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BUYER OF DOWNTOWN DISCUSSES PLANS - 10/14/09

WINDERMERE UNION CHURCH SOLD TO WINDERMERE BAPTIST CHURCH - 1/20/10

COUNTY APPROVES KEENES POINT "CANOE" RAMP - 1/4/10

WINDERMERE RESUMES MARINA BAY STORM WATER DISCUSSION - 2/4/10

FEBRUARY COUNCIL RESULTS - 02/09/10

MARCH COUNCIL RESULTS - 03/09/10

WINDERMERE RECEIVES FEDERAL FUNDS FOR RESURFACING - 04/14/10

WINDERMERE ADDS TO ITS PARKS AND APRIL COUNCIL RESULTS - 04/14/10

MAY COUNCIL RESULTS - 05/11/10

JUNE COUNCIL RESULTS - 06/08/10

JULY COUNCIL RESULTS - 07/13/10



	News: Top Stories Windermere adopts stormwater management fee By Kathy Aber Homeowners with average-sized houses in Windermere will have a new $144 stormwater fee on this year’s tax bill. The Windermere Town Council unanimously created a stormwater management system and established an annual stormwater fee structure last Tuesday that will help with chronic flooding problems and fund and maintain drainage improvements to protect the pristine Butler Chain of Lakes that surrounds the town. Two years ago, the council set a goal to establish an environmentally responsible public policy to maintain the town’s most significant asset, the Butler Chain of Lakes. To date, Windermere has already invested $2 million, largely with grant funding, to complete 10 stormwater improvement projects. At least 14 more outfall locations have been identified for future work. These are areas where stormwater runoff flows directly into the Chain of Lakes. The stormwater fee is computed on house size and incorporates the use of a base unit, called an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU), for a 3,000-square-foot home. The ERU is used to estimate the relative impact an individual property has on the town’s stormwater management system. Only the footprint, or first floor of the home, is considered in determining the size of the residence. The fee schedule is tiered: $144 for 1 ERU, homes up to 3,000 square feet; $191.50 or 1.33 ERU, for those homes from 3,000 to 5,000 square feet; and $288 for 2 ERU, homes with more than 5,000 square feet. The fee for commercial properties, gauged at 9,000 square feet, is $432. Engineer Mike Galura explained the process used to establish the ERU during a public hearing at the council meeting. After collecting data on the size of homes in town, he calculated the average to be 3,000 square feet. He also compared stormwater management systems used by other Central Florida towns and cities and how they determined the ERU. With 941 homes, Windermere will collect approximately $198,000 annually from the fee. This funding will be set aside solely for capital projects for water quality treatment, maintenance of stormwater drains and berms and equipment to do this work. Having a dedicated stormwater fund also will help the town acquire additional grant funding for future work. Mayor Gary Bruhn said it would take 10 years to complete the projects already identified. The council held two town meetings in June and also mailed a brochure to explain the stormwater fee to all property owners prior to the final hearing. In other business, the council: • extended the town’s contract with Waste Pro for solid waste and yard waste collection for another year with the same price structure. • accepted a bid of $288,989 from Middlesex Corporation for resurfacing and milling of Conroy-Windermere Road on the recommendation of engineer Galura with grant funding from the Florida Department of Transportation. The work also includes adding aprons from the dirt streets onto Sixth Avenue, the continuation of Conroy-Windermere Road. The work will begin in the fall. • provided direction to the Development Review Board on revising the town’s sign ordinance regarding sandwich and open signs. • adopted an ordinance authorizing the town to assess fees for solid-waste collection on the property tax bills. • approved an ordinance amending the town’s Comprehensive Plan future land-use map for 10 acres at 9501 Conroy-Windermere Road from agricultural to single-family residential. • accepted a bid of $10,630 from Collis Roofing to reroof Town Hall. • heard a presentation by John Rinehart, vice president of Castle and Cooke Florida operations, to correct inaccurate information he said was included in a letter from the mayor to Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty. He said there was also inaccurate information in an article that appeared in the Orlando Sentinel April 6 regarding a boat ramp at Keene’s Pointe for which Castle and Cooke had obtained a retraction from the Sentinel. The mayor’s letter related to the ramp and a permit application submitted by the Keene’s Pointe Homeowners Association and pending with the county. Rinehart asked for improved communication with the town in the future. Council Member Richard Irwin suggested the town should work together with nearby developers on issues of mutual interest. • on the recommendation of the Development Review Board, denied a variance request for Ben and Cindy Patz, 11800 Lake Butler Blvd., for construction of a tennis court within 10 feet of Lake Butler.

