November thru December 2009
Transcription
November thru December 2009
The CDD Communicator The newsletter of the Ballantrae Community Development District November-December 2009 12 pages Vol. 2, No. 3 County ‘green lights’ signal at SR54 Construction expected to begin this fall with signalization complete in spring ’10 of a traffic light Construction Ballantrae Blvd. and SR54 is Our top stories County definition of “maintenance” means we pay for street repaving: Page 2. CDD Board looks to improve quality of community landscaping: Page 3. Ballantrae resident leads effort to help Pasco’s homeless veterans: Page 4. Sheriff’s Office expands efforts to combat crime, talk to residents: Page 5. Congresswoman’s staff holds local meetings to hear from voters: Page 6. CDD gets variance to increase watering of community lawns: Page 8. SWFWMD extends hours for watering private lawns, landscaping: Page 8. at on track to be completed next spring. The Pasco Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously on Oct. 6 to approve a $332,297 contract with Florida Safety Contractors Inc. of Thonotosassa for construction of the signalization, realignment of the intersection to accommodate it, pavement markings and other work. Construction is expected to begin in November. The vendor is expected to complete the project within six months, county officials said. Florida Department of Transportation officials warranted the need for the traffic light in a 2006 study. FDOT recommended construction of the light in a February 2007 letter to county officials. FDOT said SR54 traffic east- and west-bound at Ballantrae Blvd. totaled 1,808 to 3,100 vehicles per hour. FDOT’s threshold for warranting a light is 630 vehicles per hour. East out of Ballantrae onto SR54, the threshold is 53 vehicles per hour. FDOT counted 66 to 144 vehicles. There is no standard for vehicles merging from Ballantrae Blvd. onto west-bound SR54. Pasco redrawing elementary school lines Ballantrae, Suncoast residents disagree over whose kids should stay at Oakstead residents should plan to Ballantrae turn out and speak up in November to ensure their children can stay at Oakstead elementary school. This option for the coverage area of the as-yet unnamed “S” elementary school keeps Ballantrae youngsters at the school in Oakstead. The school district board will hold two November public hearings on its school boundaries plan and decide the lines for four area schools. That’s because some residents of Suncoast Meadows are lobbying school officials to reassign Ballantrae children next year to the new elementary school now being built eight miles to the west on Community Drive south of SR54. Some Suncoast parents believe that would allow their children to stay at Oakstead. The school district planning panel disagrees: it has recommended that Suncoast Meadows children attending Oakstead should be reassigned to the new school, and that Ballantrae’s youngsters should remain at Oakstead. The school board is not bound by that recommendation. It can reject or modify it during hearings set for November. The map at left shows the current recommendation: Ballantrae remains within Oakstead’s boundaries while Suncoast becomes part of the new school. The school board has scheduled two public hearings before it finalizes the boundaries for the new “S School,” and revises those for Oakstead, Long Leaf and Trinity elementary schools. The hearings will be at the school Please turn to page 7 CDD Commentary Street maintenance means we pay By Jim Flateau CDD Chair Homeowners will ultimately pay the bill for any repaving of our village streets good news is that Ballantrae The homeowners are not taxed for the cost of repaving residential streets from New Port Richey to Zephyrhills. They are, however, responsible for the repaving of the residential streets within their own villages … although that might be 20 years down the road! County officials agree the current process might be far different from what most Pasco property owners – residential or business – expected after local streets were turned over to the county for maintenance. The streets in five of our six villages have been turned over to the county for maintenance. That means repaving costs will be assessed against lot owners who directly benefit from them. The exception is Straiton, where streets are owned by its HOA. Many landowners assume that, if the county takes over maintenance of streets, Pasco taxes will be used to maintain them. But Pasco officials say when they accept residential streets for “maintenance,” that term has a very specific – and limited – meaning. Or at least it has had that meaning since an ordinance was passed years ago in the face of county budget constraints. Maintenance means Pasco does the signage, crosswalk painting and pothole repair to make residential streets accessible and safe for the general public, explained James Widman, chief county engineer. Pasco also recognizes a term that it calls “collector roads.” They collect traffic from residential streets and funnel it to main roads. The county foots the bill to repave “collector roads.” In Ballantrae, “collector roads” are limited to Ballantrae and Mentmore boulevards, both of which funnel traffic from our villages to SR54. “We’ll pay for any repaving or maintenance that they need,” Mr. Widman said of those two streets. The county has a pro-rated system 2 for billing that levies 