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During the May 21 meeting, commissioners gave preliminary approval to an ordinance which, if approved on its second reading, would extend the legal sale hours of alcohol in Alachua.

Ordinance 12-19, scheduled for a second and final reading before the city commission on June 25, would extend the legal hours of alcohol sales on Sunday to 7 a.m.-11 p.m., from the current hours of 1 p.m.-11 p.m.

The ordinance, which was initially approved by a unanimous vote of the city commission, would also extend the legal sale of packaged alcohol by bars, clubs and restaurants to 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. on all days of the week, from the current week-long limit of 1 p.m.-11p.m.

The ordinance also contains a provision specifying that if New Year’s Eve falls on a Sunday, alcohol sales would be permitted from 7 a.m. - 2 a.m.

On-premise sale hours of alcohol would remain unchanged Monday through Saturday, with the proposed ordinance still allowing those sales from 7 a.m.-2 a.m.  On-premise sales on Sunday would be allowed from 7 a.m. – 11 p.m.

G.B. Wilson, compliance and risk management director for the City of Alachua, prepared the ordinance and presented it before the commission.  He said moving the legal opening hours for alcohol sales would not only benefit Alachua businesses, but would also eliminate confusion about current laws.

“Moving the time up to 7 a.m. across the board makes it easy to remember when places are allowed to be open, for businesses and for law enforcement,” Wilson said.

Wilson said this ordinance was influenced in part by recent legislation by the City of Gainesville and by the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners.

On Dec. 15, 2011, the City of Gainesville passed an ordinance allowing on-premise alcohol sales from 7 a.m. - 2 a.m. every day of the week.

Similarly, on Jan. 24, the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners passed an ordinance allowing liquor sales from 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. throughout the week, while extending the hours of sale for malt beverages and unfortified wine to 7 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Alan Fishman, the owner of Spindrifter Lounge in Alachua, said the earlier sale times will help his business slightly, but that extending the hours until 2 a.m. on Sunday would be even more beneficial.

“I don’t know how much more I could bring in with three extra hours on Sunday, but every little bit helps,” Fishman said.  “If I could stay open until 2 a.m. [on Sunday], I could bring in a live band.  But right now it’s not worth my while if I have to start checking people out at 10:30 to get them out of the bar by 11.”

Wilson said the ordinance did not propose alcohol sales on Sunday until 2 a.m. because he believes it would require extra time, effort and money on the part of the Alachua Police Department.

“Extending the hours on Sunday night would require some shifting around of law enforcement,” Wilson said.  “I’ve spoken with members of the Gainesville Police Department who have said they required extra officers on duty because the bars are open until 2 a.m. on Sunday, and that’s something we’re concerned about having in Alachua.”

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The Meals on Wheels Program in Newberry delivers meals to the elderly four days a week except for holidays. At a recent commission meeting, Robert W. Wilford, the CEO of the agency, told the Newberry City Commission that $22,000 was needed to sustain the local Meals on Wheels Program.

The CFCAA provides services to citizens in Alachua, Levy and Marion counties. The other services the organization provides, such as the Emergency Assistance Program, Family Self-Sufficiency Program and the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, would not be cut if the City of Newberry decided to pull funding for the Meals on Wheels Program.

On average, the Meals on Wheels Program delivers to about 15 to 18 people, Wilford said. Each meal costs $3.95, and the agency would bid out the price after it rose to $4.

“We’ve got to look after the senior citizens we’ve got,” Commissioner Lois Forte said at the meeting.

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Weller, Jamison express reservations about a city-operated dispatch

HIGH SPRINGS – Despite reservations from several High Springs police officers and city commissioners, the High Springs City Commission decided on Tuesday to go forward with bringing back emergency dispatch services to the city.  The change would take effect after the current contract with the county expires, barring any compromises made regarding required changes to city street names and cost.  Emergency dispatch services are currently handled through the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ASO) Combined Communications Center (CCC).

During the special meeting, the decision was split 3 to 2, with Commissioners Sue Weller and Scott Jamison voting against the measure.

“Do I believe the dispatch back in our control is good? Yes, I do,” Jamison said. “But I’m not convinced we can adequately prepare for it, technologically, staff it and assume control or take on the added financial obligations that come with it.”