	News: Top Stories Windermere stretches grant funding to begin 2 new stormwater projects By Kathy Aber For years, Windermere has battled drainage and flooding issues. Recently, with the aid of grant funding, the town has made remarkable strides by completing a series of 10 stormwater improvement projects worth $2 million. Yet, last summer, town staff put together a list of at least 16 more locations where untreated stormwater flows directly into the perimeter lakes. Protection of the water quality in the Butler Chain of Lakes that surrounds the town and is designated as a Florida Outstanding Water body has always been the top goal for town officials and residents. They have a continuing commitment to correct these problems as funds became available. So when recently completed work under a $399,280 State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) left $167,497 in federal funding on the table, staff looked for ways to put this money to work. Stormwater project manager John Fitzgibbon persuaded the council at last Tuesday’s meeting to undertake two new drainage projects with the leftover funds and a small amount from town reserves. The town’s remaining share of the original grant funding is $86,584, which was already budgeted for stormwater improvements. By taking an additional $36,710 from reserve funds and a one-year extension of the STAG grant, the town would be able to complete $202,000 in stormwater improvements. Fitzgibbon recommended drainage work at two locations — Eighth Avenue at Main Street ($77,000) and Eighth Avenue at Bessie Street ($87,000) — that would meet the grant guidelines. Most of the cost of engineering services ($38,178) would not be funded by the grant. “These two projects work with what the grant funding is all about,” the engineer said. The first project would be a continuation of work recently completed under the grant at Eighth and Forest Street. Its primary purpose is to relieve flooding. The second project is a “high priority,” Fitzgibbon said, because it would eliminate stormwater runoff from Eighth Avenue, which is causing turbidity in Lake Bessie. In discussion, Council Member Burns Hovey suggested a stormwater assessment fee, currently being proposed by the council, could be used to address these issues at a later time and reserve funds should be set aside to repave Main Street. Town Manager Cecilia stressed that not using appropriated funding could affect the town’s ability to procure similar grants in the future. She told the council the town’s reserve balance would be $1.2 million at the close of the fiscal year Sept. 30 and estimated an excess of revenue over expenses of $146,00 at year-end. Bernier suggested to Hovey that the council could allocate some of that amount for repaving work. The council unanimously voted to fully utilize the remaining STAG grant funding and to begin engineering work for the two projects identified. Windermere plans to employ Barracuda Building Corp. for the work at Eighth and Main because the company was the original STAG grant contractor. In other business, the council: • heard an update from engineer Tom Kelley on the proposed detour route for the road closure at Main Street and Park Avenue in July. The town will close the intersection to through traffic for approximately 12 days from July 5-17 to install a roundabout. Variable messaging signs will be installed in eight locations nine days ahead of the closure to alert motorists. Kelley said all stakeholders, law enforcement and emergency medical and fire departments, had met and discussed the detour plan. He said access for emergency responders would be provided by the contractor. • unanimously approved a three-year contract for continuing engineering services with Pegasus Engineering (the Pegasus-Galura Engineering Team) at an estimated cost of $15,000 annually. The action was recommended by a committee chaired by Roger Gatlin. It considered five qualified companies before making its choice. • authorized the town manager to sign a memorandum of agreement for an Urban Forest Grant of $18,780. Theresa Myers, chairman of the Tree Board, announced the town had received the grant and reported the board carried out three successful fund-raisers, netting $1,680 this year. • was asked to attend the 20th annual Fourth of July Pancake Breakfast to be held Sunday, July 4. • heard in the town manager’s report that the Building Department would be open for business June 14. Permit forms will be available on the town website this week. • held a first reading of three ordinances. The first amends the town’s Comprehensive Plan future land-use map for 10 acres on Conroy-Windermere Road known as the Rosser Grove from agricultural to residential. The second authorizes the town to add an assessment to the property tax bills for garbage collection services. The third ordinance establishes a stormwater management system, including putting management fees on the property tax bills. All of these ordinances will have a second reading and public hearing at the July 13 council meeting. • adopted an ordinance amending the town’s Comp Plan based on the Evaluation and Appraisal Report after a review by the Florida Department of Community Affairs. After some debate, the council set a maximum impervious surface limit of 70 percent for the Town Center district. The vote was 3-2 for this limit with council members Burns Hovey and Molly Rose voting no because they preferred a lower cap. • agreed to continue the contract with the lobbying firm of Alcalde and Fay until Sept. 30, the end of the Fiscal Year. The mayor reported that the town is still on the federal appropriation list for $750,000 in road resurfacing funding, $400,000 for pedestrian and sidewalk improvements and $300,000 for stormwater projects. • heard a presentation by Cecelia Weaver, director of the Orlando Service Center of the South Florida Water Management System, on precautions for the summer rainy season. She told the council Florida has exceeded its average rainfall for the dry season by more than five inches and Lake Okeechobee is two feet above its normal level for this time of year. Because the ground is saturated, flooding could occur during the rainy season, June through November. Weaver encouraged the town to be diligent in cleaning its storm drains and maintaining its berms and swales to reduce the threat of flooding.

