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FROM THE COUNTY MANAGER’S DESKWelcome toeCountyLine!As part of VolusiaCounty’s ongoingefforts to go green,County Line hasgone digital. The newversion, which alsosports a new design,will be distributed toemployees via emailevery other month.The newsletter will continue to provideupdates on employee benefits andshare news about major events,employee milestones, retirements,health tips, and ways we are demonstrating our values and making apositive difference in the community.We ask supervisors to print severalcopies and post them in commonareas for employees who don’t haveaccess to computers.You can help us share the news!If you have a story, please submit it tothe folks in Community Information atnewsletter@volusia.org. – Jim DinneenFast factsRoad and Bridgemaintains 1,083.5miles of roadwaysand 51 bridges,including twodrawbridges.More than 79,000 e-books, 37,000audiobooks and 35,000 e-audiobooksare available through the VolusiaCounty Library System.From left are Ryan Skinner, Derek Taylor, Aaron D. Jenkins, Zach Strang andDylan Copello.Beach Safety officers honoredCongratulations to the following Beach Safety officers, who were recognized atBeach Safety’s annual banquet for their heroic acts.Derek Taylor was honored for stopping a suspicious vehicle that was occupiedby two individuals who were later identified as wanted by the FBI for an armedbank robbery in Iowa. The suspects were arrested without incident.Zach Strang and Dylan Copello were recognized for assisting the DaytonaBeach Police Department in a 4:30 a.m. search for a distraught woman whohad fled into the ocean. Strang and Copello launched a jet ski and found thewoman, who was unconscious, and brought her back to shore. They thentreated her until she regained consciousness.Ryan Skinner and Aaron D. Jenkins were recognized for assisting theNew Smyrna Beach Police Department with a person who had fallen intothe Intracoastal Waterway after attempting to kayak across it the day afterHurricane Matthew. Weather conditions were hazardous, with winds stillgusting to 50 mph. Skinner and Jenkins retrieved the man, who was showinginitial signs of hypothermia and nearly drowned, and brought him to shore,where they provided medical treatment.Skinner was also honored for assisting a lightning strike victim during a storm.Although his vehicle had been struck by lightning and damaged, Skinner exitedthe vehicle in the middle of the storm after hearing yelling from a person hit bythe same lightning strike. He began to treat the victim, who was laterdetermined to have minor injuries.
RetirementsMovers and shakersNovemberAaron V. Jenkins has been promoted to deputy chief ofoperations for the Beach Safety Division. Jenkins joined thedivision as a part-time lifeguard in 2002. Since then, he’s built acareer as a sworn, cross-trained officer. He has also served asa SWAT medic, field training officer, lifeguard supervisor andsenior captain. In his new job, he works on the front lines topromote a safe and enjoyable experience for all who visit ourbeaches. He’s working toward a degree in supervision andmanagement from Daytona State College.Peggy Flomerfelt, Management andBudget, 22Alvin Gregg, Corrections, 29Larry Higgins, Sheriff's Office, 17Joseph Kearsch, Sheriff's Office, 15Gregory McLarnan, Fire Services, 29Marlane Neff, Sheriff's Office, 23DecemberKevin Cowling, Road and Bridge, 12William Ford, Corrections, 12Morgan Gilreath, Property Appraiser, 30Jeffrey Hanrahan, Fire Services, 13Ben Johnson, Sheriff, 42 yearsBonita McClough, Corrections, 16Nancy Stein, Building & Zoning, 12Lee Stone, EnvironmentalManagement, 27Larry Turner, Info. Technology, 16JanuaryChristina Chaves, Sheriff's Office, 13Kathlene Cratin, Corrections, 20Mark Edgil, Fire Services, 30Bryan Jiles, Building and Zoning, 30Patricia Renninger, Sheriff's Office, 13Zachary Tribble, Property Appraiser'sOffice, 25Troy Williams, Corrections, 19FebruaryMyra Gaziano, CommunityAssistance, 25John Bertrand, Corrections, 10Linda Fisher, Library Services, 12Deborah Smith, Sheriff's Office, 13MarchBarbara Alderman, Accounting, 12Joseph Bryant, Sheriff's Office, 28Stirling Gosa, EnvironmentalManagement, 12Annette Hurst, Revenue, 14Daniel Lyle, Fire Services, 17Alison McMillan, Building andZoning, 33Matthew Reinhart, Corrections, 30Nicholas Simons, Road & Bridge, 31Kenneth Smith, Corrections, 27Kristine Winegar, Library Services, 10Cyndy Moore has been promoted to assistant regionallibrarian at the Port Orange Regional Library. She has workedat the library for eight years, most recently as librarian head ofcirculation. Moore has a master’s degree in library andinformation science from the University of South Florida.She recently completed the Sunshine State Library LeadershipInstitute and is enrolled in the Management Training