INDIAN RIVER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
August, 2005 PACE EH Report

To:             Daniel Parker, MSP, GAL
                    Assistant Division Director, Division of Environmental Health

From:         Julianne Renk, Environmental Specialist

Through:     Cheryl L. Dunn, RS, Environmental Manager

Subject:     August 2005 Wabasso PACE EH Grant Update

On August 1st, the West Wabasso Civic Progressive Leagues monthly community meeting was held at St. Matthews Missionary Baptist Church with approximately 38 people in attendance. Updates were given on existing projects such the water project and a map of where the services would be located was available for residents to view. Concerns were voiced over the threat of losing the existing bus route which runs through Wabasso and we agreed to have a representative present at the next community meeting to address the topic directly.

I met with the Utilities department on three occasions this month to finalize the design for the water project, and to work out a solution to the problem of impact fees not being covered by the grant. After much discussion, we resolved to use funds from the housing hurricane relief grants to cover the impact fees. This will mean more paperwork for residents to fill out, but the end result of free water will be worth it.

At the Code Enforcement Board Hearing Board on August 22nd, Junkman Willie was fined $100 a day for operating a junkyard from his residence. He has been doing this for over forty years, and since this was an issue in the community, we have been going before the Code Enforcement Board to make him cease his operations. Finally, after a year, the fines are being imposed and the community hopes that this will eliminate the junkyard and its negative effects on surrounding residents.

I was invited to do a PACE presentation at the COMPASS Annual Meeting in Lake Mary on August 25th and accepted gladly. I brought along a community leader from Wabasso, Billie Minnis, and also an agency partner from the Sheriffs Department, Teddy Floyd. I wanted the audience to hear directly from these two guests in regards to how PACE has affected them and their role in its process. It was beneficial for the audience to see that PACE has allowed us to all work together toward a common goal and I hope it helped to increase awareness of the PACE process and tool.

Past Indian River County Updates

July and August, 2004

June, 2004

May, 2004

Media Coverage

The following files are provided in the Adobe Acrobat pdf format. Files over 100 kb in size that may take longer to download and view, have their file size listed.

September 20, 2005 - Indian River County replaces septic tanks for 10 families in west Wabasso

July 8, 2005 - Indian River health officials receive national award

June, 2005 - Spring 2005 PACE Progress Report for the Wabasso Environmental Assessment (380 kb) (From the Florida Journal of Environmental Health)

June 17, 2005 - World Changers group fixes homes in West Wabasso

June 15, 2005 - Impoverished area to get waterlines

June 12, 2005 - World Changers redo Wabasso

May 1, 2005 - Water System on its way to Wabasso

December 25, 2004 - Woman's work aids west Wabasso residents

October 18, 2004 - Storms stall Wabasso help

September, 2004 - PACE Progress Report for the Wabasso Environmental Assessment (620 kb) (From the Florida Journal of Environmental Health)

September 28, 2004 - Storms run Wabasso family out of own, borrowed homes

August 28, 2004 - Families get new homes