Mississippi River

Recently I had the opportunity to visit with a Mississippi River boat worker. It was an interesting conversation (he works 30 days on and 30 days off).

In an eerie way, he reminded me of many of the old (old to to me at the time) farmers I knew when I was a child. They loved and lived their job, were independent, opinionated had a lot of common sense and generally seemed to enjoy their career choice in spite of what are seen as negative aspects of the job. The only real difference seems to be one makes his living on the land, one on the river.

I enjoyed our conversation and wish I knew his name so I could have a cup of coffee or a lunch with him in the future and keep on with our discussion.

One of the things I love about Tennessee and this area is when I realize how similar, yet different it is from where I grew up and how I really notice the difference when I visit family in Oklahoma or Kansas. (Oklahomans and Kansans are great-kind, generous and just fine people. I have found Southerners to be the same, at least in this area, with the addition that they truly know how to be hosts and are truly courteous people.)

Also, I have found drivers to be much more courteous in Memphis. In spite of our tendency to streeeeetch yellow lights and make frightening close left turns, there is little tailgating and I have yet to have another car not let me in, even when I was in the wrong! (If you drive the Canada Road and I-40 interchange area, this is demonstrated on a daily basis.)

I was always fascinated by the Mississippi River when I was a child, and I can remember how excited I was at my first view of the River! One of my secret obsessions for some odd reason is the Mississippi River Level in the paper each day! I really don’t even know what it means, (except generally) but it fascinates me. I still get that “tingle” when I first see it and every time we have relatives or friends visit, I am always glad because it usually gives me a chance to take a Mississippi River Cruise or at least walk the Mississippi! Now I know that when I cross the “Mighty Mississippi” I am almost home!

Lakeland Chamber Meeting 11:30 a.m., Thursday, May 11

DON'T FORGET THE LAKELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING THIS THURSDAY, MAY 11!

Mayor Scott Carmichael is the feature speaker at the May Lakeland Chamber of Commerce meeting at 11:30 a.m. at the Oakwood Club House, 10133 Matwood Oak Drive.

Come out, hear Mayor Carmichael and visit with other Lakeland and area residents and business persons!

I have reprinted the notice of the meeting below.

Don't Forget to RSVP….
What: The Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce May Monthly Luncheon
Where: Oakwood Club House
10133 MATWOOD OAK DRIVE (CLICK HERE FOR MAP)
When: May 11, 2006, 11:30am – 1:00pm
Cost: $10.00 Per Member / $20 Per Non-Member
RSVP: Please RSVP and make lunch selection by May 9, 2006
Online: http://www.lakelandchamberofcommerce.com/calendar.htm
Phone: Lakeland City Hall, Nanette Smith, (901) 867-2717
Fax: Lakeland City Hall, Attn: Chamber of Commerce, (901) 867-2063
Honored Guest Speaker
LAKELAND MAYOR SCOTT CARMICHAEL
We look forward to seeing you there.

Recycling Oil Centers

Autozone on Highway 64 in Lakeland has advised they accept used motor oil for recycling. There is no charge for this service.

Lakeland City Hall no longer is able to accept used oil for recycling. We are unable to provide an attendent at all times and new storm water regulations do not make it feasible to continue to accept used motor oil. Secure storage of used oil was also a problem.

In addition to Autozone, many other gas stations, auto parts stores etc. accept used motor oil for recycling and we encourage persons who change their own oil to recycle at an approved oil recycling facility.

Development fees-The user pays!

Recently I heard a comment about development fees, something to the effect that "Developers don't pay fees, they just pass on the fees to the new buyers".

Of course they do, and that is the whole point-the "new buyers" pay the costs associated with the new development, NOT an existing resident who does not benefit from the new development, and may even have an adverse effect on the existing resident!

I woudn't expect my neighbors in the next subdivision to pay for my new house and I don't expect to pay for a future subdivision. The person benefitting pays. Seems fair to me!

The City does continually revise fees in an effort to insure that the person (or future person) generating the cost pays the costs. In the case of development fees, the developer knows the fees in advance, the new homeowner/buyer knows the fees and decides if it is worth it. Again, seems fair to me!

Yard Waste Schedule (bagged leaves and grass)

The new schedule for yard waste pickup is noted below. Yard waste pickup will be made on the days noted. In the event pickup is not made on the scheduled day due to weather or equipment problems, the pickup will be on the next day.

This may be a temporary schedule. The City is getting bids on the yard waste removal and this schedule may change on or about July 1. Notice of any new schedule will be provided well in advance of the new schedule.

YARD WASTE SCHEDULE AS OF APRIL 17, 2006

Yard waste (bagged leaves and grass clippings) is picked up each week in accordance with this schedule.

MONDAY SCHEDULE

Lakeland Heights Addition
Evergreen Hills Addition
Creekside Manor Addition
Hwy 70-Evergreen-M/A-Seed Tick area
Oakwood Addition
Cool Springs Addition
Eastshores Addition
Herons Ridge Addition
The Pointe
Beverly Rivera - Canada
Windward Slopes
Area north of the Loosahatchie River

TUESDAY SCHEDULE

Lakeland Estates
Plantation Hills`
Woodbridge
Mphs/Arl-Chambers Chapel-Chapel Hill Rd
Chambers Chapel - Chapel Cv-Chambers Cv.
Chambers Chapel -Monroe Rd- Cobb Rd
Bentbrooke Hills
Plantation Woods Dr
Hwy 64-Fletcher Trace

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE

Stonebridge Subdivision
Fletcher Trace-Daly / ChiChi
Club View
Club Walk
El Hill
Fairway Meadows
Canada Woods
Woodland Park
Sterling Place

(If pickup is delayed due to adverse weather or equipment problems, pickup will be the next day.)


NEW SCHEDULE MAY BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1,2006 DUE TO NEW CONTRACTOR
Advance notice will be provided if schedule is changed by new contract

New Lakeland Signs on Exit 18

Did you notice the new “Lakeland” exit signs for exit 18 on Interstate 40? Prior to this week, there had not been any signs to indicate that motorists could access Lakeland by using I-40 exit 18.

Thanks to Tennessee Senator Mark Norris, Tennessee Representative Bubba Pleasant, and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), there are now signs letting eastbound motorists know, yes, you can exit at I-40 exit 18 and find the City of Lakeland!

Prior to this, I always gritted my teeth a little when I saw the lack of notice for Lakeland at exit 18 while cities literally miles away had large exit signs!

Thanks to the cooperation and assistance of Representative Pleasant, Senator Norris and TDOT personnel, the signs were recently installed.

We appreciate their cooperation and assistance on this matter.

The big overhead signs will be maintained only for Exit 20 into Lakeland which is considered to be the “main” entrance to Lakeland. Logically enough, Exit 18 is considered a “secondary” entrance. To avoid confusion, TDOT only provides one “major” sign for a City of Lakeland’s size.

The next time you are eastbound on Interstate 40, watch for the new “Lakeland” signs on I-40!

Fishing Rodeo/Community Day Saturday, June 3!

The annual Fishing Rodeo/Community Day at IH Park is Saturday, June 3, 2006.
The Fishing Rodeo is for children aged 4-12 and starts at 9:00 a.m.

On-site registration starts at 8:15 a.m., but avoid the lines and pre-register! Registration forms are available at www.Lakelandtn.gov, or at City Hall.

Events include the Fishing Rodeo (9:00 a.m. to approximately 10:30 a.m.) and “Uncle Fudds Farm” at 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (Moon Bounce, Pony Rides, Petting Zoo etc.)

Events for all include:

-FREE eye exam by the Lakeland Lions Club from 10:30 a.m. to Noon.

-Nature Hike with Eric and Nick from 11:00 a.m. to Noon.

In addition, the Lakeland Civic Club will have a concession on site! All of the proceeds are used in the local area, and a share of the proceeds goes to Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources!

Come out to IH Park Saturday, June 3 and enjoy our beautiful IH Park, fun activities and excellent food!

IH Park is located at 4523 Canada Road (west side of Canada Road). The First Baptist Church of Lakeland is allowing participants to park in the Church parking lot. We appreciate the First Baptist Church of Lakeland allowing parking for this event.

All Star Waste Systems trash pickup procedure

The procedure for All Star Waste Services on routine household trash pickup is that the automated truck picks up the carts. A follow-up truck is used to pick up trash which is not in the cart.

This procedure has understandably created some concern in residents who see their cart picked up, but not the trash outside of the cart.

If you see your cart picked up, but not the trash outside the cart, another truck will be coming by to pick up the other trash.

Also, All Star Waste Systems has advised that the “arrow” on the cart should be pointing towards the street for the most efficient pickup of trash.

Mosquito problems? Call 324-5547

The Shelby County Vector Control Program is now handling mosquito control for all areas of Shelby County, including Lakeland. If you have any questions on mosquito control or other pests, contact the Shelby County Vector Control mosquite control hotline at 324-5547.

This program is funded by a .75 monthly charge on the utility bills of Shelby County residents.

Art in City Hall displays Arbor Day entries

We are pleased to announce that Lakeland Elementary School children are the artists for current “Art in City Hall” display. Entries for the Arbor Day contest (including the winning picture) are on display in City Hall.

The public is invited to visit and view the creative efforts by our Lakeland Elementary School children!

City Hall is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and entries may also be viewed when evening meetings are scheduled.

Artists interested in displaying for the Art in City Hall program should contact Shirley Broom at City Hall. Thanks to Dan Scott, the halls of City Hall are now outfitted with a picture hanging system which will avoid damage to the walls and will expedite display of pictures.

Tuesday (not Monday) is recycling day!

Residents are reminded that Tuesday-not Monday- is the new recycling day. If recycling for your area was the first and third Monday, it is not the first and third Tuesday. If it was the second and fourth Monday, it is now the second and fourth Tuesday.