Instituteprogram.Kristin Bennett has been promoted to assistant regionallibrarian at the Ormond Beach Regional Library. Shetransferred from the Edgewater Public Library, where she hadworked as branch manager since 2011. Bennett received amaster’s degree in library and information science from FloridaState University in 2006 and began her career in libraryservices at the Charleston County Public Library in SouthCarolina.Erica Davis, a librarian with the Daytona Beach RegionalLibrary, received her bachelor's degree from Flagler Collegethrough an accelerated program offered through the county.She is now enrolled in the master's program at the Universityof South Florida.Davis is in charge of the branch's Launch Pad, a makerspacethat serves middle schoolers through adults.Inga Fegley, a senior procurement analyst with VolusiaCounty’s Purchasing and Contracts Division, recentlygraduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in publicadministration from Flagler College. Fegley has worked inPurchasing since 2011, starting in commodities and moving tothe construction team in 2015. In her position, she processessolicitations for professional services contracts andconstruction projects.Beach Safety Senior Captain Andrew Ethridge graduatedmagna cum laude from Flagler College with a bachelor’sdegree in public administration. He’s researching masterdegree programs and advanced leadership opportunitiesthat will help him further advance his career. Ethridge hasworked for Beach Safety since 1996, when he started as apart-time lifeguard. Since then, he’s held the positions of beachsafety specialist, senior lifeguard, captain, and his currentposition as senior captain.
Are you a mindless eater?By Lisa Somers, R.N., Cigna health advocateIt’s easy to lose track of howmuch you’re eating, especiallywhen life’s busy. You mightcrunch through an entire bagof chips – even when you’renot hungry. This is a form ofmindless eating that cansidetrack your efforts to eata healthy diet.How to combat the cycle of mindless eating? Make a freshstart. It’s all about slowing down and being mindful of thefood you choose to eat. Before eating your next meal orsnack, pause to ask yourself the following questions:Are you thirsty? Sometimes a food craving is just a signalthat your body is craving H2O. Drink a full glass of waterbefore eating, then ask yourself if you’re still hungry.How much are you eating? Try to be mindful of portionsizes. You might dish up food on a smaller plate and keepserving dishes out of arm’s reach (on the kitchen counter,for example). That way, you have to make a consciousdecision to have a second serving. Also, remove distractions by putting down the phone and turning off the TV soyou can focus on eating.What are you eating? Think about the ingredients. Areyou fueling your body with nutritious foods? Take smallbites and savor all the flavors.Where did it come from? Do you know where the foodwas grown or produced? Connecting these dots can helpyou build a healthy relationship with food.Why are you eating? Are you bored, sad or stressed out?If you’re eating for emotional reasons, go for a walk, drink aglass of water, or do something else.Lisa Somers, R.N., is a Cigna employee whocan assist you and your family members whoare actively enrolled in the Cigna plan. Shecoordinates programs and health promotionsto help employees and their dependents leadhealthy lifestyles. Contact Somers at ext.13249 or cignaadvocate@volusia.orgAre you hungry? Mindful eating is about listening to yourbody and eating food when you’re hungry. If you’re nothungry, you might decide to simply walk away from therefrigerator and come back later.New county app benefits employeesto provide quick and easy access to information about yourhealth benefits. The project was a directive from CountyManager Jim Dinneen and was overseen by Joe Pozzo,human resources assistant director.Through a collaborative effort between the EmployeeBenefits Team and IT, the app was developed, testedand rolled out within six months.Features of the app include: Do you have questions about your employment-relatedhealth benefits? There’s a new county benefits app for that!Developed by the Human Resources and InformationTechnology divisions, the free benefits app was designed Latest news. Stay up to date by reading the latestnews releases published by the county.Health care. Get medical information on in-networkdoctors, urgent care clinics, hospitals, pharmacies,dental and vision plans, and more.Wellness. Find fitness classes and centers availableto employees, as well as local, upcoming races.Retirees. Learn about health care coverage and costsfor current and future retirees.To download the app, visit the Human Resources benefitspage on ENN or volusia.org and click on “Instructions fordownloading the Volusia County Benefits App.”
