Tidbits for June 2003

Town of Shalimar

Tidbits -- June 2003

As the staff reminds me, there is much going on in the Town. Cherokee Park is currently closed to the public as our planned improvements are in progress. Weather permitting, we will soon have a small basketball court, volleyball court, concrete walking paths, adult exercise station, reflection fountain and more parking. Next year, we will complete the road and parking resurfacing and hold a Grand Opening Party. Please call Town Hall if you are unsure of the park's status.

The Clifford Road and Gardner Drive storm water abatement project should be complete in August with new pavement on Clifford Drive and a new right turn lane from Cherokee Drive onto Eglin Parkway. Be alert for possible detours and construction activity in these areas.

Please welcome our new maintenance guy, Hugh Parker. Hugh has previous Shalimar experience as a part-timer. If you see an area in town that needs attention, please let us know. And, as always, Hugh will be more than happy to properly dispose of your Hazardous Materials. Just call Town Hall for more information.

Please, please, please check out our website (www.shalimarflorida.org). Our own Mrs. Tina Smith maintains the site. I would be surprised if there were any information that you were seeking about Shalimar that is not already on the site.

Did you know you that if you cannot reach a Shalimar Police Officer at their office (651-1115), you can and should request a Shalimar Policeman by calling the County Dispatcher (651-7400)? Our Police force is outstanding, so take the time to introduce yourself and ask them what’s going on in the Town.

Speaking of what’s going on in the Town – dogs are a current concern. Both the Police and Administrative staff are receiving numerous complaints about barking dogs, unaccompanied dogs and dog litter (poop) on private and public property. So, if your pets fall into any one of these areas, you will probably meet our Shalimar Policemen soon.

In closing, I encourage you to get to know our Town employees, have a great summer and please carry some type pooper container when walking the dog!

** PLEASE REMEMBER **

The Shalimar Town hall Conference Room and attached kitchen is available for meetings and gatherings at no charge for residents and $25 for non-residents. Call us if you are interested.

School is out for the summer. Children are out playing and enjoying their summer vacations. As we all know, they don’t pay as much attention to traffic as they should. Please be alert while operating your vehicle, especially on the residential streets.

I would also like to remind parents that the streets are made for vehicles. There are a lot of new drivers on the road who just got their licenses and this will be the first summer that they have their newfound freedom. I know children like to ride their bicycles, skateboards and scooters in the street, so please keep an eye on them and help them watch out for vehicles.

That brings me to another subject. We continue to receive complaints about speeders in our neighborhood. We will be focusing speed enforcement efforts on Gardner Drive at this time, so please heed this warning.

Another thing that is inherent with the kids summer vacation is vandalism or, as the law calls, it “Criminal Mischief”. There have been reports of vehicles on Shalimar Drive being vandalized during the night. We have a very sharp part-time officer named Michael Woll who is focusing on trying to catch the responsible party(s). (He has already surprised some unsuspecting fishermen who were fishing from a private dock.) It seems that there is a noticeable increase in vandalism every year during summer vacation.

The following inoperable town equipment is scheduled for disposal/recycling. If any resident has a use for these items, they will be offered on a first come basis starting at 8am on Monday, July 7. The items are:

1 John Deere riding mower

1 weed eater

1 chainsaw

1 metal filing cabinet

We continue to receive weekly complaints from residents and business owners about the presence and activities of what apparently is a rather large feral cat population in Shalimar. Area shelters and animal welfare organizations in our area are usually full to the brim with animals looking to find new homes and these agencies can rarely accept new animals for adoption. We have two live traps available (call town hall to borrow) for people needing to trap these animals and our only recourse at the present time is to take the captured animals to the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). PAWS charges $75 to board the animal for up to 5 days and there is an additional charge for final disposition if a new owner is not found. If you own a cat, please ensure that it wears a collar with the required rabies/identification tag (as required by law). If these animals are inadvertently captured, we can readily return them to their owners. As always, please spay or neuter your cherished pet.

Okaloosa County is responsible for county-wide mosquito control. Their trucks are spraying in our area on Wednesdays between 5pm and 10pm. The new spray they are using is odor-free and the equipment is surprisingly quiet so you may not be aware of their activities. If you see the truck with the roof lights on...they are spraying - please go indoors as they will not spray in areas where residents are outside. The most effective mosquito control measure is for residents to eliminate stagnant water in gutters, flowerpots and any other container that might hold water. Note: Last year we placed special fish in Meigs Pond to eat any mosquito larvae. Hmmm...birds and reptiles eat mosquitoes...feral cats eat our birds and reptiles…

Upcoming Events

July 8, 2003 at 6:00 p.m. — Town Commission Meeting

Budget Meetings are coming up. Please watch the marquee for dates and times.