Dan Scott achieves designation as National Certified Parks Inspector

I am pleased to announce that Dan Scott is now designated as a National Certified Parks Inspector. He passed his exam on the first try! This provides Dan with the training and expertise necessary to insure our parks meet the highest standards of safety for our children.

Dan joins other members of our staff who have achieved excellence in their field. Other Staff members who have designations for excellence in their field include Growth Management Director J. Higbee (AICP*); Planner Jim Ackinson (AICP); City Engineer Karen Jarrett (P.E.**); Public Works Director Chris Masin (P.E.); City Recorder Sontidra Franklin (Certified Municipal Clerk) and Natural Resources Director Eric Bridges (Arborist AND Forester, one of the few professionals in Tennessee with both designations). I also am a “Credentialed” City Manager, meaning that I have comply with certain standards on training each year.

All of these designations require yearly (or periodic) training to maintain their designation and provide the highest service to Lakeland residents.

*AICP means meeting requirements for certification by the American Institute of Certified Planners. This designation requires a minimum amount of experience, passing a stringent test and periodic training in the field of planning.

**P.E. means Professional Engineer. A P.E. is obtained only after a minimum number of years of experience, passing a stringent test and periodic training in engineering.

Lakeland and story about Environmental Court in Arlington-The facts!

Recently some statements about Lakeland were made in the Commercial Appeal about Lakeland's request to participate in the Shelby County "Environmental Court" in Arlington.

We appreciate the invitation of Arlington Mayor Wiseman and other Arlington City officials to participate in the Arlington Environmental Court sessions and submitted an Interlocal Agreement to Shelby County for approval.

The Interlocal Agreement was considered by a Shelby County Commission Committee on Wednesday, April 5, 2005 and was delayed for 30 days. According to a story in the Commercial Appeal, the County Commissioner who requested the delay is not correctly informed.

I feel it is important that the misconceptions about Lakeland not be allowed to continue.

-The statement was made that “Lakeland depends on the County for fire services”. This is correct. Lakeland also pays more than it’s share of the County Fire Department. Each resident pays $24.00 per month and each business also pays a fire fee. In addition, the City of Lakeland spent over $1,200,000 on Lakeland Fire Station # 1 and provides it free to the County Fire Department.

We aren’t complaining. We’re glad to help our neighbors in the County out, but the statement that Lakeland is freeloading on the County Fire Department is absolutely false.

-The statement was made that “Lakeland doesn’t have a Police Department". Neither does the City of Arlington, so I don’t know what this has to do with it.

-The City of Lakeland pays it’s full share of the ambulance system.

-The County already pays whatever extra expenses there are to have a separate Environmental Court in Millington and Arlington. Actually, the County would make money off of this, since the City of Lakeland would file more citations (which pay the County fines and court costs) in a nearby Court. Also, it would save Lakeland residents and the City of Lakeland time and money in not having to go to downtown Memphis.

-If the Shelby County Commission is so concerned about the costs to other suburbs, why were the Courts approved for Millington and Arlington? If the Shelby County Commission objects to “other suburbs” subsidizing the courts, this is already happening and it seems that Lakeland is subsidizing Millington and Arlington.

We did not ask for another Court site, we only asked to participate in an existing site, which would actually profit the County, not cost the County money. We have absolutely no objection to the Courts in Millington and Arlington, even if we can't file our citations there. We feel the locations benefit Shelby County residents and we support that and applaud Millington and Arlington for better serving their residents. We appreciate the invitation by Arlington to participate and hope that the Shelby County Commission will consider the Interlocal Agreement on the merits as soon as possible.

I don’t know the real reason for delaying the Inter-Local Agreement with Shelby County so our residents don't have to travel to Memphis, but the reasons presented are not valid and continue incorrect perceptions about Lakeland.

CityWatch Article on yard waste

I provided incorrect information in CityWatch about yard waste. Bagged leaves and grass will be picked up on a weekly basis, not every other week. I had understood that the bagged weeds and grass would be picked up on the same schedule as limbs are currently picked up (every other week)at the time I wrote the article and provided the information to CityWatch.

Small amounts of bagged grass and leaves will be picked up on Monday. Large amounts will be picked up on Tuesday or Wednesday. Weather or equipment may affect this schedule.

I apologize for any inconvenience, and I am glad it is more often and not less often!

Yard Waste pickup clarification

Starting Monday, April 3, All Star Waste Systems will begin residential refuse collection service for City of Lakeland residents.

-Regular refuse collection schedules (except for yard waste in bags) will not change. All Star Waste Systems will pick up all refuse except for bagged yard waste, and loose limbs. Some items, as noted in the notice from All Star Waste Systems, are the responsibility of the resident.

-The recycling schedule will remain the same, except it will be on Tuesdays.

-Small amounts of yard wsste (bagged leaves and grass clippings) will be picked up on Mondays. On Monday, we will also note the larger amounts of yard waste for collection later in the week. We plan to collect larger amounts up on Tuesday and Wednesday, but weather, equipment problems etc. could change the schedule.

-Limb pickup will remain every other week.

There has been some confusion on the yard waste schedule and we apologize for the confusion on this matter.

Thanks, Jesse!

Our thanks to Jesse McCabe for having the idea, and coordinating, a "clean-up day" in IH Park. The Cleanup was very successful and he attracted a lot of volunteers who pitched in to clean-up the park.

Lakeland Natural Resources Director Eric Bridges and Natural Resoures Technician Nick Bridgeman, also assisted in the efforts.

It is residents like Jesse McCabe who make Lakeland such a nice place to live. He also serves on the Lakeland Design and Review Commission.

Thanks Jesse for all you do for Lakeland!

Trash hauling changes

The complete text of the All Star Waste Systems letter on the change-over in trash service is noted below.


Effective April 1, 2006City of Lakeland Solid Waste Disposal Service:
ALL STAR WASTE SYSTEMS

Your solid waste collection day WILL NOT change.
Recycling collection day WILL change to every other TUESDAY.
(All Star will begin delivering new carts and recycle bins on MARCH 27, 2006.)

During the week of March 27, 2006, BFI will pick up your trash
for the last time and remove your trash cart and recycle bin.



Collection Day: Collection day will not change. There will be no pick-up on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If your scheduled collection day falls on or after one of these holidays, solid waste collection will be delayed one day.

Preparation: Containerize/bag all household trash and rubbish. It is important that you place your cart at the curb by 7 a.m. with the front of the cart facing the street (handle away from street), because your cart will be collected by a fully automated truck. All Star drivers will document occurrences when carts are not out at time of collection.

Collection Point: Garbage, rubbish, and recyclables will be retrieved from your curbside.

Containers: It is required that you use the All Star 95-gallon roll cart for refuse and 18-gallon bin for recyclables. Should you have additional refuse that will not fit into the cart, please bag and place it on top of the cart or next to the cart.

Acceptable Material: All household garbage and rubbish. All Star WILL NOT collect yard waste such as: grass cuttings, leaves and brush. Yard waste will be collected as a separate pick-up.

City of Lakeland note: Small amounts of bagged grass clippings and leaves will be picked up on Monday of each week. Larger amounts will be scheduled for later in the week. Limb chipping will continue on an every other week schedule.

Unacceptable Material: NO construction materials, rocks, dirt, or concrete will be collected. Car batteries, paint, tires, large auto parts, and dead animals are also unacceptable. To dispose of any material labeled “hazardous,” contact the Shelby County Health Department at 576-7656. Some of these substances are extremely dangerous chemicals and may cause injury to All Star personnel or to the public. Please do not put hot coals or ashes in your container. Remember the liability remains with you.

Home Appliances: Small appliances may be placed in your 95-gallon roll cart or left at the curb with regular trash. If you have large appliances or furniture weighing more than 75 pounds, you should call All Star (854-8865) to arrange a special pick-up. Any appliances, such as refrigerators or air conditioning systems, containing refrigerants, will not be picked up unless drained and tagged by a licensed technician. When purchasing such appliances, it is strongly recommended you make sure the seller will dispose of the old item at the time of purchase.

Customer Service: Contact Lakeland City Hall at 867-2717 for information or to request roll carts and recycling containers. Please refer to Cable Channel 19 or city websites www.lakelandtn.gov or www.cityoflakeland.com for updates on trash and recycling schedules.

Trash hauling changes effective April 1, 2006

Effective April 1, 2006, residential trash pickup will be provided by All Star Waste Systems rather than Allied/BFI Waste Systems.

Next week (during the week of March 27-30, existing residential carts and recycling containers will be picked up by Allied/BFI and new carts and recycling containers will be delivered by All Star Waste Systems.

Weekly residential trash pickup schedules will not change. The day you currently put out your trash will continue to be the same.

Recycling pickups will change to TUESDAY, from the current day of Monday. If your recycling is currently picked up on the first and third Monday of the month, your recycling will be picked up on the first and third Tuesday of the month. If your recycling is currently picked up on the second and fourth Monday, your recycling will be picked up on the second and fourth Tuesday.

One major change is that all yard waste (bagged grass and leaves other than in the container) will be picked up on a separate schedule from the regular refuse collection. Small amounts will be collected on Mondays, larger amounts will be collected later in the week.

Information on Political Sign Bonds

Lakeland residents who wish to post political signs (or allow such signs to be posted) on their property may check Lakelandpermits.blogspot.com to see if a Political Sign permit and bond has been obtained.

Posting signs is not legal unless the candidate (or organization supporting an issue) has obtained a Political Sign permit and bond.

Persons with questions are encouraged to contact Jim Atkinson at Lakeland City Hall, 867-2717 or CityHall@lakelandtn.org.

New Blog for Solicitor Permits

Due to recent problems with door-to-door solicitors who may not have a Lakeland Permit, the City of Lakeland is starting a blog for solicitor permits. The Blog can be accessed at Lakelandpermits.blogspot.com.

We will post the active permits for solicitors who have received a Lakeland permit. A Shelby County Permit and a Lakeland Permit are required.

Permits will be posted starting Monday, March 20, 2006. (Religious and Political Solicitors do not have the same Permit requirements.)