More than 300 long-termemployees were honoredduring the 31st annualEmployee RecognitionLuncheon on Feb. 22.“Our employees servemore than a half-millionresidents with professionalism, skill and dedication,and they have helpedVolusia County developa reputation for qualityand excellence,” notedCounty Manager JimDinneen.“Today, and every day,I extend my appreciationto employees for theirhard work, continueddedication and commitment to excellence.”COUNTY ATTORNEY’SOFFICECharles Hargrove, 10Larry Smith, 10John MacConnell Jr., 15Jamie Seaman, 25COUNTY MANAGER’SOFFICEJames Dinneen, 10Pat Kuehn, 10Claudia Pizarro, 10ELECTIONSLisa Lewis, 10John Harrington, 15Charlene Kovarovic, 15Bill Fyfe, 35Eva Myers, 35Sharon Ann Pinkney, 35PROPERTYAPPRAISER’S OFFICEPamela Dreisbach. 10James Durland Jr., 10Roger Evans, 10Charles Gormly, 10Mary Horne, 10Lynn Landmesser, 10Michelle Morris, 10Mark Wright, 10Patricia Viers, 10Christopher Flynn, 15Janice Cornelius, 20Charlene Pittman, 20John Hawkins, 25Zachary Tribble, 25Morgan Gilreath Jr., 30Rebecca Jones, 30Linda Rankin, 30SHERIFF’S OFFICEPat Allison, 10Kathy Bellini, 10Peter Bethea Jr., 10Blanca Burgos, 10Shirley Campbell, 10Joann Dede, 10Trudi Foti, 10Robert Frew, 10Jamie Gross, 10Robert Hansard, 10Dana King, 10David King, 10Samantha Leising, 10Melanie Matthews, 10Lauralynn Mays, 10Eugene Mefford , 10Wayne Miller, 10John Oldham, 10Marjorie Perez, 10Karen Pierce, 10Kyle Powell, 10Eric Powers, 10Traci Pridgeon, 10Tara Pronovost, 10John Provenzano, 10Bienvenido Santiago, 10Justin Sawicki, 10Jeffrey Stoffan, 10Scott Storz, 10Jody Thomas, 10Sean Tippie, 10Terri Waller, 10Marcia Wenk, 10Dorothy Woodard, 10Bruce Workman, 10Leonard Zimmer, 10Vicky Bowen, 15Cristal Bustamante, 15Jorge Carvajal, 15James Day, 15Lily Efird, 15Tara Flores, 15John Frazzini, 15Chuck Habermehl, 15Jason Hunt, 15Tammy Flowers , 15James Higgins, 15Mercedes Jimenez, 15Joseph Kearsch , 15Carol Keesecker, 15Mike Kent, 15Sharon Lamb, 15Christopher LeCates, 15Stephanie McCarthur, 15Ronald McDaniel, 15Ryan Mills, 15Jackie Mullins, 15Robert Rahn, 15Jane Rivet, 15Madiha Saleem, 15Chuck Smith, 15Ronald Stier, 15Jeff Wingard, 15Marion Wisneski, 15Brad Yackel, 15Craig Yackel, 15G. Yackel, 15Paul Adkins, 20Susan Armon, 20Bryan Barnard, 20Joseph Cohen-Ortiz, 20David Gobin, 20Jonelle Hillyard, 20Gerald Krug, 20Michael Markovich, 20Catherine McCullough, 20Theodore Richard, 20Michael Stott, 20Peter Taraborelli, 20Donaldson Taylor, 20Michael Telegdy, 20Robert Walters, 20G. Mark Willetts, 20Tricia Davis, 25Edward Hart, 25Roger Hubbell, 25Ingrid Huie, 25Carolyn Long, 25Chico Mandizha, 25Cindy Lu Pagliari, 25Patrick Thoman, 25Robin Franz, 30James Gabriel, 30Robert Goggin, 30Glenn Lopez, 30Patricia McDonnell, 30James Melady, 30Jon Roberts, 30Albert Palgiari, 35Jamie Richards, 35AVIATION ANDECONOMICRESOURCESAviationDwayne Book, 10Bruce Emery, 10Albert Prevatt, 10Rich Mather, 10Joyce D’Esposito, 20BUDGET ANDADMINISTRATIVESERVICESPurchasingShaira Resto, 10Pamela Wilsky, 10Norma Rosales, 35BUSINESS SERVICESCentral ServicesLee Perry, 10Andrea Westmoreland, 10Mike Nickell, 15Matthew Siebels, 20Robert Gilmore, 20Harold Hester, 20James Pitrone, 20George Brownfield, 20Bria Jones, 30Information TechnologyNancy Church, 10Dennis Fair, 25Sandra Savasuk, 30Debra Brumfield, 30John Nogueira, 35RevenueWilliam Roberts, 10Katherine Swingle, 10Robin Todd, 10Eva Cobb, 15COMMUNITYSERVICESAgriculture ExtensionDonna Coriano, 10Renee Schoen, 10Community AssistanceKim Williams, 10Jennifer Edgington, 20Debbi Sue Thurmond, 20Diana Phillips, 25