	News: Top Stories Council approves raises for Windermere town staff By Kathy Aber Six months into its 2009-10 Fiscal Year, Windermere is ahead of its budget, and the Town Council voted unanimously last week to give a 2.5 percent raise to its full-time staff, retroactive to April 1. For the budget year that started Oct. 1, the council had eliminated pay raises for staff but said it would review the situation after the first half of the year and consider a pay increase for the second six months. Town Manager Cecilia Bernier told the Town Council in her financial report May 11: “The financial position of the town at six months is extremely good.” Revenues are coming in close to budget, but expenses are lower than expected. The town saved $100,000 in this year’s budget by switching the employee’s health insurance to a plan with a Health Savings Account. It is now anticipating a further savings of $55,000 health insurance expenses due to lower actual employee costs and other changes made by the employees. The town also has accumulated $30,000 in its retirement account for staff who left town employment before being vested for benefits. These funds can be used to reduce expenses for future retirement benefit costs. In addition, the town’s general insurance expenses for its Florida League of Cities policies are $25,000 under budget. The cost of the across-the-board raise will be $12,378, including Medicare and FICA benefits — $4,155 for the Administration Department, $2,347 for the Public Works Department and $5,876 for the Police Department. In other business, the council: • learned that town staff is still working on the final documents for Florida Department of Transportation to proceed with installation of the roundabout at Park Avenue and Maguire Road scheduled to begin July 5. The construction work includes an intersection shut down from July 5-17, and the council will see the alternative traffic-flow plan at its June meeting. The plan will include access for emergency responders. • decided to defer a decision on bids for paving work on Main Street until it starts resurfacing work on Sixth Avenue in the fall. • heard a report from Project Manager John Fitzgibbon on various stormwater grant projects that have been substantially completed. • was asked by Annette Colvin and Jhonnatan Medina to consider leasing the Butler Bay recreational facilities for a proposed private tennis academy. The council referred the proposal to the Parks and Recreation Committee. • nominated town resident Don Shaw and Council Member Norma Sutton for appointment to the 16-member Board of Trustees of the West Orange Healthcare District (Health Central hospital). Gov. Charlie Crist will select trustees for four-year terms. • agreed to hold a workshop on the proposed revisions to the downtown sign ordinance Tuesday, June 1, at 7 p.m. • approved a date for the annual budget workshop, Wednesday, July 14, at 6 p.m. Dates for the tentative and final budget hearings are still to be approved due to a scheduling conflict for one of the council members. Dates for these meetings to be held in September will be set at the June 8 council meeting.