Political Sign Requirements

As the political season approaches, residents are reminded of the requirements for posting political signs.

I realize this may be confusing, so residents are encouraged to contacted Jim Atkinson at Lakeland City Hall (867-2717) with specific questions.

Note that one requirement is that ALL CANDIDATES must post a $500 bond before any signs can be posted. Please call City Hall if you are not sure if your candidate has posted the bond.

Also note that political signs are not allowed until 30 days before "early voting" starts.

We appreicate your cooperation in complying with these requirements.

Political Signs (14-404.2(11))

Political signs shall be allowed, provided that:

(a) Such signs shall be limited to not more than one (1) per candidate or issue on any single occupied parcel except polling places on election day where signage may be placed in accordance with Election Commission guidelines for signage at polling places;

(b) Such signs shall be located on private property, with permission of the property owner;

(c) Such signs shall not be placed closer than fifteen (15) feet from the edge of pavement or five (5) feet behind a sidewalk, whichever is greater;

(d) Such signs shall not be erected or placed in such a manner that they interfere with, obstruct, or confuse or mislead vehicular or pedestrian traffic;

(e) No such sign shall be erected or displayed earlier than thirty (30) days before the election including Early Voting to which it relates, nor later than three (3) days following such election;

(f) Such signs shall not be located in the public right-of-way or on other public property or on any public utility pole or tree, except within specified proximity of polling places on election day, under the rules established by the Shelby County Board of Election;

(g) No signs will be allowed at polling places earlier than one (1) day before an election or early voting period and must be removed not later than one (1) day after said election or early voting period. For signs placed at polling places no permit or bond will be required, but requirements of all other sections of this Ordinance shall apply;

(h) Such signs shall not exceed five (5) square feet in area per side and 48 inches in height;

(i) Such signs erected or maintained not in accordance with the provisions of this subsection shall be the responsibility of the owner of the property upon which the sign is located, shall be deemed a public nuisance, and may be abated, without notice, by such property owner, the candidate, or person advocating the vote described in the sign, or the Building Official or his/her designee;

(j) Any candidate or political committee desiring to distribute, cause to be distributed, display, place, or erect any political sign shall file an application for a Political Sign Distributor’s Permit with the City of Lakeland upon forms furnished by the City, and provide such pertinent information as said application may require;

(k) The Political Sign Distributor’s Permit application shall include an agreement, which obligates the applicant to reimburse the City of Lakeland for costs associated with removal of signs specified in Section 14-404.2 (11) (a) through (h) of this Ordinance. Upon filing such application, the Building Official or his designee shall issue a Political Sign Distributor’s Permit to the applicant together with the issuance of a permit number; and

(l) Any person desiring to post or erect any political sign including but not limited to signs advertising a political party or the candidacy of any individual for any nomination or office, shall, in addition to obtaining the Political Sign Distributor’s Permit required by Section 14-404.2 (11) (i) and (j) of this Ordinance, first deposit with the City of Lakeland a cash bond in the amount of five hundred dollars ($500.00), which bond shall be conditioned upon removal of each and every such sign within five (5) days after the announced results of the nomination, election, or referendum to which the sign pertains. If such removal is not made within the specified time, the bond shall be forfeited to the City of Lakeland, and may be used by the City to defray the cost of removing such signs.

(m) The City Manager may, at his discretion, establish a uniform policy whereby a specific portion of the bond is assessed per sign not removed within the specified time so that part but not necessarily all of the bond shall be forfeited, depending upon the number of signs per candidate City Staff is required to remove.

Garage Sale Signs

As Spring approaches, residents are reminded of the following regulations regarding the placement of garage/yard sale signs.

Yard Sale Signs (14-404.2(20))

Signs for yard sales shall be allowed provided that:

(a) Only one (1) such sign shall be on the lot where the yard sale is located;

(b) Such sign shall not exceed five (5) square feet in sign area per side and 48 inches in height measured from finished grade;

(c) Such sign shall be removed immediately upon conclusion of the yard sale;

(d) No such signs shall be placed in such as manner as to obstruct visibility or be attached to utility poles, directional or regulatory signage, or trees; and

(e) Such sign shall not be placed closer than 15 feet from the edge of pavement or five (5) feet behind a sidewalk, whichever is greater.

We appreciate the cooperation of all residents in complying with these requirements.

Lakeland Arbor Day Celebration 9:00 a.m., Saturday, March 11

Lakeland Arbor Day is scheduled for 9:00 a.m., Saturday, March 11, 2006 at Zadie E. Kuehl Park.

Natural Resources Director Eric Bridges has designed an excellent program that illustrates the special significance of Arbor Day in Lakeland. We also are fortunate in having the support of many residents and volunteers who volunteer their time and energy in projects to conserve and enhance the beauty of Lakeland.

Eric is one of only several person in Tennessee who area both a certified Arborist and a Certified Forester.

Eric prepared a grant for financing a staff person (a Natural Resources Technician) to assist in preparing a Natural Resources Inventory which is a major step in conserving our natural resources.

Plan to come out for Arbor Day this Saturday!

Community identity

I recently heard (on the radio program “Smart City”) an interesting conversation concerning “Places” in a City, especially as it relates to establishing a community identity.

Although the speaker was using it in a different context, he noted that to establish "community", a City needs places for people to “find” each other and “see and be seen” to expereince what it is to be a resident. Such “places” may be schools, restaurants, parks, recreational facilities, etc. Recent such places in Lakeland would appear to be Lakeland elementary, Crackerbarrel, various City parks and, perhaps, the possible Starbucks etc.

There will be some important decisions on facilities which will establish “community” in the near future. This will include development of several parks (Windward Slopes Park, other parks, possible athletic fields etc.) in the near future and other public facilities in the next several years.

The Board of Commissioners, Municipal Planning Commission, Design Review Commission, Economic Development Commission and Park Board/Natural Resource Board would like to hear your comments on proposed developments.

I encourage all residents to “let your voice be heard” and comment on proposed developments. These facilities are literally shaping our Lakeland community and identity and how we will relate to other residents.

All Terrain Vehicles (ATV)

All Terrain Vehicles (commonly known as ATV’s) continue to be a major problem in many areas of Lakeland. Recently, after numerous complaints of damage by ATV’s (both on private property and public property), and illegal and dangerous driving by ATV’s, we discussed the ATV problem with the Shelby County Sheriff Department.

We encourage all residents to contact the Shelby County Sheriff if you see any of the following illegal activities by ATV’s. These activities are illegal under state law and Lakeland Ordinances and will be enforced by the Sheriff Department:

-Unlawful to ride on ANY private property without the consent of the owner. (This is different than the former law, which required “posting” of no trespassing. Now specific consent must have been obtained.)

-Unlawful to ride on any public property, including city streets and right-of-ways. Obviously, this also includes parks, school property etc. If you see an ATV on a public street, or any park, it is illegal and the Sheriff should be called!

The State Law and City Ordinances are very straight-forward-ATV’s cannot be ridden on City Streets, right-of-ways, parks, or private property unless consent is obtained in advance.

As Spring approaches, we expect more violations and encourage residents to contact the Shelby County Sheriff of any violations. Provide as much information as possible. While a Deputy will respond as soon as possible, it is hard to catch violators “in the act”. However, calls will still enable the Sheriff Department to keep records of where violations are occurring and if a Deputy is in the area, there is a good chance they can catch the violator.

New Lakeland Sewer Plant starts

Construction has started on the new Lakeland Wastewater Treatment Plant. Construction is expected to take approximately 18 months.

The capacity of the plant is 2.25 million gallons per day (mgd) of wastewater, which will significantly increase the capacity of the current plant. (While the rated capacity of the exisitng plant is 1.0 mgd, to meet the discharge standards, the city operates the current plant at a lesser capacity to meet discharge standards.) The new plant is needed to meet Tennessee Department of Environmental Quality (TDEQ) regulations on treatment of wastewater. Treated wastewater from the plant is discharged into the Loosahatchie River.

The plant is not expected to increase sewer fees for Lakeland residents, other than a planned $1.00 per month fee increase every five years, which also includes the operational cost of the plant.

The City reviewed a number of options before deciding on this alternative. The alternatives included a decision on the size of the plant, location of the plant and a possible inter-local agreement to jointly build and operate a sewer treatment plant. The City decided on the current project after reviewing the alternatives.

One alternative considered was a joint plant with our neighboring cities, especially Arlington, since the Town of Arlington is also currently constructing a wastewater treatment plant. However, the cost of “pumping” the wastewater to the Arlington site, and the savings associated with the City being able to utilize the current site and parts of the current system, made the current project the most financially feasible alternative for Lakeland residents.

February Meeting Schedule changes

Due to the Presidents Day Holiday, the Municipal Planning Commission meeting has been rescheduled to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 21.

The Board of Commissioners Work Session has been rescheduled to Monday, February 27. The BOC Regular Meeting is still scheduled for Thursday, March 2.

City Directory?

A resident recently called and advised me that the last full "Lakeland City Directory" she could find had been published was in 1994 and asked if the City or any groups planned on creating a new Directory.

At the current time, I am not aware of any plans for a Lakeland City Directory. Some groups have discussed plans for a Lakeland phone directory, since BellSouth can't seem to locate Lakeland residents, but I believe the logistics of the task and privacy issues have made the task an overwhelming task.

I will appreciate any comments about the need for a Lakeland City Director. Obviously privacy issues are a major concern, as is the work and cost involved in such a Directory.

Commissioner Applications

Commissioner Matthew Beatty recently announced he will be resigning from the Board of Commissioners since he will be moving out of Lakeland.

The Board of Commissioners select a replacement for vacancies on the Board of Commissioners. If a selection is not made within 90 days, than an election is required.

Applications will be available on the City web sites, CityofLakeland.com and Lakelandtn.gov or at City Hall.

Applications must be submitted by April 14, 2006. The Board of Commissioners currently plan to interview all qualified applicants for the vacancy in order to insure that all interested persons are considered.