Library ServicesCyndi Garlit, 10Kelly Balao, 10Donald Brownell, 10Michael Dreggors, 10Connie England, 10Matthew Harman, 10Kristin Heifner, 10Sharon Kay, 10Dale Rusty Larrimore, 10Tamara Sines Lyhne, 10Tobey Mason, 10Charlie Schwab, 10Kristin Winegar, 10Julie Chiello, 15Claudia Hutchinson, 15Heather Metzger, 15Pamela Piatt, 15Brook White, 20David Horgan, 20Leanette Gore, 20Ellen Babanin, 25Parks, Recreation andCultureTerri Bergeron, 10Michael Bielenda, 10Sandy Clodfelter, 10Joseph Zarbo, 10Patricia Havert, 15Amanda Snyder, 15John Squires, 15Thomas Thiel, 15Roger Peterson, 25COURTADMINISTRATIONGina Rivers, 10Liroy Gonzalez, 15Melissa Cuccoro, 15Jannine Kilgard, 15Jennifer Marandino, 15FINANCIAL SERVICESAccountingRobert Boggess, 45Human ResourcesElaine Reed, 10Beth LaHue, 20GROWTH ANDRESOURCEMANAGEMENTBuilding and ZoningFrank Godawa, 10Rebecca Hubbard, 10Michael Mazzola, 10Douglas Sorenson, 10Roy Johnson, 15Philip Vander Werf, 20Randy Roberts, 25Bryan Jiles, 30Walter Stringfellow, 30EnvironmentalManagementGabor Matrai, 15Margaret Hodge, 30Randall Sleister, 30Planning andDevelopmentJeffrey Eggleston, 10Marcia Bradford, 20OCEAN CENTERSteven Alverson, 10Kristofer Beatty, 10Charles Martin, 10Willie Cooks Jr., 20Phoebe LeBlanc, 20Bobby Robinson, 25PUBLIC PROTECTIONAnimal ControlCharity Moore, 10Toni Moriarty, 15Beach SafetyDavid Foley Jr., 10Aaron Van Jenkins, 10Joshua Marlett, 10Frederic Urquhart, 10Lynea Lewis, 15Stanley Manhart, 15Mark Atkinson, 15Chris Dembinsky, 15Lee Tremel, 15Julie Anderson, 15Thomas McGibeny, 20Myles Camputaro, 20CorrectionsChristine Aponte, 10John Bertrand, 10Jeffrey Foss, 10Daniel Haldi, 10Satia Harris, 10Sabrina Hawkins, 10Winston Hope, 10Andre Isaac, 10Karen Motichko, 10Patrick Norden, 10William McMullen, 10Ken Riley, 10Christopher Stormer, 10John Taylor, 10Dale Woten, 10Thomas Zinzi, 10Susan Audit, 15Jeremy Bertrand, 15Sherri Ivy, 15Ivyl LeSane, 15Robin Smith, 15Kathlene Cratin, 20Ernest Hohenstein, 20William Jennings, 20Melvina McCray, 20Jo Ann Morrison, 20John Sturla, 20Mary West, 20Timothy Rowan, 25Kimberly Yeary, 25Alvin Gregg, 30Matthew Reinhart, 30PUBLIC WORKSEmergency ManagementYolanda Buckles, 10Road and BridgeAlaina Mosley, 10Vincent Perrotta, 10David Selph, 10Jason Cowart, 10Martin Verwys, 10Maria Paulino, 15Mark Shaw, 15Douglas Powell, 15David Farr, 20William Morgan, 20Jefferson Borden, 20Glenn Goosby, 20Jerry Coffey, 25Vence Wright, 30Franklin Yarborough, 30Willie McGill, 40Emergency MedicalServicesDavin Corrigan, 10Randi CoryellRandal Jackson, 10Cory Lopez, 10Amanda Miller, 10Allyson Senn, 10Shauna Beres, 15Pamela Ryan, 15James Kobliha, 30Beth-Ann Mondor, 35Donald Neyer, 35Jeffrey Van Doorn, 35Fire ServicesJames Coward, 10Matthew Davis, 10Karl Froling, 10Frank Fusco, 10Shane Goebel, 10Robert Hamel, 10Christopher Hogan, 10William Kelly, 10Matthew Monk, 10Matthew Slifkin, 10Michael Sypian, 10Michael Whisenhant, 10Ed Zona, 10James Gray, 