Wastewater Improvement Plan

Details

Published: Thursday, 10 November 2016 11:43

Wastewater Improvement Plan

Message from Mayor Rick Kriseman:

You already know that during recent rain events, St. Petersburg was forced to discharge wastewater into Tampa Bay. We’ve also had spills, including most recently at our Northwest plant. Like you, I don’t think these discharges or spills are acceptable.

Working with Public Works Administrator Claude Tankersley, I have come up with an aggressive, bold plan to address this issue, and mitigate further discharges and spills into Tampa Bay.

Our goals are to:

• Increase capacity at our existing plants.
• Line and seal targeted pipes and manholes.
• Engineer enough redundancy to sustain operations for two weeks should one of our three plants go offline or be otherwise rendered inoperable in a crisis situation.
• Operate totally within the rules and guidelines of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, even during a crisis.

With respect to climate change, we can anticipate more extreme events like Hurricane Hermine. We also know that sea level rise will have an impact on our underground pipes as well as our three existing treatment plants. Our Public Works team will put a contingency plan in place to address those critical issues.

None of this can be done overnight, and it will be expensive. But, I have heard from many of you, and agree when you say, “do whatever it takes.”

My plan calls for an estimated investment of $304 million on projects through 2021. Some of this money has already been budgeted. But we will need an additional $142 million to get the job done. Our short-term projects will take about two years. We should be completed with this plan in five years. Fortunately, a healthy economy makes this important investment feasible, without any immediate need to reprioritize other unrelated city advances.

However, it is important to note, between now and then, if we get another extreme rain event like Hurricane Hermine, we can likely expect more discharging into the bay. But if we invest in this plan, we will have a vastly improved sewer system in place by 2021. This is the most efficient, effective path toward a sustainable solution to our city’s sewer issues.

View the detailed plan at www.stpete.org/publicworksinfo

Nov 10 thru 13 – Blue Ocean Film Festival

Details

Published: Sunday, 06 November 2016 19:16

BLUE OCEAN FILM FESTIVAL TO DEBUT OVER 90 FILMS FROM 24 COUNTRIES NOV. 10-13 IN ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA

Leonardo DiCaprio's New Documentary "BEFORE THE FLOOD" Opening Night Film

The Blue Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Summit will offer over 90 films from 24 countries November 10-13, 2016 in venues throughout the City of St. Petersburg, Florida. Visitors will enjoy events and screenings from the Mahaffey Theatre to the Palladium attracting filmmakers, photographers, scientists and celebrities from around the globe. Fun for all ages, topics range from educational about the dangers of plastics to sports oriented/entertainment featuring kite boarding. The winning "BEST OF THE FESTIVAL" film will be offered for free in North Straub Park on Sunday, Nov. 13th at 7 pm.

The special screening of Leonardo DiCaprio's new documentary "BEFORE THE FLOOD" is the festival's opening night film and will be followed by an After-Party taking place on Thursday, Nov. 10th at the Mahaffey Theater. St. Peterburg Mayor Rick Kriseman will be the guest speaker to welcome the international attendees at 7:30 pm.

Founded in 2009, BLUE alternates each year between Monaco and St. Petersburg, sparkling with ocean all-stars who spark change. BLUE is a fun-filled gathering of ocean-related films, breath-taking photography, inspiring keynotes, captivating art, thought-provoking panels, and more. A unique convergence of arts, science and entertainment, BLUE attracts global icons and a diverse public audience who get the once in a lifetime opportunity to meet some of the world's most distinguished underwater filmmakers, photographers, scientists and conservation leaders.

The mission of BLUE is to use the power of film and visual media to raise awareness and inspire ocean stewardship around the globe.

a complete schedule of 2016 BLUE awards, gala, films, and appearances, visit www.blueoceanfilmfestival.org or call 727-388-6682. Tickets range from $12.50 for regular screenings to $6.25 for youth (ages 4-10) and Keynotes are $15.00. Passes range from $135.00 to $725.00. Media Contact: Debbie Kinder - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Snell Isle Drainage Improvement Project – November Update

Details

Published: Sunday, 06 November 2016 19:15

Final preparation for paving of Brightwaters Blvd up to the north side of the intersection with Raphael is being completed October 31 and November 1. Paving of all work areas up to the north side of the intersection should occur November 2, 3, or 4, taking 2 days. A new striping plan will be implemented in the intersection of Paloma, Raphael, and Brightwaters to improve traffic safety and slow traffic thru the intersection. This revised layout will be tested for the next month as construction progresses; if it works as desired, it will be formalized at the end of this project.

Once the paving of the intersection and revised marking are satisfactorily in place, the contractor will begin constructing work at the intersection of Snell Isle Blvd and Raphael. This will require crossing Snell Isle Blvd with 3 separate drainage pipe installations. Each crossing will take 2-3 days. During these crossings, Snell Isle Blvd will be closed to thru traffic at Raphael from 9 AM to 4 PM. Snell Isle Blvd will be open to 2 way traffic each evening, early morning, and on weekends. During the 3 closure periods, traffic will be detoured from Snell Isle Blvd down Paloma and Brightwaters to the street east of Raphael. Variable message boards will be posted to state the days of the closures in advance. The first closure will be around November 9. During the remainder of the work on Snell Isle Blvd the intent is to use flagmen and keep at least one lane open at all times to be used for 2 way traffic. The work in Snell Isle Blvd should take about 5 weeks.

The restoration of Raphael between Snell Isle Blvd and Brightwaters will also begin this week as the above activities occur.

Town Hall Meeting at North Shore Elementary

Details

Published: Sunday, 06 November 2016 19:14

Come and see North Shore Elementary

• You are invited to our Town Hall Meeting
• When: Tuesday, November 15th- 7:00 PM
• Where: North Shore Elementary 200 35th Avenue NE. (in the cafeteria)
• Classroom tours available beginning at 6:00 PM

We live in this amazing neighborhood with the promise of community, cohesion and support, yet families attend more than 9 different elementary schools…Why?

Come and see our historic zoned elementary school. School tours start at 6pm and are open to everyone.

Come and learn what being a student at North Shore is like: the curriculum, the daily environment, and the expanding programs.

Come and ask your questions. You will hear from parents, teachers, and administrators about what North Shore Elementary has to offer.

Check us out at http://www.pcsb.org/northshore-es