100, 50 and 25 percent of the cost for repaving. In simplest terms, you pay based upon your benefit. Let’s use Braemar as an example. Everyone who lives in Braemar must access it via Glenapp Drive. But it would be unfair, county officials say, only to assess Glenapp landowners nearest Ballantrae Blvd. for the full cost of repaving Glenapp to, say, the Barnweill Street crossing. Everyone in Braemar has to use that section of Glenapp, so everyone would share a pro-rated paving cost. Braemar is also an example of another twist in county law. Those assessed to pay for the repaving are owners of building lots, no matter if they are developed or vacant. In Ballantrae, building lots and homeowners are synonymous: there are no longer any vacant building lots in the community. But there are “non-buildable” conservation areas abutting Glenapp Drive on both the north and south sides in Braemar. Such areas can also be found in all other villages as well. Since those are not buildable lots, they are not assessed for repaving. Repaving costs are shared only by the owners of the adjoining building lots. When streets become worn, landowners can petition the county to do the repaving and charge them for it. If landowners oppose the repaving, the county can still come in and repave, then charge them for the work. That occurs if landowners oppose repaving that the county deems necessary for public safety. It is important to remember, however, that these assessments are only made when the actual repaving occurs. No one in the five villages is being assessed today for future paving, which may only be necessary long after they move out of the community. And who knows? An optimist could hope that, by then, the county will agree to pay repaving costs … Ballantrae CDD Communicator | November-December 2009 The Communicator The CDD Communicator is published bimonthly by the Ballantrae Community Development District (CDD). It is prepared by the CDD Board of Supervisors. It is printed free of charge by the St. Petersburg Times. Residents have their choice of receiving the Communicator on paper or online. Those preferring the electronic version can request it on the CDD website at www.ballantraecdd.org at the Communications tab. When published, we’ll email you a link to the newsletter on our server. We will not fill your in-box with the large newsletter file! The mailing address for both the CDD Board and the Communicator is 17611 Mentmore Blvd. in Land O’ Lakes, FL 34638. CDD Board of Supervisors Jim Flateau Chair ballantraecdd@verizon.net (813) 215-0896 Amanda Battistoni Vice Chair amanda@asbmail.com Kelly Moseley Assistant Secretary kmoseley@tampabay.rr.com Richard Levy Assistant Secretary RBL22@msn.com Steve White Assistant Secretary saabman@optonline.net CDD Management Scott Brizendine District Manager Rizzetta & Co. sbrizendine@rizzetta.com (813) 994-1001 Bill Fletcher Maintenance Supervisor ballantrae2@tampabay.rr.com (813) 345-8565 (phone) (813) 345-8567 (fax) Newsletter Advertising Kelly Mariskanish kmariskanish@sptimes.com (813) 661-2458 Visit our web site at www.ballantraecdd.org CDD contracts with experts to write new landscaping bid OLM authors extensive specs to monitor performance, expectations of CDD vendor CDD Board wants our community landscaping and lawns to better The showcase our community. So it has hired Atlanta-based OLM, Inc., a highly-regarded landscape management firm. OLM has written a set of detailed landscape contract specifications. They will be used this year when the Board bids a new, three-year contract that will take effect on Jan. 1. Board members wanted a more specific contract authored by horticulture and management experts. Board members believe that will improve upon the cost-effectiveness and quality of service provided by the landscape vendor. OLM is one of the largest landscape contract management firms in the nation, employing experts in landscaping management and horticulture. OLM will also assist the CDD Board in advertising for bidders and evaluating their submissions. The CDD Board has budgeted $172,800 for landscaping services for the current fiscal year. It is the most expensive item in the CDD’s $1,049,116 operating and maintenance budget for the current fiscal year. OLM and the CDD agreed to use the $172,800 figure for the base as the CDD works on bid specifications, advertising and bidding for a new, three-year contract. OLM will be paid 75 percent of any first-year savings the CDD realizes if it awards a contract for less than $172,800 a year to the lowest responsible bidder. If there is no savings, then the CDD owes OLM nothing. The CDD expects to advertise for bids in November and award a contract in December. The Board also intends to sharply increase oversight of the vendor to ensure constant compliance with all the mandates of the more detailed contract. The CDD Board will soon decide among the options for oversight and management of the eventual landscape vendor. One option is to hire OLM to provide that service. It uses a “performance payment” system it created. Under that system, the CDD Board can withhold 25 percent of the monthly payment due to the landscape vendor during any month in which the vendor’s performance falls below agreed upon standards. OLM says the threat of losing that payment is often enough to ensure vendors maintain a high level of compliance with the contract. They may miss the mark