	News: Top Stories Windermere acquiring new park land By Kathy Aber Windermere is within weeks of inking the deal for a 9.4-acre lakefront park. This transfer will more than double the town’s existing 8.8-acre park system. A year ago, a court-appointed receiver for the Butler Bay Master Association offered the park to the town, along with $25,000 to make necessary repairs. Once the town initially accepted the park offer last March, property owners within the three Butler Bay homeowners associations had to ratify the agreement. This has been accomplished, and, last week, the Town Council unanimously approved the land transfer agreement. Town Attorney Tom Wilkes told elected officials a closing would take place shortly. Greg Pounds, a Butler Bay Drive resident and board member of the Butler Bay Unit 2 and 3 HOA, told The West Orange Times Monday, “I know a majority of [Butler Bay] homeowners think this is a wonderful addition to the town as evidenced by their vote.” The park at 11465 Park Ave. was annexed into the town in 2008 along with Butler Bay Unit 1. The park includes a 2,880-square-foot building, 40-space paved parking lot, three lighted tennis courts, a fishing pier and a bridge to a small island in Lake Crescent with a pavilion. The property is tax exempt, and its value has been estimated at $2 million. In the transfer agreement, the town gives the Butler Bay Unit 1 Association an easement to a 144-square-foot area in the southwest corner of the property for future use for irrigation pumps controlled by a separate electric meter. The Butler Bay residents also retain the right to use the park under the same terms as town residents. Attorney Heather Ramos of Gray Robinson in Orlando told the Times Monday the town is waiting for the HOA to submit a legal description of the corner area to finalize the documents so a closing date can be scheduled. She estimated that would take two to three more weeks. Town Manager Cecilia Bernier told the Times she estimated repair costs for the park facilities at $60,000 a year ago and projected annual cost of park maintenance to be $14,000. In other business, the council: • unanimously accepted a bid of $276,000 submitted by Semper Fi Services LLC of Palmetto to install a roundabout at the intersection of Park Avenue and Maguire Road. The company was the lowest bidder of the five submitted. The work will include an intersection closure of 12 days allowing for access by emergency vehicles. Work is expected to commence shortly after the end of the school year in June. Funding for the roadwork is part of a Florida Department of Transportation grant for $245,983, and engineer Tom Kelley told the council that FDOT is pleased with the bids and is moving ahead with an unconditional award. Advance signage will be posted to alert motorists of the road closure. • reviewed a stormwater utility-fee study prepared by engineer Mike Galura. The council agreed to his equivalent residential unit estimate and instructed the wtown attorney to draft a stormwater utility-fee ordinance. • discussed a revision of the town’s sign ordinance recommended by the Development Review Board. After a brief overview presentation, the mayor asked the council members to submit their questions and changes to the town manager before the May meeting so everyone could read through them and prepare for a final discussion.

	News: Top Stories Stimulus dollars to fund Windermere road repairs Town gets federal help to repave Conroy-Windermere Road. By Kathy Aber Windermere has found a remedy for necessary repairs to its eastern entry road — $429,929 in federal stimulus dollars. For several years, Conroy-Windermere Road and its Sixth-Avenue extension into downtown Windermere have been deteriorating. Multiple asphalt repairs have created a patchwork of bumps, but in the fall, motorists can look forward to a smooth ride into town. “We’re getting stimulus funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,” Town Manager Cecilia Bernier told The West Orange Times Friday. “The project is for approximately 7,095 linear feet of milling and resurfacing of Conroy-Windermere Road, including re-striping and new reflectors and installation of five paved street-end aprons [from the dirt roads] that intersect with Conroy-Windermere.” The project includes the section of road from the town’s eastern limit, where the road narrows just past the post office, to Main Street. “Every workday almost 20,000 vehicles travel the road that will be repaved,” said Mayor Gary Bruhn. “That would be as if every man, woman and child who lives in Windermere drove that road seven times a day. This road definitely is in need of repair, and I believe this is a good use for the funds as it will impact everyone in the area.” With a lean operating budget, town officials had been struggling to find ways to make repairs and fix the potholed pavement since last summer. “Originally, we were getting cost estimates to patch it in certain areas where it was really bad until we could do it all,” Bernier explained. Just last month, the council asked Public Works Director Craig McNeal to get bids to do approximately $60,000 in road patching on Conroy-Windermere when it learned stimulus funding might still be available. McNeal was expected to present the bids for the Conroy-Windermere work, as well as for projects on Main Street to the council on Tuesday. In February, Mayor Bruhn, a member of the Metroplan Orlando’s board of directors and chair of its Municipal Advisory Board, learned Metroplan still had $6 million in stimulus funding available for roads. He quickly alerted Town Manager Cecilia Bernier of a March 1 application deadline and asked if she could put an application together quickly. “This stimulus money is left over from underruns by other government entities and represents over $400 per home in Windermere,” the mayor said. Windermere had originally applied for stimulus funding from the Metroplan to repave both Conroy-Windermere Road and Main Street 10 months ago. Metroplan is the metropolitan planning organization for Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties. It provides the forum for local elected officials and transportation experts to work together to improve mobility for Central Florida community. “I had sent them a cost estimate and scope of work for the two projects combined,” Bernier said. Metroplan never included the Windermere work in its list of projects. Bernier called Metroplan officials who suggested the town should divide the roadwork into two projects since they were different in scope and submit construction drawings they hadn’t asked for before. “That’s when we started scrambling, and it paid off,” Bernier said. Metroplan prioritized all the recent applications and put Conroy-Windermere sixth in its list for a share of the $6 million. Bernier said Metroplan didn’t pick up the other project, adding, “Main Street is not in as bad a condition as Conroy-Windermere.” Once approved by Metroplan, the application was sent to Federal Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C. for the appropriation. After the paperwork and bidding are complete, Bernier expects the resurfacing will begin in October. The town will start another major road improvement project, a roundabout at Main Street and Park Avenue, the end of June. This project also has FDOT funding. “We will start construction [of the roundabout] when school is finished,” Bernier said, estimating a four-week timeframe for the work. Town staff was expected to recommend a contractor for the roundabout at the council meeting April 13. The bids include the cost of keeping one lane open during construction and an alternate plan for a complete shutdown of the intersection, which would require additional warning signs throughout the West Orange County area.

