both the County and Cities to deal with finding the funds. As we
all know, somehow that will affect our wallets.
It’s not everyone, who is as fortunate as I am, to
see the fruits of their labor.
As many of you know, I have been a middle
school Technology Education teacher for the past 31 ½ years.
During those years, I’ve had literally thousands of students pass
through my classroom. Out of all those students, four of them
are very special to me, because they now work for the City of
Orange City. John Davis, our Parks & Recreation Supervisor,
has been with us since October of 2007 and Sara Kemp, our
Maintenance Specialist, has been with us since May of 2014.
You will see these two out and about, keeping our parks looking
beautiful and at special events such as parades, festivals and
the farmers’ market running smoothly. They were hard working
DeLand Middle School students and continue being so to this
day! On our police force, there are two other outstanding
former students that were in my class at Heritage Middle School.
They are Sam Harrelson, with the City since June 2011, and
more recently Chris Burns, beginning in January 2014. The
City Council recently recognized Chris for saving a resident’s
life by giving her CPR until EVAC personal arrived to take her
to the hospital.
The new Mill Lake Park Phase One has opened and Phase Two
is in progress. Go out for a walk and look at it. Phase Two will
make a great place to stroll and relax outside.
Anthony Pupello,
District 4
Charles Dickens said, “No one is useless in this
world who lightens the burdens of another.” This
is a statement that I’ve seen exemplified in our
community’s everyday interactions. Mowing an
elderly neighbor’s lawn, retrieving a friend’s mail while they
are out of town, taking the kids to the park, these are all simple
actions, but they are much more.
There is no greater reward for a teacher than to see their
former students grown up and out in the world being productive
citizens. In a time when so many kids graduate from high
school and leave the area to pursue their lives and dreams
elsewhere, it’s nice to see those who stay right here at home
and devote their lives to making ours better!
These actions show that we serve one another. Our community
creates and supports a sense of place with our everyday
interactions. We all have something in common; we call Orange
City our home. Orange City provides the community with tools
to interact with others, with our parks, sidewalks, community
Orange City Town News
7
www.ourorangecity.com
Thank you for your support.
In appreciation of our community residents, volunteers and event sponsors, the City of Orange City
would like to formally thank you. It is your dedication and support that makes our success possible.
We appreciate you and look forward to serving you for years to come.
PRESORTED STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
ORLANDO, FL
PERMIT # 63005
205 East Graves Avenue
Orange City, FL 32763-5213
Postal Customer
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2015 Movie in the Park Schedule
February 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maleficent
March 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Lego Movie
April 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hook
May 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Big Hero Six
June 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annie
August 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Space Jam
September 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Into the Woods
October 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Night at the Museum 3
October 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Book of Life
December 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Polar Express
**If movie is canceled due to inclement weather, it will be shown the following Friday.
*This is a tentative list. All movie titles are subject to change.