15Steven Huber, 15Justin Hughes, 15Daniel Bauder, 20Kyle Schloss, 20Matt Branch, 25Mark Edgil, 30Gary Goerke, 30Kate Lind, 30Medical Examiner’sOfficeDr. Marie Herrmann, 10Priscilla Feller, 10AdministrationArden Fontaine, 15John Gamble, 35CoastalWesley Hewson, 35Brian Sauter, 35Engineering andConstructionCam Dang, 10Laura Laser, 10Elizabeth Bitowft, 15Keith Koshiol, 20Scott Martin, 30Solid WasteJerry Peterson, 10Willie Trussell, 10Sandra Moore, 10Regina Montgomery, 15Peter Stone, 15Dennis Williams, 15Randy Hubbard, 30Troy Hopton, 30Traffic EngineeringThomas Edwards, 30Water Resources andUtilitiesEverett Bashaw, 10Donald Carver, 15Brian Fox, 15Tim Arrington, 20“We are what werepeatedly do.Excellence, then,is not an act, but ahabit.” – Aristotle
Recognize your coworkers through Caught in the ActOne hundred employees were each awarded a 15Caught in the Act gift card in February and March forgoing above and beyond their regular job duties.Caught in the Act is the county's on-the-spot recognitionaward, aimed at giving an immediate "thank you” toemployees who demonstrate outstanding customerservice, teamwork, leadership, positive attitude, creativityor extra effort/superior performance on a project orroutine assignment.Multiple employees were recognized for their hard workon the Daytona Beach Half Marathon, including KayceeLooper and Tony Stoute of the Parks, Recreation andCulture Division. Other winners included: Joel Buslewicz, Emergency Medical Services, forworking an extra six-hour shift, providing muchneeded coverage to Volusia County residents andeasing the demand on coworkers Timothy Cintron, Corrections, for helping toprocess more than 60 inmates during acomputer program outageAngi Mandese, Accounting, for preparingdocuments for the Comprehensive AnnualFinancial ReportLaura Holton, Library Services, for assisting withprograms and publicity for the Big Read programFifty winners are selected in a random drawing heldeach month of all names submitted for Caught in theAct. They win their choice of a 15 gift card to DardenRestaurants, Wal-Mart, Publix, Lowe’s or Amazon.All permanent, regular full- and part-time countyemployees can participate in the Caught in the Actprogram. Catch an employee doing a good job and lethim or her know you appreciate it! To complete a Caughtin the Act card, go to ENN and click on “Caught in theAct” in the left column.State of the County Address highlights accomplishmentsStaff from the County Manager’s Office and Community Informationcoordinated the April 18 State of the County Address, where CountyChair Ed Kelley and other members of the Volusia County Councilreflected on 2016 accomplishments and looked to the future.More than 500 community leaders and citizens attended the event,which was funded by local business sponsors. Hats off to BettyHolness and her team for pulling off another successful event!County Council Member Billie Wheeler, right,visits Marja Kolomyski and Debbie Somerfordas they welcome guests.A team of employeeswrote the 24-pageState of the CountyAddress booklet,which was thendesigned byGraphic ArtistPaul Radetsky.From left, Brian Vandell, Jeff Crumbley and Gary Daniels present thevideo they created for the State of the County Address.