	News: Top Stories Windermere prepares for road repairs By Kathy Aber In this economic downturn many cities, towns and county governments have put road repairs on hold, and Windermere is no exception. For several months, the Town Council and staff have been strategizing on how to get main roads back up to par. Public Works Director Craig McNeal gave the council a detailed and prioritized list of projects totaling $65,000 at its meeting last Tuesday. Four locations on Sixth Avenue and three more along Main Street are scheduled for work in the near future. The two largest sections are on Sixth Avenue between the Tavistock office and the Windermere Post Office with an estimated cost of $35,000 and from the boat ramp to the Rosser grove at $18,480. The work on Main Street includes the intersections at Chase Road and at Third Avenue, as well as the curve on Chase Road. The council authorized McNeal to get three bids specifying a 60-day start window. On March 1, town staff submitted an $800,000 request for stimulus funding for complete road resurfacing and construction through the Metroplan. The council will review the bids next month and be prepared to start repairs if the stimulus funding doesn’t come through. In other business, the council: • adopted a fee directory by resolution. The directory will be posted on the town Web site and the content includes charges for items such as copying, returned checks, election filing, park and tennis passes, Town Hall and Community Room rentals, variances and home occupation license applications, as well as building and construction permits. • authorized engineer Mike Galura to complete a study of homes in town and recommend a standard for an equitable residential unit (ERU). The ERU is a required component for establishing a stormwater usage fee that would be assessed to property owners in town. The vote was 4-1 with Council Member Burns Hovey voting no. The cost of the study is $7,321 and falls under the town’s continuing engineering contract with Galura. • accepted the town’s annual audit report presented by Kelly Leary of McDirmit Davis. Leary told the council the town had received an unqualified opinion — “the best you can get.” She said accounts payable and receivable should be reconciled to the general ledger more frequently and that the town’s reserve balance of $815,000 is at an appropriate level. She recommended the town keep it there. • discussed the town manager’s annual review. • waived the Town Hall fee for use by Windermere Little League last Thursday. The council also authorized the town manager use her discretion to waive this fee in the future. • discussed changing the renewal date for tennis and park passes to coincide with the town’s fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 instead of the first of January. • approved the use of the town tennis courts by Edgewood Children’s Ranch for a clinic last week and for the First Baptist Church camp for a week this summer. • affirmed the recommendation of the Development Review Board denying a sign request for Rite Now Auto Spa.

