Town of North Redington Beach

Special Meeting 11/29

The Town Commission will hold a special meeting at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 29 to:

1. Complete action on an ordinance that will increase the homestead exemption for resident-owners who are over 65 years old and have an annual income of around $23,000 or less.
2. Review a proposal for new playground equipment at Harold Radcliffe Park with members of the park’s citizens advisory committee and other interested residents

For those who qualify under the homestead ordinance, there would be an additional $25,000 exemption applicable to the town’s one mill tax only.

Details on how to apply will be available at Town Hall once the ordinance is passed.

A representative from the playground equipment vendor will attend to explain the plan they’ve prepared and answer questions.

The playground is the central element of a $50,000 park project that is being funded with a state grant.

Guess Who’s Coming

Town Hall was buzzing last week with speculation that a chubby guy with long white whiskers and a red suit will be making a guest appearance at the first annual tree lighting ceremony to be held at Harold Radcliffe Park.

The event is scheduled for Friday, December 2. Festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Word is that there will be special presents for the youngsters; and there will be refreshments for all.

It’s the kickoff for the town’s holiday celebration.

This will be followed on December 11 with the annual Florida Beaches mini-marathon, the Halfathon.

Judging for the annual house decorations contest will take place on December 15,

And the lighted boat parade will wrap things up on December 18.

Mayor Joins Tourist Board

Mayor Bill Queen has been appointed to the Tourist Development Council of the County’s Convention and Visitors Bureau. He will represent the beach communities who are members of the Big C., the Barrier Islands Governmental Council.

The mayor has been an outspoken advocate of programs designed to keep tourism a vital part of the county’s economic base.

Red Tide Info

Recent news about red tide has finally been hopeful with indications that the scourge has finally left the shoreline. It remains a problem farther out in the Gulf, however.

While this has been a particularly bad year, the problem is not a new one. In fact, red tide was first officially recorded in Florida in 1844.

Because of the damage it can do, there is widespread research going on, especially at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota. This has already produced new monitoring systems; and it is now looking at ways to destroy the organisms that produce red tide and the toxins it produces.

An organization called START, Solutions To Avoid Red Tide, Inc., has been created to help with the control efforts. Their web site is:

www.start1.com

There is also a web site to get early warning of red tide. That’s

www.redtideonline.com