and fail once, OLM president Tom Medlock said, but can rarely afford to miss it more often than that. He also said the potential for those losses often dissuades borderline vendors from bidding its “performance payment” contracts in the first place. The CDD Board would have to negotiate a fee with OLM to hire its staff to make the monthly inspections using its “performance payment” system. OLM’s local “performance payment” residential clients include the CDDs in Oakstead, Westchase, Cheval East, Cheval West, Lexington Oaks plus Meadow Pointe I and II. Its corporate clients include Walt Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin resorts in Orlando, and the Sandestin Hilton and Sandestin Resort in Destin. A second option is to have the CDD’s district manager perform the monthly evaluation along with a member of the CDD Board. There is no cost associated with this initiative because vendor supervision is already called for in the existing district management contract. Under that alternative, the only weight that can be brought to bear on an under-performing vendor is termination of the contract. Visit our web site at www.ballantraecdd.org Top photo shows erosion on the east side of the east pond at Ballantrae’s entrance. Photo above shows repairs the CDD Board had performed by BioMass Tech under a $10,000 contract that also includes erosion control work to be performed at ponds in Castleway and Cunningham. Ballantrae CDD Communicator | November-December 2009 3 Ayrshire landowner leads volunteers helping homeless vets “I will never leave a fallen comrade ...” Odessa, the VFW in New Port Richey and various groups across the county that provide shelters for the homeless. – From the U.S. Army Ranger Creed Other vendors supporting the event included etired U.S. Army Capt. Morson Livingston may have had that creed from America’s first soldiers in mind McDonald’s, Coast to Coast, Camp K9, Wal-Mart, Publix when he approached two homeless veterans earlier this and Pinch a Penny. The event included reading messages of support from year. They were begging for donations near the intersection Pasco County Commissioner Pat of SR54 and Little Road. Mulieri, who also attended the event, “They could have been scamming and another from U.S. Rep. Gus me, but I gave them each five dollars,” Bilirakis. the retired chaplain said. Rev. Livingston said that besides Now, the Ayrshire resident is feeding homeless vets, the Fourth of spearheading a group of volunteers, July event was an opportunity to many of them veterans themselves, begin finding out where they stay, who are attempting to address the what their needs are, their needs of their homeless brothers and backgrounds and histories – and even sisters in arms now residing in Pasco their names. County. He added, “We tell them that if County figures put the homeless in they are living outside right now, that Pasco at about 4,600 in 2008. About 18 is okay. But we want to get them into percent – or more than 800 – are services, provide a mailing address believed to be veterans. Both numbers and the mail drop necessary for them are, unfortunately, expected to have County Commissioner Pat Mulieri (left) attended a to connect with the services available risen since then. dinner at the Ballantrae clubhouse organized by to them. Our ultimate goal will be to Rev. Livingston created St. Jude’s Rev. Morson Livingston and his wife, Seema. establish a location where we can help Homeless Veterans Resource Center about five months ago. It is registered with the state as a them to stabilize, work on getting and keeping jobs, things that they need to start reconnecting with society.” 501C-3 not-for-profit corporation. Rev. Livingston said many vets are so mentally disabled “St. Jude is the patron saint of impossible and desperate or frustrated with bureaucracies that they no longer try to cases,” he noted, “and the hope of the hopeless. So it is very obtain necessary services on their own. fitting for us.” “We try to bridge the gap,” he explained, “by bringing The St. Jude’s organization is itself homeless at the vets together with all the services moment. A planned office location that can help them. We’re not a did not work out, Rev. Livingston government agency so we hope said, so the group is actively they can trust us, and help them seeking a new site. get back on their feet. Until then, it is using different “This is vets volunteering to sites for its events and the The next event for homeless vets will be a work for vets, because we non-denominational worship flag ceremony, picnic and BBQ on Veterans’ understand their issues and services that he also conducts. Day, Nov. 11. Rev. Livingston said the needs,” he said. