New JOB posting- Tavares park maintenance worker

Help keep Tavares FL parks beautiful and get paid doing it

Here's another way the city of Tavares can put some money in your pocket with out getting all wet like the park attendants...Be a park maintenance worker.
Salary $22,000-$31,900
Call 352-742-6209 for more information . Here are some things you should know before you call:

Park Maintenance Worker

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
This position performs semi-skilled and manual work in maintaining various grounds, fields and facilities.  

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Maintains various grounds, fields and parks by performing mowing, dragging, weeding, tilling, raking, digging and other manual labor tasks
• Prepares fields for athletic activities such as: lining, raking
• Installs turf, seeds and foliage on fields, in parks and other grounds.
• Maintains equipment and facilities by performing manual labor and semi-skilled work
• Performs litter control functions; cleans restrooms; sets up picnic and other areas
• Does painting, carpentry, plumbing and minor electrical repairs
• Repairs and maintains the irrigation system
• Operates vehicles, performs daily checks on vehicles and safety equipment such as fluid levels, tires, lights, and a walk around check for damage.
• Performs daily maintenance on mowers; checking fluid levels, changing blades, cleaning air filters, checking tires, checking for damage and lubricate daily
• Operates equipment such as: front-end loaders, tractors, backhoe, mowers, rototiller, etc.
• Makes daily written and oral reports
• Informs and directs public in the use of facilities

 (These essential job functions are not to be construed as a complete statement of all duties performed.  Employees will be required to perform other job related marginal duties as required.)

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of facilities maintenance and repair functions
Knowledge of landscape maintenance and turf installation
Knowledge of tools and equipment necessary to perform related work
Knowledge of grounds-keeping practices and principles
Ability to operate light to medium equipment
Ability to perform heavy manual labor under various weather conditions
Ability to follow written and verbal instructions
Skill in the operation and preventative maintenance of equipment and related tools
Knowledge, skill and ability to perform minor irrigation repairs (sprinklers or 1” or smaller lines)
10. Ability to work rotating shifts including weekend duty, emergency call-out
11. Must complete courses in Turf and Ornamental within 1 year of employment
12. Must complete courses in Ball Field Maintenance within 1 year of employment
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
1. High school graduate or possession of an acceptable equivalency diploma
2. Grounds maintenance experience, with a combination of experience and training which provides the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS OR REGISTRATIONS:
1. Valid and insurable Florida Drivers License
2. Class B CDL License may also be required, at the discretion of the Community Services Director.

Miscellaneous Information

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL SKILLS:
- Heavy (45 pounds and over) lifting and carrying
- Acceptable eyesight (with or without correction)
- Ability to communicate both orally and in writing
- Acceptable hearing (with or without hearing aid)
- Walking
- Standing
- Kneeling
- Bending
- Driving
- Operating equipment
- Stooping

ENVIROMENTAL CONDITIONS:
- Works outside in various weather conditions
- Chemicals (insecticides and herbicides)
- Heights (up to 15 feet)

( Reasonable accommodations will be made for otherwise qualified individuals with a disability.)

(These essential job functions are not to be construed as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other job related marginal duties as required.)

The City Of Tavares is an Equal Opportunity and E-Verify Employer. Qualified individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply and will be reasonably accommodated. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Veterans’ Preference offered on initial hire per Florida Statute 295. Selected applicants receiving a conditional offer of employment are subject to a criminal, driver, education and employment background check, drug screen, polygraph test, psychological test and medical examination. To apply, a City of Tavares employment application or resume with a minimum of ten (10) years complete work history must be submitted to City of Tavares Human Resources no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date (if mailed, it must be postmarked no later than the closing date). Internal candidates must submit a completed Internal Transfer Request, available in Human Resources no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date. Minimum qualifications are subject to change pending approval of job description(s). Equivalent combination of related training and experience may be considered. The City of Tavares reserves the right to fill positions prior to the closing date. All positions are regular full-time unless otherwise noted.

Make a SPLASH and make money doing it! Summer job posting

Looking for a fun way to make some pocket money this summer and keep cool doing it?

The City of Tavares is looking for Splash park attendants for the summer of 2014.
The rate is $9/hour
Call 352-742-6209 for more information. Here's some details you will want to know before you apply:

Splash Park Attendant (temporary seasonal)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The Splash Park Attendant is responsible for appropriate customer service, monitoring users’ safe attendance and enjoyment of the Splash Park.  Attendants work under the supervision of the Seaplane Base and Marina Manager or Operations Supervisor, who issues written or oral work requests and who may inspect work performed on a routine or emergency basis.  The Splash Park Attendant must perform work safely and efficiently, at times under inclement weather conditions, and must be available for work assignments during Splash Park season from April to October.

 This position is classified as temporary seasonal, and is ineligible for City benefits.

 ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

·         Performs the full range of duties in and around the splash pad, and ensures the safety of Splash Park patrons

·         Facilitates daily and season pass attendance and user fee collection

·         Provides public information about and monitors user conformance with park rules and regulations

·         Performs City Splash Park general and contaminant splash pad clean-up protocol

·         Follows City Splash Park written standard operating procedures

·         Performs other tasks as needs are identified and as assigned

·         Works weekends and holidays as assigned

·         Responsible for all equipment utilized in the course of the daily work assignments

(These essential job functions are not to be construed as a complete statement of all duties performed.  Employees will be required to perform other job related marginal duties as required.)

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
1. Must consistently provide friendly, welcoming customer service to all Splash Park users and guests

2. Must consistently display an attitude of cooperation and the ability to work and communicate well with others

3. Ability to understand and execute oral and written instructions

4. Ability to maintain integrity in all areas of job performance

5. Ability to perform the essential functions of this position

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
1. Minimum age 16

2. Proven customer service related experience, with proven cash handling and accountability experience preferred

(A comparable amount of training, education or experience can be substituted for the minimum qualifications.)

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS OR REGISTRATIONS:

1. Valid Florida Drivers License

2. Valid American Red Cross CPR and First Aid or verified equivalent preferred. Training will be provided for otherwise qualified candidates.

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL SKILLS:

• Acceptable eyesight (with or without correction)

• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing

• Acceptable hearing (with or without hearing aid)

• Walking

• Standing

• Kneeling

• Bending

• Stooping

• Stretching

ENVIROMENTAL CONDITIONS:

• Works outside for extended periods in various weather conditions

• Contact with wet surface conditions

Miscellaneous Information

(Reasonable accommodations will be made for otherwise qualified individuals with a disability.)

The City Of Tavares is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply and will be reasonably accommodated. Veterans’ Preference offered on initial hire per Florida Statute 295. Selected applicants receiving a conditional offer of employment are subject to a criminal, driver, education and employment background check, drug screen, polygraph test, psychological test and medical examination. To apply, a City of Tavares employment application or resume with a minimum of ten (10) years complete work history must be submitted to City of Tavares Human Resources no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date (if mailed, it must be postmarked no later than the closing date). Minimum qualifications are subject to change pending approval of job description(s). Equivalent combination of related training and experience may be considered. The City of Tavares reserves the right to fill positions prior to the closing date. All positions are regular full-time unless otherwise noted.

Post Holiday Blues? The Fun's not over yet!

Get the kids all bundled up in their long pants and put on your socks. 

Its time for the WINTER CARNIVAL- FLORIDA STYLE! 

The Thanksgiving turkey is gone, Christmas presents are unwrapped, stacked neatly in the closet and ready for re-gifting. The champagne headache from bringing in the New Year with strangers who became temporary besties has subsided and all the twinkling holiday lights are gone for the season. The hustle is done. The bustle is gone.

January is the time of year when everyone gets the post holiday blues. It's a gray month of resolutions to be more fit, more sincere and perhaps a bit more serious about the future.

That's why the City of Tavares brings WINTER CARNIVAL! Come out with the family for a good old fashioned day of face painting, games and bounce house-ing and let the good times roll just a little bit longer.   :)

Come out to the Tavares Civic Center at 100 E. Caroline Street in Tavares, FL 

on Saturday January 25, 2014 from 1-3PM with the whole family.  

It'll be a fun way to stretch out that holiday feeling just a little bit longer. 

Time captured through Art

 Ah, Florida..
Growing up in upstate New York, I always dreamed of coming to Florida.
 Old books like "The Yearling" by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings about living in the tranquility of palm tree woods and the promise of thick hot summer nights engulfed me. It was my mission to live and fish in peace for the rest of my life in eternally warm weather on the edge of a peaceful lake.
 Finally the day came when we arrived in Orlando.
Shock is just the tip of the iceberg. Not only was this Florida filled with Disney and Disney wannabe tourist traps, traffic jams and angry sounding foreigners, The whole surrounding area was ticky tacky suburban homes that all looked the same.
I eventually found Tavares and Mount Dora, Florida and Lake Dora on the Harris Chain of Lakes. The lakes are connected by the Dora Canal, a stretch of pristine Cypress canopy dotted with wild alligators and blue heron that will take you back in time. You can see the canal yourself on a narrated boat tour with Premier Boats. See a little preview below:

If you miss the boat, make sure you check out the Art exhibit at Tavares Art in the Square starting March 11, 2013.
Acclaimed Florida Artist Catherine Haynes Stockwell will be featured through April 10.
 Mrs. Stockwell was born in Deland, FL in 1893 and was a 1917 graduate of Stetson University. She moved to Eustis in 1937 with her family and lived there until her death in 1983. See real old Florida and particularly this area as it was seen through her eyes before tourist attractions and shopping malls. Her paintings preserve Central Florida’s landmarks of that period such as Trout Lake before the trailer park and the landing on Lake Eustis before civilization changed the shoreline. Her daughter estimates she must have completed at least 5,000 paintings in her lifetime.

