The "unsponsored" Alligator Point 4^th of July parade will take place this Saturday. Participants usually line up around 4:00 PM at the Marina.

Fireworks　are　around 9:30ish at the S curves; about mid-way between the water tower and the marina.

4^th of July Celebration in Sopchoppy (from posting at www.wakulla.com)

This year’s parade will begin at 4 p.m. and the Sopchoppy City Park will open at 5 p.m.　 The downtown Sopchoppy merchants will offer special activities, live music, food and more during the day leading up to the parade.　

4^th of July Celebration at Shell Point (from posting at www.wakulla.com)

8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.:　 Pancake Breakfast fundraiser at the Coast Guard Auxiliary.　 Pancakes, sausage, coffee or juice for $5

12:00 Noon to 1:00 p.m.:　 Golf Cart Parade.　 Registration for awards and line up at 11:30 a.m. at Pebble Court.　 The parade will pass ABYC and folks at the club will decide which float gets the ABYC Award.　

2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.:　 Ice Cream Social fundraiser, also for the auxiliary, AND dinghy races in the basin.　 For the latter, spectators can bring a lawn chair and cool drinks.

4:00 p..m.:　 Parade Awards Presentation

4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.:　 Hot dogs and hamburgers at the auxiliary; fundraiser for the Shell Point Volunteer Fire Department.

Dark-thirty:　 Fireworks on the beach or arrange a boat viewing with friends.　

NOTE from APTAWEB: The article below is from the Oyster Radio web site; http://oysterradio.blogspot.com/

Franklin County Commission meetings normally are scheduled for 9:00 AM the first and third Tuesday of each month; however the Commission has agreed to conduct an afternoon meeting every three months with a 5:00 PM start time.

The County Commission will meet at 5:00 PM June 16^th and the next afternoon meeting is scheduled for 5:00 PM Tuesday September 15^th.

APTA Meeting Notice

Please plan to attend the next meeting of the Alligator Pt Taxpayers Association: June 13, 9:00 am, at Mission By The Sea church, to voice your opinion on the following issues. APTA cannot effectively represent community sentiment if it isn’t known.

The developer of the South Shoal subdivision is proposing changes to the PUD previously approved by the Franklin County Board of County Commissioner. The most significant difference is that rather than installing an Advanced Wastewater Treatment facility to handle sewage for the development, each property owner would be responsible for onsite sewage treatment via an aerobic septic system.

Current county ordinance requires any newly platted lots to be a minimum of one acre in size in order to use onsite sewage systems (septic or aerobic). Changing the rules for South Shoal has the potential to set precedence for all remaining tracts of unplatted property on Alligator Pt.

The Franklin United Firefighters Association is proposing an increase in the annual MSBU assessment. The yearly rate for a home, currently $42, would rise to $57. These funds are distributed among the county volunteer fire departments to assist in operating costs.

Long ago our house numbers were comprised of a letter and a number (such as A-123). That identification system was abandoned by the County.　

In order to ensure your house is identifiable to emergency personnel, you must have your E911 house number displayed in a location visible from the road. The Franklin County Road Department will assign a number to your house and produce a sign (blue background with reflective white numerals) for a small fee. Please contact them for　details: 　850-670-8640.

By APTAWEB

On May 13, 2009 an excellent number members of the Alligator Point/Bald Point communities met with staff from the Florida Department of Environment Protection at the Mission by the Sea Church to discuss development plans for Bald Point State Park.

Mr. Danny Jones, District 1 Bureau Chief and Mr. Lou Scruggs, led the discussion on behalf of the FDEP; Park Manager, Kevin Patton and Park Ranger, John Lakich also participated.

We learned that a new park road will be built south of US 98 on CR 370 and that contract was awarded to local contractor, Ben Withers. This new road will eventually become the main entrance to the park.

Jones and Scruggs described features that they say are part of the Bald Point State Park Management Plan approved in 2006 and said that such plans are reviewed every 10 years. After describing plans to construct a new park road and amenities to be constructed at locations within the park Mr. Scruggs opened the discussion to questions and comment from the public.

Cabins/campground proposed for the park and recently put out　for bid appeared to be the most controversial of the items brought forward by the public. Several people mentioned　that their understanding from previous meetings was that the　park　would　remain in　a "primitive" state, though it was explained　that cabins and a developed campground to include RV sites had been included as part of the Unit Management Plan adopted in 2006. A member of the community asked the audience who preferred the park to be kept "primitive" and a majority of those present supported keeping the park in a more natural state.　　

Development in the interior of the park raised concerns for possible displacement of fauna resulting from fragmentation of the park, and the degradation of　wetlands due to the discharge of effluent from on-site sewage systems and there was discussion about periodic insecticide spraying of the overnight areas for biting insects resulting in the further compromise of the quality of wetlands.

FDEP officials were told that it "seemed peculiar that in a park where the primary　attraction is the beach area, that the camping area would even be considered before there was a road leading to the beach. Although the proposed campground will be located only a mile or so from the beach, until the road is completed it will require a drive of approximately 8 miles (one way) to reach the north end of Bald Point."　 　