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at group’s ultimate goal “is to A “thank you” dinner was held the Rotary Concourse Pavilion located at establish a one-stop center where July 24 at the Ballantrae clubhouse 15323 State Road 52 in Land O Lakes (near the homeless can have as many of for the St. Jude’s volunteers who Safety Town). their needs met as possible from “We invite anyone to come who wants to worked on the Fourth of July event. one location. help out with the event, and those who want Commissioner Mulieri also “We want to meet basic needs, to honor the men and women who have attended. She said, “Government such as helping to provide or served in our armed forces,” Rev. Livingston cannot be everything to everyone. coordinate shelter, food, clothing, said. Faith-based organizations like this medical care and education. These Anyone wishing to volunteer to help with one are, thankfully, picking up part people are coming from desperate homeless vets can contact Rev. Livingston of the slack. I support their efforts.” situations. They’ve lost their by phone at (813) 951-2288 or by email at Said another of the dinner self-image that must be restored.” stjudesveteranscenter@gmail.com. guests, “There are lots of veterans’ Fifty volunteers held a Fourth services. We have to connect our of July picnic and BBQ in Odessa that attracted 200 homeless vets. Donations and assistance brothers and sister with them. There should be no homeless in hosting that event came from the AMVETS Post 9 in vets.” R Assist homeless vets on Veterans’ Day 4 Ballantrae CDD Communicator | November-December 2009 Visit our web site at www.ballantraecdd.org Sheriff increasing road patrols, enforcement of curfew Host of initiatives assist residents in reporting, accessing crime data Pasco Sheriff’s Office is The implementing new and better ways to enhance its already substantial communications with and response to county residents. The most visible addition is the summer opening of the combined Trinity District Sheriff’s Substation and Fire Rescue Station 15 on Trinity Boulevard in Trinity. The Ballantrae area remains in the district patrolled out of Dade City. However, county residents are free to go to any sheriff’s location to conduct business. Ballantrae is closer to Trinity than to Dade City. Trinity is also closer to Ballantrae than the sheriff’s office on Little Road in New Port Richey. The sheriff’s office is always reviewing patrol areas. It is possible that Sheriff Bob White could someday realign responsibilities and place Ballantrae within the jurisdiction of the closer Trinity station. Sheriff increasing deputy road patrols In the meantime, the entire county is expected to benefit from initiatives tied to the sheriff’s application for and receipt of $4.4 million in federal law enforcement stimulus funds. Initially, the sheriff said he had to eliminate its helicopter unit in order to maintain critical road patrols in the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. The federal stimulus funds will instead allow the sheriff to employ 24 new deputies for the next three years, at which time county taxpayers become responsible for their funding. That means county roads plus communities in unincorporated Pasco will benefit from an increase in road patrols and other services, sheriff’s spokesman Kevin Doll told the Communicator. As always, he said, many of the patrols will be determined by need as established by crime reports and other calls to the sheriff’s office. Federal funding of the deputies means the sheriff can maintain the helicopter unit as well, Mr. Doll said. Visit our web site at www.ballantraecdd.org This is the new sheriff’s substation and fire rescue station on Trinity Boulevard. Sheriff, CDD enforcing curfew rules The additional deputies will also assist Sheriff White in his plans for another initiative in response to resident concern: intensifying enforcement of the county’s curfew for minors. “We’re going to get as aggressive as we can with it,” Sheriff White promised. His office reports the initiative is in response to what it sees as a wave of crimes committed by those younger than 18. The sheriff’s task force made 176 arrests this summer for 206 crimes generally involving car and home burglaries in central and eastern Pasco. Those arrests led to clearing 125 cases and the recovery of $5,000 worth of stolen property. The county curfew generally prohibits anyone under 18 from being out in public between 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. weekdays and from midnight to 6 a.m. on weekends and holidays. Exceptions are granted for those under adult supervision and those traveling to or from work, school or other prescribed venues. First-time curfew violators receive a written warning. Each subsequent violation can draw a $50 fine. Parents and guardians also face the same warning and fine for allowing minors to violate the curfew. Sheriff White said, “We want to solicit, and we covet, the help of the parents to keep an eye on their children.” In Ballantrae, the CDD Board has gone an extra step in conjunction with the sheriff’s office. The Board passed a resolution on Dec. 1, 2008, that allows sheriff’s deputies to enforce CDD rules that close community property daily from dusk to dawn. The only exceptions are people attending approved events at the clubhouse. That curfew applies to all CDD property, including the clubhouse and pool areas, Ballantrae Park plus the basketball and tennis courts. Deputies can cite any violators – not just minors – for trespass and remove them from the property. Violators can be fined, and face arrest if they reenter CDD property. The CDD Board has also allocated $30,000 for this fiscal year to hire off-duty deputies to patrol and monitor community property as well as to enforce the resolution. Sheriff uses Internet to stay in touch The sheriff’s office also uses the Internet to keep residents advised on crimes and other calls for service. Its newest edition is called Nixle. It delivers information instantaneously via email and also to certain cell phones via text