	News: Top Stories Windermere drainage work riles Marina Bay HOA By Kathy Aber The Marina Bay Homeowners Association has been asking the town of Windermere to maintain its storm drains and detention pond for more than a year. But when the town crews started the work Monday, HOA president Mike Slonecker was not happy. Why? The town plans to bill the HOA approximately $2,400 for the work. “I’m absolutely surprised they turned up on a Monday morning,” Slonecker told The West Orange Times. Since November 2008 when Slonecker became HOA president, he has been arguing with town officials that it is the town’s responsibility to maintain the drains and pay for it from the general fund. He says the public drains are in the right of way and expects the town handle the problem. Slonecker says he has documents that show the roads and drains were dedicated to the county in 1982. He said this responsibility transferred to the town when it annexed Marina Bay more than 20 years ago. Furthermore, he believes the town acknowledged this duty when it repaved the Marina Bay roads 10 years ago. “Windermere accepted the streets but not a street drain that’s part of it,” said Slonecker. “I’m amazed they can pick and choose.” At the Town Council meeting last Tuesday, the elected officials discussed splitting the cost of the maintenance work with the HOA. Town Attorney Tom Wilkes advised the council on the matter: “You don’t have legal responsibility to do anything. It’s clearly a public policy choice.” Wilkes said he had reviewed the HOA’s covenants, conditions and restrictions and concluded the stormwater pond was not deeded to the town when Marina Bay was annexed. When Slonecker explained to the council that the street drains under Schooner Way are blocked, Mayor Gary Bruhn responded that the HOA is responsible for maintaining it. Back in December, the council voted to go ahead with the drain cleaning with the understanding it would bill the HOA for the work. The town was about to start the work in January but postponed it when the HOA objected. Marina Bay resident Bill Cowie told the council last week he has repeatedly asked for help from the HOA board in clearing the blocked drain and it continually refused. He first spoke to the council in November to explain flooding on his property has continued for more than five years. “It’s a very simple problem; my association doesn’t want to help,” Cowie told the council last Tuesday. “So I’ve come to the town.” Slonecker, who is an attorney, told the Times he hasn’t looked outside the HOA for legal advice but he believes his arguments are valid. “We never came into the town with any agreement that the homeowners would take care of the drainage,” he said. “They’re sticking it to us because we’re a small community of 30 homes.” In other business, the council: • authorized the town manager to negotiate a contract with Universal Engineering Sciences Inc. to outsource the town’s building permitting process. The council interviewed representatives from four companies to evaluate their qualifications during a workshop Jan. 26. The council members ranked the companies, and Universal received the highest ranking. • approved a request by the Tree Board to submit a Forest Health Improvement Initiative grant for $24,000 to replace trees along the south side Park Avenue from Tyron Place to Lake Butler Boulevard. This is a non-matching grant; however, the town will pay the cost of installing the trees and, on successful completion, be reimbursed by Florida Department of Agriculture. The project will include installing about 140 trees, such as crepe myrtle, dahoon holly, Chickasaw plum and fringe tree. The trees are low growers and suitable under power lines. The council voted 3-2 approving the grant submittal. Council members Burns Hovey and Cecil Robinson voted no. • agreed to hold the next council meeting on March 9 since there will be no town election this year. The meeting would have been held March 23 to prevent a conflict with the election. • learned that progress is being made on the roundabout for Park Avenue and Main Street. The council unanimously authorized with the mayor or the town manager to review and sign the agreement with FDOT to encumber the funds so the town can advertise for bids. The town manager expects the work to take place during the summer school vacation. • presented Public Works Director Craig McNeal and Public Works Foreman Travis Mathias with 10-year service awards. • waived the fee for the use of Town Hall for several upcoming events requested by the Downtown Business Committee. The merchants are planning a series of once-a-month events to bring residents downtown. Dine on Main is scheduled April 10 with a goal of having 20 tables. Last year, the event was limited to 10 corporate tables. The table fee is $100 for eight seats. The committee provides tables and chairs, and residents supply the food, etc. On May 1, the committee will sponsor the second Little Miss Windermere pageant, which was a success last year. Just before Father’s Day, they are planning a Saturday morning car show. Chairman Mark Dean said he had found a company to set up a Saturday Farmer’s Market and would pursue getting it started. • learned that the Parks and Recreation Committee is sponsoring a boating safety course at Town Hall on March 13. • heard from the town manager that she was preparing to resubmit a request to MetroPlan for funding to repave Main Street and Sixth Avenue.

	News: Top Stories Windermere council to resume Marina Bay storm drain discussion By Kathy Aber Windermere and Marina Bay will continue to debate next Tuesday who is responsible for cleaning a plugged culvert in the Marina Bay neighborhood. The Marina Bay Homeowners Association believes Windermere took responsibility for the stormwater pond when the neighborhood was annexed more than 20 years ago. While the town has not accepted responsibility, the council voted in December to clean out the culvert in order to reduce flooding in the area. The council proposed charging the HOA for the maintenance work, approximately $2,400. At the Feb. 9 meeting, “the council will talk about the HOA’s request to split the cost in some way or whether or not they want to do that,” Town Manager Cecilia Bernier told The West Orange Times Monday. “They will discuss who’s going to pay what and when.” The town had scheduled the work for Jan. 6, and the Times incorrectly reported in its Jan. 21 issue that the culvert had been cleaned out at that time. Bernier said Monday when she gave HOA president Mike Slonecker a courtesy notice that the cleanout would take place, he responded in an e-mail saying: “…the HOA denies permission for the town and/or anyone operating under its direction to enter my neighborhood for any purpose whatsoever associated with maintenance as detailed below of the stormwater drainage system.” After receiving the e-mail from Slonecker and consulting with council members, she canceled the culvert work. The council meeting at Town Hall begins at 7 p.m. For more information on the agenda, go to www.town.windermere.fl.us.