Applicants for the vacancy on the Board of Commissioners must be a Lakeland resident and a "qualified voter", which I understand means a registered voter.

Action Request available

An "Action Request" form is availabe at Lakelandtn.gov for reporting problems etc. The form may be filled out and it will be E-mailed to City Hall for action.

Of course, you may still E-mail City Hall at CityHall@lakelandtn.org or call 867-2717.

We will appreciate any comments about the Action Form. Please let me know if you like it, or don't like it, or have any suggestions for improvement.

City "brands"

Due to the wonders of “podcasts”, I was finally able to listen to Carol Coletta’s “Smart City” radio show. “Smart City” is produced by the local National Public Radio WKNO and is hosted by Memphis resident Carol Coletta.

“City Brands” was the topic of the first show I listened to. While it pertained to large cities, I felt it had a lot to do with our efforts at creating a “Lakeland identity”, and perhaps even be recognized by Bellsouth, the U.S. Postal Service etc.!

The guest, Simon Anholt, has compiled the “Anholt City Brands Index”. He bases this index on the following six measurements. The measures are:

-Presence (people’s perception of a city)

-Pulse (lifestyle, what is available)

-People (perceptions of the people by non-residents)

-Potential: (Opportunities)

-Place: (Perception of physical aspects of the City)

-Presence (infrastructure etc.)

Of course, these rankings would apply to Lakeland much differently than a larger city, since the six measurements would be defined much different than for a larger city. However, the measurements are a method of defining what we want the future Lakeland to look like and our measurement of the Lakeland of 2006.

These measurements are not determined by city officials or residents but are how we are judged as a community and exist in the minds of literally thousands of people, including people who just drive through Lakeland. Many people I meet still perceive of Lakeland as the place with the amusement park and drag strip!

However, I meet many more people who perceive of Lakeland as a wonderful place to live, work and visit.

Such criteria, while we probably will never actually measure it, can provide some guidance on how we plan for the future Lakeland

Business Visitation Programn

The City of Lakeland, in cooperation with the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce, is resuming the Business Visitation Program again. The visits include visiting with Lakeland businesses to get business owners and managers thoughts on how the City of Lakeland can assist businesses in Lakeland.

Letters are going out to advise businesses of the opportunity to make an appointment for a visit. However, interested businesses are encouraged not to wait, but to contact Nanette Smith at 867-2717 or at CityHall@CityofLakeland.org if you are interested in participating in the program immediately.

Take the interactive Park and Recreation Survey

Lakeland residents are encouraged to take the new Park and Recreation survey at:

http://www.lakelandtn.gov/government/survey.htm

This survey is sponsored by the Lakeland Park and Natural Resources Board. They will appreciate your input!

Recycle Scheduling changes

Allied Waste (BFI) is changing the recycle schedule to provide improved service on recyling pickup for Lakeland residents.

On Monday, January 30, 2006, Allied Waste will follow the normal schedule and collect recycling material from all Lakeland residents who put out recycling.

On Monday, February 6, 2006, Lakeland residents on the west side of Canada Road and west of Canada Road will have recycling picked up. (Customers in these areas will be receiving an orange notice from Allied Waste this week.)

The normal schedule for residents of these areas will be the First and Third Monday of each month.

On Monday, February 13, 2006, Lakeland residents on the east side of Canada Road, east of Canada Road, north of the Loosahatchie River and north of Highway 70 will have recycling picked up. (Customers in these areas will be receiving a yellow notice from Allied Waste this week.)

The normal schedule for residents of these areas will be the Second and Fourth Monday of each month.

The City will also post this schedule on Time Warner cable Channel 19 and city web pages.

January 30, 2006 BOC Retreat postponed

The BOC Retreat scheduled for Monday, January 30, 2006 has been postponed and will be rescheduled.

Schedule Changes EDC and BOA

Several schedule changes have been made for the Economic Development Commission and the Board of Appeals.

The Economic Development Commission meeting has been rescheduled to Tuesday, January 24, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting was rescheduled to avoid conflicting with the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce event on Thursday, January 26.

The Lakeland Board of Appeals meeting has been rescheduled to Tuesday, January 31, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.

Public Hearing Blog

All official Public Hearings will be posted on the Blog "LakelandPublicHearings.Blogspot.com". This will include Public Hearings by the Lakeland Board of Commissioners, Lakeland Municipal Planning Commission, Lakeland Design Review Commission, Lakeland Board of Appeals and the Lakeland Park Board/Natural Resources Board.

Major John Osborne Day is January 7, 2006

Mayor Carmichael and the Lakeland Commissioners proclaimed January 7, 2006 as "Major John Osborne Day" in the City of Lakeland in recognition of his service to his country in Iraq. Major Osborne was recently on leave at his Lakeland home and returned to Iraq on January 1 for four more months.

Mayor Carmichael and the Lakeland Commissioners also presented a Proclamation to Major Osbonre's wife, Julia Osborne, in recognition of the difficult job of being a military spouse who has to keep everything together while the spouse is serving the country.

January Schedule

The January Lakeland City Hall schedule includes the following changes:

-Monday, January 16, 2006: City Hall closed for Martin Luther King Day.

-Tuesday, January 17, 2006: The Lakeland Municipal Planning Commission meeting normally scheduled for Monday, January 16.

-Thursday, January 26, 2006: Lakeland Economic Development Commission time and place may be changed to coordinate with and support the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce Membership Kickoff and Mixer.

Shelby County Mayor Wharton is the scheduled speaker.

-Thursday, January 26, 2006: Plan to attend the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce Membership Kickoff and Mixer at the Club at Oakwood (5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.) with Mayor Wharton as the guest speaker. Reservations may be made on the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce web page. (www.LakelandChamberofCommerce.com)

The Lakeland Chamber is doing a great job of restarting the Lakeland Chamber. Plan to attend this Membership Kickoff, join the Chamber and hear our County Mayor speak and thank/show our appreciation to the the Lakeland Chamber officers and members for their hard work!

Information on membership and other events is on the Lakeland Chamber web page.

Lakeland Residents in Military?

The Lakeland Board of Commissioners want to recognize our Lakeland residents who are serving the Country in the military, especially those assigned to/returning from areas of military conflict.

Please notify us at CityHall@lakelandtn.org if you are, are aware of, Lakeland residents who are serving in the military.

We appreciate your assistance in helping us recognize and honor our residents who are serving the country in the military.

Fletcher Trace improvements planned

Plans to reconstruct Fletcher Trace from Davies Plantation to Highway 64 are complete, with final construction plans for bidding the project to be completed in the near future. The plans are for the road to be reconstructed with “traffic calming” techniques. Bike lanes are also incorporated into the new project.

The plans are for Fletcher Trace to be resurfaced, with new curb where necessary and ramps meeting guidelines for accessibility for persons with disabilities at each intersection. Traffic calming (speed reducing) techniques include medians, several speed humps, and curb extensions to narrow the road.

Speeding on Fletcher Trace is a major problem, and we are pleased that this project is getting close to reality. The new bike lanes will also add to the dedicated bike lanes in Lakeland.

The construction time frame is unknown at this time, depending on funding, but it is expected that construction will begin in 2006 on at least the first phase of the project.

The plans are available at City Hall, 10001 Highway 70, for review by the public. City Hall hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Comprehensive Plan Update

Many Lakeland residents mentioned a “small town” or a “rural” atmosphere as an important goal for Lakeland in our public meetings on the Comprehensive Plan.

I recently heard “small town” or “rural” atmosphere defined as a “sense of community”, and, to me, that does have a definite meaning.

While we continue to be hampered by a lack of a ZIP Code, Post Office, downtown area, phone listing etc, and, to some degree as a result of this, a lack of identity as “Lakeland”, I feel Lakeland residents do have a “sense of community”. Many residents are active in community civic organizations and neighborhood organizations that provide a sense of community. As I have mentioned before, I feel that Lakeland residents are much more active in our community than many other communities.

The major update of the Lakeland Comprehensive Plan will soon be finalized. The Comprehensive Plan will provide guidance for the location of parks, streets, commercial land uses, public buildings (such as fire stations etc.)the types of housing etc. are located and otherwise will have a major impact on the future of Lakeland and will have a major impact on the future “identity” and “sense of community” in Lakeland.

The final meetings on the update of the Comprehensive Plan are starting, with the Lakeland Municipal Planning Commission scheduled to hear a presentation on the update to the Comprehensive Plan at their regular meeting at 6:30 p.m., Monday, December 19 at City Hall. The MPC is expected to request recommendations from the Lakeland Board of Commissioners, with final action expected by the MPC in early 2006.

I encourage all Lakeland residents to attend at least one of these meetings, or look at the information on www.CityofLakeland.com (click on the 2005 Comprehensive Plan Update tab) and review the latest update of the Comprehensive Plan.

December Schedule Changes

Due to the holidays, the Lakeland Board of Commissioners Work Session is Tuesday, December 20, rather than Monday, December 26.

The Economic Development Commission December meeting has been cancelled.

City Hall will be closed Friday, December 23 and Monday, December 26 for the Christmas Holidays.

Lakeland Parade this Saturday

Make plans to attend the Lakeland Parade at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 3, and stay around to do your Christmas shopping (and eating) in Lakeland!

The Lakeland Station (formally the Belz Outlet Mall) has a wide variety of shopping and other areas of Lakeland also have excellent shopping opportunities. Lakeland also has a a variety to eating establishments and the new, remodeled Kroger store is a pleasure for grocery shopping!

Remember that your sales taxes for purchases in Lakeland benefit both the City of Lakeland and the Shelby County Schools. The City and the Shelby County Schools each receive 50% of the 2 1/4% local option sales tax.

Shop in Lakeland for presonal service, a wide selection and also help your local City and Schools!

Jim Atkinson earns AICP Certification!

Congratulations to Jim Atkinson, the Lakeland City Planner and Deputy Growth Management Director for obtaining his American Institute of Certified Planners Certification!