Bringing the dispatch back to the City of High Springs has been a contentious issue with proponents of a city-operated dispatch saying it would allow for autonomy, local knowledge and control of tax dollars. Commissioner Linda Gestrin warned of a “perfect storm” of events occurring in 2015, which would consist of a $15 million Next Generation Radio Communication system being installed at the Alachua County Combined Communication Center.

Jamison disputed Gestrin’s warning, saying there will be no bill arriving in 2015 for an updated communications system. After talking to Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell, he learned that the new radio system will be operating as early as September 2012, that cities within Alachua County have already been paying for the system, and will continue to make payments until 2020.

If the dispatch returns to High Springs, Jamison believes there is no way at this time to know the exact costs the city will incur because of varying employment costs, such as health insurance.

“This will be their sewer system,” Jamison said, referring to commissioners in favor of the city-run dispatch center and comparing it to the city’s centralized sewer system which has generated controversy within the commission and in certain areas of the community.

The ASO updated all of the High Springs technology and radio systems when the CCC took over the city’s dispatching duties. All of that technology will go away when High Springs moves back to a local system. The ability to stay up-to-date on technology, Jamison said, is part of his concerns. He also expressed reservations about not knowing how many dispatchers will be required, what kind of training they will need and what equipment the city will need to buy.

Weller said the CCC provides the city with $164,000 in savings each year. She estimates that by the time High Springs reaches a population over 6,000, the CCC will have saved the City over $600,000 compared to what it would have cost to bring the dispatch back.

“I think officer safety is paramount,” Weller said. “Our own officers have indicated that they would rather us stay with the CCC.”

During the Tuesday, May 15, workshop, two officers expressed concerns about safety. Sergeant Antoine Sheppard said the majority of police officers wanted the dispatch to stay with the CCC. The connection with the CCC adds benefits that protect civilians and officers, such as automatic back-up by ASO officers and the address of the caller.

Prior to the city switching to the CCC, High Springs relied on the caller to give his or her address. If the call was disconnected or the location unknown to the caller, the police department would have to track down the location before it could send police officers. In the past, this has taken up to 45 minutes, Sheppard said. With the CCC, the address is sent automatically with the call.

Weller said the street names could be changed to railroad or spring names. For people who identify High Springs as a railroad town or a gateway to the springs, this method could provide a “home-town” feel.

Vice-Mayor Bob Barnas said his concerns are with the CCC about the tiered caller system and the ambiguous costs.

“We have the officers and the community’s safety in mind,” Gestrin said. This is our opportunity to rebuild and make it the best it can be, she added.

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 “The state has changed the test and raised and lowered the bar so much that it’s hard for us to know what the results really mean,” said Superintendent Dan Boyd. “We’re certainly going to be cautious about how we use the scores, especially when it comes to individual students.”

 According to test results released today, 81% of local 4^th graders scored a 3 or above on the FCAT writing test, right at the state average. Seventy-nine percent of 8^th graders were at a 3 or above, slightly higher than the state average of 77%, while 84% of 10^th graders at both the state and local level scored a 3 or above.

 The Florida Department of Education also released the first set of scores for the new FCAT reading test. According to the state, 57% of Alachua County 9^th graders scored a 3 or above, compared to 52% statewide. At 10^th grade, 55% of local students scored a 3 or above, while the Florida average was 50%.

 Students this year took what is now called the FCAT 2.0, a new version of the FCAT given in writing, reading, math and science. The state also significantly raised passing scores on the tests, warning that the changes would lower student scores and school grades dramatically.

 But when statewide writing results showed that about three-quarters of students would have failed, Florida education officials decided to lower the proficiency rate back to a score of 3. During an emergency conference call with the state Board of Education and later with the media, Commissioner Gerard Robinson acknowledged that districts and teachers may not have had enough time or information to prepare for all the changes.

 “Overnight students didn’t become bad writers,” he said.

 Individual student scores are not expected to be available until next week. Local educators are encouraging to parents not to jump to any conclusions based on this year’s test.

 “They should not assume that their children are bad writers based on this one essay,” said Sandy Hollinger, deputy superintendent for instruction and student services. “There are too many unanswered questions about the FCAT testing this year. Their child’s teacher is a much better source of information.”