There will be a reception featuring her artwork Monday, March 11, 2013, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm at Tavares City Hall, 201 E. Main Street. Admission is free.

Bob Grenier, author of “The Gallant Captain Melton Haynes,”and Tavares city councilman will introduce the artist’s daughters MayLo and Kathleen.  Captain Harry will provide live entertainment.  Light refreshments will be provided.
This exhibit kicks off  Viva Libros!, the 2013 BookFest presented by the Lake County Library System. For a full event schedule visit www.MyLakeLibrary.org.
For more information on Tavares Art in the Square exhibit, contact Tamara Rogers, Tavares Community Services, 352.742.6338.

African-American Heritage Festival Feb 1 & 2, 2013

Posted by the city of Tavares, Florida

African-American Heritage Festival - February 1 & 2

African-American Heritage Festival
February 1 & 2 in Tavares
The African-American Heritage Festival will take place in Tavares on February 1 & 2. This celebration of African-American culture will include three major events.
On Friday, February 1, in the Tavares High School Gymnasium, there will be a free cultural event. The Community Choir will perform at 6 pm and a dance performance will begin at 7 pm. The Center for Contemporary Dance presents Moore Dance Project in “Reflections,” a series of new contemporary dance works set to the soulful sounds of the Motown era. Under the artistic direction of award-winning choreographer Dario J. Moore, the Moore Dance Project is the area’s first and only African-American professional dance ensemble. Using classic music from Motown legends like Marvin Gay, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and many more, the company will present world-premier dance works featuring seasoned dancers who command the stage with grace, artistry and depth. Refreshments will be served by the African-American Heritage Committee.
On Saturday, February 2, there will be a parade down Main Street, in downtown Tavares, which will begin at 10:00 am. Following the parade there will be an African-American Festival from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm in Wooton Park, located on Ruby Street. Entertainment includes singing, dancing, gospel choirs and steppers, promising an afternoon of toe-tapping fun. There will also be arts and crafts, food vendors, as well as historical and cultural educational exhibits. Admission is free.
The Moore Dance Project produces artistically-engaging dance works that celebrate and examine new perspectives in the African-American experience. Founded in Washington, DC in 2001, the Project has been operating out of The Center for Contemporary Dance in Winter Park, FL since 2006. Since arriving in Central Florida, Moore Dance Project has presented more than 35 new dance works, including those commissioned by the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, Rollins College, the Tupperware Company, Black Enterprise Magazine and the Pepsi-Cola Company.
The Center for Contemporary Dance is an award-winning education, incubation and production center for the dance arts. Over the past eleven years, the organization has supported emerging and seasoned artists in the creation and presentation of more than 250 new dance works, including those by Moore Dance Project. Responsible for the emergence of no less than eleven professional contemporary dance companies, the organization has received recognition and awards from United Arts of Central Florida, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Florida Alliance for Arts Education. To learn more, visit www.TheCenterForDance.org.
For questions regarding the dance performance contact Tavares Community Services, 352.742.6338.
For questions on the African-American Festival contact Pastor Mike Watkins, 352.406.9608 or Sheila Short 352.552.0325.

Help Freedom Fly

 Round and Round we go, where we'll stop...I know!
Its the brand new Roundabout located at the intersection of Main St. and Sinclair Ave. in downtown Tavares, Florida and it can take you to the many restaurants in the downtown waterfront entertainment district, the parking garage, the courthouse or back where you came from.
On August 13, 2012, construction began on the roundabout as part of the downtown revitalization plan and once completed is expected to improve traffic flow and beautify one of the main entrances into the City of Tavares.
 Construction is expected to be completed sometime in December 2012.
Donations are being sought to help erect a 60ft flagpole with a 12ft x 18ft American flag in the center.
 Donations of $100 or more will get their name inscribed on a monument next to the flag. Be a part of history and help the Freedom Flag Fly.

Donations are tax deductible For more info call 352.742.6264

It's going to be a Splash, a Monster Splash!

There's going to be a Splash, a Monster splash.....in Lake Dora on Saturday, October 27, 2012.

The City of Tavares is hosting a Monster Splash Halloween Seaplane Fly-in out of the Tavares Seaplane Base in October.

Activities begin at 9am in Wooton Park in the downtown waterfront entertainment district.
If YOU have a seaplane and want to participate in fun flying competitions such as the Fastest "S-take" Off, Smashing Pumpkin Drop and Franken-Spot Landing Contest contact the City to Register and participate. There will be awards, prizes and Seaplane pilots that fly in receive a $10 dining voucher to downtown restaurants.