The AICP certification is the recognized professional designation for professional Planners, and is roughly the equal to the Professional Engineer (P.E.) for Engineers.

We are pleased that both of our professional planning personnel have the AICP Certification. J. Higbee had his designation when he came to Lakeland, and Jim Atkinson just passed his exam for the AICP certification on November 17, 2005!

On the engineering side, both City Engineer Karen Jarrett and Public Works Director Chris Masin have earned the Professional Engineer (P.E.) designation! Natural Resource Director Eric Bridges is certified as both a Forester and an Arborist.

The AICP certification is awarded by the American Planning Association and certifies that the Planner has passed the tough AICP exam, and has met at least minimum standards regarding education and experience.

The AICP certification also requires that the Planner maintain continuing education to maintain the AICP certification. (J. Higbee is currently earning continuing education credits to maintain his AICP certification.)

We are proud of Jim Atkinson, J. Higbee, Karen Jarrett, Eric Bridges and Chris Masin on their obtaining these important career achievements.

Leadership Lakeland 2006

I hope all Lakeland residents (or non-residents) will consider enrolling in the 2006 Leadership Lakeland program. Applications and information are available at Lakeland City Hall, 10001 Highway 70, call 867-2717 or E-mail CityHall@lakelandtn.org.

Leadership Lakeland will help you in your business, your work, your community, your church, or any organization, help you know yourself better, and, to top it off, it is fun!

To insure a quality experience, positions are limited, so apply today! A schedule has just been released. A summary of activities is noted below.

Leadership Lakeland Program Schedule

January Retreat/Orientation Day (Thursday, January 21)

January Class #1 Introduction to Lakeland (Thursday, Jan 26)

February Class #1 Lakeland’s Guiding Documents - (Thursday, February 9)

February Class #2 – How to run an effective meeting – (Thursday, Feb. 23)

March Class #1 – Education in Lakeland – (Thursday March 2)

IN MARCH OR APRIL – PARTICIPANTS ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND A COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING AND SUBMIT A REFLECTION PAPER ON THEIR EXPERIENCE.

March Class #2 – Public Works and How a Subdivision Comes to Be
(Thursday, March 23)

Workshop – Saturday April 1st – Strategic Planning Workshop - required for LL participants – invitations will go to Boards and Civic Clubs and Organizations. Person in Charge – Stephanie. Gerrit will be the presenter for this workshop.

April Class #1 Police and Fire Protection/Code Enforcement (Thurs April 13)

April Class #2 – Lakeland’s Natural Resources (Thursday April 27)


May Class #1 – Putting it all together – Presentation of Class Projects
Date: May 11th


GRADUATION: May 23rd (tentatively) at Club Windward

Power outage Wednesday, November 16, 2005

An accident on Highway 70 disrupted power to City Hall for several hours Wednesday afternoon. The power outage also has disrupted phone service. The power outage also damaged the voice mail system so we are unable to access voice mails until repairs are made.

If you called Wednesday afternoon and the phone "just rang", please call again. If you left a voice mail and it is not returned, please call again!

November/December Schedule

Holiday schedule for the City of Lakeland includes the following changes:

-Thursday, November 24 & Friday, November 25: City Hall closed for Thanksgiving Holidays

-Saturday, December 3, 2005: Remember the Lakeland Holiday Parade!

-Tuesday, December 20, 2005: Rescheduled BOC Work Session (Rescheduled from the normal date of Monday, December 26)

-Economic Development Commission meeting canceled for December

-Friday, December 23 and Monday, December 26: City Hall closed for Christmas Holidays

-Monday, January 2, 2005: City Hall closed for New Year Day Holiday

-

Lakeland City Agenda's on Blog

Lakeland City agendas for Boards and Commissions are now available at lakelandmeetingagendas.blogspot.com. Agenda's will be posted on the day they are posted at City Hall.

The Blog will include meeting agenda's for the Board of Commissioners, Municipal Planning Commission, Design Review Commission, Park & Recreation Board, Natural Resources Board, Economic Development Commission and the Board of Appeals.

Meeting summaries will also be posted at Lakelandmeetingsummaries.blogspot.com. Meeting summaries are informal summaries of actions taken and not official minutes. Official minutes (after formal approval) are planned to be posted at Lakelandmeeting minutes.blogspot.com.

We will review this on a regular basis and will appreciate any comments or suggestions.

Shelby County Schools

I recently received a copy of the Shelby County Schools "System Report Card". Congratulations to the Shelby County teachers, students and administrators on the "best ever" report card!

It truly is an excellent report! All areas are "exemplary" or "above average", and improvement is shown in all areas, including attendance and the number of students who drop out. I think the fact that the students improved in all areas is especially significant considering that most of the scores were already excellent.

Shelby County Schools addes an important element to our community and we appreciate the hard work and dedication involved in these excellent results.

Some demographics from the Report are that there are 44,868 students and 2,581 teachers. The PTA is also active in that 43,733 persons are members.

Funding of Shelby County Schools is 47.8% local, 45.8% state and 6.4% federal.

Considering the excellent "Report Card", Shelby County Schools appear to be very effective, since the Shelby County Schools "per pupil expenditures" is $7,007, versus an average of $7,366 for the state and $9,102 nationally.

Existing Business Visitation program-Tell us what you think!

The City of Lakeland (Economic Development Commission), Lakeland Chamber of Commerce and the Memphis Chamber of Commerce are cooperating in a program to visit each Lakeland business and ask what is good and bad about Lakeland and how Lakeland can assist our existing businesses.

Nanette Smith, Administrative Planning Coordinator, is coordinating and conducting the visits with the assistance of the Memphis Chamber of Commerce. Nanette has completed several Lakeland business visits and has received some excellent feedback.

We encourage all business persons to be honest, both in the positives and negatives, on doing business in Lakeland. We want to listen and make recommend changes as appropriate to make Lakeland a better and more profitable place four our existing businesses!

The City is sending notices to individual businesses on a phased periodic basis. If you don’t or haven’t gotten a letter, and wish a visit in the near future, contact Lakeland City Hall to schedule a visit. We want your input!

If you have comments, suggestions or recommendations on any aspect of the City of Lakeland, of course you are encouraged to contact us at any time.

Lakeland Wastewater Treatment Plant

Bids on a new Lakeland Wastewater Treatment Plant are being opened on Tuesday, November 22.

The new Lakeland Wastewater Treatment Plant is planned for the same location as the existing wastewater treatment plant. The plant is designed for a permitted capacity of 2.3 million gallons, versus the current capacity of 1.0 million gallons. Due to changes in the state requirements for treatment of wastewater, a new wastewater treatment plant would have been required whether Lakeland had any growth or not.

The Lakeland Sewer System is operated as an “Enterprise Fund” and is a separate entity from the City. All Sewer System expenses are paid by Lakeland Sewer System customers. The “Lakeland Board of Sewerage Commission” is the oversight Board for the Lakeland Sewer System. The members of the Lakeland Board of Commissioners are also the members of the Lakeland Board of Sewerage Commission.

Best of all, financial forecasts indicate that only a $1.00 increase every five years in sewer fees will be necessary to repay the loan on the new Wastewater Treatment Plant. Growth and development fees will pay the remainder of the costs of the new plant. Of course, we hope these forecasts are correct!

Bids (and possible alternatives to a new wastewater treatment plant) will be considered at the December 1, 2005 Board of Commissioners/Sewerage Commission Regular Meeting.

My "extra" hour

I like take the time to reflect on the day when Daylight Savings Time “ends” and I get an “extra” hour. I especially enjoy the “fall back” extra hour, and several years ago, I decided to use the extra hour to reflect on the year, and what I want for the year ahead. (I decided to do this when I was starting to feel like I used the extra hour in deciding what to do with the extra hour!)

Uncle Wayne’s passing was still on my mind, and I thought about our recent visit to north-central Kansas for my Uncle Wayne’s funeral services. On the way up, we listened to Tim Russert’s book concerning his memories of his father. His father, like my Uncle Wayne, was a member of the “Greatest Generation”, having been in World War II and being a part of that generation. It was a very appropriate book for the drive and help me reflect on Uncle Wayne and the influence of him and his generation on our culture and society and especially the importance of every resident and how one resident can have such an impact, especially in a smaller community.

(While up in Concordia, Kansas, we went out into the early morning for a walk with a 51 degree temperature, and suddenly I remembered one reason I like Tennessee! 51 degrees in Lakeland, Tennessee is much better than 51 degrees (with the wind) in Concordia, Kansas!)

I think my experience in Lakeland and my reflections on the impact of the “Greatest Generation” emphasize the importance of citizen input in local government. So many times, we have been able to improve because a resident cared enough to contact us and advise us of a problem, concern or suggestion.

YOU may have the thought, suggestion or comment that will dramatically improve Lakeland. Let us know!

Reflections on my fourth Anniversary in Lakeland

11/1/05 marks the beginning of my fifth year in Lakeland. It has been a rewarding four years, as we have enjoyed living and working in Lakeland. I am amazed to look back and realize it has been four years since I started!

Along with other Lakeland residents, I have seen a lot of changes. I have especially enjoyed working with Lakeland residents, the members of the Lakeland Boards and Commissions and the Lakeland City employees. I find Lakeland residents to be more knowledgeable and more active than other cities and this makes the job especially rewarding.

I can say without exception that the Lakeland Board of Commissioners appreciates citizen input at meetings! They (and city staff) appreciate your words of appreciation, as well as your words of concern or criticism.

We REALLY don’t know how you are feeling unless you tell us! Don’t hesitate to attend a meeting of any Board or Commission, pickup the phone and call us or E-mail us! We do listen and we do respond to your concerns and requests. If we don’t, let us know so we can improve.

Board of Commissioners November Work Session changed

Since the regular Board of Commissioners Work Session conflicts with the Municipal Planning Commission Regular Meeting (November 21), the Board of Commissioners changed the November BOC Work Session to Tuesday, November 15, 2005.