FOR YOUR BENEFRecent promotions includehighest-ranking female deputySheriff Mike Chitwood continued reshaping theorganizational structure of the more than 900employee agency by molding the departmentinto two operating divisions headed by newlyestablished division chiefs. Division chief is thethird highest rank in the department, after sheriffand chief deputy.From left: Chief Deputy John Creamer, Detective Gerald Johnson, DeputyOmar Bello, Volunteer Daryl Pryce, Telecommunicator Christie D'Ercole andSheriff Mike Chitwood. Not pictured: Victim's Advocate Pat Taylor.Best of first quarter honoredThe moves included the promotion of CoreyPiser, now the highest-ranking female deputy inthe history of the Sheriff’s Office. Also promotedwas Tim Morgan, who will team with Piser asthe agency’s two division chiefs.The top deputy, detective, civilian employee, telecommunicator andvolunteer of the first quarter of 2017 have put in some of the bestwork at the Volusia County Sheriff's Office so far this year.Sheriff Chitwood also promoted a newlieutenant, Anthony Shank, and two newsergeants – Joseph Frost and Roy Galarza.Deputy Omar Bello was honored in part for his role in capturing afleeing murder suspect Feb. 5. Bello was the first to spot the suspect'sDodge Charger on I-95 following a deadly shooting in DaytonaBeach. He pursued the suspect, Dominic Neeley Jr., into FlaglerCounty, where Neeley bailed out of the car and ran toward a house.Bello ran after Neeley and challenged him at gunpoint. Neeley wastaken into custody and remains in jail.Piser was hired in March 2004after a nine-year career withthe Daytona Beach PoliceDepartment. At the Sheriff’sOffice, she has served in patroland worked as a field trainingofficer and watch commander.As division chief of the SupportOperations Division, she oversees specialoperations, training, court services, extraditions,warrants, information technology, evidence,communications and fleet management. Piserserved in the Florida Army National Guard andis completing her master’s degree at SouthernNew Hampshire University.Detective Gerald Johnson's cases in the first quarter included anarmed robbery, armed burglary, burglary of a business, aggravatedassault and a strong-arm robbery – all of which were closed by arrest.In the strong-arm robbery case, Johnson and two other deputiesencountered the suspect fleeing north to State Road 11, where heabandoned the vehicle and was apprehended during a K-9 track.Pat Taylor, a victim advocate, was recognized for her continued workwith victims of crimes including domestic violence and sexual abuse."Her compassionate attitude for victims of crime is profound," saidnominator Marge Clauser. "She never judges the circumstances orlifestyle in representing victims. She treats people with the dignitythey deserve."Telecommunicator Christie D'Ercole was on her lunch break whenshe heard about a head-on crash involving several vehicles, with oneperson dead and others injured. She decided her break was over andwent straight to the dispatch floor, taking over the primary fire position,dispatching extra ambulances and helping notify hospitals of incomingpatients. "She should be recognized for a job well done," her shiftsupervisor Allaina Luna said.As a volunteer with the Citizen Observer Program, Daryl Pryce hashelped keep order at special events, and he's consistently availablefor extra patrols. When he and his COP partner saw kids trying tocross a busy street with no crossing guards, they stepped in anddirected traffic. Pryce also has helped with routine maintenance onVCSO vehicles in the Deltona area and has become an integral partof the vehicle maintenance team.Morgan started with the Sheriff’sOffice in December 2000,working in a variety ofassignments that include patrol,SWAT, crime suppression,internal affairs and districtcommander. As division chiefof the Law EnforcementOperations Division, Morgan oversees theagency’s districts along with narcotics andinvestigations. Morgan came to the Sheriff’sOffice with prior law enforcement experiencefrom the Daytona Beach Police Department,Youngstown Police Department in Ohio andWestminster Police Department in Colorado.He holds a bachelor’s degree from KeiserUniversity, is a graduate of the Southern PoliceInstitute’s Command Officers DevelopmentClass, and served in the U.S. Air Force.