messages. In recent months, the sheriff has used Nixle to alert Land O’ Lakes area residents to searches in progress for missing persons, carjackers, suspects wanted in three bank examiner fraud cases, wanted persons, road closures and gas line leaks. While the sheriff’s office uses Twitter to disseminate some of the same information, spokesman Doll said Nixle allows for longer messages and the attachment of photos (such as of wanted or missing persons). Messages are sent free to consumers with a computer or cell phone that accepts such messaging. Any carrier message costs are the recipient’s responsibility. Please turn to page 7 Ballantrae CDD Communicator | November-December 2009 5 Congresswoman’s staff meets constituents in Land O’ Lakes Brown-Waite staff holds regular monthly sessions to hear from residents in Pasco, 7 other counties “All politics is local,” observed Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill Jr. He served from 1977-87 as Speaker of the House in the U.S. Congress. He meant it as a warning to Washington politicians not to forget the needs of voters back home: Their support is crucial if elected officials want to remain in office. Following his own advice, Democrat O’Neill served the Boston area in Congress for 35 years until he chose to step down in 1987. His advice is not lost on U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite. A Republican, she is serving her fourth, two-year term representing Florida’s Fifth Congressional District. The sprawling district extends into eight, west-central Florida counties. It includes parts of Pasco, Lake, Levy, Marion and Polk counties plus all of Citrus, Hernando and Sumter counties. Her district generally includes all of Pasco County east of Little Road. Congressional sessions keep all members in Washington for a good part of the year. That limits the time they have to spend back home, interacting with constituents in their districts. During session, Ms. Brown-Waite ensures her constituents have access to her via regular face-to-face meetings with her district staff. They convene constituent service meetings from 10-11 a.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the Land O’ Lakes library on Collier Parkway. Similar monthly meetings are held in Dade City as well as in the other counties served by the Fifth District. Her staff also co-hosts other events of local concern. For example, a college planning workshop for parents was held in tandem with the Sallie Mae Fund in September at the Center for the Performing Arts in Wesley Chapel. U.S. Rep. Brown-Waite told the Communicator that “My district covers a lot of miles; I understand that not everyone can make it to my Brooksville office. By hosting the monthly outreach meetings in all eight counties, my staff and I aim to give Fifth District residents a more accessible option for addressing their needs and concerns.” Ms. Brown-Waite describes her constituent services this way: “Staff members from my office will explain how to get in touch with me to remedy a problem, offer general assistance and information, and outline what services are available through the office.” She urges constituents to “stop by for help with a federal agency such as the VA or the Social Security Administration or assistance applying to a service academy.” “The Congresswoman wants us to get out and meet constituents,” says staff member Jeanne McIntosh. Her title, appropriately enough, is outreach coordinator at the Brooksville office. During a recent outreach meeting at the local library, Ms. McIntosh told about a dozen constituents that “We can’t always get you the answer you want. But we can cut through the red tape and bureaucracy and get you an answer.” The constituents who attended a couple of recent 6 Ballantrae CDD Communicator | November-December 2009 Outreach coordinator Jeanne McIntosh addresses residents attending a constitiuent meeting sponsored by U.S. Rep. Brown-Waite. monthly meetings ran the gamut from ardent supporters to those who bluntly voiced their opposition to Ms. Brown-Waite’s positions on Congressional and other issues. Here is a sampling of the concerns and issues raised by attendees at recent outreach sessions in Land O’ Lakes: • “I want to open a business but the (federal) Small Business Administration has been of no help,” said one speaker. “There are lots of programs supposed to be out there, but the SBA does not know how to put them in place.” • One resident called for more federal support of programs to combat lyme disease, especially in southern states where winter temperatures don’t drop enough to kill insects. She also called for more Centers for Disease Control programs to educate Americans on how to avoid this and other diseases. • Reflecting nationwide polls as the recession continues, one speaker offered that “I’m an unsatisfied voter. (Federal) spending is out of control (and) it is not affecting the economy.” • A self-described “female biker” said she attends many such sessions “held by politicians.” She added, “We try to communicate, but all we get are dances or they just don’t answer the question.” • Another attendee responded, “I think she’s doing a fantastic job and I just wanted to be here.” • One speaker triggered a mini-debate among attendees when he opined that “universal health care is bad. Been there, done that and it doesn’t work.” His comments were supported by some attendees and