Time to change Smoke Detector Battery

If you haven't already done so, now is the time to change your smoke detector battery if you have a battery smoke detector or to test your smoke detector.

If you haven't changed your clocks/watches etc. one hour forward, now is definitely the time to do so!

Lakeland Board and Commission openings

COMMUNITY LEADERS NEEDED - VOLUNTEER NOW!

The Lakeland Board of Commissioners is accepting applications from Lakeland residents willing to serve in the following volunteer positions:

Lakeland Board of Appeals (BOA) one vacancy. The BOA hears appeals on variances and other specified matters, normally planning oriented. This board meets “as needed” at 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month.

Lakeland Design Review Commission (DRC) three vacancies. The DRC reviews the design, sign, lighting, and landscaping plans of commercial businesses. The DRC currently meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month.

Lakeland Economic Development Commission (EDC) two vacancies. The EDC is charged with developing a City environment conducive to the recruitment and retention of businesses. The EDC serves as a liaison between the City, its businesses, and the citizens of Lakeland. The EDC currently meets at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month.

Lakeland Parks and Recreation Board/Lakeland Natural Resources Board (PRB/NRB) three vacancies. The PRB reviews and recommends park development plans, recreation programs and recommends locations of new parks. The NRB considers matters and makes recommendations related to the conservation of natural resources. The PRB/NRB meets on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.

"Vacancies" includes current members who are eligible for and may apply for reappointment for another term.

For additional information or application, contact City Hall by phone at 867-2717, by email: cityhall@lakelandtn.org, or visit the City’s website at www.cityoflakeland.com. Applications are being received until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, November 28, 2005

Lakeland Wastewater Treatment Plant

The City of Lakeland is accepting bids on construction of a new Wastewater Treatment Plant until November 22, 2005. (The original bid date of November 14 is being extended to November 22 to obtain more competitive bids.)

The Wastewater Treatment Plant is planned for the same location as the existing plant to minimize costs.

Current plans are for the new plant to go into operation in 2007 in time for the City to comply with Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) regulations on water quality entering the Loosahatchie River.

Environmental Violations

Environmental violations in Lakeland may be reported by calling City Hall at 867-2717, E-mailing CityHall@lakelandtn.org or stopping by City Hall.

Basically environmental violations include items such as excessive junk, disabled/derelict vehicles, high grass/weeds, recreational vehicles/boats etc. parked in the front yard etc. We also appreciate reports on erosion control violations, hazards etc. Residents are encouraged to call or e-mail if they have any questions about what constitutes a violation.

All violation reports are independently investigated by City personnel to determine if a violation exists. If it is determined that there is a violation, the resident or business or contractor is contacted and advised of the violation and provided time to correct the violations. If the violation is not corrected, further action will depend on the type of violation.

Persons reporting violations do not need to provide their names etc., although it may be helpful in investigating the problem.

FREE Household Hazardous Waste

From 8:30 am. to 2:00 p.m., Saturday, November 5, 2005, household hazardeous waste will be collected FREE at the Fairgrounds parking lot behind Fairview Jr. High, next to the former site of the Tim McCarver Stadium (on Early Maxwell Blvd off Central Avenue).

Generally items such as electronics (including computers, tv's, printers etc.), automotive/marine products; paint products, home, lawn and garden products (including pesticides etc.) and miscellaneous such as pool chemicals, aerosols, medicine, compressed gas etc. will be accepted.

Commerical businesses are NOT allowed.

Items not accepted include ammunition, explosives, medical waste, radioative material etc.

Items MUST be in a vehicle. Enter Early Maxwell off Central, stay in line and remain in your vehicle. Personnel at the site will remove the material.

The event is sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Enviornment and Conservation and the City of Memphis.

Take advantage of this opportunity to get rid of your old computers, printers, paint, chemicals etc. you haven't bee able to figure out what to do with and make Lakeland a safer place!

Donations for IH Clubhouse

We appreciate donations from the Lakeland Civic Club, the Lakeland Lions Club, the Garner Lake Association and the Lakeland Estates Homeowners Association to improve the lighting at the IH Clubhouse.

The Lakeland Civic Club took the lead role in raising the funds for this project, and we appreciate their efforts.

The project will be completed in the near future.

We are reviewing needs of the IH Clubhouse (including air conditioning etc.) and plan to continue making improvements to the Clubhouse.

The Community is fortuate to have the IH Clubhouse and we are looking at ways to improve and preserve this important resource.

Thoughts on the passing of Uncle Wayne and conversations with Angela

Uncle Wayne passed away early this morning (Sunday, October 16). With his passing, the majority of the generation I always viewed as the “older generation” in my family are gone and I am probably now part of the actual “older” generation of our family.

By chance, I was talking with my daughter about Uncle Wayne passing, and she happened to mention she had passed through a town we had lived in years ago, and she commented how shabby and rundown the town now appeared. She mentioned the houses appeared rundown, the streets and parks were in disrepair, and even some of what were considered the town landmarks and identity features are rundown and not maintained.

This started me thinking of two important trends that I feel affect communities:

1. Everything changes. What I considered the “older generation” is no longer involved in many of the events of our lives. No matter how much we want to stop the clock or change, we can’t.

2. Everything changes, but the actions of the current generation(s) currently involved shape the change, and so their/our actions are important.

For example, Uncle Wayne was involved in many community organizations and activities that are still strong in his community today because of his leadership and work. He died near the flowers he loved (he mowed his own year until last summer and activities nutured the flowers) and in the house they lived in for over 60 years. He contributed substantially in his time and money to his Church, which is still an active institution in his community. Another Uncle had a learning disabled child, and, due to my Aunt and his efforts, the community now has a strong “sheltered workshop” that will be there to assist future parents and children.

I could note a lot more of their actions and how they contributed and helped pass on a better “human infrastructure” for their communities. Both of their communities are strong, vibrant communities, while other communities literally waste away and become shabby shadows of the past. While certainly a lot of other factors impact this, active residents contributing to the community infrastructure (human, social and physical), are a significant factor in the sustained success of a community.

One of the goals of Lakeland is for “sustainability” and this permeates many of the decisions of the City and the Lakeland Boards and Commissions. I think when I think of major actions by the Lakeland Community, I think of “Leadership Lakeland”, an effort to develop “sustainability” and provide the leadership infrastructure for the future changes Lakeland faces. I’m sure that today’s Lakeland Leaders and residents do not want to come back (or look back) years from now and find that the Lakeland of today has diminished to where the community could be considered in “disrepair” or could not sustain itself.

These are some thoughts I had on hearing of Uncle Wayne’s passing and considering his accomplishments followed by my conversation with my daughter. I think the key is developing “community leadership” structure that can deal with the future change of the community.

Applications for appointment to Boards and Commissions will be taken by the Board of Commissioners in the near future. These Boards and Commissions are extremely important to the future of Lakeland, as they carry on and pass on the traditions of quality and sustainability to future generations.

However, many people do not have the time, or ability, or desire to serve on City Boards and Commissions. In reality very few people can or do serve on Boards and Commissions, but they find other valuable roles to fulfill in the community. I feel it is equally valuable that our residents maintain and pass on the concept of good citizenship, caring about the community and doing what you can to maintain and pass on the community to future generations as a better place.

I feel it is important for residents to coach or assist in recreational programs for our children, call City Hall if you have strong feelings about a city policy, practice “being a good neighbor” and participate in community activities if you can maintain and improve them for future generations.

While Uncle Wayne took life seriously, he also knew how to have fun. As a professional photographer (we have few pictures of him since he was always taking the pictues!), he knew how to "break the ice" and always had a funny story or an unusual gadget to impress both the adults and the children.

We'll miss Uncle Wayne, and will remember him and I know his community will also remember him as an active steward of the community resouces for future generations.

Halloween "Trick or treating" Monday, October 31

We receive many phone calls asking the day for the Halloween tradition of children dressing up in costumes and going “trick or treating” in the community. We try to maintain the same night as other cities. After checking with other cities, Monday, October 31, appears to be THE night for going “treating”.

Where NOT to put leaves, grass and tree debris!

We urge all residents to avoid throwing leaves/grass/tree debris in the street or, even worse, throwing it over your back fence.

Leaves, grass and tree debris create major problems for our storm drainage system and pollute our streams and lakes. Grass clippings and leaves etc. thrown over the back fence or on vacant property can create major pollution and drainage problems for your neighbors when the clippings and leaves wash down to their property.

BFI will pick up all grass clippings, leaves and tree debris when properly bagged or prepared. I urge all residents to use the BFI service you already pay for and avoid fines and damages to private and public storm water drains by disposing of leaves, grass clippings and tree debris improperly.

Putting bags of leaves, grass clippings or tree debris on the city street surface is illegal and dangerous to other motorists, pedestrians and bike riders.

Please take the time to dispose of these items correctly!

Jennifer Church is exhibiting in a return art showing at Lakeland City Hall’s “Art in City Hall” program. She has an all new show, and I encourage all residents to stop by and view her art.

Additional art by Jennifer Church can be viewed at her web site http://www.jenchurch.com/. Personally, I enjoy her art and feel this showing demonstrates the variety of her skills. After her first showing at City Hall, I really become fond of one painting, but never quite fond enough to purchase it. When I heard she was bring a return showing, I thought I may get another chance to consider purchasing the painting, but apparently it has found another home!

If you have an opportunity, I encourage you to stop by and see the Art Show!

What is the "Vector Control Fee" on my MLGW Bill?

By action of the Shelby County Commission, all County residents (include municipal residents) recently started paying .75 per household per month for “vector control”. The .75 is charged on the MLGW monthly bill.

The City of Lakeland has had it’s own mosquito spraying/control program for several years and apparently have been somewhat successful, since we have not tested positive for any viruses (such as West Nile), according to the Shelby County Health Department.

