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News: Top Stories
Ocoee to add red-light cameras
By Mary Anne Swickerath
Ocoee Police Chief Charlie Brown informed the City Commission last week that four more intersections will be equipped with red-light cameras in the next few months. These locations are White and Clarke roads, West and Ocoee-Apopka roads, A.D. Mims and Clarke roads and Blackwood Avenue and West Colonial Drive.
Chief Brown and Commissioner Gary Hood also discussed vandalism and rowdy behavior that had become a problem at Central Park on Flewelling Drive. Chief Brown reported that there has been a more intensive police presence at the park and things have improved.
Parks and Recreation Department Director Jeff Hayes added that new lights will soon be added to Central Park to further help the situation there.
Hood said he appreciated all that the police and the Parks and Recreation Department are doing to keep that park safe and in fine shape.
On a related matter, Mayor Scott Vandergrift pointed out that the Police Department has received a $75,000 grant for additional patrols through Ocoee neighborhoods.
The meeting also included a discussion of holiday decorations for the city. Public Works Director Steve Krug presented a list of what the decorations were and where they would be installed. He explained that the commission had budgeted $35,000 but that the list would cost less at $27,793.40.
The recommendations were to hang colorful banners on Clarke Road from Silver Star Road to West Colonial Drive, on Maguire Road from the median south of Moore/Roberson Road to Old Winter Garden Road and on Ocoee Crown Point Parkway from Ocoee High School to Ocoee-Apopka Road. He suggested installing lighted pole decorations on Bluford Avenue from Delaware Street to Silver Star Road and on McKey Street from Kissimmee Avenue to Bluford Avenue.
In addition, Krug recommended erecting an artificial 25-foot lighted and decorated tree in front of City Hall on the site of the old fire station.
The commission voted 4-1 to accept Krug’s recommendations but encouraged him to move toward planting live Christmas trees on city property, especially on the grounds of the Withers-Maguire House. Commissioner Rusty Johnson added that he would like to see a tree-lighting ceremony in Ocoee such as the one done by Winter Garden each holiday season.
Commissioner Rosemary Wilsen voted against Krug’s suggestions because she did not want to spend the money for the artificial tree.
In other business, the elected officials:
voted to close Hackney Prairie Park at 7 p.m. until new lights are installed.
appointed the mayor to serve on the committee to recommend a company to oversee engineering inspection services for the improvement of Clarke Road.
voted to no longer choose members of the commission to serve on selection boards.
appointed Ashley Papagni to the Human Relations Diversity Board for a two-year term.
reappointed Glenn Richardson, Wayne Vaughn and Sam Woodson to new three-year terms on the Citizen Advisory Council for the Ocoee Fire Department.
approved a Florida Forever resolution supporting the creation and funding by the Florida Legislature of a successor program to the Florida Forever Land Conservation Program.
approved the Public Works Department’s proposal to “piggyback” on the Broward County School Board’s tire recapping program for heavy truck tires. Most of the heavy truck tires the city needs to replace are for the Sanitation Division’s fleet.
recognized Lt. Brad Dreasher as the Officer of the Third Quarter as presented by the Citizen Advisory Council for the Ocoee Police Department.
reported that 570 children will be participating in this season’s Ocoee Youth Soccer League.
praised the Parks and Recreation Department employees who put on the haunted house extravaganza over the Halloween weekend with nearly 1,700 people attending this popular event.
observed the Ocoee members of the Firefighter Combat Challenge Relay Team present appreciation awards to the sponsors who are helping make the team’s trip to compete in Las Vegas possible: the Ocoee Lions Club, Westgate Resorts, Texas Road House, the city of Ocoee and the Ocoee Fire Department. The local firefighters union, represented by Engineer James Kelly, also presented checks to support Saving Young Hearts and the City of Ocoee Christmas Dinner for Families in Need. These funds are generated by the sale of specialty license tags.
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