At least one person alluded to the "potential loss of the quiet and solitude that currently can be found in the park's interior; a reason　a number of people visit Florida's state parks." APTA President, John Murphy stated that he is "very concerned that the tranquility of Bald Point State Park is destined to　be replaced by　the　drone of passing traffic and the whir of air conditioning units, and the night sky will be lost to the glow of ambient lighting."

In a letter written to Mr. Jones, John Murphy wrote: "A final observation I made while reviewing the Advisory Group Staff Report of 01/25/06 was a statement that the proposed canoe/kayak launch on Chaires Creek had been removed from the plan due to "concerns about safety given the strong tidal currents in the creek". I recall the canoe launch appearing on the sketches we were shown on May 13th. Have steps been taken to mitigate the problem with the strong currents?　

Park Manager, Kevin Patton stated towards the end of the two-hour meeting that periodic prescribed controlled burns that he conducts will result in the park lands functioning better as an ecosystem and being restored to a state earlier peoples saw.

A number of Bald Point residents asked for park help to correct issues they are experiencing with park visitors. Mr. Patton said that the park will work to correct the problems. He further stated that state park law enforcement is now separate from the park system and that neither he nor John Lackich have any involvement with law enforcement staff.

NOTE from APTAWEB: The following article was published on the Oyster Radio web site (www.oysterradio.com) and reports on County Tax Collector, James Harris discussion at Tuesday’s Franklin County Commissioners Meeting.

May 20, 2009

By Don Munroe, APTA Secretary

Nineteen people attended a certified CPR class held at the Mission by the Sea Church on Saturday April 25, 2009…It was a great success!

As a public service, the Alligator Point Taxpayers Association in partnership with the Alligator Point St. Teresa Volunteer Fire Department made this training available and funded the class so there was no charge for students.

APTA would like to thank Kevin Griffin, President of the Alligator Point St. Teresa Volunteer Fire Department for his help in arranging for this valuable training and also extends a thank you to all the students for attending.

Because of the success of this class a First Aid Class is being considered for a future date.

By Bill Wargo, AP Sea Turtle Patrol

Below is today's article in the Tallahassee Democrat about Margo Pellegrino's kayak journey to save the oceans. Margo made a stop Saturday on Alligator Point and was greeted by volunteers of the Alligator Point Sea Turtle Patrol, Inc.　It was a real privilege and pleasure to meet her. It is a very important mission. She stored her kayak at Dean's place and spent the evening at the Cummins home. Saturday, May 9, was also Margo's birthday and Jim Cummins made a home-made birthday cake for the occasion.　

May 12, 2009

Tallahassee Democrat

Margo Pellegrino
My View

This Mother's Day, I took a break from a more than 1,000-mile journey in my outrigger canoe and spent a day of rest with my children in Tallahassee. It was just the motivation I needed to carry me on to New Orleans, the final destination of my third major canoe voyage in three years. After all, my two children — 7-year-old Billy and 4-year-old Julia — are my inspiration.

Just a few weeks ago, I hopped in my trusty boat on the Atlantic Coast at Fort Pierce, and I've been steadily working my way toward New Orleans ever since. I've seen alligators in the Everglades, the pure springs of the Three Sisters, stingrays and even monkeys along the Nature Coast.

Last year, I paddled from the Jersey Shore (my home state) to Capitol Hill, and the year before it was a trip from Miami to Maine. No, I'm not training for the Olympics. I'm not a professional athlete. I'm a mom who grew up going to Jersey Shore and cherishes those experiences. I'm a mom who wants my children and grandchildren to know what I have always loved about the ocean. I'm a mom calling for action to save our seas.

So — I keep on paddling.

On this trip, I've partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Gulf Restoration Network to spread the word about the urgent threats facing our oceans and the need for federal action to revive them.

Like a Clean Air Act for our air, or a Clean Water Act for our fresh water, we need a Healthy Oceans Act for our oceans to promote their health and resilience. And as Congress considers climate legislation — and the state and federal governments prepare plans to address global warming — they must include measures to protect, restore and maintain healthy coastal and ocean ecosystems so they are better able to withstand the effects of climate change.

Along my route and on all of my journeys, I've met hundreds of Americans who share my passion to revive our seas. This is particularly true for Floridians — from Miami to the Keys, Tampa and Tallahassee. Not only are the ocean and the Gulf in your backyards and now in trouble, they are a revenue stream for the state. Millions flock to Florida for its coastal treasures every year, and no state's economy is more dependent on the natural resources of its coastal waters.

Florida's huge tourism economy alone generates more than $63 billion a year and nearly 1 million jobs, and its success relies on clean coasts and healthy seas. But Florida's coral reefs are dying, beaches are eroding, weather is intensifying, oceans are becoming more acidic, and wetlands are disappearing. These effects are only exacerbated by climate change.

It's not too late to give our children and the generations to follow the same experiences we've had with the sea, and to protect Florida's economic engine. On this trip, I've been collecting messages in a giant bottle (literally) from the residents I meet to send to their representatives in Congress.