The Vector Control program is much more than mosquitoes. The Shelby County web site (www.shelbycountytn.gov) defines “vectors” as “small animals or Arthropods, which spread disease causing organisms (that) cause discomfort to the human population and domestic animals”.

Specific examples are mosquitoes, rats, flies, fleas, ticks and spiders and certain stinging insects.

The Shelby County Vector Control program will include both information and actions such as continually monitoring and spraying etc. An intensive program is being planned.

We checked with the Shelby County Health Department on mosquito spraying for Lakeland, and no spraying is scheduled until next year. Mosquito spraying will slow down and stop as the weather cools and will start again next spring. Other programs are currently being planned, with emphasis on mosquito control, and especially preventing rabies in dogs and cats.

New Lakeland Flag

A new Lakeland Flag is available to display our pride in Lakeland. The Lakeland Civic Club designed several designs for review by the Board of Commissioners and the Board selected a design with the Lakeland Seal on a royal blue background.

A picture of the new City flag and order forms are available at the City web site http://www.cityoflakeland.com. or from the Lakeland Civic Club.

We appreciate the dedication and efforts of the Lakeland Civic Club in designing and making up three versions of possible flags for review by the Board of Commissioners. If you are interested in a Lakeland flag, this is the time to order it!

Lakeland Chamber of Commerce active again!

All Lakeland residents and businesses are encouraged to attend the upcoming Lakeland Chamber of Commerce events. The Lakeland Chamber of Commerce “After Hours Quarterly Mixer” is scheduled for 5:00 p.m., Thursday, October 13, at the Oakwood Clubhouse in the Oakwood Addition.

The next monthly meeting is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., on Thursday, November 10 at the Stonebridge Clubhouse.

Mark your calendars now for these dates and times so you can attend and greet and meet Lakeland residents and Lakeland business persons!

The Lakeland Chamber of Commerce meetings were started again due to the hard work of several Lakeland residents and business persons. I started to list names etc., but quickly decided I had better not, lest I forget someone!

Additional information is available at the Chamber web site, http://www.lakelandchamberofcommerce.com/ or e-mail rsvp@lakelandchamberofcommerce.com .

An active Chamber is important for the community, and I encourage all residents and business persons to attend these Chamber events and joining the Lakeland Chamber and supporting our Lakeland businesses.

Lakeland Boards and Commissions Applications being accepted

An excellent way to serve the Lakeland community and “make a difference” in the Lakeland community is to serve on any of the Boards and Commissions appointed by the Board of Commissioners.

Lakeland Boards and Commissions are very important in the development of the Lakeland Community and take meaningful action in a variety of areas including planning and development, parks and recreation, trees and natural resources, review of commercial designs, economic development, and consideration and appoval of variances.

Several vacancies on Boards and Commissions appointed by the Lakeland Board of Commissioners are expected to be considered for appointments at the October 6, 2005 BOC meeting, and more appointments are expected in December.

The BOC normally appoints members of Boards and Commissions in December for terms of from one to three years, depending on the Board or Commission and available vacancies. Persons appointed would be eligible for reappointment to a normal term.

Current vacancies exist or are expected on the Municipal Planning Commission (members are appointed by the Mayor); Design Review Commission (members are appointed by a majority vote of the BOC); Design Review Commission, Economic Development Commission and the Park/Natural Resource Board (members are appointed by a majority vote of the BOC). A complete listing and explanation of duties of each Board or Commission is available at www.cityoflakeland.com.

Additional information and Applications are available by calling Lakeland City Hall, 867-2717. E-mailing CityHall@lakelandtn.org, or stopping by City Hall at 10001 Highway 70, Lakeland. If you have applied before and were not appointed, your currrent application will be considered or you may submit a new application. If you wish to check if your applicaton is still on file, phone, E-mail or visit City Hall.

Oath of Office Ceremony 5:30 p.m. Thursday, October 6

All Lakeland residents are invited to meet the new Lakeland Commissioners this Thursday as they take their Oath of Office at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, October 6 at Lakeland City Hall.

Mayor Carmichael is, I believe, the first Mayor to serve two terms since the election of Mayor was changed to direct election by voters from the previous method of election by the Commissioners.

Commissioners Clark Plunk and Matthew Beatty will also take their Oath of Office as Commissioners. Both completed the Leadership Lakeland program this Spring, as part of the first graduating Leadership Lakeland class.

The BOC Regular Meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. after the Oath of Office ceremony. There will be a reception lasting after the Oath of Office until the start of the Regular Meeting to provide time for visiting and greeting.

Personal Strengths exercise

As I mentioned previously, I recently read a book that emphasized we need to work on improving our “strengths” and managing our weaknesses, rather than spend a lot of time on improving our weaknesses, since when you build on your “strengths” you actually get more “payback” than when you spend your time trying to improving in your weak areas. The book emphasizes you need to manage or compensate for your weaknesses, but the important goal is to “know yourself”.

I read the book in preparation for a session at a conference. I also took the test to determine my “strengths”. Of 34 character traits, I ranked highest in “Input”. I am sure there are a number of books with this theory out there that give different names to each character trait, but this book defined the “Input” trait as “inquisitive”, a “collector of information or even tangible objects that interest the person”.

At the conference, all of the persons with “Input” as their highest “strength” sat at the same table and talked. I was amazed! Everyone at the table had the following characteristics:

-Felt like they missed something if they didn’t read the newspaper each morning. (I normally read two daily newspapers, and will read three or more if I have the time. I deliberately don’t subscribe to home delivery, because I know having to read the newspaper will provide the incentive for my morning walk to read the newspaper!)

All of us also admitted to subscribing to more magazines than we had time to read, and reading 3 or 4 books at the same time.

-I have always probably enjoyed “planning” trips and getting information about locale, sometimes more than I actually enjoyed the trip! I was pleased that everyone at the table had the same characteristic!

-Almost everyone at the table admitted to either setting up (or trying to set up) a filing system to collect clippings and stray information. I don’t collect “things” so much, but I did have to admit to my collection of Hot Wheels, t-shirts etc. (My wife, Aliene, would probably advise you that my statement I don’t collect “things” is an incorrect statement when she works around my magazines, books, hats, and stacks of information I keep around the house. Actually, I am much better than I used to be about discarding items.)

For those of you who have read the book, of similar books, besides “Input”, my other top five traits were “Developer”, “Learner”, “Positivity” and “Strategic”.

The book and session were an interesting exercise, and I have been discussing it with other City personnel to determine how we can better work together by working on our strengths.

I haven’t mentioned the book title, since I don’t feel it is appropriate to appear to be endorsing a specific book and I’m sure there are a number of such books out there. Also, this specific book only has a “unique” number and you can take the Internet test only one time. The web site then encourages you to purchase very expensive programs to examine the program further, and I simply don’t like such techniques. However, I did find the book and session to be an excellent investment of time and it was certainly an interesting and enlightening exercise.

Work on strong points rather than weak points?

I am reading a book that suggests rather than attempting to improve on your weak areas, you should try to improve your strong areas and learn to manage or compensate for your weak areas. The concept is that you gain more by working on your strong points and making yourself stronger than you do on trying to improve your weak areas.

The book further extends this to organizations, suggesting that many organizations emphasize improving weak areas of personnel rather than utilizing and improving the strengths of personnel and placing personnel in positions where they strengths are best utilized rather than expecting them to improve their weak areas to fit the job tasks.

While I am still thinking about this, it seems to make sense. I am aware of my weak points, at least think I am aware of my strong points, and probably I spend more time on trying to improve my weak points, while I should be looking for a way to compensate for my weak areas (such as finding someone who has a strength in my weak areas) and improve on my strong areas where the “return for effort” may be much greater!

In thinking about this, I think it can be extended to the Lakeland community. We have many fine organizations that provide specific community services based on their strong points.

I thought about this while reading the recent Qnet and noting that the community civic groups, such Lakeland Civic Club and Lakeland Lions Club have activities scheduled that both involve and benefit the community in areas where the City of Lakeland, individuals or even businesses would not be able to provide. Neighborhood Associations also provide strength to a community by services they can provide to both the residents and the community.

On another post, I am mentioning some vacancies in Boards and Commissions appointed by the Board of Commissioners. These Boards and Commissions review, discuss and provide recommendations to the Board of Commissioners on vital issues that affect the future of our community. Some residents are very qualified to serve on the Boards and Commissions and I hope you will apply. Other residents may find their strong points are in other areas, and that is fine also because all of the organizations in Lakeland contribute to a stronger and more vital Lakeland.

The appointments which may be made in October will be for only several months, but the Board of Commissioners will be making more appointments, for periods of from one to three years, in December.

I’d appreciate your thoughts on focusing on improving strengths rather than focusing on your weak areas, while, of course, managing your weak areas by various methods both for individuals, organizations and the community.

Help protect our Right of Ways!

There are several U.S. congressional initiatives to strip the power to regulate street and public right-of-way management from cities and counties and allow communication and utility companies to do as they want on public right-of-ways. Our elected representatives are only hearing from the supporters of the legislation (utilities, communication companies etc.), so it is important that residents contact our elected representatives and insist that the City of Lakeland have the right to regulate our right of ways.

We have all seen the results of utilities running over cities and using the right of ways as they see fit.

Passage of any of these bills would create the situation for telephone and cable companies to run willy-nilly over the rights of citizens with the resulting drainage problems, street damage, trees ripped out etc. creating substantial expenses and damage to the City and our natural environment. While the franchise payments are also a concern, our first concern is that cities and counties would lose the right to regulate the right of ways and maintain a safe environment for residents.

We would have more un-repaired and damaged streets and sidewalks, drainage problems, destroyed trees and pits from poorly backfilled trenches than we even have thought about not. (Actually, our main utility, MLGW, is trying very hard to work with us on complying with our regulations and standards, but all of this progress would be lost with the passage of any of these bills as outside companies would have the right to use our right of ways without sufficient oversight.)

A recent E-Mail from the Tennessee Municipal League emphasizes the problem. I have reprinted it below for your information and action.

