View of Sulphur Springs Tower from North of
Lowry Park.
People should not be afraid of their
Government; Govenrment should be afraid of their People!
WHO ARE WE?
Friends of the River is a citizen
support group concerned with promoting health and environmental policies
that affect the quantity and quality of water in the Lower Hillsborough
River and the Tampa Bay by actively promoting the development and implementation
of natural resource management strategies which will improve and enhance
the current and future health, recreational, environmental and proprietary
values of the Lower Hillsborough River, the Tampa Bay, and adjacent lands
and bodies of water, and promoting general public awareness of the issues
with which F.O.R. is concerned.
Please join us
for our 9th Annual:
Hillsborough River
Holiday Boat Parade!
Saturday, December 13th
Starting at 6:30 p.m.
Holiday Lights on
Decorated Boats, Canoes & Kayaks
Celebrating Year One of Restoration of the River & Bay’s
Estuary
PARTICIPATE:
Bring your decorated boat, canoe or kayak & join the fun. Anything
that floats! Boaters meet at 6:00 pm at Lowry Park Boat Ramp
– Free Parking
BOAT ROUTE:
From Lowry Park, upriver past illuminated SULPHUR SPRINGS TOWER
at Florida Ave. Bridge, ending at historic Harbor Club at Nebraska
Avenue.
SPECTATORS:
Enjoy the parade of lights over the water between 6:30 pm –
7:30 pm from your dock or at the riverfront park by the Sulphur
Springs City Pool and
historic Gazebo – plenty of parking and room for viewing.
Riverfront residents along parade route are encouraged to decorate
their docks.
Special Feature:
FULL MOON rises at 6:47
FOR MORE INFORMATION
PLEASE
CONTACT US AT:
Friends of the River:
813-237-8497 or email: friendsofriver@tampabay.rr.com
Spectators
Welcome; Boaters Needed!
Directions
to Lowry Park Boat Ramp: North Boulevard, across from
Lowry Park Zoo, north of W. Sligh Ave.
WE NEED YOUR PRESENCE
AT THE
Tampa City
Council:
Where:
City Council Chambers, Old City Hall, 3rd Fl, 315 East Kennedy Blvd,
Downtown Tampa
When:
Thursday, December 4th at 1:30 pm (the second &
final public hearing)
Why:
City Council will be voting on renewal of a 25 Year Franchise Agreement
with TECO
What: Attend the meeting
or send emails The City Council is about to ratify the TECO Franchise
Agreement (FA) that governs TECO's ability to use the Right of Way
areas along every roadway in Tampa. It governs how TECO trims trees,
responds to emergencies, and how much a fee we pay, as customers,
for the right to receive services from TECO. The agreement expired
in 2006 and has been under negotiations for the past 3 years but
wasn't open for public comment until recently.
The Florida Public Service
Commission regulates the rates and services provided by public utilities
and preempts the authority of the city and county to require the
development of renewable energy sources but the hope is that these
contract negotiations can be used as leverage for TECO to make some
sort of commitment to strengthen their conservation and efficiency
efforts.
Representatives Dingfelder,
Mulhern, and Saul-Sena have opposed the agreement. Gwen Miller was
absent, and Miranda and Scott voted for the agreement. Representative
Joe Caetano initially opposed the agreement but then changed his
vote. One of the reasons he gave for changing his vote was that
over the past 3 years the city has spent approximately $95,000 in
attorney fees negotiating the contract and he didn't want any more
money spent.
Community activists are encouraging
concerned citizens to attend the meeting or send emails asking for
(1) an extension of a few
months to consider a better agreement while seeking input from many
knowledgeable people – energy specialists, engineering experts
and informed citizens – who live in our city and could add
valuable ideas;
(2) a shorter contractual period since our world will be a very
different place in 25 years; (3) urge TECO to consider voluntary
measures for clean energy production; (4) set aside a minimum of
1% of the franchise fee for development of a City program for conservation
and updated energy standards, focusing on renewable energy usage
at City facilities.
If you cannot go, please
contact city council members Caetano, Miller, Scott and Miranda
that
THIS
IS A REALLY BAD IDEA.
Or contact council members
Mulhern, Dingfelder, and Saul-Sena that you support their positions.
Go to this
page for Pictures of the 2007 holiday parade!
ABOUT
RECLAIMED WATER:
A
River needs fresh, clean water. River fish and wildlife cannot survive
in anything else. People also need fresh water: to drink, to cook,
and to shower! But there are a lot of things people do not need
fresh water for. So, YOU and Friends of the River still have a very
important job to do.
In addition to monitoring
this agreement to make sure it actually happens, Friends, will start
a campaign to encourage YOU to start using reclaimed water for the
following projects:
watering your lawn:
washing your car;
cleaning your house and driveway
Both Mayor Iorio
and SWFWMD have confirmed that the use of reclaimed water is important
to them, and they have promised that they will work hard to make
reclaimed water available to everyone.
We encourage you
to do your part, and start asking for it! Contact the mayor's
office and city
council that you think reclaimed water is important! Help make
Tampa a Green city!
Thanks for all you've
done to make this happen. Your voice has been heard. The River wins!
A message from Tampa Water Department:
Water Use Violators Hotline & Important Hurricane Information:
It hasn't rained in a very long time, and
that means that your lawn may have to suffer some. We all need to
conserve. That includes you, and your neighbors. (MORE)
Friends of the River, 1705 W. Sligh Ave,
Tampa, FL 33604
Friends of the River, Inc. is a not for profit,
organization. We rely on your donations to cover our expenses. Join
our membership for a (tax deductable) donation of at least $ 5.00
per year per family, to receive up to date news, and information
about the river. Click
here to join us.
