Two Important Meetings

Everyone is cordially invited to two significant City meetings coming up this month:

• The City Commission’s first budget workshop for the preparation of the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 City budget; and


• The City’s third Recreation Summit, hosted by the City Recreation Advisory Board.

Budget Workshop

All cities in Florida operate on a fiscal year that begins on October 1 and ends September 30. The City staff prepares the draft City budget every year and usually submits it to the City Commission in early August. The City Commission then conducts one or more special meetings to consider the draft budget and then adopts the final millage rate and budget at the regular City Commission meetings in September.

This year will be different in many ways. The City Commission has set the first budget workshop as follows:

• DATE: Thursday, June 26, 2008


• TIME: 6:00 P.M.


• PLACE: The Lake Wales Arts Center, NW corner of SR 60 and 11th St.

The City Commission wanted to get a head start in the budget process, as the preparation of next year’s budget promises to be very difficult. At a time when the City needs to build cash reserves in the General Fund, fuel and materials prices are sending operational costs into the stratosphere. In addition, the legislature has passed two tax reform measures in two years. The second wave was voted in last November, which will shrink our town’s tax base.

Preliminary figures from the county Property Appraiser’s Office indicate that if our tax rate remains the same, the City will have about $140,000 less in tax revenue than last year to provide services. Coming on the heels of a very minimal increase in last year’s tax revenue due to the first wave of tax reform, preparing this budget will be a real challenge.

Some of the areas already cut back include:

• The current year budget did not provide the normal replacement of some police vehicles;


• One police patrol officer position was eliminated;


• For the first time in many years the City switched from a partially self-insured health insurance plan to a plan offered by a health insurance provider, which reduced benefits;


• A reduction in funds for the Depot Museum.

The City staff will make recommendations on where additional reductions will need to be made.

Recreation Summit

The City’s Recreation Advisory Board will hold its third “Recreation Summit” as follows:

• DATE: Tuesday, June 24, 2008


• TIME: 6:00 P.M.


• PLACE: The Boys and Girls Club, located at the corner of Seminole Ave and Fourth St in the old elementary school. Seminole Ave crosses Scenic Highway less than one mile from downtown. Turn east off of Scenic Highway and go two blocks and the Boys and Girls Club is on the left.

The purpose of the Recreation Summit is to review the recreational opportunities available in our town and determine if there is an interest in offering new programs. At the last Recreation Summit one of the topics discussed was a need to provide an adult softball league. Mr. Ken Duel stepped forward and the adult league plays at Frazier Field in the Northwest Sports Complex off of Florida Ave.

It is hoped that this year there will be interest in expanding the programs available, perhaps in the areas of tennis and volleyball. The City has tennis courts available and the Kirkland Gym is equipped for volleyball courts.

This is also a great opportunity to visit one of the City’s newest recreational locations! The Boys and Girls Club has a no cost lease for this City owned building in the Hardman Recreation Complex. The building was re-habilitated to historic preservation standards with grant funding from the state, which was matched by the Boys and Girls Club.

Again, everyone is cordially invited to attend these significant meetings! If you have any questions please call Jacquie Hawkins at 678-4182 extension 225.

Planning for Recreation

Chief Gillis has announced that in order for our Police Department to properly respond to the increasing need for police services, a reorganization is necessary. The department reorganization allocates more resources to the patrol division. But due to budget constraints in this era of state tax reform, one of the areas affected is the City's recreation program. Your input in the planning of recreation programs and facilities is important.

Recreation Program

The City's recreation program has many facets, including both facilities and programs. We are fortunate to have a wealth of recreation facilities, including the Kirkland Gym, numerous playgrounds, trails, parks, and athletic facilities to host baseball, softball, football, soccer, basketball, tennis, and shuffleboard. On Lake Wailes we have a fishing pier, the Pram Fleet’s youth sailing program, and a boat ramp that is being renovated. A skatepark and a soccer/multi-purpose sports complex are under construction, and the second phase of the trail (from Kiwanis Park to Buck Moore Road) is on the drawing boards.

Because the City has been successful in obtaining grants for facilities, and with other resources such as the recreation impact fee funds, the City has been able to improve existing facilities and add new facilities in recent years.

