Dates to Remember
• April 15 — City Commission workshop and meeting
• April 18 — Golf Course Advisory Board meeting
• April 18 — Library Advisory Board meeting
• April 19 — Good Friday: City offices closed

Library Director Natasha Hayes reports:
Library Amnesty Week is April 8 through 13. Any patron who has outstanding fines/fees may have their fees waived for up to $50 per patron. Please note this does not include lost/damaged items, but only for the late fees associated with checked out materials. So if you’ve been holding on to an item and are worried to return it due to the possible fees from it being past due, please return it next week and the fees will be waived.
The High School Art Reception will be held on April 11 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Please stop in and see firsthand the amazing artistic skills of our local youth. Mrs. Harn, Clewiston High School Art Teacher, has worked diligently to set up a wonderful evening full of art displays, demonstrations, and hands-on activities. Make sure to stop and meet the artists: Kalina Mesa, Nicole Blanco, Michael Swaby, Gabriel Garcia, Margaret Gacula, and Abenamar Perez. Come visit the Clewiston Library and watch as these young, talented artists demonstrate their skills for all to see. Artwork will be on display at the library during the month of April. Donations are accepted. Proceeds go to Clewiston High School Art Department. Make sure you get a raffle ticket as the library will be giving away one FREE desktop computer. See you there! We hope this will be the beginning of a new tradition, as we want to highlight the artistic skills of our students in Hendry County. Light refreshments will be served.
Please stop in for the Medicare 101 Information Session on Wednesday, April 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. With so many members of our community having questions about the Medicare program, please stop in and learn about this program. This event is free of charge and open to all.
Tutoring was held Monday, April 1, for first through fifth grades from 4 to 6 p.m. There are still spaces available for this free tutoring program. As the school year is coming to an end, please stop in the library and sign your student up for this opportunity. With Florida certified teachers assisting your students, this can help give your child the additional assistance needed at this time as state testing is occurring.
The Lego Club was hopping this week as we continue to grow weekly in attendance. We are looking at adding additional Duplo sets to our collection due to the amount of younger siblings who attend. Stop in and enjoy the fun on Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
The library’s water line was repaired this week as we have had an issue with water draining from the kitchen.
For information regarding any of our programs, please call the library at 863-983-1493.

Public Works Director Sean Scheffler reports:
Wow, if you missed the last Food Truck event on March 28 you missed an opportunity to get out of your normal and dine with some of the finest people and eat some really good food. Seven trucks were there and the weather was perfect.
If you have any recreational needs or questions, please drop by city hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or call 863-983-1484.
• Mosquito Control: Monday night’s trap counts are: Golf Course 11 and Okeechobee Blvd. 35.
• Paving Projects: Notices of Award have been sent for the 2019 Overlay Paving Project and the 2019 Hot Spot Paving Project. When all documents are executed, Notices to Proceed will be issued. Hot Spot areas were marked again this week to ensure proper locations are addressed.
• Country Club Roof Project: Nothing new to report. I will report the starting date when the paper work is done.
• DOT Sidewalk Projects Update: Sean met with the DOT last week and did a walk-through of the sidewalk projects the DOT has in the system for Clewiston. Locations are as follows: To fill in all gaps on U.S. 27 to Sonny’s BBQ; San Luiz from Sagamore to Alverdez; Royal Palm from U.S. 27 to Del Rio and Ponce de Leon from U.S. 27 to Balboa.
• Splash Pad: We are still in water conservation mode. Hours of operation are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m. till noon and again at 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. This facility is already seeing a lot of use. This information is posted at each gate and online: Running is not allowed at the pool or splash pad. Slip-and-fall accidents could happen. Parents should be involved with their children while using this facility.
• Street Division: Last week’s activities include: (1) Pot holes were run. (2) The “primed” metal on the new picnic pavilion in Trinidad Park was painted. The roof is scheduled go on next. (3) Royal Palms and Roebelenii Palms were planted on North Berner Road. (4) Two more sections to be landscaped on Bond Street have been sprayed to kill the grass, so the soil can be turned. (5) The visibility triangle at Arcade and Ponce de Leon was cleared so the stop sign is seen. (6) The eight oak trees donated to the city by U.S. Sugar were laid out in the Trinidad Park. Locates will be called for and water brought to each location before planting is done. This week’s activities include: (1) Staff watered trees on South Berner and will continue watering for the next few weeks or until we start getting our summer rains. (2) Staff installed the three new parks identification signs on Friday. These signs include the park address for 911 operations. (3) Irrigation systems in the park and festival grounds were turned on and inspected for damage after the festival. Happily, there was very little damage and all systems are go. (4) The first of three concrete pours around the new bathroom facility in Trinidad Park was done this week. The next pour will be the ADA ramp. The third will be the replacement of sidewalk that had to be removed in order to install the ADA ramp properly.
Sports Complex: (1) An evaluation of the Racquet Ball Courts was done last week. Maintenance and repairs will be scheduled. (2) Baseball season is in full swing. Pick up on that pun? Staff is daily prepping fields for play. Thank you to all that patron our Sports Complex and are parking in designated areas. The grounds are looking better and the safety of our children is at a much higher level.
Facility Maintenance: Last week’s activities include: (1) Lights in the John Boy Auditorium were repaired and lamps replaced. (2) Table tops and benches were ordered for replacement on two tables; one at the pool and one in a park. One new picnic table and park bench was ordered for the new Trinidad picnic pavilion. (3) The rebuilt pumps and plumbing in the pool filter room have been completed and are in service. (4) Bowline Roofing was issued the Notice of Award this week and after all documents are signed the Notice to Proceed will be issued. (5) The new aluminum door for the Animal Control facility was installed. One has already been installed and being aluminum it has held up and performed well. This week’s activities include: (1) Lights in the John Boy Auditorium were repaired and lamps replaced. (2) I have requested a quote and proof for a new sign at the Golf Course reflecting the new name. (3) We are seeking quotes for the dumpster enclosure at the police department. (4) I am seeking quotes for the relocation of the double gate and pass through gate at the Trinidad Park soccer field. If you want to see some good soccer matches, go to the Trinidad Park on the weekends. Last weekend a couple very good teams had some very intense matches. Very entertaining.
NOTE from Public Works: Hurricane season is around the corner. May is Tree Trimming Amnesty Month. You must call the office at 863-983-1471 and get pre-approved to get the “Special Pick-up” fee waived.