can prevent females from nesting, andthey can confuse hatchlings – leadingthem away from the ocean and intothe streets or storm drains. By simplyshielding or redirecting lights awayfrom the beach and turning them offwhen not in use, beachfront residentscan help sea turtles survive.”Upcoming eventsCLIMATECHANGE’SEFFECTSON BIRDS:2 p.m.Saturday,May 20.Bird expertReinierMunguiawill explainhow temperature changes are affecting feedingpatterns, breeding cycles andgeographic ranges in bird speciesworldwide. He will also explainwhich species are at greater riskand what is being done to savethem. Meet in Lyonia EnvironmentalCenter’s classroom. Call 386-7897207, ext. 21028, to register.NATIONAL TRAILS DAY: 9 a.m.to noon Saturday, June 3. Get yourheart pumping and your feet movingas you celebrate Volusia County’sgrowing trails system during a freefamily event at Lake BeresfordPark, 2100 Fatio Road, DeLand.Parks, Recreation and Culture staffwill lead a guided nature hike andwalking tour through the scenicpark, while the River to Sea TPOwill give away free children’sbicycle helmets. Environmentalgroups and vendors will set upinformational displays.SUMMER LIBRARY PROGRAMS:Children and teens can chill at theVolusia County Public Library,which is planning hundreds ofprograms over the summervacation. Countywide programs,which will take place at each of thelibrary system’s 13 branches,include summer reading programsand storytimes. Each branch isplanning educational andentertaining programs that includemagic shows, guest speakers,crafts, games, music and otheractivities. For a complete list, visitwww.volusia.org/summerprograms.A loggerhead hatchling emerges fromits nest.Sea turtle nestingseason is here!Turtle nesting season began May 1,and that means hundreds of seaturtles will be emerging from the surfat night to lay eggs on the beachduring the next few months.After incubating in the sand for abouttwo months, the baby turtles will makean often-treacherous crawl to theocean, dodging predators, holes,trash, vehicle ruts and beach furniture. Tragically, some will be led intoharm’s way by beachfront lighting.Only about one in 1,000 to 10,000hatchlings will make it safely to sexualmaturity. Jennifer Winters, thecounty's sea turtle Habitat Conservation Plan program manager,wants to improve those odds.The Environmental ManagementDivision works with beachfrontproperty owners throughout the year,educating them about the sea turtlelighting ordinance and how to beresponsible coastal citizens.Sea turtle nesting season runsthrough Oct. 31. For more information,visit www.volusia.org/seaturtles.County embracessocial mediaAre you the county’sfriend? Facebook friend,that is!Follow Volusia CountyCommunity Information to learn thelatest about county services,programs and news. Check us out on, and hit the“follow” button!“We need everybody’s help to makethis a safe and productive nestingseason,” she said. “We encourageresidents and visitors to play safely,protect wildlife and respect the beach.That includes letting only the naturalmoonlight provide the light at night.”Volusia County CouncilBeachfront property owners are askedto inspect their property from thebeach at night to look for lighting thatmay need adjustment and correct thelighting before May 1, when proactivelighting enforcement efforts will begin.Pat Patterson, District 1“Artificial lighting is a human-madethreat we can correct with minimaleffort,” Winters noted. “Bright lightsEd Kelley, County ChairDeborah Denys,Vice Chair, District 3Joyce Cusack, At-largeBillie Wheeler, District 2Heather Post, District 4Dr. Fred Lowry, District 5Jim Dinneen, County Manager
newsletter@volusia.org . - Jim Dinneen Fast facts Road and Bridge miles of roadways and 51 bridges, including two drawbridges. More than 79,000 e-books, 37,000 audiobooks and 35,000 e-audiobooks are available through the Volusia County Library System. From left are Ryan Skinner, Derek Taylor, Aaron D. Jenkins, Zach Strang and Dylan Copello.
