New Titusville mayor takes on strategic plan

By Jessica Raynor
Florida Today

Jim Tulley wants to take on the city’s strategic plan as one of the first issues he’ll tackle as Titusville’s new mayor.

It’s an issue that will be brought before a new council tonight, with new Titusville City Councilor Martha Jane Long sitting in Tulley’s vacated council member’s seat.
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Palm Bay Road project on schedule

By George White
Florida Today

QUESTION: Is the project to widen Palm Bay Road on schedule, and when will it be completed?

ANSWER: The project widening Palm Bay Road from four to six lanes for 4.5 miles between Minton Road and Robert J. Conlan Boulevard is on schedule for a fall 2010 completion date, said Stephanie Evans, public involvement coordinator for the Florida Department of Transportation.
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Fay’s floods still concern Brevard ranchers, farmers

By Kimberly C. Moore
Florida Today

Some of Brevard County’s most widely known farming and ranching families voiced their concerns to state and county water-management officials Thursday about flooding on their properties during and after Tropical Storm Fay in August.
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Brevard Art Museum head steps down

From Florida Today
By Pam Harbaugh

After 13 months as president and CEO of the Brevard Art Museum, Karl Hollander resigned Monday. He handed his letter of resignation to Sue Hopkins, chairwoman of the museum’s board of trustees.
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Cocoa to increase water fees by 15%

Florida Today
COCOA — The city council voted 4-1 on Tuesday to increase water rates to its 80,000 customers starting Oct. 1. Mayor Michael Blake cast the dissenting vote.
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Judge halts West Melbourne water suit

A Brevard County judge has put the stopper on a lawsuit between neighbors Melbourne and West Melbourne over their disputed water contract.

Circuit Court Judge George Turner signed an order to put a hold on the lawsuit filed by West Melbourne, saying the two cities have not yet exhausted negotiations.

The order is standard procedure under Florida laws regarding governments suing each other, and sends both sides back to talk, attorneys for both cities said.
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DiPatri gets $18,801 in bonus pay

Brevard Public Schools leader Richard DiPatri will receive an $18,801 bonus this year, the district said Tuesday. DiPatri received $204,940 in base pay for the 2007-08 school year and was eligible for $20,494 in bonus money, or 10 percent of his pay.
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Titusville may freeze employees’ salaries

TITUSVILLE — The city’s proposed $131 million budget eliminates many capital improvement projects, freezes salaries and includes no program enhancements — but doesn’t call for any layoffs.
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Horse barns ready, but not open yet

Construction wrapped up on Wickham Park’s new horse barns in February. But they will remain empty into the fall, when Brevard County commissioners expect a consultant’s recommendation on how to use them.
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Brevard park projects may be finished by 2010

Before voters agreed in 2006 to borrow up to $85.7 million to finish more than 20 park referendum projects, Brevard County officials said they hoped to complete the parks within two years.
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