	News: Top Stories County approves ‘canoe’ ramp for Keene’s Pointe By Kathy Aber The Orange County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a permit request by the Keene’s Pointe Homeowners Association last week for a non-motorized boat ramp. The BCC added a number of restrictions to the ramp permit, including a provision that the permit would be revoked if “material, repetitive” violations occur, such as failure of the HOA to adequately control access and prevent motor boats from using the ramp. Orange County District 1 Commissioner Scott Boyd, who represents the West Orange County area, abstained from voting on the ramp on the advice of the county attorney stemming from a perceived conflict of interest. His family’s citrus company had done business with Keene’s Pointe developer Castle and Cooke in the past, and the developer still has an option to purchase more of the company’s land. Windermere resident Lori Bradford, a member of the Butler Chain Concerned Citizens group, told The West Orange Times Monday that she is satisfied with the BCC vote because the commissioners put conditions on the permit. “I am thankful they put the restrictions on it,” said Bradford. “I am grateful that the ramp could be removed if they launch larger boats.” Bradford said she is still concerned about the adjacent wetland. She and other Butler Chain residents voiced opposition to the ramp at a recent community meeting, saying this permit would set a precedent for all wetlands around the Butler Chain. Windermere Mayor Gary Bruhn said in an e-mail to the Times,”I think the Commissioner’s stipulations will help in awareness of the rules by the added penalties. But I think putting a boat ramp of this size on a small private lake and saying it is only for non-motorized use will lead to infractions down the road. I believe Castle and Cooke has the right to build what they want on their property. But environmentalists and Keene’s Pointe homeowners would be better served by building this ramp directly on lake front property that they own.” The unnamed 13-acre lake, where the ramp will be located, is separated from the Butler Chain of Lakes, Outstanding Florida Waters, by a Class 1 wetland, the highest possible environmental ranking. The wetland’s classification is related to its proximity to Outstanding Florida Waters, which have special restrictions on new activities that potentially would lower the water quality.

	News: Top Stories First Baptist Windermere expands with Union Church acquisition By Kathy Aber First Baptist Church Windermere (FBCW) has purchased the former Windermere Union Church property on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Main Street, across the street from its main campus in downtown Windermere. The acquisition will enable the church to expand its growing family ministry. The congregation acquired the former WUC property and buildings for $1.5 million from owners Jim Karr and Jim Gissy on Dec. 31. Karr and Gissy, who acquired the WUC property, along with the downtown land holdings of developer Kevin Azzouz in September, will hold the mortgage for two years. The property provides 11,000 square feet of much-needed building space for the church and 1.88 acres of land for outdoor events and parking. During the last two years, FBCW had pursued building an addition to one of its existing buildings and obtained Windermere Town Council approval to proceed. FBCW Pastor Chuck Carter told The West Orange Times Monday the congregation postponed the remodeling project last year when it learned the WUC facility might become available. The project was planned to add approximately 20,000 in classroom space. This remodeling would have eased the space constraints temporarily but would have provided no additional parking. So the buildings with parking across the street became a natural choice, he said. The pastor said the fact that the property became available for purchase was “nothing less than God’s orchestration of events.” The church will use existing parking on Oakdale Street, he said, and might consider sodding the former WUC playground for additional parking in the future. The WUC purchase consists of one large building built in three phases beginning in 1924. The chapel features ornamentally cut exposed rafter tails, white clapboard siding and an original bell tower and steeple. Pastor Carter said First Baptist plans to replace the missing stained-glass windows and bring the chapel back to its aesthetic beauty. He said the chapel would be a perfect location for weddings, small services and special events. “It will take about six months to get the chapel restored to where we’d like to see it — to restore it as an historic building,” the pastor said. The remainder of the purchase gives FBCW much-needed classroom and meeting spaces. “I am very pleased that this church building that has played an important role in many of our resident’s lives for almost a century will continue as a church. And I applaud the work of those individuals who made this happen,” Windermere Mayor Gary Bruhn said this week. Local Realtor Suzi Karr, who was active in a community drive to save and possibly relocate the WUC chapel, told the Times Monday she is thrilled the historic building will now be revived and back in use. The staff and members of FBCW are eager to continue moving forward with renovations. Nearby business owner Wendy Ellerbe whose hair salon is located just across Fifth Avenue, is looking forward to the change as well. “It’s great that it’s going to remain a church, and it will be maintained by someone who cares about the property. I know they’ll be a good neighbor,” said Ellerbe. “It’s going to be great to see people and activity over there. It sat empty for so long,” said barber Lance Giroux, Ellerbe’s business associate. Pastor Carter has been on the FBCW staff for 12 years and had been the lead pastor for five-and-a-half years. He said the congregation has approximately 2,500 members with about 1,200 worshipping each weekend. In addition to worship services, Sunday school and ongoing classes and fellowship activities, the congregation also operates a Child Development Center and Kids on the Move after-school program. The church’s main campus at 300 Main St. consists of a series of buildings, including a gymnasium and main sanctuary totaling approximately 60,000 square feet. Phase one of renovations has included moving the church’s Student Ministry, Acacia Student Ministries, to its new facility referred to as the “Chapel and Student Annex.” The new Student Worship Room, located in the former WUC Fellowship Hall, features a top-of-the-line sound system and a warehouse-themed set, including a masonry backdrop for the stage, ceilings with exposed structure and industrial thin-bladed ceiling fans and pendant lights. In a future renovation, the game room and adjacent courtyard will be a place for middle and high school students to spend time together or host events. In early December, the church held a work day to remove carpets and fence posts, paint, trim landscaping, pressure wash and clean. Commenting on the experience, church member Adam Parish said, “Working together with fellow believers is always enjoyable, even if you are pulling up smelly carpet on a wet and cold morning. It’s awesome knowing that you are working on a structure that will help bring people closer to Jesus for years to come.” FBCW was founded in 1967 and originally met in the nearby Ready Market.

