Want to be a part of local government? The Avon Park City Council is looking for a new member – for a while. The council wants to hear from people interested in serving out the remainder of Stanley Spurlock’s term – one year. Vice Mayor Stanley Spurlock passed on over last weekend, reportedly from a heart attack. One condition – you have to agree not to run when the seat comes open again next November. That’d be the preference of the remaining members expressed at this week’s meeting. The appointment will probably be made at a January meeting.
The Highlands County Schools named their Teacher Of The Year Monday, and this year’s winner is Katlyn Vasquez, a teacher, math coach and AVID coordinator at Avon Park Middle School. Park Elementary’s Terri Wells was named School Related Employee of The Year. The awards normally come at a full banquet event – this year, the virus “bit” the Summit Awards event but District brass made the presentations in Person. The awards carry more than kudos and a little free publicity – they carry a nice cash award for the winners, courtesy of Midflorida Credit Union.
Sebring is dressing up a couple recreation area in the city, on the nickel of grant funds that have come in to make improvements in the Max Long Recreational complex and the city’s skate park. The jury’s out on what’s going up, but a picnic pavilion at the skate park and repairs on facilities at both. The city has also interviewing four contractors to take on the project of renovating for former Wachovia Bank building on North Ridgewood. The building was abandoned by Wells Fargo when they took over the Wachovia branches a few years ago and was purchased by the Community Development Agency in 2019. The vintage 1973 structure has a number of possible uses, including a move of City Hall there – a “construction manager at risk” appointment is a first step toward a final decision on any necessary renovations or adaptation needed for whatever use the building comes to.
Regardless of how seriously you take the Coronavirus, it’s no secret that caring for patients fighting the bug is a stressful job. Avon Park’s Noon Rotary Club said “thanks” last week to Covid patient care nurses at Advent Health Sebring with over 200 handwritten “Thank You” notes penned by club members and delivered to the hospital. Each note was addressed to a staff member individually.