Golf Course Director Robbie Rush reports:
Saturday April 13, is the Moore Haven Terrier Boosters Fundraiser Tournament. The golf course will be closed this day for regular play until 2 p.m.

All merchandise has been marked down in our end of the season sale.
Summer memberships start May 1.
Golf Tip: Fairway Bunker Shots: when in a fairway bunker next time try this. Take one more club, if a 6-iron will get there take a 5-iron. Dig your feet into the sand and choke down on the club. Look at the front of the golf ball and swing just using your arms.

Police Chief Aaron Angell reports:
A brief synopsis of activity over the course of the week ending March 29:
• Officers made a total of four arrests.
• Officers responded to 298 Calls for service (Includes officer-initiated activity).
• We responded to and investigated seven traffic crashes.
• We conducted 94 business and 53 residential security checks.
• Average officer response time to calls for service, 00:02:10.

Utilities Director Danny Williams reports:
Electric Crew Activities - week ending March 29
• Installed electric service to relocated lift station on Francisco St.;
• Repaired underground box at construction site on Sugarland Highway;
• Residential customer calls included repairing lines with voltage issues, raising a service line and running two new electric services on Harvest Lane;
• Added bird guard on distribution pole at golf course, repaired driving range lights;
• Repaired street lights;
• Located buried lines for contractors;
• Straightened sports light pole and adjusted lights at baseball fields;
• Repaired and reattached distribution line on San Diego St.

Electric crew activities week ending April 5
• Removed vegetation from power lines on Concordia and Saginaw Avenues and at city golf course;
• Replaced broken service pole on Alabama St.;
• Raised low service wire on W. Ventura St.;
• Ran new service on Maryland St.;
• Repaired underground service in fairgrounds and Harlem Gardens areas;
• Opened switches in substation for contractors to set beams for substation expansion.

Water-sewer crew activities, week ending March 29
GPS mapping of our sewer collection system continues. USSI crews also continue installing LDL plugs in clean outs as needed. Other activities reported by our water/sewer department include:
• Repaired two water breaks at Trinidad Apartments;
• Changed a meter valve at Trinidad Apartments;
• Reset a pump and changed a pressure switch at a sewer collection lift station.
Water-sewer crew activities, week ending April 5
GPS mapping of our sewer collection system will be completed next week. USSI crews will return in a few weeks to install inflow dishes in all our manholes. Other activities reported:
• Installed new water main distribution line and all taps to 16 residences;
• Reset a pump at a sewer collection lift station on Saginaw Ave.
Information Technology, week ending March 29
• The library had an upgrade for their public computers this week. It went well and the new user experience is a great upgrade.
• Pricing for closed captioning services was procured. If the city wants to continue to livestream commission meetings, we will need to closed-caption them to be ADA compliant.
• If you use any Asus equipment at home (we don’t have any in the city) please update your system. There was an exploit patched recently.
Did you know your Customer Service Department offers several bill paying options?
• ONLINE bill pay is available on our website at www.clewiston-fl.gov or www.municipalonlinepayments.com/clewistonfl.
• AUTOPAY is also available; come visit our office and complete an application, choose a payment date (5, 15 or 25) and your bill will be deducted from your checking, savings or major credit card account.
• Of course, payment by cash, check, money order or credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express) is always welcomed.
Please remember to register with CodeRed (Reverse 911). This system allows us to contact you in case of an emergency or with other informational announcements. You may register by clicking on the CodeRed link at the bottom of the City‘s website page www.clewiston-fl.gov. You may update your information at any time through the same link.
If you are considering replacing your air conditioner or insulation, remember the city offers a rebate program for those items. Most local contractors participate in the program and can give you information. You can also visit our website at www.clewiston-fl.gov or call our office.
Don’t forget to sign up for your meter-based surge protection! Visit our office today.
Please be aware of utility payment scams: Scam artists are calling utility customers posing as employees of Clewiston Utilities and threatening disconnection of services if payment is not made immediately. Please be aware:
• Clewiston Utilities will NEVER request you to purchase money cards or gift cards to pay your account over the phone.
• Clewiston Utilities will NEVER contact our customers on the weekend and threaten disconnection of services.
• Clewiston Utilities will NEVER speak to our customers in a threatening tone.
If you feel you have been a victim of this scam, please contact Clewiston Utilities to verify the call or the Clewiston Police Department and file a report.