	News: Top Stories Azzouz sells land, cancels his plans for downtown Windermere By Kathy Aber Jim Karr, a 39-year Windermere resident, and a business partner, Jim Gissy of Cypress Point, have purchased a major portion of Windermere’s downtown business district from Kevin Azzouz of Kosta Holdings. The price was not disclosed, and Azzouz was not available for comment. In his original PUD request submitted in December 2006, Azzouz had proposed a 63,000-square-foot development project called Main Street Shoppes. The size and scope of the project was controversial and unpopular with many town residents who said it was not scaled for Windermere and would bring too much additional traffic. Azzouz had scaled it back to 50,000 square feet, rejecting a Town Council request to reduce the PUD further to 30,000 square feet. Negotiations between the town and Azzouz on a final developer’s agreement have been at a standstill for more than a year. “Our scale will be a lot less than the previous developer’s proposal,” Karr told The West Orange Times on Monday. Although the partners have no definite development plans at present, Karr said he would like to see something that supports the needs of the local people. “I’d like a decent full-service restaurant, a bank and a hardware store,” he said. Karr, who lives on Second Avenue, is the owner of Land Plus, a commercial real estate company with offices in the Suzi Karr Realty building at Sixth and Main streets in Windermere. He and his partner plan to develop the property themselves. Karr said they have only briefly reviewed the town’s PUD ordinance and speculated that they might use some of Azzouz’s plans but “may do it all over again ourselves.” “We’ll study what makes sense. It’s premature to have any game plan,” said Karr. The lease arrangements with the current property tenants will continue for the foreseeable future. No one has been asked to move, Karr said. The land deal includes approximately four acres along Main Street and Oakdale Street that currently has 19,480 square feet of mixed-use development. The properties include the Suzi Karr Realty office, the former Windermere Union Church, residential lots on Oakdale behind the business district, a former dentist office and the McMurtrey building. Town Manager Cecilia Bernier told the Times that Azzouz still owes $38,000 in developer’s fees. “Before anything can happen on this property that has to be paid,” said Bernier. She said Karr had talked to her briefly about buying the property and is aware of the bill. Karr told Bernier the development would be smaller and in keeping with the town. According to Karr, Windermere Baptist Church has expressed interest in purchasing the former Windermere Union Church property. “We’ve offered it to them, and they’re considering it now,” said Karr. “I think they’d like to do a study to see if it makes sense before putting it to the congregation.” Windermere Mayor Gary Bruhn told the Times: “The town residents consistently sent a message that what was proposed was going to have a dramatic impact to traffic and their quality of life. I’m sure Mr. Karr will work with the town’s elected officials whenever he decides to move forward so that the development is something we can all appreciate. I believe having an owner who has lived in this town all of their life is someone who will have an understanding of what is appropriate for our downtown.” “I think the sale of the Windermere downtown district property to a resident of the town will be a very positive thing,” said Town Council Member Cecil Robinson. “I am hopeful that when the property is developed, the character of our small town will be preserved.” Former Town Council Member Jennifer Roper, who was in favor of limiting the Azzouz plan to 30,000 square feet, said this week: “I wouldn’t say I am thrilled about the sale of the downtown property to another developer, although I was pleased to hear that the buyer is a lifelong resident of Windermere. I am very happy, though, that construction never began and we were saved from having a partially built project.” Town Council Member Richard Irwin said Monday he is very pleased longtime town resident Jim Karr was able to acquire the downtown property. “Jim knows our community and has a personal relationship with town residents, which are critical for the approval of this project,” said Irwin.