When I get back on the water this week, I hope you'll join us in calling on our leaders in Washington, to tell them we need their help to protect Florida's jobs, economy and environment. Like my mom told me, and I now tell my children: "You have to clean up your mess." Congress needs to hear our voices as it shapes the future of our seas.

After all, a healthy ocean is one of the best legacies we can leave our children.

By APTA President, John Murphy

I've scheduled a community meeting with　Florida Park Service personnel to discuss development plans for Bald Point State Park. I urge everyone to attend and to get the word out to any friends & neighbors who may have an interest.　　　

7:00 pm, Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Click on the Member’s Only Page　　

Ray Reisener with HDR, stated that the proposed Master Plan will be presented at the next NWFTCA meeting scheduled May 21, 2009 in Ft. Walton Beach and stated that any changes that Authority members wish to make to the plan be made now. Mr. Langston, speaking for Wakulla County, suggested that meetings be conducted with local officials to brief them on the current plan and to ask for their comment.　

Regarding the Franklin County Update, Mr. Reisener said that projects in Franklin County are federal-aid projects and because of this, the　USDOT will only work through the Florida DOT to get funding and not through the Authority itself. Commissioner Cheryl Sanders stated that the priority in Franklin County is for North-South safe evacuation routes. She pointed out that things have changed in Franklin County regarding a major developer and stated　that citizens support North-South routes. Commissioner Sanders asked Ray to keep her informed.　

Mr. Langston opened the floor to public comment. Ann Maruszak was the only one from the public to offer comment. She thanked Commissioner Sanders for her comments and said she believed citizens in the Alligator Point communities support North-South evacuation routes. Most of those in attendance were those in transportation who are tracking the progress of the proposed projects.　　

April 18, 2009 10am - 3pm

3618 Coastal Highway, St. Teresa

(Intersection of HWY 98 and 319 Between Panacea and Carrabelle)

For more information go to:

By Bill Wargo

May 7, 2009 at 2:00 PM

St. George Island Volunteer Fire Department

Learn about threatened and endangered sea turtles that nest on St. George Island and other beaches in Franklin County, the effects of different types of lights on the turtles and what lights work best for sea turtles AND people.

The workshop will include examples of different lights appropriate for beachfront development and how property owners, managers and commercial businesses can change or install sea turtle friendly lights.

The workshop will start at 2:00pm, May 7, 2009. It will be held at the St. George Island Volunteer Fire Dept., East Pine Street Station, Please RSVP or if you have questions: Bruce Drye, SGIVT, 850-927-2103 or bdrye@gtcom.net

NOTE from APTAWEB: APTA members and Franklin County residents are strongly urged to attend NWFTCA meetings. Meetings rotate among the counties involved in this project and often involve extended drive times. Because of its proximity please attend this meeting if you are able to; only nine meetings are scheduled this year.

April 16, 2009 at 10:00 a.m.

Wakulla County Commission Chamber Room

There will be a meeting of The Northwest Florida Transportation Corridor Authority on Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. EST located at the Wakulla County Commission Chamber Room, 29 Arran Road, Crawfordville, Florida 32327. Any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting is asked to advise the Corridor Authority at least 48 hours prior to the meeting by contacting Amber Perryman at 850-215-4081 or by email at Amber.Perryman@hdrinc.com.

By Don Munroe, APTA Secretary

A certified CPR class will be held at the Mission By the Sea Church on Saturday morning April 25, 2009, starting at 9:00AM.　

As a public service, the Alligator Point Taxpayers Association in partnership with the Alligator Point St. Teresa Volunteer Fire Department has made available this training at no charge for students.

APTA would like to thank Kevin Griffin, President of the Alligator Point St. Teresa Volunteer Fire Department for his help in arranging for this valuable training.

Note from APTAWEB: The following information was provided by Rosalyn F. Kilcollins, Coastal Training Program Coordinator, Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve

NOTE from APTAWEB: The following article was published on the Oyster Radio Web Site.

March 23, 2009

Franklin County commissioners have approved a new schedule for roadside debris pickup in the county. The county solid waste department provides the service of picking up yard trash and some other items from area right of ways, but county solid waste director Van Johnson said last Tuesday that due to a staff shortage at the landfill the pickups will now adhere to a strict schedule.

The schedule will have solid waste workers in Alligator Point, St. James and Lanark Village during the first week of the month, in Carrabelle the second week, Eastpoint and St. George Island during the third week of the month and Apalachicola during the fourth week.

Johnson said the new schedule will save the county on fuel costs, labor and equipment expenses. It will also give residents a clear idea of when the pickups are so they may be less inclined to leave piles of yard trash on the roadside for weeks at a time.

There are limits to what the county will pick up.

The policy is any pile of yard trash measuring more than 6 cubic yards should be hauled to the landfill by the landowner. The county will pick up furniture, fences and broken lumber, but will not pick up construction debris, demolition debris or land clearing debris. The county will also pick up household goods like old mattresses and even appliances like refrigerators and washing machines but will not take hazardous waste like paint or pesticide, or special waste like used tires and abandoned vehicles.