press release - City of St. Cloud, Florida

PRESS RELEASE
City of St. Cloud Public Information Officer Sandra Ramirez1300 9th St., St. Cloud, FL 34769(407) 957-7303[email protected]www.stcloud.org
Mayor Rebecca Borders ~ Deputy Mayor Jeff Rinehart ~ Council Member Russell Holmes ~ Council Member Dave Askew ~ Council Member Donny Shroyer
City Manager Tom Hurt
City of St. Cloud Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2015
Release # 15-29
St. Cloud officials represent citizens during trip to state’s capital
Submitted by City of St. Cloud Public Information Office
St. Cloud, Fla. (March 24, 2015) – City of St. Cloud officials returned March 19 to St. Cloud after a three-day
legislative trip to Tallahassee. Public Services Administrator Veronica Miller and St. Cloud Police Department
Chief Pete Gauntlett accompanied St. Cloud Mayor Rebecca Borders, Deputy Mayor Jeff Rinehart, and Council
Members Dave Askew and Donald Shroyer.
St. Cloud officials drove up to the state’s capital for the 2015 State Legislative Session to discuss issues that
could affect St. Cloud. The Florida Legislature 60-day session began March 3.
“Our trip was both informative and productive,” said Borders. “We met with several legislators from the house
and the senate. Our Lobbyist Bill Barrett represented our city well and swayed several members to agree with our
stance on several issues. We left him to continue working for our great city.”
Borders spoke to the Local and Federal Affairs Committee in reference to House Bill #365, Designated Areas
for Skateboarding, Inline Skating, Paintball, or Freestyle or Mountain & Off-Roading Bicycling. HB #365 reads:
“Removes requirement that governmental entity that provides designated area for skateboarding, inline skating, or
freestyle bicycling post rules indicating written consent of parent or legal guardian of child under certain age is
required to participates; provides for application of specified provisions that limit liability of governmental entity.”
City officials also met with District 39 Rep. Neil Combee, District 42 Rep. Mike La Rosa, District 50 Rep.
Tom Goodson, and District 54 Rep. Debbie Mayfield. Topics discussed included Florida’s water supply. Officials
also toured the House of Representatives Chambers, learned first-hand how laws are made and changed, and were
present during Osceola County’s Florida Advanced Manufacturing Research Center presentation. St. Cloud City
Council supports the project, which would be located on the 20-acre site across from Osceola Heritage Park.
“I truly enjoyed talking with our representatives face to face and providing them with some feedback on what
is significant to our citizens,” said Askew. “It’s important for me as a Council Member to hear first-hand what our
legislators are thinking because it may directly affect the way we live our lives here in St. Cloud.”
To follow HB #365 and other bills, visit the Florida House of Representatives website at
www.myfloridahouse.gov.
###
Funcionarios de St. Cloud representan a sus ciudadanos durante viaje a la
capital del estado
Sometido por Oficina de Información Pública, Ciudad de St. Cloud
St. Cloud, Fla. (24 de marzo del 2015) – Funcionarios del Municipio de St. Cloud regresaron el 19 de marzo a
la ciudad luego de un viaje legislativo a Tallahassee de tres días. La Alcaldesa de St. Cloud Rebecca Borders, el
Vicealcalde Jeff Rinehart, y los Miembros de Concilio Dave Askew y Donald Shroyer fueron acompañados por la
Administradora de Servicios Públicos Veronica Miller y el Jefe de Policía del Departamento de la Policía de St.
Cloud Pete Gauntlett.
Los funcionarios de St. Cloud llegaron a la capital para la Sesión Legislativa del Estado del 2015 para hablar
sobre asuntos que podrían afectar a St. Cloud. La sesión de 60 días de la Legislatura de la Florida comenzó el 3 de
marzo.
“Nuestro viaje fue informativo y a la misma vez productivo”, dijo Borders. “Nos reunimos con varios
legisladores de la cámara y del senado. Nuestro activista Bill Barrett representó a nuestra ciudad muy bien y logró
que varios miembros estuvieran de acuerdo con nuestra postura sobre varios temas. Lo dejamos para que
continuara trabajando por nuestra gran ciudad”.
Borders le habló al Comité de Asuntos Federales y Locales y en referencia al Proyecto de Ley #365, Áreas
Designadas para Skateboarding, Patinaje en Línea, Paintball, o Freestyle o Montaña & Bicicleta Off-Roading. HB
# 365 dice: “Elimina el requisito de que la entidad gubernamental que proporciona un área para el skateboarding,
patinaje en línea, o bicicleta freestyle tengan normas visibles indicando el consentimiento por escrito de los padres
o tutor legal del menor de cierta edad es requerida a participar; provee por la aplicación de las provisiones
especificadas que limitan la responsabilidad de una entidad gubernamental”.
Los funcionarios de la ciudad también se reunieron con Rep. del Distrito 39 Neil Combee, Rep. del Distrito 42
Mike La Rosa, Rep. del Distrito 50 Tom Goodson, y Rep. del Distrito 54 Debbie Mayfield. Los temas discutidos
incluyeron el suministro de agua en la Florida. Los funcionarios también visitaron la Cámara de Representantes,
aprendieron de primera mano cómo se hacen y cómo se cambian las leyes, y estuvieron presentes durante la
presentación del Condado de Osceola sobre el Centro de Investigación de Fabricación Avanzada de Florida. El
Concilio de St. Cloud apoya el proyecto, el cual estaría localizado al frente del Osceola Heritage Park.
“Verdaderamente disfruté el hablar con nuestros representantes en persona y proporcionarles con información
sobre lo que es importante para nuestros ciudadanos”, dijo Askew. “Es importante para mí, como miembro del
Concilio, escuchar de primera mano lo que nuestros legisladores están pensando, ya que puede afectar directamente
la forma en que vivimos nuestras vidas aquí en St. Cloud”.
Para seguir HB # 365 y otros Proyectos de Ley, visite el sitio web de la Cámara de Representantes de la
Florida en www.myfloridahouse.gov.
###
Left to right, Council Member Dave Askew, Deputy Mayor Jeff
Rinehart, Council Member Donald Shroyer, Mayor Rebecca
Borders, Chief of Police Pete Gauntlett, and Public Services
Administrator Veronica Miller pose for a photo during their tour
of the Florida House of Representative Chambers.
Council Member Donald Shroyer and City of St. Cloud Lobbyist Bill Barrett
discuss legislative matters in the Florida House of Representative Chambers.
St. Cloud Mayor Rebecca Borders found her trip to Tallahassee very informative and
productive, but also encountered the spirit of two warriors – one in the form of a painting
of Osceola County’s namesake, Chief Osceola. Secondly, she witnessed St. Cloud Police
Chief Pete Gauntlett (right) assist Santa Rosa County sheriff’s deputies who had been in a
car crash in Suwannee County on Interstate 10. “Chief Gauntlett demonstrated his
courage, skill, and that St. Cloud spirit of taking care of one another. He immediately
jumped into action and, along with good Samaritans who also stopped to help, assisted an
injured deputy exit the vehicle. His spirit of public safety and ‘To Protect and Serve’ was
clearly evident. We are very proud to have him as our chief of police!”