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Report Outlines City's Busy Year

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By RAY REYES, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 30, 2008

Updated: 01/28/2008 07:14 pm

PLANT CITY - Last year saw the city plan for growth in a large sector mostly north of Interstate 4 and an 85-acre area south of historical downtown, and officials braced for the lower revenues that the state's property tax reforms would bring.

It was a year where parks were improved, historical sites refurbished and the expansion of Bruton Memorial Library was discussed, according to a list of the year's accomplishments compiled by City Manager David Sollenberger.

It was a year the commission and staff should be "justifiably proud" of, Sollenberger wrote in his annual report. Sollenberger recently touted the city's accomplishments of 2007 in a 17-page report to commissioners.

In the areas of planning and development, some of these accomplishments, according to Sollenberger's report, were:

•The commission's approval of the midtown redevelopment plan, which would transform an 85-acre mostly industrial area south of historical downtown into a mixed-use community featuring town homes, sidewalk cafes and boutiques. The next step of the plan is adopting codes to achieve "the traditional downtown look," Sollenberger wrote.

•The master plan to guide growth for about 12,000 acres primarily north of Interstate 4 is nearing approval after several workshops in 2007. The state Department of Community Affairs is reviewing the plan and it will again come before the commission this year.

•The $56 million upgrade and expansion of the water reclamation facility off Alexander Street and south of I-4 neared completion.

•Commissioners approved an independent consultant's report to expand Bruton Memorial Library from 19,800 to 40,000 square feet at its McLendon Street location instead of building a new facility at a different site. Sollenberger said preliminary plans are on the drawing board, but construction will not begin for at least five years.

•About $393,000 in grants was awarded to the city to complete the rehabilitation of the Bing House, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The public works department's highpoints included:

•A 35,000-foot waterline extension in the area of the demolished Coronet Industries phosphate processing plant was completed at a cost of $2.8 million. Residents in the area are now hooked into municipal water and do not have to rely on wells.

The sanitation division's accomplishments included:

•Reduced the amount of solid waste collected from 43,272 tons in 2006 to 37,123 tons in 2007 through recycling and reuse initiatives.

•A 73 percent increase in total recycling volume was reported in 2007.

Highlights of public safety included:

•Plant City Fire Rescue took over advanced life support services from the county, which amounted to $228,000 in savings for 2007.

•The police department hired 11 officers and three civilian employees.

•Dispatchers answered 100 percent of 911 calls in eight seconds or less.

•An online auction of impounded property was implemented, which saved the city money by reducing personnel hours that were previously needed to run live auctions. In 2007, the online auctions contributed about $5,000 to the city's general fund.

In the area of technology, these changes occurred:

•The city began the revision of its Web site to make it more user-friendly.

•Before final approval, the city's 2007-08 fiscal year budget was published on the Web for the first time.

•Because of technological problems and rising costs, plans for a citywide wireless network in which residents could access the Internet free were abandoned. Wireless Internet access is being strengthened in the historical downtown area instead.

•An advanced traffic management system funded last year will go online in 2008. The system will coordinate management of the city's traffic signals in a central location.

Other highlights of the year include:

•A new section of Shiloh Cemetery, off Terrace Drive and just north on I-4, was opened.

•The city's public transit system had 43,715 passengers last year. Revenue from rider fares went up from $15,190 in 2006 to $19,860.

•Over the course of the year, city workers mowed a total of 10,000 miles of grass, swept 3,387 miles of streets, edged 1,008 miles of sidewalks and curbs, and picked up litter along 3,353 miles.

•Workers also dug 6,750 linear feet of ditches, repaired 2,247 linear feet of sidewalks and inspected 157 ponds.

Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 865-4433 or rreyes@tampatrib.com.

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