However, funding for recreation programs and maintenance of parks and recreation facilities comes from the City's General fund. In this year’s budget, $1,045,060 is included for parks and recreation programs and facilities. As previously noted in this space, the General Fund has been hard hit with both tax reform revenue cutbacks as well as revenue shortfalls due to the poor condition of the economy. At the same time, the cost of providing services in increasing.

For the past few years the City's recreation program has consisted of four elements:

• Operating the Albert Kirkland Sr. Gym, consisting of the gym and weight room;


• Conducting the Junior Magic Basketball Program, for youth 6 – 15 years old;


• Providing support for numerous recreation programs run by other organizations such as Little League Baseball, youth football leagues, adult softball, and shuffleboard. This support typically involves the provision of fields and funding for insurance, maintenance, and utilities such as lighting and irrigation. The City also has made arrangements with the Boys and Girls Club, the Little Theatre, the Pram Fleet, and the Railroad Club, that enables those organizations to occupy their city-owned buildings at no cost. In exchange, these organizations offer wonderful programs and the Boys and Girls Club and the Little Theatre pay for the on-going building operations and maintenance costs; and


• Special programs, such as spring break camp, summer camp, and support for the Charter School program for summer school.

Police Lieutenant Burney Hayes has been the City's recreation manager during this period, and he established the City's Police Athletic League (PAL) organization. The PAL seeks to unite all of the community‘s recreation organizations under one umbrella for the purpose of coordination and funding. For example, one of the two youth football leagues, the Gators, received an $11,000 grant from the National PAL organization after joining PAL. Because of increasing demands for police service and reduced resources in the police patrol division, Lt. Hayes has been reassigned as a Patrol Watch Commander; however, the PAL organization will continue with volunteers. The Kirkland Gym will also continue to operate, but with reduced hours.

Planning for the Future

In order to continue recreation programs and support services in this era of budget cutbacks, a great deal of planning and coordination will be needed. City staff will ask the City’s Recreation Advisory Board to call a special meeting in the next 60 days to formulate a plan. It is hoped that a good turnout of citizens will work with league volunteers to discuss new ideas. A major area of emphasis will be on raising funds for these programs and services in this new area of budget cutbacks. Please watch the newspapers for an announcement of this important meeting. All interested persons will be cordially invited to attend.

Projects Update

The budget approved by the City Commission for the 2007-2008 fiscal year contains a number of capital projects. Let’s take a look at some of the most anticipated projects and get an update:

• Soccer/Multi-Purpose Complex: Located on Hunt Brothers Road between US 27 and the Scenic Highway, east of the Longleaf Business Park, this complex is scheduled to open in the spring. It will have four soccer/multi-purpose fields, two of which will be lighted. It also features a concession stand/restroom/storage building, and a playground area. Uses for the complex will include youth soccer hosted by the Ridge Soccer League. This project is funded by a combination of grants from Polk County, the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP), and the Breakfast Rotary Club, with City recreation impact fees. The property was donated by Feltrim Developments NA Inc, the developer of the “Mayfair” mixed-use development to be located nearby.



• Selected street re-surfacing in the historic area of the City: A number of streets will be re-surfaced with proceeds from a bond issued by the City’s Community Re-Development Agency. The list of streets will be finalized at a special City Commission tour on Saturday, January 26, at 9 am.



• City Swimming Pool: The City Commission set aside $1 million from the sale of the City’s property at the corner of US 27 and Hunt Brothers Road for the building of the swimming pool. Since that time City staff has been working with an investor who has expressed an interest in building the locker room area for the pool. It is anticipated that within the next two to four months a final decision will be made as to the location of the project and the schedule for completion.



• Improvements to the Boat Ramp on Lake Wailes: This project is funded by a $50,000 FRDAP grant. The plans for the boat ramp improvements have been submitted for state approval and it is anticipated that work will begin in the next 120 days.


• Skate Park at Kiwanis Park: This project is also funded by a $50,000 FRDAP grant. The plans are being finalized and will soon be forwarded to the State for approval.



• Elimination of street flooding on First Street north of the railroad tracks: This project is currently underway and involves the construction of a stormwater pipe near the railroad down to Lake Worth behind the Austin Center. It is funded from a portion of the funds from a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and should be completed in the next four months.