 School grades based on the FCAT scores won’t be released until this summer, but the state says to expect much lower grades this year as a result of the many changes to the tests, the scoring system, the passing rates and the grading formula.

 “We know we’re going to see significant drops across the board,” said Robinson during a conference call earlier today.

An Alachua County Fire Rescue station in Grove Park is currently serving the city, but Hawthorne commissioners proposed that the station be moved back to the original location in Hawthorne. No motion was made at the meeting, but county commissioners directed county staff to provide the city with an update within 90 days.

The conversation between Alachua County Fire Rescue and the City of Hawthorne is complicated, at best.

The Alachua County Fire Rescue station was asked to relocate after the City of Hawthorne established its own fire department in the fall of 2007. The city run fire department came about due in part to a dispute about the amount of money Hawthorne owed the county for fire services. The transition also included moving an ambulance to Grove Park.

Facing financial problems, Hawthorne commissioners were forced to cut both the city’s fire and police departments, leaving the city with an abandoned fire station.

Now, city commissioners want to move the station from Grove Park, and closer to the center of the community.

Hawthorne Mayor Matthew Surrency told commissioners that most of the calls to the Grove Park station either originated in Hawthorne or rescue workers had to pass through Hawthorne to respond.

County Commissioner Mike Byerly swiftly expressed support for the discussion, saying that he believed the current station was not at an optimal location. To move forward, the city would need to take a leadership role in paying for refurbishing the abandoned fire station, he said.

The mayor added that a new roof would be completed within 30 days.

County Commissioner Susan Baird noted that while the numbers show more incidents in Hawthorne, the current location has more coverage geographically than the proposed Hawthorne location.

Former Hawthorne mayor John Martin said county commissioners should not punish the city for the government’s decision.

“Hawthorne has been on probation long enough,” Martin said.

A fire station is vital to a community not only in terms of service, but also in community spirit, he said.

Byerly responded by saying that moving the fire station was no small task. The past may even call for legal insurances so that history doesn’t repeat itself.

County commissioner Paula Delaney said the historical tension between the city and county fire services was water under the bridge.

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Since 1946, Newberry has been the host of watermelon-centered games, contests and beauty pageants. The celebration of the fruit will continue on Saturday at Oak View Middle School.

Festival-goers can watch a parade ride through downtown Newberry at 9 a.m., grab some sliced watermelon, visit business and craft vendors and then enter a number of contests or games throughout the day. An auction for watermelon-themed items will happen at 4:30 p.m. According to publicity coordinator for the festival Kathi Thomas, 600 watermelons were donated for Saturday’s event.

Participants can also express their love for the summertime treat by dressing up their dogs in the Wags on Watermelon pageant. Judging begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. at the Newberry Fire Station.

While the vendors for the festival will open at 9 a.m., the games and contests will begin at 12:30 p.m. The revelry for the vined fruit will feature favorites like watermelon eating, seed spitting and hog calling contests as well as some new features.

Sure to be a favorite this year will be the largest watermelon contest. The contest between local school groups will take place at 3 p.m. The winning group will receive a prize of $500.

The money raised from the festival will go back to local schools. Last year, the festival raised at least $5,000 for local schools, Thomas said.

Festivities are already underway, with beauty pageants for the younger contestants taking place last week.  Friday night at Oak View Middle School at 7 p.m., 33 girls from ages 5 to 17 took to the stage at Oak View Middle School. Each girl donned a watermelon-themed costume.

Newberry resident Morgan Silcox, 14, took home the teen queen title after she performed a watermelon-themed rendition of a popular rap song. “I like big melons and I can not lie,” she rapped in her ode to tasty fruit.

Some of the contestants were nervous before taking to the stage. Newberry 10-year-old Devinn Jolene Martin wore a jean vest with pink and green trim. Even though she has been entering the contest for three years, her nerves still got to her. She sat with her mother before the contest started. “I’m kind of nervous because this room is going to be filled with people,” she said as she looked around as the audience was trickling in.

A final beauty contest for the Newberry Watermelon Festival Queen will take place at Oak View Middle School this Friday at 7:30 p.m. The queen will be crowned Saturday evening at 6 p.m.

Admission for Saturday’s event is $3, and free parking is available across the street from the middle school.