On Sept. 6 members of Congress returned to Washington after an August
recess. It is anticipated that a push to mandate national franchising
of cable and video services will again be underway.

A number of bills previously introduced in Congress will be the
Vehicle used in these efforts. This push to establish national franchising would significantly alter or eliminate a local government's ability to manage streets and sidewalks, provide for public safety, enhance competition, and collect compensation for private use of public land.

Most damaging is S. 1504, the "Broadband Investment and Consumer Choice
Act," a wholesale rewrite of the Communications Act introduced on July
27, 2005, by Senator John Ensign (R-Nev.). This bill will eliminate or
nationalize the cable and video franchising process, depriving local
governments of an important mechanism to manage and receive
compensation for the use of public rights-of-way. Below is a detailed analysis of this legislation:

The bill would immediately do away with all existing local franchise
agreements. The new provisions would be applicable to all video service
providers, both existing cable companies and new entrants.
Although the bill retains the current five percent gross revenue cap on
franchise fees, it limits the revenues from these fees in two ways: 1)
by limiting these fees to the cost of managing the rights-of-way; and 2) providing four-and-a-half pages of exceptions to what can be included in the gross revenue costs, gutting existing contractual agreements.

The bill prohibits municipalities from charging fees for issuing
construction permits needed to install or upgrade facilities.
Video providers would be required to offer only four public educational
And governmental (PEG) channels, far below what many communities utilize today.

The municipal broadband provisions would impose additional layers of
bureaucracy and procedure on local government and hamper broadband
deployment.

The bill would remove the law that ensures cell phone towers, like all
Other towers, are subject to local zoning laws. (my emphasis-RW)

In addition, H.R. 3146 introduced by Congresswoman Blackburn (R-TN) and
S.1349 by Congressman Wynn (D-MD) are both entitled the "Video Choice
Act."Similar to S. 1504, these bills also attempt to nationalize the
Franchising process of cable and video services. Though not as restrictive as S. 1504,these bills continue to strip local control. Listed below is a summary of the bills:

Without a franchise agreement, many of the important mechanisms that
Local government uses to manage their rights-of-way, ensure competition for everyone, and collect franchise fees are eliminated.
The bills do not allow local government to obtain support funding for
Public educational and governmental (PEG) channels or to obtain Institutional networks for local government needs such as fire, police, or other government workers.

While the bills prohibit economic redlining against poorer citizens,
They remove any enforcement of the provision.

Congressional offices are only hearing from supporters of this issue.
Please make your senator or representative aware of your municipality's
opposition to any legislation that would alter or eliminate the local
control over franchising of cable and video services. Below are
contact numbers for their Washington offices:

Tennessee Congressional Delegation

Sen. Lamar Alexander
Phone: 202-224-4944
Fax: 202-228-3398

Rep. Harold Ford Jr.
Phone: 202-225-3265
Fax: 202-225-5663

Sen. Bill Frist
Phone: 202-224-3344
Fax: 202-228-1264

Rep. Bart Gordon
Phone: 202-225-4231
Fax: 202-225-6887

Rep. Marsha Blackburn
Phone: 202-225-2811
Fax: 202-225-3004

Rep. Bill Jenkins
Phone: 202-225-6356
Fax: 202-225-5714

Rep. Jim Cooper
Phone: 202-225-4311
Fax: 202-226-1035

Rep. John Tanner
Phone: 202-225-4714
Fax: 202-225-1765

Rep. Lincoln Davis
Phone: 202-225-6831
Fax: 202-226-5172

Rep. Zach Wamp
Phone: 202-225-3271
Fax: 202-225-3494

Rep. John J. Duncan Jr.
Phone: 202-225-5435
Fax: 202-225-6440


MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD-CALL, E-MAIL OR FAX THEM AND ASK THEM TO VOTE AGAINST THESE BILLS AND PROTECT OUR RIGHT TO LOCALLY MANAGE OUR PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS!

Schedule Changes

Some date and time changes by the Lakeland Board of Commissioners in the near future are:

-The Board of Commissioners Work Session, normally held on Monday, September 26, will be held on Thursday, September 29.

-The Oath of Office to the Mayor and two Commissioners will be at 5:30 p.m., on Thursday, October 6 to allow time for the formal Oath of Office and for mingling. The Regular Meeting will start at 6:30 p.m.

-The Town Hall Meeting will be at 5:30, Monday, October 24, rather than the normal time of 5:30 p.m., Thursday, October 1.

Blog Bug

I need to explain that, due to a mysterious “bug” in may wireless setup, I cannot directly write to the “blog” without my internet connection shutting down for a while. To avoid this, I need to write the post and then actually transfer it to another computer to post it. So far the problem is only with the wireless connection.

That is the reason it may seem I have a lot of posts at the same time! Hopefully I can get the problem resolved and spread out the posts on a more consistent basis.

Lakeland Existing Business Visitation program

Lakeland businesses will have the opportunity to “speak out” in the near future as part of a program to personally meet with all existing Lakeland businesses to develop a local database of problems or challenges involved in doing business in Lakeland, and to provide information on programs available to assist businesses.

Lakeland businesses will receive a letter to schedule an appointment over the next several months. To provide for a quality visit, letters are being sent to approximately ten businesses at a time, so the program will actually continue over a period of about six months. If you own or manage a business and wish a visit sooner, please advise us!

Persons making appointments will identify themselves as either with the City of Lakeland, Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, Lakeland Economic Development Commission or the Memphis Regional Chamber and will have a letter on City of Lakeland letterhead identifying them as being appointed and authorized to conduct the questionnaire.

The program is completely voluntary, and no solicitations will be made during the visit or as a result of the visit. Our primary concern is to determine how Lakeland can assist Lakeland businesses by either resolving problems or providing information on expansion or otherwise providing for a successful business. The City of Lakeland, Lakeland Chamber of Commerce and the Lakeland Economic Development Commission will review the problems, issues and needs and take action to resolve the problems and provide information and assistance on other needs.

This program was discussed at the August Lakeland Chamber of Commerce meeting when a Memphis Regional Chamber representative presented the basic objectives of the program.

Lakeland is being assisted by the Memphis Regional Chamber of Commerce in administering the program. The Memphis Chamber is providing materials, a data base, and technical assistance for the program.

The Memphis Regional Chamber is truly a “regional” Chamber (actually covering three states) and is a wealth of information and assistance for regional businesses, including local Lakeland businesses (not just the City of Memphis).
The Memphis Regional Chamber developed this program for industrial type of businesses, but recognized the need for a similar program in the retail sector. We appreciate the substantial assistance of the Memphis Regional Chamber in Lakeland participating in this program. Memphis Light Gas and Water (MLGW) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) also are major participants in providing technical and other assistance for the program

Free Tree Care Workshop Saturday, October 22, 2005

Don’t know anything about tree care or want to brush up on your skills? Mark 9:00 a.m., Saturday, October 22, 2005 on your calendar now!

Eric Bridges is presenting a Fall Tree Care Workshop at Lakeland City Hall, 10001 Highway 70 from 9:00 a.m. until noon (or as needed). He will provide information on planting, pruning, fall fertilizing and other aspects of tree care. Bring your questions and Eric will discuss them with you.

The presentation will include both indoor and outdoor demonstrations for a maximum learning opportunity.

Best of all, I have worked with Eric for almost four years, and he is a patient, and very knowledgeable instructor. DON’T be concerned about showing your ignorance. Eric will work with you, regardless of your experience and knowledge, or your lack of experience and knowledge.

Best of all, it is free!

If you have any interest in improving your tree care skills, I encourage you to attend. Call Eric at Lakeland City Hall (867-2717) if you have any questions about this workshop.

September Board of Commissioners Work Session

The September Board of Commissioners Work Session has been changed from the usual date of Monday, September 26 to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, September 29, 2005.

The purpose of the meeting will be the normal Work Session and also a transition Retreat to welcome the new Commissioners. Two new Commissioners will be elected to replace Commissioner Judy Bennett and Commissioner Gerrit Verschuur who decided not file for re-election.

Katrina Victim assistance

While doing everything we can to help all hurricane victims, also remember that there are local Lakeland residents who may need help, either the actual hurricane victims who have evacuated to Lakeland, or Lakeland residents who are hosting victims.

While all of the victims need our assistance and donations, I am aware of at least two local, Lakeland residents, who need assistance in paying the costs for hosting hurricane victims.

In addition, there will be some long-term challenges as Katrina victims settle in to either long-term or permanent residence in the Shelby County area. Long-term assistance needs will be completely different than the short-term needs.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, I am quoting the latest Qnet with information on how to assist victims or where to go for assistance.

The article below is from the latest Qnet. If you don’t subscribe to Qnet, E-mail Qnet@midsouth.rr.com to subscribe.

Qnet has received several emails to post requests for aid to families in need and families hosting evacuees. If you are, or know of someone, in this situation then please note and share the following information.

This information has come to me from Vice Mayor Mark Hartz who received it from Mayor Scott Carmichael. Mayor Carmichael just returned from a meeting with Governor Bredesen.

ALL RELIEF EFFORTS WITHIN SHELBY COUNTY are to be coordinated through: The Emergency Operations Center Phone: 901-458-1515 The E.O.C. will assist with locating food, shelter, prescriptions, doctors, etc. They will assist in directing people to the appropriate resources.

ALL EVACUEES ARE URGED TO REGISTER WITH F.E.M.A.: Federal Emergency Management Agency Phone: 800-621-3362 Phone: 800-462-7585 (speech & hearing impaired) Online: www.fema.gov F.E.M.A. will assist with financial support for families that are displaced from their homes.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER IN THE HURRICANE ZONE: The American Red Cross Phone: 866-438-4636 Online: www.redcross.org Online: www.familylinks.icrc.org/katrina/locate The American Red Cross is working with the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide an online registry for finding loved ones.

Thank you,

Matthew Beatty
Qnet Editor