• The Southside Force Main: Construction of this long-anticipated project began last week. It involves the installation of a new sewer force main from the Wal-Mart area west along portions of Grove Ave to Miami Street, and it will divert some of the flow that goes through the piping around Lake Wailes and will serve new developments on Buck Moore Road and south of SR 60. This $2,500,000 project is funded by a line of credit to be repaid by sewer impact fees from new development.



• The Extension of Grove Ave, from Minnesota to 11th Street: The building of this section of Grove Avenue, and the construction of a sidewalk on Marietta Avenue from Grove Avenue to SR60, were commitments requested from (and agreed to by) the developer of the nearby “Whispering Ridge” subdivision and approved by the City Commission. The road project awaits a property swap that has to be approved by a federal government agency. This section of road will complete the re-building of Grove Avenue and its extension to 9th Street that was completed several years ago with funding from a $750,000 CDBG and additional CRA funds.

With the exception of the City Swimming Pool and the possible exception of the last item, it is anticipated that all of the above projects will be completed by September 30, the last day of the City’s fiscal year.

The Community's Recreation Opportunities

Our town is blessed with many active and passive recreational opportunities. Let’s explore them:

Active Recreation Opportunities for Adults

• Softball – There is a senior softball league that plays at the Northwest Sports Complex (Frasier Field), located on Florida Ave. Contact: Ken Duel at 679-7783


• Basketball – The City operates periodic leagues for adult basketball at the Albert Kirkland Sr. Gymnasium, located one block east of Scenic Highway (take Sessoms Ave east and turn left onto Fourth St.) The gym is also open at the following times for pick-up games: Mon., Wed., Fri. from 3:30 to 6 p.m.; Tu., Th. from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.; Sun. from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Contact Burney Hayes at 678-4088


• Tennis – The City has two tennis court locations:


• Five courts are located at the corner of Sessoms and Fifth Street. These courts are lighted for evening play; and


• Three courts are located at the Northwest Sports Complex at the western end of Florida Ave, off of Scenic Highway;
• Shuffleboard – The City’s shuffleboard courts are located in Crystal Lake Park, near the five City tennis courts noted above. The courts are operated by volunteers from the Senior Center; Contact Hubert Becker 676-3764


• Hiking, walking – The paved trail around Lake Wailes is well used. A new trail connects the Hardman Recreation Complex on Fourth Street, one block from the Albert Kirkland Sr. gymnasium, with Kiwanis Park;


• Weight lifting, fitness – Equipment is available at the City’s Albert Kirkland Sr. gymnasium, and at the YMCA on Burns Ave.


• Boating – The City has a boat ramp on Lake Wailes. This ramp is scheduled for renovation in the spring.

Active Recreation Opportunities for Youth

• Baseball – Lake Wales Little League is a parent-run league, in operation for over 50 years! Girls and boys of various age groups play at the sports complex on Lakeshore Drive;


• Football – there are two youth footballs leagues:


• The Steelers, in operation for over 20 years! Contact Richard DeLoach at 605-0265


• The Gators, which started three years ago. Contact Tim Burns at 528-8197
• Basketball – The City operates the Junior Magic program at the Albert Kirkland Sr. gymnasium. Contact Burney Hayes at 557-2047


• Soccer – there are two youth soccer programs:


• The YMCA operates a recreational program of youth soccer; Contact Leah at 676-9441


• The Ridge Soccer League, a parent-run organization, operates a competitive league. Contact Robbie Shields at 528-1921.
• Sailing – the Lake Wales Pram Fleet has been in operation since 1948 and is the 2nd oldest pram fleet in the world! It provides sailing lessons on Lake Wailes for youth ages 9 – 15. Their new laser fleet is available for all experienced sailors. Contact Patty McKeeman at 638-3546.

Future Active Recreation Programs

• Tennis – We need someone to organize a league at the City tennis courts.


• Volleyball – We need someone to organize a league at the Albert Kirkland Sr. gymnasium.


• Swimming – The City is planning to build a swimming pool. More information on this project will appear in future columns.


• Bicycling – Bicycle Bob will help at 678-9611


• Skate Boarding – The City is planning to build a skateboard park in Kiwanis Park.

Recreation is good for the mind and body. Enjoy!