challenged by others. Several gave individual accounts about how they or acquaintances had positive or negative experiences under such health care programs. Ms. McIntosh said, “It is important to the Congresswoman that the people make their views known to her.” Constituents can reach Rep. Brown-Waite by mailing her district office at 16224 Spring Hill Drive in Brooksville, FL 34604, by calling that office at (352) 799-8354 or her Washington office at (202) 225-1002, or by emailing her from her website at http://brown-waite.house.gov/contact. Visit our web site at www.ballantraecdd.org Pasco redrawing … Continued from page 1 board’s offices at Bldg. 3 North at 7205 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The schedule is: • Beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 3. That’s when the recommendation will be officially presented to the board. • Beginning at 6 p.m. on Nov. 17. It is during that hearing that the school board intends to make a final decision on school boundary lines. About 30-40 people attended an Oct. 6 parent meeting at Oakstead to discuss the proposed boundaries. A dozen or so residents attended from Suncoast Meadows and Suncoast Pointe. Some asked that Ballantrae students be reassigned to the new school, with or without Suncoast kids. They reasoned that Ballantrae has more children at Oakstead than do the two Suncoast communities. They said that reassigning Ballantrae residents would have a greater impact on reducing crowding at Oakstead. School officials listed two main reasons for the committee’s decision to recommend Suncoast students be reassigned, rather than Ballantrae’s: 125 Suncoast community • The students are part of the mix needed to reach capacity at the new school. Ballantrae’s 250 students would immediately place the new school beyond its intended enrollment. Sheriff’s office … Continued from page 5 Ballantrae residents can sign up for Nixle or Twitter through links on the Pasco Sheriff’s Office website at www.pascosheriff.com. Residents can also go on line to New clubhouse phone, email The phone numbers and email address for the clubhouse have been changed to save you money. The CDD Board’s change in carriers is expected to save landowners about $1,200 a year. The new clubhouse phone number is (813) 345-8565. The new fax is (813) 345-8567. The new clubhouse email is ballantrae2@tampabay.rr.com. Visit our web site at www.ballantraecdd.org The school board will decide in November which children remain at the Oakstead school. • To reassign Ballantrae but not Suncoast youngsters is a form of “leapfrogging” the district opposes. It prefers boundaries be contiguous and that communities be kept whole. Other reasons why Suncoast residents want to keep their children at Oakstead also apply in Ballantrae: • For example, Suncoast residents say accessing the Oakstead school via Mentmore Blvd. means children can avoid traveling on or crossing SR54. • Those attending Oakstead will graduate together to Rushe Middle School and then to Sunlake High School. They will remain with their school friends throughout their education. • “S” school children residing east of the Suncoast will transfer to Rushe upon graduation. They will have to acquire a new group of school friends in middle school. So far, 223 Ballantrae residents have signed a petition asking the school board to adopt the current boundary recommendation and keep their children at Oakstead. “It is very important that Ballantrae residents sign the petition and attend the public hearings to make sure the district knows we want our children to attend Oakstead,” said Danielle Grimme of Lintower. Ms. Grimme is the Ballantrae representative on the school district committee. She’s working to keep Ballantrae children at Oakstead. Anyone wishing to arrange signing the petition can email her at dgrimme73@verizon.net. view the sheriff’s log of incoming resident calls. It shows residents the types of reports being filed by Ballantrae residents. Ballantrae data was originally displayed alphabetically by street, mixed in with streets from many other areas of the county. Working with the CDD Board, the sheriff’s office now aggregates and displays all Ballantrae data in one location. Residents no longer have to do a search by individual street. That database is available on the sheriff’s website. It’s listed under the “Online Resources” header on the left side of the main page. Click on the “Subdivision Activity” tab to bring up the first data page. From there, users can scroll down to choose “Ballantrae Villages” and then click “filter” to review calls to the sheriff’s office from Ballantrae. Another resource is a computerized “crime tracker” database that lists criminal investigations by ZIP code. This weekly listing of crimes under investigation compliments the “subdivision activity” database of calls of all type received from residents. The CDD Board is working with the sheriff’s office to determine if this weekly compilation can be made available on the CDD’s website at www.ballantraecdd.org. In the meantime, the crime tracker database is available online at www.tbo.com. It can be accessed by typing “crime tracker” in the site search box. Feedback … What’s your opinion of this edition of The Communicator? Let us know at ballantraecdd@verizon.net. Ballantrae CDD Communicator | November-December 2009 7
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