Enjoy a hotel package at newly opened Lakeview Inn within walking distance from the water's edge and enjoy Tavares as it celebrates its Howl-O-Fest celebration on Friday and Saturday evening.

Activities include a Haunted Hayride through the newly acquired Wooton Park Field and Haunted Boat Tours through the Dora Canal.
Book your Great Pumpkin Train and Haunted Train Rides HERE and Floating Ghosts Seance Tour HERE now before they fill up.

Its going to be a SPOOKTACULAR time for all!

Wooton Park Boat Ramp Derailed by Railroad repairs

Wooton Park Boat Ramp will be CLOSED Aug 6 - 8, 2012 due to repairs being done on the railroad tracks by Florida Central Railroad in the Wooton Park area in downtown Tavares.
Also, as parts of the railroad tracks in front of Wooton Park will be replaced and under construction, The city of Tavares will close the railroad crossings at St. Clair Abrams Avenue and Rockingham Avenue, which are the entrance and exit at Wooton Park.
Access to the Wooton Park parking lot as well as the ramp will be blocked to all vehicles during this time.
Visitors will still be able to use Wooton Park and all other park amenities are open to the public. Boaters may launch at other locations including Tavares Recreation Park, Hickory Point Recreation Facility, Summerall Park, Trimble Park or Gilbert Park.
For more information contact the Tavares Seaplane Base & Marina, 352.742.6267

Warning! Dora Canal Bridge Work being done this summer 2012

M E D I A  R E L E A S E

Boating Advisory for the Dora Canal

The Dora Canal Bridge in Tavares will be undergoing replacement from July 16 through August 8, 2012.  During this period boating traffic will not be permitted to travel under the bridge and is advised to avoid the construction area.

The construction of the new bridge will relocate the support pilings increasing the navigable area under the bridge from 13’ to approximately 24’.  At the same time, Lake County Water Authority will be concluding a contract to remove fallen trees and large debris from the canal. Both of these projects will greatly increase boater safety and improvenavigation.

The construction at the Dora Canal Bridge includes the replacement of the train tracks on the bridge, as well as the tracks along Ruby Street in downtownTavares.  These track improvements will allow for safer transport of freight and passengers and are part of a larger project to connect variouscities in Lake County with Orlando’s future rail upgrades.

The Dora Canal Bridge and rail repairs will cost $1.3 million and are being fundedthrough a Florida Department of Transportation grant and a local match of 25% shared by the City of Tavares, Lake County Water Authority and Florida CentralRailroad.

The replacement of the Dora Canal Bridge is being directed by the Florida Central Railroad.  If you have any questions, contact Pete Petree, General Manager, Florida Central Railroad, 407-880-8500 or ppetree@fcrr.com.

4th of July in Tavares!

Get ready for 4th of July in Tavares!

Heres the official information about what's going on from the City Of Tavares:

Fire & Ice -Tavares’ Independence Day Celebration

 The City ofTavares presents “Fire & Ice” a cool, colossal Independence Day Celebration on Wednesday, July 4, at Wooton Park. Watch the Main Street Parade and enjoy a day filled with music, food, fireworks and family-friendly activities.

Festivities begin at 3:00 pm in Wooton Park, downtown Tavares, with kid’s activities,food vendors and the one-of-a-kind Splash Park!  Kids of all ages can enjoy the Ice Skating Rink (with free skates), an interactive Dance Party and Water Walker Balls. Ben Franklin & Betsy Ross are also expected to make an appearance. Entertainment will continue all afternoon and evening featuring TheJimmy Sparks Band. 

The 4th of July parade will begin at 5:00 p.m. and travel down both Main Street and Ruby Street. This All-American spectacle will be a fun-filled mix of music,floats and mounted units. America’s Seaplane City will provide aspecial treat at the start of the parade, so don’t be late!

The Splash Park will remain open until 8:00 p.m. The evening concludes with a spectacular fireworks show at 9:00 p.m.

Free parking is available at the Lake County Parking Garage at Maud Street and Sinclair Avenue. The facility is within easy walking distance of Main Street and Wooton Park. Handicap parking will be in the Lake County Records Building west-side parking lot. Vehicles will be able to access this lot from New Hampshire Avenue. Visitors are reminded that parts of Main Street and some cross streets will be closed for the parade between 3:00 and 6:00. Ruby Street will be closed between Main Street and Texas Avenue from 4:45 p.m. until the fireworks conclude to allow pedestrian traffic to flow freely.

The fireworks display is being staged on the lake, therefore the boat ramp will be closed on Tuesday, July 3 and Wednesday, July 4 while fireworks are being transported anddue to the activities taking place lakefront.  Alternate boat ramps are locatedat Summerall Park and Tavares Recreation Park (Buzzard Beach).

 For additional information, contact Community Services, 352.742.6370